Sadness Management Research Articles

Predicting Children’s Sadness Management Based on Paternal Involvement in Parenting and Maternal Emotion Regulation in Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

Background: Current strategies used to control and manage children's emotions often overlook the crucial role of sadness management in their overall well-being. Objectives: This study investigated the relationships between paternal involvement in parenting and maternal emotion regulation with sadness management in students with specific learning disabilities (SpLDs). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among fourth- and fifth-grade boys and girls with SpLDs and their mothers in Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran, during the 2021–22 academic year. A multistage cluster sampling method was employed to select 252 participants. Data were collected using the Children's Sadness Management Scale (CSMS), the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ), and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Data analysis was performed using Pearson correlation and simultaneous regression in SPSS-27 software. Results:: Paternal involvement was positively correlated with children's sadness management (r = 0.47). Conversely, maternal maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation was negatively correlated with children's sadness management (r = -0.35). Additionally, a positive correlation was found between maternal adaptive cognitive emotion regulation and children's sadness management (r = 0.40). Paternal involvement and maternal cognitive emotion regulation together explained 52% of the variance in children's sadness management. Conclusions: Paternal involvement in parenting and maternal cognitive emotion regulation play a key role in improving sadness management in children with SpLDs. These findings underscore the importance of promoting healthy parenting practices that involve both paternal participation and effective maternal emotion regulation strategies to support children's ability to manage sadness.

The role of rumination and the sadness emotion management skills in predicting emotional eating behavior of 9-12 year-old children with obesity and overweight

Introduction: Emotional eating behavior is considered one of the pathological eating behaviors, and the components related to it have special importance, especially in children and adolescents. Aim: The aim of the research was to investigate the role of rumination and sadness emotion management skills in predicting emotional eating behavior in overweight and obese children aged 9 to 12 years. Method: The descriptive research design was of the correlational type and the statistical population included obese and overweight children aged 9 to 12 in Hamedan City in 2019-2020. A total of 268 of these children were selected by convenient sampling method and responded to questionnaires of children’s responses to imaginal situations that Elicit Sadness (Lopez, 2006), Children’s Sadness Management Scale (Shipman and Penza-Clive, 2001), Emotional Eating Scale-Children (Tanfoski, 2007). To analyze the data, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis were used with the help of SPSS-22. Results: The results of correlation analysis showed that there is a significant relationship between rumination variable and emotion regulation management skills with children's emotional eating behavior (P<0.05). Also, based on the regression results, 45.4% and 53% of the variance of the variable of emotional eating behavior could be predicted with the help of the predictor variables dimensions of rumination and emotion regulation management skills (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicated that there is a significant relationship between emotional eating behavior with rumination and ineffective strategies for managing the emotion of sadness in obese and overweight children. In order to prevent and treat obesity and overweight in children, it is important to pay attention to their psychological issues. It is suggested that more research be done, in the field of psychological causes of problems related to obesity and overweight.

Psychometric properties of the children's emotion management scales within a psychiatric sample.

The Children's Emotion Management Scales (CEMS) are widely used measures of children's emotion regulation strategies in response to three specific emotions: sadness, anger, and worry. Original factor analyses suggested a three-factor subscale structure for each emotion: inhibition, dysregulation, and coping (Zeman et al., 2001, 2002, 2010). However, this factor structure had not been reexamined since it was originally developed, including within a racially diverse psychiatric sample. The present study attempted to address this gap for the Anger Management Scale and Sadness Management Scale separately, as well as testing the overarching structure of these two in combination. Participants included 302 children (ages 8-12; 70.4% boys; 55.72% African American; 39.3% White) from inpatient and outpatient centers and their primary caregivers. The three-factor structure replicated well with the Anger Management Scale and Sadness Management Scale separately in our sample. A bifactor model that included both higher order emotion factors (i.e., Anger and Sadness) and higher order strategy factors (i.e., Coping, Dysregulation, and Inhibition) best represented the overarching structure of the CEMS. Results from latent correlations and structural regressions showed that some of these factors were related to child-reported depressive symptoms and parent-reported disruptive behaviors, supporting the validity of the bifactor model conceptualization of scores on the CEMS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Children experiencing sadness: Coping strategies and attachment relationships.

This study aimed to explore the events which are sources of sadness for children, and their coping strategies for overcoming their sadness according to their attachment security. We expected that distinct clusters would emerge, with securely attached children more likely showing constructive and successful coping strategies than insecurely attached children. Middle-class children (N = 191) aged 7–11 years old from four private elementary schools were asked to talk about a sad event they experienced using open-ended questions from the Sadness Interview. The answers were coded into different categories of sad events and associated coping strategies. Finally, children were assessed on their security attachment using the Security Scale. Cluster analyses identified a four-cluster solution. Children in the Clusters 1 and 2 were characterized by a perceived successful constructive coping strategy while describing minor events (in the first Cluster), and very painful events (in the second). Furthermore, in the third Cluster children overcame sad events using a perceived successful disengagement coping strategy, whereas children in the fourth Cluster are characterized by perceived unresolved sadness. ANCOVA testing showed that children in the first cluster had significantly higher attachment security compared to Clusters 3 and 4, which did not significantly differ from each other. The study of sadness in children may be particularly informative for clinicians and educators for understanding and supporting children’s strategies of sadness management while considering the influence of their attachment relationships on their ability to cope with sadness.

Skills Required in the Care of Cancer Patients Who Undergo Surgery in the Hospital-Home Transition

It is essential to recognize what care is required by patients undergoing surgery in the transition from hospital to home to provide guidance for plans for release and follow-up and to achieve patient adherence to these plans. The objective of this study is to describe the skills required for the care of cancer patients who undergo surgery after hospital discharge. An exploratory-type descriptive approach was adopted, including 290 cancer patients who underwent surgery at a reference center in Bogotá, Colombia. Hospital discharge was followed by 4 weeks of telephone follow-up to investigate the skills required for care on the basis of the CUIDAR tool. The participants had a mean age of 59.3 years, with the majority being female and having low levels of education. The most prevalent type of cancer found was breast cancer, followed by colon and rectal, prostate, stomach, cervical, lung, and ovarian cancer. The first follow-up identified needs for care in most of the CUIDAR dimensions, predominantly instrumentation, knowledge, and anticipation. The fourth follow-up, which found reduced needs, focused on knowledge of diet and eating, physical activity, the management of sadness and anxiety, a permanent telephone hotline, and sharing with loved ones. Cancer patients who underwent surgery require skills for at-home care that need to be addressed in hospital discharge programs and with structured telephone follow-up. Telephone follow-up interventions need to be consolidated in hospital release or hospital discharge programs that address these care needs.

The supportive care needs of people living with pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers: a systematic review.

People with pulmonary fibrosis often experience a protracted time to diagnosis, high symptom burden and limited disease information. This review aimed to identify the supportive care needs reported by people with pulmonary fibrosis and their caregivers. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies that investigated the supportive care needs of people with pulmonary fibrosis or their caregivers were included. Supportive care needs were extracted and mapped to eight pre-specified domains using a framework synthesis method. A total of 35 studies were included. The most frequently reported needs were in the domain of information/education, including information on supplemental oxygen, disease progression and prognosis, pharmacological treatments and end-of-life planning. Psychosocial/emotional needs were also frequently reported, including management of anxiety, anger, sadness and fear. An additional domain of "access to care" was identified that had not been specified a priori; this included access to peer support, psychological support, specialist centres and support for families of people with pulmonary fibrosis. People with pulmonary fibrosis report many unmet needs for supportive care, particularly related to insufficient information and lack of psychosocial support. These data can inform the development of comprehensive care models for people with pulmonary fibrosis and their loved ones.

Speaking of Women’s Depression and the Politics of Emotion

Women are at least twice as likely to experience depression as men, and up to 25% of women can expect to be depressed in their lifetimes. Depression is likely to recur in up to 85% of women, yet most women who experience depression cope on their own. Feminist research has explored the discursive, and social context of depression among women and acknowledges women’s agency as they simultaneously struggle and cope with depression. “Getting on with life” is often an imperative, but begs the question what are they getting on with, especially if their lives have been significant in causing unhappiness and distress. I explore how depression is shaped by the discourse of self-management, gender performance and the notion “the good woman.” Dominant depression discourses individualize, decontextualize, and emphasize personal responsibilization for the causes and treatment of depression. This produces an epistemic injustice for speaking about and coping with depression. Social work practitioners must make space for acknowledging women’s resourcefulness and agency in their management of sadness and distress. We must also address not only the dangers of responsibilization, but the limitations of this approach to women’s well-being.

Our observations with cold calling: Patient anger and undesirable experiences.

Little is known about the effects of the 'cold calling' technique (telephone contact without prior warning) for patient follow up in ED research. Recently, we undertook a prospective, observational pain management study. Patients were cold called 48 h post-discharge and surveyed regarding their pain management satisfaction. We made contact with 778 patients. Among these, we observed 12 cases of patient anger: mistaken identity, disbelief that the hospital was calling, frustration that test results and appointment times could not be provided, abuse about ED management and outpourings of sadness. We also observed eight cases of an undesirable experience for either the patient, their family or the caller: five patients had died (including one 'at her last moments'), precipitation of patient distress and uncomfortable situations for the caller. Given our experience, we believe that cold calling should be avoided, where possible, and other techniques (e.g. limited disclosure) considered as alternatives.

Investıgatıon Of Levels Of Chıldren’s Sadness Management Doıng Sports Between 11-16 Year Old

The aim of this study was to investigate the sadness levels of students doing sports in terms of some variables. The study consisted of 237 students selected randomly (mean age = 14.01 ± 1.45), 91 girls and 146 boys studying in schools affiliated to Karaman Provincial Directorate of National Education in 2017-2018 academic year. In addition to the personal information form prepared by the researcher, as a data collection tool, Zeman et al. (2001), developed by Akin et al. (2014) “Child Sadness Management Scale was used. Skewness-Kurtosis normality distribution test was used to determine whether the measurements were suitable for normal distribution. As a result, t-test and One way - Anova tests were used. POST HOCK Sheff tests were used to determine the source of the difference. SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) program was used to evaluate the data. As a result of the study; while there is a statistically significant difference between gender variable and the general sadness management dimention and the deformation dimention from sub-dimensions and also between father education variable and the deformation dimention from sub-dimensions, No significant difference was found between the variables of age, family income and maternal education level and sadness management sub-dimensions.

An Investigation of the Effectiveness of Doing Sports Situation, Gender and Age Variations in Sadness Management in Children

<p style="text-align:justify">This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of doing sports, gender and age variables on sadness management of students. The universe of the research was 558 students (age average = 11,96 ± 1,29), including 308 female and 250 male students studying in the secondary school of in Karaman between 2017-2018 period. In addition to the personal information form prepared by the researcher as a data collection tool in the research, "Child Sadness Management Scale" developed by Zeman et al., adapted to the Turkish language by Akin et al. was used. MANOVA and ANOVA analysis were performed in the solution and interpretation of the data. At the end of the study; it can be said that the levels of Inhibition from the sadness management sub-dimensions of the participants are in the middle level, Emotion Regulation Coping levels are above the mid - level and Dysregulated-Expression levels are low. There was a significant difference between doing sports variable of the participants and the Inhibition dimension and between the gender variable and sub-dimension of the Dysregulated-Expression, but there was no significant difference between age variable and sub-dimensions of the sadness management.</p>

Emotion dysregulation and functional connectivity in children with and without a history of major depressive disorder.

Recent interest has emerged in understanding the neural mechanisms by which deficits in emotion regulation (ER) early in development may relate to later depression. Corticolimbic alterations reported in emotion dysregulation and depression may be one possible link. We examined the relationships between emotion dysregulation in school age, corticolimbic resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) in preadolescence, and depressive symptoms in adolescence. Participants were 143 children from a longitudinal preschool onset depression study who completed the Children Sadness Management Scale (CSMS; measuring ER), Child Depression Inventory (CDI-C; measuring depressive symptoms), and two resting-state MRI scans. Rs-FC between four primary regions of interest (ROIs; bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [dlPFC] and amygdala) and six target ROIs thought to contribute to ER were examined. Findings showed that ER in school age did not predict depressive symptoms in adolescence, but did predict preadolescent increases in dlPFC-insula and dlPFC-ventromedial PFC rs-FC across diagnosis, as well as increased dlPFC-dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) rs-FC in children with a history of depression. Of these profiles, only dlPFC-dACC rs-FC in preadolescence predicted depressive symptoms in adolescence. However, dlPFC-dACC connectivity did not mediate the relationship between ER in school age and depressive symptoms in adolescence. Despite the absence of a direct relationship between ER and depressive symptoms and no significant rs-FC mediation, the rs-FC profiles predicted by ER are consistent with the hypothesis that emotion dysregulation is associated with abnormalities in top-down control functions. The extent to which these relationships might confer greater risk for later depression, however, remains unclear.

