The Relation between Maternal Personality and Internalizing/Externalizing Behaviors: Mediating Role of Maternal Alexithymia, Children’s Alexithymia and Emotional Regulation

Objective: Although many studies have investigated the effect of maternal personality on internalizing and externalizing behaviors of a child, the role of both mother and child’s emotional mechanisms in these behaviors is little explored. The present study was focused on the relationship between the mother’s personality, and internalizing and externalizing behaviors of children with the mediating role of children’s alexithymia, mother’s alexithymia, and children’s emotion regulation (ER). Method: 162 mothers and elementary school-aged children were recruited regarding their demographics and completed the NEO personality inventory, Child behavior checklist, Toronto alexithymia scale, Children’s alexithymia measure, and Children’s emotion regulation checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS (ver.23), and AMOS (ver.23). Results: Structural equations modeling demonstrated an acceptable model fit to data (CMIN/DF = 1.233, RSME = 0.038, GFI = 0.962). Mother’s alexithymia predicted internalizing problems whereas it didn’t predict externalizing problems in children. Also, the bootstrap results indicated that the mother and children’s alexithymia and children’s ER had mediating roles between mother’s personality and externalizing and internalizing problems. Conclusion: The present results demonstrated that mother’s personality can indirectly, through mother and children’s alexithymia and children’s ER act as an important factor in development of mental problems. In other words, findings indicated that children’s emotional development is not a one-way road, but it is a mutual process that involves both the mother and the child.

Visual Robotic Perception System with Incremental Learning for Child–Robot Interaction Scenarios

This paper proposes a novel lightweight visual perception system with Incremental Learning (IL), tailored to child–robot interaction scenarios. Specifically, this encompasses both an action and emotion recognition module, with the former wrapped around an IL system, allowing novel actions to be easily added. This IL system enables the tutor aspiring to use robotic agents in interaction scenarios to further customize the system according to children’s needs. We perform extensive evaluations of the developed modules, achieving state-of-the-art results on both the children’s action BabyRobot dataset and the children’s emotion EmoReact dataset. Finally, we demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the IL system for action recognition by conducting a thorough experimental analysis for various conditions and parameters.

Integrating emotion into behaviourally-based parenting programmes: can this enhance outcomes for child conduct problems?

<p>The current pilot study aimed to integrate emotion focused elements into an already well-established parenting programme in the hope of improving outcomes for children with conduct problems (CPs). Thirty-six parents of children with conduct problems (aged 3-7 years) were randomly allocated to two versions of the Triple P parenting programme; standard Group Triple P (GTP) or a new Emotion-Enhanced Group Triple P programme (EEGTP) that taught parents to engage in an elaborative, emotion-rich conversational style when discussing past events with their children. As expected, child CPs significantly reduced across both conditions post-intervention. Additionally, parents in the EEGTP condition were using more emotion coaching statements with their children. However, these differences did not translate to changes in children’s emotion knowledge and further behavioural improvements. Theoretical implications of these findings, explanations reflecting on the nature by which emotion knowledge develops over time, and recommendations for future studies are discussed.</p>

Integrating emotion into behaviourally-based parenting programmes: can this enhance outcomes for child conduct problems?

<p>The current pilot study aimed to integrate emotion focused elements into an already well-established parenting programme in the hope of improving outcomes for children with conduct problems (CPs). Thirty-six parents of children with conduct problems (aged 3-7 years) were randomly allocated to two versions of the Triple P parenting programme; standard Group Triple P (GTP) or a new Emotion-Enhanced Group Triple P programme (EEGTP) that taught parents to engage in an elaborative, emotion-rich conversational style when discussing past events with their children. As expected, child CPs significantly reduced across both conditions post-intervention. Additionally, parents in the EEGTP condition were using more emotion coaching statements with their children. However, these differences did not translate to changes in children’s emotion knowledge and further behavioural improvements. Theoretical implications of these findings, explanations reflecting on the nature by which emotion knowledge develops over time, and recommendations for future studies are discussed.</p>

Does Emotion Talk and Emotion Knowledge Effect Children's Recall of a Staged Event?

<p>The current study compared children's memory for information accompanied by emotional or non-emotional talk, and also investigated the utility of emotion knowledge in prediction of recall. Seventy-five children aged 5-6 years participated in a staged event that involved visiting separate stations containing connected, causal information of an emotional or non-emotional theme. Children were assessed with a memory interview one week later. Children reported significantly more correct information from stations with an emotional focus. Children's emotion knowledge did not predict recall, however. Results show children better recall emotion-related information even when causality and connectedness is controlled for. Implications of the finding are discussed.</p>

My Friends Always Know When I’m Sad: How Children’s Emotion Understanding is Associated with Socio-Emotional Development

<p>The current study examined whether prosocial, social, and psychological development in children are more strongly associated with an overall understanding of emotions, or whether certain aspects of development are associated with specific components of emotion understanding. 38 children aged between 6 and 9 years old were administered the Test of Emotion Comprehension and the Kusche Affective Interview-Revised. Their parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Overall emotion understanding was found to be associated with conduct problems. Specific components of emotion understanding were associated with peer and emotional problems and inattention-hyperactivity. Prosocial behaviour was not significantly associated with emotion understanding. Results suggest that social and psychological development are primarily associated with specific components of emotion understanding rather than overall understanding.</p>

Does Emotion Talk and Emotion Knowledge Effect Children's Recall of a Staged Event?

<p>The current study compared children's memory for information accompanied by emotional or non-emotional talk, and also investigated the utility of emotion knowledge in prediction of recall. Seventy-five children aged 5-6 years participated in a staged event that involved visiting separate stations containing connected, causal information of an emotional or non-emotional theme. Children were assessed with a memory interview one week later. Children reported significantly more correct information from stations with an emotional focus. Children's emotion knowledge did not predict recall, however. Results show children better recall emotion-related information even when causality and connectedness is controlled for. Implications of the finding are discussed.</p>

My Friends Always Know When I’m Sad: How Children’s Emotion Understanding is Associated with Socio-Emotional Development

<p>The current study examined whether prosocial, social, and psychological development in children are more strongly associated with an overall understanding of emotions, or whether certain aspects of development are associated with specific components of emotion understanding. 38 children aged between 6 and 9 years old were administered the Test of Emotion Comprehension and the Kusche Affective Interview-Revised. Their parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Overall emotion understanding was found to be associated with conduct problems. Specific components of emotion understanding were associated with peer and emotional problems and inattention-hyperactivity. Prosocial behaviour was not significantly associated with emotion understanding. Results suggest that social and psychological development are primarily associated with specific components of emotion understanding rather than overall understanding.</p>

Association Between Social Media Use and Depression Among University Students

The most widely used social media such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have changed the way we communicate with others especially amongst youth. It has been a major part of such activities in their lives. However, the most alarming situation is that youth are mostly students. It has been identified that those who spent more time online have evidenced more symptoms of depression. On that note, this study concerns to (i) identify the level of depression and (ii) to find out the relationship between social media and depression among them who are among undergraduate students. In order to retrieve the data, a set of questionnaire was distributed to 150 students of local university in Malaysia, that consists of three sections which are demographic information, Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form (SMAS-SF) and Beck Depression Inventory 2nd Edition (BDI-II). There were two variables analyzed using Pearson correlation test. In short, the result showed that there is a correlation between social media and depression, r=0.199, n=150, p=<0.01. From this finding, it depicts that social media is significantly related and have positive relationship to depression among students involved. This study also provides such valuable information for counsellors and lecturers to identify students who have suffered depression and could help them to manage the problem. It also creates awareness among parents to be more alert with their children’s emotion.