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Self-regulation as a moderator of the relation between coping and symptomatology in children of divorce

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Abstract

Investigated the effects of self-regulation as a moderator of the relations between coping efforts and psychological symptoms of children of divorce. The interactions of two dimensions of self-regulation (task orientation and approach-flexibility) and two dimensions of coping (active and avoidant) predicting children's postdivorce symptoms were tested using a sample of 199 divorced mothers and their children, ages 8 to 12. The approach-flexibility dimension moderated the relations of both active and avoidant coping with children's self-report of anxiety. At higher levels of approach-flexibility, active coping was negatively related to anxiety, while at lower levels of approach-flexibility, active coping was unrelated to anxiety. Avoidant coping was un-related to anxiety at higher levels of approach-flexibility, whereas at lower levels of approach-flexibility, avoidant coping was positively related to anxiety. The task orientation dimension did not interact with coping, but had direct, independent effects on children's self-report of conduct problems, depression, and parent-report of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. The implications for understanding children's coping with divorce and future directions for research are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Families and Schools Together (FAST-Track) Project, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Box 351525, 98195-1525, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Liliana J. Lengua

  2. Program for Prevention Research and the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Irwin N. Sandler

Authors
  1. Liliana J. Lengua
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  2. Irwin N. Sandler
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Additional information

Support for this research was provided by NIMH Grants P50-MH39246 to support a Preventive Intervention Research Center at Arizona State University and 5-T32-MH18387 for Post- and Pre-doctoral Training in Prevention Research at Arizona State University. The authors thank Leona Aiken, Jane Bernzweig, and Wendy Kliewer for their contributions to this project.

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Lengua, L.J., Sandler, I.N. Self-regulation as a moderator of the relation between coping and symptomatology in children of divorce. J Abnorm Child Psychol 24, 681–701 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01664734

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01664734

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