AUTHOR=Qashmer Amani F. 

TITLE=Emotion regulation among 4–6 year-old children and its association with their peer relationships in Jordan

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1180223

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1180223

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Specific characteristics and competencies are required for maintaining peer relationships, and this study hypothesizes that emotion regulation is one of the attributes. The current study aimed to study the association between emotion regulation and peer relationship in 4-6 years old children, and to examine the sex differences among them. This study examines sex differences in peer relationships and the emotion regulation ability of children aged 4–6 years. The study sample comprised 300 children aged 4–6 years (170 girls [56.7%] and 130 boys [43.3%]) from kindergarten and first grade classes in Jordan. Teachers responded to the questionnaires during data collection. The Emotion Regulation Scale (ERC) was used to measure emotion regulation, and Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE) scale was used to measure peer relationship, which is a subscale of the SCBE. The results revealed a positive relationship between emotion regulation and positive poles of peer relationships (integrated, calm, and pro-social), and a significant negative relationship between emotional lability/negativity and positive poles of peer relationships. These results can be used to design intervention programs to reduce aggressive behavior in children.