• 한국보육지원학회지
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• 제14권6호
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• pp.241-255
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this research was to examine the moderating effect of children's negative emotionality on the relationship between maternal attitude toward children's emotional expression based on the differential susceptibility model. Methods: Participants were 216 preschool children including 116 boys and 100 girls from day care centers and preschools located in Chungchung province and Seoul. EAS was used to measure the children's negative emotionality. The children's empathy quotient was used to measure empathy. Mothers reported their attitude toward children's emotional expression. Results: The results revealed that the association between empathy and maternal suppression of children's emotional expression was significant only for the children with high levels of negative emotionality. Moreover, the magnitude of association between empathy and maternal acceptance of children's emotional expression was greater for high levels of negative emotionality. Conclusion/Implications: It was concluded that these findings supported the differential susceptibility model.