“How does the broader construct of self-regulation relate to emotion regulation in young children?”

Abstract

In this paper, we address how the concept of self-regulation relates to emotion regulation in young children. We define self-regulation as the ability to regulate one’s emotions, attention, behavior, and cognition, and emotion regulation as the intrinsic processes used to manage and change one’s experience of emotions, emotion-related states, and the behavioral expression of emotions. “Hot” and “cool” processes of self-regulation, and the two primary theoretical perspectives on self-regulation, executive functioning and effortful control are then discussed, delineating the primary dimensions of each, and how both intersect with emotion regulation. Although theory and research on emotion regulation and self-regulation is not typically integrated, conceptually, we view self-regulation as a broader construct within which the intrinsic aspects of emotion regulation are included. Our attempt to integrate both self-regulation perspectives with emotion regulation includes explaining how inhibitory control (a primary executive functioning and effortful control skill) relates to the regulation of emotion, the relative emphasis of emotion and cognition in each theory, and the distinction between automatic (often described as “hot”) and conscious (“cool”) regulation processes. We then recommend an integration of the theoretical perspectives and employment of multi-method assessment regulation strategies. In addition to using both parent-rated and lab-based observational methods, ongoing and future work in this area will incorporate both executive functioning and effortful control assessments, and neurophysiological measures. One final future research direction will be to focus on emotion regulation and emotional reactivity in the same longitudinal investigations during early childhood, examining optimal regulation for best moderating emotional reactions.