Theoretical and developmental considerations that underpin recognition of own emotions - Essay Example

? Critique of Research Talk Researchers have unearthed that emotional awareness is pertinent to child’s development sinceit allows the child to develop emotional self-awareness and the capability to understand feelings. Emotional awareness also empowers an individual to handle emotions appropriately, demonstrating how to handle stress and upsetting or conflicting feelings. Furthermore, emotional awareness deals with self motivation, stimulates empathy, and social skills. A child with well established emotional awareness is likely to be more responsible and respectful by showing empathy and ease of developing self-restraint. The paper is a critique of a research talk that I attended dwelling on theoretical and developmental considerations that underpin recognition of own emotions. Critique of Research Talk Introduction The talk centred on the theoretical and developmental considerations that underpin recognition of own emotions. The talk that was delivered by Dr. John Lambie from Anglia Ruskin University centred on the theoretical considerations that underlie knowledge on own emotions and how knowledge in self develops in children, and the role of parenting in the development (Lambie, 2013). The study procedure required that the children play 3 games of snakes and ladders with their mother on the computer. All the games were pre-set and every child was interviewed about emotions key anchor points such as losing the first game and going down long snake. The mother behaviour was coded for emotional validation and invalidation. The key measures of the study include the child’s expressed emotions, child’s report of their emotions, mother’s emotional validation or invalidation in response to the child’s expressed emotion. There may be methodological problems in determining the impacts of parental validation or invalidation on children’s emotional awareness. Methodological problems emanate from the problematic nature of measuring emotional states, confounding variables (other variables that are linked to emotional awareness and difficult to separate from it), limited outcome measures (occasioned by retrospective reports by parents of children), problems with introspecting emotions), and lack of generalizability owing to limited sample population (whereby the participants of the study are mainly from Cambridge area, mainly from highly educated mothers). The methodology of the study is appropriate since it effectively captures the children’s expressed emotion states at three anchor points in the game (Carmines & Zeller, 1979). The design of the study is appropriate for the study since the study avails preliminary, but promising evidence for the validity of emotional awareness scores among children to be efficient correlates of parent’s emotional validation and invalidation. Some of the hypotheses formed in the study of parental validation and children’s emotional awareness include: parents’ who invest in emotional validation are likely to have children with heightened emotional awareness and parents who exercise emotional invalidation are likely to have children with reduced emotional awareness. Some of the key measures of child’s emotional awareness include the child’s emotional state; child’s emotional awareness; child’s verbal ability; child’s emotional understanding; and, mother’s emotional validation and invalidation. The sample of the study detailed 65 children (33 male and 32 female) aged 4-7 years and their mothers. The participants were drawn from Cambridge area mainly from highly educated mothers. Although, the sample size fits with the research design, it can be critiqued for being inadequate to make any meaningful conclusions. The small should have been bigger so as to eliminate the risk of over generalization. The sample size is small for regression analysis and possibly for the fixed-effects model; nevertheless, significant correlations even with small sample size. Although, it can be argued that studies utilizing small sample sizes are not designed to quantify general performance in a population, but to document the existence of an effect, it should be noted that investigators should ensure that their findings are not aberrant, and the findings should represent the performance of the population at large. Lambie conducted in-depth research in studies of families by observing how parents and children interact to one another in emotionally charged situations. The studies involved lengthy interviews with parents and their reactions to their children’s emotional experiences, as well as their own awareness of the function that emotion plays in their lives (Larkin, 2010). The study tracked children’s physiological responses, especially at times of stressful parent-child interactions (Mash & Wolfe, 2012). The scientist carefully observed and analyzed parents’ emotional reactions to their child’s sadness and anger (Zionts, Zionts, & Simpson, 2002; Cefai & Cooper, 2009). Measurement issues vary in research since they related to the quantification of abstract, intangible, and unobservable constructs. Each form of measure has particular issues that should be addressed so as to make the measurement meaningful, efficient, and accurate. The study is valid since the tests used measures whet they are supposed to measure. The form of the measurement, the role of the measurement, as well as the population for whom the test was designed to measure all conform to the empirical study on children’s negative emotional states. However, one