Parental meta-emotion and temperament predict coping skills in early adolescence

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore if parental emotional styles and adolescent temperament could predict various patterns of coping in adolescence. Previous research studies have shown significant correlations between parenting styles and aspects of child development, such as the ability to regulate emotions and cope with stressful situations. However, within the context of parental meta-emotion, previous research has not directly focused on how parental meta-emotion predicts coping skills in children and how temperament may moderate this association. In the current study, 37 students (between the ages of 10 and 13 years) and their parents completed a number of questionnaires to assess parental meta-emotion, adolescent temperament, and coping skills. Many significant interactions were found and are discussed in terms of the types of coping strategies that adolescents employ and how the strategies relate to their own temperamental dispositions and parents' parenting styles. From this, implications and future directions are provided. © 2009 A B Academic Publishers.