Factors discriminating among profiles of resilience and psychopathology in children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV)

ObjectiveTo evaluate the social and emotional adjustment of 219 children in families with varying levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) using a model of risk and protection. To explore factors that differentiate children with poor adjustment from those with resilience.MethodologyMothers who experienced IPV in the past year and their children ages 6–12 were interviewed. Standardized measures assessed family violence, parenting, family functioning, maternal mental health, and children's adjustment and beliefs.ResultsUsing cluster analysis, all cases with valid data on the Child Behavior Checklist, Child Depression Inventory, General Self-Worth and Social Self-Competence measures were described by four profiles of children's adjustment: Severe Adjustment Problems (24%); children who were Struggling (45%); those with Depression Only (11%); and Resilient (20%) with high competence and low adjustment problems. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed children in the Severe Problems cluster witnessed more family violence and had mothers higher in depression and trauma symptoms than other children. Resilient and Struggling children had mothers with better parenting, more family strengths and no past violent partner. Parents of children with Severe Problems were lacking these attributes. The Depressed profile children witnessed less violence but had greater fears and worries about mother's safety.ConclusionFactors related to the child, to the mother and to the family distinguish different profiles of adjustment for children exposed to IPV who are living in the community. Resilient children have less violence exposure, fewer fears and worries, and mothers with better mental health and parenting skills, suggesting avenues for intervention with this population.Practice implicationsFindings suggest that child adjustment is largely influenced by parent functioning. Thus, services should be targeted at both the child and the parent. Clinical interventions shaped to the unique needs of the child might also be tested with this population.     

Multiple Predictors of Asian American Children's School Achievement

Research Findings: A structural equation model (SEM) and multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) model were used to test family factors, parent psychological well-being, parent–child home activity, and parent school involvement in relation to children's school achievement. Data for this study were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten (ECLS-K), conducted by the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The sample for this study was 1,100 Asian American kindergartners and their parents. Practice or Policy: The results of this study are as follows: (a) Family factors, especially parental education levels and family income, were significantly associated with Asian American students' school achievement; (b) parent–child home activity was significantly related to students' school achievement but in a negative direction; (c) parental school involvement was not found to be significant in predicting students' school achievement; (d) parental psychological well-being was significantly associated with both parent–child home activity and students' school achievement; (e) family income was significantly associated with parental psychological well-being, parental school involvement, and children's school achievement; and (f) family structure was not significantly associated with school achievement.     

An empirical taxonomy of youths' fears: Cluster analysis of the American fear survey schedule

Fears profiles among children and adolescents were explored using the Fear Survey Schedule for Children‐American version (FSSC‐AM; J.J. Burnham, 1995, 2005). Eight cluster profiles were identified via multistage Euclidean grouping and supported by homogeneity coefficients and replication. Four clusters reflected overall level of fears (i.e., very low, below average, moderate, and multiple), and four others exhibited specific peaks associated with school‐related fears, medical fears, and scary things. Demographic characteristics associated with cluster profile membership revealed variability primarily based on gender and age, with some differences associated with community type. Comparisons with prior results on earlier fear surveys and implications for school refusal behavior provide a useful context for discussion. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 673–683, 2006.     

National Profiles of classroom quality and family involvement: A multilevel examination of proximal influences on Head Start children's school readiness

Guided by a developmental and ecological model, the study employed latent profile analysis to identify a multilevel typology of family involvement and Head Start classroom quality. Using the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES 1997; N = 1870), six multilevel latent profiles were estimated, characterized by distinct patterns of parent school involvement, parent home involvement, and classroom quality. The most prevalent profile (47.5% of children within the national sample) reflected low levels of parent home and school involvement practices, but above average classroom quality. Significant differences were found among the six profiles on (a) child, family, classroom, and program demographic characteristics, and (b) children's literacy, language, mathematics, and social skills at the end of children's first Head Start year. The strongest positive associations between profile membership and child outcomes were seen for children in profiles characterized by high levels of parent involvement and above-average levels of Head Start classroom quality, although there were several nuanced distinctions that emerged. Children within the profile characterized by low parent involvement and low classroom quality exhibited lower academic and social outcomes relative to children in higher quality profiles. Implications for early childhood practice, policy, and research are discussed.     

