Date of Graduation

Spring 2021

Degree

Master of Science in Early Childhood and Family Development

Department

Early Childhood and Family Development

Committee Chair

Joanna Cemore Brigden

Abstract

This study explores correlations between uncertainty monitoring and resiliency in middle childhood, an age not previously studied. Eighty-three 9- to 11-year-olds (M = 9.98; SD = .693) completed a researcher-created perceptual discrimination task, followed by a confidence judgment decision to determine uncertainty monitoring. Resiliency was determined via The Resiliency Scale for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) including a sense of mastery and its subsets (self-efficacy and optimism) as parts of resiliency. Significant positive correlations were found between uncertainty monitoring and sense of mastery (r = .23, p = .037) and its subsets (self-efficacy: r = .22, p = .04 and optimism: r = .25, p = .025). These results show that awareness of one’s uncertainty (uncertainty monitoring) influences their approach and adaptation to challenges in their environment (resiliency). Individuals with a heightened level of uncertainty awareness may show confidence in their ability to make behavioral changes that support their life goals and exhibit a more positive outlook on life.

Keywords

uncertainty monitoring, resilience, self-regulation, self-awareness, metacognition, self-efficacy, optimism, middle childhood, RSCA, perceptual discrimination

Subject Categories

Development Studies

Copyright

© Stephanie Greenquist-Marlett

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Open Access

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