A Study of Stress and Coping Strategies in School-Age Children

Shin, Hee Sun

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the stressors and coping strategies of school-age children and to explore the relatioship between stressful life events and health symptoms and the effects of coping and trait anxiety which is theoretically considered to mediate the relationship between stress and health symptom. The study subjcets consisted of 639 elementary school children in the fourth to sixth grade living in Seoul. Of the 639 subjects, 348 were boys and 291 were girls. The mean age was 11.35(SD=.86). The Feel Bad Scale (FBS), Schoolager's Coping Strategy Inventory (SCSI), Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Scale for Children(STAIC), and Health Symptom Questionnaire(HSQ) were adapted for this study. A pilot study was undertaken to ascertain the reliability and validity of the instruments. The Cronbach alphas of FBS, SCSI, STAIC and HSQ were from. 81 to .92. The Researcher and a research assistant visited the school and data were collected in the class using the questionnaire method after an explanation of the purpose and procedures was given to the children. Data collection was done during the period between Nov. 25 to Dec. 19,1995. Using the SAS statistical program, percentages, t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression were used for data analysis. The result are as follows: 1. The mean score for the FBS was 204.79(range: 48-472) and there was a significant difference according to grade. The most severe stressors perceived by children were parental divorce and death or illness of family members. The most frequently experienced stressful life events were conflict with siblings and being home alone. 2. The mean score for the SCSI was 57.36(range: 9-118) and there was a significant difference according to grade. The most frequently used, and perceived as helpful, coping strategies were distraction and cognitive activities. 3. The mean score for the HSQ were 20.7(range: 0-8l) and there were significant differences according to grade and sex. The percentage of the children answering that they perceived their health state as not good was 3.9%. 4. The mean score for the STAIC was 33.76 and there were significant differences according to grade and sex. 5. There was a significant relationship between stressful life events and health symptoms(r=.53, p<.01). Also, Stressful life events were postively related with coping strategies(r=.39, p<.01). Trait anxiety was highly correlated with health symptoms(r=.72, p<.01). 6. To examine the multivariate effects of the variables to health symptoms, multiple regression was performed. Stressful life events, coping, trait anxiety, and health concerns were identified as significant variables. Explanation of the health symptoms by these variables was 56. 78%. The study revealed that stressful life events correlated with health symptoms in School-age children and coping and trait anxiety had mediating effects on this relationship. The implication for nursing is that there is a need to develop supportive interventions for high risk population to decrease health problems due to stress. Also, it is recommended that a study be conducted to explore protective factors for the prevention of health problems in children.