아동의 스트레스 대처행동과 사회적 적응 및 행동문제

Effects of Stress Coping Behaviors on Social Adjustments and Problem Behaviors in Childhood

This study was designed to investigate the relation between stress coping behavior and social adjustments in late childhood. Total 657 teenagers (238 ten-year-olds, 230 twelve-year-olds, and 189 fourteen-year-olds) and their parents living in Inchon area participated in the study. Each child was evaluated whether they cope either (a) defensively or (b) actively in several stressful domains by completing the Stress Coping Hating Scales (Korean). Their social adjustments were measured in areas like peer relationship, family relationship, and conformity with Social Adjustment Scales (Korean). The final examination scores were used to rate children’s Academic Achievements. Finally Korean version of Achenbach’s Child Behavior Check List were completed by parents. As results, girls were found to use more defensive strategies to cope stress, showed more conformity and withdrawn behaviors and achieved higher scores academically than boys. Generally younger children tended to adjust better socially than older children. As children grew older they used more and more defensive strategies to cope with everyday stress. Also older children showed more withdrawn behavior and aggressive behavior than younger children. As anticipated children who used more defensive coping strategies were reported to have more behavior problems, showed poorer social adjustments and academic achievements. Children who used more active coping strategies, on the other hands, were reported to haute less behavior problems, adjusted better socially and had better academia achievements. Finally children who adjusted better socially and had high academic achievements were reported to have less behavior problems.