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Updated: May 16, 2026
08:09
Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Gender differences in emotion expression in children: a meta-analytic review
1Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519, USA. tara.chaplin@yale.edu
Psychological Bulletin
|December 13, 2012
Summary
This meta-analysis found small gender differences in children's emotion expression. Girls express more positive and internalizing emotions, while boys express more externalizing emotions, with variations by age and context.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Gender Studies
Background:
- Emotion expression is key to healthy child development.
- Previous research indicates gender differences in emotion expression.
- A comprehensive review of gender and emotion expression in children was lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a meta-analytic review of gender differences in children's emotion expression.
- To examine moderators of these gender differences, including age and context.
- To synthesize existing literature on facial, vocal, and behavioral emotion expression.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of 166 studies.
- Inclusion of 555 effect sizes from 21,709 participants (infancy through adolescence).
- Analysis of gender differences and moderating factors like age, context, and emotion type.
Main Results:
- Overall small gender differences: girls show more positive/internalizing emotions; boys show more externalizing emotions.
- Age, interpersonal context, and task valence moderated differences.
- Differences varied significantly by age group and social context (e.g., with parents vs. peers).
Conclusions:
- Gender differences in children's emotion expression exist but are small and context-dependent.
- Age and social context significantly influence how boys and girls express emotions.
- Findings have implications for understanding healthy and maladaptive child development.
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