Fears of second graders : effects of teaching personal and social coping strategies

This study examined the effects of instruction in coping strategies on children's fear. The instruction included personal and social coping strategies to fear. The non-treatment group was considered a control group. A variable of interest was the intensity of fear responses on the Children's Fear Survey Schedule (Ryall & Dietiker, 1979).

Data were collected at a private school in Louisville, Kentucky. The sample consisted of fifty-six children, all second graders. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule was used to assess the intensity of the fear response and the content of the fear stimuli. This test was given orally as a pretest and posttest. Coping questions were included in order to obtain information helpful in instruction.

Analysis of variance of the Personal Coping Strategies, Social Coping Strategies and control groups indicated that children that were less fearful can become even less fearful after a two-week instruction program. No significant differences were shown in the very fearful children. The results indicate a need for future research in this area, especially when a longer treatment period can be implemented.