The mediating effect of cognitive development on children's worry elaboration

Rebecca Grist, Andy Field

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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 languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)801-807
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
Volume43
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Nov 2011

Keywords

  • Cognitive development
  • Worry
  • GAD

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The mediating effect of cognitive development on children's worry elaboration'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this