Faculty Profile

Education
B.A. (Hons.) (Laurentian)
M.A. (Laurentian)
Ph.D.  (Carleton)

Research Interests

I am a tenured Associate Professor of Psychology and have earned a Ph.D in Developmental Psychology (experimental), an M.A. in Human Development, and a B.A. (Hons.) in general Psychology. Broadly, I am interested in social development across the lifespan. More specifically, I am interested in the socio-emotional development of children, adolescents, and adults.  My current research area is the parental socialization of children's emotions and I have developed one of the only measures to assess mothers' emotional styles with their children (Maternal Emotional Styles Questionnaire,  MESQ). Empirically, I have confirmed that there are at least two distinct styles: an emotion coaching and an emotion dismissing parenting style.  Interactions between these styles and aspects of child regulation and temperament have been found to be associated with specific social outcomes in childhood such as aggression, anxiety, and prosocial behavior.

At this time I am investigating fathers' role in the development of  children's emotions. I have interviewed mothers and fathers about their understanding of their own and their children's emotions and have been relating this information to data regarding their children's behavior in the preschool classroom. In addition to this research, I have also been investigating the influence of maternal depression on children's social and emotional well-being.  My objectives are to broaden the current literature on maternal depression to include evidence linking a depressed state to the emotional aspects of parenting.  An obvious focal point of my research has been the social and emotional lives of children and their families.

I have also been actively involved in research within the areas of social withdrawal and shyness, language development in special populations, meteorology (weather) and emotions across the lifespan, temperament, regulation, and academic readiness during the preschool years.  Collaboratively I have published a book chapter in an advanced Developmental Psychology text, and have published several articles in psychological journals such as Parenting: Science and Practice, Developmental Psychology, Social Development, Canadian Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Journal of Research and Childhood Education, and Early Child Development and Care. Furthermore, I have presented my research more than a dozen times at international and other conferences over the last few years.

Over the last eight years, I have supervised a total of twelve honours thesis projects in the Psychology department and sixteen Master's thesis projects in the area of School Psychology. My students always benefit from my hands-on, practical approach. From the conception of their ideas to the delivery of the final document and thesis defence, I offer the support and guidance necessary to develop high-calibre theses. In addition, I have supervised a number of graduate and undergraduate independent research projects, and have published and/or presented empirical data, with my students, in topic-specific journals and at international and domestic conferences. 

I was awarded a substantial grant from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI).  This grant has enabled me to construct an interview and observation centre within the Psychology department at MSVU.  The centre is equipped with audio visual and computer resources and assists psychology faculty, honours students, school psychology graduate students, and research assistants to conduct their research in a technology-able environment.

Another enjoyable part of my job is as a columnist for the Atlantic Canadian parenting Magazine Our Children.  I have been writing for the magazine since 2006 and take great pride in bringing my knowledge about developmental psychology and parenting to parents and people alike across Atlantic Canada.
Publications and Conference Presentations
Book Chapters

Rubin, K., Coplan, R., Nelson, L., Cheah, C., & Lagacé-Séguin, D.G.  (1999).  Peer relationships in childhood. In M. Bornstein & M. Lamb
          (Eds.), Developmental psychology: An advanced textbook - 4th Edition (pp. 451-502).  Hillsdale, N.J.: Erlbaum.


Articles in Refereed Journals

Cormier, M. & Lagacé-Séguin, D. G (under review).  Meteorology and Negative Affect Predict Relationship Satisfaction.  Environment and
          Behavior.

Lagacé-Séguin & MacBeth, D. (under review).  The adolescent years: Unraveling the complex associations between emotional
          intelligence and personality.  International Journal of Adolescence and Youth.

 d’Entremont, M.-R & Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (under review).  Affect Predicts Relationship Satisfaction Beyond Adult Attachment.  Journal of
          Social and Personal Relationships.

Lagacé-Séguin, D. G. & Case, E. (in press).  Extracurricular Activity and Parental Involvement Predicts Positive Outcomes in Elementary
          School Children.  Early Child Development and Care.

Ellsworth, A. & Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (2009).  In retrospect:  Is youth grade retention associated with self-esteem and self-efficacy in
          early childhood? International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 15, 1-18.          Click here to read this article

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. & Gionet, A. (2009).  Parental Meta-Emotion and Temperament Predict Coping Skills in Early Adolescence. 
          International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 14, 367-382.         Click here to read this article

LaBillois, J. & Lagacé-Séguin, D. (2009).  Does a good fit matter?: Exploring teaching styles, emotion regulation and childhood anxiety
          in the classroom.  Early Child Development and Care, 179 (3), 303-315.          Click here to read this article

Jones, S. & Lagacé-Séguin, D. G. (2006).  I think I can't, I think I can't:  The associations between parental pessimism and children's
          well-being.  Early Child Development and Care, 176 (8), 849-865.          click here to read this article

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G., & d’Entremont, M.-R. (2006).  The Role of Child Negative Affect in the Relations between Parenting Styles and
          Non-Adaptive Play.  Early Child Development and Care, 176 (5),461-477.          click here to read this article

