The development of toddlers’ emotion regulation within the family system: associations with observed parent-child synchrony and interparental relationship satisfaction

This study used a family systems framework to examine associations between parent-child synchrony, interparental relationship satisfaction, and children's emotion regulation. The sample included 75 families from socioeconomically ethnically diverse backgrounds who had child 18 27 months (Mage = 20.9 months). Mothers fathers the same completed separate visits with their child. Mother-child father-child synchrony (i.e., extent which dyads displayed contingent pattern of communication) were coded observations teaching tasks individually Children's regulation was brief frustration task codes for emotional distress adaptive coping task-focused strategies). Results dyadic path models demonstrated that father-child, but not mother-child, associated less in toddlers, fathers’ self-reported satisfaction negatively toddlers’ coping. final model revealed mothers’ moderated both mother-child Further, association distress. These results suggest quality interactions play unique important role supporting challenging situations, is key factor consider. this work highlights importance considering entire system, such as how parents indirectly influence development.