Emotionsregulationsstrategien und aggressives Verhalten im Kindergartenalter

Abstract

Emotionsregulationsstrategien und aggressives Verhalten im KindergartenalterPraxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie 59 (2010) Emotionsregulationsstrategien und aggressives Verhalten im KindergartenalterJohanna Helmsen und Franz Petermann Summary Emotion Regulation Strategies and Aggressive Behavior of Preschool ChildrenThe present study (N = 193) examined use of emotional regulation strategies in physically and relationally aggressive preschool children (mean age: 55 months), compared to non-aggressive peers. To assess emotion regulation, we conducted a structured videotaped behavioral observation of a situation where frustration was elicited. Afterwards, regulation strategies were analyzed in seven categories. Physical and relational aggression was rated by preschool teachers. Cut-off scores were used to classify children as relationally or physically aggressive. Results show that physically aggressive children focused their attention on frustrating stimulus and used venting and cognitive verbalization more often than non-physically aggressive children. Relationally aggressive children used venting more often than non-relationally aggressive children. Findings suggest that aggressive children would benefit from training in emotion regulation.Prax. Kinderpsychol. Kinderpsychiat. 59/2010, 775-791 Keywords preschool -emotion regulation strategies -structured behavioral observation -physical aggression -relational aggression ZusammenfassungIn der vorliegenden Studie (N = 193) wurde untersucht, ob sich körperlich und relational aggressive Kinder im Kindergartenalter (mittleres Alter: 55 Monate) in ihren Emotionsregulationsstrategien von ihren unauffälligen Altersgenossen unterscheiden. Zur Erhebung der Emotionsregulation wurde eine strukturierte, videografierte Verhaltensbeobachtung durchgeführt, in der gezielt Frustration ausgelöst wurde. Anschließend wurden Regulationsstrategien in sieben verschiedenen Kategorien ausgewertet. Körperlich und relational aggressives Verhalten wurde durch die Erzieherinnen beurteilt. Die relational und körperlich aggressiven Kinder wurden durch Cut-off-Werte ermittelt. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass körperlich aggres-

Assessing anger regulation in middle childhood: development and validation of a behavioral observation measure

“…In this context, repeated attempts at securing social support, despite having noticed that no help can be expected, is not considered an adaptive strategy. Consistent with this reasoning, studies that observed children in a frustrating situation in which social support was not available or only to a limited degree, did not find associations between the strategy seeking support and aggression (Gilliom et al, 2002 ; Helmsen and Petermann, 2010 ). Thus, in line with the classification of regulation strategies by other authors (Grob and Smolenski, 2005 ), we considered this strategy to be neither adaptive nor maladaptive in our behavioral observation measure, although it may well be adaptive in other contexts in which support is actually available.…”

“…Different authors have conceptualized anger expression and anger regulation as distinct constructs and have considered anger expression as the outcome of the regulation process or as an indicator of anger reactivity (Melnick and Hinshaw, 2000 ; Dearing et al, 2002 ). However, as we assume that such behavior includes the attempt to reduce the anger intensity, in line with other authors (Grob and Smolenski, 2005 ; Helmsen and Petermann, 2010 ), we consider external anger-related behavior, such as venting the anger, as part of anger regulation.…”

“…Two adaptive anger regulation strategies, distraction and calm bids, were identified and were found to be negatively linked to difficulties in child temperament (negative affectivity and low effortful control). The use of behavioral observation measures in studies with preschoolers is often based on the argument that the use of self-reports is not possible due to the limited cognitive abilities of children at this age (e.g., Helmsen and Petermann, 2010 ). The results of the study of Parker et al ( 2001 ) described above indicate that the same reasoning can be applied to school age children.…”

“…Accordingly, our classification into adaptive and maladaptive strategies was based on studies that investigated the associations of anger regulation strategies with aggression and social rejection. With regard to aggression, it has been found that in frustrating situations aggressive children more often focus on the frustrating stimuli, show more external regulation (e.g., swearing or handling the task material roughly), and show a higher tendency to resign from the situational demands than do non-aggressive children (Melnick and Hinshaw, 2000 ; Gilliom et al, 2002 ; Crockenberg et al, 2008 ; Helmsen and Petermann, 2010 ). In contrast to these maladaptive forms of anger regulation, the ability to distract oneself from the source of frustration and the use of problem-oriented behavior has been found to be used more often by non-aggressive children (Orobio de Castro et al, 2005 ).…”

“…A coding system of children's behavior during completion of the task facilitated the identification of the adaptive and maladaptive regulation strategies as well as additional strategies that were part of the children's behavioral repertoire in dealing with their anger during the task. The coding system was based on several studies which have used a similar approach for categorizing emotion regulation strategies (Fabes and Eisenberg, 1992 ; Melnick and Hinshaw, 2000 ; Gilliom et al, 2002 ; Helmsen and Petermann, 2010 ), and on other work addressing emotion regulation in children (Grob and Smolenski, 2005 ; Petermann and Wiedebusch, 2008 ).…”