Strategi Regulasi Emosi Kognitif pada Pra-Remaja Usia 9-12 Tahun

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that cognitive emotion regulation strategies have a major role in determining how much negative life events impact on mental health for individuals, especially in pre-adolescents. By understanding the cognitive emotion regulation strategies used by pre-adolescents, it can facilitate the preventive and curative process of mental health problems in children and adolescents, given the increasing mental health problems. This study aimed to describe the cognitive emotion regulation strategies used by pre-adolescents aged 9-12 years. This descriptive qualitative study uses content analysis method as data analysis equipped with quantitative explanation in the form of percentages. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire in the form of open-ended questions and interviews that were constructed by questions related to negative life events, negative feelings and emotions, and cognitive emotion regulation strategies used by participants. A sample of 68 normal participants aged 9-12 years were selected. The results showed that pre-adolescents used cognitive emotion regulation strategies which could be grouped into seven strategies, namely thinking about negative feelings, self-blame, others-blame, giving up/accepting, thinking about fun things, not thinking about the situations, and finding solutions. There are also further explanations regarding adaptive and less adaptive cognitive emotion strategies, the source of the stressor and the feelings that are considered the most unpleasant for the participants.