Explicit Regulation of Positive and Negative Emotion in Pre-Adolescents in a Kenya County

Abstract

This study addresses a gap in research on how pre-adolescent boys and girls of age 10-12 explicitly regulate their positive and negative emotion as influenced by social-economic environments of peri-urban Kenya. This study took an explanatory sequential approach, employing quantitative and qualitative tools to respond to two research questions. It investigated pre-adolescents’ application of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression strategies, based on their awareness and expression of positive and negative emotion. The quantitative results showed that pre-adolescent boys and girls are aware of, express and apply explicit emotion regulation strategies to both positive and negative emotion experiences similarly. Important socio-economic factors were also identified for further qualitative consideration. The qualitative findings revealed that pre-adolescent boys and girls outwardly express positive and negative emotion. This was shown to be variably influenced by pre-adolescents’ school and family contexts, as well as their interaction with teachers, parents and peers.