STEP 1

Why Do Children Worry?

What is Worry?

As noted in the previous chapter, children can worry about many things. Although the kids on Bonneville Street each had different worries, varying in intensity and evoking different reactions, they all had one thing in common — they experienced a sense of uneasiness or discomfort about something that could happen in the future. They worried because they were uncertain about what would happen, or they worried because they made a prediction about what was going to happen that had an adverse or less than favorable outcome. For example, Lisa worried about the family trip (uncertainty), Marty worried about the next time he went to the dentist (the visit might be deadly), and Kathy worried about failing tests (bad outcome).

Why is worry important?

Worry can be considered a normal response to many situations. If children didn't worry (even slightly) about doing well — say, on a math test — then it is likely that they would not learn or perform as effectively. Mild worry can be a motivator to take action such as preparing for a speech, studying for a test, or training for a sports competition. A certain degree of worry also serves as protection and self-preservation. Children's worries about their own safety and the safety of their loved ones are common and can hopefully assist them in making choices that will keep them out of harm's way.

What is Fear?

Worry associated with harm as the result of a specific animate (e.g., animal) or inanimate (e.g., airplane) object, leads to fear. Fear is often accompanied by physical symptoms, including changes in heartbeat, blood pressure, and hormones. In the extreme situation, this is referred to as a phobia. A phobia results in a specific, isolated, and persistent fear of a particular object, animal, or person. Fears become phobias when efforts to avoid the perceived fear significantly interfere with daily life.

Temporary fears are common in children — many being age- or time-specific. Some begin with a startle reaction to a certain event during infancy or toddler years, and, in some cases, progress to simple phobias. Many years ago, a psychology researcher, John Watson, attempted to develop a phobia in little Albert, a young child. He exposed the child to a white rat and simultaneously banged a pot with a metal spoon behind the child's head. The child was startled and cried. After only seven of these exposures, whenever the child saw the rat, he began to cry. Fortunatel