Child Behavior

The current study examined the impact of a setting-level intervention on the prevention of aggressive or dangerous behavioral incidents involving youth living in group care environments. Eleven group care agencies implemented Children and Residential Experiences (CARE), a principle-based program that helps agencies use a set of evidence-informed principles to guide programming and enrich the relational dynamics throughout the agency. All agencies served mostly youth referred from child welfare. The 3-year implementation of CARE involved intensive agency-wide training and on-site consultation to agency leaders and managers around supporting and facilitating day-to-day application of the principles in both childcare and staff management arenas. Agencies provided data over 48 months on the monthly frequency of behavioral incidents most related to program objectives. Using multiple baseline interrupted time series analysis to assess program effects, we tested whether trends during the p...

para la edad, dificultades en el funcionamiento diario del alumno o alumna en el ámbito familiar, escolar y/o social, llegando a ser vistos con frecuencia como "inmanejables" por las personas de su entorno". Pero no todos los problemas de conducta son trastornos. Hay ciertas conductas de desafío, rotura de normas, o inquietud, propias de la edad infantil o adolescente, y que no debemos confundir con un trastorno de conducta. Hemos de tener en cuenta, además de la conducta, la gravedad, intensidad y frecuencia de la misma, a la hora de definirla como un trastorno, o como un problema propio de la edad. También habremos de observar si el alumno presenta un deterioro en sus relaciones escolares y sociales. Así, según la clasificación del DSM -IV -TR, se consideran trastornos por déficit de atención y comportamiento perturbador los siguientes: Trastorno Negativista Desafiante, Trastorno Disocial, y Trastorno por Déficit de Atención con o sin Hiperactividad. En el caso de TND, se caracteriza por conductas desafiantes y hostiles, sobre todo hacia figuras de autoridad; en cuanto al TDAH, se caracteriza por conductas hiperactivas, impulsivas y por faltas de atención; y finalmente, el TD consiste en una violación normas sociales importantes o derechos de los otros. Este tipo de trastornos no tienen muchas respuestas educativas, puesto que muchas veces este alumnado es considerado como travieso, irrespetuoso, desobediente, etc., pero no se achaca su situación a un trastorno que necesita unas respuestas y atenciones específicas. Al contrario, por lo general, el profesorado lo critica, discrimina y rechaza, sin buscar soluciones. Consideran que son niños "malos", y únicamente les castigan, en vez de AUMENTO DE PROBLEMAS DE CONDUCTA EN NIÑOS Y ADOLESCENTES CON O SIN TRASTORNOS DE CONDUCTA: POSIBLES CAUSAS EXPLICATIVAS. 5 preocuparse por lo que les pasa, por lo que sienten, por lo que pueden hacer para cambiar su actitud, y hacer que se desarrollen integralmente igual que el resto. Aún así, hay que tener en cuenta que este tipo de conductas insolentes, inquietas e irrespetuosas son normales en niños y adolescentes, como ya he dicho, por lo que tampoco se debe diagnosticar a "lo loco". Esta es otra de las causas por la que resulta difícil diagnosticar a este alumnado, y en consecuencia, darle respuesta. Lo cierto es que resulta bastante complicado trabajar con este alumnado, ya que

Blades assisted with the statistical analyses. Ms. Heaton collected data and assisted with writing the manuscript. Mr. Randazzo collected data and assisted with the statistical analyses. Dr. Dorn assisted with designing the study and writing of the manuscript.

The purpose of this study was to examine relations among adrenocortical regulation, eating in the absence of hunger, and body mass index (BMI) in children ages 5 to 9 years (N = 43). Saliva was collected before and after the Trier Social Stress Test for children (TSST-C), and was later assayed for cortisol. Area under the curve with respect to increase (AUC i ) was used as a measure of changes in cortisol release from baseline to 60 minutes post-TSST-C. Age-and sex-specific BMI scores were calculated from measured height and weight, and eating in the absence of hunger was assessed using weighed food intake during a behavioral procedure. We also included a measure of parents' report of child impulsivity, as well as family demographic information. Participants were stratified by age into younger (5 to 7 years) and older (8 to 9 years) groups. In younger children, parents' reports of child impulsivity were significantly and positively associated with BMI; cortisol AUCi was not associated with BMI or eating in the absence of hunger. In older children, however, greater stress-related cortisol AUC i was related to higher BMI scores and greater energy intake in the absence of hunger. The results suggest that cortisol AUC i in response to psychosocial stress may be linked to problems with energy balance in children, with some variation by age.

We aimed to compare 2-year-old children born preterm with children born full term regarding: (1) sleep characteristics, (2) temperament, and (3) relations between sleep pattern and habits and temperament. Methods: The study included 51 preterm children with normal cognitive, language, and motor development (mean = 20.94 months, standard deviation [SD] = 4.08) and 57 full-term children (mean = 21.19, SD = 4.32). To assess sleep-related difficulties and habits and child temperament, mothers completed the following questionnaires: the (1) Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children-adapted (SDSC); (2) Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ); and (3) Italian Temperament Questionnaires-version 12-36 months (QUIT). Results: Preterm children needed less support to fall asleep and fell asleep more often alone in their own bed compared to those born at full term; however, preterm children showed more frequent sleep difficulties, such as restlessness and breathing problems during the night. In addition, preterm children had lower scores in the temperamental dimension of attention and higher scores in negative emotionality than full-term children. Finally, sleep problems were correlated with higher motor activity, lower social orientation and attention, and increased negative emotionality; a shorter nocturnal sleep duration was related to higher motor activity and lower inhibition to novelty whereas an earlier rise time was associated with lower attention and social orientation. Conclusions: Preterm children showed sleep pattern problems and disturbance, predominance of attention problems, and negative emotionality related to sleep disruption.

