Investigation of types of subjective mixed emotion experiences for self or other in early childhood

Aim: Children, adolescents and adults demonstrate the experience of opposite valence emotions at the same time when using a visual graph. We applied an Analogue Emotion Scale (AES) showing intensity and duration of mixed emotion experiences, and an exhaustive coding scheme to assess whether children in early childhood understand and graph known patterns and additional types of mixed emotional experiences. Methods: 112 children (59 girls) aged 5 - 7 years forming 2 age groups in the UK mainstream system (Year 1 n= 56, Year =2, n=56) were recruited across the UK allocated on the basis of alternation by gender on class lists to one of two conditions hearing vignettes describing mixed emotion events in an age and gender matched protagonist or themselves (other, n = 57 and self, n = 55). Findings: Graphs of new types of flexuous, vertical and other experiences were identified alongside sequential, prevalent, highly simultaneous and inverse types of experiences identified in older populations. Limitations: Real events may impact different mixed emotional response than a vignette approach and could form the basis for future study. Conclusions: The AES uncovered more simultaneous mixed emotional types than previously identified in early childhood. The utility of the findings in emotion assessments is discussed.