Children's Coping Strategies Research Articles

Quality of Life and Coping Strategies in Children with and Without Learning Disabilities from the Perspective of Their Parents and Caregivers

Quality of Life and Coping Strategies in Children with and Without Learning Disabilities from the Perspective of Their Parents and Caregivers

Impact of Socio-Demographic Factors on Quality of Life and Coping Strategies of Children with Different Disabilities.

Background and Objectives: Children with disabilities face unique challenges that can affect their well-being and quality of life (QOL). This study aimed to assess the QOL and coping strategies adopted by children with disabilities and explore how socio-demographic factors influence QOL and coping strategies. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study, which was conducted in Saudi Arabia with children aged 6 to 18 years, used a stratified random sample to ensure representation from a variety of demographic groups. Short Form-12 (SF-12) was used to assess the QOL in the sample population. The Brief COPE Inventory was used to examine coping strategies among the children. One-way analysis of variance was applied to examine differences in the QOL, coping strategies scores, and demographic variables. Multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the role of demographic variables in predicting QOL and p value was considered statistical significance at p < 0.05. Results: The results of the study clearly revealed significant differences between the mean scores of QOL for gender, age, and type of disability, duration of disability, education qualification, family status, family occupation, and housing status. Female participants showed better QOL in physical functioning than their male counterparts. Children with intellectual disability reported better QOL in general health, vitality, social functioning, and mental health. Participants with seven to eight years of disability reported higher scores in physical functioning, vitality, and mental health. Children whose parents were working in private agencies and living in rented houses scored higher on the general health aspects of quality of life. The findings also revealed that the duration of the disability was a significant predictor of the QOL. The mean scores of different dimensions of coping strategies clearly revealed that male participants used dysfunctional coping (p < 0.01), as compared to problem-focused and emotional-focused coping while female children relied more on emotional-focused coping. Emotion-focused coping was significantly higher in participants with visual (p < 0.01), learning (p < 0.01), and intellectual disabilities (p < 0.01). Dysfunctional coping scores were higher among children with auditory disabilities (p < 0.01) and multiple disabilities (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study highlights the significance of demographic factors in understanding and improving the well-being of a diverse population of disabled juveniles. It offers valuable insights into the subtle factors affecting quality of life. Future interventions and policies can leverage these findings to enhance the quality of life of individuals with disabilities and to foster a more supportive and inclusive approach.

The Role of Coping Strategies in Children’s Repeated Suggestive Interviews

Often in the forensic context, child victims and witnesses are interviewed several times, exposing them to suggestive questions and social pressures. The present study had the main purpose of verifying the effect of coping strategies on the levels of immediate suggestibility and on the Resistant Behavioral Responses (RBRs) of children subjected to repeated suggestive interviews. A sample of 90 children, aged between 11 and 14, were administered the two parallel Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales (GSS2 and GSS1) a few months apart and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) to detect their coping strategies. The results showed that the avoidance coping increased suggestive vulnerability and reduced resistant responses. Task-oriented coping favored responses with greater source monitoring, which allow for the rejection of misleading information. Coping strategies did not show direct effects on the management of the socioemotional aspects involved in the suggestive interaction. After the negative feedback that invites children to be more accurate, a smaller effect of the avoidance strategy was recorded, indicating how actively requesting greater source monitoring can lead children to better recognize misleading information.

Coping Mechanisms and Posttraumatic Stress Exhibited by Children in Areas of Yemen's Armed Conflict in Southern Saudi Arabia.

