1

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

Brian Ackerman George BearSam Blumberg Frank BoxwillEric Youngstrom Jen Kogos YoungstromDavid Schultz Sarah FineAllison Mostow Christopher TrentacostaKristen King Fran Haskins Margaret Feerick Jenny AndersonDante Cicchetti Michael Morrow

100s of UGRAs

600 Children and their Parents and Preschool Teachers (mostly ECAP and Head Start)

2

Accelerating the Development of Accelerating the Development of Emotion Competence: OverviewEmotion Competence: Overview

The centrality of emotions, emotion knowledge The centrality of emotions, emotion knowledge (EK), emotion regulation (ER), and emotion (EK), emotion regulation (ER), and emotion utilization (EU) in development and functioningutilization (EU) in development and functioning

The development and correlates of EKThe development and correlates of EK

The Effects of an Emotions Course on children The Effects of an Emotions Course on children living in poverty: Increased EK, ER, EU, and the living in poverty: Increased EK, ER, EU, and the self-regulation of negative behaviorself-regulation of negative behavior

Explanations of Emotion Course effectsExplanations of Emotion Course effects

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I. Emotions Drive All Personally and Socially Significant Behavior.

II. Without Emotions, We Would Have No:

- Stable sense of self - Empathy- Enduring relationships - Altruism- Conscience - Values- Morality - Goals

III. We Can Have Them All by Modulating and Utilizing Emotion Motivation

Claims of an Emotion Theory Zealot:

4

Emotions in Perspective

EMOTIONS

Emotionality/Temperament/Personality

Cognition Action

5

6

7

Early Emergence and Functionality Early Emergence and Functionality of Emotion Expressionsof Emotion Expressions

EmotionEmotion Age/MoAge/Mo FunctionFunction InterestInterest 0 - 10 - 1 Exploration/LrngExploration/Lrng JoyJoy 2 - 3 2 - 3 Broadens & Builds Broadens & Builds

ResourcesResources SadnessSadness 3 - 53 - 5 Elicits EmpathyElicits Empathy AngerAnger 3 - 53 - 5 Action vs. Action vs.

Restraints Restraints FearFear 9 - 119 - 11 Protection/safetyProtection/safety

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Infants’ Emotion Competencies:Infants’ Emotion Competencies:By Age 3- 5 Months, Infants Can:By Age 3- 5 Months, Infants Can:

1.1. Encode and decode some basic emotion Encode and decode some basic emotion expressionsexpressions

2.2. Protest the loss of animation/expression in Protest the loss of animation/expression in mother’s facemother’s face

3.3. Discriminate mother’s expressions of sadness Discriminate mother’s expressions of sadness and angerand anger

4.4. Respond differentially to these expressions Respond differentially to these expressions

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Emotion/Language-Based Emotion/Language-Based Competencies: Age 2-3 YearsCompetencies: Age 2-3 Years

1.1. Limited emotion vocabularyLimited emotion vocabulary2.2. Limited ability to: Limited ability to:

match a key expression with one in a set of match a key expression with one in a set of fourfour

match an emotion expression and an match an emotion expression and an eliciting stimuluseliciting stimulus

match a pictorial and verbal representation match a pictorial and verbal representation on an emotionon an emotion

produce verbal labels for facial expressionsproduce verbal labels for facial expressions[Emotion Matching Task (EMT)][Emotion Matching Task (EMT)]

Moreover, poverty and its co-factors delays the Moreover, poverty and its co-factors delays the development of all these processesdevelopment of all these processes

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Emotion Recognition and Emotion Labeling for Emotion Recognition and Emotion Labeling for French (N=140) and French (N=140) and

American N (ER) =286; N (EL) =281) children.American N (ER) =286; N (EL) =281) children.

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

French ER

Am erican ER

French EL

Am erican EL

Chronological Age

Mea

n S

core

Izard, The face of emotion (1971)

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Growth in Understanding of Situational Growth in Understanding of Situational Cues of Emotions: ShameCues of Emotions: Shame

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1st Grade 3rd Grade 5th Grade

Head StartSam ple

Middle C lassSam ple

Per

cent

age

of I

tem

s C

orre

ct

Fine, Izard, et al. (2003) Development and Psychopathology

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Development of Emotion Knowledge and Social Skills: Early to Middle Childhood

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Emotion Knowledge, Social Skills, and Peer Emotion Knowledge, Social Skills, and Peer Acceptance – Achieving Emotion Acceptance – Achieving Emotion