In long-term studies of psychological development, the initial assessment of etiologically significant child behaviours is often carried out at a single point in time only. However, one-time assessments of behaviour are likely to possess limited reliability, leading to attenuated longitudinal correlation coefficient magnitudes. How much this bias might have affected behavioural continuity estimates in longitudinal research is presently unknown. Using a data set from the Mauritius Child Health Project, we particularize the attenuating effects of single-occasion behavioural assessments on consistency estimates of impulsive-aggressive behaviour over time. Specifically, two nursery teachers provided 15 consecutive weekly ratings of the aggressive behaviour of 99 four-year-old children. The same children were reassessed for the presence of externalizing behaviour problems at the ages of 8 and 10. There were substantial increases in both reliability and predictive correlation coefficient magnitudes when the preschool scores were aggregated across several weekly ratings. A further increase resulted after the two outcome assessments were combined into a composite score of school-age externalizing symptoms. A generalized procedure, developed from the correction for attenuation formula, is introduced to describe the relation of aggregation to predictive validity in longitudinal research.

Original Article Context: Early childhood nutrition, especially exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), significantly influences physical and psychosocial development. However, the long-term impact of EBF on psychosocial outcomes is less explored, especially in rural settings. This study aims to assess the effect of EBF on psychosocial development in children aged 4-6 years. Settings and Design: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2019 to December 2021 in the rural field practice area of a tertiary care center in Nagpur, India. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and sixty-one children aged 4-6 years and their mothers were selected via stratified random sampling. Data on sociodemographic profiles and breastfeeding practices were collected using a case record proforma. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to assess psychosocial development. Statistical Analysis Used: Data was analyzed using SPSS version 24.0. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U-tests were applied for group comparisons, with P < 0.05 considered significant. Results: 58.24% of children received EBF. Longer durations of EBF were associated with better psychosocial outcomes, including fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties, such as conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer issues. Conclusion: EBF is linked to fewer psychosocial difficulties in children, emphasizing its importance in early childhood development. Public health efforts should focus on promoting EBF to improve child emotional and behavioral outcomes.

Externalizing symptoms, such as aggression, impulsivity, and inattention, represent the most common forms of childhood maladjustment (Campbell et al. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 467-488, 2000). Several dimensions of parenting behavior, including overreactive and warm parenting, have been linked to children&#39;s conduct problems. However, the majority of these studies involve biologically-related family members, thereby limiting understanding of the role of genetic and/or environmental underpinnings of parenting on child psychopathology. This study extends previous research by exploring associations between overreactive and warm parenting during toddlerhood and school-age externalizing problems, as well as the potential moderating effects of child effortful control (EC) on such associations using a longitudinal adoption design. The sample consisted of 225 adoption-linked families (adoptive parents, adopted child [124 male and 101 female] and birth parent[s]), thereby allowi...

Background: Previous studies have linked marital conflict, parenting, and externalizing problems in early childhood. However, these studies have not examined whether genes account for these links nor have they examined whether contextual factors such as parental personality or financial distress might account for links between marital conflict and parenting. We used an adoption design to allow for a clear examination of environmental impact rather than shared genes of parents and children, and assessments of parental personality and financial strain to assess the effects of context on relationships between marriage and parenting of both mothers and fathers. Method: Participants were 308 adoption-linked families comprised of an adopted child, her/his biological mother (BM), adoptive mother (AM) and adoptive father (AF). BMs were assessed 3-6 and 18 months postpartum and adoptive families were assessed when the child was 18 and 27 months old. Structural equations models were used to examine associations between marital hostility, fathers' and mothers' parenting hostility, and child aggressive behavior at 27 months of age. In addition, the contribution of financial strain and adoptive parent personality traits was examined to determine the associations with the spillover of marital hostility to hostile parenting. Results: A hostile marital relationship was significantly associated with hostile parenting in fathers and mothers, which were associated with aggressive behavior in toddlers. Subjective financial strain was uniquely associated with marital hostility and child aggression. Antisocial personality traits were related to a more hostile/conflicted marital relationship and to hostile parenting. Conclusions: Results clarify mechanisms that may account for the success of early parentchild prevention programs that include a focus on parental economic strain and personality in addition to parent training.

The current study examines the interplay between parental overreactivity and children&#39;s genetic backgrounds as inferred from birth parent characteristics on the development of negative emotionality during infancy, and in turn, to individual differences in externalizing problems in toddlerhood. The sample included 361 families linked through adoption (birth parents and adoptive families). Data were collected when the children were 9, 18, and 27 months old. Results indicated links between individual levels and changes in negative emotionality during infancy and toddlerhood to externalizing problems early in the third year of life. Findings also revealed an interaction between birth mother negative affect and adoptive mother overreactive parenting on children&#39;s negative emotionality. This Genotype × Environment interaction predicted externalizing problems indirectly through its association with negative emotionality and revealed stronger effects of genetic risk for children wit...

