Parental Assessment Research Articles

The legacy of Covid-19 in education

Abstract If school closures and social-distancing experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic impeded children’s skill development, they may leave a lasting legacy in human capital. Our parental survey during the second German school lockdown provides new measures of socio-emotional development and panel evidence on how students’ time use and educational inputs adapted over time. Children’s learning time decreased severely during the first school closures, particularly for low-achieving students, and increased only slightly 1 year later. In a value-added model, learning time increases with daily online class instruction, but not with other school activities. Parental assessments of children’s socio-emotional development are mixed. Discussing our findings in light of the emerging literature on substantial achievement losses, we conclude that unless remediated, the school closures will persistently increase inequality and reduce skill development, lifetime income and economic growth.

Postnatal growth restriction and neurodevelopment at 5 years of age: a European extremely preterm birth cohort study

ObjectiveTo investigate whether extrauterine growth restriction (EUGR) during the neonatal hospitalisation by sex among extremely preterm (EPT) infants is associated with cerebral palsy (CP) and cognitive and motor abilities at...

Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and adolescent assessment of behavior: Discrepancies by age and reporter.

Acetaminophen, which is one of the most commonly used medications during pregnancy, has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes among offspring during childhood. Less is known about associations with outcomes occurring later in adolescence. Methods: We conducted a follow-up study of children born between 1996 and 2002. Data on illnesses and medications, including acetaminophen, during pregnancy were collected through a standardized interview after delivery. Behavioral assessments were conducted at two subsequent time points, childhood (ages 5-10) and adolescence (ages 11-17). Outcomes examined included internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems based on the parent-completed Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the teacher-completed Teacher Report Form (TRF), and the youth-completed Youth Self Report (YSR, adolescent follow-up only). Adjusted linear regression models were used to calculate mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) in T-scores comparing those with prenatal acetaminophen exposure to those without. Stabilized inverse probability weights were used to account for attrition. Results: Among the 216 mother-child dyads with completed parent and teacher behavioral assessments at both childhood and adolescence, prenatal acetaminophen exposure was not associated with behavioral problems according to either parent or teacher assessments. Modest increases in externalizing and total behavior problems were observed according to youth report (MD: 1.9). Compared to associations observed during the childhood follow-up, associations at adolescence were attenuated according to parent-report. Conclusion: Reported associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and behavioral outcomes were not consistent over time nor between reporters.

Examining engagement with and acceptability and usability of REAL Parenting: A brief online parent-based intervention to reduce alcohol use and consequences among high school students

This study is a formative assessment of REAL Parenting (RP): a brief, digital intervention for parents of high school students that encourages parent-teen communication about alcohol and, in turn, aims to prevent teen alcohol use. The aims of this study were to describe engagement with, and acceptability and usability of RP; and to explore the relationship of these measures with each other and with short-term outcomes. Participants were 160 parents randomly assigned to the treatment group who received RP as part of a randomized pilot trial (Mage = 45.43[SD = 7.26], 59.3% female, 56% White, 19% Hispanic). App-based program analytics captured real-time engagement with RP. Parents completed self-report measures of acceptability, usability, perceived communication effectiveness, perceived self-efficacy to communicate, and frequency of communication post-intervention. Descriptive statistics were calculated to describe engagement, acceptability and usability, and zero-order correlations were calculated to examine associations between these and self-report variables. About 75% (n = 118) of parents accessed the intervention and two-thirds (n = 110) accessed at least one module. Self-report ratings of acceptability and usability were neutral to positive, and mothers liked RP more than fathers. Self-report, but not program analytic indicators were associated with short-term outcomes. Findings suggest that, with little incentive, most parents will access an app focused on parent-teen communication about alcohol. While parent feedback was positive, it also highlighted areas for improvement with app content and design. Correlations suggest that analytic metrics of engagement are useful to discern who is and is not using interventions, and self-report measures are important for understanding pathways by which interventions are associated with short-term outcomes.

How infant food likes become established as knowledge: Parental food assessments during infant mealtimes in the home

Early infancy is a critical period for the development of food likes and dislikes, but very little is known about the role of the social context and parent-child interaction within this process, and even less about what happens in the home environment. The current paper addresses this issue by examining how and when parents utter food assessments about their infants' eating practices during mealtimes in the home, and the practices through which infant likes become established as knowledge. A data corpus of 77 video-recorded infant mealtimes from six infants (aged 5–9 months) and their parents was analysed using discursive psychology, with a specific focus on the use of object-side and subject-side assessments. Data were recorded in English-speaking family homes in Scotland and Sweden. The analysis highlights three key findings: (1) infants' interactional rights to assess food are invoked during first tastes, (2) infants' food likes are established through anchoring in family food preferences and as shared knowledge among family members, and (3) infants' potential food dislikes are challenged by parents using object-side assessments and claims about previous likes. Parents thus play a crucial role in the establishment of infant food likes through the formulation of subject-side category assessments during early infant mealtimes. The research suggests that more focus should be placed on examining infant eating practices as collaborative and interactional events in everyday contexts.

Interactive book: An Alternative tool for educating sexual abuse prevention in early childhood

In early childhood (0-6 years), lack of understanding of sexual organs, ease of manipulation along with the lower age of the child are strong risk factors for Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) in early childhood. Meanwhile, the eastern culture adopted in Indonesia tends to still regard the giving of its information as something taboo. Till now, there is no media for educating children about CSA prevention that can help parents in the process. So, this study aims to develop an interactive book as an educational tool for CSA prevention in early childhood so that adults, especially parents, feel more comfortable in providing understanding to children about CSA prevention. The method used is mixed methods on seven experts of psychology and early childhood education. Qualitative Descriptive Analysis was used to see the important improvement points in the development of interactive books. Meanwhile, quantitative analysis is used to see the feasibility of interactive books based on the expert's assessment which will be processed with Aiken’s v. The qualitative results show that the selection of themes, colors, words, illustrations, and sizes are important factors in the feasibility of books and improvement points in interactive books. Quantitatively, interactive books are considered worthy of being a tool for the prevention of CSA in early childhood with an Aiken’s v coefficient ranging from 0.75-0.93 for each sub-theme, which means worthy as a CSA prevention tool. The existence of an interactive self-protection book is expected to be a choice of educational media as well as an assessment for parents, teachers, or health workers in identifying cases of child sexual violence in their environment more comfortably without appearing rigid cause of taboo in eastern culture.

Psychometric validation of the Chinese version of the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire among parents of children with cancer

PurposeAlthough burnout recently emerged as a harmful syndrome in parents, no instrument has been validated to suitably assess burnout among parents of children with cancer in China. In this study, we aimed to psychometrically validate the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ) among Chinese parents of children with cancer. Design and methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of 380 parents of children with cancer to psychometrically validate the SMBQ. Content validity, construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, diagnosis accuracy, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were evaluated. ResultsThe Chinese version of the SMBQ demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, good content validity, excellent convergent and discriminant validity, and appropriate criterion-related validity. Using the parental burnout assessment as a reference criterion, the area under the curve was 0.903. The optimal cut-off point for the SMBQ was 4.833. The factor model of the SMBQ used in Chinese parents of children with cancer had a good fit. The survey revealed that Chinese parents of children with cancer experienced a high level of burnout (3.86 ± 1.03). ConclusionsThe Chinese version of SMBQ was reliable and valid for assessing burnout in parents of children with cancer. Parents of children with cancer experienced a high level of burnout in China. Implications for practiceThis SMBQ can be used in Chinese clinical and research settings to investigate burnout in parents who have children with cancer. Further research could examine the predictive validity and validity.

Parental Monitoring Intervention Measures for Distance Learning Modalities

Given the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to contain its spread, a large number of educational institutions around the world have completely shut down face-to-face teaching and learning activities. This lockdown exposed emerging vulnerabilities in the world's education systems in low- and middle-income countries. This lockdown exposed emerging vulnerabilities in the educational sector in low- and middle-income countries around the world, including Philippines. This demonstrates the importance of adaptable and resilient education systems in the face of an uncertain future.
 The salient findings of the study are as follows: the assessment of teachers and parents on the parental monitoring intervention measures adopted are as follows: all items rated as Effective as to organize, measure, control, and analyze; and the computed t-values in organize, measure, control and analyze were all lower than the critical value, hence, there is no significant difference on parental monitoring intervention measures for distance learning modalities as assessed by teachers and parents.

