Children's Coping Behavior Research Articles

Predictive utility of a novel observational assessment of child coping

AbstractObjectivesThis study examined the preliminary reliability and predictive and incremental validity of a novel system of coding observational assessments of children's coping behavior during a laboratory stress task using the Responses to Stress theoretical framework. Specifically, this study tested whether observations of child coping predicted child adjustment (i.e., internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and coping efficacy) overtime in middle childhood.MethodsChild coping was observed in a community, pilot sample of children (N = 65, M age = 9.06) during a difficult star‐tracing task. At baseline and six‐month follow‐up, children reported on their responses to stress and coping efficacy and parents reported on children's internalizing and externalizing problems.ResultsThe Coping Coding System was highly reliable and predicted unique variance in child adjustment over time. Longer duration of engagement coping predicted greater coping efficacy and internalizing problems over time. The direction of association between disengagement coping and internalizing and externalizing problems depended on whether the disengaged behavior involved verbalizations.ConclusionsCoping observations in the context of a challenge task contributed to individual differences in children's psychological adjustment, above and beyond child self‐report of coping.

Child and Parent Stress Association with Obesity and Media Use

PURPOSE: To examine the association between child stress, parent stress, media use, and overweight and obesity in children in the United States ages 10-17 years. METHODS: 2011-12 National Survey of Children’s Health (n=33,683; 13.5 ± 0.03 years; 51.1% male) was analyzed. Predictor variables included Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) and parenting stress (“usually “ or “ always” response to: 1) the child being harder to care for than most children; 2) does things that really bother parent a lot; 3) felt angry with child). Outcome variables included >1hr/day TV viewing, >1hr/day electronic device use, and classification of overweight and obesity based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention percentiles. RESULTS: 10.5% of parents reported one or more “usually” or “always” responses to the three questions. Mean (SE) ACEs was 1.1 ± 0.02 out of possible nine. 28.2% of children had at least 2 ACEs. Parenting stress was positively associated with ACEs score representing child stress (β=0.60, SE 0.07, p1hr/day TV in fully adjusted models. Child stress (OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.08, 1.19) and parenting stress (OR=1.26, 95% CI 1.02, 1.57) were associated with >1hr/day electronic device use. Parenting stress was not associated with overweight and obesity. Child stress was associated with overweight and obesity (OR=1.07, 95% CI 1.02, 1.13), even when adjusting for high media use. High TV viewing time was associated with higher odds of overweight and obesity (OR=1.26, 95% CI 1.11, 1.44), however high electronic device use was not (OR=1.06, 95% CI 0.93, 1.21). CONCLUSIONS: The study findings illuminate the role of stress on obesity and child coping behaviors. Child and parent stress were associated with high use of electronic devices, but not with high TV viewing. Only child stress was associated with overweight and obesity. High TV viewing time was associated with greater likelihood of overweight and obesity although high electronic device use was not.

Prediction of Anxiety Based on Children's Coping Behavior

The purpose of this study was to predict anxiety in children based on their coping behaviors. Participants included 400 children aged 9-13 years enrolled in a summer camp in Dubai from different nationalities (Iranian, Arab, European) in both genders. The sample consisted of 150 children (50 from Iran, 50 From Europe and 50 Arabs) who were randomly selected. Subjects completed children's anxiety and coping behaviors questionnaires. To analyze the data, correlation and stepwise regression analysis were performed using SPSS software. Results of regression analysis showed a significant effect of dealing with the problem and destructive behavior on anxiety. However, the effect of diversion of problem was not significant on anxiety. The results showed that the coping behaviors of children are able to predict anxiety. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n2s1p387

Interpretation and expectations among mothers of children with anxiety disorders: associations with maternal anxiety disorder.

BackgroundModels of the development and maintenance of childhood anxiety suggest an important role for parent cognitions: that is, negative expectations of children's coping abilities lead to parenting behaviors that maintain child anxiety. The primary aims of the current study were to (1) compare expectations of child vulnerability and coping among mothers of children with anxiety disorders on the basis of whether or not mothers also had a current anxiety disorder, and (2) examine the degree to which the association between maternal anxiety disorder status and child coping expectations was mediated by how mothers interpreted ambiguous material that referred to their own experience.MethodsThe association between interpretations of threat, negative emotion, and control was assessed using hypothetical ambiguous scenarios in a sample of 271 anxious and nonanxious mothers of 7- to 12-year-old children with an anxiety disorder. Mothers also rated their expectations when presented with real life challenge tasks.ResultsThere was a significant association between maternal anxiety disorder status and negative expectations of child coping behaviors. Mothers’ self-referent interpretations were found to mediate this relationship. Responses to ambiguous hypothetical scenarios correlated significantly with responses to real life challenge tasks.ConclusionsTreatments for childhood anxiety disorders in the context of parental anxiety disorders may benefit from the inclusion of a component to directly address parental cognitions. Some inconsistencies were found when comparing maternal expectations in response to hypothetical scenarios with real life challenges. This should be addressed in future research.

Peer Victimization and School Safety: The Role of Coping Effectiveness

Peer victimization is a documented antecedent of poor mental health outcomes for children and adolescents. This article explored the role of coping effectiveness in the association between victimization and perceived school safety. A sample of urban middle school students (N = 509) in the southeastern United States were surveyed regarding victimization, coping behaviors, and school climate. Data analysis were conducted in Mplus (Version 6.1) with a Bayesian analytic approach that allowed for incorporation of findings from a previous study using comparable measures (Varjas, Henrich, & Meyers, 2009). The findings supported a hypothesized buffering effect of coping effectiveness on the association between victimization and school safety. Unexpectedly, there was a suppressing indirect effect of coping effectiveness on the association between victimization and safety. These findings are discussed in terms of the importance of participatory action models of research and understanding developmental trends in children's coping behavior.

Changing Healthcare Providers' Behavior during Pediatric Inductions with an Empirically Based Intervention

Each year more than 4 million children experience significant levels of preoperative anxiety, which has been linked to poor recovery outcomes. Healthcare providers (HCPs) and parents represent key resources for children to help them manage their preoperative anxiety. The current study reports on the development and preliminary feasibility testing of a new intervention designed to change HCP and parent perioperative behaviors that have been reported previously to be associated with children's coping and stress behaviors before surgery. An empirically derived intervention, Provider-Tailored Intervention for Perioperative Stress, was developed to train HCPs to increase behaviors that promote children's coping and decrease behaviors that may exacerbate children's distress. Rates of HCP behaviors were coded and compared between preintervention and postintervention. In addition, rates of parents' behaviors were compared between those that interacted with HCPs before training to those interacting with HCPs after the intervention. Effect sizes indicated that HCPs who underwent training demonstrated increases in rates of desired behaviors (range: 0.22-1.49) and decreases in rates of undesired behaviors (range: 0.15-2.15). In addition, parents, who were indirectly trained, also demonstrated changes to their rates of desired (range: 0.30-0.60) and undesired behaviors (range: 0.16-0.61). The intervention successfully modified HCP and parent behaviors. It represents a potentially new clinical way to decrease anxiety in children. A multisite randomized control trial funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Development will examine the efficacy of this intervention in reducing children's preoperative anxiety and improving children's postoperative recovery.

The influence of adult behaviors on child coping during venipuncture: A sequential analysis

The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the influences of adult behaviors on child coping behaviors during venipunctures (VPs) in an emergency department. Observations of children and adults from 66 VPs were coded using a modified version of the Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale and analyzed using sequential analysis. Results showed adult reassurance behavior promoted child distress behaviors, such as crying, as well as nondistress behaviors, such as information seeking; adult distraction behaviors promoted children's distraction, control, and coping behaviors; and children frequently ignored adult behaviors. Findings suggest further exploration of children's internal strategies for coping, such as appraisal, and clarifying the role of adult reassurance in child coping behaviors.

