Patterns of children's coping with life stress: implications for clinicians

Am J Orthopsychiatry. 2000 Jul;70(3):351-9. doi: 10.1037/h0087689.

Abstract

In a study of children's patterns of coping with daily stressors, boys and girls 9-17 years old were asked to complete a coping checklist in response to one of four types of stressors--school, parents/family, siblings, or peer/interpersonal. Patterns of coping-strategy use were found to be similar across the various stressors, with wishful thinking, problem-solving, and emotional regulation being among those most frequently used. Older adolescents, compared to younger children, tended to use a broader range of coping strategies, regardless of stressor. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological*
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Defense Mechanisms
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Personality Inventory
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology*