ABSTRACT
The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between young children’s emotion regulation and maternal stress in low socioeconomic status (SES) families. The participants (N = 122) were low SES mothers and young children aged 3–6 years living in Jakarta, Depok, and Bekasi (Jadetabek) areas. Maternal stress was measured using Stress Subscale of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21-items (DASS-21), while young children’s emotion regulation was measured using Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC) reported by their mothers. The results show that there was a significant, negative correlation between young children’s emotion regulation and maternal stress. This indicates that the higher maternal stress is, the lower young children’s emotion regulation is. It has also been found that maternal employment status is associated with the level of their stresses.
