A REVIEW ON LEARNED HELPLESSNESS IN CHILDREN

Objective:

According to learned helplessness theory; a set of cognitive, motivational, and emotional deficits and nonpersistence of goal directed behavior occur because of learning that there is noncontingency between behavior and outcomes. In this paper, it is aimed to review learned helplessness theory and associated motivational orientations and causal attributions within the developmental framework. In addition, environmental factors which may play a role in the development of learned helplessness are discussed in the light of the literature. In the last two sections, psychiatric and other medical disorders that are associated with learned helplessness are reviewed.

Method:

Researches and reviews were screened and developmental characteristics were summarized.

Results:

There are ambiguities about how early children may develop learned helplessness or how this process occurs. The view that behavioral pattern of learned helplessness does not occur until late childhood was dominated during the past several decades. In later studies, it was shown that helplessness behaviors may occur in younger children following repeated failure experiences. This helplessness experience, with its emotional, behavioral and cognitive reflections causes vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, especially to depression, and may have a negative impact on coping skills of children and families with chronic diseases.

Discussion:

Detecting helplessness behavior patterns which may have negative consequences at early ages and planning intervention strategies based on these patterns seem important in terms of successful treatment outcome.