Reference to emotion states during narrative co-construction with three-year-old kibbutz children: Comparison of mother-child and metapelet-child dyads

In this study of young kibbutz children, we considered similarities and differences between mother-child dyads and metapelet (nonmaternal female caregiver)-child dyads on their rates of mentioning positive and negative emotion states and emotion calls during narrative co-construction from a text-free picture book illustrating emotionally charged situations. Thirty-two kibbutz children approximately 3 years of age, their mothers, and their metaplot (i.e., plural of metapelet) were observed during co-construction from the picture book. All participants (mothers, metaplot, children with mothers, and children with metaplot) mentioned more negative emotion states and emitted more negative emotion calls than positive ones. Children mentioned less emotion states than adults. No differences were found between mothers and metaplot in the number of emotion states mentioned, but mothers used significantly more emotion calls than did the metaplot, and their children tended to reciprocate. The influence of the context and type of relationship on emotion regulation is discussed.