Evaluating Associations Between Withdrawal and Indicators of Emotional Competence in Preschoolers

• In Event: Emotional Competence from Infancy to Late Childhood

Abstract

The ability to adapt emotional responses to contextual demands is an integral aspect of emotion regulation that may have consequences for emotional and social functioning (Cole et al., 2004). This specific emotion regulation skill may be impaired in those who show anger in situations that do not typically elicit anger given the present incentives or goals. We refer to this type of anger expression as context-inappropriate (CI). CI anger is positively associated with externalizing behavior and negative social experiences (Locke et al., 2015; Locke & Lang, 2016)--indicating it may be a unique indicator of affective social competence (ASC; Halberstadt et al., 2001). One factor that informs adaptive, contextually-appropriate responses is understanding of emotional context (Miller et al., 2006; Thompson, 2001), which is impaired in children who show CI anger (Locke et al., 2015; Locke & Lang, 2016). Consequently, it would be important to identify characteristics that impact emotion knowledge (EK). Children who withdraw more may be particularly vulnerable to EK deficits. Firstly, they will likely have fewer experiences in which they can learn to interpret contextual information--a skill which is necessary to promote mature, accurate EK. Secondly, these children may have difficulty learning language due to lack of engagement with their environment. This would be significant, in and of itself, as language is strongly associated with EK and is considered integral to social and emotional adjustment (Archibald et al., 2008; Danger & Landreth, 2005; Miller et al., 2006). Previous research has demonstrated associations between withdrawal and some forms of EK (Göbel et al., 2016; Sette et al., 2015) as well as between withdrawal and language deficits (Evans, 1993, 1996; Guedeney et al., 2016), but the literature in these areas is limited and largely overlooks the area of EK we consider most imperative to this relationship--situational EK. Furthermore, direct associations between withdrawal and CI anger have not been investigated. Consequently, this study was conducted to address these existent gaps in the literature. Participants were 151 preschoolers (M = 55 months, SD = 5 months; 52% male) from Southeastern Massachusetts. The sample was reflective of local demographics (66.9% Caucasian, 5.6% African-American, 2.4% Asian, 22.6% Biracial, 2.4% other race) and was economically-diverse (annual income: M = $47,420 SD = $43,321). Measures included: parent and teacher-reported withdrawal and externalizing behavior, parent-reported CI anger, and child assessments of EK and receptive language. Ultimately, findings demonstrated that CI anger was positively associated with both externalizing and withdrawal behavior (Table 1). Additionally, withdrawal behavior was found to be negatively associated with situational EK even after accounting for receptive language and externalizing behavior (Table 2). This same relationship was not demonstrated between withdrawal and recognition EK. Finally, receptive language was found to moderate the relationship between CI anger and situational EK (Table 2). Specifically, when CI anger was high, receptive language no longer predicted situational EK. Cumulatively, these findings highlight the negative implications withdrawal may have for emotional competence as well as the utility of using CI anger as a novel indicator of ASC.

Authors

• Samantha Erin Clark, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  Presenting Author

• Sophia L Baxendale, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  Non-Presenting Author

• Robin L Locke-Arkerson, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
  Non-Presenting Author