EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS Emotion Regulation ...

190 Pages·2014·3.55 MB·English

by  Sarah Glaser

Running head: EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS

Emotion Regulation, Executive Functioning, and Academic Competence:
Testing Moderator Effects and Predictive Relationships
Sarah E. Glaser, M.A.
Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
Ph.D. in School/Applied Child Psychology
June 2014

A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree
of Doctorate of Philosophy in School/Applied Child Psychology
© Sarah E. Glaser 2014
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 2
Abstract
Researchers have become interested in examining the relationships between emotion regulation
(ER), executive functioning (EF), and academic competence (AC). ER involves monitoring and
controlling emotions; EF consists of cognitive skills such as planning and organization; and AC
regards academic skills and grades, as well as academic enablers (i.e., school behaviours
necessary for success such as engagement and motivation). Despite adolescence being a
turbulent time period for many students because of increased social, psychological, academic,
and other stressors, ER, EF, and AC are poorly understood in this population. Several theories
within the ER and EF literature propose that (a) disruptions in ER lead to disruptions in EF and
adaptive functioning such as AC, (b) EF and ER are dependent on each other, (c) ER acts as a
gateway to efficient EF, and (d) EF is composed of cool (metacognitive) and hot (ER)
components, which interact to initiate effective problem solving and performance (Barkley,
1997a, 2012; Blair & Dennis, 2010; Blair & Ursache, 2011; Zelazo & Cunningham, 2007).
These models all suggest that ER is a moderator between metacognitive EF and adaptive
behaviour. In the present study, the interactions between ER, EF, and AC were explored among a
sample of adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18 years (N = 205; 130 females, 75 males).
The first objective of the study was to use multiple regression to examine how various
components of ER and EF each predict AC. Specifically, it was hypothesized that students who
reported well-developed ER and metacognitive EF would have significantly higher AC, whereas
students with poorly developed ER and metacognitive EF would have significantly lower AC.
The second objective of the present study was to examine the moderating effect of ER between
metacognitive EF and AC. This objective was reached by using multiple regression analyses
with bootstrapping in order to examine the interaction effects. Results revealed that many aspects
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 3
of ER and EF were significant predictors of AC. In particular, with regards to ER, situational
responsiveness, self-awareness, positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, rumination, and
catastrophizing were robust predictors of AC. Findings also revealed that with regards to EF,
planning and task completion predicted AC. Analyses confirmed the moderating effect of many
ER skills including self-awareness, situational responsiveness, rumination, positive reappraisal,
and the ability to put negative events into perspective. Adaptive ER abilities in particular acted as
a moderator for well-developed AC, especially among students with the weakest EF. Taken
together, these findings support the theoretical implication of poor ER as a risk factor with
negative effects on both cognitive and academic functioning. Implications for school-based
intervention are discussed.
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 4
Résumé
Le lien entre la régulation des émotions (RE), le fonctionnement exécutif (FE) et la compétence
académique (CA) fait l’objet récent d’enquête, en particulier chez les très jeunes et dans un cadre
d'auto-préparation au niveau de la maternelle. La RE désigne la surveillance et le contrôle des
émotions ; le FE comprend les aptitudes cognitives telles que la planification et l'organisation ; et
la CA concerne les compétences académiques et les résultats scolaires ainsi que les facilitateurs
académiques (c.-à-d., les comportements nécessaires pour réussir à l’école, par exemple
l'engagement et la motivation). Bien que l'adolescence soit une période turbulente en raison de
l'augmentation du stress social, psychologique et scolaire, la RE, le FE et la CA sont mal compris
chez ces jeunes. Plusieurs modèles de la RE et le FE suggèrent que (a) des perturbations dans la
RE provoquent des perturbations dans le FE et le fonctionnement adaptatif, y compris la CA, (b)
le FE et la RE sont interdépendants, (c) la RE agit comme un point d’accès au FE efficace et (d)
le FE est composé d’éléments métacognitifs et des éléments de la RE qui interagissent pour
initier la performance et la résolution efficace des problèmes (Barkley, 1997a, 2012 ; Blair &
Dennis, 2010 ; Blair & Ursache, 2011 ; Zelazo et Cunningham, 2007). Tous ces modèles
suggèrent que la RE soit une modératrice ou un tampon entre le FE métacognitif et le
comportement adaptatif. Dans la présente étude, les interactions entre la RE, le FE et la CA ont
été explorées chez un échantillon d'adolescents âgés entre 13 et 18 ans (n = 205 ; 130 femmes, 75
hommes). Le premier objectif de la présente étude fut d’examiner, à l’aide d’une régression
multiple, comment les différents composants de la RE et le FE prédisent la CA. Plus
précisément, l'hypothèse prédit que les élèves ayant une RE et un FE métacognitif bien
développés aient une CA nettement meilleure, et vice versa. Le deuxième objectif de la présente
étude fut d'examiner l'effet modérateur de la RE entre le FE métacognitif et la CA. Cet objectif
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 5
fut atteint à l'aide d'analyses de régression multiple avec « bootstrap » afin d'examiner les effets
d’interaction. Les résultats ont révélé que de nombreux aspects de la RE et du FE sont des
variables explicatives importantes de la CA. En particulier, la réactivité à la situation, la
conscience de soi, le recentrage positif, la réévaluation positive, la rumination et le
catastrophisme (tous des compétences de la RE) furent des prédicteurs robustes des facilitateurs
et compétences académiques ainsi que des résultats scolaires. Les résultats ont également révélé
que la planification et l’organisation prédisent les compétences académiques. Les analyses ont
confirmé l'effet modérateur de nombreuses compétences de la RE : la conscience de soi, la
réactivité à la situation, la rumination, la réévaluation positive et la mise en perspective. Les
capacités adaptatives de la RE agissent comme des tampons pour une CA bien développée, en
particulier chez les élèves ayant un très faible FE. L’ensemble de ces résultats confirme
l'implication théorique de la RE médiocre comme facteur de risque indépendant, ayant des effets
