Conceptualizing Emotion Regulation and Coregulation as Family-Level Phenomena

Abstract

The ability to regulate one’s emotions is foundational for healthy development and functioning in a multitude of domains, whereas difficulties in emotional regulation are recognized as a risk factor for a range of adverse outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Caregivers play a key role in cultivating the development of emotion regulation through coregulation, or the processes by which they provide external support or scaffolding as children navigate their emotional experiences. The vast majority of research to date has examined coregulation in the context of caregiver–child dyads. In this paper, we consider emotion regulation and coregulation as family-level processes that unfold within and across multiple family subsystems and explore how triadic and whole family interactions may contribute to the development of children’s emotion regulation skills. Furthermore, we will examine the implications of a family-centered perspective on emotion regulation for prevention of and intervention for childhood emotional and behavioral disorders. Because emotion regulation skills undergo such dramatic maturation during children’s first several years of life, much of our focus will be on coregulation within and across the family system during early childhood; however, as many prevention and intervention approaches are geared toward school-aged children and adolescents, we will also devote some attention to later developmental periods.

Early life adversity as a risk factor for cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease

“…Parent-child coregulation is a dynamic process that involves mutual influence and coordination of emotional, behavioral, and physiological states between parents and their children [ 62 ]. Early coregulation is critical for the healthy development of children across multiple domains, including emotional and cognitive functioning [ 63 , 64 ]. The importance of coregulation has been further highlighted by a longitudinal study which indicates that a secure infant-caregiver attachment during infancy may predict adult competence of children, including educational attainment, occupational success, and social functioning [ 65 ].…”

Developmental approach to child trafficking.

“…Child trafficking is best understood as interpersonal exploitation of childhood vulnerabilities. Infants and children depend upon adults, primarily caregivers, to learn to manage increasingly complex emotions and emotional distress through a process of coregulation (Paley & Hajal, 2022). In the absence of healthy caregiving and the formation of adult-child relationships marked by exploitation and abuse, children are left to contend with highly traumatic experiences without the coregulatory and psychological resources to do so.…”

How do Family Factors Impact Children’s Emotional Regulation?

“…Paley and Hajal's review paper explored the impact of caregiver-child, parents, and sibling relationships on children's ER. It also emphasizes the importance of societal and familial interactions in children's emotion management skills' development [6]. Hitherto, much of the research about children's ER ignores economically disadvantaged children.…”