Cognitive errors and anxiety in school aged children

Abstract

Cognitive models of emotional disorders emphasize the role of biased information processing in the psychological functioning of anxious individuals. So far, the role of cognitive errors in problems of childhood anxiety disorders has received little empirical attention. This study analyzes the relations between cognitive errors and symptoms of anxiety in a sample of school aged children. The sample, comprised by 205 children (8 to 13 years old), answered the Children's Negative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ) and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders - Revised (SCARED-R). Results show a positive and statistically significant relationship between cognitive errors and symptoms of anxiety, suggesting the importance of modifying these cognitive processes for prevention and intervention targeting anxiety problems in school aged children.