Families Of Children Research Articles

Differences in caregiver and child factors within families of autistic youth across birth order groups

BackgroundResearch has highlighted the ways that birth order relates to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence rates. However, little research has focused on how birth order relates to the wellbeing of the family once a child is diagnosed with ASD. Additionally, many family factors (such as measures of parental wellbeing) and elements of child emotional/behavioral symptoms have not yet been investigated when evaluating the potential effects of birth order. The current study aimed to investigate how family birth order may impact caregiver reporting of parental wellbeing/competency and child symptoms. MethodThree groups were created based on caregivers (N = 155) who have (1) a first-born child with ASD and then child(ren) without ASD, (2) child(ren) without ASD and then a child with ASD, and (3) an only child with ASD. Caregivers completed questionnaires measuring family resources, child symptoms, and parental factors. ResultsDespite comparable ratings on family resources and ASD severity, significant differences based on birth order emerged. Having one or multiple children without ASD before having a child with ASD may enhance feelings of satisfaction and competency as a parent. Parents with an only child with ASD also reported higher ratings of competency, had significantly less ASD knowledge, and demonstrated a significant negative correlation between efficacy and knowledge. ConclusionFamilies with an only child with ASD may require further support to augment their knowledge of ASD. Caregivers who have a first-born child with ASD may benefit from interventions focusing on their feelings of parental competency.

Peran Satuan Bakti Pekerja Sosial dalam Penanganan Kasus Anak Terlantar di Kota Kupang Berdasarkan Peraturan Perundang-Undangan di Indonesia

Abandoned children are a type of social welfare problem where the child's physical, mental and spiritual conditions are not met. Social workers have an important role in handling cases of abandoned children in accordance with Indonesian laws and regulations. This research aims to determine the role of the social work service unit in handling cases of abandoned children as well as the challenges and obstacles faced in handling cases of abandoned children. This research uses empirical research methods that are empirical juridical in nature. The sample was selected by purposive sampling, data collection techniques used interviews, observation and documentation review. Social workers strive to rescue children from dangerous environments, help provide temporary shelter if necessary, and collaborate with various parties to ensure the safety and welfare of children, in providing protection for abandoned children social workers identify children who are at risk of experiencing neglect, exploitation or violence, this is done through surveys, direct interactions, or reports from other parties, after identifying children at risk, social workers carry out an in-depth evaluation of their situation by conducting an assessment. The results of the research on the role of social workers in handling abandoned children, namely companions as facilitators and counselors, as service providers or liaisons and advocates, however there are several obstacles and challenges faced, namely unclear identity of children, complex conditions of children's families, long legal processes, limited resources and lack of public awareness.

Examining the association of family environment and children emotional/behavioral difficulties in the relationship between parental anxiety and internet addiction in youth.

Associations between parental anxiety and adolescent internet addiction have been documented in the literature; however, few studies have analyzed the role of the family environment in this relationship. This study aims to explore the relationship between parental anxiety and adolescent internet addiction while also investigating the indirect relationships involving multiple dimensions of the family environment and child emotional behavior issues. Surveys were conducted among 6,296 parent-child pairs. We administered SDQ, CIAS-R, and FES-CV to assess adolescents' issues and internet addiction, and evaluate family environment. Additionally, parents completed GAD-7 to assess parental anxiety levels.Results: Correlation analysis revealed that the family environment and adolescent emotional behavior issues played an indirect relationship in the link between parental anxiety and internet addiction. The findings emphasize the importance of addressing parental anxiety and fostering a positive family environment as effective measures to alleviate adolescent emotional behavior problems and reduce the risk of internet addiction.

“Then I know Hmong then that way I can eavesdrop on mommy and daddy”: Children’s agency in the heritage language in family language policy

ABSTRACT Framed by family language policy and children’s agency, this multiple case study investigates two Hmong American children’s conceptualization of Hmong and the strategies they develop and utilize in their home. Interviews, artifacts, recorded interactions, and video recorded sessions were collected to gain an understanding of how the children viewed and valued Hmong. The findings reveal that while both children understood Hmong as a family language, they differed in their conceptualization of the utility of Hmong, creating their own investment in the heritage language that drove their practices. Importantly, as they negotiate their respective FLPs, they also influence their younger sibling’s heritage language investment and practices.