Avoidant attachment transmission to offspring in families with a depressed parent

BackgroundInsecure attachment is associated with mental health morbidity. We explored associations between parent and offspring attachment style in a longitudinal study of families with a depressed parent. MethodsParents (N = 169) with a DSM-IV mood disorder and their adult offspring (N = 267), completed the Adult Attachment Questionnaire at one or more time points during up to 9.7 years of follow-up. Linear mixed effects models explored associations between parent and offspring anxious and avoidant attachment scores. Residualized models accounted for parent and offspring depression severity. ResultsAvoidant attachment scores were associated between parents and offspring with (p = .034) and without (p = .012) adjustment for baseline age and sex of parent and offspring. Depressed father-offspring relationships showed more avoidant attachment in offspring compared to depressed mother-offspring pairs (p = .010). After accounting for depression severity, parent average residualized avoidant attachment scores did not significantly correlate with those of offspring (unadjusted p = .052; adjusted p = .085), though the effect sizes did not change substantially, and 75 % of the correlation was retained. Parent-son relationships exhibited stronger avoidant attachment correlations compared to parent-daughter pairs (p = .048). LimitationsSmall sub-sample of fathers, parent and offspring assessments not always completed at the same time, and use of a self-report attachment style instrument. ConclusionsFamilial transmission of insecure avoidant attachment, a risk factor for negative mental health outcomes, merits research as a potential treatment target. In this preliminary study, its transmission to offspring seemed mostly independent of depression. Depressed fathers and their sons may deserve focus to reduce insecure avoidant attachment and improve clinical course.

Psychological assessment of parents of people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and comparison with parents of people without psychological disorders.

BackgroundTo date, several evidence-based interventions have been created to help relatives of people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but few studies have analyzed the clinical situation of the family members. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to explore the clinical symptomatology in a sample of parents of people diagnosed with BPD and compare them with a sample of a sample of people without a relative with a personality disorder, (2) to explore whether the parents of people diagnosed with BPD have psychopathology related to personality disorders (PD) or meet the diagnostic criteria for PD.MethodParticipants were 42 (39.6%) fathers and 64 (60.4%) were mothers and mothers (n = XX, −%) of people diagnosed with BPD, who were selected from a specialized PD unit for treatment. The sample of people without a relative with a PD was obtained from social network announcements. To test for differences between the two groups, Student’s t tests were performed for quantitative variables, and Chi-square tests were performed for categorical variables. Cohen’s d was calculated as a measure of the effect size.ResultsParents of people with BPD showed greater depressive and anxious symptomatology, higher levels of expressed emotion, and worse quality of life than the sample of people without a relative with a personality disorder. In addition, a high percentage of the parents of people diagnosed with BPD (50%) met the diagnostic criteria for different PD.ConclusionParents of people diagnosed with BPD may need psychological help in various aspects. Therapists are therefore advised to bear in mind the importance of carrying out a psychological assessment of family members and, if necessary, to offer psychological intervention. It is crucial to invite the family to be part of the treatment, since they can be part of the solution.Clinical Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID, NCT04160871 (registered November 15, 2019).

Parental Health Mindset Is Related to Preoperative Perceptions of Chest Wall Anomalies

IntroductionMindsets of health have been linked to different outcomes for patients with both surgical and medical conditions. A “growth” mindset, in which health is defined as malleable and subject to improvement, is associated with improved attitudes and outcomes when compared to a “fixed” mindset, in which health is defined as unchangeable. In pediatric surgery, parental growth mindsets of health have been correlated with better postoperative outcomes, including lower scores of anxiety and pain perceptions, for children. This was particularly notable in a study of postoperative outcomes for patients with pectus excavatum. In our current study, we extend our investigations to explore how health mindsets are associated with perceptions of chest wall anomalies before correction is undertaken. MethodsSeventy-six patients (71 males, mean age 14 y, and 43 excavatum) and 18 parents were surveyed during a routine chest wall clinic visit. Demographic and clinical information as well as the Health Mindset Scale and Pectus Excavatum Evaluation Questionnaire were administered and collected pretreatment. ResultsParental mindsets of health were significantly correlated with parent assessments of their children's chest pain, physical activity, and concerns about the life-time effect of the condition. A parental growth mindset was linked to lower scores of chest pain, higher ratings of activity, and lower overall level of concern. Furthermore, parental health mindsets also significantly correlated with children's own perceptions of their chest pain, physical activity, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Growth mindset also was linked to more positive ratings. ConclusionsParental growth mindset was associated with more positive assessments of children's symptoms and limitations due to pectus deformities than fixed mindsets. Health mindset has been linked to patient perceptions of, and outcomes for, diabetes, renal disease, allergies, scoliosis, and obesity. Further study into parental and patient mindset correlation may help elucidate factors for bracing compliance, and perhaps to better prepare children and parents for corrective surgical procedures.

