A study of emotion regulation strategies in preschool children

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K18286
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Educational psychology; Childhood science (childhood environment science)
• Research Institution: Hiroshima Shudo University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Ayumi 広島修道大学, 健康科学部, 教授 (40435045)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 情動調整方略 / 就学前児 / 行動方略と認知方略

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study investigated preschool children's understanding of emotional regulation strategies, individual factors related to these strategies, and the relationship between these strategies and daily social behavior. The results showed that (1) preschoolers' understanding of behavioral strategies among the emotion regulation strategies was well-developed, but their understanding of cognitive strategies was still in the process of development, (2) both behavioral and cognitive strategies were related to language ability and understanding of false belief, and (3) there was a partial relationship between preschoolers' understanding of emotional regulation strategies and caregivers' ratings of their social behaviors.

Free Research Field

発達心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は就学に向けて必要な情動調整とはどのような性質を持ち，どのような発達的基盤に支えられるのかを明らかにするものである。従来の研究では就学前期の子どもを対象として，認知方略を含む情動調整方略を検討した発達的研究は比較的少ない。しかしながら，近年では小学校へ入学した児童が，一定の期間が経過しても，入学直後の落ち着かない振る舞いを解消できないといった，「小1プロブレム」が取り上げられており，この背景には自己コントロールの未熟さの問題があるとされている。本研究の知見はこれらの問題解決のための示唆を与えるものであると考える。