Meta-emotion Philosophy Research Articles

Mothers’ perceptions of children’s emotional behaviour problems and parenting sense of competence: The mediating role of maternal meta-emotion philosophy

We investigated the relationship between mothers’ perceptions of their children’s emotional behaviour problems and their parenting sense of competence, as well as the mediating effect of maternal meta-emotion philosophy in this connection. Participants were 349 mothers of 4- to 17-year-old children (female children = 40.7%, mean age = 8.24 years, SD = 2.95 years). The mothers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Parental Meta-Emotion Philosophy Scale, and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale. Structural equation modelling and simple mediation analyses results showed that mothers’ perceptions of their children’s problem behaviours were linked to higher emotion dimissing and lower parenting sense of competence. Specifically, emotion dimissing mediated the relationship between children’s problem behaviours and parenting sense of competence by the mothers. Furthermore, mothers’ perceptions of their children’s prosocial behaviours were associated with both higher emotion coaching and parenting sense of competence. Emotion coaching mediated the relationship between children’s prosocial behaviours and parenting sense of competence for higher sense of competence by the mothers. Our findings suggest that mothers’ perceptions of children’s emotional behaviour problems may explain their parenting sense of competence through their parenting philosophy. By prioritising their maternal meta-emotion philosophy when dealing with their children’s emotional behaviour problems, mothers can enhance their parenting sense of competence.

Need for Exploring Meta-emotion Philosophy to Comprehend Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder

The impact parenting has on the development of personality is quite known. The influence of emotions on a dysregulation level has been researched and found to influence the same. Earlier research points out that the dismissing meta-emotion philosophies parents hold have impacted the development of various psychological ailments. Evidence also indicates how the parents’ emotion-coaching philosophies efficiently aid an individual’s development. This article reviews the need to explore and understand the meta-emotion philosophy of parents of individuals diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder to better comprehend the emotional functionality of the parents and the individuals with the diagnosis.

Validation of an adolescent version of the Parental Metaemotion Philosophy Scale.

Validation of an adolescent version of the Parental Metaemotion Philosophy Scale.

Meta-emotion philosophy in teachers from kindergarten to middle school

The present study further investigated the role of teachers as emotional socializers by exploring both the theoretical and the empirical applicability of the construct of meta-emotion philosophy in teachers coming from kindergarten to middle-school. Specifically, we first aimed to test the psychometric properties of a specific tool to assess meta-emotion philosophy (i.e., the Crèche Educator Emotional Style Questionnaire - CEESQ, originally developed for early childhood educators). The second aim was to explore whether the associations between the dimensions provided by the CEESQ were in line with the meta-emotion philosophy framework. 815 female teachers (mean teaching experience = 20.08 years, SD = 10.84 years) from kindergarten to middle school took part to the study. The original 5-factor structure of the CEESQ was confirmed (i.e., three factors related to how teachers approach students’ emotions and perceive their self-efficacy as emotional socializers, and two factors related to how they recognize and approach their own emotions in daily life). Moreover, the CEESQ factors showed several significant interrelations, especially considering the correlations between teachers’ self-efficacy as socializers toward students’ emotions and teachers’ perceptions of their own personal emotional competence. Emerged results indicated the usefulness to expand the construct of meta-emotion philosophy from parenting to student-teacher relationship in order to reach a more comprehensive understanding of the role of teachers as emotional socializers; moreover, they suggest the need for including in teachers’ pre-service and ongoing education a specific attention to promote awareness about the strict connection between personal emotional world and emotion-related educational practices adopted toward students.

Parental Meta-Emotion Philosophy: A Review of the Past Decade of Research

Parental Meta-Emotion Philosophy: A Review of the Past Decade of Research

What really matters? Comparing parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of parental meta-emotion philosophy as predictors of adolescents’ positive mental health

What really matters? Comparing parents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of parental meta-emotion philosophy as predictors of adolescents’ positive mental health

Commonality and Specificity in Chinese Parental Emotion Socialization and Adolescents' Psychological Functioning: A Bifactor Approach.

Understanding of the conceptual relations among different parental emotion socialization processes (i.e., whether and how they are distinct or share common components) and their developmental implications for adolescents is limited, especially within Asian cultural contexts. Guided by the parental emotion socialization framework, this study aimed to: (1) investigate a conceptual model that delineates general and specific components in parental emotion socialization with both adolescents and parents within a contemporary Asian cultural context-Beijing, China, and (2) examine whether the common and specific processes predicted adolescents' psychological functioning six months later for both informants. Participants included 1486 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 15.11 years; 52.6% males) and their primary caregivers (Mage = 44.93 years; 44.9% males). Both adolescents and parents self-reported on parental emotion socialization and adolescents completed a measure of their psychological functioning at two time-points. We evaluated the fit of one-factor, first-order factor, and bifactor models for both informants separately. Results indicated a good fit of the bifactor model with a proposed general factor of parent meta-emotion philosophy and specific factors of parental reaction and emotional expressivity, with partial factorial invariance of the parental reaction factor across informants. The common and specific factors uniquely predicted adolescents' psychological functioning. Findings inform the parental emotion socialization framework, particularly our conceptual understanding of the different processes with Asian samples, and have practical implications for the design and implementation of comprehensive and culturally relevant parenting interventions in support of adolescent psychological functioning.

