Carroll Izard’s theoretical and empirical work has played a preeminent role in energizing the renascence in the study of the emotions and emotional development in normality and pathology. A brief historical overview of his career is presented. Izard’s differential emotions theory (DET) has exerted influence in a number of domains and disciplines. Illustrations are provided from research and prevention in developmental psychology and developmental psychopathology. Personal recollections of Cal Izard are provided showing that Izard is not only an influential theoretician (...) and researcher, but also a wonderful emotional being. (shrink)

This article summarizes Carroll (Cal) Izard’s contributions to theory and research on emotion competence and an emotion-centered preventive intervention program. Cal’s contributions to emotion competence research began with some of the earliest studies of whether or not recognition and labeling of emotions relate to social and behavioral functioning. He also theorized about the adaptive use of discrete emotions, a construct Cal termed “emotion utilization.” He translated theory and research on emotions into seven principles for emotion-based prevention and intervention, and he (...) applied these principles to a preventive intervention, the Emotions Course. The Emotions Course has been shown to promote emotion competence and reduce problem behaviors. The article concludes with recommendations to deepen the research base on emotion competence. (shrink)