As children grow, they gradually learn how to make decisions independently. However, decisions like choosing healthy but less-tasty foods can be challenging for children whose self-regulation and executive cognitive functions are still maturing. We propose a computational decision-making process in which children estimate their mother’s choices for them as well as their individual food preferences. By employing functional magnetic resonance imaging during real food choices, we find that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) encodes children’s own preferences and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) encodes the projected mom’s choices for them at the time of children’s choice. Also, the left dlPFC region shows an inhibitory functional connectivity with the vmPFC at the time of children’s own choice. Our study suggests that in part, children utilize their perceived caregiver’s choices when making choices for themselves, which may serve as an external regulator of decis...

For nearly a generation, researchers studying human behavioral development have combined genetically informed research designs with careful measures of social relationships such as parenting, sibling relationships, peer relationships, marital processes, social class stratifications, and patterns of social engagement in the elderly. In what way have these genetically informed studies altered the construction and testing of social theories of human development? We consider five points of entry where genetic thinking is taking hold. First, genetic findings suggest an alternative scenario for explaining social data. Associations between measures of the social environment and human development may be due to genes that influence both. Second, genetic studies add to other prompts to study the early developmental origins of current social phenomena in midlife and beyond. Third, genetic analyses promise to shed light on understudied social systems, such as sibling relationships, that have an...

Aim: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by unique behavioral patterns, treating children with ASD in the dental clinic has been a great challenge due to their behavior. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of culturally adapted dental visual aids in modifying behavior patterns during dental visits in children with ASD. Materials and methods: A controlled, blinded, randomized, clinical trial, with 64 children diagnosed with ASD, were randomly divided into two groups. The study took place between January 2019 and January 2021. The experimental group was provided with culturally adapted dental visual aids created especially for this research and the control group was provided with universal dental visual aids. The children's behavior patterns were evaluated before and after using the dental visual aids. SPSS v.25 was used to process all the data. Results: Behavior patterns have modified significantly in the experimental group (p < 0.001) however, it was statistically insignificant in the control group (p = 0.077). In terms of behavioral patterns, the experimental group outperformed the control group significantly (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The culturally adapted dental visual aids have shown effectiveness in modifying behavior patterns in children diagnosed with ASD during dental visits. Clinical significance: By evaluating the impact of culturally adapted visual aids on behavior management, the study can enhance the accessibility and effectiveness of dental care for this vulnerable population, ultimately promoting better oral health outcomes and reducing potential trauma associated with dental visits for children with ASD.

Previous Research with African Americans Billingsley (1968) points out the significant mistreatment of Black families by social scientist in the past have contributed to the negative and distorted images of African American families in today&#39;s society. The patterns of African American families&#39; behaviors tend to differentiate from that of the majority, which often results in such behaviors being viewed as deviant. It is also important to note that early survey research data gathered about African Americans were fueled by the need to compare them with whites. Additionally, prior to the 1980&#39;s there were only nine cross sectional studies which included at least 900 African Americans. A closer look at these studies revealed that only three of these studies attempted to include a cross section of the African American population. The remaining studies collected and reported data that only represented a certain region or community (Hilderbrand, Phenice, Gray, & Hines, 2000). T...

This study is composed of 506 nonpatient adults, ages 18 to 65, all from Argentina. The data were gathered by five examiners, who tested most of the participants at their work site. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are described and interrater reliability statistics at the response level are presented along with findings for the Rorschach Comprehensive System (CS; Exner, 1994).

Exposure to violence in media, including television, movies, music, and video games, represents a significant risk to the health of children and adolescents. Extensive research evidence indicates that media violence can contribute to aggressive behavior, desensitization to violence, nightmares, and fear of being harmed. Pediatricians should assess their patients&#39; level of media exposure and intervene on media-related health risks. Pediatricians and other child health care providers can advocate for a safer media environment for children by encouraging media literacy, more thoughtful and proactive use of media by children and their parents, more responsible portrayal of violence by media producers, and more useful and effective media ratings. Office counseling has been shown to be effective.

The aim of this study was to identify longitudinal trajectories of conjoint development of executive function (EF) and obesity among a diverse sample of poor, rural youth and to evaluate individual differences in infant growth, parental BMI, and cumulative risk. Methods: Participants included 948 youth from the Family Life Project. Child anthropometrics were measured at 2 and 6 months and at 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 12 years. EF tasks were administered at 3, 4, and 5 years. Mothers reported youth birth weight, parental height and weight, and cumulative risk indicators. Results: Multidimensional growth mixture modeling identified three classes: "High EF-High Obesity Resilience"; "Low EF-Delayed-Onset Severe Obesity"; and "Low EF-Early-Onset Severe Obesity." Youth in the low-EF, early-onset class displayed higher birth weight and BMI at 6 months, whereas the low-EF, delayed-onset class had rapid weight gain during infancy, parents with class II obesity, and greater cumulative risk and was more likely to be Black and female. Conclusions: Despite increased obesity risk among this sample, the majority of youth exhibited higher EF and some degree of obesity resilience. Youth with EF deficits displayed the greatest risk for severe obesity but had differing BMI trajectories and obesity risk profiles, which has implications for obesity intervention.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Little attention has been given to the study of early childhood factors that protect against the development of obesity and severe obesity. We investigated whether exposure to familial psychosocial assets and risks in infancy (1-15 months) and early childhood (24-54 months) and child behavioral regulation in early childhood predict longitudinal change in BMI (2 to 15 years). METHODS: Participants included 1077 predominantly non-Hispanic, White, English-speaking mother-child dyads from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development dataset. Cumulative familial asset and risk indices were created using measures (eg, maternal parenting sensitivity, poverty) from 2 developmental periods (1-15 months, 24-54 months). A child behavioral regulation index was created on the basis of behavioral tasks and parent reports. Previously published BMI trajectories (nonoverweight [40th percentile], nonoverweight [70th percentile], overweight/ obese, severely obese) were used as the outcome. RESULTS: All indices predicted membership in the overweight/obese trajectory; however, when entered into the same model, only familial assets continued to reduce the odds of membership in this trajectory. Familial assets and child behavioral regulation independently reduced the odds of membership in the severely obese trajectory. Furthermore, child behavioral regulation and familial assets buffered the negative effects of familial risk on BMI trajectory membership. CONCLUSIONS: Early exposure to familial assets and child behavioral regulation may have longterm protective effects on weight gain over early exposure to some familial risk factors (eg, poverty); thus, these indices may help foster obesity resilience.

