Abstract
Mind wandering is an everyday occurrence that involves attention shifting from external tasks to internal thoughts. Research with adults and adolescents has shown that mind wandering is associated with negative affect and lower psychological wellbeing, especially when the focus is on past events. Only recently have studies emerged that assess if mind wandering in children is also linked to lower mood. This study aims to contribute to this growing literature by examining the link between mood and the temporal orientation of mind wandering in children aged 8-12 years old. The study recruited 80 children for a developmentally appropriate listening activity interspersed with intermittent thought probes. Self-report and carer reports were collected to assess children's mood and questionnaires were used to capture data on self-reported worry. The findings showed that children mind wandered 23% of the time, with lower mood being significantly associated with increased mind wandering, particularly when thinking about the past. Future-oriented thought was not linked to worry or negative mood. These findings suggest a presence of a relationship between mood and mind wandering in children, emphasising the importance of early intervention to support psychological wellbeing before adolescence.Thesis is embargoed until 31st December 2026.
| Date of Award | Dec 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Agnieszka Graham (Supervisor) & Teresa McCormack (Supervisor) |
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