Display Rule Application in a Disappointing Situation and Children's Emotional Reactivity: Relations with Social Competence.

Associations among display rule use, children's negative emotional reactivity, and dimensions of elementary-school children's social competence were examined. In addition, the correspondence was studied between a self-report measure of negative emotional reactivity and observations of children's use of display rules in a disap pointing situation. Fourth-grade children (N = 98) showed negative relation between self-reported negative emotional coping strategies and observed measures of display rule use. Children, especially girls, who reported the use of more effective coping strategies for managing negative emotions, and who used more appropriate display rules, were rated as more socially competent by both teachers and peers. The value of a multimeasure approach for understanding emotion regulation was discussed.

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