Aims: This paper focuses on an innovative intersection between education, health and arts. Taking a broad definition of health it examines some social and psychological well-being impacts of extended collaborations between a theatre company and children with communication difficulties. It seeks to test aspects of Fredrickson’s1 broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions in a primary school curriculum context. Methods: The researcher participated in a project called Speech Bubbles. The programme was devised by theatre practitioners and aimed at six- and seven-year-olds with difficulties in speech, language and communication. Sessions were observed, videoed and analysed for levels of child well-being using an established scale. In addition, responses regarding perceived improvements in speech, language and communication were gathered from school records and teachers, teaching assistants, practitioners and parents. Data were captured using still images and videos, children’s recorde...

We tested the hypothesis that dopamine D1 and D2 receptor gene (DRD1 and DRD2, respectively) polymorphisms and the development of working memory skills can interact to influence symptom change over 10 years in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Specifically, we examined whether improvements in working memory maintenance and manipulation from childhood to early adulthood predicted the reduction of ADHD symptoms as a function of allelic variation in DRD1 and DRD2. Participants were 76 7–11‐year‐old children with ADHD who were genotyped and prospectively followed for almost 10 years. ADHD symptoms were rated using the Attention Problems scale on the Child Behavior Checklist, and verbal working memory maintenance and manipulation, measured by Digit Span forward and backward, respectively, were assessed at baseline and follow‐up. After correction for multiple testing, improvements in working memory manipulation, not maintenance, predicted reduction of symptoma...

Change in task persistence was assessed in two annual assessments using teachers', testers', and observers' ratings. Participants included 79 monozygotic and 116 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs who were in Kindergarten or 1st grade (4.3 to 7.9 years old) at the initial assessment. Task persistence was widely distributed and higher among older children and girls. Overall, there was modest growth in persistence over time, and moderate stability of individual differences. Most of the stability was accounted for by genetic influences, whereas most of the change was accounted for by nonshared environment, including an association with observed differential maternal warm supportive behavior.

This paper argues that the cluster of traits historically labeled "Asperger's" (now generally subsumed under Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 1) has not only influenced the lives of individuals but, through its large-scale, under-recognized presence and interaction with social institutions, contributed to a measurable shift in patterns of human socialization. By synthesizing neurochemical findings (serotonin, oxytocin, dopamine, glutamate/GABA), cognitive theories (theory of mind, weak central coherence, executive function, social motivation, mirror-neuron hypotheses), and philosophical reflections on normativity and social contract, I propose that the presence of undiagnosed autistic phenotypes changes the affordances of contemporary social environments and therefore reshapes social norms, communication conventions, and group epistemic practices. The paper draws on empirical neuroscience and psychological literature to support a framework that treats socialization as co-produced by neurodiverse cognitive styles rather than as a one-directional process of individual adaptation to an invariant social world.

Emotional dysregulation in childhood has been associated with various forms of later psychopathology, although no studies have investigated the personality related adolescent outcomes associated with early emotional dysregulation. The present study uses a typological approach to examine how the child behavior checklist-dysregulation profile (CBCL-DP) predicts DSM-5 pathological personality traits (as measured with the personality inventory for the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5 or PID-5 by Krueger et al. (Psychol Med 2012)) across a time span of 4 years in a sample of 243 children aged 8-14 years (57.2 % girls). The results showed that children assigned to the CBCL-DP class are at risk for elevated scores on a wide range of DSM-5 personality pathology features, including higher scores on hostility, risk taking, deceitfulness, callousness, grandiosity, irresponsibility, impulsivity and manipulativeness. These results are discussed in the context of identifying early manifestations of persistent regulation problems, because of their enduring impact on a child's personality development.

