Stress among children is estimated to have increased 45% over the past 30 years. Worrying is a common phenomenon in normal children age 8 – 13. However, children's worries are becoming more frequently associated with anxiety. For example, between 5 and 10 children in every 100 have anxiety problems. Children do not necessarily understand or respond to stress and worry in the same way as adults. This study examined gender and age differences in the frequency of twelve common child coping techniques. Further, open-end questions were used to discover children's recommendations for how parents can better assist children when they are experiences stress or worry. We also examined the frequency of self-injury associated with stress and worry. Our goal was to obtain information that will enable educators, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and others to develop more-effective programs to help children understand and better cope with their worries or stressors. Data were obtained from approximately 800 children at ten health education centers in six states. Classes, grades 4-8, visiting centers during the study period, were eligible to participate. Trained center staff read each question and answer choice as the children completed the questionnaires. All respondents remained anonymous. Questions were developed by a project advisory team consisting of center staff, school administrators and teachers, a child psychologist, university researchers, parents, and health educators. The survey was revised after pilot testing with two classes at a one center. School-level data (i.e., school size, ethnic/racial proportion, free/reduced lunch participation) for public schools participating were obtained from the NCES. Based on past studies, total demographics for this study are expected to mirror national averages. Note: this study will be completed by June 2005
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify the most common and most frequent childhood worries and stressors. 2. Based on the results of this study, identify common child coping methods when facing worries or stressors and their recommendations for parents to help during these times. 3. Identify implications of the results of the study for curriculum development, program planning, parental involvement, and individual helping encounters.