Poster #207 - Emotional Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Late Elementary School-Aged Children

• In Event: 1-169 - Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Section - Social, Emotional, Personality

Integrative Statement

Little is currently known about children’s emotional self-efficacy beliefs - perceptions of one’s ability to effectively identify, understand, use, and manage emotions in the self and others (Qualter et al., 2015). Emotional self-efficacy beliefs in adolescence have been associated with improved academics as well as reduced substance use, depression, and delinquency (Caprara et al., 2010; Galla & Woods, 2012; Zullig et al., 2014). Emotional self-efficacy beliefs may support positive relationships with others and the use of healthy coping strategies to deal with stressful situations (e.g., Davis & Humphrey, 2012; Qualter et al., 2015). The goal of the current study was to examine the associations among emotional self-efficacy beliefs, coping abilities, and peer interactions, over and above general levels of affect in late childhood.
Children (N = 213; 53% female; Mage = 9.82 years, SD = .72) were recruited from 4th and 5th grade classrooms and completed self-report measures of their emotional self-efficacy beliefs (Qualter et al., 2015), positive and negative affect (Ebesutani et al., 2012), coping with stress (Causey & Dubow, 1993), and interactions with classroom peers (Mikami, Boucher & Humphreys, 2005).
A series of multiple linear regression models were conducted to determine whether emotional self-efficacy beliefs predicted coping strategies and peer interaction quality. For each outcome, positive and negative affect were entered into the first step. The four emotional self-efficacy belief subscales (using and managing one’s own emotions; identifying and understanding one’s own emotions; dealing with emotions in others; and perceiving emotion through facial expressions and body language) were entered into the second step.
Emotional self-efficacy beliefs accounted for significant variance above and beyond affect for coping with stress models (Δ R2 range = 9.38 – 23.0%; Table 1) and perceptions of peer interactions (Δ R2 = 14.6%; Table 2). Managing one’s own emotions and dealing with the emotions of others were positively associated with use of support-seeking coping strategies. Managing one own’s emotions was related to more problem-solving coping and less internalizing coping. In contrast, higher beliefs in the ability to manage other’s emotions was associated with more internalizing coping. Higher levels of confidence in managing one’s emotions predicted less externalizing coping; whereas higher levels of confidence in perceiving emotions in faces and bodies was related to more externalizing coping. Management of one’s own emotions was positively related to coping using mindfulness. No significant relationships were found among emotional self-efficacy beliefs and emotional distancing coping. Greater confidence in managing one’s own emotions predicted greater positive peer interactions. Beliefs in the ability to perceive emotions through facial expressions and body language negatively predicted positive peer interactions.
These findings provide support that emotional self-efficacy beliefs are not only important for health and well-being for adolescents and adults, but also for children. Children’s beliefs in their ability to be aware of and manage their own and other’s emotions influence their use of healthy coping strategies and positive peer interactions. The findings have implications for interventions that may focus on building and strengthening children’s confidence in and actual use of their emotion abilities.

Authors

• Alison Parker, innovation Research & Training
  Presenting Author

• Ruth K Smith, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Janis Kupersmidt, innovation Research & Training
  Non-Presenting Author

• Liz Reeder, innovation Research & Training
  Non-Presenting Author