The assessment of children's perception of marital conflict is an important area of research related to family relations, children's cognitions about self, and the development of psychopathology. The leading instrument in this domain is the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale (CPIC; J. H. Grych, M. Seid, & F. D. Fincham, 1992). It has 48 items organized into 9 conceptual designed subscales, with reports of 3-factor higher order structure to the 9 subscales. However, the 3-factor solution does not capture all 9 subscales well. Further, items have never been subjected to factor analysis to evaluate the best fitting factor structure at the item level. Doing so is particularly important when bringing the scale into new populations such as children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or disruptive behavior disorders. In the present study, 2 samples of children (total N = 1,190; ages 6-18 years) completed the CPIC. An exploratory factor analysis in Sample 1 (from a clinical study of ADHD and non-ADHD youths) yielded 4 interpretable factors. A confirmatory factor analysis in Sample 2 (a population sample of twins) confirmed the generalizability of the solution with an acceptable fit, although 1 item was dropped. The final solution used 38 of the 48 items. The 4-factor solution captured a Conflict Properties factor, two appraisal factors labeled Threat to Self and Self-Blame, and a Triangulation/Stability factor that included elements of appraisal and content. The authors concluded that the item-based 4-factor solution to the CPIC is preferable to the 9-factor or 3-factor formulation.

Objective: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in adulthood, and it is associated with different high- risk behaviors, particularly substance use. Evidence suggests a high prevalence of ADHD in adults who take methamphetamine (METH). This study aimed at comparing functional level, quality of life, and psychiatric comorbidities in METH users with and without adult ADHD (A-ADHD). Method : In this cross-sectional study, 134 patients who had a history of METH use (at least once in lifetime) were selected from among inpatient and outpatient referrals to a psychiatric hospital. DIVA was performed for those who were positive on the Conners&#39; Adult ADHD Rating Scales–Self-Report-Screening Version (CAARS-SR-SV). The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief (WHOQoL-BREF) were used to assess the participants’ level of functioning and quality of life, respectively. Psychiatric comorbidities including substance use ...

Objective To evaluate whether advertising for food influences choices made by children, the strength of these influences, and whether they might be easily undone by parental influences. Children between 3 and 8 years of age (n = 75) were randomized to watch a series of programs with embedded commercials. Some children watched a commercial for a relatively healthy food item, the other children watched a commercial for a less healthy item, both from the same fast-food company. Children were also randomized either to receive parental encouragement to choose the healthy item or to choose whichever item they preferred. Results Results indicated that children were more likely to choose the advertised item, despite parental input. Parental input only slightly moderated this influence. Although advertising impact on children's food choices is moderate in size, it appears resilient to parental efforts to intervene. Food advertisements directed at children may have a small but meaningful effect on their healthy food choices.

Previous research on adults has shown that a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene moderates the impact of childhood maltreatment on risk for developing antisocial behavior. Thus far, attempts to replicate this finding have been mixed. The current study (i) presents new data investigating this finding in a sample of 975 seven-year-old boys, and (ii) evaluates the extant data by conducting a meta-analysis of published findings. We replicated the original finding by showing that the MAOA polymorphism moderates the development of psychopathology after exposure to physical abuse, we extended the finding to childhood closer in time to the maltreatment experience, and we ruledout the possibility of a spurious finding by accounting for passive and evocative geneenvironment correlation. Moreover, meta-analysis demonstrated that across studies, the association between maltreatment and mental health problems is significantly stronger in the group of males with the genotype conferring low vs high MAOA activity. These findings provide the strongest evidence to date suggesting that the MAOA gene influences vulnerability to environmental stress, and that this biological process can be initiated early in life.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disorder that
affects communication and behavior. We aimed to evaluate
the effectiveness of the dental visual aids in behavior management
of children with ASD. Electronic search for English scientific
papers was accomplished using ScienceDirect, Wiley,
Scopus, Cochrane, Google Scholar and PubMed. Search terms
were “Autism Spectrum Disorder,” “Dental visual aids,” “Dental
visual guide,” and “Dental audiovisual modeling.” Full text and
their references were reviewed and evaluated. Due to its effectiveness
in increasing cooperation, modeling behavior and
reducing anxiety, visual aids are effective during dental treatment
of children with ASD compared to Tell–Show–Do.

agreed that psychological treatments are a core strength of psychology and also go on to provide additional interesting examples and to identify other areas of practice in which psychologists may be uniquely qualified. These include addressing developmental behavioral disorders and certain methods for severe mental disorders as well as the assessment and remediation of cognitive deficits. While also recognizing the important overlap among the mental health professions in the delivery of some services (e.g., medication, psychotherapy), Ahmed and Boisvert understand that evidence-based practice of psychology in our health care system is more than simply delivering an empirically supported treatment. Evidence-based practice also involves engaging in the types of functional analyses that would lead to effective practice in areas where evidenced-based treatments do not exist or are not working in the context of the unique or specific case. These are important observations. In summary, only certain well-defined pathologies will be included in any health care system, and treatment for these conditions will increasingly need to be based on evidence. Both of these issues have been decided. Psychology as a profession has unique treatments derived from psychological science that already meet these requirements. Thus, psychologists should assume a major role in emerging health care systems, sharing this knowledge with other professions where appropriate through training and supervision. In this way, psychologists will make a core contribution to health care around the world.

