Context moderates bidirectional links between Chinese-immigrant mothers’ emotion socialization and children’s negative emotion

• In Event: 1-006 - Race, ethnicity, and emotion socialization: Findings from Latino, African American, and Chinese-immigrant families

Integrative Statement

Traditionally, Asian cultures value social harmony and the socialization of children’s emotional reservedness (Wang, 2013). Moreover, Chinese mothers use moral and behavioral standards lessons to teach their children appropriate emotional experiences and promote interdependence (Wang & Fivush, 2005). However, observations of U.S. Chinese-immigrant mothers’ (CIMs) emotion socialization practices and their bidirectional associations with children’s emotions remain unexplored. Furthermore, the moderating role of mothers’ traditional cultural values and the larger parenting style climate in these associations (Eisenberg et al., 1998) are unknown. Therefore, we examined the moderating role of CIM’s Asian cultural values and authoritative parenting style in the bidirectional associations between their observed emotion socialization strategies and their children’s expressed negative emotions.

Seventy-four CIMs (Mage=40.69 years, SD=3.63) and their young children (Mage=6.72 years, SD=0.95; 54% female) were observed across two intervals after being disappointed (Cole, 1986): (1) mother-child dyad was left alone for 2 minutes (Interval 1); and (2) research assistant returned, explained the mistake, and left the room for 30 seconds (Interval 2). Mothers’ use of emotion coaching (EC), emotion dismissing (ED), and moral and behavioral socialization (MBS) practices (κInterval1=.88-1.00; κInterval2=.91-1.00), and children’s expressed negative emotions (NE: κInterval1=.91; κInterval2=.94) were coded in Intervals 1 and 2. Mothers reported their Asian cultural values (Kim & Hong, 2004; α=.69) and authoritative parenting style (Wu et al., 2002; α=.91).

Interval 1 EC predicted more Interval 2 EC and less Interval 2 ED; Interval 1 NE predicted more Interval 2 NE (Figure 1). Authoritative parenting was a significant moderator: (1) Interval 1 EC predicted more Interval 2 NE at lower levels of authoritative parenting but less Interval 2 NE at higher levels of authoritative parenting (Figure 2a); (2) Interval 1 MBS predicted more Interval 2 NE at lower and mean levels of authoritative parenting (Figure 2b); (3) Interval 1 NE predicted more Interval 2 ED at lower and mean levels of authoritative parenting (Figure 2c); and (4) Interval 1 NE predicted more Interval 2 MBS at mean and higher levels of authoritative parenting (Figure 2d). Asian cultural values was a significant moderator: (1) Interval 1 ED predicted more Interval 2 NE at lower and mean levels of Asian cultural values (Figure 2e); and (2) Interval 1 NE predicted more Interval 2 EC at lower levels of Asian cultural values (Figure 2f).

CIMs’ cultural values and the parenting style climate moderated the associations between specific emotion socialization practices and Chinese-immigrant children’s NE. The positive effects of CIMs’ EC practices on children’s NE were enhanced in the context of a more warm, autonomy-promoting, and regulatory parenting style. Moreover, highly authoritative CIMs utilized more MBS and less ED practices in response to their children’s NE, perhaps seeing these moments as opportunities to teach their children appropriate emotional experiences. Although children’s NE evoked mothers’ use of EC practices when they endorsed fewer Asian cultural values, mothers’ high maintenance of Asian cultural values buffered their children against the negative effects of their ED practices. These findings will be discussed within the cultural and immigration context.

Authors

• Kathy Vu, UMBC Department of Psychology
  Presenting Author

• Charissa S. L. Cheah, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amy Halberstadt, North Carolina State University
  Non-Presenting Author