The Relationship Between Temperament and Emotion Understanding in Preschoolers: An Examination of the Influence of Emotionality, Self-Regulation, and Attention

Abstract

This study examined the links between temperament and emotion understanding in preschoolers. Temperamental facets of emotionality, attention, and self-regulation were utilized. Emotion understanding is the ability to identify feelings based on facial expressions, behaviors, or situations. Historically, temperamental variables and emotion understanding have been poorly defined, impacting the clarity of research findings. The Structured Temperament Interview (STI) measured facets of temperament and the Emotion Comprehension Test examined emotion understanding. Both measures offer clear definitions of their associated constructs. Additionally, principal components analyses were run on STI dimensions. Correlational analyses were run on the STI and Child Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), an established measure of temperament, to further determine the STI's utility as a measure of temperament. Results, though mixed, suggest that components of Attention and Emotionality from the STI explain a great deal of the variance in ECT scale scores.