Self-Regulation, Emotion Understanding and Aggressive Behaviour in Preschool Boys / Samokontrola, razumijevanje emocija i agresivno ponašanje dječaka predškolske dobi

Abstract

Abstract

Previous research has shown that children with greater self-regulation exhibit less aggressive behaviour in their everyday interactions with peers. Boys are usually more aggressive than girls, have lower self-regulation and understand primary emotions less. However, those who understand emotions better behave more prosocially. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship of self-regulation and emotion understanding  with regard to aggressive behaviour in preschool boys. The participants in this  study included 241 boys aged 3 to 7, their parents (both mothers and fathers) and preschool teachers. Self-regulation was measured by parental estimations of inhibitory control and attentional focusing. Aggressive behaviour was measured by teachers' estimations, while emotion understanding was assessed in individual interviews with the boys. The results showed that the boys who recognized and described primary emotions better and had high self-regulation showed less aggressive behaviour, while those who understood emotions less and had low self-regulation behaved more aggressively. The results were discussed in the light of importance of strengthening self-regulation and emotion understanding in preschool boys as a way of developing their social and emotional competence. 

Key words: aggressive behaviour; emotion understanding; preschool boys; self-regulation 

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Sažetak

Dosadašnja istraživanja pokazala su da djeca koja imaju bolju samokontrolu manifestiraju manje agresivnog ponašanja u svakodnevnim vršnjačkim interakcijama. Dječaci su agresivniji od djevojčica u predškolsko doba, imaju nižu samokontrolu i niže razumijevanje primarnih emocija. Međutim, oni koji bolje razumiju emocije, ponašaju se više prosocijalno. Cilj istraživanja bio je stoga provjeriti povezanost samokontrole i razumijevanja emocija s agresivnim ponašanjem dječaka predškolske dobi. U istraživanju su sudjelovali 241 dječak u dobi od 3 do 7 godina, njihovi roditelji (i majka i otac) i odgojiteljice. Samokontrola je mjerena roditeljskim procjenama inhibitorne kontrole i fokusa pažnje. Agresivno ponašanje mjereno je odgojiteljskim procjenama, a razumijevanje emocija pojedinačnim intervjuima s dječacima. Rezultati su pokazali da najmanje agresivnog ponašanja manifestiraju dječaci koji bolje prepoznaju i opisuju primarne emocije te imaju visoku samokontrolu, a najviše agresivnog ponašanja oni koji imaju lošije razumijevanje emocija i nisku samokontrolu. Rezultati su razmatrani u smjeru važnosti jačanja samokontrole i razumijevanja emocija u predškolsko doba za razvoj socijalne i emocionalne kompetencije dječaka.

Ključne riječi: agresivno ponašanje; dječaci; predškolsko doba; razumijevanje emocija; samokontrola