How Vulnerable are Young Children to Stress?
Stress is experienced in many forms and varies by the individual, the child’s developmental level, and the child’s previous life experience. Adapting or managing stress appears to be highly dependent on a child’s developmental capabilities and coping-skill inventory. Researchers suggest that children under the age of 6 are developmentally less capable of (1) thinking about an event in its entirety; (2) selecting from a menu of possible behaviors in response to any new, interesting, or anxiety-inducing event; (3) comprehending an event separate from their own feelings; and (4) modifying their physical reactions in response to change in stimuli (Allen & Marotz, 2003). Stress can have positive as well as negative influences. The younger the child, the greater the impact of new events, and the more powerful and potentially negative stress becomes. Some stress is a normal part of a child’s everyday life and can have positive influences. However, excessive stress can have both immediate and
