Date
4-29-2026
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)
Chair
Jichan Kim
Keywords
emotional regulation, social-emotional development, school type, socio-economic status, elementary students
Disciplines
Educational Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Tait, Tatiana, "Demographic Factors and Approaches Used Impacting Emotional Regulation and Social Emotional Development of Elementary Students in Ontario" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8323.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8323
Abstract
A child’s education is crucial in their life and development given that it aids in the skill and knowledge development necessary for lifelong success. Schools play one of the biggest roles in their life, teaching them numerous academic skills, as well as many important life and social skills. Given the importance of schools, and the many schooling options available, evaluating how different types of schools contribute to a child’s social-emotional development and emotional regulation has potential applications within the educational realm in terms of curriculum and how teachers foster these skills in students. The present study sought to gather qualitative and quantitative insights with regards to differences in emotional regulation in students across public, Catholic, and private schools; the approaches used across these different types of schools to foster these skills; and how the socio-economic status of schools impacts the social-emotional development and emotional regulation of elementary students. Exploring these potential differences could help teachers and educational institutions better foster these skills among children and possibly inform curriculum and future educational policies. The present study included 18 teachers and 380 students across nine elementary schools (three public schools, three Catholic schools, and three private schools) in Kitchener-Waterloo. Results from the quantitative data indicated that the main effect of school type on emotional regulation, as well as SES on emotional regulation, were both significant. The interaction between school type and SES on the measure of emotional regulation was also significant. Qualitative findings suggested that most teachers use a combination of approaches to foster emotional regulation and have similar perceptions of the factors they believe to impact the approaches used and their effectiveness.