Goal setting,responsibility training,and fixed ratio reinforcement: Ten-month application to students with emotional disturbance in a public school setting

Reviews of treatment strategies for students with emotional disturbance (ED) have noted that most studies (a) do not involve entire classes or groups of classes, (b) are not conducted in public schools, and (c) do not report data for an entire 10-month school year (September to June). This study applied goal setting (GS), responsibility training (RT), and fixed ratio reinforcement (FRR) to three classes of students with ED in a public elementary school from September to June. GS included daily, weekly, and monthly goals for behavior and work earnings (points). RT included a level system with different reinforcers and privileges for each level, and nonisolated time out with problem solving. FRR included reward contingencies for behavior and work earnings. Data for 10 months indicated that (a) goals were consistently earned at high levels, (b) the percentage of students attaining higher RT levels progressively increased, and (c) time-out levels progressively decreased, with year-end spikes below prior peak levels. Findings supported the use of GS, RT, and FRR for students with ED in public school to encourage appropriate behavior and work effort over 10 months. Method limitations and research implications are discussed.     

Construct validity of the adjustment scales for children and adolescents and the preschool and kindergarten behavior scales: Convergent and divergent evidence

Construct validity (convergent and divergent) of the Adjustment Scales for Children and Adolescents (ASCA; McDermott, Marston, & Stott, 1993) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS; Merrell, 1994a) is presented. Regular classroom teachers (n = 38) randomly selected 5‐ and 6‐year‐old children (N = 123) and rated them on the ASCA and PKBS in counterbalanced order. Convergent evidence of construct validity was observed for the PKBS Externalizing Problems scale and the ASCA Overactivity syndrome. Divergent evidence of construct validity was provided for the PKBS Externalizing Problems scale and ASCA Underactivity syndrome. Convergent and divergent evidence of construct validity for the PKBS Internalizing Problems scale and ASCA Overactivity and Underactivity syndromes was mixed. Results were identical to those of Canivez and Bordenkircher (2002). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 39: 621–633, 2002.     

Parenting as a Protective Process for School Success in Children from Homeless Families

The role of parenting as a protective process for school success was investigated among 59 African American children 6 to 11 years old from homeless families residing in a Minneapolis shelter. Reliable scores for three dimensions of parenting—parent-child closeness, parent involvement in education, and firm discipline—were derived from ratings based on interviews with parents while they were living at the shelter. After families had left the shelter, children's school success was assessed via three types of indicators: a) performance on a standardized achievement test; b) ratings of school records for the current school semester as well as cumulative school records; and c) teacher assessments of appropriate school behavior. Results suggested that good parenting may be protective for school success in these children. Close parent–child relationships and high parent involvement in the child's education were associated with school success in terms of school records of achievement and behavior in school. Parent's intellectual functioning, education level, psychological distress and firm disciplinary practices were unrelated to child academic success. Future research directions and implications for intervention are discussed.     

Preschool‐Age Problem Behavior and Teacher–Child Conflict in School: Direct and Moderation Effects by Preschool Organization

The hypothesis was tested that the new open‐group Norwegian day‐care centers would more than traditionally organized centers negatively affect (a) current and (b) future teacher–child relationships, and (c) the developmental legacy of preschool problem behavior. The focus was on eight hundred and fifty 4‐year‐olds from 153 centers who were followed up in first grade. Results of this natural quasi‐experiment revealed that children from open‐group centers (a) experienced less teacher–child closeness in preschool and (b) more teacher–child conflict in first grade, and (c) that high levels of preschool problem behavior forecast especially high levels of future teacher–child conflict, but only for children from open‐group centers. Results highlight the importance of spatial and social organization of day care and their translational implications.     

CONSTRUCT VALIDATION OF A MEASURE TO ASSESS SUSTAINABILITY OF SCHOOL‐WIDE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS

This study assessed aspects of construct validity of the School‐wide Universal Behavior Sustainability Index–School Teams (SUBSIST), a measure evaluating critical features of the school context related to sustainability of school‐wide interventions. Participants at 217 schools implementing School‐wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) were administered the measure. A two‐step cluster analysis was performed to classify schools based on responses to the 39 SUBSIST items. A two‐cluster solution was obtained, with schools in one cluster (n = 139) obtaining significantly higher scores on SUBSIST items than schools in the other cluster (n = 78). The most critical item that contributed to cluster formation was the use of data for decision making. Results also showed that higher sustainability scores were associated with increased frequency of school team meetings, presentation of data to school staff, access to an external coach/consultant, and greater number of years implementing SWPBS. These results are discussed with regard to implications for sustaining school‐wide interventions.     