The Active Balance Childhood Program for Improving Coping and Quality of Life in Chinese American Children

Interventions to teach children healthy and effective coping skills could help reduce their risk of becoming overweight. However, few studies have examined whether an intervention that teaches coping strategies in weight management can influence children's coping behavior and psychosocial well-being. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of an interactive, a child-centered, and a family-based program in promoting effective coping, behavioral health, and quality of life in Chinese American children. This study used a randomized controlled study of behavioral intervention in 67 Chinese American children (ages 8-10 years, normal weight and overweight) and their families. At baseline and 2, 6, and 8 months after baseline, children had anthropometric measurements and completed questionnaires related to coping skills and quality of life, and parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist. Children in the intervention group reported using more active coping strategies and having a higher quality of life in the physical and emotional health domains than did children in the control group during the 8-month study. Children's behavioral problems did not differ between the intervention and the control groups. Changes in coping and psychosocial well-being were not related to change in body mass index in the entire group, except increased body mass index is associated with decreased emotional quality of life. This culturally appropriate behavioral intervention was effective in promoting healthy coping and in improving quality of life in Chinese American children. Its utility for both optimal weight and overweight children suggests potential application of the intervention in a broad range of populations.

Healthcare Provider and Parent Behavior and Children’s Coping and Distress at Anesthesia Induction

To date, no study has evaluated the impact of specific healthcare provider and parent behaviors on children's distress and coping during anesthesia induction. Extensive digital video data were collected on 293 two- to ten-yr-old children undergoing anesthesia induction with a parent present. Anesthesiologist, nurse, and parent behavior and children's distress and coping were coded using the Revised Preoperative Child-Adult Medical Procedure Interaction Scale administered using specialized coding software. Anesthesiologists and parents engaged in higher rates of most behaviors than nurses. Overall, adult emotion-focused behavior such as empathy and reassurance was significantly positively related to children's distress and negatively related to children's coping behaviors. Adult distracting behavior such as humor and distracting talk showed the opposite pattern. Medical reinterpretation by anesthesiologists was significantly positively related to children's coping behaviors, but the same behavior by parents was significantly positively related to children's distress. The data presented here provide evidence for a relation between adult behaviors and children's distress and coping at anesthesia induction. These behaviors are trainable, and hence it is possible to test whether modifying physician behavior can influence child behavior in future studies.

Structured education program improves the coping with atopic dermatitis in children and their parents—a multicenter, randomized controlled trial

Objective The objective of this study was to prove training-specific effects in children with atopic dermatitis (AD) and their parents concerning coping with the disease after their participation in a training program. In the 1-year follow-up, the changes in the training group were compared to the changes in a waiting control group while controlling the effects of the changes in severity scores. Methods One hundred eighty-five children aged 8–12 years and their parents participated in the study. Complete data sets at the 1-year follow-up were available for 185 parent-child pairs (102 training group; 83 waiting control group). In addition to the severity of the AD [measured with the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD)], data on children's itching-scratching cognitions and coping behavior and on parents handling their affected children were used in the analysis. To study whether the intervention group experienced an additional psychological benefit, which is not due to the SCORAD values, analyses of covariance with repeated measures with standardized residual change scores of the SCORAD as covariate were calculated. Results The intervention group showed greater improvement in children's coping behavior and in parents' handling their affected children. Additional effects of the training program not due to somatic improvement could be seen in the scales of itching-scratching cognitions and in three of four scales on parents dealing with their affected children. Conclusion The training program, which was tested in the German Atopic Dermatitis Intervention Study, had effects on almost all explored psychological variables. Therefore, additional psychological benefit in the training group does not only depend on the greater improvement of SCORAD values in this group.

Assessment of Coping With Invasive Procedures in Children With Cancer: State-Trait and Approach-Avoidant Dimensions

We examined the relation between children's trait-dependent coping styles and situation-specific coping behaviors during invasive medical procedures. Children with cancer (N = 66) completed the Children's Behavioral Style Scale (CBSS), a measure of approach-avoidant coping styles, and the Procedural Coping Questionnaire (PCQ), an analogous measure of coping behaviors specific to invasive procedures developed for this study. Parents also completed a parent-report version of the PCQ, and both parents and children rated the severity of the child's distress before, during, and after the procedure. Factor analysis of thePCQ produced 3 distinct factors with adequate internal reliability (attention to sensory stimuli, cognitive strategies, preference for sedation), none of which were directly interpretable within the CBSS approach-avoidant framework. CBSS scores did not significantly predict procedural distress, although the higher total coping behavior scores on the PCQ were associated with greater distress, suggesting that higher levels of distress lead to an increase in all categories of coping behaviors. Pending further validation with behavioral observation methods, the PCQ may provide a useful measure of child coping behaviors related to medical procedures.