The Influence of Parents on Emotion Regulation in Middle Childhood: A Systematic Review.

Emotion regulation (ER) has been identified as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, making it an ideal target for prevention and treatment. This study explores how parents can nurture the development of child ER. In April 2022, a systematic review was executed focusing on malleable factors in the parental emotion-socialization process during middle childhood. Papers in PubMed, Web of Science and Medline were screened on content-related and methodological criteria. Their methodological quality was assessed. Knowledge was assembled using a summarizing framework encompassing four factors involved in emotion socialization. Fifty papers shed light on modifiable factors at the level of parental meta-emotion philosophy, emotion-related socialization behaviors, the ER skills of parents and the emotional climate of the family. Adaptive socialization appears to be context- and child-specific, thereby taxing parents’ ER skills and their ability to put them into practice flexibly. The four changeable factors in the emotion-socialization process are highly intertwined, resulting in four possible entries for parent-directed interventions. Importantly, time should be devoted to the ER capacities of parents and their ability to attune to the situation and their child. Regarding the latter, replication studies are necessary. Recommendations for clinical interventions are provided.

The Relationships Among Maternal Meta-emotion Philosophy, Maternal Video-Mediated Cognitions, and Adolescent Behavior Adjustment in Taiwan.

This study examines the relationships among maternal meta-emotion philosophy, maternal video-mediated cognitions, and adolescent behavior adjustment. We adopt video-mediated recall methods to obtain mothers' perceptions of their interaction with their children. In total, 121 pairs of mothers (age, M = 42.55) and their adolescent children (age, M = 12.34) were videotaped for 10min while discussing daily issues. The mothers reviewed the tape (30 episodes) and rated their own behaviors and the counterparts' behaviors on 8 cognitive or affective dimensions. The mothers also completed a parental meta-emotion philosophy inventory, and the adolescents completed the Youth Self-Report. The results indicate that maternal emotional dysfunction has a positive effect on adolescents' externalizing problem behaviors through mothers' perceptions of conflictual interaction. These findings highlight the importance of considering maternal meta-emotion philosophy in the mother-adolescent interaction process and understanding adolescent problem behaviors.

Parental Emotion Coaching Moderates the Effects of Family Stress on Internalizing Symptoms in Middle Childhood and Adolescence.

The present study examined the moderating effects of parental meta-emotion philosophy on the relation between family stress and youth internalizing symptoms. A two-study approach was applied to explore these relations in socioeconomically diverse samples with respect to a self-reported parental emotion coaching (EC) and parental emotion dismissing (ED) meta-emotion philosophy in Study 1 (N = 153; youth ages 10-17 years; 52% female; 49% White, 26% multiracial, 17% African American, 6% Asian American, 1% Latinx, and 1% American Indian) and observed parental EC and ED behaviors in whole-family interactions in Study 2 (N = 82; youth ages 8-11.75 years; 52% female; 57% White, 22% African American, 19% multiracial, and 2% Asian). Across both studies, EC was a buffer such that positive associations between family stress and youth internalizing symptoms were only present when parental EC philosophy or EC behaviors were lower. Additionally, in Study 1, more EC was protective: the relation between family stress and youth internalizing symptoms was negative when parental EC philosophy was higher. Findings suggest parental EC buffers youth internalizing symptoms from the detrimental effects of family stress. Therefore, the inclusion of family-level risk processes and the effects of both parental beliefs and observed parenting behaviors can inform research on youth psychosocial adjustment.

어머니의 상위정서철학과 분노표현 간의 관계에서 아동또래애착의 매개효과

본 연구는 어머니의 상위정서철학이 아동의 분노표현에 영향을 미치는 경로에서 아동 또래애착의 매개적 역할을 살펴보았다. 또한 이를 통해 아동으로 하여금 적절한 방식으로 분노를 표현하도록 하는 보호요인에 대해 탐색하였다. 이를 위해 경기, 서울에 거주하고 있는 초등학교 5, 6학년 아동과 그들의 어머니 57쌍을 대상으로 연구하였다. 연구 결과 어머니의 상위정서철학과 아동의 또래 애착 하위요인 간에 부분적으로 정적인 연관성이 나타났으며, 어머니의 상위정서철학과 아동의 분노표현하위 요인 간에도 부분적 정적 상관이 있었다. 아동의 또래애착과 분노표현 간의 관계를 살펴보면 또래에 대한 아동의 신뢰 수준이 높을수록 아동의 분노억압 수준이 낮고, 분노조절 수준이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 뿐만 아니라 자녀의 부정적 정서에 대한 어머니의 수용이 아동의 분노억압수준에 미치는 영향을 또래에 대한 아동의 신뢰 수준이 부분매개 하는 것으로 나타났다. 이를 통해 어머니의 정서관련 가치관 및 양육태도가 아동의 사회적 관계 양상 및 부정적 정서 처리방식에 영향을 미치는 경로를 확인할 수 있었다.

Pathways to behavior problems in Norwegian kindergarten children: The role of parent emotion socialization and child emotion understanding.

More than two decades of research have shown that parental emotion-related socialization behaviors (ERSBs) significantly predict child emotion understanding and externalizing behavior problems. This study aimed to replicate these findings in a sample of 40 Norwegian preschool children and to test whether the effect of parental ERSBs on externalizing child behavior problems was mediated through child emotion understanding. Parental report on ERSBs was obtained using the Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale (CCNES) questionnaire. Child emotion understanding was assessed directly using the Test of Emotion Comprehension (TEC). The results showed that parental distress reactions and externalizing child behavior problems were significantly correlated and that parental expressive encouragement was significantly correlated with child emotion understanding. Estimation of indirect effects was conducted using process analysis and showed that parental expressive encouragement was indirectly related to externalizing child behavior problems (b=-0.17) via child emotion understanding. The results suggest that better child emotion understanding, and lower parental distress are related to lower levels of behavior problems in preschool children. These findings provide support for the Parental Meta-Emotion Philosophy (PMEP) model, where the effect of parental emotion socialization on externalizing child behavior problems is mediated through emotion understanding.

Attachment, Parental Meta-Emotion, and Emotion Regulation in Adoptive Mother–Child Dyads

Adopted children are at risk for a number of unfavorable environmental factors and thus have an increased likelihood of developing social, emotional, cognitive, and attachment issues that can stunt the child’s ability to build intimate relationships and regulate emotion. These potential issues may make it difficult for adoptive parents to emotionally connect with their adopted child. Through the theories of parental meta-emotion philosophy (PMEP) and attachment, the researchers explored how adoptive mothers’ level of emotion coaching (the ideal PMEP) and their attachment impacted the adoptive child’s ability to emotionally regulate. Findings indicated that emotion coaching is an effective method of aiding adopted children’s ability to emotionally regulate. The researchers also found that adoptive mothers struggling with attachment may still be able to learn emotion coaching and positively impact her adopted child’s emotion regulation development.

The Influence of Maternal Meta-Emotion Philosophy on Mother–Child Reciprocal Affect Reactions During Task Interactions

The Influence of Maternal Meta-Emotion Philosophy on Mother–Child Reciprocal Affect Reactions During Task Interactions

Family meta‐emotion and the onset of major depressive disorder in adolescence: A prospective longitudinal study

AbstractMeta‐emotion philosophy refers to an organized set of thoughts, reactions, and feelings about one's emotions and the emotions of others (Gottman, Katz, & Hooven, 1997). This study investigated the prospective relationship between family meta‐emotion processes and adolescent‐onset major depressive disorder (MDD). Adolescents (N = 198, mean age 12.5 years) and one of their parents each completed the Meta‐Emotion Interview (Katz & Gottman, 1986), and adolescents were followed‐up at ages 15, 16.5, and 19 years to assess for MDD onset. In the Meta‐Emotion Interviews, parents and adolescents were asked about both their own, and the others', anger and sadness. Results showed that parent‐report of their own meta‐emotion philosophy of sadness prospectively predicted MDD onset in adolescence, as did adolescent‐report of low parental emotion coaching in relation to sadness, and adolescent self‐perceived emotional competence in relation to sadness. Adolescents' perceptions of family emotional environments characterized by high levels of parental anger expression and family conflict also prospectively predicted MDD onset. These findings highlight the continued importance of family emotional processes in adolescence, and provide insight into how parents' and adolescents' perceptions of emotional processes within the family, particularly in relation to sadness, may be prospectively associated with risk for adolescent onset MDD.

