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Emotional Dysregulation Mediates the Association Between Unsupportive Maternal Socialization Strategies of Overjoy and Psychopathological Symptoms in Adolescent Boys but not Girls

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Abstract

Mothers play an important role in the emotion socialization of their teenage children, with implications for psychological adjustment. However, studies on maternal socialization of positive emotions in adolescence are still scarce and inconclusive. In this study, we aim to deepen our understanding on the association between unsupportive maternal socialization strategies of overjoy and internalization but also externalization symptoms as mediated by emotion dysregulation, and moderated by adolescents’ gender. The study was conducted with 418 adolescents (M age = 14.75; 57.7% girls). Moderated mediation analysis indicated the effect of punishment and override of overjoy on internalization (punishment: b = 1.38, 95% CI [0.63, 2.31]; override: b = 1.36, 95% CI [0.59, 2.31]) and externalization (punishment: b = 0.71, 95% CI [0.20, 1.34]; override: b = 0.77, 95% CI [0.26, 1.46]) was mediated by emotional dysregulation in the case of boys. Contrary to expectations, for girls this effect was not found, indicating that further analysis are required.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Maia – ISMAI, Avenida Carlos de Oliveira Campos – Castêlo da Maia, 4475-690, Porto, Portugal

    Márcia S. Azevedo, Tiago B. Ferreira, Eva C. Martins & Liliana Meira

  2. Center for Psychology at University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Tiago B. Ferreira, Eva C. Martins & Liliana Meira

Authors
  1. Márcia S. Azevedo
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  2. Tiago B. Ferreira
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  3. Eva C. Martins
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  4. Liliana Meira
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Correspondence to Márcia S. Azevedo.

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The research project which incorporates this study was approved by the Portuguese General Bureau for Education (Direção-Geral de Educação; DGIDC Registration number: 0276700001). This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Azevedo, M.S., Ferreira, T.B., Martins, E.C. et al. Emotional Dysregulation Mediates the Association Between Unsupportive Maternal Socialization Strategies of Overjoy and Psychopathological Symptoms in Adolescent Boys but not Girls. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 54, 1687–1698 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-022-01357-0

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