OBJECTIVE: To examine children's knowledge, understanding and experience of stress from 4 to 11 years of age across four age groups (4-5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11 years old). METHODS: A semi-structured interview format was used to elicit information from 50 children about their understanding and experience of stress. RESULTS: Most children were able to define stress, with older children providing more complex responses. Many children had indirect and/or personal experience of stress. Younger children were more likely than older children to report that there was nothing people could do to stop stress; children reported using both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to deal with stress. CONCLUSION: Some young children have a basic understanding of stress and many have experience of stress; both understanding and experience develop with age. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The research has potential implications for provider-patient communication, particularly within preventative health education and clinically within the field of childhood post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE: To examine children's knowledge, understanding and experience of stress from 4 to 11 years of age across four age groups (4-5, 6-7, 8-9, and 10-11 years old). METHODS: A semi-structured interview format was used to elicit information from 50 children about their understanding and experience of stress. RESULTS: Most children were able to define stress, with older children providing more complex responses. Many children had indirect and/or personal experience of stress. Younger children were more likely than older children to report that there was nothing people could do to stop stress; children reported using both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to deal with stress. CONCLUSION: Some young children have a basic understanding of stress and many have experience of stress; both understanding and experience develop with age. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The research has potential implications for provider-patient communication, particularly within preventative health education and clinically within the field of childhood post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.