Given the omnipresent role of gender in children's and adolescents' development, it seems necessary to better understand how gender affects the process of emotion socialization. In this introductory chapter, the authors discuss the overarching themes and key concepts discussed in this volume, as well as outline the distinct contribution of each individual chapter. Each chapter within this volume underscores the important role that parents play in the socialization of emotion, and the impact gender-typed emotion socialization may have on later socioemotional adjustment.

In this chapter, the authors review the history of the Waterloo Longitudinal Project (WLP), the first longitudinal study (1980–1992) dedicated to the study of social withdrawal, its correlates, and consequences. Theories underlying the WLP are described, as are its empirical findings. Recent research from other labs that has extended the findings of the original WLP is briefly described. The authors’ research that draws on the findings of WLP are noted as well. An underlying theme in this work is that relationships (and interactions) with parents and friends can serve as protective or exacerbating factors in the developmental course of social withdrawal and its concomitants (including social anxiety).

In this chapter, the authors examine the differences between mothers and fathers in the socialization of specific emotions in preschool-aged boys and girls. They argue that mothers and fathers play both distinct and complementary roles in the development of children's emotional competence; these roles are influenced both by parents' own gender, as well as the child's gender and the type of emotion being socialized. Through analyses of descriptive data, it appears that mothers and fathers respond to their children's emotions differently. The authors provide a discussion of the potential underlying reasons and potential implications for distinct emotion socialization by mothers and fathers.

SYNOPOSIS Objective We examined the roles of children’s approach behavior and maternal emotion socialization practices in the development of social behavior in unfamiliar and familiar contexts from preschool to early childhood years. Design At 4.5 years of age, children were observed, and an assessment of approach behavior was obtained; at this time, mothers reported about their emotion socialization beliefs. Two years later, children returned to the laboratory to participate in a peer play paradigm. When children were 7 years of age, teachers completed a questionnaire about children’s social behaviors in the classroom. Results Mothers’ emotion socialization beliefs contribute to the developmental outcomes of approach behavior. For instance, observations of approach behaviors predicted a greater proportion of group play in the unfamiliar peer group when mothers reported highly supportive emotion socialization beliefs. Conclusion Mothers’ emotion socialization beliefs appear to play an important role in modifying the developmental course of approach behavior during early childhood.

We used a multiple-probe single-case design to determine whether there was a functional relation between peer-delivered, technology-enhanced, performance-based feedback (TEPF) and early intervention (EI) providers' use of family engagement strategies and embedded learning opportunities. Participants included three coaches, three EI providers, three caregivers, and three children receiving EI services. Results suggest that although peer-delivered, TEPF did increase some of the EI providers' practices, we did not observe a functional relation. Implications for future EI research and practice are discussed.