The relation of maternal behavior and attachment security to toddler’s emotions and emotion regulation

In this study, we examined characteristics of the mother–child context that may support young children’s emotion expressions and emotion regulation. We observed children (N= 154) in four emotion-eliciting episodes to measure their emotion expressions and mother-focused regulation strategies. Mothers reported on the toddlers’ attachment security. Lower levels of maternal controlling behaviors and higher levels of attachment security were associated with more adaptive emotion expressions by toddlers, and more maternal positive behavior was associated with more mother-focused regulation. Toddlers’ use of mother-focused regulation was also associated with decreased levels of negative affect in positive and fear emotion- eliciting tasks but not in frustration tasks. The associations differed for boys and girls and differed depending on the context of the specific emotion elicited

Attachment, Emotion Regulation, and ADHD: The Role of the Khadama (Foreign Domestic Worker) in Qatar

198 p.The general aims have been explored across three studies presented in this thesis. The objectives of this thesis were to investigate: a) the relationship between ADHD and emotion regulation, b) attachment security of primary and secondary parental figures as a valid construct in Arabic, c) the relationship between attachment security and emotion regulation strategies and their effects on the symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention problems. Study 1 is a meta-analysis that selected 172 studies based on the relationship between ADHD forms with emotion (dys)regulation strategies considering a broad spectrum of possible manifestations across samples while exploring the effects of different moderators. The meta-analysis demonstrated the general relationship of ADHD with emotion regulation and dysregulation. Study 2 covers the validation in Modern Standard Arabic of an attachment measure to assess attachment to parents and to a secondary figure commonplace in Qatar: the foreign domestic worker (FDW), also known as Khadama. By utilizing the reliable and valid A-IPDWA newly created questionnaire, we will be able to study attachment security to primary parental figures (mother and father) and to secondary attachment figure (i.e., FDW). Finally, Study 3 utilized a mediation analysis to investigate emotion regulation (ER) mediates the relationship between attachment security to primary (mother and father) and secondary parental figures and (hyperactivity and attention problems) in a sample of 286 adolescents studying in schools in Qatar. In Study 3, although there was no mediation of emotion regulation, as initially hypothesized, we found that FDW positively predicted hyperactivity and attention problems, while gender differences in the associations applied. The general findings demonstrated that hyperactivity and attention problems in ADHD relate to emotion regulation strategies and attachment security of primary parental figures and FDWs

Anger or Fear? Effects of Discrete Emotions on Deviant Security Behavior

Deterrence theory has received considerable attention in recent years. However, scholars have begun to call for research beyond the deterrence approach on security behaviors, and argue that the theory of emotion should not be omitted from information systems security decision making [15, 81]. In this research, we examine and distinguish effects of anger and fear on perceived costs of sanctions and deviant security behavior. A research model is developed based on deterrence theory and cognitive appraisal theory of emotion. We propose to design a scenario of introducing a new security monitoring system, to analyze the interplays of anger, fear, perceived certainty, perceived severity of sanctions and deviant security behavior. The results will have important implications for comprehensively understanding employees’ deviant security behavior

Emotion regulation and behaviour problems in young children exposed to domestic violence

Although the effects of witnessing domestic violence on young children were long believed to be non-existent, current research indicates that young children do suffer negative consequences as a result of witnessing violence (e.g., Zeanah, et al., 1999). From research with older children it is known that exposure to violence is associated with emotional dysregulation, behaviour problems, and difficulties in school (e.g., Wolfe et al., 2003). Risk factors (e.g., maternal depression) and protective factors (e.g., secure attachment relationship) have been implicated in both emotional regulatory abilities and the effects of exposure to domestic violence. The present research endeavoured to use a developmental psychopathology perspective to understand the experiences of young children exposed to domestic violence, specifically their emotion regulation abilities and behaviour problems. Study 1 explored the application and reliability of an emotion regulation coding scheme for use with young children during the Face-to-Face Still Face scenario. Study 2 examined the relationship between previous exposure to domestic violence and behaviour problems and emotion regulation, while considering possible moderating variables. The coding system from Study 1 served as the measure of emotion regulation in Study 2. Findings indicated that young children in this study who had been exposed to increased levels of domestic violence also displayed increased internalizing behaviour problems. No relationship was found between exposure to domestic violence and emotion regulation or externalizing problems or sleep problems. Child temperament, attachment security and maternal psychological symptomology were associated with behaviour problems in these children. Maternal psychological symptomology was marginally related to emotion regulation, however temperament and attachment security were not. The relationship between exposure to physical aggression and externalizing behaviour problems was moderated by child temperament and attachment security. The relationship between physical aggression and internalizing behaviour problems was moderated by attachment security. The implications of these findings for future research and clinical practice are discussed. Taken together, these two studies expanded the existing literature on the adjustment outcomes associated with exposure to domestic violence in young children

Attachment,conduct disorder and perspective taking in 7-9 year old boys

The perspective taking ability of children with aggressive behaviour problems was explored, by comparing them with non-aggressive children on tasks involving the prediction of emotion and behaviour on hypothetical short story vignettes. Their ability to correctly predict emotion and behaviour in emotionally charged, personally involving tasks was investigated, and linked with their security of attachment and verbal intelligence. Contrary to what was predicted, the aggressive children were not observed to perform poorly on complex emotionally charged, personally involving vignettes. Also, security of attachment was not seen to relate to performance on vignettes. The ability to provide explanations of responses which incorporated a coherent description of the differing and false beliefs held by different characters correlated with verbal intelligence and tentatively with security of attachment. The two groups showed significant differences on all sub-scales of a measure of abnormal social behaviour and two out of three sub-scales of a measure of security of attachment. The results do not present a clear picture, but suggest that verbal intelligence is associated with perspective taking and understanding of emotion. A consideration of methodological issues suggests that the short story vignettes suffer from poor reliability and possibly poor validity. The findings are discussed with relation to other literature, in particular an alternative theory of the development of emotion understanding that emphasizes the role of coherent psychological discourse by the caregiver. The role of disorganised attachment in childhood aggression is also discussed. Implications for clinical practice are considered and suggestions for future research are outlined

Emotional wellbeing as a proxy indicator for water security among pastoralists in Afar, Ethiopia

Recent thinking proposes a more holistic approach to measuring household water security. In addition to conventional service-level based indicators, assessments should account for broader social, political and cultural structures which shape how households interact with water. Contributing to this agenda, the paper introduces new research that aims to evaluate the relationship between emotional wellbeing and water security among pastoralists in the Afar region of Ethiopia. It is hypothesised that the measurement of emotion could have potential value as an indicator of water security among vulnerable populations who have particularly complex water use patterns that are poorly captured by conventional indicators. Within the pastoralist context, preliminary data collection has indicated an emotional response to seasonality in resource availability and distance travelled to infrastructure points. Further research is underway to explore the complexity of emotion and its interrelation with water security to better understanding the needs of pastoralists in Afar