Children’s coping with family stressors: Criterion profile analysis of patterns, levels, and mental health problems.

This study examined the association between children's coping strategies and mental health problems, focusing on both the pattern (relative use of distinct strategies) and level (overall frequency of use). In a sample of 240 children (ages 9-12 at baseline; 88% White; 49% girls) whose parents were recently divorced, we used a structural equation modeling-based approach to criterion profile analysis to determine whether coping patterns and levels independently predicted mental health problems at five time points and whether the relations differed across developmental stage (middle childhood and adolescence). Results showed that the pattern of coping predicted mental health problems more strongly than the overall coping level. Findings highlight the importance of understanding coping within the broader context of family transitions and relationships, offering implications for advancing theory, research, and interventions aimed at promoting resilience among children experiencing family stressors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).