Although children can use social categories to intelligently select informants, children's preference for in-group informants has not been consistently demonstrated across age and context. This research clarifies the extent to which children use social categories to guide learning by presenting participants with a live or video-recorded action demonstration by a linguistic in-group and/or out-group model. Participants' (N = 104) propensity to imitate these actions was assessed. Nineteen-month-olds did not selectively imitate the actions of the in-group model in live contexts, though in-group preferences were found after watching the demonstration on video. Three-yearolds selectively imitated the actions demonstrated by the in-group member regardless of context. These results indicate that in-group preferences have a more nuanced effect on social learning than previous research has indicated. Much of children's learning is dependent on social partners. However, informants are not uniform in their ability to provide correct or relevant information, and intelligent social learners must be able to selectively consume accurate knowledge. Even young children appear to be intelligent social consumers, endorsing information tendered by those who appear accurate (e.g.,

Parental locus of control refers to parents' perceived power and efficacy in child-rearing situations. This study explored parental locus of control and its correlates in 160 mothers of children ages 8-14 cross-sectionally and 1 year later. Maternal depression, maternal expressed emotion, and child internalizing and externalizing behavior were examined, along with a number of sociodemographic factors. Cross-sectional analyses indicated that external parental locus of control was associated with child externalizing behavior, maternal depression, less maternal education, lower income, and older maternal age. Longitudinal analyses showed that child age and externalizing behavior also predicted increases in external parental locus of control 1 year later. Finally, lower income and less parental perceived control predicted increases in child externalizing behavior over time. Parental locus of control refers to parents' perceived power and efficacy in child-rearing situations . Parental locus of control is an adaptation of original concept of locus of control that is specific to parentchild situations. Parents with external locus of control tend to ascribe their children's development to forces outside of their control, while parents with internal locus of control credit their children's development to their own parenting efforts. A number of crosssectional studies show that parents of children with behavior difficulties are more likely to hold external parental locus of control beliefs compared with parents of children without identified problems. For example, Campis and colleagues (1986) found that parents of elementary school-age children who requested services for parenting problems had more

The study aimed at examining the effects of marital crises and divorce on the academic performance of adolescent in the senior secondary schools. Adolescence as a transitional stage into adulthood with physical changes and attending personality identify crises. This stage therefore needs parental attention, unfortunately, marital crises and divorce at such a particular stage is inimical to the academic performance of adolescence and its fractional effects on both male and female adolescence. The study used chi-square and student t-test to the test the hypotheses. It was established that marital crises and divorce has significant negative impact on adolescent academic performance. The study also affirmed that the effect of marital crises and divorce have effects on both male and female adolescent students. The study however, recommends that marital crises and divorce should be discountenanced in the society.

Introduction-Fish and omega-3 fatty acids are reported to be beneficial in pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but no studies have assessed their relation to histological severity. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the dietary intake of fish and omega-3 fatty acids in children with biopsy-proven NAFLD, and examine their association with serological and histological indicators of disease. Materials and Methods-This was a cross-sectional analysis of 223 children (6-18 years) that participated in the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children trial or the NAFLD Database study conducted by the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network. The distribution of fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake were determined from responses to the Block Brief 2000 Food Frequency Questionnaire, and analyzed for associations with serum alanine aminotransferase, histological features of fatty liver disease, and diagnosis of steatohepatitis after adjusting for demographic, anthropometric and dietary variables. Results-The minority of subjects consumed the recommended eight ounces of fish per week (22/223 (10%)) and 200 mg of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids per day (12/223 (5%)). Lack of fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake was associated with greater portal (p=0.03 and p=0.10, respectively) and lobular inflammation (p=0.09 and p=0.004, respectively) after controlling for potential confounders. Discussion-Fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake were insufficient in children with NAFLD, which may increase susceptibility to hepatic inflammation. Patients with pediatric NAFLD should be encouraged to consume the recommended amount of fish per week.

Background: Childhood antisocial behaviour has high immediate and long-term costs for society and the individual, particularly in relation to mental health and behaviours that jeopardise health. Managing challenging behaviour is a commonly reported source of stress and burn out among teachers, ultimately resulting in a substantial number leaving the profession. Interventions to improve parenting do not transfer easily to classroombased problems and the most vulnerable parents may not be easily able to access them. Honing teachers' skills in proactive behaviour management and the promotion of socio-emotional regulation, therefore, has the potential to improve both child and teacher mental health and well-being and the advantage that it might potentially benefit all the children subsequently taught by any teacher that accesses the training. Methods/Design: Cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the Incredible Years teacher classroom management (TCM) course with combined economic and process evaluations. One teacher of children aged 4-9 years, from 80 schools in the South West Peninsula will be randomised to attend the TCM (intervention arm) or to "teach as normal" (control arm). The primary outcome measure will be the total difficulties score from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) completed by the current class teachers prior to randomisation, and at 9, 18 and 30 months follow-up, supplemented by parent SDQs. Secondary measures include academic attainment (teacher report supplemented by direct measurement in a sub-sample), children's enjoyment of school, and teacher reports of their professional self-efficacy, and levels of burn out and stress, supplemented by structured observations of teachers classroom management skills in a subsample. Cost data for the economic evaluation will be based on parental reports of services accessed. Cost-effectiveness, using the SDQ as the measure of effect, will be examined over the period of the RCT and over the longer term using decision analytic modelling. The process evaluation will use quantitative and qualitative approaches to assess fidelity to model, as well as explore Head teacher and teachers' experiences of TCM and investigate school factors that