Parent Involvement with Their Children's Schools: Perceptions of Saudi Parents of Elementary School Students with Learning Disabilities

This exploratory, qualitative study investigated the perceptions of Saudi Arabian parents of elementary school-aged children with learning disabilities with regard to their involvement in their children's education. Guided by results of previous research conducted primarily with Western samples, and using a semistructured interview methodology followed by thematic phenomenological analyses, specific interview topics included parental perceptions of (a) the importance of parent–school partnerships, (b) the means of encouraging a parent–school relationship, and (c) how school practices may affect parental participation. The study involved 13 parents of children in elementary education (ages 7–12 years) diagnosed with learning disabilities. The results suggest several ways to overcome the involvement barriers reported by parents.     

“Every child that is a foster child is marked from the beginning”: The home-school communication experiences of foster parents of children with disabilities

This study investigated the perceptions of foster parents of children with disabilities concerning their interactions with school personnel. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 7 foster parents of 6 children with disabilities (age range = 5–16). A qualitative analysis of the interviews resulted in the identification of five thematic areas, including foster parent perceptions of: (a) the role of the foster parent, (b) the efficacy of the foster parent in helping the child learn, (c) invitations to involvement from the school (d) invitations to involvement from the child, and (e) foster child experiences in the school system. Marked differences were found in the perceptions of the perceptions in foster parents of elementary and secondary age students.It is clear that foster parents who take on an active role in their child’s education experienced positive relationships with their child’s school. Foster parents who take a passive role in their partnerships with the schools experienced increased difficulty maintaining motivation to continue in their efforts to increase collaboration and involvement with the schools. They indicated a sense of anger, distrust, and even hostility towards the schools. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided for improving home-school relationships, and addressing obstacles to successful school partnerships with foster families.     

A Test of the Parenting Alliance Theory

Parenting alliance is assumed to be the key element in the marital relationship accounting for the sometimes-found covariation of marital adjustment and child behavior problems. This study examined the core tenet of the parenting alliance theory using the newly developed Parenting Alliance Inventory (PAI). The sample consisted of 53 mothers of children between the ages 2 and 15 seen at a pediatric outpatient clinic. Scores from the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) were correlated with both the Marital Adjustment Test (MAT) and the PAI in order to test the hypothesis that the relationship of child behavior problems with the parenting alliance is stronger than with general marital adjustment. Results showed a significant and moderate negative correlation between the PAI and the ECBI, even when controlling for the influence of the MAT, versus a nonsignificant, negligible correlation between the MAT and the ECBI. Results support the construct validity and utility of the PA1 as a concise measure of parenting alliance.     

Concurrent validity of the school problem screening inventory for behavior-disordered students

This study investigated the relationship between the School Problem Screening Inventory, Fifth Edition (SPSI) and the Bristol Social Adjustment Guides (BSAG) and the WISC-R. Subjects were 43 junior high school students enrolled in residential or day-treatment programs at a treatment center for adolescents with behavior problems. The results showed the SPSI Behavior Disorder-undercontrolled and overcontrolled scores to be moderately correlated with the BSAG Overreaction and Under reaction scores, respectively. The SPSI Learning Disability and the Mental Retardation scores were found to be moderately correlated negatively with the WISC-R IQs. The findings lend support to the concurrent validity of the SPSI.     

Variations in emotional abuse experiences among multiply maltreated young adolescents and relations with developmental outcomes

Objective

Based on the data obtained through Child Protective Services (CPS) case records abstraction, this study aimed to explore patterns of overlapping types of child maltreatment in a sample of urban, ethnically diverse male and female youth (n= 303) identified as maltreated by a large public child welfare agency.

