The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between temperament, social support, and positive as well as negative emotion of institutionalized children. Participants were 198 children aged 10 to 13. They were recruited from 20 childcare ...
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between temperament, social support, and positive as well as negative emotion of institutionalized children. Participants were 198 children aged 10 to 13. They were recruited from 20 childcare facilities in Seoul. The Temperament Scale developed by Buss & Plomin(1984) was used to assess temperament. The Social Support Scale by Han(1996) was used to assess social support. The Positive and Negative Emotion Scale by Lee & Lee(2006) was used to assess positive and negative emotion.
Data were analyzed using Cronbach' Alphas, factor analyses, frequencies, percentiles, means, standard deviations, two-way ANOVAs, Pearson's correlations, and hierachical regression analyses.
The major findings were as follows:
1. On average, the girl group had significantly higher emotionality in temperament compared to the boy group, but there was no significant gender difference in other temperaments, such as activity, and sociability. There was no significant gender or grade difference in social support. In positive and negative emotion, there was significant gender difference. Boys reported significantly higher positive emotion than girls did. Girls reported significantly higher negative emotion than boys did. But there was no significant grade difference in positive and negative emotion.
2. Institutionalized children's temperament and social support were related to positive and negative emotion:
1) Emotionality in temperament was negatively associated with positive emotion and positively associated with negative emotion. Activity and sociality in temperament was positively associated with positive emotion and negatively associated with negative emotion. 2) Social support was positively associated with positive emotion and negatively associated with negative emotion.
3. Social support was a significant predictor of positive and negative emotion. With gender, grade and temperament controlled, social support still explained 19% of variance in positive emotion. In negative emotion, with gender, grade, temperament variables controlled, social support still explained 4% of variance in negative emotion.