Disabilities in Early Childhood: A Global Health Perspective.

Prior to the launch of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, childhood disability was rarely considered an important subject in global health. The SDGs till 2030 now require that children under 5 years who are at risk of not benefitting from inclusive quality education are identified, monitored, and promptly supported. A new tool for identifying children who are not developmentally on track has been developed by UNICEF but has limited sensitivity for detecting children with disabilities due to reliance on parental assessment of child behavior in certain everyday situations. In this paper, we identified conditions that are commonly associated with developmental disabilities based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and clarified the concept of "developmentally on track" as it relates to children with developmental disabilities and developmental delays. We summarized the latest evidence on the global burden of developmental disabilities in children under 5 years based on the diagnostic and functional approaches for measuring disabilities at the population level. We highlighted the global health context for addressing the needs of children with developmental disabilities and provided an overview of the opportunities and the role of pediatric caregivers in supporting children with developmental disabilities.

Assessment of Feeding Behaviors and Parents' Frustrations of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Lebanon: A Case-Control Study.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit restrictive and repetitive behaviors that affect their eating habits. The purpose of this study is to identify the behavioral feeding problems and eating habits among ASD children compared to typically developed (TD) children age/gender-matched controls, along with their parents'/caregivers' strategies for dealing with them. It included 43 ASD children and 43 TD children aged two to eleven years. The analysis was performed based on two valid questionnaires: the Behavior Pediatrics Feeding Assessment Scale (BPFA) and "My Child Eating Habits" (MCEH). The BPFA and MCEH scores conceded three manifestations that fall into food selectivity and problematic mealtime behavior in both groups of children. Compared to TD children, children with ASD exhibited higher BPFA scores, which indicated food-related behavioral and skill-based problems (p = 0.004). Children with ASD were less likely to consume fruits, vegetables, and milk than TD children, which may lead to nutritional deficiencies (p = 0.003, p = 0.003, and p = 0.010, respectively). Parents of ASD children were concerned about their behavioral problems and expressed their intention of an early intervention. These findings highlight the importance of nutritional clinical routines that incorporate the evaluation of the nutritional status and feeding behaviors of ASD children.

Assessment of parents' perception regarding electronic device use among children following COVID-19 lockdown in the field practice area of Urban Health Center of a Medical College in Anantapuramu

Assessment of parents' perception regarding electronic device use among children following COVID-19 lockdown in the field practice area of Urban Health Center of a Medical College in Anantapuramu

An assessment of parents’ knowledge, awareness and practice regarding paracetamol use in children

Introduction: Paracetamol is an effective antipyretic and analgesic medication also known as acetaminophen and it is over-the-counter medication although it is widely prescribed to treat mild to moderate pain and fever but at same time it could have minor side effects like lowering blood pressure or increasing heart rate or allergic reaction (rash and swelling). Previous studies confirmed that there is a lack of information among the general population about how to take paracetamol and deal with the dosage which includes what is the maximum dose and how many times to take it daily (frequency). Most previous studies were done out of Saudi Arabia and to the best of our knowledge there are a lack of studies on the topic in Saudi Arabia. For that reason, our aim in this study was to assess parents’ knowledge, awareness and practice regarding paracetamol use in children and to evaluate whether doctors and pharmacists in hospitals or pharmacies educate the parents about this medication or not. Methodology: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study was done via a validated questionnaire on the general population in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted in July-August 2021. The questionnaire has been used in previous studies and it is validated. The questionnaire is divided into four parts that comprises 32 questions; the first about socio-demographic data, the second part to assess parents’ awareness, the third part to assess parents’ knowledge and the fourth part assessing parents’ practises. Results: The study consisted of 502 participants, 52.4% females and 47.6% males. More than half of the participants (58.8%) do not use paracetamol without doctors’ consultation. Regarding Knowledge score among participants, the mean score was 2.089, out of 6. There is a significant relationship between Knowledge and Mother’s educational level (P= 0.016). On the other hand 48.6% used syrup as their most commonly used form of treatment. Conclusion: This study emphasises the need for increasing caregivers’ education on paracetamol use and its side effects. Overall the knowledge score was unsatisfactory. The study found a significant association between parents who had a university degree and their higher knowledge scores. Although most of the participants would consult their doctors before administering paracetamol, it showed no positive impact on their knowledge and practises towards antipyretics dose and side effects, which indicates a need for campaigns or educational programs on fever management. Keywords: Paracetamol, Acetaminophen, Parents, Children.

