Introduction
Whether the parents’ emotional regulation predicts their children may depend on the specific context within which the family is functioning. If the parents are emotionally suppressing in response to a high-stress environment, the child may learn to do the same to cope. If the parents are emotionally stifling to maintain a facade of “perfection,” the child may learn to do the same to avoid being seen as imperfect. It should be noted, however, that this general pattern only sometimes holds; some children who grow up with emotionally repressive parents may exhibit little or no tendency towards emotional suppression. It is significant to note that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question; the preferences of each family will vary somewhat depending on their specific circumstances. A study by Bariola et al. (2012) aimed to examine the associations that exist between parents and their children’s ability to regulate their emotions. Specifically, the authors were interested in exploring whether specific emotion regulation strategies were more likely to be used by parents and children in dyads with higher levels of emotional closeness.
Data Collection
To facilitate the success of the project, Bariola et al. (2012) applied a questionnaire approach to collect data. Exploring Bariola et al. (2012) research was significant since the report provides its audience with an insight into the concept of the correlation between Child Emotion Regulation (ER) and parents. The researchers strategically executed various procedures to ensure that the questionnaire successfully provided relevant data to develop informed conclusions. Particularly, Bariola et al. (2012) obtained the sample to participate in the study from 846 students spread across 19 primary schools and 9 secondary schools located in Melbourne, Australia. The parents were recruited through their children. Questionnaires were sent to parents who were interested in participation and those who allowed their children to take part in the survey. The questionnaire items were based on previous research and asked about the frequency with which participants used various techniques to regulate their emotions. The questionnaire asked about the participants’ satisfaction with their emotional regulation strategies and how effective they felt the process was. Finally, the questionnaire anticipated to reveal the participants’ general emotional well-being. Children’s use of emotion regulation strategies was measured using a parent report measure of children’s use of problem-solving, self-soothing, and expressive coping strategies.
Data Analysis
The data collected from the questionnaire was intended to allow for a detailed understanding of how different emotion regulation strategies are used by parents and children. Only the parents who allowed their children to participate in the questionnaire were allowed to participate in the data analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests. The descriptive statistics technique was employed when analyzing the frequency of emotion regulation strategy use and satisfaction with emotional regulation strategies. The chi-squared test examined the relationship between emotion regulation strategy use and general emotional well-being.
The authors used Pearson correlations to assess the relationship between parent and child emotion regulation strategy use. The Pearson correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of the linear association between two variables. They were used when there was a significant linear relationship between two variables (Bariola et al., 2012). Also, multiple regression was used to assess the relationship between parent and child emotion regulation strategy use and other demographic factors. Multiple regression is a statistical technique that helps to identify the relationships between multiple variables. In this study, demographic factors included age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, marital status, number of children in the family, and income.
Moreover, path analysis was used to explore the relationships between parent and child emotion regulation strategy use and other demographic factors. Path analysis is a statistical technique that helps to understand the patterns of relationships between multiple variables. This study used path analysis to identify the relationships between parental emotion regulation strategy use and child emotion regulation strategy use, child temperament, child anxiety symptoms, and family functioning. The researchers used hierarchical regression analyses to test the relationships between parent and child emotion regulation strategy use. The first step in the analysis was to enter the child’s age and gender into the equation. Next, the researchers entered the parent’s emotion regulation strategies. The final step was to enter the child’s emotion regulation strategies (Bariola et al., 2012). This analysis allowed the researchers to identify which factor was most essential in predicting the child’s emotion regulation strategy use.
Results
The overall response rate was relatively high, which is good news because it suggests that many parents and children are interested in learning more about emotion regulation strategies. This qualitative analysis revealed that parents and children use different emotion-regulation strategies and that parents are more satisfied with their emotion-regulation strategies than children. Parents are more satisfied with their emotion regulation strategies than children. These findings suggest that the data collection procedure adopted in the text validates and provides valuable information about how parents and children regulate their emotions (Bariola et al., 2012). The data collection procedure adopted in this study is valid and provides valuable information about how parents and children manage their emotions.
Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses indicated a significant relationship between parent and child emotion regulation strategy use. Specifically, the Pearson correlation analysis showed a positive linear relationship between parental emotion regulation strategy use and child emotion regulation strategy use. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that parental emotion regulation strategy use was significantly related to child emotion regulation strategy use. In other words, parents who used more effective emotion-regulation strategies with their children were more likely to have children who used more effective emotion-regulation strategies.
The authors found that parents and children in dyads with higher levels of emotional closeness were more likely to use emotion regulation strategies that involved communication and understanding emotions. These strategies were more likely used by parents who provided emotional support to their children (Bariola et al., 2012). However, the authors found that children in dyads with higher levels of emotional closeness were less likely to use emotion regulation strategies that involved physical activity and self-soothing. These findings suggest that children in close relationships can use various emotion regulation strategies, even when those involve communicating and understanding emotions.
Besides, the results suggest that parents who are successful at regulating their own emotions are more likely to have successful relationships with their children. In addition, this study found that emotion regulation strategies were not directly related to children’s emotional outcomes. This suggests that while parents who use more emotion regulation strategies may be associated with higher levels of satisfaction in the relationship, the use of emotion regulation strategies is not responsible for any positive changes in the child’s emotional state. Overall, these findings suggest a link between using emotion regulation strategies and the use of these strategies by children. However, it is still being determined which factor (parental emotion regulation or child emotional outcomes) is responsible for this relationship.
Discussion
The study showed that parents who used more emotion-regulation strategies had children who used more emotion-regulation strategies. The discussion section explains that the findings suggest that parents who use emotion regulation strategies may model these behaviors for their children, who then learn to use emotion regulation strategies themselves. This suggests that modeling, or showing, a behavior is essential for parents to help their children learn how to do it themselves. The findings suggest that parents and children may share a similar understanding of emotions and how to regulate them. This study provides preliminary evidence for the importance of parents teaching their children how to control emotions. Hence, this study provides a starting point for further exploration of how parents and children can work together to help kids learn how to control their emotions.
Various studies provide discussions on the importance of self-esteem and body image concerning ER. Adolescent girls with high self-esteem levels are more likely to have better ER skills, as they are less likely to feel like they need to regulate their emotions excessively. Conversely, adolescent girls with low levels of self-esteem are more likely to excessively regulate their emotions, which can lead to problems such as eating disorders. Thus, parents and educators must promote positive body image and healthy self-esteem in young girls to promote healthy emotion regulation skills. Moreover, the text discusses the potential benefits of authoritative parenting about ER. Authoritative parenting is associated with increased self-esteem and body image levels in adolescent girls. Thus, authoritative parenting may help improve the overall emotional well-being of adolescent girls. Additionally, authoritative parenting may increase cognitive skills, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Overall, these findings suggest that authoritative parenting can benefit children and adolescents regarding their emotional well-being and cognitive abilities.
Another study by Williams and Lao found that mothers’ and fathers’ emotional suppression predicted their child’s aggression. The researchers suggest that this may be because emotional suppression leads to difficulty understanding and responding to emotions, which can lead to aggression. The findings suggest that parents’ emotional suppression may play a role in their child’s aggression (Lau & Williams, 2021). Emotional suppression may not be the only factor contributing to aggression, but it may be necessary. Parents should be aware of their emotional suppression patterns and work to improve them if they wish to impact their child’s behavior positively. The study findings suggest that parents’ emotional regulation skills play an essential role in their child’s aggression. It is critical to note that emotional regulation skills are not the only factor contributing to aggression, but they may be necessary. Parents should work with a professional or another support group to increase their child’s aggression-free behavior.
Parenting styles play a role in child emotion regulation and behavioral issues, and cultural values moderate these relationships. Interventions to improve child emotion regulation and behavioral issues should consider the role of parenting styles and cultural values in each country. Parenting styles can support or inhibit a child’s ability to effectively regulate emotions and behavior. Authoritarian parenting, for example, is associated with poorer emotional regulation in children, while authoritative parenting is associated with better emotional regulation. Cultural values can moderate the relationship between parenting style and child outcomes. In collectivist cultures, authoritarian parenting may promote better emotional regulation in children, while in individualist cultures, authoritarian parenting is more likely to be associated with poorer emotional regulation (Morris et al., 2017). These findings underscore the importance of considering a child’s cultural context when evaluating their emotional and behavioral health. Additionally, parental sensitivity to their child’s emotions may be influenced by cultural values. In societies emphasizing humility and modesty, parents may be more likely to react negatively to displays of emotion in their children, leading to poorer emotional regulation skills.
It is well-established that emotions play a critical role in development. ER is critical for adaptive functioning and implicated in various psychopathologies. Despite its importance, there is a gap in knowledge about how ER develops. The study used a longitudinal, multivariate design to examine the associations between parenting behavior and ER during childhood and adolescence. Results indicated that higher ER levels were associated with more authoritative parenting styles in both age groups. Additionally, results indicated that adolescent girls who exhibited higher ER levels reported better self-esteem and body image. These findings suggest that authoritative parenting is critical in promoting healthy emotion regulation skills in young women. The findings highlight the importance of early identification and intervention for girls at risk for developing unhealthy ER. For example, interventions that promote healthy ER in early childhood may help to protect girls from developing negative body image and self-esteem issues later in life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, parents play a role in shaping children’s emotional responses. The findings in the paper underscore the importance of emotion regulation in parent-child relationships. Parent-child emotion regulation strategy use is related to child emotion regulation strategy use, which suggests that parents impact their children’s ability to regulate their emotions. The trend causes emotional suppression that can negatively affect children’s development. It can lead to low self-esteem and a lack of confidence, which can be challenging to overcome. If parents want their children to develop healthy relationships with their emotions, they must learn how to express themselves emotionally. Thus, it may require some effort on the part of the parents, but it will be worth it in the long run.
References
Bariola, E., Hughes, E. K., & Gullone, E. (2012). Relationships between parent and Child Emotion Regulation Strategy use: A brief report. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21(3), 443–448. Web.
Lau, E. Y., & Williams, K. (2021). Emotional regulation in mothers and fathers and relations to aggression in Hong Kong preschool children. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 53(4), 797–807. Web.
Morris, A. S., Criss, M. M., Silk, J. S., & Houltberg, B. J. (2017). The impact of parenting on emotion regulation during childhood and adolescence. Child Development Perspectives, 11(4), 233–238. Web.