2. Coping and competence - overview of research
How children develop coping skills and a sense of competency is a broad subject that touches on physiology, emotional development, family dynamics, life stressors and more.
In many ways, emotional development and expression is at the heart of coping and competence. The next reading, from the Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, provides an overview of emotional development throughout childhood.
The description of emotional development considers regulation/coping, expression and relationship building. Why are all three aspects important?
The author states that it’s useful to think about emotional development in terms of the adaptive function it serves in a person’s life. How might different experiences (such as the presence or absence of a nurturing caregiver in a child’s life) impact how emotional competence skills develop?
How does this relate to what you have learned so far about brain development and coping and competence?
Research into coping and competence takes many approaches and covers a lot of territory. As with other modules, this section provides examples of research related to the module topic rather than a synthesis of all research.
Examples of research related to coping and competence include:
- Early regulatory systems
- Family relationships
- Emotional learning
- Executive function
- Adversity and resilience
- Play, coping and competence