Competence: Middle to late ChildhoodCompetence: Middle to late Childhood

Mostow, A. & Izard, C. (Submitted, 4/05)

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Anger

Happiness

Aggression.76

Anger

Happiness

EmotionProcessingRisk Index

.94

Aggression.70

A Risk Index That Includes EK and Empathy Mediated the Effect of Trait Emotionality on Aggression

.38*

-.25*

.37*

.06

-.19*

-.22*

.26*

Schultz, Izard, & Bear (2004) Development and Psychopathology

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Emotion Knowledge (EK) Predicts Emotion Knowledge (EK) Predicts Social and Academic Competence:Social and Academic Competence:

EmotionKnowledge

Izard et al. (2001) Psychological Science

VerbalAbility

AcademicCompetence

Head Start EK mediates the effect of verbal ability on first grade academic performance

.61 (eq. 1

)

.39 (eq. 2)

.11 (eq. 3)

.36 (eq. 3)

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Emotion Knowledge, Social Skills, Emotion Knowledge, Social Skills, and Academic Competenceand Academic Competence

Middle Childhood Late Childhood

Verbal Ability

EmotionKnowledge

SocialSkills

AcademicCompetence

β = .16

β = .36

β = .26

β = .20

Trentacosta, Mostow, & Izard (2005), SRCD Poster

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Theoretical Framework for the Theoretical Framework for the Emotions Course. Emotions:Emotions Course. Emotions:

1.1. Are part of our biology and culture Are part of our biology and culture2.2. Are part of temperament and personality Are part of temperament and personality3.3. Serve critical developmental functions Serve critical developmental functions4.4. Facilitate the development of relationships, empathy, Facilitate the development of relationships, empathy,

moralitymorality5.5. Motivate goal-directed cognition and behavior Motivate goal-directed cognition and behavior

Effective Regulation of Emotions Enables the Child to Effective Regulation of Emotions Enables the Child to Utilize Their Inherent Adaptiveness and Capitalize on Utilize Their Inherent Adaptiveness and Capitalize on the Energy and Motivational Properties of Emotional the Energy and Motivational Properties of Emotional Arousal.Arousal.

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The Teacher-Implemented Emotions The Teacher-Implemented Emotions Course For PreschoolersCourse For Preschoolers

1.1. 20 lessons on interest, joy, sadness, anger, fear, and 20 lessons on interest, joy, sadness, anger, fear, and contempt. Puppet shows, emotion games, emotion contempt. Puppet shows, emotion games, emotion story booksstory books

2.2. Increases awareness of the expressions, feeling states, Increases awareness of the expressions, feeling states,

and functions of emotionsand functions of emotions

3.3. Encourages children to express modulated emotions and Encourages children to express modulated emotions and talk about feelingstalk about feelings

4.4. Emphasizes utilization of the inherently adaptive energy Emphasizes utilization of the inherently adaptive energy and motivation of modulated emotion (No Extrinsic and motivation of modulated emotion (No Extrinsic Rewards)Rewards)

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Methods: Outcome MeasuresMethods: Outcome Measures(Administered Pre- and Post EC)(Administered Pre- and Post EC)

Emotion Knowledge: 48 item Emotion Matching Task (C)Emotion Knowledge: 48 item Emotion Matching Task (C) Emotion Regulation Checklist (T)Emotion Regulation Checklist (T) C-TRF Aggressive Behavior (T)C-TRF Aggressive Behavior (T) C-TRF Anx/Dprsd Behavior (T)C-TRF Anx/Dprsd Behavior (T) Emotion Expression Rating Scale (T)Emotion Expression Rating Scale (T) Preschool Competence Q-aire (T)Preschool Competence Q-aire (T) Negative social Interactions (O)Negative social Interactions (O) Negative Emotion Expression (O)Negative Emotion Expression (O)

IQ Control Measure: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (C)

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Hypotheses: The Emotions Course Hypotheses: The Emotions Course

1.1. Will increase emotion knowledge and Will increase emotion knowledge and emotion regulationemotion regulation

2.2. Will decrease symptoms of behavior Will decrease symptoms of behavior problems and psychopathologyproblems and psychopathology

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Research DesignResearch Design

Quasi-experimental designQuasi-experimental design

Randomly assigned Head Start Randomly assigned Head Start Centers/Classrooms to Treatment (Emotions Centers/Classrooms to Treatment (Emotions Course) and Control GroupsCourse) and Control Groups

Treatment = Head Start Curriculum + Emotions Treatment = Head Start Curriculum + Emotions Course (N = 107)Course (N = 107)

