What mothers’ facial expressions reveal during conversations about their child
Submitted by Ellie Mae Dorrans
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
AI disclosure: AI was used to highlight writing that could be communicated more concisely.
This study looked at something that researchers have rarely examined before: the emotions that are expressed on mothers’ faces when they talk about their child.
The mothers of 134 children (aged 4-8) experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties took part in a task where they spoke freely about their child for five minutes. Software analysed their facial movements frame by frame, which we examined alongside ratings of how warm or negative their words were, and scores on questionnaires measuring their own anxiety and depression.
The clearest finding was that mothers who showed little anger in their face while making negative comments had children with more severe emotional and behavioural difficulties, even after accounting for their mental health and the content and tone of their speech.
Two explanations may explain this finding this, and they are not mutually exclusive. One is aversion sensitivity, where mothers may suppress visible anger to avoid escalating distress in a child who is already struggling. The other explanation is a broader pattern of inconsistent or muted emotional signalling in the home. Either way, the outcome may be similar: children miss out on clear, consistent cues that would normally help them learn to recognise and regulate emotions.
Because mothers and children were only measured at one point in time, the study cannot tell us which comes first: inconsistent emotional signalling, or emotional and behavioural difficulties. Most families were also White British, so it is difficult to say if this finding applies to different groups. Even so, the results highlight the value of considering both what parents say and how they express emotion in children's emotional development.
I’m a young person – what does this mean for me?
The way adults express emotions around you can influence how you learn to understand and manage emotions. If you are finding things difficult, support from trusted adults can help you make sense of your emotions and develop ways to cope.
I’m a parent - what does this mean for me?
Children learn about emotions not only from what their parents say, but also from how their emotions are expressed. Showing clear, consistent, and supportive emotional responses may help children develop their own understanding and regulation of emotions. The findings do not suggest that parents cause children’s difficulties, but instead highlight the importance of the emotional environment around children and the potential value of supporting parents’ own emotional wellbeing.
I’m a teacher - what does this mean for me?
Teachers play an important role in identifying and supporting children experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties. This research suggests that children’s emotional development is shaped by the relationships and emotional communication they experience across different settings. Supporting positive relationships between children, families, and schools may help create environments where children feel understood and supported.
I’m a clinician – what does this mean for me?
These findings suggest that assessments of children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties may benefit from considering the wider emotional environment around the child, including both verbal and non-verbal emotional communication. Interventions that support parents’ emotional wellbeing and help strengthen positive parent–child emotional communication may provide additional opportunities to support children’s emotional development.