Parental emotion-coaching skills for preschool-aged children: Theoretical foundations and research directions

Abstract

This article synthesizes the theoretical foundations of parental emotion-coaching skills for preschool-aged children and proposes several directions for future research relevant to the Vietnamese context. An integrative literature review was conducted, drawing on studies of the emotion-coaching model, attachment theory, emotion socialization theory, and social learning theory. The review indicated that Gottman’s emotion-coaching model provides a concrete framework for the actions parents undertake, including recognizing children’s emotions, viewing emotional experiences as opportunities for connection, listening with empathy, helping children label their emotions, setting behavioral limits, and guiding them in solving problems. Attachment theory, in turn, clarifies the relational conditions that enable children to feel secure in expressing their emotions and receiving support. Emotion socialization theory explains the mechanisms through which parents influence children’s emotional development, whereas social learning theory emphasizes the role of parental modeling in children’s emotional learning. On this basis, parental emotion-coaching skills are conceptualized as parents’ capacity to select, coordinate, and flexibly implement emotionally supportive actions appropriate to the child’s developmental characteristics and to the specific interactional context. The article further outlines directions for conceptual refinement, the development of culturally appropriate measurement instruments, and the conduct of empirical and intervention studies in Vietnam.