Legal problems of adoptive families in China

In the People's Republic of China, as in many other countries of the world, modern government policy in the field of family relations is focused on mobilizing the entire society to support families in raising children and supporting children left without parental care, including through placing children in foster care families. However, the legislation in the area of placement of children left without parental care is not perfect and requires a subjective assessment in terms of its compliance with the interests of children’s rights. This form of placement for children without parental care, like a foster family, has made in Chinese legislation relatively recently and is important for protecting the rights and interests of children without parental care. At the same time, the existing legislative rules ensuring the placement of children left without parental care in foster families are not perfect. Thus, the legal problems of placing children without parental care in foster families, related both to the restrictive framework that is imposed on the children themselves who are subject to placement in foster families, and the restrictive framework that is established for the foster families themselves (the age limit of parents, the number of children who can be raised in one foster family) deserve special attention. The article focuses on the legal problems of placing children without parental care in foster families. An analysis of existing problems has shown that there is an urgent need to modernize legislative norms related to placement in foster families in order to ensure the best and comprehensive interests of children, rather than maintaining the approach according to which the family becomes part of the bureaucratic and traditional framework, making it the last link in the implementation of state politicians.

Prevalence of neonatal screening and associated factors in Brazil: a comparison of the 2013 and 2019 National Health Surveys.

This study analyzed the prevalence of complete neonatal screening (CNS) of children aged under 2 years in Brazil and associated factors using data from the 2013 (n=4,442) and 2019 (n=5,643) national health surveys. We conducted a cross-sectional study to compare prevalence of CNS (eye, ear and heel prick tests) adopting 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and a 5% significance level. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression was performed to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95%CI to assess the association between socioeconomic, demographic and health variables and CNS. There was a statistically significant increase in CNS prevalence, from 49.2% (95%CI: 47.1-51.3) in 2013 to 67.4% (95%CI: 65.5-69.3) in 2019. However, large disparities persist across states and between sociodemographic groups. In both years, CNS prevalence was lowest among brown and black children, those from families in the three lowest income quintiles, children without health insurance, those from families registered in the Family Health Strategy and children living in the North, cities outside the state capital/metropolitan regions and rural areas. Despite the increase in prevalence of CNS, deep individual and contextual inequalities persist, posing challenges for health policies.

Prevalência e fatores associados à realização dos exames de triagem neonatal no Brasil: comparação da PNS 2013 e 2019

Abstract This study analyzed the prevalence of complete neonatal screening (CNS) of children aged under 2 years in Brazil and associated factors using data from the 2013 (n=4,442) and 2019 (n=5,643) national health surveys. We conducted a cross-sectional study to compare prevalence of CNS (eye, ear and heel prick tests) adopting 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and a 5% significance level. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression was performed to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95%CI to assess the association between socioeconomic, demographic and health variables and CNS. There was a statistically significant increase in CNS prevalence, from 49.2% (95%CI: 47.1-51.3) in 2013 to 67.4% (95%CI: 65.5-69.3) in 2019. However, large disparities persist across states and between sociodemographic groups. In both years, CNS prevalence was lowest among brown and black children, those from families in the three lowest income quintiles, children without health insurance, those from families registered in the Family Health Strategy and children living in the North, cities outside the state capital/metropolitan regions and rural areas. Despite the increase in prevalence of CNS, deep individual and contextual inequalities persist, posing challenges for health policies.

Food insecurity and childhood outcomes: a cross-sectional analysis of 2016-2020 National Survey of Children's Health data.

Racial inequalities across social determinants of health (SDOHs) are often influenced by discriminatory policies that reinforce systems that further uphold these disparities. There is limited data describing the influence of food insecurity (FI) on childhood racial discrimination. Our objective was to determine if the likelihood of experiencing racial discrimination was exacerbated by FI. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2016-2020 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) to extract data on childhood racial discrimination and food security. We extracted sociodemographic variables to utilize as controls and constructed logistic regression models to determine associations, via odds ratios (ORs), between food security and whether the child experienced racial discrimination. We found statistically significant associations between experiencing FI and childhood racial discrimination. Individuals who experienced food shortages were significantly more likely to experience racial discrimination compared to those without food limitations when controlling for race, food voucher usage, age, and % federal poverty guidelines (FPG, adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.34; 95 % CI: 2.69-4.14). Our study found that parents of minority children all reported high rates of racial discrimination, which was exacerbated by concurrent FI. Children of families that were the most food insecure reported the highest percentage of racial discrimination at 11.13 %, compared with children who always had enough nutritious meals to eat at 2.87 %. Acknowledging the intersection that exists between FI, race, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES), might be a way forward in addressing the adverse health effects experienced by food-insecure children and adults.

Impact of adverse childhood experiences and family resilience on sleep duration in autistic children.

