Mothers’ Socialization of Emotions and Socio-Emotional Competences in Children with and without Intellectual Disabilities in Belgium and Quebec

This study aims first to compare Belgian and Quebec mothers’ emotion- related reactions toward typically developing (TD) children and children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and examine whether these practices vary depending on individual factors and culture. Second, it investigates to which extent these maternal reactions contribute to Theory of Mind (ToM), emotion regulation and social skills in these children. The participants were 72 children with and without ID matched on developmental age and their mothers from Belgium and Quebec. Mothers completed questionnaires on their reactions to emotions felt by their children’s and on the children’s socio-emotional abilities. One-way MANCOVAs indicated effects only for ID samples of culture, considering maternal educational level as a covariate, on maternal unsupportive reactions to negative emotions and, specifically, on unsupportive (punition and minimization) and supportive (problem-focused, comforting and encouragement) reactions to negative emotions. Correlational and stepwise regression analyses showed that individual factors, such as developmental age, ID factor in children, mothers’ educational level and culture explained a percentage of the variance in mothers’ reactions to positive or negative emotions in children. Moreover, individual factors and mothers’ reactions to positive or negative emotions in children explained a percentage of the variance in children’s ToM abilities, emotion regulation and social skills. Findings highlighted the importance of considering cultural and educational factors as well as individual characteristics to understand how ToM, emotion regulation and social adjustment in children with and without ID are influenced by these factors in addition to parents’ reactions to emotions. It provides useful information for assisting parents in supporting their child’s socio-emotional abilities.