The following section provides a detailed description and interpretation of each of the four cluster profiles. To support this discussion, scores for each cluster group are presented in Tables 4.14 to 4.17. As noted previously, an overall label is ascribed to each cluster, providing an indication of each group’s pattern of regulatory behaviour relative to the other cluster groups. The central variables are described together with a list of constituent cases within each cluster group. The number of cases and percentages (of the sample) for each of the background variables is displayed. The description of scores follows, which looks at their general position relative to the other clusters.
4.2.7.1 Emotion regulation components for cluster 1
Cluster 1 is the largest of the four cluster groups and has a fairly equal representation of males to females. Although not significantly different from the other three groups, cluster 1 has the largest proportion of participants on Free School Meals and the lowest number of students diagnosed with a Special Educational Need. This group has no participants categorised within the serious or borderline categories of the SDQ (as defined in Table 3.3, section 3.8.1.2). This cluster is characterised by participants’ strong self-perception (ERICA; see Figure
4.5) of their ability to effectively regulate their emotions (Emotional Control), to recognise emotions (Emotional Self Awareness) and to respond in an appropriate manner (Situational Responsiveness). Compared to the other clusters, this group had the highest scores for Prosocial behaviour (e.g. considerate of others and
shares readily; see Figure 4.6) and conversely, the lowest scores for classroom
emotion and behaviour problems (Total Problems, see Figure 4.7). During the LEGO construction tasks, this group demonstrated the highest values for Strong Positive Emotion Expression since they frequently expressed positive emotions (Figure 4.8). They also employed more Positive Problem Solving regulation strategies during Tasks 1 and 2 (Figure 4.8) than any other group. This cluster group was the least physiologically reactive of all four cluster groups (Figures 4.9 and 4.10). Cluster 1 is labelled Adaptive since all values suggest these participants generate positive, helpful emotion regulatory strategies and outcomes whilst managing their physiological responses during the construction tasks. This also appears to be the case more generally in their classroom behaviour, as reported by their teachers.
Table 4.14: Cluster 1 profile
Cluster 1: Adaptive n=34 (38%)
Cases: 20, 23, 25, 26, 29, 32, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42, 47, 48, 57, 69, 70, 72, 75,76, 78, 79, 80, 81,
90, 95, 96, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 112
Gender: 47% male, 53% female
Age: 29% 7-8 year olds, 71% 9-10 year olds
FSM: 18%
SEN: 6%
SDQ group: 100% normal range
PEminusNE: Low: 26%, Medium: 35%, High: 38%
ERICA: High (M=0.62, SD=0.72).
ProSocial High (M=0.59, SD=0.70),
Behaviour problems: Low Total Problems (M=-0.74, SD=0.45)
Observed ER
Behaviours: High Emotionality (M=0.47, SD=1.29), High positive problem solving Regulation (M=0.65, SD=0.84)
EDA Reactivity: Low Amplitude (AMP: M=-0.21, SD=0.032)
FSM: Free School Meals, SEN: Special Educational Need, PE: Positive Emotion Expression, NE: Negative Emotion Expression, EDA: Electrodermal activity
4.2.7.2 Emotion regulation components for cluster 2
Cluster 2 is predominantly male. Of all four groups, this group has the youngest membership. Cluster 2 had the lowest values for self-reported emotion regulation ability across all three ERICA subscales (Figure 4.5). Teachers reported this group as having the lowest scores for Prosocial behaviours (Figure 4.6) and the highest
scores across all four subscales of the SDQ for classroom emotion and behavioural problems (Figure 4.7). During LEGO construction, this group expressed less emotion overall and more negative emotion than any other cluster group. Cognitive Distraction scores were low for this group (Figure 4.8), meaning that participants in this group generally employed fewer Distraction ER strategies than members of the other cluster groups. Peaks per minute scores were high for this group, particularly during Task 2 (Figure 4.9) and Amplitude scores during Task 1 were the lowest across groups. Cluster 2 is labelled
Maladaptive due to their tendency to employ negative unhelpful or avoidant
strategies.
