The Effects of Emotional Interactions Between Parents and Children on the Emotional Intelligence of Primary School Children

The implementation of the Federal State Educational Standard for primary education emphasizes the central importance of moral development and highlights the cultivation of ethical foundations, kindness, emotional intelligence, and empathy. As psychologist Lev Vygotsky noted, learning and emotions are closely linked. Such holistic development enhances children’s cognitive abilities and social adaptation. Today’s socio-economic and educational changes have led to increasingly complex interpersonal dynamics and greater demands on emotional competence. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the predictors of emotional intelligence development in primary school students. Mother-child interactions characterized by emotional connectedness, acceptance, and support promote emotional initiative, empathy, and self-regulation in children. This process is not a mere transfer of knowledge but a dynamic collaboration – mothers share emotional experiences while children actively develop new ways of responding. This study aims to examine the development of emotional intelligence in primary school children concerning the mothers’ emotional background, focusing on maternal sensitivity, emotional acceptance, and emotional expressions of emotional interaction. Diagnostic instruments included: ‘Emotional identification Method’ by E. Izotova; ‘Emotional pictogram Method’ (modified by M. Kuzmischeva); ‘What – Why – How?’ projective method by M. Nguyen; ‘Child-Parent Emotional Interaction Questionnaire’ by E. Zakharova. The results indicate that maternal emotional sensitivity, warm physical affection, and consistent emotional support positively influence children’s ability to recognize emotions, the development of empathy, and the ability to selfregulate. Low maternal attention to the child’s emotional state and lack of empathy may contribute to children’s emotional development difficulties, emphasizing the importance of mindful and attentive parenting. The study results have practical implications for the design of psychological and educational family support programs aimed at improving parents’ emotional competence and fostering an environment conducive to balanced emotional development in primary school children.

child-parent interaction, emotional development, psychological well-being, emotional competence, primary school children