Child Psychology and Psychiatry

THE PRESCHOOL YEARS
During the first year of life there is a gradual
increase in non-verbal emotional expression in
response to all classes of stimuli including those
under the infant’s control and those under the con-
trol of others. At birth infants can express interest
as indicated by sustained attention, and disgust in
response to foul tastes and odours. Smiling, reflect-
ing a sense of pleasure, in response to the human
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General patterns of development
Table 10.1
Social and emotional development.
Age
Expression of emotions
Regulation of emotions
Managing emotions
in relationships
Infancy
0—1 year
Increased non-verbal
emotional expression in
response to stimuli
under own control and
control of others
Self-soothing
Regulation of attention to
allow coordinated action
Reliance on ‘scaffolding’
from caregivers during stress
Increased discrimination of
emotions expressed by
others
Turn taking (peek a boo)
Social referencing
Toddlerhood
1—2 years
Increased verbal
expression of emotional
states
Increased expression of
emotions involving
self-consciousness and
self-evaluation such as
shame, pride or coyness
Increased awareness of own
emotional responses
Irritability when parents
place limits on expression of
need for autonomy
Anticipation of feelings
towards others
Rudimentary empathy
Altruistic behaviour
Preschool
2—5 years
Increased pretending to
express emotions in play
and teasing
Language (self-talk and
communication with others)
used for regulating emotions
Increased insight into
others emotions
Awareness that false
expression of emotions can
mislead others about one’s
emotional state
Middle
childhood
6—12 years
Increased use of
emotional expression to
regulate relationships
Distinction made
between genuine
emotional expression
with close friends and
managed display with
others
Increased autonomy from
caregivers in regulating
emotions
Increased efficiency in
identifying and using multiple
strategies for autonomously
regulating emotions and
managing stress
Regulation of self-conscious
emotions, e.g.
embarrassment
Distancing strategies used to
manage emotions if child has
little control over situation
Increased understanding of
emotional scripts and social
roles in these scripts
Increased use of social skills
to deal with emotions of
self and others
Awareness of feeling
multiple emotions about
the same person
Use of information about
emotions of self and others
in multiple contexts as aids
to making and maintaining
friendships
Adolescence
13
+
years
Self-presentation
strategies are used for
impression management
Increased awareness of
emotional cycles (feeling
guilty about feeling angry)
Increased use of complex
strategies to autonomously
regulate emotions
Self-regulation strategies are
increasingly informed by
moral principles
Awareness of importance of
mutual and reciprocal
emotional self-disclosure in
making and maintaining
friendships
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