Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Bridgett, David J.

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

Previous research recognizes the critical role played by child emotion regulation (ER), the regulatory component of temperament, and negative emotionality (i.e., the tendency to experience negative emotions such as fear, sadness, anger, and frustration) in emotional and behavioral functioning throughout the lifespan. Poor ER and high negative affect in early childhood are linked to impulsive and aggressive behaviors, internalizing behaviors, and lower cognitive functioning. However, few studies have investigated how specific ER strategies and negative affect change across infancy by employing latent growth modeling. Additionally, existing work has neglected to examine the growth trajectory of escape behaviors across infancy as well as the development of infant ER strategies (e.g., gaze aversion, escape behaviors) and negative affect in relation to externalizing behaviors in toddlerhood. Further, previously published studies on sex differences in infant ER strategies and negative affect are not consistent. To address the gaps in the current literature, the present study utilized latent growth modeling to investigate the developmental trajectory of gaze aversion (i.e., shifting attention away from an upsetting stimulus to a person or object), struggling/resisting (i.e., when infants move their bodies away from aversive stimuli), and negative affect across four time points (6, 8, 10, and 12 months) and the relationship between the trajectory of these ER strategies and negative affect and toddlerhood externalizing problems at 18 months. The current study also examined sex differences in the negative affect and the use of infant ER strategies. The study sample consisted of 179 mother-infant dyads who participated in a larger longitudinal study. Participation in the longitudinal study included mothers completing questionnaire measures at 4 and 18 months postpartum and attending laboratory visits with their infants at 6, 8, 10, and 12 months postpartum. Structured tasks during the laboratory visits were later behaviorally coded for infant emotion regulation use and negative affect. Results demonstrated no significant increase or decrease in infant ER strategies and negative affect from 6 to 12 months postpartum. Similarly, no direct link between the growth trajectories of gaze aversion and struggling/resisting and toddler externalizing behaviors were found. Increased negative affect throughout the latter half of infancy marginally predicted greater externalizing behaviors at 18 months. No significant sex differences in the use of gaze aversion and struggling/resisting, and negative affect in the latter half of infancy were found. Implications of these findings, strengths and limitations of the current study, and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Extent

95 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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