This study aimed to understand the screen time activities of toddlers and their parents, the relationship between toddlers' screen time and socioeconomic status (SES), the relationship between toddlers' screen time and language skills, and the screen time restrictions set by their families. Methods: The participants comprised 33 typically developing toddlers aged 12-24 months and their parents. Informed consent was obtained from the parents of all participants who passed the screening. Children's and their parents' screen time activities and other leisure activities, the family's SES, and receptive and expressive language scores were assessed. Results: A total of 96.9% of children had a mean screen time of 750 minutes per week, equivalent to 1.8 hours per day, which is significantly higher than the recommended guidelines. Children were mostly exposed to smartphones and televisions. Nine children did not meet ageappropriate language scores, and all other children had age-appropriate language scores despite having excess screen time. No significant correlation was found between language scores and screen time in children and parents. A positive correlation was found between parents' screen time and SES, but not between children's screen time and SES. Discussion: This study highlights the significance of co-viewing and interactive screen time in supporting the development of language skills. It also highlights the need to revise guidelines on screen time restrictions in young children. Guidelines should include recommendations in choosing high-quality, age-appropriate strategies to encourage co-viewing to enhance parentchild interaction. The paper also emphasizes the significance of restricting parents' screen time as it may interfere with qualitative interactions with the child leading to language delay.

Learning potential can be used to assess and provide direction for action in diverse populations in modern educational
settings. This study examined the relationship between the EHPAP dynamic evaluation scale and cognitive abilities
(linguistic development, specific cognitive abilities, and executive functioning) in typically developing preschool children.
Linear regression models indicated that children’s cognitive abilities formed part of the prediction of their independent
performance in tasks before and after mediation. The abilities that formed part of the predictions were related to general
linguistic development, specific cognitive functions, and executive functioning. Age as a predictive factor only contributed to
verbal planning. This study examined the contribution of these variables in different EHPAP scales.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the association between early childhood caries (ECC) and maternal caries status, and the maternal perception of ECC risk factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 77 mother-child pairs, the children ranging from 12 to 36 months of age and their mothers, who were seeking dental care at a health center in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. Data collection was conducted using a specific questionnaire for mothers. Oral clinical examination of the mother-child binomial to assess caries incidence, gingival bleeding (GB) and visible plaque was done. Home visits were performed in 10% of the sample in order to observe the environmental conditions, dietary habits and dental hygiene practices. Results: The findings showed that the caries prevalence in children was 22.5 times higher in the mother who had decayed tooth (prevalence ratio [PR] = 22.5, confidence interval [CI] 95% = 3.2–156.6, P &lt; 0.001). GB also was observed in ...

Background-While community violence has been linked to psychological morbidity in urban youth, data on the physiological correlates of violence and associated posttraumatic stress symptoms are sparse. We examined the influence of child posttraumatic stress symptoms reported in relationship to community violence exposure on diurnal salivary cortisol response in a population based sample of 28 girls and 15 boys ages 7-13, 54% self-identified as white and 46% as Hispanic. Methods-Mothers' reported on the child's exposure to community violence using the Survey of Children's Exposure to Community Violence and completed the Checklist of Children's Distress Symptoms (CCDS) which captures factors related to posttraumatic stress; children who were eight years of age or greater reported on their own community violence exposure. Saliva samples were obtained from the children four times a day (after awakening, lunch, dinner and bedtime) over three days. Mixed models were used to assess the influence of posttraumatic stress symptoms on cortisol expression, examined as diurnal slope and Area Under the Curve (AUC), calculated across the day, adjusting for socio-demographics. Results-In adjusted analyses, higher scores on total traumatic stress symptoms (CCDS) were associated with both greater cortisol AUC and with a flatter cortisol waking to bedtime rhythm. The associations were primarily attributable to differences on the intrusion, arousal and avoidance CCDS subscales. Conclusions-Posttraumatic stress symptomatology reported in response to community violence exposure was associated with diurnal cortisol disruption in these community-dwelling urban children.

The aim of the study was to provide a standardization of self-reported competences and emotional/behavioural problems in Spanish adolescents, using the Achenbach&#39;s Youth Self-Report (YSR), and to compare our results to those from other countries. The YSR was completed by 2822 adolescents aged 11-18 years, recruited from secondary schools in two regions of Spain. There were significant differences in Total behaviour problems and in most problem scales in boys and girls, scoring boys higher on externalizing syndromes, whereas girls score higher on internalizing syndromes . Males&#39; mean scores were higher than females&#39; scores for social competence. Age effects also showed significant differences with respect to internalizing problems, thought problems, social problems and depression. Cut-off points based on the 90th and 98th percentile developed from this sample are presented for the competences and the problem scales. To test the overall range of variations across cultures,...

The serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) is associated with caregiving in nonhuman animals and with affective and cognitive correlates of human parenting, yet its association with human parenting is largely unknown. Using a well-characterized sample of parents and offspring, we evaluated the association of parental 5-HTTLPR with observed positive and negative parenting behavior, as well as its biologically plausible moderation of child-related stress and disruptive child behavior as predictors of parenting. One hundred and sixty-two parents (86% mothers) and their 6- to 9-year-old children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were ascertained using multiple methods including structured interviews, rating scales, and observed parent-child interaction, yielding strong measures of key constructs. Controlling for multiple youth-level (e.g., sex, 5-HTTLPR genotype, disruptive behavior) and parent-level (e.g., demographics, depression, attention-...

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) reliably predicts social dysfunction, ranging from poor social competence and elevated peer rejection to inadequate social skills. Yet, the factors mediating predictions of social problems from childhood ADHD are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated social functioning in 186 (69 % male) 6 to 10 year-old (M = 7.88, SD = 1.17) children with (n = 98) and without (n = 87) ADHD who were followed prospectively for two years. We implemented a well-validated measure of social problems as well as a novel social decision-making task assessing dynamic response to changing affective cues at the two-year follow-up. According to separate parent and teacher report, baseline ADHD symptoms positively predicted social problems at the two-year follow-up; individual differences on the social decision-making task mediated this association. This finding was replicated when ADHD dimensions (i.e., inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivit...

