Early Childhood Behavior Problems Research Articles

Single mothers' perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion, parenting stress, adverse childhood experiences in early childhood and Black children's behavior problems in middle childhood and adolescence.

This study examined the roles of neighborhood social cohesion, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and parenting stress in early childhood on child behavioral outcomes in middle childhood and adolescence among socioeconomically disadvantaged Black families. To test a model linking perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion, single mothers' parenting stress, ACEs, and behavior problems in middle childhood and adolescence. We used four waves of longitudinal data from a subsample of 800 unmarried Black mothers and their children (at child birth and ages 3, 5, 9, and 15) from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a nationally representative data set. Structural equation modeling with latent variables was used to measure direct and indirect effects. Mothers' perceptions of neighborhood social cohesion were significantly and negatively associated parenting stress (β = -0.34, p < 0.05); parenting stress was significantly and positively related to adverse childhood experiences (β = 0.40, p < 0.05) and behavior problems (β = 0.32, p < 0.05); Adverse childhood experiences were significantly and positively related to behavior problems (β = 0.26, p < 0.05); and behavior problems were indirectly influenced by neighborhood social cohesion through adverse childhood experiences (β = -0.14, p < 0.05) and parenting stress (β = 0.10, p < 0.05). Neighborhood factors may play a significant role in parenting stress, adverse childhood experiences in early childhood, and children's behavior problems in middle childhood and adolescence among some single mothers and children in economically and socially disadvantaged Black families. Interventions that enhance neighborhood social cohesion and foster supportive interactions among community members and organizations are recommended.

How food insecurity affects children's behavior problems in early childhood: The nutrition and family stress pathways.

This study examines how household food insecurity shapes young children's behavior problems in Singapore. The analysis is based on two waves of data collected before and during COVID-19 from a nationally representative sample of 2,601 children in the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG-LEADS, Mage = 4.5 at wave 1, Mage = 6 at wave 2). Results based on propensity score matching, fixed effects analysis and lagged-variable models show a positive association between household food insecurity and children's behavior problems both concurrently and over a two-year period. Two mediating pathways of this association are identified-children's dietary intake and family stress. Children in food-insecure households tend to consume fewer vegetables and more sugar-sweetened beverages and carbohydrates, which is associated with elevated behavior problems. Parents in food-insecure households exhibit greater emotional distress, diminished parental warmth, and increased punitive parenting practices, also contributing to their children's behavior problems. The family stress pathway has a stronger explanatory power than the nutrition pathway on children's behavior problems. This study reveals that food insecurity is a risk factor for children's behavior problems in early childhood which can lead to later developmental vulnerabilities for children in financially deprived families.

Hubungan Perilaku Hidup Bersih dan Sehat (PHBS) dengan Status Gizi Balita di Desa Sidorejo Lendah Kulon Progo Yogyakarta

&#x0D; PHBS is one of the indirect factors on the nutritional status of toddlers. Health behavior problems in early childhood are related to personal hygiene and the environment. A preliminary study conducted on 10 respondents in Sidorejo Village showed that out of 10 indicators of PHBS, mothers who carried out 1-3 indicators had 1 toddler with poor nutritional status, mothers who carried out 4-5 indicators had 4 toddlers with malnutrition status, and mothers who do 8-10 indicators have five children with good nutritional status. This study aims to determine the relationship between clean and healthy living behavior and the nutritional status of toddlers in Sidorejo Lendah Kulon Progo Village, Yogyakarta. The research method uses cross-sectional analytic with the Cluster Random Sampling technique with a population of 456, a sample of 100 respondents and PHBS data collection in the form of a questionnaire. The results of this study are that there is a relationship between PHBS and the nutritional status of toddlers in Sidorejo Lendah Kulon Progo Village, Yogyakarta. In conclusion, there is a significant relationship (0.001) with a close relationship in the low category with a correlation value (0.295). The suggestions are expected to improve good PHBS, the better the implementation of PHBS for mothers, the smaller the risk of toddlers experiencing malnutrition status.

