Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Biobehavioral indices of emotion regulation relate to school attitudes, motivation, and behavior problems in a
Alison L Miller1, Ronald Seifer, Laura Stroud
1Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1420 Washington Heights, SPHII, Room M5533, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, USA. alimill@umich.edu
Abstract:
Effective emotion regulation may promote resilience and preschool classroom adjustment by supporting adaptive peer interactions and engagement in learning activities. We investigated how hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) regulation, cardiac reactivity, and classroom emotion displays related to adjustment among low-income preschoolers attending Head Start. A total of 62 four-year-olds completed a laboratory session including a baseline soothing video; emotion-eliciting slides/video clips, and recovery. Salivary cortisol, heart rate, and vagal tone were measured throughout. Independent coders used handheld computers to observe classroom emotion expression/regulation. Teachers rated child motivation, persistence/attention, learning attitudes, and internalizing/externalizing symptoms. Results reveal associations between biobehavioral markers of regulatory capacity and early school adjustment.
Related Concept Videos
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Stella Chess...
Self-Regulation
Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences
Causes of Social Behavior I: Actions and Characteristics of Individuals
The Influence of Cognition on Affect
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