Table 4.15: Cluster 2 profile
Cluster 2: Maladaptive n=25 (28%)
Cases: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12, 21, 33, 34, 35, 46, 49, 52, 55, 67, 68, 74, 77, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 114,
121
Gender: 72% male, 28% female
Age: 60% 7-8 year olds, 40% 9-10 year olds
FSM: 16%
SEN: 12%
SDQ group: 68% problem group 32% normal group
PEminusNE: Low: 44%, Medium: 48%, High: 8%
ERICA: Particularly low ERICA (M=-0.88, SD=0.89)
ProSocial Particularly low Prosocial (M=-0.67, SD=0.89),
Behaviour problems: Particularly high Total Problems (M=0.91, SD=0.80)
Observed ER
Behaviours: Particularly Negative Regulation (M=-0.34, SD=0.71) Particularly low Distraction (M=-.32, SD=0.55)
EDA Reactivity: High Peaks per minute (M=0.56, 0.97)
FSM: Free School Meals, SEN: Special Educational Need, PE: Positive Emotion Expression, NE: Negative Emotion Expression, EDA: Electrodermal activity
Table 4.16: Cluster 3 profile
Cluster 3: Reactive n=17 (19%)
Cases: 6, 7, 17, 24, 41, 43, 44, 54, 73, 111, 115, 120, 123, 124, 126, 127, 128
Gender: 47% male, 53% female
Age: 24% 7-8 year olds, 76% 9-10 year olds
FSM: None
SEN: 6%
SDQ group: 24% problem group, 76% normal group
PEminusNE: Low: 35%, Medium: 59%, High: 6%
ERICA: Generally low ERICA (M=-0.13, SD=0.91)
ProSocial Generally low (M=-0.07, SD=0.90)
Behaviour problems: Some (Total Problems M=0.07, SD=0.90)
Observed ER
Behaviours: Low Emotionality (M=-0.48, SD=0.73) Particularly negative Regulation (M=-0.42, SD=0.62)
Low Distraction (M=-0.34, SD=0.58)
EDA Reactivity: High Amplitude (M=1.20, M=1.68)
FSM: Free School Meals, SEN: Special Educational Need, PE: Positive Emotion Expression, NE: Negative Emotion Expression, EDA: Electrodermal activity
4.2.7.3 Emotion regulation components for cluster 3
Cluster 3 has a fairly equal representation of females to males. Of all four clusters, this group has the largest proportion of members in the older 9-10 age range. This group was the only group to have no participants on Free School Meals. Equal to the Adaptive group, this cluster has the smallest percentage of students with a registered Special Educational Need. In relation to the Adaptive group, teachers reported this group as demonstrating few Prosocial behaviours (Figure 4.6) and as having high scores for Inattention/Hyperactivity symptoms (Figure 4.7). During the LEGO construction tasks this group was more likely to employ negative unhelpful or avoidant regulation strategies (Figure 4.8). Of the four groups, Cluster 3 had the lowest scores for Emotionality (Table 4.10), in other words, during the construction tasks, they displayed very little or no observable expression of emotion in a positive or negative direction, suggesting the possibility that emotional displays are frequently disguised or supressed for this group. Cluster 3 is labelled Reactive due to its physiological sensitivity during Task 1 and 2 for both Peaks per minute (Figure 4.9) and Amplitude (Figure 4.10) measures. It is possible that this reactivity reflects the additional physiological effort required to recruit attention processes during the LEGO tasks, which may also be reinforced by the low Distraction values (i.e. low frequency of Behavioural and Cognitive Distraction ER strategies observed during LEGO construction).
Table 4.17: Cluster 4 profile
Cluster 4: Distracted n=13 (15%)
Cases: Cases: 13, 27, 28, 37, 53, 58, 61, 66, 71, 83, 89, 97, 111
Gender: 77% male, 23% female
Age: 60% 7-8 year olds, 40% 9-10 year olds
FSM: 15%
SEN: 31%
SDQ group: 23% problem group 77% normal group
PEminusNE: Low: 38%, Medium: 31%, High: 31%
ERICA: Low (M=-0.072 SD=0.83)
ProSocial Mid level prosocial scores (M=0.03, SD=0.79)
Behaviour problems: Some behavioural problems (Total Problems: M=-0.02, SD= 0.77)
Observed ER
Behaviours: Negative ER strategies (Regulation M=-0.28, SD=0.79) High Distraction scores (M=1.85, SD=0.98)
EDA Reactivity: High Peaks per minute (M=0.57, SD=0.57)
FSM: Free School Meals, SEN: Special Educational Need, PE: Positive Emotion Expression, NE: Negative Emotion Expression, EDA: Electrodermal activity
4.2.7.4 Emotion regulation components for cluster 4
Cluster 4 is the smallest group of the four, with extreme scores for Distraction (Table 4.10). Of all four groups, this cluster has the largest proportion of males and most members registered with a Special Educational Need. Self-perceptions (ERICA) of Emotional Control and Situation Responsiveness are low for this group, suggesting they have little confidence in their own ability to effectively regulate emotions, particularly in relation to the Adaptive cluster group (Figure 4.5). Prosocial behaviours and Positive Problem Solving ER scores are also low compared to those of Adaptive group members. Teacher reports suggest some
classroom behaviour difficulties, particularly with Emotional and
Hyperactivity/Inattention symptoms (Figure 4.7). This is also reflected in the group’s high frequency in employing both Cognitive and Behavioural Distraction strategies during the LEGO construction tasks (Figure 4.8). Cluster 4 was physiologically reactive during the LEGO construction Task 2 with the highest Peaks per minute values (Figure 4.9). Cluster 4 is labelled Distracted due to their tendency to manage emotionally arousing information through cognitive and behavioural disengagement from emotionally arousing triggers.