Coping With Anger and Frustration in Small Groups

• In Event: Student Coregulation in Small-Group Learning

Abstract

Introduction
Previous research on emotions in academic settings suggests that the ability to regulate emotions predicts better performance on cognitive tasks (Graziano, Reavis, Keane & Calkins, 2007; Pekrun, Goetz, Titz & Perry, 2002) and that insufficient regulation skills inhibit the use of higher order processing skills (Blair, 2002). Our work extends this research to study student emotional regulation in small group learning contexts. Small groups have long been part of classrooms; however, research on group regulation (Do & Schallert, 2004; Barsade & Gibson, 1998; Barsade & Kelly, 2001) has not specifically addressed student behavioral patterns, coping strategies, and emotional regulation in small groups. The purpose of this study was to address these dynamics, specifically within the context of anger and frustration in small groups.
Study Description
Students in one fifth grade classroom, working in small groups (3-5 students), were audio recorded during six fraction lessons. See session summary for information on study instrumentation and procedures (McCaslin, M., Vega, R.I., Anderson, E.E., Ballard, L., Calderon, C.N., & Labistre, A.M., 2011).
Analyses
One small group that exhibited a relatively high incidence of anger/frustration was targeted for study. Anger/frustration was defined as 1) the presence of anger/frustration and 2) refusal of group member participation or ridicule of group member contributions. This yielded twenty intervals for further analysis of coping strategies and emotional regulation. In order to capture both the potential trigger of anger/frustration in small groups, and how students coped with and “resolved” these emotions, intervals immediately preceding and following an anger/frustration interval were analyzed. In all 66 intervals (33 minutes) were analyzed, which combined to form a total of 17 emotional regulation episodes. Group achievement data were obtained from students’ group worksheets collected after each lesson.
Results
Analyses indicate that most episodes of anger/frustration in small groups began with angry or frustrated talk (59%), which escalated to ridiculing or refusing group members’ participation. Students then used coping behaviors until group discussion returned to a neutral state. In comparison, 28% began with a maladaptive coping behavior (e.g. bragging, argue/fight) and 12% with ridicule/refusal. Fourteen of 16 coping behaviors of interest were present (see Table 1).
Group one was designed to be the highest achieving group, however, task correctness over six lessons averaged 55%. Comparisons with the other small groups in the same classroom, who were more successful in task correctness and exhibited fewer anger/frustration episodes, suggests that emotional regulation plays an important role in small group learning.
The presentation will examine in detail how sequence and type of student coping behaviors influence group affect and what types of teacher intervention strategies appear to facilitate group coping and affect.


Table 1
Frequency of Coping Behaviors
Coping Behavior Frequency
Talk Pauses 19
Brag 5
Laugh 7
Return to Directions 8
Off-Task Talk 5
Defend 1
Make Excuses 0
Displace 3
Blame Others 10
Sarcasm 1
Mean/Rude 19
Argue/Fight 9
Give Up 3
Tattle 2
Act Infantile 2
Escape/Withdraw 0
Total N = 94

Authors

• Erin Elizabeth Anderson, University of Arizona

• Lauren Ballard, The University of Arizona

• Christine Nicole Calderon, The University of Arizona

• Angela M. Labistre, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

• Ruby Inez Vega, The University of Arizona

• Mary M. McCaslin, The University of Arizona