Psychological restoration, coping strategies and children’s cognitive performance in the RANCH study

摘要

The RANCH study found a linear exposure effect association between chronic aircraft noiseexposure at primary school and the impairment of children’s reading comprehension, in theNetherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. This paper presents multilevel modellinganalyses, exploring psychological mechanisms, which may moderate the effect of aircraft noiseon children’s cognition. Psychological restoration – the process whereby places which affordtranquility and relaxation are utilized to reduce stress and promote well being – has beenshown to reduce the adverse effect of noise on children’s annoyance responses. This paperexamines whether having places for psychological restoration at home, moderates the adverseeffects of chronic aircraft noise exposure at school on children’s cognition. In addition, theeffectiveness of coping strategies in relation to noise exposure at school are examined – arespecific coping strategies associated with less impairment of cognition? Multi-level modelsexamining the role of psychological restoration and coping strategies, as part of a broadermodel of environmental risk and protective factors for children’s cognition are presented. Theimplication of the findings for interventions for children attending noise exposed schools arediscussed.