The primary aim of this study was to describe how preschoolers (4-5 years old, N = 94) cope with stress based on parent ratings on the Children's Coping Scale Revised. A second aim was to investigate how coping in preschoolers may be associated with the anxiety level of the child and controllability of the stressor, as measured by parent ratings on the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale and children's coping in two different situations of varying controllability. Three distinct dimensions of coping were identified-positive coping, negative coping-emotional expression, and negative coping-emotional inhibition. As predicted, preschoolers rated higher on anxiety were more likely to engage in negative forms of coping while less anxious preschoolers were more likely to engage in a positive form of coping. This suggests an early pattern of maladaptive coping among more anxious children. Contrary to adult and adolescent models, preschoolers in general were more likely to use negative coping in a more controllable situation and to use positive coping in a less controllable situation. Possible explanations for these findings and suggestions for future research are proposed.

This study aims to explore the coping strategies of preschoolers, by asking 4-year-old children (N = 46) at an early learning centre in Melbourne to describe their coping strategies when dealing with seven age-appropriate challenging situations. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. The results indicated that preschoolers could articulate coping strategies that are theoretically clustered into productive and nonproductive coping styles. The capacity to identify a range of coping strategies related to specific situations has implications not only for theory development, but also for the design of effective prevention and intervention programs to help children more effectively deal with life challenges.

Objective:Coping skills contribute to positive parenting and children's healthy adaptation to everyday experiences. This study evaluated the utility of a new group-based universal social emotional parenting programme, Families Coping (previously named Parents Can Do Coping). This programme has the twin aims of teaching communication and coping skills to parents within a positive parenting framework. Method: The participant group comprised 14 parents of preschoolers in an early learning centre located in the inner-metropolitan Melbourne area. Parents were provided with effective communication skills, developed an understanding of their own coping and that of their children, and learnt how to actively engage their child in shared conversations about coping. To assess change, a mixed-methods design was employed, where parents completed pre-and-post-programme paper and pencil surveys and open-ended responses. Results: Results showed a number of statistically significant changes in parents' coping skills. Specifically, parents reported greater use of productive coping and a concurrent reduction in non-productive coping strategies. Despite there being no statistically significant change in child coping or parent and child well-being, written responses indicated that most parents perceived a trend towards the development of more positive parenting practices and use of productive coping by their child, as well as some aspect of improvement in both parent and child well-being. Conclusions: There is benefit in incorporating parent and child coping skills into a universal positive parenting programme for preschool-aged children. Findings are considered in view of methodological strengths and shortcomings, as well as the value of Families Coping as an addition to the pool of programmes currently available to parents.

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Parenting programmes are very much a part of the international landscape in Western communities. Coping skills provide a useful resource for parents and children in managing their everyday lives, both together and individually. Following a 5-year research programme with parents and children in an early years setting, Families Can Do Coping was developed as a comprehensive parenting skills programme that incorporates parents’ understanding of their own coping and that of their children. The programme was delivered with the twin aims of teaching communication and coping skills to parents. In 2012, five 2-hour sessions were delivered to 19 parents in an Early Learning Centre at the University of Melbourne. The five-session programme focused on providing parents with information regarding coping skills and the use of visual tools to assist parents to engage with their children in conversations about coping. Additionally, parents completed a pencil-and-paper coping skills evaluation for their child. The programme outcomes included perceptions of parents’ enhancement of their wellbeing, and development of proactive and productive coping skills in both parents and children. After a 3-month period three parents provided feedback on their progress and use of the new tools and strategies for maintaining helpful parenting.

Research on career development has focused primarily on adolescents and adults. However, in Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise (2002) it is proposed that career aspirations originate in the preschool years and that the earliest work aspirations of children are sex typed in relation to the activities of same sex adults. This article investigates young children's career development in the context of Gottfredson's stage theory. Eighty-four children attending a kindergarten/early learning centre for four- to five-year-old children exhibited sex typing of their aspirations, with the vast majority nominating real occupational roles as opposed to fantasy ones, as aspirations for adult life. The pattern of boys' and girls' aspirations differentially support Gottfredson's proposals. Questions are raised concerning the stability of patterns of aspirations in terms of sex type in a changing society.

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