TABLE 2.
Total sample means and mean differences in broad dimensions of coping and specific coping strategies between children of different age groups.
| CONFIA-20 Coping Scale items (Subscale) | Total sample M (SD) | Age group 1 (3–6 -year-olds) M (SD) | Age group 2 (7–9 -year-olds) M (SD) | Age group 3 (10–12- year-olds) M (SD) | Group differences F (df) | p | Post hoc comparisons |
| 1. Seems to try to forget what is happening (DIS) | 1.13 (0.96) | 1.14 (0.99) | 1.13 (1.00) | 1.12 (0.85) | F (2,1116) 0.40 | 0.963 | – |
| 2. Tries to hold a positive view of the situation (ENG) | 1.83 (0.91) | 1.87 (0.93) | 1.82 (0.88) | 1.77 (0.91) | F (2,1117) = 1.04 | 0.353 | – |
| 3. Prefers to spend time alone (DIS) | 0.62 (0.64) | 0.51 (0.62) | 0.61 (0.61) | 0.84 (0.68) | F (2,1118) = 22.32 | 0.000 | Sig: 1-2; 2-3 |
| 4. Blames someone for causing the current crisis (DIS) | 0.25 (0.60) | 0.24 (0.57) | 0.24 (0.60) | 0.30 (0.64) | F (2,1116) = 0.99 | 0.371 | – |
| 5. Spontaneously proposes possible solutions to current crisis (ENG) | 0.80 (0.72) | 0.79 (0.69) | 0.87 (0.74) | 0.73 (0.72) | F (2,1116) = 2.80 | 0.061 | – |
| 6. Yells or gets angry (DIS) | 1.03 (0.73) | 1.18 (0.73) | 0.94 (0.69) | 0.90 (0.70) | F (2,1118) = 17.87 | 0.000 | Sig: 1-2; 1-3 |
| 7. Wishes the COVID-19 crisis had never happened (DIS) | 1.71 (1.08) | 1.59 (1.11) | 1.80 (0.1.01) | 1.83 (1.07) | F (2,1112) = 5.97 | 0.003 | Sig: 1-2; 1-3 |
| 8. Spends time with other people (e.g., family members) (ENG) | 1.95 (0.95) | 1.97 (1.01) | 1.99 (0.88) | 1.84 (0.93) | F (2,1111) = 2.07 | 0.127 | – |
| 9. Does things (e.g., play or watch TV) to evade him/herself (DIS) | 1.90 (0.95) | 1.88 (0.99) | 1.88 (0.92) | 1.93 (0.89) | F (2,1112) = 0.27 | 0.759 | – |
| 10. Avoids talking about the COVID-19 pandemic (DIS) | 0.77 (0.95) | 0.75 (0.95) | 0.74 (0.95) | 0.86 (0.96) | F (2,1112) = 1.22 | 0.294 | – |
| 11. Tries to do specific actions to solve the current crisis (ENG) | 0.99 (0.79) | 0.89 (0.77) | 1.07 (0.79) | 1.03 (0.80) | F (2,1110) = 5.87 | 0.003 | Sig: 1-2 |
| 12. Tries to calm him/herself (ENG) | 1.00 (0.89) | 0.91 (0.86) | 1.04 (0.88) | 1.13 (0.91) | F (2,1106) = 5.15 | 0.006 | Sig: 1-3 |
| 13. Wishes something could be done to change the situation (DIS) | 1.18 (0.94) | 1.09 (0.95) | 1.25 (0.91) | 1.22 (0.94) | F (2,1108) = 3.48 | 0.031 | Sig: 1-2 |
| 14. Remains without doing nothing (the situation can’t be solved) (DIS) | 0.57 (0.87) | 0.55 (0.88) | 0.56 (0.84) | 0.61 (0.88) | F (2,1102) = 0.42 | 0.657 | – |
| 15. Shares with us how she/he feels regarding the crisis (ENG) | 1.16 (0.79) | 1.09 (0.78) | 1.21 (0.79) | 1.22 (0.77) | F (2,1086) = 3.54 | 0.029 | Sig: 1-3 |
| 16. Tries to understand how things like this happens (ENG) | 1.36 (0.89) | 1.28 (0.88) | 1.42 (0.89) | 1.44 (0.89) | F (2,1115) = 4.00 | 0.019 | Sig: 1-2 |
| 17. Makes jokes or tries to laugh about the current situation (ENG) | 0.75 (0.80) | 0.66 (0.76) | 0.79 (0.83) | 0.85 (0.80) | F (2,1115) = 5.50 | 0.004 | Sig: 1-3 |
| 18. Seeks help in others to understand what is happening (ENG) | 1.27 (0.83) | 1.28 (0.84) | 1.29 (0.83) | 1.22 (0.81) | F (2,1116) = 0.56 | 0.570 | – |
| 19. Reminds him/herself that his/her situation is not that bad (ENG) | 1.41 0.98) | 1.27 (1.02) | 1.51 (0.95) | 1.53 (0.91) | F (2,1103) = 8.87 | 0.000 | Sig: 1-2; 1-3 |
| 20. Avoids thinking about the current crisis (DIS) | 1.11 (0.89) | 1.06 (93.) | 1.14 (0.89) | 1.13 (0.83) | F (2,1103) = 0.90 | 0.408 | – |
| 21. Seeks help to try to improve the situation (ENG) | 0.96 (0.79) | 0.09 (0.81) | 1.07 (0.81) | 0.92 (0.72) | F (2,1105) = 5.30 | 0.005 | Sig: 1-2 |
| 22. Fantasizes with a prompt resolution for the current crisis (DIS) | 1.50 (0.92) | 1.55 (0.91) | 1.47 (0.95) | 1.43 (0.89) | F (2,1112) = 1.60 | 0.203 | – |
| Engagement (ENG) coping strategies | 1.23 (0.46) | 1.17 (0.45) | 1.28 (0.46) | 1.24 (0.47) | F (2,1118) = 5.60 | 0.004 | Sig: 1-2 |
| Disengagement (DIS) coping strategies | 1.07 (0.43) | 1.05 (0.43) | 1.07 (0.42) | 1.10 (0.43) | F (2,1118) = 1.49 | 0.226 |
ENG, Engagement coping subscale; DIS, Disengagement coping subscale.Age group 1 (3–6-year-olds), N = 481; Age group 2 (7–9- year-olds), N = 393; Age group 2 (10–12- year-olds), N = 248.Post-hoc comparisons (Bonferroni’s): only the groups between which the differences are significant are indicated.