Mapping experiences of pathological demand avoidance in Ireland

Pathological demand avoidance (PDA) is contended to be a distinct presentation within autism characterised by extreme levels of anxiety in response to the demands of everyday life, manifested in excessive levels of demand avoidance. This results in complex interactions with service providers in education and health settings, impacting on outcomes for individuals and their families. This national study sought to gather the viewpoints of individuals who experience PDA, families, and practitioners, with the intention of determining levels of knowledge, recognition and understanding of PDA; exploring current pathways to assessment and diagnosis; capturing experiences of access to education and healthcare services; identifying effective intervention and support strategies; and illuminating education and health outcomes for individuals and families. This mixed-method study collates survey responses from N = 264 parents, N = 9 life partners, N = 6 individuals experiencing PDA and N = 54 practitioners, and in-depth individual and focus group interviews from these cohorts. Findings suggest that a flexible, informed and individualised approach to assessment and service provision for individuals presenting with a PDA profile is essential. Practitioners universally referred to the necessity for a streamlined, integrated and multi-disciplinary approach. The reported disconnect between education and health systems indicates a need for access to services on an equitable basis.     

Parental spanking of 1-year-old children and subsequent child protective services involvement

The majority of U.S. parents spank their children, often beginning when their children are very young. We examined families (N = 2,788) who participated in a longitudinal community-based study of new births in urban areas. Prospective analyses examined whether spanking by the child's mother, father, or mother's current partner when the child was 1-year-old was associated with household CPS involvement between age 1 and age 5. Results indicated that 30% of 1-year-olds were spanked at least once in the past month. Spanking at age 1 was associated with increased odds of subsequent CPS involvement (adjusted odds ratio = 1.36, 95% CI [1.08, 1.71], p < .01). When compared to non-spanked children, there was a 33% greater probability of subsequent CPS involvement for children who were spanked at age 1. Given the undesirable consequences of spanking children and a lack of empirical evidence to suggest positive effects of physical punishment, professionals who work with families should counsel parents not to spank infants and toddlers. For optimal benefits, efforts to educate parents regarding alternative forms of discipline should begin during the child's first year of life.     

Service family support – a small-scale project of educational psychologists working with parents

Being in a Service family can be a difficult position for children and parents alike due to high levels of mobility, parental separation, and the remaining parent’s stress and emotional well-being. A Service family is defined as a family with one or both parents employed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The current project looked at the under-researched area of supporting parents in Service families with an intervention funded by the MOD. Work carried out involved inviting parents of primary aged children to take part in consultation sessions and parent discussion groups, facilitated by educational psychologists (EPs). These looked at the psychological concepts of separation, anxiety, self esteem and friendship as well as positive psychology. Outcomes indicated that parents experienced an increase in confidence and a decrease in concern following the consultation sessions. Parents valued the support of the group and found the sessions practical and informative. This intervention filled a gap in support for Service parents and indicates a role for EPs in terms of further input and research.     

Institutional care of infants in Sweden: criteria for admission in 1970, 1975 and 1980

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the criteria used for admission of infants to institutional care in the metropolitan area of Stockholm in 1970, 1975 and 1980. The study included 337 infants. Their records from the institutional care have been studied. A significant decrease was observed from 1970 to 1980 on the following grounds for admission: teen-age mother, adoption, unsatisfactory housing situation, hospitalization of the mother. The following criteria for admission showed a significant increase: maternal alcohol and/or drug abuse as well as psychiatric disorders. It is concluded that there has been a dramatic change in the criteria used for admission of infants to institutional care from 1970 to 1980. Voluntary admissions of infants for maternal health reasons or social problems of a temporary nature have apparently been supplanted by non-voluntary admissions owing to maternal addiction and psychiatric insufficiency.     

What Teachers of Young Children Should Know About Islam

Increasing numbers of Muslim children attend programs for young children yet many teachers appear to know very little about Islam. Along with its overview of Islam, this article suggests how teachers can better support the rights and special needs of Muslim children. A list of references for further information and resources for teachers concludes the article.     

高校与学生家庭联系沟通机制的研究

中共中央、国务院《关于进一步加强和改进大学生思想政治教育工作的意见》提出进一步加强和改进大学生思想政治教育工作,强调高校要探索建立与大学生家庭联系沟通机制,充分发挥家庭教育的力量,相互配合做好大学生的思想教育工作。结合高校与大学生家庭联系沟通的现状,文章对高校与学生家庭联系沟通的重要性、主要内容、基本途径等进行探讨。     

关于构建贫困大学生心理解困体系的思考

贫困大学生作为校园中的特殊人群,承受着比其他同学更大的心理压力,容易出现自卑、封闭、偏执、抑郁等心理问题。高等院校不仅要建立奖、助、勤、贷、减、免、补一体化的物质解困体系,还要通过排解宣泄、转移疏导、提高升华等方式,构建贫困生的心理解困体系,保证他们的身心健康。     

Creating a Caring Community: The University of Arkansas Nursery School Experience

The seven dimensions of establishing a caring community at the University of Arkansas Nursery School are described. Key components include empathetic teacher–child and teacher–parent interactions, celebration of differences, and a responsive classroom environment.     

徽州世家大族促进宗族和谐和发展的措施

以朱子学为宗的徽州世家大族为了促进宗族和谐和宗族发展，在16方面采取了重要措施：1．敦伦孝悌，2．增进亲情，3．救灾济贫，4．扶孤恤寡，5．提倡节俭，6．管教游闲，7．反对争讼，8．禁止迷信，9．打击赌博，10．防范盗窃，11．尊敬耆老，12．勤奋创业，13．彰善瘅恶，14．发展教育，15．和睦邻里，16．封山育林。因此，家庭成员之间、人与社会之间、人与自然之间一些矛盾缓和了，但是问题依然存在。徽州世家大族促进宗族和谐和宗族发展的一些措施，不仅产生了一定社会历史作用，具有一定社会历史价值，而且还或多或少具有一定的借鉴意义。     

Child care quality: centers and home settings that serve poor families

The effects of center-based care on early development, outside of carefully controlled demonstration programs, appear to be positive yet often modest for children from low-income families. But little is known about variation in the quality of centers and preschools found among low-income neighborhoods. Evidence also remains scarce on the observed quality of home-based care, the settings that most children attend and into which large infusions of federal dollars are now directed. This paper reports on the observed quality of 166 centers and 187 nonparental home settings (including family child care homes and kith or kin providers) serving children in five cities situated in California, Connecticut, or Florida. Centers displayed higher mean quality as gauged by provider education and the intensity of structured learning activities, compared to home-based settings, but did not consistently display more positive child–provider interactions. Great variability among centers and home-based settings was observed, including between-city differences. Second, we found that contextual neighborhood attributes accounted for the quality of providers selected more strongly than family-level selection factors. Mothers with stronger verbal abilities (PPVT scores) did select higher quality centers; those employed longer hours each week relied on kith and kin providers with lower education levels. Interrelationships among different quality measures are detailed. The policy implications of such wide disparities in center and home-based care quality are discussed, including how states could more carefully strengthen regulatory or quality improvement efforts.