Sintomatología depresiva, desesperanza y recursos psicológicos: una relación con la tentativa de suicidio en una muestra de adolescentes mexicanos

Se explora la relación de los síntomas depresivos, la desesperanza y los recursos psicológicos sobre la tentativa de suicidio en una muestra de adolescentes de la ciudad de Aguascalientes, México. Se trata de un estudio transversal exploratorio donde participaron voluntariamente 96 adolescentes. Se emplearon escalas para evaluar sintomatología depresiva (CES-D-R35), desesperanza (BHS) y recursos psicológicos (ERP) y un ítem para identificar intento de suicidio previo. Diferencias significativas en sintomatología depresiva (U = 512, p = 0.001), desesperanza (U = 463, p = 0.021), ideación suicida (U = 483, p = 0.004), adecuado manejo del enojo (U = 200, p = 0.011) y adecuado manejo de la tristeza (U = 156, p = 0.001) fueron encontradas en adolescentes con tentativa y sin tentativa de suicidio. El valor predictivo observado sobre la tentativa de suicidio mostró que síntomas de depresión (β = 0.398) y adecuado manejo de la tristeza (β = –0.209) explican el 27.6% de la varianza total (R2 = 0.276, F1, 93 = 17.70, p ≤ 0.01). Se analiza el rol del adecuado manejo de la tristeza como factor de protección.

Neural markers of familial risk for depression: An investigation of cortical thickness abnormalities in healthy adolescent daughters of mothers with recurrent depression.

Having a mother with major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the strongest predictors of depression in late adolescence and early adulthood. Despite this fact, we know little about the neural mechanisms involved in the intergenerational transmission of risk for depression. Twenty-eight never-disordered daughters of recurrent depressed mothers (high-risk) and 36 never-disordered daughters of never-depressed mothers (low-risk) were scanned using MRI. Scan data were processed to provide measurements of cortical gray matter thickness. A general linear model was conducted at each surface point to assess the main effect of familial risk on cortical structure as well as to explore the interaction of familial risk and age. High-risk girls exhibited significantly thinner cortical gray matter in the right fusiform gyrus relative to low-risk girls. Exploratory analyses indicated interactions of risk group and age in the bilateral anterior insula and right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); whereas low-risk girls exhibited an inverse association between age and thickness, girls at high risk for depression showed the reverse pattern. Additional exploratory analyses, using scores on the Children's Sadness Management Scale, indicated that thinner gray matter in the ACC of high-risk girls was associated with greater difficulty in managing sadness. These findings indicate that anomalous reductions in the cortical thickness of the fusiform gyrus may be a marker of risk for MDD. The interaction of age and group for gray matter thickness of the insula and ACC suggests a particularly important role for these regions in risk for depression and warrants additional research in longitudinal studies.

PC-FACS

PC-FACS

Design and baseline data from the Management of Sadness and Anxiety in Cardiology (MOSAIC) randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDepression and anxiety in cardiac patients are independently associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including mortality. Collaborative care (CC) programs, which use care managers to assess patients, coordinate care, and perform therapeutic interventions, have proven effective in managing depression in this population. However, no prior CC intervention has simultaneously managed depression and anxiety disorders, and there has been minimal study of CC in high-risk cardiac inpatients. Materials and methodsThe Management of Sadness and Anxiety in Cardiology (MOSAIC) study was a prospective randomized trial of a low-intensity CC intervention, compared to enhanced usual care, for patients hospitalized for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, or arrhythmia, and diagnosed with depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or panic disorder (PD). The primary outcome measure for MOSAIC was mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL), measured using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12. Additional outcomes included psychological, functional, and medical outcomes, including rehospitalizations. ResultsA total of 183 eligible participants were enrolled (92 collaborative care, 91 enhanced usual care); 94% of depressed patients reported being depressed for >1month, and 53% of those with GAD reported clinically significant anxiety for >1year. One hundred thirty-three patients had depression, 118 had GAD, and 19 had PD; 74 participants (40%) had two or more of the disorders. ConclusionThe MOSAIC trial will provide data regarding whether an intervention that concurrently manages these common psychiatric disorders results in meaningful improvements in HRQoL, psychiatric symptoms, and medical outcomes in cardiac patients at high risk for adverse outcomes.

Children's emotion regulation across and within nations: A comparison of Ghanaian, Kenyan, and American youth

This research examined national, regional, developmental, and gender differences in children's reported management of anger and sadness. Participants (8-15 years) were 103 Ghanaian children from a village setting, 142 Ghanaian children from a middle-class urban context, 106 Kenyan children from an impoverished urban context, and 170 children from the United States in lower to middle-class urban areas (58.8% Caucasian). Children completed the Children's Anger and Sadness Management Scales (Zeman, Shipman, & Penza-Clyve, 2001) to assess emotion management (i.e., effortful control, over control, under control). Comparisons across nations indicated that Ghanaian youth reported more overt anger expression than youth from Kenya and the United States and less anger inhibition than Kenyan youth. U.S. children reported less overt expression and more constraint over sadness than Kenyan and Ghanaian children, although Kenyans reported being calmer when experiencing sadness than Ghanaian and American youth. Comparing Ghanaian regional contexts, village children reported more anger control than urban children. Regardless of nationality, boys reported more control over sadness than girls who reported more under control of sadness and more over control of anger than boys. Future research is needed to build on these descriptive, preliminary findings examining under-studied cross-national contexts.

Relations among Sadness Regulation, Peer Acceptance, and Social Functioning in Early Adolescence: The Role of Gender

AbstractUsing a multi‐informant approach, this study examined emotion regulation within the social context of White and Black adolescent peer groups by assessing two aspects of sadness expression management (i.e., inhibition, disinhibition) and their linkages to peer acceptance and social functioning as a function of gender and ethnicity. Seventh‐ and eighth‐grade adolescents (N = 155, 52 percent female, 54.8 percent Black) completed self‐reports and peer nominations of sadness management and sociometric ratings of peer acceptance. Parents rated their child's social competence and social problems. Results revealed specific patterns of sadness regulation across informants that were associated with social functioning and varied by gender, but not ethnicity. Boys were more likely than girls to minimize sadness displays; boys who violated this pattern had lower peer acceptance and higher parent‐rated social problems. In contrast, although girls were rated as displaying overt sadness more frequently than boys, this was unrelated to peer acceptance.

Parental socialization of sadness regulation in middle childhood: The role of expectations and gender.

The authors of this study investigated mothers' and fathers' socialization of their children's sadness. The particular focus was an examination of how socialization practices changed when parents' expectancies concerning their child's sadness management abilities were violated. Methods included an experimental manipulation and direct observation of parent-child interactions in 62 families of White, middle-class children in 3rd and 4th grades. Families were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions. After parents were provided with a description of normative child behavior on a sadness-induction task, feedback was manipulated such that parents in the control condition were told their child had demonstrated typical regulation while parents in the violated-expectancy condition were informed their child did not manage sadness as well as peers. The hypothesis that violated expectancies influence socialization processes was supported, with greater evidence emerging for fathers than mothers. In certain circumstances within the violated-expectancy condition, there was more parental similarity in socialization practices than in the control condition. Further, mother-father comparisons indicated differences in socialization as a function of parent and child gender that were generally consistent with gender stereotypes.

