Profiling Emotion Regulation: Exploring patterns of regulation in classroom behaviour
type: CreativeWork
description: Emotion Regulation describes the ability to influence the experience and expression of affect. Adaptive emotion regulation contributes to healthy development, social competence and academic success (Kochanska, Murray & Harlan, 2000). This study investigated the behavioural strategies for emotion regulation, emotion expression, regulatory styles and classroom behaviour in middle childhood. One hundred and twenty-eight children were recruited from five UK public and private primary schools. From within their school setting, participant sensitivity to emotion-eliciting events was recorded using ambulatory skin conductance technology whilst age-group paired children performed two LEGO construction tasks. Observed behaviours were video-recorded and coded to establish frequencies of distinct regulatory behaviours. These were compared to self-reports of emotion regulation strategies and teacher-reports of classroom behaviour. Iterative partitioning cluster analysis methods were used to identify four regulatory profiles: 1) the ‘Adaptive’ cluster: employed high levels of positive problem solving and reappraisal strategies and frequently expressed both positive and negative emotions; 2) the ‘Maladaptive’ cluster: used more negative regulation (avoidant or obstructive strategies), expressed more negative emotion and had more social and behavioural problems in class; 3) the ‘Reactive’ cluster showed high levels of electrodermal activity, expressed little emotion and were reported as inattentive/hyperactive in class; and 4) the ‘Distracted’ cluster demonstrated high levels of behavioural and cognitive distraction. These results indicate four meaningful profiles that could support the identification of vulnerable individuals for positive school-based intervention and support.
abstract: Emotion Regulation describes the ability to influence the experience and expression of affect. Adaptive emotion regulation contributes to healthy development, social competence and academic success (Kochanska, Murray & Harlan, 2000). This study investigated the behavioural strategies for emotion regulation, emotion expression, regulatory styles and classroom behaviour in middle childhood. One hundred and twenty-eight children were recruited from five UK public and private primary schools. From within their school setting, participant sensitivity to emotion-eliciting events was recorded using ambulatory skin conductance technology whilst age-group paired children performed two LEGO construction tasks. Observed behaviours were video-recorded and coded to establish frequencies of distinct regulatory behaviours. These were compared to self-reports of emotion regulation strategies and teacher-reports of classroom behaviour. Iterative partitioning cluster analysis methods were used to identify four regulatory profiles: 1) the ‘Adaptive’ cluster: employed high levels of positive problem solving and reappraisal strategies and frequently expressed both positive and negative emotions; 2) the ‘Maladaptive’ cluster: used more negative regulation (avoidant or obstructive strategies), expressed more negative emotion and had more social and behavioural problems in class; 3) the ‘Reactive’ cluster showed high levels of electrodermal activity, expressed little emotion and were reported as inattentive/hyperactive in class; and 4) the ‘Distracted’ cluster demonstrated high levels of behavioural and cognitive distraction. These results indicate four meaningful profiles that could support the identification of vulnerable individuals for positive school-based intervention and support.
author: Sinclaire-Harding, Lysandra
language: en
keywords: emotion regulation, skin conductance, cluster analysis, attentional deployment
license: https://apollo8-f-pro.lib.cam.ac.uk/bitstreams/86f29d99-a083-41e6-bc3b-892f27769c26/download
license: https://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved/
date published: 2018-04-28
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:24:21Z
provider: Cambridge University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Cambridge

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.17863/CAM.18628