ANGER REGULATION IN CHILDRENS FRIENDSHIP - DEVELOPMENT OF A QUESTIONNAIRE

Taking coping research as the point of departure, a questionnaire on t he strategies of anger regulation preferred by schoolage-children (KAR ST) is presented. This self-report measure was tested with a sample of 141 youngsters of grade 3 to grade 6. Results suggest a factor soluti on which was stable over time and easy to interpret. Test-retest relia bilities of the four factors ranged between .68 and .78; Cronbach's al pha varied between .59 and .80. In light of the fact that children of this age are still developing their powers of self-observation and sel f-report, these results were considered satisfactory. Correlations wit h social desirability were generally low. In order to further test the validity of the self-reported strategies (KARST-Selbst), a parallel q uestionnaire was developed which asked the children's friends about th e strategies the children preferred when they were angry at them (KARS T-Fremd). The friend's report is limited to the observable strategies of anger regulation. Results indicate that children's self reports wer e supported by significant correlations with their friend's reports fo r four of the seven strategies at two points of measurement and for tw o further strategies at one point. Further analyses suggest that the c hoice of anger regulation strategies is specific to a particular frien dship. Outsiders seem to be unable to assess correctly which strategie s children prefer in a particular friendship, even when they also call themselves friends.