발달장애유아 어머니의 상위정서철학과 모-자녀간 의사소통 및 양육효능감의 구조적 관계

발달장애유아 어머니의 상위정서철학과 모-자녀간 의사소통 및 양육효능감의 구조적 관계

Maternal Meta-Emotion Philosophy Moderates Effect of Maternal Symptomatology on Preschoolers Exposed to Domestic Violence

Exposure to domestic violence in the preschool years is consistently associated with children’s heightened risk for developing behavior problems. Maternal meta-emotion philosophy (awareness, acceptance, and coaching of children’s emotions) has been identified as an important protective factor in children’s development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors following exposure to domestic violence. However, mothers who are victims of domestic violence often experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, which may undermine their capacity to respond to their children’s negative emotions. The present study examines the protective role of maternal meta-emotion philosophy among mothers and preschool-aged children exposed to domestic violence. Participants were 95 mothers (mean age = 31.78) and their preschool-aged children (mean age = 4.11) who had witnessed domestic violence involving their mothers. Multiple regression analyses, controlling for family socioeconomic status and child exposure to interpersonal violence in the family, indicated that maternal symptomatology was positively associated with children’s internalizing problems. In addition, maternal awareness and coaching of children’s negative emotions was found to moderate relations between maternal symptomatology and children’s internalizing behaviors, and maternal awareness of children’s negative emotions was found to moderate relations between maternal symptomatology and children’s externalizing behaviors. These findings expand our understanding of maternal meta-emotion philosophy as a protective factor for preschoolers who have witnessed domestic violence.

Parents’ Perceptions of and Responses to Children’s Emotions: Relations With Meta-Emotion Philosophy and Adult Attachment

SYNOPSISObjective. This study investigated how parents’ perceptions of, feelings toward, and anticipated responses to children’s emotions relate to parents’ meta-emotion philosophy and attachment. Design. Parents (112 mothers and 95 fathers) completed an online research study where they viewed photographs of unfamiliar girls and boys (aged 10–14 years) displaying varying intensities of happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and neutral expressions. Parents labeled the emotion, identified the emotion’s intensity, and reported their mirrored emotion and responses. They also completed measures assessing their meta-emotion philosophy and attachment. Results. Meta-emotion philosophy predicted parents’ responses to children’s negative emotion, in that greater emotion-coaching predicted greater accuracy in labeling emotions (boys only), a greater likelihood to interact with children, and for mothers to be further from the mean in either direction in their mirrored emotion. Attachment also predicted parents’ responses to children’s negative emotions: Parents higher in anxiety reported more mirrored emotion, and those higher in avoidance reported less mirrored emotion, lower intensity, and less willingness to interact (boys only). In exploratory models for positive emotion, parents’ meta-emotion philosophy did not predict their responses, but parents higher in attachment avoidance rated girls’ positive emotions as less intense, reported less mirrored emotion, less willingness to interact, and less supportive responses, and those higher in anxiety showed the opposite pattern. Conclusion. Despite methodological limitations, results offer new evidence that parents’ ratings on a standardized emotion perception task as well as their anticipated responses toward children’s emotion displays are predicted by individual differences in their attachment and meta-emotion philosophy.

Incorporating Meta-Emotions in Integrative Cognitive-Affective Therapy to Treat Comorbid Bulimia Nervosa and Substance Use Disorders in a Latina American

Individuals with co-occurring eating and substance use disorders have poorer psychosocial adjustment than those with only eating pathology or substance misuse patterns; these complex cases are often challenging to treat in clinical settings. Eating and substance use disorders share personality, affective, and cognitive etiologic factors, suggesting the importance and opportunities to treat them simultaneously in an integrative intervention approach. The integrative cognitive-affective therapy (ICAT) validated to treat bulimia nervosa follows an evidence-based conceptual framework; it addresses many shared risk factors that underlie eating and substance use disorders. A Latina American with comorbid bulimia nervosa, alcohol and cocaine use disorders, and bipolar I disorder was treated using ICAT; therapy was augmented with an explicit examination of, and cognitive restructuring surrounding, negative meta-emotions. ICAT and treatment around meta-emotions were delivered in the context of an intensive outpatient program. Over the course of 15 individual sessions and at 1-month follow-up, the patient reported a decrease in dietary restraint, binge eating episodes, body dissatisfaction, and negative attitudes toward obesity and alcohol and cocaine abuse, and maintained a stable weight. The patient also saw improvements in depression- and anxiety-related symptoms, and self-evaluation. This case supports the flexibility and benefits of examining meta-emotion philosophy in the context of ICAT for the treatment of co-occurring eating and substance use disorders for adults in a clinical setting.

The perspective of emotional parenting: Relation between parental meta-emotion philosophy and children's psychosocial adjustment

The perspective of emotional parenting: Relation between parental meta-emotion philosophy and children's psychosocial adjustment