Assessment of parents' involvement and the awareness of oral hygiene practices among 10–12-year-Old schoolchildren in Pune City

Assessment of parents' involvement and the awareness of oral hygiene practices among 10–12-year-Old schoolchildren in Pune City

Assessment of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Self-Medication for their Child’s Dental Problems during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background: Self-medication (SM) refers to taking medicine without consultation with a doctor or dentist, and it is an important health issue, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study aims to evaluate parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding SM for their children’s dental problems during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kollam district, Kerala, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Public Health Center at Kollam District. A questionnaire which consists of 20 questions was given among a total of 108 parents who agreed to participate in the study. Data were entered into Microsoft Excel data sheet and were analyzed using SPSS for Windows (Statistical Presentation System Software, SPSS Inc.) version 17.0. Continuous data were represented as mean and standard deviation. Results: The majority of parents (n = 108, 82.4%) practiced SM for their children’s dental problems. Analgesics were the most commonly used medicines by parents in their SM and mainly SM was done for tooth pain. The current study also showed that most parents who practiced SM thought it was difficult to access health-care providers mainly due to COVID-19 and 63% of people said that their SM practice increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: The prevalence of SM practices for children’s dental problems is high in Kerala during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teledentistry might be a useful tool to overcome problems related to the SM of children during times when the ability to reach health-care providers is limited, during pandemics.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНАЯ ОЦЕНКА КАЧЕСТВА ЖИЗНИ ДЕТЬМИ СТАРШЕГО ШКОЛЬНОГО ВОЗРАСТА И ИХ РОДИТЕЛЯМИ

Children of high school age and their parents conducted an assessment of the quality of life associated with health. The study included 94 schoolchildren, including 34 boys and 60 girls, students of the 10th grade of a general education school, the average age was 16.4±2.7 years and 94 parents, including 26 men and 68 women, the average age was 43.0±4.0 years. To assess quality of life indicators, the Peds QL-4.0 questionnaire was used for children aged 13-18 years and their parents. It is shown that in this age group, a good match was observed in the evaluation of the children and the parents were observed on all the scales of the PedsQL 4.0 questionnaire. The assessment of the the quality of life of children did not depend on the sex of the parents who conducted the assessment. It is concluded that the results of both self-assessment (self-report) and parental assessment (proxy-report) can be used in practice.

Avaliação Psicológica Jurídica em Processos de Guarda no Brasil: Práticas Profissionais

This research aimed to understand the structuring of psychological assessments in custody actions and, on the other hand, to identify the existence of homogeneity or heterogeneity in these practices. Twenty-nine Brazilian legal psychologists participated in this study and answered an online questionnaire built based on the literature. The analysis of the results was carried out through deductive and semantic Thematic Analysis, whose previous categories were created based on national and international guidelines. The most salient results indicate some divergences from the literature, but that its actions and dimensions are compatible with those found in the literature. Based on these results, a guide of systematized practices is proposed, aiming to promote greater uniformity in parental assessment.

МУЖЧИНЫ НА ЖЕНСКОМ ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОМ ПОЛЕ (НА ПРИМЕРЕ ВОСПИТАТЕЛЕЙ В ДЕТСКИХ САДАХ)

The article presents reflections on the place of men in the women’s professional field on the materials of foreign studies, as well as new data obtained during the study of educators of preschool organizations initiated by sociologists – members of the Research Committee “Sociologists of Childhood” of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It presents the data on the transformation of ideas about male educators in the assessments of the preschool children parents. Information is provided on how male educators deem their social status and what they see as their tasks in the process of educating the younger generation.