Environmental Correlates of Negative Emotions in Children

Studies of the place uses and place preferences of young people have often disregarded the effects of negative and positive emotions. Conversely, studies of emotional disorders in young people have used a narrow definition of environment in describing the etiology and sequelae of depressive and anxious symptoms. This study explored the relations between emotions and environment in a group of 322 boys, aged 8 to 16, who attended a residential summer camp for 2 or 4 weeks. Self-reported negative emotions were associated with low overall environmental satisfaction. In addition, boys with higher levels of negative emotions were more likely to choose favorite places where they could be alone, whereas happier children chose places where they could socialize. Contrary to expectations, there was some evidence that negative emotions increased environmental exploration. Children’s negative emotions may be both a cause and a consequence of unsatisfactory interactions with novel environments and may result in compensatory behavioral withdrawal or perseverative exploration.