Date of Award

Summer 8-1-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Clinical Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Elizabeth O'Laughlin

Second Advisor

Thomas Johnson

Third Advisor

Veanne Anderson

Abstract

This study aimed to contribute to existing literature by examining parent emotion socialization (i.e., parent orientation to child emotion) and its influence on child internalizing symptoms. Prior research suggests that parent emotion socialization impacts child emotion regulation and internalizing symptoms; however, there is little research at present focused specifically on the influence of parent orientation to child emotion on child internalizing symptoms through child emotion dysregulation. This study adds to the literature by considering the association between parent orientation to child emotion and internalizing symptoms in a sample of children referred for an ADHD evaluation. Participants included 161 children ages 5-12. Parents completed measures of child emotion dysregulation, child internalizing symptoms, parenting style, parent emotion regulation, and parent orientation to child emotion (POCE) as part of the child’s ADHD evaluation. Results indicated a significant relationship between parent emotion regulation and POCE. When examining the relationship between parent emotion regulation, child emotion dysregulation, and parenting style through exploratory analyses, results revealed that the interaction between parent emotion regulation and lax parenting approached significance. Specifically, at high levels of lax parenting, the relationship between parent emotion regulation and child emotion dysregulation was positive and significant. Contrary to predictions and previous research, the present study did not find support for child emotion dysregulation mediating the relationship between POCE and child internalizing symptoms. Results of the present study suggest that parents with better parenting emotion regulation skills are more attentive to their child’s emotions.

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