Temperament as a moderator of the association of cumulative risk with preadolescent appraisal and coping style

Children exposed to cumulative risk (CR) are more likely to have poor physical and psychological health across the lifespan. CR may contribute to children's adjustment, in part through its effects on appraisal and coping. Further, child temperament may alter the effects of CR on appraisal and coping.

This study investigated the interactive and prospective effects of CR and temperament on children's appraisal and coping strategies.

In this secondary data analysis using a community sample (N=306) of preadolescents (M age = 9.5 at T1), structural equations models were conducted to examine temperament negative emotionality (NE) and effortful control (EC) as moderators of the effect of CR on both levels and proportional use of positive and threat appraisals, and active and avoidant coping.

Children higher in NE used more threat appraisal and avoidant coping, whereas children higher in EC used less threat appraisal concurrently and decreased in their use of threat appraisal across 1 year. Both NE and EC altered the prospective effect of CR on appraisal and coping.

Findings suggest temperament alters the effect of CR on appraisal and coping, implicating EC as a resource and NE as a vulnerability in changes in appraisal and coping during preadolescence.