Anger Expression and Persistence in Young Children

This study investigated anger expression during toy removal (TR) in 92 young Chinese children, two to five years of age, and its relations to their persistence in responding to obstacles during two challenging tasks with highly desirable goals [TR and locked box (LB)] and one challenging task with a less desirable goal [impossible perfect circles (IPC)]. Anger expression during TR was positively associated with persistence during TR and LB but not during IPC. The results highlighted the positive effects of anger in the development of persistence.