Dottorato in PSICOLOGIA SOCIALE, DELLO SVILUPPO E DELLA
RICERCA EDUCATIVA

Titolo della tesi: The Experience of Sadness in Middle-Childhood: Coping Strategies, Attachment, Temperamental Traits, and Interpersonal Features

This dissertation explores the experience and regulation of sadness in middle childhood, emphasizing its adaptive and functional aspects. Comprising four studies, the research investigates state and dispositional sadness in relation to interpersonal and intrapersonal variables, particularly attachment, temperamental traits, coping strategies, and socio-emotional behaviors. The first study differentiates state from dispositional sadness, examining how these forms of sadness influence emotional regulation and internalizing/externalizing symptoms. Results indicate that while state sadness correlates with affective empathy, dispositional sadness is more associated with psychopathological outcomes, underscoring the need to distinguish these aspects of sadness in interventions. The second study investigates coping strategies employed by children in response to sadness-inducing events, highlighting the role of secure attachment in fostering adaptive coping and emotional resilience. Findings show that securely attached children are more likely to employ constructive coping strategies, which buffer against negative outcomes. The third study examines how sadness functions as a social emotion, triggering prosocial behaviors such as comforting and sharing among peers. This study identifies empathy as a key predictor of prosocial responses to sadness, suggesting that emotional resonance with peers’ sadness fosters greater social connectedness. The fourth study explores teachers' responses to students' sadness, revealing that teachers predominantly employ problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies that support emotional regulation. However, findings also underscore challenges teachers face in addressing emotional needs within large classrooms, suggesting an opportunity for enhanced emotional socialization support in educational settings. Collectively, the dissertation highlights the multifaceted role of sadness in children’s development, supporting for educational and psychological interventions that foster empathy, prosocial behavior, and emotional competence. Insights from this research suggest that a balanced approach to sadness can enhance children’s resilience and emotional well-being, with implications for educators, parents, and mental health professionals.