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Description

Socioeconomic status is associated with childhood development, most notably emotional regulation and behavioral outcomes. This study examines the relationship between annual household income and emotional self-control among preschool-aged children between ages 4 and 5. Emotional self-control refers to one's ability to regulate emotional responses, manage frustration, and respond to challenging situations in socially appropriate ways. In our study, caregiver-report on the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) was used to measure emotional control. Caregiver-report on a Health and Demographics form was used to assess annual household income as well as the child's gender. We hypothesized that preschool-aged children from higher-income households would display stronger emotional self-control (Wilson, 2025). On the contrary, children from lower income households may experience environmental stressors that influence emotional regulation, such as food insecurity or unstable housing. Furthermore, it was hypothesized the correlation between annual household income and emotional self-control would be stronger in females compared to males in our sample. To date, our preliminary results show a positive correlation in household income and emotional self-control across our preschool-aged sample (n = 86, r = 0.217, p = 0.045). Evaluation of gender differences indicate that this correlation was significant only for female preschoolers (n = 46, r = 0.484, p < 0.001). Understanding how socioeconomic context relates to emotional self-control in male and female children can inform early childhood interventions, education strategies, and policies aimed at supporting emotional development across diverse economic populations.

Publication Date

4-30-2026

Keywords

Socioeconomics, emotional self-control

Gender Differences in Relations between Socioeconomic Status and Emotional Self-Control in Preschoolers

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