Parental emotional regulation and the social emotional functioning of children with reading difficulties

Sun, H (Huilin)¹, Shi, Q (Qinxin)¹, Woltering, S (Steven)^1
1Texas A&M University

 

Submission type

Poster only

Scheduled

Hallway, 10-07-2019, 15:30 - 17:00

Keywords

reading difficulties, emotional regulation, parent-child interaction, social emotional functioning

Summary

Children with reading difficulties experience more stressors. Self-regulation and parental support may be key to their adjustment. The present study investigates the emotional regulation differences among parents of children with and without reading difficulties.

Forty-two children (22 with reading difficulties) aged 7 to 11 completed standardized reading measures and self-report of mental health and self-regulation. Their parents self-reported on their levels of effortful control and emotional regulation. 

            One-way ANOVAs were used to compare the two groups. Parents of children with reading difficulties reported significantly higher likelihood of emotion suppression [F(1, 40)= 2.47, p= .02] as an emotional regulation strategy. No significant group differences were found in their use of cognitive reappraisal or effortful control. No differences in indices of mental health or self-regulation were found among the children. 

Parents of children with reading difficulties were more likely to suppress both positive and negative emotions. Considering the reciprocal nature of the family system, it is possible that the parents have adapted to their children’s academic difficulties by checking their frustration and remaining supportive. Nevertheless, a larger sample size and a different experimental design is needed to clarify causal relationships among variables. 

Auteurs