Ah, the terrible twos: in between those heart-warming moments of wonder and devotion are those tantrums over having to put socks on that define this year of development. But the latest research shows that if those outbursts continue past the terrible twos, they may be a sign of poorly developed language skills. In a new study published in the journal Child Development, researchers draw links between communication skills that kids develop as toddlers and the emotional development that occurs during early childhood. The findings suggest that language and vocabulary at the earliest ages may lay a foundation for emotional regulation among children as they enter preschool and beyond. (MORE: The Bright Side of Anger: It Motivates Others) Psychologists at Penn State followed 120 young children, first surveyed as toddlers at 18 months, and then visited or interviewed them every six months until just after their fourth birthdays. The researchers tested and assessed the children’s early language skills, including their vocabulary when talking at home with their parents. Periodically, they would also test how well the kids dealt with frustration and anger, by presenting each child with a shiny gift-wrapped bag, closed with a ribbon. The kids were told they had to wait several long, boring minutes before they could open it. Then the researchers would watch the children’s reactions. In the paper, the authors say that there’s good reason to suspect a link between language ability and managing emotion. They write: [Y]oung children who acquire language quickly and well should be able to think about rules (“Mommy said wait”), to communicate needs calmly (language mitigates the need to express needs nonverbally), and, when needed, to sustain a shift of attention rather than focus on something they cannot have (language enriches the content of the activities, such as pretend play, that distract the child from the desired object or activity). In fact, the results of the study seem to bear out that suspicion. “We found that toddlers who have stronger language skills than other toddlers, and whose language skills develop faster over … Continue reading Toddlers’ Early Language Skills May Influence Later Anger Management