The connection between cognitive development and specific fears and worries in normal children and children with below-average intellectual abilities: a preliminary study

The present study explored the relationship between cognitive development a nd anxiety phenomena in 4-12-year-old children. Fears and worries of normal children (n=176) were compared to those of children with below-average int ellectual abilities (children with BAIA; n=105). We evaluated to what exten t level of cognitive development as indexed by a Piagetian conservation tas k was associated with the presence of fears and worries. While normal child ren and children with BAIA did not differ with regard to the content of the ir fears and worries, normal children more frequently reported such anxiety phenomena during the semi-structured Anxiety Interview than did children w ith BAIA. Furthermore, in normal children, evidence was found to suggest th at level of cognitive development contributes to the experience of fears an d worries. That is, anxiety phenomena were more prevalent among those child ren who passed a Piagetian conservation task. However, when anxiety phenome na were assessed by means of the Koala Fear Questionnaire (KFQ), a differen t picture emerged. KFQ data suggested that fears were less frequent in norm al children and those children with BAIA who had a higher level of cognitiv e functioning. Apparently, the Anxiety Interview and the KFQ tap quite diff erent aspects of anxiety. The KFQ seems to measure primitive fears that are likely to be prevalent among children with limited cognitive capacity, whe reas the Anxiety Interview assesses more sophisticated anxiety phenomena th at probably depend on high levels of cognitive functioning. (C) 2001 Elsevi er Science Ltd. All rights reserved.