Gender differences in caregiver emotion socialization of low-income toddlers

New Dir Child Adolesc Dev. 2010 Summer;2010(128):11-27. doi: 10.1002/cd.266.

Abstract

Low-income children are at elevated risk for emotion-related problems; however, little research has examined gender and emotion socialization in low-income families. The authors describe the ways in which emotion socialization may differ for low-income versus middle-income families. They also present empirical data on low-income caregivers' responses to their toddlers' emotion displays, with findings indicating more supportive and fewer punitive responses to boys' anger than to girls', but few gender differences for sadness/anxiety. Finally, they present two models (the emotion competence model and differential emotions model) for understanding relations between emotion socialization and the development of psychopathology, particularly in low-income children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Caregivers / psychology*
  • Child
  • Emotions*
  • Gender Identity*
  • Humans
  • Income
  • Models, Psychological
  • Poverty*
  • Socialization*