Abstract
The present study investigated how developmentally determined cognitive mechanisms, holding theoretical links to the worry process, mediate the relationship between Age and Worry Elaboration in children. Sixty-four children aged 3–7 (M=5.58,SD=1.28) were presented with a Conservation of Liquid task assessing their Cognitive Development (specifically Concrete Operational Skills), a false-belief task to measure possession of Belief–Desire Theory of Mind, and a task measuring the ability to acknowledge multiple possibilities. The ability to elaborate on potential negative outcomes was assessed using a Worry Elaboration task. Mediation analysis revealed that all three variables significantly mediated the relationship between Age and Worry Elaboration. A multiple mediation model is presented in which Concrete Operational Skills, Belief–Desire Theory of Mind and Multiple Possibilities understanding mediate the relationship between Age and Worry Elaboration.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 801-807 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry |
Volume | 43 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 26 Nov 2011 |
Keywords
- Cognitive development
- Worry
- GAD