Measurement of Emotion Regulation in Children: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

The ability to regulate emotions is pivotal to positive development in childhood. A considerable number of studies have shown that good emotion regulation (ER) skills are significantly linked with a variety of positive developmental tasks in childhood, such as higher levels of social competence (McDowell et al., 2002; Monopoli & Kingston, 2012), high-quality peer relationship (Graziano et al., 2007; Gülay Ogelman & Fetihi, 2019), higher academic achievement (Graziano et al., 2007; Gülay Ogelman & Fetihi, 2019), and greater resilience (Gülay Ogelman & Önder, 2019). Concurrently, some studies suggest an association between poorer ER in children and a range of psychological problems and difficulties, including internalizing and externalizing symptoms in general (Eisenberg, Cumberland, et al., 2001; Kim-Spoon et al., 2013; Kim & Cicchetti, 2010), and anxiety (Loevaas et al., 2018; Rydell et al., 2007), depression and behavioral problems specifically (Silk et al., 2003; Silva & Freire, 2014). ...