Finding the light at the end of the tunnel: age differences in the relation between internal states terms and coping...

Previous research has examined how adults respond to negative self-evaluations, but has not explored developmental differences in this process. This cross-sectional study investigated linkages between the inclusion of internal states language in narrative accounts of problems in important self-categories and reports of coping responses and troubling thoughts. There were a total of 160 participants at three age levels: late childhood (9-12 years old), early adolescence (12-15 years old) and emerging adulthood (18-28 years old). Age-related changes were found in the density of internal states language and its relation to coping strategies. Among the children, greater usage of positive emotion terms predicted less adaptive use of coping strategies. In contrast, among the adolescents, greater density of positive emotion terms and anxiety terms was associated with more assistance seeking, and greater use of anger terms was related to lower levels of intrusive and avoidant thoughts. Finally, among the emerging adults, a greater density of insight terms was associated with higher levels of intrusive thoughts. The findings are interpreted as indicating unique responses to self-threat at different points in the development of the self-concept. Further, they have implications for understanding inconsistent past findings regarding the relation between internal states language usage and well-being.