A study extended a previous study (Sparks and Spirek, 1988) by examining children's individual differences in coping with stressful mass media. The investigation proposed that scores on the Children's Coping Measure (CCM) are related to the intensity of negative affect children experience while watching a frightening program. Eighty-two fifth and sixth graders were the subjects. Results supported the two hypotheses. Children who were categorized as those who prefer voluminous information (monitors) before a stressful event experienced more intense negative affect when provided with low as compared to high levels of information about a suspenseful movie, "The Goonies." Conversely, children who were categorized as those who prefer minimal information (blunters) before a stressful event experienced more intense negative affect when provided with high as compared to low levels of information about the film. Findings suggest parents may need to discover the coping style preferences of their children before they expose them to frightening media. Findings also address theoretical issues in the current literature and hold pragmatic applications for fostering media literacy in children. (Five tables of data are included; 72 references are attached.) (Author/NH)