Anxious mothers&#39; parenting, particularly transfer of threat information, has been considered important in their children&#39;s risk for social anxiety disorder (SAnxD), and maternal narratives concerning potential social threat could elucidate this contribution. Maternal narratives to their preschool 4- to 5-year-old children, via a picture book about starting school, were assessed in socially anxious (N= 73), and nonanxious (N= 63) mothers. Child representations of school were assessed via doll play (DP). After one school term, mothers (Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL]) and teachers (Teacher Report Form) reported on child internalizing problems, and child SAnxD was assessed via maternal interview. Relations between these variables, infant behavioral inhibition, and attachment, were examined. Socially anxious mothers showed more negative (higher threat attribution) and less supportive (lower encouragement) narratives than controls, and their children&#39;s DP representations SAnx...

This study examines the dynamics of riverside settlements in Central Kalimantan, with a particular focus on Palangka Raya City, to understand how traditional ecological knowledge and cultural practices intersect with contemporary urbanization and environmental pressures. Situated within the broader discourse on sustainable urban development, the research examines how the Dayak Ngaju people's enduring relationship with riverine environments. It offers valuable insights into balancing cultural continuity and ecological integrity in rapidly transforming urban landscapes. As Palangka Raya emerges as a strategic urban node, it faces mounting pressures from infrastructure expansion, land-use change, and socio-economic modernization—threatening the sustainability of indigenous lifeways and ecosystems. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining literature reviews, drone-based spatial observation, structured surveys, and participatory engagement with local communities. This methodological integration provides a nuanced and multi-scalar understanding of environmental and socio-cultural transformations in river-edge settlements. The findings reveal that traditional practices—such as seasonal fishing, floating cultivation, and ritual-based spatial organization—play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and social cohesion. These practices, however, are increasingly marginalized by top-down planning and fragmented urban governance. The study concludes that sustainable development in Palangka Raya requires a multi-dimensional framework that integrates indigenous knowledge systems, participatory planning, and adaptive environmental governance. It contributes to the fields of urban anthropology, environmental planning, and cultural sustainability by proposing a hybridized model of development that is rooted in both local wisdom and scientific innovation. Practical implications include informing culturally sensitive urban policies, while social implications point to the empowerment of Indigenous communities in shaping future cityscapes. While the study offers meaningful insights, its geographically narrow scope and absence of longitudinal data limit the generalizability of its findings; nonetheless, it provides an initial step toward more comprehensive, comparative research on riverine urban transformations across Southeast Asia.

La perspectiva de la Salud Mental ha evolucionado y ya no se entiende como un concepto unidimensional, absoluto, ni de normalidad estadística, pero tampoco como utopía o ideal. La salud mental combina experiencias cognitivas, afectivas y de relación. Cada vez más se reconoce la importancia de los componentes externos: social, económico, ambiente físico y red social de apoyo, que conducen a un concepto más amplio de salud mental. Pero además se admite que la salud mental no consiste sólo en vivir placenteramente, sino que también entraña tolerancia al dolor y el sufrimiento que hacen parte de la vida cotidiana.

This article focuses on the contributions that the program of research on the New Beginnings Program (NBP) has made to understanding pathways to resilience in youth who experience parental divorce. First, the research demonstrating that divorce increases risk for mental health, physical health and social adaptation problems is reviewed. Next, theory and research linking social environmental-level and youth-level modifiable risk factors and resilience resources to youth's post-divorce adjustment are presented. The conceptual framework underlying the NBP and the risk factors and resilience resources targeted in this program are described next. The short-term and long-term results of two experimental, randomized efficacy trials of the NBP and moderators and mediators of its effects are then presented. Analyses that examine whether youth self-systems beliefs account for the links between program-induced changes in family-level resilience resources and positive long-term program on adaptation outcomes are presented and how experimental trials can be used to further theories of resilience for youth facing adversities is discussed. The final section describes directions for future research on the NBP. Parental divorce is one of the most prevalent adversities experienced by adults and children in the U.S. Currently, nearly half of first marriages and about 60% of remarriages end in divorce and these divorces affect over 1.5 million youth each year (US Census Bureau, 1999). Currently, 10 million children (14% of the population) live in divorced or separated households (National Center for Health Statistics, 2005) and it is estimated that 34% of children in the U.S. will experience parental divorce before reaching age 16 . The high prevalence of divorce means that its impact on population rates of problem outcomes is substantial . Thus, understanding factors that affect children's resilience after parental divorce not only has important theoretical but also significant public health implications. Similar to Luthar, Cichetti and Becker (2000) and Masten (2001), we conceptualize resilience as achieving positive outcomes in the context of significant adversity. We theorize that the effects of adversity and resources available to the individual are mediated through two common mechanisms --the satisfaction of basic needs and the accomplishment of age-appropriate developmental competencies . Adversity is conceptualized as exposure to major life stressors that increase the probability of mental health, physical health or social adaptation problems. Resources are conceptualized as characteristics of individuals, families and communities, such as coping style and parenting. Resources and adversities are seen as dynamically affecting each other over time.