What Factors Influence Emotion Regulation in Infancy? Just an example

Abstract The most common strategies are passive disengagement and physical regulation. Highly reactive infants show deficiencies in emotion regulation development. When caregivers are unavailable, infants use more regulation. Father-infant avoidant attachment is associated with employment of distraction and self-soothing. Physical stimulation can contribute to the negative emotional state of the infant.

What Is Emotion Regulation? Definition –Intrinsic and extrinsic processes responsible for identifying, supervising, evaluating, and altering emotional reactions (Thompson, 1994). Function –To manage arousal, control behaviors and reactions, and thereby define and adjust interactions to fit both individual and social demands. unableemotion regulation socially inappropriate behaviors –If unable to master the task of emotion regulation, “deleterious emotional arousal and the misleading identification and misdirection of emotions” (Kostuik & Fouts, 2002) can result, possibly leading to socially inappropriate behaviors and a limited ability to adapt to spontaneous experiences.

Strategies of Self Emotion Regulation In Infancy Regulation Strategy Mother Face-to-Face Mother Still-Face Mother Reengagement Stranger Face-to-Face Total Self-Soothing Scanning Passive Disengagement Distraction Physical Total

Temperament Anger and Frustration (Calkins, et al., 2002) –Results Easilyfrustratedinfants usedmore physical regulation,scanning, and mother orienting, andless distraction.Easily frustrated infants used more physical regulation, scanning, and mother orienting, and less distraction. In addition, they receivedlowerscores on task exercises and were observed to havehigher activity levels.In addition, they received lower scores on attention task exercises and were observed to have higher activity levels. –Conclusions lack attention easily distressed unable controlbehaviorA “lack of focused attention coupled with a tendency to be very active and easily distressed may predispose the child to be unable to exert control over his or her behavior.” (Calkins, et al., 2002)

Temperament Effects of Excessive Crying (Stifter & Spinrad, 2002) –Results criers exhibited significantlylevels of self-regulation evencontrolling for negative reactivity.Excessive criers exhibited significantly lower levels of self-regulation even after controlling for negative reactivity. levels of regulation were associated with negativity.Higher levels of regulation were associated with less negativity. –Conclusions that results from infants’ ability toregulation techniques, henceemotion regulation development.Inattention that results from excessive crying inhibits infants’ ability to internalize regulation techniques, hence disturbing emotion regulation development. –Findings supported by Calkins, et al. (2002).

Infant-Caregiver Interactions Parent Availability (Bridges, et al., 1997) –Parent Active Infants’expression significantlyInfants’ negative expression significantly decreased. Infants’ levels ofInfants’ levels of active engagement increased. –Parent Passive andtechniques observed.More physical and self-soothing techniques observed. Infants utilizedInfants utilized more object focus. Infants’levels significantly in than in father-passive situations.Infants’ distress levels significantly higher in mother-passive than in father-passive situations. –Cross parent analysis reveal possible influence of type of parent-infant interaction (caregiver sensitivity (?)) experienced on emotion regulation.

Attachment Quality Attachment Quality (Diener, et al., 2002) Infant-Father Attachment –Avoidant Attachment andmost common techniques.Distraction and self-soothing most common techniques. –Secure Attachment Infants exhibitedbehaviors.Infants exhibited fewer self-soothing behaviors. Infant-Mother Attachment between attachment quality and emotion regulation strategy found. –No association between attachment quality and emotion regulation strategy found. –Similar to Bridges, et al., implies a role of caregiver interaction type on regulation.

Physical Stimulation Effects of Maternal Touch (Hernstein & Campos, 2001) –Negative Expression Tension IncreaseTension Increase –Infants demonstrated more negative emotional displays. »Less initiation of play. »Decrease duration of play. RelaxationRelaxation –Infants exhibited no differences from control infants in initiation or duration of play. –Positive Emotion majororin infants’ for either condition.No major changes or differences in infants’ disposition for either condition.

Summary most common passive disengagementphysical strategiesThe most common methods of emotion regulation in infants at 4 months are passive disengagement and physical strategies. frustrated deficienciesHighly frustrated infants exhibit deficiencies in emotion regulation development. Tension increase increases negativityTension increase in physical stimulation via maternal touch increases negativity (regulates emotion) and hence emotion regulation in infants. levelandtype dependsparent availabilityThe level of emotion regulation necessary and the type of regulation utilized depends on parent availability in stressful situations. regulation techniques attachment qualityThe use of particular regulation techniques is associated with attachment quality in infant-father relationships.

References Infant Behavior and Development 20(1).Bridges, Lisa J. (1997). Infant Emotion Regulation with Mothers and Fathers. Infant Behavior and Development 20(1) Infancy, 3(2).Calkins, Susan D., Dedmon, Susan E., Gill, Kathryn L., Lomax, Laura E., and Johnson, Laura M. Frustration in Infancy: Implications for Emotion Regulation, Physiological Processes, and Temperament. Infancy, 3(2) Infancy 3(2).Diener, Marissa L., Mangelsdorf, Sarah C., McHale, Jean L., Frosch, Cynthia A. Infants’ Behavioral Strategies for Emotion Regulation With Fathers and Mothers: Associations With Emotional Expressions and Attachment Quality. Infancy 3(2) Infancy 2(4).Hertenstein, Mathew J., Campos, Joseph J. (2001). Emotion Regulation via Maternal Touch. Infancy 2(4) Infancy 3(2).Stifter, Cynthia A., Spinrad, Tracy L. (2002). The Effect of Excessive Crying on the Development of Emotion Regulation. Infancy 3(2) Kostiuk, Lynne M., Fouts, Gregory T. (2002). Understanding of Emotion Regulation in Adolescent Females with Conduct Problems: A Qualitative Analysis. The Qualitative Report 7(1).