The Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies in Internalizing Disorders of Children

Introduction: Emotion regulation is the central component of organization of adaptive behavior and avoid of negative emotions and maladaptive behaviors. This study investigated the role of cognitive emotion regulation strategies in internalizing disorders (Depression, Anxiety) of children.
Method: This study was a descriptive correlation study. 531 students including 254 boys and 261 girls were selected with using multistage cluster sampling from all students in third grade, fourth and fifth years of elementary public school in Mashhad, 89-90. The research tools included demographic information questionnaire, a Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-kids form, Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children and Children's Depression Scale were completed.
Results: The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient showed that self blame, rumination, Catastrophizing and other blame strategies have a significant positive relationship with depression and Anxiety. Since acceptance, Positive reappraisal, Refocus on planning and Positive Refocusing have significant negative relationship with depression and Anxiety. These results also indicated that Putting into perspective only have a significant negative relationship with anxiety. The results of multiple regression analysis (stepwise) showed that rumination, Catastrophizing, Refocus on planning, and self blame strategies had significant predictive power for Anxiety. Also, Catastrophizing, rumination, Positive Refocusing, acceptance, Refocus on planning and other blame had significant predictive power for depression.
Conclusion: The findings of this study can be inferred that One of the important factors in the incidence of psychological disorders in children is Cognitive strategies that use for regulate of their emotions experienced after the threatening event. Therefore, treatment programs should pay special attention to the cognitive strategies, especially non-adaptive strategies such as self-blame, rumination, acceptance Catastrophizing.