engleski

The Role of Emotion Regulation and Intolerance of Uncertainty in Child Anxiety Symptoms

Anxiety among children is one of the most common psychological problems in children, with a rising trend during COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this research was to examine the role of emotion regulation strategies and intolerance of uncertainty in explaining anxiety symptoms in early adolescents during pandemic. 234 elementary school children (age range from 10 to 15 years) participated in the study. Children filled-out the set of questionnaires during school work - Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (only the total score on anxiety subscales was used), Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale for children, Stress Scale and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. As expected, girls reported more anxiety symptoms and more stress caused by COVID-19 pandemic. They also reported more frequent use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies than boys, while there was not gender difference in the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies and intolerance of uncertainty. All the variables positively correlated with anxiety, besides adaptive emotion regulation strategies. The results of the regression analysis indicated significant effect of maladaptive strategies of emotion regulation and intolerance of uncertainty on child anxiety level, after controlling the effect of gender and the stress level. The partial mediation effects of maladaptive strategies of emotional regulation and intolerance of uncertainty in the relationship between stress and anxiety were confirmed. The results can be used in planning therapeutic interventions with children. Even if adaptive and maladaptive emotion regulation strategies are positively correlated, they do not have the same effect on anxiety. In helping children to alleviate their anxiety symptoms, it is not enough to teach them adaptive emotional regulation strategies (positive refocusing, positive reappraisal, acceptance, planning and putting into perspective). It seems more important to correct maladaptive strategies (self-blame, other-blame, rumination, catastrophizing) in children who already use them, as well as improving their tolerance of uncertainty.

emotion regulation ; intolerance of uncertainty ; child anxiety

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