can argue that the entire content of the behaviour/construct is limiting and not wholly represented in the tests. Indeed, the study does not examine the stability of emotion regulation and psychopathology in groups and individuals overtime. The study enjoys constructing validity since the key measures including the child's emotional awareness and understanding and invalidation satisfies the hypothetical construct. The study validates a measure of children’s negative emotions by hypothesizing that parent’s who invest in emotional validation are likely to have children with increased emotional awareness while those who exercise emotional invalidation are likely to have children with minimized emotional awareness. The study is reliable since it has a dependable measurement; indeed, the key measurements are consistent throughput the study and all the items in the test relate to all other items and to the total test. The study findings indicated that all children expressed negative emotions during the game in which the mean number of negative emotions stood at 50% sadness, 47% anger, and 3% fear. The study utilized only child’s emotions at the three anchor points in the emotions calculation. The results of the study were clearly explained in the text, tables, and figures in relation to the theoretical framework and research questions and objectives. The extent of agreement of the study findings is mixed, with some studies indicating the effectiveness in achieving the study objectives. Emotions are difficult to study or recognize since cognition has for many decades lagged behind in emotional development. Evidently, all children differ in their individual development. Studies have demonstrated that most parents admit t having little information on emotional development, despite their actions having significant influence over their children’s emotional development. Understanding and nurturing the child’s emotional quotient necessitates that parents observe their children and ascertain the feelings that are behind the behaviour (Zeidner, Matthews, & Roberts, 2009; Emmerling, Shanwal, & Mandal, 2008). Individuals come to be aware of their own emotions y being able to notice them, attend to them, and categorize the emotions (Lambie, 2013). Emotion awareness is essential as it enhances social support one is less probable to suffer depression and anxiety disorder, improves the prognosis for therapy, enhances emotions regulation, enhances rationality, and one are less probable to allow mood bias judgement (Radhey & Khan, 2009; Pollak & Sinha, 2002). According to Lambie, the problems with being aware of own emotions draw from the fact that individuals do not always attend to their emotion states in a manner that enables them to report them (Hughes, & Miller, 2011). Individuals may know their own emotions by employing introspective attention and getting other people to tell one’s emotion (Cross, 2011; Ryan, 2005). Emotional validation is essential as it communicates acceptance, aids the individual to know they are on the right track, aids regulation of emotions, aids to build identity, builds relationships, builds understanding and effective communication, and helps individuals to persevere (Pollak & Kistler, 2002; Lantieri, 2008; Lichtman, 2011). Emotional invalidation refers to instances, in which one’s emotional experiences may be rejected, judged, or ignored (Parker, Saklofske, & Stough, 2009; Jarvela, 2011). The research fails to demonstrate how emotion coaching parents can aid their kids develop into healthy, successful adults (Damon, 2006; Wall, 2006). Nevertheless, emotion-coaching is not a panacea for all the challenges that manifest in recognition of own emotions (Lerner, 2003; Rae, 2012). Moreover, emotional coaching does not translate to an end to discipline, but rather requires a considerable amount of commitment and patience (Zentner & Bates, 2008; (Hyson, 2003). Researchers have unearthed that emotional awareness and capability to handle feelings will handle feelings will determine success in family relationships (Carblis, 2008; Dunlap, 2004). Family life can be regarded as the first school for emotional learning, and scientific research in the area has led to a growing understanding in the field (Arnold, 2010). Individuals are able to learn how to feel about themselves and how others will react to their feelings, how to think on these feelings, how to think about these feelings and the choices we have in reacting, and how to read and express fears and hopes (Carey, Jablow, & Children's Hospital of Philadelphia,1997). The presentation that was delivered by Lambie was compelling since he was able to take the audience on a journey. However, the panellist was not effective in creating a bond with the audience to open the audience to listen to ideas for change. Conclusion Emotional validation plays a big role in shaping emotion awareness in children. Validation does not necessary mean agreeing or approving and represents a way of supporting and strengthening the emotions. This form of validation aids children to sort via their thoughts and separate thoughts from emotions. The speaker highlighted that some aspects of attentional focus in emotions including self versus world; detached versus immersed; and, evaluation versus action. Lambie contends that emotion phenomenology is not always undertaken, given that individuals are immersed or world-focused, which makes it difficult to report their emotions. Children’s emotion reports connected to their differential expressions. 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