The Effects of Private Speech on Emotional Regulation in Three- and Five-Year-Old Children
AUTHOR : 김민경,이순형
INFORMATION : page. 47~65 / 2015 Vol.22 No.4
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between children's private speech and
emotional regulation. The subjects were 21 three-year-old children and 20 five-year-old children in
Seoul and Kyung-gi areas. They were assigned to two different conditions (encouraging and
discouraging private speech) and asked to perform a disappointing situation task. The children were
videotaped individually during each task. There was a significant difference on the emotional
regulation according to age and the encouragement or discouragement of private speech. Five-year-old
children showed more positive emotional expression especially in the encouraging private speech
condition. Although there was no correlation between the frequency of private speech and emotional
regulation, there was a positive relationship between external manifestations of inner speech and
positive emotional expression. The results supported Vygotsky’s perspective that regarded private
speech as an intermediate stage in the transition from external social communication to internal
self-direction. Moreover, the results indicated that private speech could be an instrument not only for
the purpose of guiding cognitive performance but also for regulating one’s emotions. This information
can be used to develop interventions aimed at encouraging children’s private speech as a strategy of
self-regulation.