Parental Reactions to Children’s Negative Emotions in France and the United States: Links to Preschoolers’ Socioemotional Outcomes

Kathryn Li, Claire Hofer, Aya I. Williams and Qing Zhou ()
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Kathryn Li: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Claire Hofer: Psychologie: Interactions Temps Émotions Cognition (PSITEC, ULR 4072), Université de Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
Aya I. Williams: Department of Counseling Psychology, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA
Qing Zhou: Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

Social Sciences, 2024, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: Parental reactions to children’s negative emotions (PRCNEs), a type of emotion socialization, has been theorized to shape children’s socioemotional development. Few studies have examined cultural variations in PRCNE among Western/Minority World cultures. The present study used a cross-cultural, preschool-based sample of 101 parent–child dyads (child age = 36–79 months, 42% females; parent age = 19–58 years, 89% mothers) from two countries: U.S. ( n = 33, 58% White/European American, 87% with college or above education) and France ( n = 68, 61% French or other European origin, 40% with college or above education). Parents self-reported PRCNEs across 12 hypothetical scenarios. Children’s behavioral problems and prosocial behaviors were rated by parents and preschool teachers. Children’s emotion knowledge was measured by a behavioral task. We examined (1) cultural group variations in PRCNEs, and (2) the relations between PRCNE and children’s socioemotional outcomes. Controlling for demographics, French parents endorsed more non-supportive PRCNE than U.S. parents. Across both cultures, parents’ higher use of distress and punitive reactions were linked to lower parent-rated child prosocial behaviors. These findings revealed differences and similarities in PRCNEs between French and U.S. families and have implications for early childhood education practices promoting socioemotional competence.

Keywords: culture; parental reactions to children’s negative emotions; socioemotional behaviors; France; United States (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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