Parent emotional regulation: A meta-analytic review of its association with parenting and child adjustment

Abstract

We conducted a meta-analytic review of 53 studies published between 2000 and 2020 to quantify associations of parents’ emotion regulation with parenting behavior and children’s emotion regulation and internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Twelve meta-analyses, which included between 4 to 22 effect sizes ( N from 345 to 3609), were conducted to summarize associations of parent emotion regulation with positive or negative parenting behaviors and child outcomes of emotion regulation, difficulties in emotion regulation, internalizing symptoms, or externalizing behavior. Given the range of behavioral parent emotion regulation measures used across studies, effect sizes for parent emotion regulation strategy use ( skill) were analyzed separately from effect sizes for parents’ difficulties with emotion regulation. Summary effect sizes ranged from |.08| to |.28| for relations of parent emotion regulation skill with parenting behaviors and children’s adjustment. Summary effect sizes ranged from |.03| to |.42| for relations of parent emotion regulation difficulties with parenting behaviors and children’s adjustment. In general, parents with better emotion regulation skill or fewer difficulties are higher in positive parenting behaviors and have children with better emotion regulation and fewer internalizing symptoms. Evidence was less clear-cut for child externalizing behaviors. Significant effect size heterogeneity was observed in most analyses, and study characteristics (measures, child age, parent gender, sampling, and region where the study was conducted) were examined as moderators. Measures used, child age, and participant risk status moderated effect size in some analyses.

The Influence of Parents on Emotion Regulation in Middle Childhood: A Systematic Review

“…Even with a continuous interpretation, the latter score may seem rather low, yet some items are hard to meet when statistical analyses (cfr., meta-analysis) are not possible. In line with the latter statement, the meta-analytic review of Zimmer-Gembeck et al (2022) [ 84 ] obtained a clearly higher score of 39.…”

“…Twelve studies underscored the importance of taking the ER of parents into account when studying the relationship between ERSBs and child ER and improving it in dysregulated parents, particularly if they suffer from psychopathology [ 74 , 89 , 91 ]. Parents scoring high on ER measures more readily use supportive ERSBs ([ 50 , 84 , 101 ] cited in [ 35 ]), less unsupportive ERSBs [ 69 ] and more positive (not directly emotion-focused) parenting practices [ 84 ], which cohere with better child ER [ 69 , 84 ] and psychological adjustment [ 84 ]. Conversely, parents experiencing ER difficulties may cause a “spill-over effect” toward children [ 38 , 85 ], as they are unable to model a variety of strategies ([ 38 , 69 , 72 , 102 ] cited in [ 36 ]).…”

“…Conversely, parents experiencing ER difficulties may cause a “spill-over effect” toward children [ 38 , 85 ], as they are unable to model a variety of strategies ([ 38 , 69 , 72 , 102 ] cited in [ 36 ]). Additionally, these parents use more unsupportive ERSBs [ 38 , 63 , 69 , 72 , 84 ], less supportive ERSBs [ 36 , 38 ] and more maladaptive (not directly emotion-focused) parenting practices (e.g., coercion) [ 35 , 42 , 84 ]. Through unsupportive ERSBs, parents possibly try to reduce the negative emotions of their child, thereby hoping to avert an escalation of contagious emotion dysregulation in both parties [ 69 ].…”

“…Through unsupportive ERSBs, parents possibly try to reduce the negative emotions of their child, thereby hoping to avert an escalation of contagious emotion dysregulation in both parties [ 69 ]. Ultimately, these parent–child interactions amount to low child ER skills [ 38 , 84 ], high emotion lability [ 34 , 38 ] and low psychological adjustment [ 84 ]. However, depending on the chosen assessment and the observed variable, the influence of parental ER is well-substantiated, with effect sizes of around |.30| [ 84 ].…”

“…Ultimately, these parent–child interactions amount to low child ER skills [ 38 , 84 ], high emotion lability [ 34 , 38 ] and low psychological adjustment [ 84 ]. However, depending on the chosen assessment and the observed variable, the influence of parental ER is well-substantiated, with effect sizes of around |.30| [ 84 ].…”