This study is an attempt to explore war-related trauma, its stressful effects, and the coping strategies of Saudi schoolchildren. The authors hypothesized that children exposed to war-related trauma will show higher levels of PTSD, and that those with higher levels of PTSD symptoms use more maladaptive coping strategies. The study describes the correlation between traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as coping strategies. Five hundred twenty-seven intermediate and high school students, 12 to 18 years old, living in the conflict zone in southern Saudi Arabia completed three standardized self-reported scales: the War Zone Traumatic Events Checklist, the Child PTSD Symptom Scale, and the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist. Each participating student was randomly chosen. Analysis was based on two groups: the high-PTSD symptoms group (182 children) and the low-PTSD symptoms group (345 children). The study was conducted between September 2020 and April 2022 while the war was ongoing as part of an ongoing larger study. Children exposed to war-related traumatic events exhibited greater prevalence rates for PTSD. The children reported high levels of PTSD symptoms and applied a variety of coping strategies to manage related stress. Participants rarely reported that psychological or educational interventions had been used to manage the war-related traumatic experiences and PTSD or to improve related coping styles. The results are discussed in the context of mental health services needed for children in the conflict zone. To bridge the gap between health care services and the needs of children with PTSD, and for better understanding and interventions, health professionals are invited to develop a biopsychosocial model that identifies the risks of PTSD related to exposure to war-related traumatic events in school-aged children and, hence, provide a multidisciplinary intervention program that educates, encourages, and supports teachers and parents in following medical recommendations and goals.

Examining Coping Strategies and Their Relation with Anxiety: Implications for Children Diagnosed with Cancer or Type 1 Diabetes and Their Caregivers.

The onset of chronic diseases in childhood represents a stressful event for both young patients and their caregivers. In this context, coping strategies play a fundamental role in dealing with illness-related challenges. Although numerous studies have explored coping strategies employed by parents of children with chronic diseases, there remains a gap in the understanding of children's coping strategies and their correlation with their and their parents' anxiety. This study aims to investigate coping strategies and their interaction with anxiety in groups of young patients with cancer, type 1 diabetes (T1D), and their respective caregivers, in comparison to healthy children and caregivers. We recruited a total of 61 control children, 33 with cancer, and 56 with T1D, 7 to 15 years old, along with their mothers. Each participant completed a customized survey and standardized questionnaires. No significant differences emerged in coping strategies used by children among the different groups. However, when examining the association between coping strategy and anxiety, we found specific patterns of interaction between children's use of coping strategies and their and their mothers' anxiety levels. This study underscores the importance of an illness-specific approach to gain deeper insights into this topic and develop targeted interventions aimed at enhancing the psychological well-being of these vulnerable populations.

Exploring the Nexus of Quality of Life and Coping Strategies in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case-control Study

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) poses significant challenges to children, affecting various aspects of their functioning and overall quality of life (QOL). While factors such as social support and access to interventions play crucial roles in determining the QOL, coping strategies are fundamental in shaping the experiences and outcomes of individuals with ASD. This case-control study aimed to address this gap by exploring the nexus between QOL and coping strategies in children with ASD. This cross-sectional study included 214 children with and without, who were ASD enrolled in different rehabilitation centers in the Al-Hasa region of Saudi Arabia. QOL was measured using the Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey to assess the physical and mental components. Coping strategies were assessed using the validated Brief COPE inventory. We examined the association between the SF-12 and coping strategies in children with autism and healthy children using binary logistic regression analysis. QOL measures indicated that children with ASD had poorer scores across various domains compared to healthy children. Children relied more on substance abuse, emotional support, and religious coping. Logistic regression indicated that among the QOL dimensions, role physical [odds ratio (OR) = 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.07, P = 0.01], bodily pain (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04, P = 0.02), social health (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07, P = 0.00), role emotion (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03, P = 0.00), and mental health (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00-1.06, P = 0.03) were associated with ASD. Certain coping strategies, such as self-distraction (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.64-3.51, P = 0.01), substance abuse, (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.31-0.86, P = 0.02), emotional support (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.30-0.73, P = 0.00), venting (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.22-3.42, P = 0.01), and religion (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.99, P = 0.04), were linked to ASD. Children with ASD had a poorer QOL and relied more on substance abuse, emotional support, and religious coping compared to normal children. The findings of this study have implications for mental health professionals and clinicians, as children with autism and poor QOL may require greater levels of emotional support and services.

Children's Resilience to Ongoing Border Attacks: The Role of Father, Mother, and Child Resources.