Families that Flourish: Facilitating Resilience in Clinical Practice

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Book ForumFull AccessFamilies that Flourish: Facilitating Resilience in Clinical PracticeALISON HERU M.D.,ALISON HERU M.D.Search for more papers by this author,Published Online:1 Mar 2007https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.3.530AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail This book provides a unique window into the development of a family therapist, from receiving her Ph.D. in family studies to the present day. In the process, Dr. Becvar gives an historical overview of the development of family therapy, a useful journey for those in need of a quick refresher course.Part One reviews the contributions of Edmund Husserl and Gregory Bateson, postmodernism and family development theorists, to her current views on working with families. Dr. Becvar describes the importance of positive talk about family atmosphere and a positive approach to problems and challenges. She includes attention to communication, enrichment and nurturance, and spirituality. She defines flourishing and resilience.Part Two is devoted to Practices: “putting principles into practice, assessing, analyzing and perturbing to achieve solutions, supporting a positive self-concept, encouraging effective parenting and creating supportive contexts.” She includes narrative therapy, reflecting team, solution-oriented therapy, solution-focused therapy, and therapeutic conversations. She then provides a case example on her preferred method called “selecting perturbations.” Dr. Becvar discusses her therapeutic stance as suspending judgment, becoming sensitive to language, exploring the client’s context, co-creating realities, supporting and validating, and reflecting on the process as a whole. Her interventions include supporting a positive self concept, encouraging success, acknowledging accomplishments, searching for talents, changing negative self talk, and becoming sensitive to professional language, i.e., no discussion of DSM diagnoses. She encourages effective parenting, expands the meaning of discipline, chooses responses rather than reacting, acknowledges children’s wisdom, creates supportive contexts, celebrates and has fun, and encourages the practice of random acts of kindness and finding meaning and purpose in life.Dr. Becvar’s approach is summarized in her own words:I attempt to respond in the moment in ways that seem most appropriate for each client system, seeing each individual, each couple, and each family as unique…believing that in therapy I am taking part in the cocreation rather than the discovery of realities, I also might reflect on queries such as “Can I recognize how I am participating in creating problems?” Or “Can I see how I am participating in creating solutions?” (p. 25)I felt more and more uneasy as the book progressed. In Dr. Becvar’s world, patients, or should we call them clients or fellow travelers, are supported and nurtured with the expectation that good things will happen if everybody plays nice. People are inherently good, didn’t you know? I have a darker view of the world, in which working effectively with families means completing a full assessment, especially assessing where power and control lies. A full assessment includes assessing the division of labor, both instrumental and affective, rules and enforcement of rules, the management of anger, sadness and fear, and how the family resolves or does not resolve its problems. It means assessing family violence. Dr. Becvar suggests searching for assets where there is domestic violence rather than focusing on destructive patterns. I strongly disagree with this stance. Failure to assess a family fully and accurately is negligence, and failure to manage violence appropriately can have serious consequences for the family. This book does not present a mainstream approach and does not cover what needs to be known by a general psychiatrist. A general psychiatrist must have knowledge of the extensive research on families, including evidence-based family treatments such as psychoeducation. In our field, we must be knowledgeable about assessing and alleviating the burden experienced by caregivers of the chronically mentally ill. We must be able to recognize and enhance family strengths, but not as a sole therapeutic stance, as Dr. Becvar is suggesting. Resilience can be taught to families that do not yet have it. We know what family factors make up family resilience (good problem solving, clear and direct communication, good family organization, and a cohesive set of family beliefs) (1) . Dr. Becvar, in an attempt to correct the pathologizing of families that has occurred over the past century, goes too far, although she reminds us that we need an attitude of respect and compassion toward families. Providence, R.I.Reference1. Walsh F: Strengthening Family Resilience, 2nd ed. New York, Guilford Press, 2006Google Scholar FiguresReferencesCited byDetailsCited byNone Volume 164Issue 3 March, 2007Pages 530-530THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY March 2007 Volume 164 Number 3 Metrics PDF download History Published online 1 March 2007 Published in print 1 March 2007

DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL VALIDATION OF THE CHILDREN'S SADNESS MANAGEMENT SCALE

Although sadness in children is a normal and transient experience, research has not investigated how children manage sadness. Understanding normative sadness management has important implications for helping children who exhibit maladaptive forms of emotional expression. The Children's Sadness Management Scale (CSMS) was developed to assess children's inhibition, dysregulated-expression, and coping with sadness experience and expression. Using multiple informants, reliability and validity were established based on a community sample of 227 fourth- and fifth-grade children's self-report, maternal report (N = 171), and peer ratings of behavior (N = 227). A three-factor solution was supported with strong internal consistency for the Inhibition scale and moderately strong internal consistency for the Emotion Regulation Coping and Dysregulated-Expression scales. Findings indicate that the CSMS provides a reliable and valid measure of normative sadness management.