This book discusses the emotional experiences of young children and explores the connections between emotions, socialization, and healthy relationships. The introductory chapter discusses the nature of emotion, emotional and social competence, and the study of young children's emotions. Chapter 2, "Emotional Expressiveness," describes patterns and developments in children's emotional expressiveness. Chapter 3, "Understanding of Emotions," explores children's growing awareness of general emotions and specific discrete emotions. Chapter 4, "Socialization of Emotional Expressiveness and Understanding," reviews evidence of parents' influence on children's emotional expressiveness and understanding. Chapter 5, "Emotion Regulation," explores new views of young children's ability to regulate their emotional expressiveness. Chapter 6, "Contributions of Emotional Expressiveness, Understanding, and Coping to Social Competence," focuses on the social accomplishments supported by young children's growing emotional competence. The final chapter, "Disruptions in the Development of Emotional Competence and Interventions To Ameliorate Them," discusses young children who develop problems in emotional competence and what can be done to help them. (Contains 429 references.) (Author/LPP)