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Related Experiment Videos

Coping with background anger in early childhood.

E M Cummings

    Child Development
    |August 1, 1987
    PubMed
    Summary

    Preschoolers show varied coping styles when exposed to background anger, with some becoming distressed and others aggressive. These individual differences in emotional response and coping strategies were evident even in toddlerhood.

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    Area of Science:

    • Developmental Psychology
    • Social-Emotional Learning
    • Childhood Behavioral Studies

    Background:

    • Understanding how children cope with witnessing anger between others is crucial for social-emotional development.
    • Preschoolers' exposure to background anger can influence their emotional regulation and behavior.
    • Individual differences in coping styles need further exploration in early childhood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To examine normative patterns, individual styles, and developmental changes in preschoolers' coping with background anger.
    • To identify distinct coping styles based on preschoolers' emotional and behavioral responses to witnessed anger.
    • To investigate the precursors of these coping styles in toddlerhood.

    Main Methods:

    • 85 4- and 5-year-old children participated in a laboratory setting with their mothers.
    • Children were exposed to a 7-episode sequence including background anger expressed by live models.
    • Behavioral observations during play and post-exposure interviews assessed children's emotional and coping responses.

    Main Results:

    • Preschoolers exhibited heightened arousal (distress, social sharing, preoccupation, positive affect) during background anger exposure.
    • Increased verbal aggressiveness in play followed exposure to anger.
    • Three distinct coping styles were identified: Concerned emotional responders (46%), Unresponsive children (15%), and Ambivalent responders (35%), with ambivalent responders showing the most aggression.

    Conclusions:

    • Preschoolers display diverse coping mechanisms when exposed to background anger, ranging from emotional distress to aggression.
    • Precursors to these coping styles are observable in toddlerhood, suggesting early developmental trajectories.
    • Understanding these individual differences is vital for supporting children's emotional regulation and social competence.

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