The purpose of this project is the identification of pattern of emotion regulation in young children as a function of their risk for developing disruptive behavior disorders. These disorders have been studied as behavioral disturbances and the nature of the associated affective disturbances have not been studied. This project examines the regulation of emotion, particularly anger, in relation to behavioral difficulties in preschool age children. observational and self-report data from experimental tasks that challenge self-control, and internal state changes during exposure to specific emotion stimuli, were collected. These data address the emotional dynamics underlying the quality of preschoolers, behavior under conditions of disappointment, frustration, and temptation. Psychophysiological data assess changes in heart rate, vagal tone, and skin conductance as a function of exposure to specific emotion stimuli. Preliminary analyses indicate that preschoolers reveal more negative affect and more disruptiveness in frustrating situations than low risk preschoolers, particularly when an adult is present. Negative emotion appears to precede disruptiveness.
