Emotional regulation and aggression in children: The regulatory role of Turkish mothers' emotion socialization reactions

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• Author: Sema Büyüktaşkapu Soydan,Nihal Akalin
• Date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12785

RESEARCH

Emotional regulation and aggression in children:

The regulatory role of Turkish mothers’emotion

socialization reactions

Sema Büyüktas¸kapu Soydan

1

|Nihal Akalin

2

1

Department of Preschool Education,

Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya,

Turkey

2

Department of Child Development, Health

Sciences High School, Ni

gde Ömer Halis

Demir University, Ni

gde, Turkey

Correspondence Sema Büyüktas¸kapu Soydan,

Department of Preschool Education,

Necmettin Erbakan University, Konya 42090,

Turkey.

Email: sema.soydan@erbakan.edu.tr

Abstract

Objective: The main aim of this research is to determine

whether positive or negative maternal reactions in the field

of emotional socialization play an intermediary role in the

relationship between a child’s emotional regulation skills

and aggressive behavior.

Background: Previous findings showthe effects of children’s

emotion regulation skills and parents’emotional socializa-

tion responses on aggressive behavior. However, researchers

have not reported how children’s emotion regulation skills

influence maternal emotional socialization responses or

investigated the mediating role of maternal emotional

socialization responses on emotion regulation and aggres-

sive behavior.

Method: The study was conducted with 285 mothers of

60- to 72-month-old children attending preschool. Research

data were collected using the Children Aggression Scale—

Parent Version, Dealing With Negative Emotions of

Children, Emotional Regulation Checklist, Attachment

Insecurity Screening Inventory, Parental Attitude Scale,

and Child–Parent Relationship Scale.

Results: Positive and negative responses of mothers play a

mediating role in the relationship between children’s

aggression and emotional regulation. Mothers’positive

responses were effective in reducing the aggression level of

children with a low level of emotional regulation. In addi-

tion, even if children’s emotional regulation skills are low,

positive responses are effective in reducing mothers’nega-

tive reactions and thus children’s aggression levels.

Implications: Given the importance of promoting positive

development in children, this study may have important

implications for intervention and prevention programs. In

particular, family-based interventions that encourage

mothers to use emotional socialization applications and

Received: 3 November 2020Revised: 1 July 2022Accepted: 24 July 2022

DOI: 10.1111/fare.12785

© 2022 National Council on Family Relations.

Family Relations. 2023;72:1709–1724. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/fare 1709

education/techniques that encourage parents’emotional

regulation strategies are recommended.

KEYWORDS

aggression, behavioral problems, early childhood, emotional regulation,

maternal emotional socialization

Unwanted behaviors in preschool children can occur in their interactions with parents, other

adults, siblings, peers, and even inanimate objects. For parents and preschool teachers, “aggres-

sion”appears to be the most worrying, serious, and destructive behavior (Coplan et al., 2015;

Craig et al., 2000; Trawick-Smith, 2014). Researching the various causes of aggression can help

prevent violence and contribute to the development of suitable antiaggression strategies. Much

of the research in this area has explored the variables linked to the aggressive behavior of chil-

dren. Among these variables in preschool children are temperament age, gender, attachment

style, parental attitude, and emotional problems (Arı& Yaban, 2016; Chang et al., 2003; Cohn

et al., 2010; Kiff et al., 2011; Morris et al., 2007; Romanchych, 2014). On the basis of the find-

ings of these other studies, it can be concluded that the aggression observed in preschool chil-

dren has both genetic–biological and socioenvironmental causes (Bandura et al., 1961;

Lacourse et al., 2014; Mendes et al., 2009).

Regardless of whether aggression is due to genetic-biological reasons or socioenvironmental

factors, emotions underlie both human violence and aggressive tendencies. Emotions play a

critical role in relationships with people and inanimate objects, they guide individual thoughts

and behaviors, and they stimulate and motivate the individual (Southam-Gerow, 2013).

Throughout any given day, every human experiences a broad range of emotions. One’s

environment and social relationships inform how emotions are expressed (Denollet et al., 2008).

However, when one experiences intense and enduring negative emotions or when such

emotions are not regulated, the effect on daily life can be devastating (Essau et al., 2017;

Gross & Thompson, 2007). Therefore, negative emotions experienced in response to certain

events can transform into externally aggressive attitudes toward others in the social environ-

ment (Martinko et al., 2002; Spector et al., 2005).

Emotionally vulnerable young children are easily irritated and can sometimes perceive well-

intended actions as aggression and respond to such actions with aggressive behavior of their

own (Goleman, 2018). Much research (Arı& Yaban, 2016; Blandon et al., 2010; Chang

et al., 2003; Hanish et al., 2004; Helmsen et al., 2012; Jun Ah et al., 2014; Miller et al., 2006;

Ramsden & Hubbard, 2002; Romanchych, 2014; Ural et al., 2015) has found that the develop-

ment of emotional regulation skills in preschool children plays an important role in reducing

aggressive behavior. Moreover, it has been found that the development of emotional regulating

skills is important because it enables preschool children to manage their emotions appropri-

ately, and it plays a crucial role in reducing and preventing aggression (August et al., 2017;

Landy & Menna, 2001). The emotional regulation skills in question are those required to pre-

vent, strengthen, protect, reduce, or increase the emotional stimulation to achieve a goal

(Bridges et al., 2004; Gilpin et al., 2015; Gross & Thompson, 2007). Emotion regulation is,

therefore, the ability to calm oneself when angry and to cheer oneself when sad (Dacey

et al., 2016). Preschool children require adult support to develop such skills (Essau et al., 2017).

Many studies have shown that children’s emotional regulation skills influence aggressive

behavior (Blandon et al., 2010; Chang et al., 2003; Hanish et al., 2004; Helmsen, et al., 2012;

Jun Ah et al., 2014; Miller et al., 2006; Ramsden & Hubbard, 2002; Roberton et al., 2012; Röll

et al., 2012; Romanchych, 2014) and that parents’emotional socialization responses are effec-

tive on children’s aggressive behavior (Chaplin et al., 2005; Denham et al., 2010; Duncombe

et al., 2012; Hastings & De, 2008; Havighurst et al., 2010; McElwain et al., 2007; Nelson &

1710 FAMILY RELATIONS