Stress-coping strategies identified from school age children's perspective.

School age children, 8 to 12 years old (N = 103), reported on the strategies they use to help them deal with stressors. Individual questionnaires contained 518 coping strategies that were sorted into 13 categories inductively derived from the content of the behaviors. Girls named significantly more social support and emotional behaviors than boys, while boys named significantly more physical exercise activities than girls. Examination of the data by age revealed significant differences in the frequency with which all categories of strategies were used except for aggressive motor and spiritual activities. The data also revealed particular strategies that were used in different stages of the coping process, and strategies that the children perceived to be helpful versus not helpful to them.