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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
A cognitive developmental approach to understanding how children cope with disasters
1Clayton College and State University, Morrow, GA, USA. catherinedeering@mail.clayton.edu
Summary
Children’s disaster responses vary by age. Effective nursing interventions must consider cognitive development and individual perceptions for optimal disaster recovery in children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Disaster Mental Health
- Pediatric Nursing
Background:
- Disasters significantly impact children, necessitating an understanding of their unique experiences.
- Cognitive developmental theory provides a framework for interpreting children's disaster processing.
- Age-specific reactions and coping mechanisms in children exposed to disasters require clinical attention.
Observation:
- Preschoolers, school-age children, and adolescents exhibit distinct cognitive and emotional responses to disasters.
- Family context plays a crucial role in shaping children's disaster experiences and recovery.
- Case examples illustrate typical age-related reactions and effective, developmentally appropriate interventions.
Findings:
- Children's perception of a disaster is intrinsically linked to their developmental stage.
- Early identification of coping difficulties is essential for timely intervention.
- Interventions must be tailored to the child's developmental level and subjective experience.
Implications:
- Clinicians require age-specific knowledge to support children post-disaster.
- Nursing care must be sensitive to developmental variations in disaster response.
- Developmentally informed interventions enhance children's resilience and recovery from traumatic events.
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