The relationship between maternal psychiatric disorder and very young children's coping behaviors

Le comportement d'adaptation des nourrissons a haut risque âges de 4 a 36 mois a fait l'objet de cette enquete. Deux groupes de nourrissons (N = 60) (meres avec ou sans troubles psychiatriques) ont ete evalues en utilisant l'Inventaire d'Adaptation Precoce (ECI, en anglais), une mesure d'observation. Les resultats ont indique que les enfants dont les meres avaient des troubles psychiatriques chroniques faisaient preuve d'un comportement d'adaptation bien moins efficace sur toutes les sous-echelles du ECI (Organisation Sensorimotrice, Comportement de Reaction et Comportement Declenche tout seul) et sur 47 des 48 questions. Le comportement des enfants a risque s'est avere etre moins efficace situationellement, c'est-a-dire que le comportement utilise efficacement dans un type de situation n'etait pas generalise aux autres types de situations. Le plus grand ecart entre les groupes s'est trouve dans le comportement declenche tout seul. Les variables demographiques, le type ou la severite du trouble psychiatrique n'ont eu aucun effet. Les implications pour le traitement de ce groupe a haut risque sont discutees.

Coping Socialization in Middle Childhood: Tests of Maternal and Paternal Influences

A theoretical model of parental socialization of children's coping behavior is described and tested with 310 elementary school children (M age = 10.5 years). Mothers and fathers reported on the coping suggestions they made to their children, their own coping strategies, and their perceptions of the family environment. Children reported on their relationships with their parents and on their usual coping behavior. Children's coping efforts were associated with family environment, the quality of the parent-child relationship, parent's own coping, and parent coping suggestions, though these relationships differed by gender and were quite specific. Maternal data were more strongly associated with children's coping than paternal data, and active and support coping were predicted more successfully than avoidance strategies. Analyses supported a model of direct, rather than mediated, effects on children's coping. There was modest support for the interactive effects of maternal coaching and modeling on girls' active coping and boys' avoidant coping.

Children, coping, and the stress of illness: a synthesis of the research.

To synthesize and critique the current research on coping strategies used by children who are ill, to identify gaps in the research base, and to provide direction for practice, future research, and theory development. 32 research articles on coping strategies used by children with chronic or acute illness. Children's repertoire of coping strategies is the same during health and illness, although the frequency or effectiveness of some of the strategies is often different. Much more in-depth descriptive and longitudinal research is needed, particularly how, when, and why coping strategies are learned, retained, and later discarded. Research is needed to examine the relationship between coping and health outcomes, and on the effectiveness of nursing interventions designed to influence children's coping behavior.

Prenatal drug exposure and play and coping in toddlers: A comparison study

This investigation was designed to determine if differences exist (a) in the behavioral organization strategies and symbolic representational abilities of prenatally drug-exposed toddlers versus toddlers not exposed prenatally to drugs and (b) in the perceptions of prenatally drug-using and drug-free mothers regarding their child's coping behaviors. Significant group differences were observed on measures assessing quality of toddler free play and negative affect, with the drug-exposed group playing at age-appropriate levels less frequently and for shorter bouts of time, as well as exhibiting more irritability during play, than the non-drug-exposed group. Mothers of drug-exposed toddlers perceived their children as less adaptable and more difficult than did comparison mothers, and these perceptions correlated with child behavioral measures. Methodological issues, and the potential role of prenatal drug exposure, postnatal rearing environments, and/or genetic processes as causal mechanisms for group differences, are discussed.

