Purpose: To investigate the relationship among protective resources of social connectedness, coping skills, and the perception of stress in 613 Hispanic and White school-aged children.
Methods: A secondary analysis of data, part of a longitudinal cohort-sequential study designed to investigate health-risk behaviors in school-age children. Data were collected by computer-assisted self-interviewing from a non-probability sample of 8-12-year-olds in three independent school districts.
Findings: Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that social connectedness and the frequency of coping strategies used accounted for 18.8% of the variation in stress. "Feeling sick" was the primary stressor of the participants, while the two most frequently endorsed coping strategies were "watch TV or listen to music" and "draw, write, or read something."
Conclusion: The findings are significant because nurses working with children are in a strategic position to assess risk factors and protective resources related to stress and intervene in a timely manner to assist children and families develop resiliency.