A longitudinal study of changes in children's thought content in response to frustration on the Children's Picture-Frustration Study

Abstract

A longitudinal design examined changes in the 11 response types on the Children's Form of the Picture-Frustration (P-F) Study. Eighty-six children were retested on the instrument after a 5-year interim. Children showed changes reflecting an increase in verbal aggression and an increase in making amends for wrongdoing. They showed decreases in unfocused emotional outbursts and apologies. The findings add to the literature on children's emotional development of aggression and guilt and on the validity of the instrument.