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Dispositional and state sadness, interpersonal features, and internalizing/externalizing symptoms : A network analysis

Saija, Edoardo ; Cervin, Matti LU ; Baiocco, Roberto ; Barcaccia, Barbara ; Ioverno, Salvatore and Pallini, Susanna (2024) In Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 94.
Abstract

Sadness serves adaptive functions in restructuring one's objectives and strategies in loss situations. This study examined the relationship between the effects of sadness, social components, and psychopathological issues in children, distinguishing between state and dispositional sadness. A semi-structured written interview about a specific moment of sadness and questionnaires to measure interpersonal features (empathy, prosocial behavior, and attachment) and psychopathological symptoms (internalizing/externalizing symptoms) were administered to 476 children (age range: 7–10 years, M = 8.81, SD = 1.07; 52.3% female; 91% White) from various primary schools in central Italy, along with their teachers. Network Analysis and Multivariate... (More)

Sadness serves adaptive functions in restructuring one's objectives and strategies in loss situations. This study examined the relationship between the effects of sadness, social components, and psychopathological issues in children, distinguishing between state and dispositional sadness. A semi-structured written interview about a specific moment of sadness and questionnaires to measure interpersonal features (empathy, prosocial behavior, and attachment) and psychopathological symptoms (internalizing/externalizing symptoms) were administered to 476 children (age range: 7–10 years, M = 8.81, SD = 1.07; 52.3% female; 91% White) from various primary schools in central Italy, along with their teachers. Network Analysis and Multivariate Linear Regression Analysis showed that state sadness was positively associated with affective empathy, whereas dispositional sadness was positively associated with internalizing/externalizing symptoms. The findings offer insights to parents and educators on the importance of recognizing and accepting sadness as an adaptive response contingent on sad events.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Children, Dispositional sadness, Interpersonal features, Network analysis, Psychopathological symptoms, State sadness
in
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
volume
94
article number
101678
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85199693932
ISSN
0193-3973
DOI
10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101678
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
03e5c57c-eacf-4797-9cd4-dd7d6722ee73
date added to LUP
2024-09-03 13:39:35
date last changed
2024-09-03 13:39:59
@article{03e5c57c-eacf-4797-9cd4-dd7d6722ee73,
  abstract     = {{<p>Sadness serves adaptive functions in restructuring one's objectives and strategies in loss situations. This study examined the relationship between the effects of sadness, social components, and psychopathological issues in children, distinguishing between state and dispositional sadness. A semi-structured written interview about a specific moment of sadness and questionnaires to measure interpersonal features (empathy, prosocial behavior, and attachment) and psychopathological symptoms (internalizing/externalizing symptoms) were administered to 476 children (age range: 7–10 years, M = 8.81, SD = 1.07; 52.3% female; 91% White) from various primary schools in central Italy, along with their teachers. Network Analysis and Multivariate Linear Regression Analysis showed that state sadness was positively associated with affective empathy, whereas dispositional sadness was positively associated with internalizing/externalizing symptoms. The findings offer insights to parents and educators on the importance of recognizing and accepting sadness as an adaptive response contingent on sad events.</p>}},
  author       = {{Saija, Edoardo and Cervin, Matti and Baiocco, Roberto and Barcaccia, Barbara and Ioverno, Salvatore and Pallini, Susanna}},
  issn         = {{0193-3973}},
  keywords     = {{Children; Dispositional sadness; Interpersonal features; Network analysis; Psychopathological symptoms; State sadness}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology}},
  title        = {{Dispositional and state sadness, interpersonal features, and internalizing/externalizing symptoms : A network analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101678}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.appdev.2024.101678}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}