Ebeveyn-Çocuk Etkileşim Terapisi

Parent-child interaction therapy is a parent-mediated therapy approach that focuses on solving internalization-externalization problems observed in children aged 2-7. The approach based on parenting styles, attachment theory, behavioral theory, and social learning theories aims to teach play therapy skills to parents. In this direction, each stage was organized as teaching and coaching sessions in an approach that included two phases: a child-directed interaction phase and parent-directed interaction. The first stage, which is the child-directed stage, it is aimed to developing a sincere and warm relationship between the parent and the child by following the child's lead.. In the second phase, the parent-directed interaction phase, effective discipline methods are taught to parents and coached at the point of use, depending on the goal of increasing their child's adaptation skills. Therapy is not time-limited and is performance-oriented. In this study, the general characteristics of parent-child interaction therapy, its historical development, theoretical foundations, the structure of therapy sessions, the intervention process, and parent-child interaction therapy research are included. As a result of the review, depending on the international literature, can be said to be parent-child interaction therapy is an early-term, parent-oriented and evidence-based approach that is effective on early childhood compliance and behavior problems, including children with neurodevelopmental problems, parenting stress, parental efficacy perception, and family harmony.

Measurement bias in caregiver-report of early childhood behavior problems across demographic factors in an ECHO-wide diverse sample.

Research and clinical practice rely heavily on caregiver-report measures, such as the Child Behavior Checklist 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5), to gather information about early childhood behavior problems and to screen for child psychopathology. While studies have shown that demographic variables influence caregiver ratings of behavior problems, the extent to which the CBCL/1.5-5 functions equivalently at the item level across diverse samples is unknown. Item-level data of CBCL/1.5-5 from a large sample of young children (N=9087) were drawn from 26 cohorts in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes program. Factor analyses and the alignment method were applied to examine measurement invariance (MI) and differential item functioning (DIF) across child (age, sex, bilingual status, and neurodevelopmental disorders), and caregiver (sex, education level, household income level, depression, and language version administered) characteristics. Child race was examined in sensitivity analyses. Items with the most impactful DIF across child and caregiver groupings were identified for Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems. The robust item sets, excluding the high DIF items, showed good reliability and high correlation with the original Internalizing and Total Problems scales, with lower reliability for Externalizing. Language version of CBCL administration, education level and sex of the caregiver respondent showed the most significant impact on MI, followed by child age. Sensitivity analyses revealed that child race has a unique impact on DIF over and above socioeconomic status. The CBCL/1.5-5, a caregiver-report measure of early childhood behavior problems, showed bias across demographic groups. Robust item sets with less DIF can measure Internalizing and Total Problems equally as well as the full item sets, with slightly lower reliability for Externalizing, and can be crosswalked to the metric of the full item set, enabling calculation of normed T scores based on more robust item sets.

Service Utilization for Parent Management of Early Childhood Behavior Problems in a Private Outpatient Behavioral Clinic: The Impact of Out-of-Pocket Cost, Travel Distance, and Initial Treatment Progress.

Poorly-managed early childhood disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) have costly psychological and societal burdens. While parent management training (PMT) is recommended to effectively manage DBDs, appointment adherence is poor. Past studies on influential factors of PMT appointment adherence focused on parental factors. Less well studied are social drivers relative to early treatment gains. This study investigated how financial and time cost relative to early gains influence PMT appointment adherence for early childhood DBDs in a clinic of a large behavioral health pediatric hospital from 2016 to 2018. Using information obtained from the clinic's data repository, claims records, public census and geospatial data, we assessed how owed unpaid charges, travel distance from home to clinic, and initial behavioral progress influences total and consistent attendance of appointments for commercially- and publicly-insured (Medicaid and Tricare) patients, controlling for demographic, service, and clinical differences. We further assessed how social deprivation interacted with unpaid charges to influence appointment adherence for commercially-insured patients. Commercially-insured patients had poorer appointment adherence with longer travel distances, or having unpaid charges and greater social deprivation; they also attended fewer total appointments with faster behavioral progress. Comparatively, publicly-insured patients were not affected by travel distance and had higher consistent attendance with faster behavioral progress. Longer travel distance and difficulty paying service costs while living in greater social deprivation are barriers to care for commercially-insured patients. Targeted intervention may be needed for this specific subgroup to attend and stay engaged in treatment.

Maternal Mindfulness During Pregnancy and Early Child Social-Emotional Development and Behavior Problems: The Potential Mediating Role of Maternal Mental Health

ObjectivesDuring the perinatal period, women are exposed to major changes, holding possible adverse effects on psychological well-being and child development. An effective way of coping with these challenges and adjustments could be mindfulness. The current study examined associations of mindfulness facets during pregnancy with toddler’s social-emotional development and behavior problems, as well as potentially mediating effects of maternal mental health.MethodA total of 167 women completed questionnaires during pregnancy, the postpartum period, and 2 and 3 years after childbirth, assessing dispositional mindfulness, pregnancy distress, symptoms of anxiety and depression, child social-emotional development, and child behavior problems.ResultsThere was a positive association between maternal non-reacting mindfulness skills and child social-emotional development at 2 years of age, regardless of mothers’ perinatal mental health, whereas other mindfulness facets were unrelated. Pregnancy distress mediated the association between maternal non-judging skills during pregnancy and child externalizing problem behavior, but no other mediating effects were found.ConclusionsNon-reacting skills in mothers during pregnancy may have favorable implications for child social-emotional development. Due to the relatively high number of tests that were conducted, the mediating effect of pregnancy distress must be interpreted with caution.

Association of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Perinatal Maternal Depression with Early Childhood Behavioral Problems: An Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Study.

This study examined the association of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), prenatal, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms with externalizing, internalizing, and autism spectrum problems on the Preschool Child Behavior Checklist in 2379 children aged 4.12 ± 0.60 (48% female; 47% White, 32% Black, 15% Mixed Race, 4% Asian, <2% American Indian/Alaskan Native, <2% Native Hawaiian; 23% Hispanic). Data were collected from the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program from 2009-2021. GDM, prenatal, and postnatal maternal depressive symptoms were each associated with increased child externalizing and internalizing problems. GDM was associated with increased autism behaviors only among children exposed to perinatal maternal depressive symptoms above the median level. Stratified analyses revealed a relation between GDM and child outcomes in males only.

Developmentally Appropriate Prevention of Behavioral and Emotional Problems, Social-Emotional Learning, and Developmentally Appropriate Practice for Early Childhood Education and Care: The Papilio-3to6 Program

The development of social-emotional skills is crucial in early childhood. Behavior problems in early childhood are risk factors for difficulties throughout childhood and adolescence and beyond. Considering the importance of developing social and emotional skills during early childhood, this study introduced the Papilio-3to6 program into everyday early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Germany. The program combines measures of developmentally appropriate practice and measures of social-emotional learning with strategies of developmentally appropriate prevention of behavioral and emotional problems. The underlying theory, the components of the program, evaluation results, dissemination, and implementation into ECEC center in Germany are described. A total of 627 children (MAGE = 56.77 months at pretest; 49% girls) from 50 ECEC center groups participated in an effectiveness, randomized controlled trial. At the pre- and posttest, teachers completed questionnaires related to children’s behaviors. Teachers completed questionnaires measuring their levels of job satisfaction, self-efficacy (control variables) and program implementation. A multivariate-multi-level-analysis revealed that children in the intervention groups, compared to the control groups, showed a significant decrease in their hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, as well as emotional, peer relationship problems, and conduct problems. The results also showed a significant increase in children’s prosocial behavior. Teachers’ job satisfaction and self-efficacy had no influence on the effectiveness of the program. Results supported treatment fidelity and usability.

Bidirectional relationships between parenting stress and child behavior problems in multi-stressed, single-mother families: A cross-lagged panel model.

