Emotion Regulation and Psychopathology in a Sample of Maltreated Children

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between emotion regulation deficits and posttraumatic symptomatology (PTS), internalizing, and externalizing behavior problems in a sample of 46 maltreated children recruited through the Healthy Coping Program (Muller & Di Paolo, 2008), prior to treatment. Caregivers rated their child using the Emotion Regulation Checklist, the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Young Children, and the Child Behavior Checklist. Problems in emotion regulation were conceptualized on two dimensions: poor emotion understanding and emotion dysregulation. Analyses revealed that both dimensions were significantly related to overall PTS and internalizing behavior problems; however, only emotion dysregulation was significantly related to externalizing problems.

Keywords:

• child maltreatment
• psychopathology
• trauma
• emotion regulation
• posttraumatic stress

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by research grants to the first author from the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Special thanks go to Lise McLewin, Ritu Bedi, Julie Cinamon, Karina Zorella, Kristin Thornback, and Lisa Fiksenbaum for the execution of the research.