Middle Childhood (7-11 years)
Coping
11
Independent Coping Strategies ■■
demonstrates less behavioural withdrawal than in early childhood
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more problem-focused coping
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development of cognition allows for more advanced and independent coping (see Cognitive Development)
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emergence of cognitive strategies - coping using cognitive means o cognitive •
distraction
sed when behavioural distraction is not possible (e.g. thinking pleasant thoughts whilst sitting in a dentist’s u chair)
• awareness
of cognitive distraction strategies increases as the child gets older
o self-reassuring o cognitive o thinks
statements (e.g. “you can do this”)
reframing (e.g. focusing on the positive aspects of a stressful situation)
positively about new challenges
o increased o mental
rumination (e.g. thinking deeply about the problem/stressor)
escape strategies - daydreaming, withdrawing mental effort
o mental
representations of caregiver(s) act as a source of comfort, without the need for the caregiver to be physically present (see Attachment)
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advances in cognition result in better problem-solving (see Cognitive Development) o rehearses
hypothetical responses in their mind
o selects
the best coping strategy without trying out all of the alternatives, producing a wider range of coping possibilities
o uses
past experience when selecting the best course of action
o
nhanced perspective taking allows consideration of interpersonal factors when selecting the best coping e method
o
information seeking is more organised, flexible and specific to the problem
Problem-focused coping
Taking practical action to tackle/ remove a stressor in an attempt to reduce distress
Cognitive distraction
Thinking about something different
Cognitive reframing
Seeing a problem from a different point of view/in a different way
Rumination
Thinking deeply. In Psychology, the term rumination refers to fixation upon the causes of a problem, rather than the solution. Rumination does not lead to active problem solving to change the situation and is associated with symptoms of depression