Investigations on the bidirectional relationships between parenting stress and child behavior problems are important to inform intervention strategies; however, prior research has provided inconsistent findings. Using a national sample of multi-stressed single-mother families from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study, the present study examined the bidirectional relationships between maternal parenting stress and children's behavioral problems spanning from early childhood through adolescence at the child's ages 3, 5, 9, and 15. Reciprocal transactions were found between parenting stress and behavior problems in early childhood between the ages 3 and 5. From age 5 to age 15, our findings also suggest that children's behavior problems at an earlier time point predict mothers' parenting stress at a later time point. Unexpectedly, the lagged effects of parenting stress on child behavior problems in school ages were not significant in our sampled data. Early childhood interventions should address mitigating both parenting stress and their toddlers' behavior problems. During middle childhood and adolescence, interventions to directly address children's behavior problems are critical both to the well-being of mothers and to assist in the reduction in levels of behavior problems.

Maternal use of corporal punishment and behavior problems in early childhood: A sibling comparison analysis

BackgroundPrevious research demonstrates that there are environmental and genetic factors associated with the use of corporal punishment (CP) and children's behavior problems. Thus, it is difficult to disentangle whether CP has a causal effect on children's developmental outcomes. ObjectiveThis study explored the relationship between maternal use of CP at ages 3–4 years and symptoms of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems between the ages of 6 and 9 years using a sibling comparison design. In doing so, we were able to control for shared environmental factors and partially control for genetic factors that could explain the relationship between CP and behavior problems. MethodsThis study analyzed data from 11,506 children from the United States. We used generalized linear models to assess the relationship between the use of CP and behavior problems among biological siblings raised in the same home. ResultsAt the population level, CP was significantly associated with the development of internalizing behavior problems (β = 0.134, SE = 0.03, p < .001). When comparing siblings, this relationship was no longer significant. In contrast, CP was significantly associated with externalizing behavior problems at both the population (β = 0.233, SE = 0.02, p < .001) and sibling comparison level (β = 0.107, SE = 0.03, p < .001). ConclusionWe did not find evidence to suggest that the association between CP and externalizing behavior problems is due to environmental and genetic factors exclusively. Corroborating previous research, these results suggest that CP may increase the likelihood of externalizing behavior problems.

Factors that influence parent recruitment into prevention programs in early childhood: A mixed studies systematic review

The objective of this study is to identify the factors that influence the recruitment of parents of at-risk families into prevention programs targeting behavior problems in early childhood. A mixed studies systematic review was performed and the level of evidence for each influencing factor was determined according to the quality of the studies and to the consistency of the results across research. All evidence from the quantitative-, qualitative-, and mixed-design studies were identified (n = 28) using a convergent qualitative synthesis design. The factors that influence parent recruitment were grouped into five broad dimensions, namely, the child, the parent, parent-practitioner interactions, organizational decisions and actions, and policies, which confirms the ecological vision of recruitment. The review highlights the shared responsibility for the recruitment process, some factors being specific not only to the family, but also to the actors involved in the practice. The study demonstrates that certain influencing factors should be further promoted to increase the chances of reaching at-risk families during the early childhood period.

The Apple of Dad’s Eye: Paternal Affective Attitudes Predicting Early Childhood Behavior Problems

ABSTRACT Objective The Family Affective Attitude Rating Scale (FAARS) uses an audio-recorded speech sample to measure parents’ affective attitudes toward their children. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of this scale for use with fathers, concurrent predictors of paternal affective attitudes (parental depressive symptoms, inter-parental relationship quality, observed paternal parenting), and associations between fathers’ positive and negative affective attitudes toward their two-year-old children and children’s behavior problems one year later. Methods Participants were a sample (N = 226) of families from the Early Steps Multisite Study, a longitudinal study of low-income parents and children. Participants were racially and ethnically diverse (65% white; 23% Black or biracial; 12% Latinx). Results Initial validation results support the reliability and validity of FAARS coding in fathers of preschoolers, a previously untested group. Both maternal and paternal depressive symptoms and interparental relationship quality were significantly associated with fathers’ affective attitudes toward their children. Further, fathers’ positive affective attitudes predicted lower mother-reported child behavior problems one year later, controlling for a host of demographic covariates, fathers’ observed parenting, mothers’ affective attitudes, and child baseline behavior problems. Conclusions Results indicate that fathers’ positive attitudes toward their young children are a unique and robust predictor of lower levels of early behavior problems.

