Cognitive coping and childhood anxiety disorders.
To investigate differences in cognitive coping strategies between anxiety-disordered and non-anxious 9-11-year-old children. Additionally, differences in cognitive coping between specific anxiety disorders were examined. A clinical sample of 131 anxiety-disordered children and a general population sample of 452 non-anxious children were gathered. All children filled out the child version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ-k). Structured clinical interviews were used to assess childhood anxiety disorders. Results showed that anxiety-disordered children experience significantly more 'lifetime' negative life events than non-anxious children. Adjusted for the 'lifetime' experience of negative life events, anxiety-disordered children scored significantly higher on the strategies catastrophizing and rumination, and significantly lower on the strategies positive reappraisal and refocus on planning than non-anxious children. No significant differences in cognitive coping were found between children with specific anxiety disorders. Anxiety-disordered children employ significantly more maladaptive and less adaptive cognitive coping strategies in response to negative life events than non-anxious children. The results suggest that cognitive coping is a valuable target for prevention and treatment of childhood anxiety problems.
Legerstee
Jeroen S
JS
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Centre Rotterdam/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Garnefski
Nadia
N
Jellesma
Francine C
FC
Verhulst
Frank C
FC
Utens
Elisabeth M W J
EM
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires