Expecting kindness and independence: socialization goals moderate relations between emotion socialization and toddler socioemotional adjustment

Parents hold goals for the behaviours they want their toddler to develop. Parents may expect their 2-year-old to be able to help others, or to help themselves in small ways that show an emerging independence. We examined how socialization goals together with emotion socialization practices relate to toddlers′ socioemotional adjustment in a sample of 84 parents (Mage = 32.23 years; 77 mothers) of 20- to 36-month-old toddlers (Mage = 24.60 months; 40 boys; 39% Hispanic or Latino). Toddlers were more socioemotionally competent when parents who more frequently expressed positive emotion held goals for relational attributes. Toddlers showed more problem behaviours, such as aggressive, anxious behaviours and regulation problems, when parents who minimized or punished toddler negative emotions held relational or autonomous goals. Toddlers also showed more problem behaviours when parents who avoided showing negative emotions held fewer autonomous goals. Findings support socialization goals as a context for toddler socioemotional adjustment.