Methods

A cluster analysis was conducted on data for 303 maltreated youth. The overall categorization of four types of abuse (i.e., physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect) was used to provide a starting point for clustering of the 303 cases and then the subtypes of emotional abuse were broken down in the clusters. The different clusters of child maltreatment were compared on the multiple outcomes such as mental health, behavior problems, self-perception, and cognitive development.

Results

In this study, we identified four clusters of child maltreatment experiences. Three patterns involved emotional abuse. One cluster of children experienced all four types. Different clusters were differentially associated with multiple outcome measures. In general, multiply-maltreated youth fared worst, especially when the cluster involved sexual abuse. Also, sex differences were found in these associations. Boys who experienced multiple types of maltreatment showed more difficulties than girls.

Conclusion and practice implications

These results reiterate the importance of creating more complex models of child maltreatment. Children who have experienced various types of maltreatment are especially in need of more attention from professionals and resources should be allocated accordingly.     

Preschool Teachers’ Professional Background,Process Quality,and Job Attitudes: A Person-Centered Approach

Research Findings: This exploratory study identified preschool teacher quality profiles in early childhood education settings using 9 indicators across teachers’ professional background, observed process quality, and job attitudes toward teaching (e.g., job-related stress, satisfaction, and intention to leave the job). The sample consisted of 96 teachers from 48 child care programs in a midwestern U.S. state. A latent profile analysis revealed 3 profiles: (a) less experienced, lower quality, and more positive attitudes; (b) less experienced, average quality, and less positive attitudes; and (c) more experienced, better quality, and mixed attitudes. Multiple program- and teacher-level covariates were incorporated into the latent profile model to examine the associations between program and teacher characteristics and profile membership. Practice or Policy: Results of this study provide important information for use in early child care interventions and suggest a new approach toward more integrated professional development programs that cover both teachers’ practices and job attitudes. This study also suggests the need for new coaching systems that can be individualized based on each teacher’s strengths and challenges.     

The “Red Flags” for Child Find under the IDEA: Separating the Law from the Lore

A comprehensive search identified 42 court decisions from late 1996 to early 2014 concerning the primary modern meaning of child find under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—whether the district had reasonable suspicion of eligibility and yet did not evaluate the child. The findings from a systematic analysis of these court decisions included (a) an upward trajectory in their frequency; (b) an outcome ratio of 2:1 in favor of the defendant school districts; (c) specific learning disabilities and emotional disabilities as the leading suspected IDEA classifications and attention deficit disorder as the predominant professional diagnosis; (d) wide dispersion across the K–12 grade levels; and (e) hospitalization as the only one of various factors characterized in typical training materials as “red flags” of reasonable suspicion the case law supported to serve this metaphoric role.     

聋、盲校儿童异常行为的相关研究

行为矫正技术在今天已深入到各个领域 ,但在我国的聋、盲校却很少有人运用它来解决儿童的行为问题 ,是否聋、盲儿童就没有行为问题 ?本研究对此作了深入的调查 ,发现聋、盲校儿童存在多种异常行为且表现频率较高 ;同时两者所表现的异常行为又有较大的差异。因此 ,应培养聋盲校的老师应用科学的方法有针对性地去矫正这些异常行为。     

What emotional-centred challenges do children attending special schools face over primary–secondary school transition?

Primary–secondary school transition encompasses multiple social, academic and environmental changes which can negatively impact children’s emotional well-being. Children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties (SEMH) are believed to be especially vulnerable during this time. However, the voices of children with SEMH are heavily underrepresented in this field within practice and research. The present case study examined how children with SEMH difficulties within one special school experience primary–secondary school transition and how they are supported, in order to make recommendations to improve this period. The case study was qualitative and longitudinal, conducted over 18-months and methodologies included ethnographic observations, child photo-elicitation focus groups (with 11 Year 6 children) and three adult interviews. Findings demonstrated that over primary–secondary school transition children with SEMH difficulties (a) negotiate significant structural changes in support (often unanticipated) and (b) need to feel a sense of safety and belonging. To manage this effectively, transition provision for children with SEMH difficulties needs to consider their short-term emotional well-being whilst still in primary school, in addition to their long-term well-being looking ahead to secondary school. Greater collaboration and communication across schools and stakeholders can help ensure children receive continuity in standards and support.