title: Worry and problem-solving skills and beliefs in primary school children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between worry and problem-solving skills and beliefs (confidence and perceived control) in primary school children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (8-11 years) were screened using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children. High (N= 27) and low (N= 30) scorers completed measures of anxiety, problem-solving skills (generating alternative solutions to problems, planfulness, and effectiveness of solutions) and problem-solving beliefs (confidence and perceived control).
  
  
  RESULTS
  High and low worry groups differed significantly on measures of anxiety and problem-solving beliefs (confidence and control) but not on problem-solving skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with findings with adults, worry in children was associated with cognitive distortions, not skills deficits. Interventions for worried children may benefit from a focus on increasing positive problem-solving beliefs.
authors.affiliation: Berkshire Child Anxiety Clinic, University of Reading, UK. m.b.parkinson@reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Creswell
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom