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Emotion displays in two-year-olds during mishaps.
P M Cole1, K C Barrett, C Zahn-Waxler
1National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Child Development
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Toddlers show tension, frustration, and a desire to fix problems when mishaps occur. Maternal depression and anxiety may influence how children express these emotions.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Emotional Development
- Maternal Mental Health
Background:
- Toddlers experience distress when expectations are violated.
- Limited research exists on toddlers' specific emotional reactions to mishaps.
- Understanding early emotional responses is crucial for sociomoral development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine toddlers' emotional reactions to unexpected mishaps.
- To identify components of toddlers' responses to negative events.
- To investigate the relationship between maternal mental health and toddler emotional expression.
Main Methods:
- Observation of 45 2-year-olds during two simulated mishaps: a doll breaking and juice spilling.
- Coding of toddlers' emotional reactions and repair attempts.
- Assessment of maternal mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, acting out).
Main Results:
- Toddlers displayed two reaction components: tension/frustration and concerned reparation.
- Mishaps evoked more negative emotions than free play.
- Most toddlers attempted to rectify the mishaps.
- Maternal depression and anxiety correlated with suppressed tension/frustration in toddlers.
Conclusions:
- Toddlers exhibit complex emotional responses to mishaps, including attempts at reparation.
- Maternal mental health, specifically depression and anxiety, appears to influence toddlers' emotional expression during challenging events.
- These findings highlight the role of early emotion regulation in sociomoral development and individual differences.