AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN THE ORGANIZATION OF CHILDRENS KNOWLEDGE OF ILLNESS

This article compares the structures of illness schemata of healthy children demonstrating varying degrees of knowledge about illness. Three age groups participated (6-7-year-olds, 9-10-year-olds, and 13-14-year-olds). The younger children were more likely to use non-illness-related concepts when sorting illness-related stimuli. Performance on recognition of illness and cause of illness tasks further suggested that younger children used concepts related to human behavior, rather than to illness, in completing these tasks. They believed changes in behavior, rather than symptoms, signaled illness and that most illnesses were contagious. With increased knowledge, however, illness-related concepts gained primacy. Older children believed symptoms signaled disease and had a broader understanding about the many factors that might cause illness.