Neighborhood influences on early childhood behavioral problems: Child maltreatment as a mediator

BackgroundA sizable number of previous research investigated the influences of untreated behavior problems in children's early age, as well as how different environmental factors affect child behavior problems (King et al., 2004; Vaillancourt et al., 2013). However, few studies focused on the influences of different types of neighborhood factors on early childhood internalizing and externalizing symptoms via adverse childhood experiences. ObjectiveThis study aims to capture the specific pathways from neighborhood structural factors and process factors to early childhood internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Participants and settingThe restricted version of the Fragile Family Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) dataset at ages 3 and 5 were used, and 2722 children were included in the final model. MethodsThe Structural Equation Model was used to estimate the pathways from neighborhood structural and process factors to early childhood internalizing (INT) and externalizing (EXT) symptoms. Neighborhood structural factors were measured at the census tract level. Neighborhood collective efficacy, child maltreatment experiences, and early childhood internalizing, and externalizing symptoms were reported by the focal child's mother. ResultsNeighborhood process factors and structural factors showed both direct and indirect effects on early childhood EXT and INT differently. Emotional assault and neglect worked as mediators in this relationship. ConclusionsFindings emphasize the importance for researchers and practitioners to involve neighborhood context when assisting children with early childhood behavior problems. Implications for research and interventions are further discussed.

Income dynamics and behavior problems in early childhood, middle childhood, and the transition to adolescence

Income inequality and volatility have reached historically high levels in the U.S. Despite prior research documenting income disparities in externalizing and internalizing problems, studies have not delineated how aspects of income dynamics (i.e., annual income level versus income volatility) are linked to externalizing and internalizing across childhood. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and its child supplement (N = 8942) to examine associations between income dynamics and externalizing and internalizing in early childhood, middle childhood, and early adolescence. Annual income had negative associations with both externalizing and internalizing. Income losses related to higher externalizing and internalizing throughout development. Considering timing-specific income dynamics, both early childhood income and contemporaneous income negatively predicted behavioral functioning, while only contemporaneous income loss related to increased symptoms. Results illustrate that early childhood income is key to behavioral development, but income dynamics throughout childhood also relate to behavioral functioning.

Early life stress and behavior problems in early childhood: Investigating the contributions of child temperament and executive functions to resilience.

This preregistered study examined whether child temperament and executive functions moderated the longitudinal association between early life stress (ELS) and behavior problems. In a Dutch population‐based cohort (n = 2803), parents reported on multiple stressors (age 0–6 years), child temperament (age 5), and executive functions (age 4), and teachers rated child internalizing and externalizing problems (age 7). Results showed that greater ELS was related to higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems, with betas reflecting small effects. Lower surgency buffered the positive association of ELS with externalizing problems, while better shifting capacities weakened the positive association between ELS and internalizing problems. Other child characteristics did not act as moderators. Findings underscore the importance of examining multiple protective factors simultaneously.

Contextualizing the role of intrusive parenting in toddler behavior problems and emotion regulation: Is more always worse?

