Understanding the Impact of Parent Emotional Regulation on Children
Summary of the 2022 Meta-Analytic Review by Zimmer-Gembeck et al.
4-5 MINUTE READ
Understanding How Parents’ Emotions Affect Family Wellbeing
What This Research Tells Us About Parenting and Emotions
Parenting is deeply emotional work—it brings moments of joy and love, but also stress, frustration, and overwhelm. How we manage those emotions matters a lot. This research pulls together findings from over 50 studies to help us understand just how much parents' emotional regulation—our ability to recognize, manage, and respond to our feelings—can shape our parenting and our children’s development.
Why Parent Emotion Regulation Matters
When parents can stay grounded and manage their emotions in healthy ways, they’re more likely to respond to their child with warmth, patience, and consistency. These kinds of parenting behaviors are linked to better emotional regulation in children and fewer struggles with things like anxiety or sadness.
But when a parent feels emotionally overwhelmed—snapping more often, shutting down, or feeling reactive—it can create a more unpredictable environment for a child. That doesn’t mean a parent is doing something "wrong"; it just means there may be less space for the calm, connected moments that help kids feel safe and learn to handle their own feelings.
The Link Between Parenting and Child Behavior
Kids are always watching—and learning. When parents can model healthy ways to handle big feelings, children are more likely to develop emotional skills themselves. On the flip side, harsh or emotionally distant parenting (often tied to a parent’s difficulty managing their own stress) is linked to more behavioral challenges in children.
What the Study Looked At
This research reviewed data from dozens of studies published between 2000 and 2020, involving thousands of parents and children. The researchers wanted to see how a parent’s ability to regulate emotions was related to how they parented—and how that parenting affected their child’s emotions and behaviors.
They found strong connections: better emotion regulation in parents was linked to more positive parenting and, in turn, to better emotional regulation and fewer internalizing problems (like anxiety or low mood) in children. The link was less clear when it came to outward behavior issues (like defiance or acting out), suggesting there’s more to understand in that area.
They also noticed that these relationships weren’t always the same across different families. Factors like how the researchers measured emotion regulation, how old the child was, and whether the parent identified as a mother or father all influenced the strength of the link.
Why This Matters for Families
This study adds to a growing body of evidence that supports what many parents already sense: how we manage our own emotions shapes the climate of our home and how our children learn to cope. It also reminds us that emotional regulation isn’t something we either have or don’t—it’s a skill that can be strengthened with time, support, and practice.
Implications for Parents
Here are a few key takeaways based on this article:
Self-Awareness: Recognize your emotional responses and understand how they influence your interactions with your child.
Emotion Regulation Strategies: Develop and practice strategies to manage your emotions effectively, such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or seeking support when needed.
Modeling Behavior: Demonstrate healthy emotional regulation for your child, as they learn by observing your reactions.
Seek Support: If you find it challenging to manage your emotions, consider seeking support from a mental health professional to develop coping strategies.
Implications for Therapy
Understanding how our own emotions shape the way we parent can feel both eye-opening and, at times, a little daunting. But this research is a helpful reminder that emotional regulation is a skill—one that can be nurtured over time. Creating space to reflect on how stress, overwhelm, or reactivity shows up in parenting can be a powerful first step toward change.
Families who explore these ideas in a supportive environment—whether through conversations at home, in parenting groups, or in therapy—often find that small shifts in awareness can lead to big changes in how they connect with one another. A calm, emotionally-attuned presence from a parent helps children feel secure and better equipped to manage their own emotions.
If you find yourself wondering how this might apply in your own home, or you're navigating a time of tension or transition, know that you're not alone. Many parents benefit from talking through these patterns and building strategies that align with their values and their child’s needs. Whether that happens in therapy or through trusted resources, the goal is the same: building a more connected, resilient family life.