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. & d’Entremont, M.-R. (2006). Less than optimal parenting strategies predict maternal low-level depression  beyond
          that of child transgressions.  Early Child Development and Care, 176 (3&4), 343-355.          click here to read this article

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G., & Coplan, R.  (2005).  Maternal Emotional Styles and Child Social Adjustment: Assessment, Correlates,  Outcomes
          and Goodness of Fit in Early Childhood. Social Development, 14(4), 613-636.          click here to read this article

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. & d’Entremont, M.-R. (2005).  Weathering the Preschool Environment: Affect Moderates the Relations Between
          Meteorology and Preschool Behavior.  Early Child Development and Care, 5, 379-394.          click here to read this article

Coplan, R.J., Hastings, P.D., Lagacé-Séguin, D.G., & Moulton, C.E. (2002).  Authoritative and authoritarian mothers' parenting goals,
         attributions, and emotions across different childrearing contexts. Parenting: Science and Practice, 2, 1-26.
         click here to read this article

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G., & Coplan, R.J.  (2001).  Winter weather go away, come again another day!  Meteorology and mothers' perceptions
          of children's emotions during the winter season. Canadian Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 8.4, 39-50.

Coplan, R.J., Wichmann, C., & Lagacé-Séguin, D.  (2001). Solitary-active play:  A marker variable for maladjustment in the preschool?
          Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 15(2), 164-172.

Coplan, R.J., Gavinski, M-H., Lagacé-Séguin, D.G., & Wichmann, C.G. (2001).  When girls versus boys play alone:  Gender differences in
         relations between nonsocial play and adjustment in kindergarten. Developmental Psychology, 34, 464-474.

Coplan, R.J., Barber, A., & Lagacé-Séguin, D.  (1999).  The role of child temperament as a predictor of early literacy and numeracy skills in
         preschoolers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 14, 537-553.

Coplan, R.J., Wichmann, C., Lagacé-Séguin, D., Rachlis, L.M., & McVey, M.K. (1999).  The "degree" of instructor education and child
         outcomes in junior kindergarten:  A comparison of certified teachers and early childhood educators. Journal of Research in
          Childhood Education, 14(1), 78-90.


Conference Presentations

Lagace-Seguin, D.G. & d’Entremont, M.-R. (2007, April).  Weathering the environment:  Meteorology and affect predict preschool behavior.
         Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Boston, MA, March 29th-April 1st, 2007.

Lagace-Seguin, D.G. & d’Entremont, M.-R. (2005, April).  The moderating role of child negative affect in the relations between parenting
          and solitary active play. Presentation at the Society for Research in Child Development, Atlanta, Georgia.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (2003, April). Situational parenting: The relations between maternal Meta-Emotion Philosophy and belief systems
          across misbehavior and prosocial scenarios.  Society for Research in Child Development, Tampa, Florida, April 24-27th, 2003.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (2002, August).  A novel approach to the study of parenting: The psychometric validation of the Maternal Emotional 
          Styles Questionnaire. Poster presented to the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Development, Ottawa,
          Ontario, August, 2002.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (2002, August).  An examination of child regulation as a moderator in the association between maternal emotional
         styles and behavioural adjustment in preschool. Poster presented to the International Society for the Study of Behavioral
         Development, Ottawa, Ontario, August, 2002.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (2001, April). Weathering the winter: Meteorology and mother's perceptions of children's emotions during the winter
          season. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 19-22, 2001.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (2001, April). Fostering emotional wellbeing: examining the relations between parenting beliefs and emotional
          styles. Poster presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 19-22, 2001.

Coplan, R.J., Gavinski-Molina, M., & Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (July, 2000). When girls versus boys play alone:  Gender differences in the
          relations between nonsocial play and adjustment in kindergarten. Paper presented at the biennial Meetings for the International
          Society for the Study of Behavioral Development.  Beijing, China, July 11-14, 2000.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G.  (2000, May). Winter weather go away come again another day!  Meteorology and mothers' perceptions of children's
          emotions. Poster session presented at the 11th Biennial Waterloo Conference on Child Development, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada,
         May 25-27, 2000.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G.  (2000, May). Relating parenting styles with maternal beliefs and emotions in response to hypothetical vignettes.
         Paper presented at the 11th Biennial Waterloo Conference on Child Development, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, May 25-27, 2000.

Barber, A., & Lagacé-Séguin, D.G.  (1999, April). The role of child temperament as a predictor of early literacy and numeracy skills in
         preschoolers. Poster session presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Albuquerque,
         New Mexico, April 15-18, 1999.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (1999, April). Bridging the parenting gap: Relations between maternal disciplinary styles, goals, attributions, and
          emotions. Poster session presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Albuquerque, New
         Mexico, April 15-18, 1999.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G. (1999, March). Maternal disciplinary styles and  beliefs: Conceptual and theoretical links. Poster session presented
          at the Carleton University Conference on Child Development, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 26, 1999.

Lagacé-Séguin, D.G., Coplan, R., & Wichmann, C.  (1998, May). Shyness and the "eye of the beholder":  Gender differences in
          observations and teacher responses to nonsocial play. Presented at the 10th Biennial Waterloo Conference on Child Development,
          Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, May 7-9, 1998.