To understand children's resilience to ongoing violent border attacks (low PTSD symptoms and internalizing/externalizing behavior problems, and high sense of coherence-SOC), this study examined a multidimensional model of protective resources. This model comprised factors at the family level (fathers'/mothers' coping strategies and SOC) and at the individual level (children's coping strategies and attachments with father/mother). Participants were 251 Israeli father-mother-child triads living near the border with Gaza (children ages 9-12years). Preliminary analyses indicated children's prevalence of clinical PTSD was 6%. SEM analyses revealed the theoretical model's high fit with empirical data, χ2(1) = .00, p = .99, CFI = 1, TLI = 1, SRMR = .00, RMSEA = .00 [90% CI (.00, .00)]. More significant paths emerged between fathers' coping resources and children's resilience measures than for mothers' coping resources. Results also pinpointed the significant role of children's parental attachments and coping strategies. Discussion focused on the unique value of father, mother, and child risk/protective factors for explaining well-adjusted functioning among children living in conflict areas.

The Effect of Applying Biopsychosocial Model on Parent's Self Efficacy and Coping Strategies of Children with Diabetes mellitus

The Effect of Applying Biopsychosocial Model on Parent's Self Efficacy and Coping Strategies of Children with Diabetes mellitus

Bullying and coping with bullying among obese\\overweight and normal weight children

This study aimed to determine the obese\\overweight and normal weight children's status of encountering and coping with bullying and the correlational factors. This case-control study was conducted with 1.680 students in the second level (5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades) from September 24, 2018 to May 31, 2019 in the Mediterranean Region in Turkey. The data were collected using a personal information form, the Traditional Peer Victimization Scale and the Coping with Bullying Scale. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, Mann–Whitney U test, Binary Logistic Regression, Backward Wald Elimination, and Simple Linear and Backward Stepwise Multiple Linear Regression analyses. This study indicated that the risk of becoming victims, bullies or bully-victims increases among boys and 8th grade students. It also found that the risk of being victims and bully-victims increases among children whose father is illiterate. There was no significant difference between obese\\overweight and normal weight children in terms of being victims, bullies and bully-victims. Grade level, academic performance, father's education level and awareness of reporting bullying were effective in coping with bullying among the children, while weight was not. Further studies are needed to determine different factors that affect children's coping strategies against bullying.

Coping Strategies in Children of Parents Deceased from Cancer and Children of Parents Healed from Cancer

This study aimed to compare coping strategies in children of parents deceased from cancer and children of parents healed from cancer in the city of Shiraz, Iran. One-hundred and fifteen people [58 children of parents healed from cancer and 57 children of parents deceased from cancer] were recruited in this study via a convenience sampling method. Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations was used to measure different types of coping strategies [task-oriented coping strategy, emotion-oriented coping strategy, and avoidance coping strategy]. The results showed that the children of parents healed from cancer used task-oriented coping strategy significantly more than children of parents deceased from cancer. Moreover, the results showed that the use of emotion-oriented coping strategy in children of parents deceased from cancer was significantly more than children of parents healed from cancer. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the use of avoidance coping. This study highlights the importance of coping strategies in families with a cancer parent which demand the importance of teaching appropriate coping strategies in order to reduce the adverse consequence of cancer in the family.

The Effect of "Raising a Thinking preteen" Parent Training on Resiliency and Coping Strategies of Children with Low Levels of Adjustment

The Effect of "Raising a Thinking preteen" Parent Training on Resiliency and Coping Strategies of Children with Low Levels of Adjustment

Identification of Psycho-Social Needs and Coping Strategies in Children with Cancer

Background: Studies have shown that cancer creates a variety of problems and issues for children with cancer. It creates unique challenges for both the patients and their families. Despite the severe stress associated with these problems, most children are able to adequately cope with and adapt to cancer. However, some of the patients experience more severe or prolonged problems that require psychological support. The present study investigated the needs and coping strategies of Iranian children aged 9 to 13 with cancer. The goal was to determine the needs, concerns and coping strategies in children after being diagnosed with cancer. Methods: For this purpose, 12 children aged 9-13 with cancer as well as their mothers were selected from among children admitted to Mofid hospital. Patient selection was conducted in a purposeful sampling method. Data was collected in an in-depth semi-structured interview with the child and their mother and then analyzed using content analysis method. Results: The content analysis of individual interviews with the child and mother showed that the main concerns of these children were related to the hospital space, support, society, family and educational needs, which were responded to by five distinct types of coping. These coping methods include spiritual coping, admission of support and assistance, visiting relatives (on a regular basis) in a positive manner and negative behaviors such as active and passive aggression and avoiding presence in the community and society. The findings of this study indicate that Iranian children with cancer have special needs some of which have mental and emotional aspects, including worry about being a burden on their families, and they use different coping strategies to cope with their condition. One of the most important means of coping with cancer are family and relatives. Conclusion: Treatment centers should address these factors in order to improve the mental and physical health of their patients.