Children's knowledge and use of coping strategies during hospitalization for elective surgery

The questions addressed in this study were: (a) how age relates to differences in children's coping knowledge and coping behaviors while they are hospitalized for elective surgey, (b) how individual differences and development in problem-solving relate to children's coping capacities, and how these factors affect relations between age and coping, and (c) the degree to which coping knowledge and coping behaviors are related. The results indicated that age, in combination with problem-solving skills and gender, predicted children's knowledge of specific coping strategies— behavioral distraction, cognitive distraction, adaptive approach, and escape. Specific coping knowledge, in turn, related to aspects of children's coping behaviors while they were hospitalized for elective surgery. Studies of children's responses to hospitalization and medical treatment provide a valuable opportunity to learn more about children's responses to streesful, uncontrollable situations in which awareness and manipulation of cognitive states are likely to be important.

The relationship of adolescent mothers' expectations, knowledge, and beliefs to their young children's coping behavior

Developmental researchers have begun to explore parental cognitions in an effort to better understand adolescent parenthood. However, most research on adolescent mothers has failed to relate cognitions of the mother to the child's functioning. To extend the research on adolescent-parent families, we examined the association between adolescent mothers' knowledge of child development, parental expectations, and child-rearing beliefs to their infants' or toddlers' coping behavior. Trained observers rated children on the three subscales of the Early Coping Inventory–Sensorimotor, Reactive Behavior, and Self-Initiated Behavior. The findings indicated that the adolescent mothers' self-reports of their expectations for their own and their children's behaviors and emotions accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in objective ratings of the children's coping behavior in the sensorimotor and reactive behavior domains. Adolescent mothers who reported more positive, more realistic, and more mature expectations about parenting, children, and the parent-child relationship had children who were rated to display more adaptive and effective sensorimotor and reactive behavior coping capacities. An interaction between the adolescent mothers' knowledge and beliefs significantly predicted self-initiated child behaviors. Implications of the findings include the importance of exploring a “good match” in adolescent mother-child relationships.

Social competence and coping among children of divorce.

Relationships between teacher-rated social competence and teacher and self-reports of children's coping behavior were examined in 177 school-age children of divorce. Social competence was positively associated with teacher reports of active coping, and with self-reported avoidance coping. Children showing a positive competence-avoidance relationship reported high levels of depressive symptoms. Implications for school-based interventions and for future research are discussed.

Coping of school-age children in the sealed room during scud missile bombardment and postwar stress reactions.

Children's coping behaviors in the sealed room (a shelter against chemical and biological weapons) during scud missile attacks in the Persian Gulf war were examined in relation to postwar stress reactions. Three weeks after the war, 5th, 7th, and 10th graders (N = 492) completed questionnaires assessing coping behaviors and emotional responses in the sealed room, as well as current stress reactions and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite an underlying feeling of tension, the dominant emotional stance in the sealed room was one of detached optimism. Common forms of coping involved information seeking, checking, and wishful thinking. Emotion-focused coping such as avoidance and distraction strategies was associated with less postwar stress reactions than persistence at direct problem-focused actions once the minimal actions available had been undertaken. Fifth graders were found to use less emotion-focused and more problem-focused coping strategies than were the 7th and 10th graders.

Mother-child patterns of coping with anticipatory medical stress.

Maternal influences on children's fear and coping behaviors during a medical examination were studied in a pediatric outpatient clinic using the Dyadic Prestressor Interaction Scale (DPIS) to measure anticipatory reactions just prior to contact with the physician. Analysis of 50 mother-child dyads, including children from 4 to 10 years of age, revealed that the behaviors emitted by mother and child are likely to influence the child's ability to tolerate the medical experience. Maternal use of distraction and low rates of ignoring were associated with lower child distress and increased prosocial behaviors. Children's active exploration of the situation was more likely to occur when mothers provided their children with information, and was less likely when mothers reassured their children. Maternal reassurance of children and overt maternal agitation were associated with more maladaptive child responses. Age trends were also found in interactive patterns. Younger children were more likely to receive reassurance from mothers when they showed attachment. There was a stronger association between mother's information giving and child's exploring for children under 5 years, 9 months of age. Results supported the usefulness of the DPIS for investigation of child management techniques in this situation. Theoretical extension to attachment and stranger-approach situations was made. Suggestions for future studies to clarify the reciprocity of interactions or to determine causal direction between mother and child behaviors, as well as to evaluate the specificity or generality of these findings, were provided.