Wait and see: Observational learning of emotion regulation strategies in young children
Final Report Abstract
The main aim of the project was to investigate the observational learning of emotion regulation strategies in toddlers and young children. In a series of four studies, we found consistent evidence that children between 20- and 36-month modified their use of the emotion regulation strategy distraction after having observed a model distract herself in a similar situation in contrast to age-matched children who had not witnessed someone else distract themselves. The young children adapted their behavior irrespective of the familiarity of the model (Study 1), the medium (Study 3), the age of the protagonist (Study 3) and the level of activity of the model (Study 4), indicating that toddlers and young children can benefit from a wide array of modelling situations. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have not yet completed data collection in Study 2, which was designed to investigate differences between age and roles in live models (sibling versus parent). In all studies, an experimental approach was used when toddlers and young children were randomly assigned to different conditions. We moreover found relations between parental habitual use of emotion regulation strategies and toddler expression of negative affect and use of distraction, highlighting the need for advising young families of the effect of adult use of emotion regulating for the development of their child at a young age. Overall the results of all studies were in accordance with our hypotheses in the project proposal. We added an additional control condition in Study 4 and a further reading condition in Study 3 which led to more comprehensive designs and methodological validity. The findings have received media attention (i.e. local newspapers and radio shows; additional international interest through different media outlets (Pourqoui docteur, Science daily, Alpha Galileo, The doctor will see you now; TV cultur (Brazil). J. Schoppmann received the dissertation award of the IG Clinical Child and Adolescentpsychology and Psychotherapy of the DGP.
Publications
- (2019). Wait and see: Observational learning of distraction as an emotion regulation strategy in 22-month-old toddlers. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(5), 851–863
Schoppmann, J., Schneider, S., & Seehagen, S.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-018-0486-7) - (2022). Can you teach me not to be angry? Relations between temperament and the emotion regulation strategy distraction in 2-year-olds. Child Development, 93(1), 165–179
Schoppmann, J., Schneider, S., & Seehagen, S.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13682)