Intrusive parenting has been traditionally considered a negative parenting style and includes actions that are overly directive and controlling of children's behavior. However, current research aims to contextualize this parenting behavior. This study examined the relation between intrusive parenting and early childhood behavior problems or emotion regulation, as well as the moderating role of race/ethnicity and developmental delay. Participants (n = 511; 47.4% male) were part of a larger, longitudinal Early Head Start study, entitled Baby FACES, with a racially and ethnically diverse sample (40.1% White, 18.7% Black, and 41.2% Hispanic). Behavior problems and developmental delay were assessed via parent report, while parent intrusiveness and emotion regulation were rated by observers. More use of intrusive parenting at age 2 was associated with greater behavior problems and less emotion regulation at age 3. However, this relation was moderated by race/ethnicity and developmental level. Greater intrusiveness was related to increased behavior problems and poorer emotion regulation for White and Hispanic/Latino families; they were unrelated in Black families. Similarly, although intrusive parenting and behavior problems were positively associated at all developmental levels, the relation was strongest for children with typical development. Further, fewer maternal risk factors, being female, and being Hispanic/Latino were associated with higher emotion regulation, and more risk factors were associated with more behavior problems. These findings highlight the importance of considering how a child's context and development interact with parenting style. Children may benefit from clinical assessment and intervention that considers this intersectionality. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

A meta-analytic approach to the association between inhibitory control and parent-reported behavioral adjustment in typically-developing children: Differentiating externalizing and internalizing behavior problems.

Impairments in inhibitory control (IC) are traditionally seen as a vital aspect in the emergence and course of maladaptive behavior across early childhood. However, it is currently unclear whether this view applies to both the externalizing and internalizing domain of parent-reported behavioral adjustment. Furthermore, past (meta-analytic) developmental research and theory characterizing this association have largely neglected the vast heterogeneity of IC measures and conceptualizations. The present meta-analyses examined the association of IC with parent-reported externalizing (N=3160, 21 studies) and internalizing (N=1758, 12 studies) behavior problems, assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), in non-clinical populations of children aged 2-8 years. They further investigated the moderating effects of a priori IC categorization, according to a recently proposed two-factor model of IC ("Strength/Endurance" account, Simpson & Carroll, 2019). In line with previous research in the clinical domain, the current results corroborate the notion of a robust, but small association between IC and externalizing behavior problems (r=-0.11) in early childhood. However, although frequently proposed in the literature, no significant linear association could be identified with internalizing behavior problems. Furthermore, in both meta-analyses, no significant moderating effects of IC categorization could be revealed. These findings enhance our knowledge about the cognitive underpinnings of early-emerging maladaptive behavior, indicating that different subtypes of IC are statistically related with externalizing, but not internalizing behavior problems. Overall, the small association of IC ability with behavior problems in non-clinical populations provokes broader questions about the role of IC in behavioral adjustment.

Early Detection of Temperament Risk Factors: A Comparison of Clinically Referred and General Population Children.

Despite an extensive literature on associations between early childhood temperament and behavior problems, most of this evidence is based on general population samples. Hence, relatively little is known about the temperament characteristics of children who have been referred for in- or outpatient treatment of emotional and/or behavioral problems. Whether temperament-to-behavior problems identified in community samples would also be found in samples of clinically referred children is poorly understood. To redress this limitation, we compared temperament attributes of a predominantly preschool-aged sample of children referred for treatment of emotional and/or behavioral disorders (N = 87) with those from a similarly-aged general population sample (N = 85) by using the Integrative Child Temperament Screener (ICTS)—a new nine-item scale to identify clinically significant temperament attributes. Behavioral symptoms in the clinical sample were assessed through diagnostic interviews in combination with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which was also administered to the general population children. Compared with general population children, referred children exhibited substantially higher scores on all ICTS subscales except behavioral inhibition. Furthermore, areas under the curve analyses showed that discrimination of both groups based on CBCL scales could be improved by adding the ICTS. Overall, the findings fill a long-standing gap in evidence regarding temperament characteristics of children with serious emotional and/or behavioral symptoms and suggest a useful role for the ICTS in assessment, screening, and prevention.

Postpartum Depression, Complications During Pregnancy, and Offspring Behavior Problems in Early Childhood

Postpartum Depression, Complications During Pregnancy, and Offspring Behavior Problems in Early Childhood