Control = Head Start Curriculum (N = 63)Control = Head Start Curriculum (N = 63)

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ProcedureProcedure

WeekWeek EventEvent

1-41-4 Children Accommodate to HS Children Accommodate to HS

55 Tchrs Complete Ratings of Children Tchrs Complete Ratings of Children

6-106-10 UGRAs Complete Pre-tests UGRAs Complete Pre-tests

11-31 Tchrs Conduct Emotions Course11-31 Tchrs Conduct Emotions Course

32-36 UGRAs and Tchrs Complete Post-tests 32-36 UGRAs and Tchrs Complete Post-tests

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ResultsResults

Data analysis via Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM):Data analysis via Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM):

ECEC

Increased:Increased: Emotion Knowledge and Emotion RegulationEmotion Knowledge and Emotion Regulation

Decreased:Decreased: Negative Emotion ExpressionsNegative Emotion Expressions Anxious/Depressed BehaviorAnxious/Depressed Behavior Aggressive BehaviorAggressive Behavior Negative Social InteractionsNegative Social Interactions

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25

Emotion RegulationEmotion Regulation

76

77

78

79

80

81

Pre Post

EC

Control

Emotion Regulation (ERC)

Emotions Course

(EC)t = -2.61p < .05Effect Size r = 0.55

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AggressionAggression

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Pre Post

EC

Control

Aggression (C-TRF)

EmotionsCourse

(EC)

t = -2.61p < .05Effect Size r = 0.55

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Negative Emotion ExpressionNegative Emotion Expression

5

6

7

8

9

Pre Post

EC

Control

Negative Emotion Expression

(EERS)

EmotionsCourse

ECt = -1.80† p < .10Effect Size r = 0.41

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Observations of Negative Peer Observations of Negative Peer InteractionsInteractions

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Pre Post

EC

Control

Observed Negative Peer Interactions

EmotionsCourse

(EC)

t = -3.43p < .01Effect Size r = 0.65

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Anxious/DepressedAnxious/DepressedBehaviorBehavior

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Pre Post

ECControl

Anxious/

Depressed

(C-TRF)

Emotions Course EC

t = -2.88p < .05Effect Size r = 0.58

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EC Effect on Percentage of EC Effect on Percentage of Borderline or Clinical C-TRF ScoresBorderline or Clinical C-TRF Scores

Time 1Time 1 Time 2Time 2

ECEC 14%14% 10%10%

ControControll

7%7% 17%17%

pretest χ2 (1, N = 123) = 7.67, p < .01

posttest χ2 (1, N = 102) = 6.79, p < .01

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Explaining the Effects of the Emotions Explaining the Effects of the Emotions Course (EC): Behavioral LevelCourse (EC): Behavioral Level

EC enabled children to experience and talk about emotions EC enabled children to experience and talk about emotions in a safe learning environment.in a safe learning environment.

EC increased emotion knowledge (EK), which increased the EC increased emotion knowledge (EK), which increased the

capacity for empathy and emotion regulation. capacity for empathy and emotion regulation.

The interaction of EK and modulated emotion arousal The interaction of EK and modulated emotion arousal increased continual emotion awareness, via intersystem increased continual emotion awareness, via intersystem (emotion-cognition) connectivity.(emotion-cognition) connectivity.

The increase in awareness of emotions and understanding The increase in awareness of emotions and understanding of their characteristics and functions increased utilization of of their characteristics and functions increased utilization of their inherently adaptive properties. their inherently adaptive properties.

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Explaining EC Effects:

Neural Level: EC increased connectivity between:1. Sub-cortical and cortical emotion systems

2. Insular cortex (and possibly other cortical midline systems that feelings) and the ACC (that facilitates experiencing feelings as emotion motivation

Developmental Level: EC accelerated the transition from phenomenal emotion experience to language-related emotion that enables: 1.Conscious control and utilization of emotions 2.Growth of executive function

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ConclusionConclusionWe think the increased connectivity and emotion competence We think the increased connectivity and emotion competence

resulted primarily from increased emotion knowledge and resulted primarily from increased emotion knowledge and emotion regulation and utilization via:emotion regulation and utilization via:

1.1. Playful emotion games (child play drives brain development) Playful emotion games (child play drives brain development)

2.2. Emotion-language development (conscious control of Emotion-language development (conscious control of emotions)emotions)

3.3. Emotion motivated techniques for self regulation Emotion motivated techniques for self regulation

4.4. Freedom to express and utilize modulated emotions Freedom to express and utilize modulated emotions