Mother-Child Affect and Emotion Socialization Processes Across the Late Preschool Period: Predictions of Emerging Behavior Problems

Abstract

The current study examined concurrent and longitudinal relations between maternal negative affective behavior and child negative emotional expression in preschool age children with (n = 96) or without (n = 126) an early developmental risk, as well as the predictions of later behavior problems. Maternal negative affective behavior, child externalizing emotional expression, and child internalizing emotional expression were observed during a number of lab tasks at child ages 4 and 5, and child externalizing and internalizing behavior problems were assessed via maternal questionnaire at age 6. Path analyses using structural equation modeling were utilized to test the relations among the variables at ages 4, 5, and 6. A parent-driven model of emotion socialization emerged, wherein stronger relations were found among maternal negative affect and child externalizing emotions and behaviors than among maternal negative affect and child internalizing emotions and behaviors. Early child risk did not appear to alter the overall emotion socialization process, although higher levels of maternal and child negativity were observed for the children with a developmental risk. Results underscore the complexity of emotion socialization processes throughout the preschool period.

Figure 1

Path model with externalizing emotions and behavior problems. Note: †p<.07, *p<.05, **p<.001. Numbers indicate standardized path coefficients. Solid lines indicate significant pathways, dashed lines indicate nonsignificant pathways.

Figure 2

Path model with internalizing emotions and behavior problems. Note: †p<.07, *p<.05, **p<.001. Numbers indicate standardized path coefficients. Solid lines indicate significant pathways, dashed lines indicate nonsignificant pathways.