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Life Stressors and Cognitive Styles in Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Sebastiano Santostefano ,
Mª Angeles Quiroga Estévez  and
Susan Rooney Santostefano
Sebastiano Santostefano
Affiliation:
The Institute for Child and Adolescent Development, Inc.
Mª Angeles Quiroga Estévez
Affiliation:
Complutense University of Madrid
Susan Rooney Santostefano*
Affiliation:
The Institute for Child and Adolescent Development, Inc.
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Sebastiano SantostefanoInstitute for Child and Adolescent Development, Inc. 169 Grove Street. Wellesley, MA 02482 (USA). Fax: +781 2376815. E-mail: icadss@worldnet.att.net
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Abstract

To explore the way that children's cognitive functioning relates to stressors they report experiencing in every day life, this study used the approach of cognitive control theory, which defines cognition as a set of mobile functions that, in serving adaptation, shift in their organization. Children (N = 93), ranging in age from 56 to 115 months, were administered individually the Life Stressor Interview and several cognitive control tasks. Children who reported being exposed to arguments and threatening gestures among adults made more errors when focusing attention while distracted by stimuli concerning nurture. Children who reported being upset by shootings and fights had more difficulty remembering test information depicting two persons in a shoot-out. The results are discussed in terms of the potential value of an approach that integrates cognitive activity with personality.

En este estudio se ha utilizado el enfoque de la teoría de los controles cognitivos para explorar cómo se relaciona el funcionamiento cognitivo de los niños con los factores estresantes de los que informan. Este enfoque define la cognición como un conjunto de funciones móviles que cambian en su organización, al servicio de la adaptación. Se evaluó individualmente a 93 niños y niñas de edades comprendidas entre 56 y 115 meses, utilizando el Life Stressor Interview y diversas tareas de control cognitivo. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que los niños que informan de haberse sentido afectados por discusiones y gestos amenazantes entre adultos, cometen más errores mientras centran la atención ante estímulos relacionados con el nutrimento. Los niños que informan de haberse sentido afectados por disparos y peleas, tuvieron más dificultad en recordar la información del estímulo que muestra dos personas en un tiroteo. Los resultados obtenidos se discuten en relación al valor que posee un enfoque que integra la actividad cognitiva y la personalidad.

Keywords

life stressorscognitive styleschildrencognition-personality relationshipfactores estresantes vitalesestilos cognitivosniñosrelación cognición-personalidad
Type
Articles
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , May 2001 , pp. 37 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2001

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