The purposes of this study were to examine the emergence of complex strategies for emotion regulation in 3 and 4 years old, and to examine the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses according as preschoolers’ variables (age, sex, birth order, temperament). Also, the purpose of this study was to analyze the corresponding relationship of the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses.
The subjects of the study were 66 preschoolers(33 boys, 33 girls) and their mothers in J city. In order to assess the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation and the mother’s responses, each preschooler-mother dyad was videotaped in two frustration episodes. The preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses was assessed using the coding manual, which was used by Stansbury, K. and Sigman, M.(2000). The preschoolers’ temperament was evaluated by mother using the children’s negative emotion by Eisnberg and Fabes(1994) which was modified by Bae Joo-hee(2011).

The results were as follows:

First, the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation in frustrating episodes were occurred in order of instrumental behaviors, cognitive reappraisal, distraction behaviors, and comforting behaviors. As the results of the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation according as preschoolers’ variables (sex, age, birth order, temperament), the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation were significant differences in preschoolers’ age, birth order, and attention regulation among the sub-factors of temperament.
Second, the mother’s responses in frustrating episodes were occurred in order of cognitive reappraisal, instrumental behaviors, comforting behaviors, and distraction behaviors. As the results of the mother’s responses according as preschoolers’ variables (sex, age, birth order, temperament), the mothers’ responses were significant differences in preschoolers’ age and emotional strength among the sub-factors of temperament.
Third, the corresponding relationship of the preschooler’s strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses in frustrating episodes were found to be similar patterns (e.g. preschoolers’ cognitive reappraisal strategy and mothers’ cognitive reappraisal response). There were not significant differences between the patterns of the corresponding relationship of the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses in frustrating episodes according as preschoolers’ variables (sex, age, birth order, temperament). So, the preschooler’s strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses can be seen a bidirectional relationship and affect each other.
On the basis of these findings, this study is meaningful as it was found the emergence of complex strategies for emotion regulation in 3 and 4 years old through experimental observation study of preschooler-mother dyad on the methodological aspects. And, this study is meaningful as it was visualized the corresponding relationship of the preschoolers’ strategies for emotion regulation and the mothers’ responses in frustrating episodes through the figure.