Self-attitude and coping-strategies of children with eating disorders

Nowadays, the topic of eating behavior is becoming more and more popular. People with deviant forms of eating are described as mysterious “THEY” who deceive a lot in order to hide the true form of eating and deep feelings about this, are tyrants in their families, strive for perfection and are extremely difficult to treat. This paper focuses on the attitudes of patients with eating disorders and their habitual strategies for coping with stress behavior. The study is based on the question: are there differences in self-attitudes and coping strategies among adolescents with different eating behaviors?

The Subjective Experiences and Reactions of Kindergarten Children during and after a Period of Continuous Missile Attacks

The current study focused on kindergarten children's coping strategies after trauma and PTSD resulting from exposure to emergency situations during the summer of 2014, when their town was under continuous missile attacks, in the south west part of Israel near the Gaza Strip. The study explored children's trauma by interviewing 150 kindergarten children (ages 4-6). We sought to present the children's voice and understand their point of view, their subjective experiences, and their ways of coping with traumatic situations. The interviews revealed that during and following the period of continuous missile attacks, the participants experienced fear and panic caused mainly by the strong and surprising noise of the alarm sirens, as well as difficulty sleeping. Engaging in activities, such as racing to and playing in the shelter, helped them cope with the fear. Furthermore, the presence of caregiving adults who provided calming information and emotional support helped the children's ability to cope with their anxiety.

Hospitalized Children: Anxiety, Coping Strategies, and Pretend Play.

The aim of this paper was to assess strengths and fragilities in children aged 6 to 10 who suffered one or more hospitalizations. State and trait anxiety, coping abilities, and cognitive and affective functioning through play were assessed using a triangulation approach. Fifty hospitalized children aged 6–10 were compared to 50 non-hospitalized children, and children at first admission were compared with children with more than one hospitalization experience. The State-Trait Anxiety Scales Inventory for Children was administered for assessing trait and state anxiety, and the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist (Revision 1) was administered to assess coping dimensions. The Affect in Play Scale - Preschool - Brief (Extended version) was used to assess cognitive and affective dimensions of play. No significant differences were found for trait anxiety between hospitalized vs. non-hospitalized children. Instead, as expected, state anxiety was significantly higher in hospitalized childen than in the non-hospitalized children. Hospitalized children reported higher scores than non-hospitalized children in support-seeking strategies. As for pretend play, hospitalized children showed significantly higher cognitive scores than non-hospitalized children. However, hospitalized children appeared significantly more restricted in their affect expressions. No significant differences were found for play and anxiety scores between children admitted for the first time in the hospital ward and children with more than one admission. However, children at first admission scored higher in coping and positive cognitive restructuring and in avoidance-coping strategies than children with more than one admission. The initial assessment of the interplay of key variables such as anxiety, coping and play can inform healthcare professionals by serving as a guide in order to determine a child's risk for negative psychological outcomes due to hospitalization, to plan appropriate interventions and to provide substantial assistance to hospitalized children in the future.

The effects of recovery techniques taught to children after trauma experience on the coping strategies

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the recovery techniques training program on children's coping strategies. This research was conducted in a state middle school in Turkey during the educational year of 2016-2017. Both the experimental and the control groups consisted of 12 students. In this research nonequivalent control group model of quasi-experimental design was used. For the students in the experimental group, a recovery training program was applied once a week for eight weeks. No training was provided for the students in the control group. 'Child Postraumatic Stress Reaction Index” and “Kidcope” were used to collect the data in the study. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the significance of the difference between pretest and posttest scores. According to the findings obtained; the recovery training program applied to children was effective in increasing active coping scores and in reducing the avoidant coping and negative coping. Article visualizations:

Childhood depressive symptoms during the transition to primary school in Hong Kong: Comparison of child and maternal reports

