Charalene Kiser ACF Abstract FY11
Emotion Socialization Strategies: A Comparison between Caucasian and
LatinoMothers
Evidence of cross-cultural differences in emotion socialization suggests
that cultural norms influence parenting strategies. This study compares
Caucasian and Latino-American mothers of 2-year-old children to evaluate
variations in emotion socialization strategies as a function of ethnicity.
American culture values individualism, and parenting strategies are often
problem-focused responses directed towards the cause of the child’s distress
(Fabes et al., 2002), which fit the model of individualistic emotion
competence. In contrast, the importance of interpersonal relationships in
Latino cultures (Romero, Cuéllar, & Roberts, 2000) predicts that
Latino-American mothers would be more likely to discuss emotional
expressions with their children in order to facilitate relational emotional
competence, i.e., adapting the emotional responses to the context. N = 60
mothers of 2-year-old children living in West Michigan were interviewed for
this study as a part of a broader research project. The CCNES (Fabes et
al., 2002) was adapted into an interview and the vignettes were modified to
include a wider range of emotions and adjusted to accommodate younger
children. Responses were coded by three independent raters, and statistical
analyses include loglinear modeling and MANOVAs. Preliminary results
demonstrate differences in emotion socialization strategies between
Caucasian- and Latino-American mothers.
Page last modified April 29, 2011
