title: Self-regulation as a moderator of the relation between coping and symptomatology in children of divorce.
abstract: Investigated the effects of self-regulation as a moderator of the relations between coping efforts and psychological symptoms of children of divorce. The interactions of two dimensions of self-regulation (task orientation and approach-flexibility) and two dimensions of coping (active and avoidant) predicting children's postdivorce symptoms were tested using a sample of 199 divorced mothers and their children, ages 8 to 12. The approach-flexibility dimension moderated the relations of both active and avoidant coping with children's self-report of anxiety. At higher levels of approach-flexibility, active coping was negatively related to anxiety, while at lower levels of approach-flexibility, active coping was unrelated to anxiety. Avoidant coping was unrelated to anxiety at higher levels of approach-flexibility, whereas at lower levels of approach-flexibility, avoidant coping was positively related to anxiety. The task orientation dimension did not interact with coping, but had direct, independent effects on children's self-report of conduct problems, depression, and parent-report of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The implications for understanding children's coping with divorce and future directions for research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-1525, USA.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lengua
authors.forename: I N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Sandler
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving; D002666:Psychology, Child; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires