Head Start Preschoolers' Emotional Positivity and Emotion Regulation Predict their Social-Emotion Behavior, Classroom Adjustment, and Early School Success

Abstract

Children’s abilities to express contextually useful emotions and regulate emotions are related to their school adjustment and academic achievement. In this study, we examined the specific contributions of emotional positivity and emotion regulation during a direct assessment to broader self-regulation, social-emotional behavior during play, school adjustment, and school readiness. We found that each construct made useful contributions to these important outcomes. Implications include the need to pay increased attention to emotional competence in Head Start research and classroom practice.