The relationship between mothers' anxiety levels and children's emotion expression and regulation skills

This research investigates the relationship between mothers' anxiety levels and the emotional expression and emotion regulation skills of children aged 5-6. The quantitative study, conducted using a relational screening model, obtained data from 460 mothers with children aged 5-6 who voluntarily participated in the research. Data collection tools included a "Personal Information Form" to obtain demographic information about the mother and child, the "State-Trait Anxiety Inventory" to determine mothers' anxiety levels, the "Child Emotional Expression Scale-Mother Form" to obtain data on children's emotional expressions, and the "Emotion Regulation Scale" for assessing emotion regulation skills. Pearson Correlation Analysis and independent samples t-test were employed for data analysis. According to the findings of the data analysis, various levels of relationships were found between mothers' continuous anxiety levels and children's happy, sad, angry, and fearful emotional expressions. The results indicated a low and negative relationship between mothers' continuous anxiety levels and children's "happy sub-dimension," and a moderate and positive relationship in the "sad, angry, fearful sub-dimensions." Another finding revealed a low and negative relationship between mothers' continuous anxiety levels and children's emotion regulation skills, suggesting that higher maternal anxiety levels increase children's emotion regulation difficulties. Regarding gender, it was found that boys exhibited higher difficulties in "expressing anger and emotion regulation" compared to girls, with no significant differences in the "happiness, sadness, and fear sub-dimensions." Additionally, no significant differences were observed based on birth order.