THE RELATIONS OF REGULATION AND EMOTIONALITY TO PROBLEM BEHAVIOR IN ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL-CHILDREN

The relations of regulation and emotionality to elementary school chil dren's problem behavior was examined. Parents and teachers reported on children's problem behavior. One parent and teachers rated children o n various measures of regulation (including resiliency) and emotionali ty; children's baseline heart rate and facial reactivity were assessed ; and physiological and facial distress and gaze aversion while viewin g a distress film sequence were measured. In general, low regulation, negative emotionality, and general and positive emotional intensity pr edicted problem behaviors. Teachers' reports of negative emotionality and regulation interacted in their relation to problem behaviors, with regulation apparently buffering the effects of moderate and high nega tive emotionality. Baseline heart rate and facial distress were relate d to low levels of problem behavior, and gaze aversion during the dist ress film segment was associated with low levels of problem behavior.