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Updated: Oct 4, 2025
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Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
11.6K
Children experiencing sadness: Coping strategies and attachment relationships
Edoardo Saija1, Salvatore Ioverno2, Roberto Baiocco3
1Department of Education, Roma Tre University, Via di Castro Pretorio n. 20, Rome, Italy.
Current Psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.)
|February 2, 2022
Summary
Securely attached children use more successful coping strategies for sadness than insecurely attached children. Attachment security influences children's ability to manage sad events and emotions.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Attachment Theory
Background:
- Understanding children's sadness and coping mechanisms is crucial for their emotional development.
- Attachment security plays a significant role in how children navigate negative emotions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore sources of sadness in children and their coping strategies.
- To examine the relationship between attachment security and children's sadness management.
Main Methods:
- 191 middle-class children (aged 7-11) discussed sad events using the Sadness Interview.
- Responses were coded for sad event types and coping strategies.
- Attachment security was assessed using the Security Scale, followed by cluster and ANCOVA analyses.
Main Results:
- Four clusters emerged: successful constructive coping (minor/painful events), successful disengagement, and unresolved sadness.
- Children with higher attachment security were more likely to use successful constructive coping strategies.
- Attachment security significantly predicted successful coping, particularly for minor and painful events.
Conclusions:
- Attachment security is a key factor in children's ability to cope with sadness.
- Findings inform clinicians and educators on supporting children's emotional regulation.
- Interventions should consider attachment relationships when addressing childhood sadness.
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