négatifs sur le fonctionnement cognitif et académique. Les conséquences pour les interventions
en milieu scolaire sont discutées.
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 6
Acknowledgements
I am extremely thankful for the support and collaboration of everyone who made this
dissertation possible. First, I must thank Dr. Steven Shaw for his guidance with regards to this
project and throughout my graduate school career in general. His expertise has continued to help
me grow and learn as a scholar, researcher, and clinician. I appreciate him being flexible and
available and for encouraging me at every step. I must also thank my committee members, Dr.
Nancy Heath and Dr. Ingrid Sladeczek, for their invaluable feedback and written edits.
I am eternally grateful for my dedicated team of undergraduate research assistants who
spent many long and sometimes tedious hours assisting me with recruitment, data collection, and
data scoring. Specifically, I thank Kiray Jones-Mollerup, Terina Morgan, Samantha Zevy, Alissa
Yip, Carly Surchin, Lara Feldman, and David Lee for all of their hard work and dedication.
I greatly appreciate my family and friends for everything they have done to support me.
Thank you to Tia Ouimet, who has provided unending encouragement and reassurance
throughout this process. I will always cherish her moral support and friendship! Thank you also
to Bianca Levy for translating the dissertation abstract into French and for being a great friend. A
special thanks to Megan Lee for her unconditional support, wisdom, and positive attitude during
the past few years. I am also appreciative of my parents and brother for always being my
personal cheerleaders with regards to my academic endeavours.
Last, I am very grateful for the support of various organizations for making this research
possible. Thank you to Vanier Graduate Scholarships, the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council, and McGill University for the generous financial support for my research. I
am also indebted to the study participants and to the schools who so graciously opened their
doors to me for recruitment and who were incredibly helpful in coordinating data collection.
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 7
Table of Contents
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. 2
Résumé................................................................................................................................ 4
Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ 6
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................. 7
List of Tables...................................................................................................................... 8
List of Figures .................................................................................................................... 9
List of Appendices .............................................................................................................. 10
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 11
Chapter 1: Literature Review ........................................................................................... 16
Emotion Regulation ......................................................................................................... 16
Executive Functioning ..................................................................................................... 24
The Relationship Between Emotion Regulation and Executive Functioning ................. 27
Academic Competence .................................................................................................... 33
Linking Emotion Regulation and Executive Functioning with Academic Competence.. 35
Clinical Importance of Emotion Regulation/Executive Functioning .............................. 39
Unique Contribution of Present Study ............................................................................. 42
Research Objectives and Hypotheses .............................................................................. 45
Chapter 2: Method .............................................................................................................. 47
Participants ....................................................................................................................... 47
Procedure .......................................................................................................................... 50
Determination of Sample Size .......................................................................................... 52
Measures ........................................................................................................................... 53
Variables ........................................................................................................................... 60
Chapter 3: Analyses and Results ........................................................................................ 61
Preliminary Data Analyses ................................................................................................ 61
Statistical Techniques ........................................................................................................ 79
Main Data Analyses .......................................................................................................... 83
Chapter 4: Discussion and Implications ............................................................................. 97
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 97
Emotion Regulation Predicts Academic Competence ....................................................... 98
Executive Function Predicts Academic Competence ........................................................ 108
Emotion Regulation as a Significant Moderator ............................................................... 113
Unique Contribution of Study Results .............................................................................. 120
School Psychology Implications ....................................................................................... 122
Study Limitations .............................................................................................................. 127
Directions for Future Research .......................................................................................... 129
Summary ............................................................................................................................ 131
References .............................................................................................................................. 132
Appendix ................................................................................................................................ 173
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 8
List of Tables

Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Demographic Variables of Participants ............................. 49

Table 2. Description of Study Variables .................................................................................. 60

Table 3. Gender Differences in Emotion Regulation .............................................................. 64

Table 4. Score Ranges for Study Variables ............................................................................. 67

Table 5. Means And Standard Deviations For Grades And Questionnaire Scales/Subscales... 68

Table 6. Score Interpretation for Study Questionnaires ........................................................... 69

Table 7. Correlation Coefficients Between Study Variables .................................................... 74

Table 8. Factor Loadings For Academic Competence .............................................................. 76

Table 9. Factor Loadings For Executive Functioning ............................................................... 78

Table 10. Multiple Linear Regression Results for Emotion Regulation and Executive
Functioning Predicting Academic Competence ........................................................................ 86

Table 11. Emotion Regulation as a Moderator Between Executive Functioning and
Academic Competence .............................................................................................................. 90

Table 12. Sample Emotion Regulation and Executive Functioning Intervention and
Teaching Strategies ............................................................................................................... .. 126
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 9
List of Figures

Figure 1. Scree plot for factors composing academic competence.......................................... 76

Figure 2. Scree plot for factors composing executive functioning ......................................... 78

Figure 3. Simple path model example for multiple linear regression with three
independent variables predicting an outcome variable ........................................................... 79

Figure 4. Path model for moderation illustrating the interaction effect of executive
functioning and emotion regulation with regards to predicting academic competence .......... 82

Figure 5. Alternate conceptual model illustrating emotion regulation as a moderator
between a executive functioning and academic competence ................................................. 82

Figure 6. Interaction plot depicting self-awareness as an emotion regulation moderator
between executive functioning and academic enablers .......................................................... 92

Figure 7. Interaction plot depicting situational responsiveness as an emotion regulation
moderator between executive functioning and academic enablers .......................................... 93

Figure 8. Interaction plot depicting rumination as an emotion regulation moderator
between executive functioning and academic enablers ........................................................... 94

Figure 9. Interaction plot depicting positive reappraisal as an emotion regulation
moderator between executive functioning and academic enablers........................................... 95

Figure 10. Interaction plot depicting ability to put into perspective as an emotion
regulation moderator between executive functioning and academic enablers ......................... 96
EMOTION REGULATION, EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, AND ACADEMICS 10
List of Appendices
Appendix A. Demographics Questionnaire .............................................................................. 173
Appendix B. Emotion Regulation Index for Children and Adolescents .................................. 174
Appendix C. Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire ................................................... 175
Appendix D. Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (Self-Report) ................................... 176
Appendix E. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (Self-Report) ....................... 179
Appendix F. Consent Form for University Students (Age 18) ................................................. 182
Appendix G. Consent Form for Parents (Ages 13 to 17) ......................................................... 184
Appendix H. Assent Form (Ages 13 to 17) .............................................................................. 186
Appendix I. Receipt of Compensation for Study Participation ................................................ 188
Appendix J. Letter to Parents of High School and Cegep Students ......................................... 189
Appendix K. Sample Recruitment Ad for University Students ............................................... 190