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Emotional reasoning and parent-based reasoning in normal children.
Mattijn Morren1, Peter Muris, Merel Kindt
1Department of Medical, Clinical and Experimental Psychology, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. M.Morren@dep.unimaas.nl
Child Psychiatry and Human Development
|January 1, 2005
Summary
Children’s perceptions of danger are influenced by their own anxiety and their parents’ anxiety responses. This emotional and parent-based reasoning is evident in children aged 7-13, particularly in safety-related scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Anxiety Research
Background:
- Children's risk perception is influenced by objective information and subjective emotional responses.
- Previous research indicated children use emotional reasoning regardless of anxiety levels.
- The role of parental anxiety in children's reasoning remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine emotional reasoning in children aged 7-13 years.
- To investigate parent-based reasoning in children's danger estimation.
- To explore the association between anxiety, depression, and reasoning styles.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 508 children aged 7-13 years.
- Utilized self-report questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, emotional reasoning, and parent-based reasoning.
- Assessed children's danger ratings based on objective and anxiety-response information.
Main Results:
- Children demonstrated both emotional and parent-based reasoning effects.
- Danger ratings were influenced by objective information and anxiety-response cues.
- High anxiety and depression correlated with reliance on anxiety-response information in safety contexts.
Conclusions:
- Children integrate their own and parental anxiety responses into their assessment of danger.
- Emotional and parent-based reasoning are significant factors in children's risk perception.
- Anxiety and depression levels moderate the reliance on anxiety-response information, especially in safe situations.