title: Worry, beliefs about worry and problem solving in young children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood worry is common, and yet little is known about why some children develop pathological worry and others do not. Two theories of adult worry that are particularly relevant to children are Davey's problem-solving model in which perseverative worry occurs as a result of thwarted problem-solving attempts, and Wells' metacognitive model, in which positive and negative beliefs about worry interact to produce pathological worry.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to test hypotheses that levels of worry in young children are associated with poor or avoidant solution generation for social problems, and poor problem-solving confidence. It also aimed to explore beliefs about worry in this age group, and to examine their relationships with worry, anxiety and age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven young children (6-10 years) responded to open ended questions about social problem-solving situations and beliefs about worry, and completed measures of worry, anxiety and problem-solving confidence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with higher levels of worry and anxiety reported using more avoidant solutions in social problem situations and children's low confidence in problem solving was associated with high levels of worry. Children as young as 6 years old reported both positive and negative beliefs about worry, but neither were associated with age, gender, or level of anxiety or worry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RESULTS indicate similarities between adults and children in the relationships between problem-solving variables and worry, but not in relationships between beliefs about worry and worry. This may be due to developmental factors, or may be the result of measurement issues.
authors: Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. cewilson@tcd.ie
authors: Charlotte
authors: C
authors: Wilson
authors: Claire
authors: C
authors: Hughes
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011340:Problem Solving; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D035501:Uncertainty