Emotion regulation profiles, temperament, and adjustment problems in preadolescents

Child Dev. 2011 May-Jun;82(3):951-66. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01575.x. Epub 2011 Mar 17.

Abstract

The longitudinal relations of emotion regulation profiles to temperament and adjustment in a community sample of preadolescents (N=196, 8-11 years at Time 1) were investigated using person-oriented latent profile analysis (LPA). Temperament, emotion regulation, and adjustment were measured at 3 different time points, with each time point occurring 1 year apart. LPA identified 5 frustration and 4 anxiety regulation profiles based on children's physiological, behavioral, and self-reported reactions to emotion-eliciting tasks. The relation of effortful control to conduct problems was mediated by frustration regulation profiles, as was the relation of effortful control to depression. Anxiety regulation profiles did not mediate relations between temperament and adjustment.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adjustment Disorders / diagnosis
  • Adjustment Disorders / psychology*
  • Anxiety / diagnosis
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Arousal
  • Child
  • Conduct Disorder / diagnosis
  • Conduct Disorder / psychology
  • Depression / diagnosis
  • Depression / psychology
  • Emotions*
  • Fear
  • Female
  • Frustration
  • Heart Rate
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control*
  • Irritable Mood
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Risk Factors
  • Temperament*