The role of emotion awareness and mood: Somatic complaints and social adjustment in late childhood

Abstract

Emotion awareness is a key concept related to different child adjustment outcomes. This relationship, influenced by mood, has been found in the preadolescent and adolescent population for somatic complaints. However, little is known in the case of younger children and when other adjustment outcomes are included. The objective of this work is to analyze the contribution of emotion awareness and mood upon different adjustment outcomes (somatic complaints, maladjustment, and peer sociometric status), in children aged 8–12 years old. Self-reported questionnaires and peer-nomination scales were administered to 1423 children (mean age = 9.8 years old). Results support the influence of emotion awareness reinforced by mood, not only upon somatic complaints, but also upon new indicators of personal and social maladjustment, within an age bracket that has not been considered previously. These results stress the importance of emotional abilities and the corresponding affective moods in children’s daily life.