Interpretation and Expectation in Childhood Anxiety Disorders: Age Effects and Social Specificity

120 children (ages 7-12 years old) with and without anxiety disorders participated in a multi-method study aimed at evaluating group differences related to negative thinking styles across the developmental period. Results revealed relatively few differences in thinking styles between anxious and non-anxious children in middle childhood. However, older anxious children perceived less ability to cope with potentially challenging situations than non-anxious children.