Emotional Quotient Regulation in Children from Broken Families

Abstract

Parental separation is one of the most common adverse family transitions in childhood, yet less is known about how it relates to children’s emotional quotient (EQ) and the strategies they use to regulate emotion. This study examined whether children from broken families differ from peers in intact families in EQ and emotion regulation, and whether cognitive reappraisal explains the difference. A cross-sectional comparative design was used with 240 children aged 11–15 years (120 from broken families, 120 from intact families). EQ was measured with the Bar-On EQ-i:YV and regulation strategies with the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA). Children from broken families scored lower on total EQ (M = 91.5, SD = 12.8) than children from intact families (M = 102.6, SD = 12.1), t(238) = 6.89, p < .001, d = 0.89. They reported less cognitive reappraisal (d = 0.98) and more expressive suppression (d = 0.72). Reappraisal partly mediated the EQ gap (indirect effect = −5.0, 95% CI [−7.0, −3.2]), accounting for about 45% of the total effect. Family disruption is associated with lower EQ, and weaker reappraisal is one pathway. School and family programs that teach reappraisal skills may help narrow the gap.