Toddlers are less likely to express anger and frustration if their language skills are more developed, a new study indicates.

While temper tantrums and angry outbursts are common among toddlers, children are expected to have more self-control by the time they start school at the age of four or five. Developing language skills helps with this process.

US scientists decided to investigate whether the development of language skills in toddlers was related to the development of anger control.

They followed the progress of 120 children from the time they were 18 months until they were four years old. The children were observed at home and in a laboratory. Their language and ability to cope with tasks that may cause frustration were measured.

For example, one task involved the child having to wait eight minutes before opening a present, while their mother finished a task. The children used different strategies to cope with this, including distracting themselves by counting aloud or making up stories.

The study found that those who had better language skills and whose language developed quicker as toddlers, were less likely to express anger at the age of four, compared to children with poorer language skills.

For example, in the previous test, children whose language developed quicker were better at occupying themselves when they were four years of age. This helped them tolerate the eight-minute wait better.

"Better language skills may help children verbalise rather than use emotions to convey needs and use their imaginations to occupy themselves while enduring a frustrating wait," the team from Pennsylvania State University said.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Child Development.