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in children's depressive symptoms using CES-DC depression scale during the first year of primary school in Hong Kong, as well as examine similarities and differences in the results as a function of rater—mother versus child. Children from two primary schools were studied—one primarily serving higher SES families and one primarily serving lower SES families. Children showed high levels of depressive symptoms at the beginning of primary school in both schools. Six year old children (N = 99, 55% were male) in the two schools showed different patterns of change over time. Mothers did not appear to recognize the changes in their children's depressive symptoms, reporting high levels of depressive symptoms in their children at each time point, showing no changes in depressive symptoms over time. Mother and child ratings of depressive symptoms showed a low positive correlation (similar in size to correlations found in studies of older children in Western samples), and in general, mothers reported higher levels of depressive symptoms in their children than did their children. Based on the findings, implications for future studies and early intervention services for strengthening young children's coping strategies during the transition to primary schools are discussed.

Fear and Coping in Children 5–9 years old Treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - A Longitudinal Interview Study

PurposeThe aim of this study was to describe the fears of 5- to 9-year-old children related to having acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and their strategies for coping with those fears. Design and methodsThe study had a qualitative descriptive longitudinal design and included a total of 35 interviews with 13 children at three different times during their treatment period. Data were analyzed using a matrix-based method inspired by the work of Miles et al. ResultsInitially, most children reported a fear of needles, but during the treatment period, fewer children reported this fear. Children's coping strategies also changed over time, as they wanted more involvement and control during needle-related procedures. Other fears were having adhesive tapes removed, having a nasogastric tube, and taking tablets. During the treatment period, existential fears related to the seriousness of ALL and its consequences, such as having impaired physical fitness and being different from before and different from others, became more prominent and caused feelings of loneliness and alienation. ConclusionsThe children described various fears through their treatment period, which they coped with using cognitive, emotional, and functional strategies. Over the 2.5-year period, their strategies changed. Practical implicationsBecause fears changed over time and varied among these different children, each child must be approached individually and attentively in every encounter.

Middle-Aged Children's Coping Strategies With Tensions in the Aging Parent-Child Tie.

Middle-aged children may cope in different ways with interpersonal tensions with their aging parents. This study examined coping strategies as a function of parent's age and disability and children's emotions (i.e., guilty feelings and worry). Middle-aged children (N = 378) reported coping strategies when encountering interpersonal tensions with each of parents (N = 482): engagement, acceptance, avoidance, and confrontation. Middle-aged children also indicated how guilty and worried they felt about each parent. Multilevel models indicated that middle-aged children were most likely to use engagement and acceptance strategies, followed by avoidance, and least likely to use confrontation. Results also revealed that middle-aged offspring were more likely to use engagement toward their parents who were older and acceptance toward parents with more disabilities. Furthermore, when middle-aged children had stronger feelings of guilt toward parents, they were more likely to be avoidant and less likely to engage with parents. Worries about parents were positively associated with the use of engagement strategies.

Životni događaji i strategije prevladavanja stresa kod učenika sedmog razreda osnovne škole

Stressful life events can range from everyday frustrations and conflicts to real traumas that can have profound consequences upon adolescents such as death of a close person, parents' divorce or war occurrences, etc. What particular consequences would stressful life events have for psycho-physical state of an individual depends, to a large extent, upon the strategy he uses in a concrete stress situation (Lackovic-Grgin, 2000). In this research project, conducted upon a sample of 100 of the seventh grade schoolchildren, a correlation between stress, measured by the Life Events Stress Scale - STRESS - D (Kosta, Vulic-Prtoric, 2002) and individual strategies for overcoming them as expressed by the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist-Revision 1 (CCSC-R1) (Ayers, et al., 1996) is explored. The most stressful life events, in children's views, are physical changes due to growing up, death of a close cousin, accusation for something they have not done, elders' distrust and shaming before others, while the coping strategies are expressed through four factors, namely: active coping, distraction, avoidance of situation and support seeking. The statistical analysis has shown that the most important correlations are between a stressful event, death of a close cousin and active coping (r=.321; p<0.01), that is support from others (r=.326; p<0.01) as well as between shaming before others and avoidance (r=.328; p<0.01), that is, support seeking (r=.317; p<0.01). The results tell us that the experience of stressful events and coping strategies possess certain characteristics that are peculiar for the schoolchild of higher elementary school grades.