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Child maltreatment and emotion socialization: Associations with executive function in the preschool years

Tracey Fay-Stammbach1, David J Hawes1, Pamela Meredith2

  • 1School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Australia.

Child Abuse & Neglect
|December 19, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Child maltreatment impacts executive function (EF) in preschoolers. Supportive caregiver emotion socialization practices can protect children

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Social-Emotional Learning

Background:

  • Child maltreatment is a significant risk factor for developmental challenges.
  • Executive function (EF) is crucial for cognitive and social-emotional development in early childhood.
  • Emotion socialization practices by caregivers play a role in shaping children's emotional and cognitive skills.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between child maltreatment and executive function (EF) in preschoolers.
  • To examine whether caregiver emotion socialization behaviors moderate the impact of maltreatment on EF.
  • To identify specific caregiver practices that may protect against or exacerbate the negative effects of maltreatment on EF.

Main Methods:

  • Participants included 107 preschoolers aged 4-5 years with varying levels of maltreatment exposure.
  • Maltreatment was assessed using the Maltreatment Classification System.
  • Executive function was measured using a composite of three performance-based tests.
  • Caregiver emotion socialization behaviors were reported using the Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale.

Main Results:

  • Both maltreatment exposure and caregiver emotion socialization behaviors independently predicted unique variance in children's EF.
  • Nonsupportive emotion socialization practices (e.g., punitive reactions) amplified the negative association between maltreatment and EF.
  • Supportive emotion socialization practices (e.g., expressive encouragement) appeared to buffer the detrimental effects of maltreatment on EF.

Conclusions:

  • Caregiver emotion socialization is a critical factor influencing executive function in maltreated preschoolers.
  • Interventions aimed at supporting positive caregiver emotion socialization may mitigate the adverse effects of maltreatment on children's cognitive development.
  • Understanding these moderating factors is essential for developing targeted support for children exposed to maltreatment.

Keywords:
Emotion socializationExecutive functionMaltreatmentPreschoolers

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