Autistic children are more likely to have sleep difficulties and to experience adverse childhood experiences. Adverse childhood experiences can include parental divorce, bullying, or witnessing violence. We also know that children in families who are resilient (e.g. families who are connected, work together, and help each other) are less impacted by adverse childhood experiences. Our study examined whether there was a relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sleep duration in autistic children. We also wanted to find out whether family resilience protects from the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences on sleep duration. We used data from 3247 parent surveys about their children that we got from the National Survey of Children's Health. We found that children with adverse childhood experiences are more likely to get less sleep. We also found that children with resilient families were more likely to get more sleep. Our results show that family resilience helps weaken the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and sleep, so it is important to help families build resilience.

Conceptualising “the more-than-migrant child”

PurposeUsing a feminist, post-structural and posthuman theoretical framing the paper argues for elevating the complexity of conceptions of migrant children’s engagements with and contributions to their own lives.Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper responds to contemporary concerns with research involving migrant children and childhoods in an Australian context. With researchers and teachers’ attention being drawn to enhancing the cultural wellbeing, identity and belonging of young children, it asks: who is “the migrant child”? In our response to this question, we disrupt expectations of simplistic, homogeneous views of children of migrant families or backgrounds, including confronting notions such as vulnerability, neediness and deficit.FindingsPotential ways in which “the migrant child” is implicated by diverse social, environmental and political factors underlie the many ways in which children might exercise their autonomy and participation. In Australia, contemporary migration remains clouded by such policies as the only relatively recently overturned “White Australia” policy and so-called “boat turnbacks”, whilst, and especially in post-Covid times, Australian society simultaneously depends on migrant workers in many areas of employment. At the same time, Australia seems to openly celebrate what is seen as “successful” multiculturalism.Originality/valueThese multiple perspectives offer a deeply concerning social and policy environment for researchers and educationalists. It is in this context that we raise questions and speculate towards potential conceptualisations of “the migrant child” which recognise, rather than negate, the powers and insights arising from the child’s experiential, relational and deeply entangled onto-epistemological perspective/s.

The association between parenthood and health: A comparison of people in same-sex and different-sex relationships

Understanding social inequalities in parental health is crucial for family functioning and child development. Theoretically, the double burden of parenting and minority stress may lead to the negative association between parenthood and health outcomes being stronger for people in same-sex relationships. Moreover, drawn from the social control process and the compensation mechanism, the negative association between parenthood and health risk behaviors may become stronger for people in same-sex relationships. Yet, empirical evidence on parental health disparities between parents in same- and different-sex relationships is limited. Using linear and logistic regression models, coarsened exact matching, and entropy balancing on Dutch data between 2008 and 2021 (196 people in same-sex relationships and 6948 people in different-sex relationships), we investigate the relationship between parenthood and three health outcomes (self-rated health, physical health, and mental health) and two health risk behaviors (smoking and heavy episodic drinking). We find that parents on average are less likely to experience heavy episodic drinking than non-parents. The association between parenthood and health does not differ between people in same-sex and different-sex relationships.

Children's physical activity in family child care homes: Influence of quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics.

About half of preschool-age children are not meeting recommendations of 15 min/h of physical activity (PA), and nearly one out of seven children between the ages of 2-5years are living with obesity. Furthermore, children attending family child care homes (FCCHs), compared with larger child care centers, engage in lower levels of PA and appear to be at a higher risk of obesity. Therefore, examining PA and multi-level factors that influence PA in children who attend FCCHs is essential. The Childcare Home Eating and Exercise Study (CHEER) examined PA behaviors of 184 children enrolled in 56 FCCHs and FCCH quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics. PA was assessed by accelerometer, and FCCH environment and policy was assessed via structured observation. Multiple linear regression was used to model associations between school day total PA and FCCH quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics. Child participants were on average 3.1years old; participants were non-Hispanic Black (47.3%), Non-Hispanic White (42.9%), other race/ethnicity (7.1%), and Hispanic/Latin (2.7%). Children in FCCH settings participated in 11.2min/h of total PA, which is below the recommended 15 min per hour. The PA environment and policy observation yielded a score of 11.8 out of a possible 30, which is not supportive of child PA. There were no associations between total child PA and FCCH quality status, environment and policy features, and child characteristics in these FCCH settings. This study was unique in its examination of PA and a comprehensive set of factors that may influence PA at the individual, organizational, environmental, and policy levels in a diverse sample of children attending FCCHs in South Carolina. Additional research is needed to better understand how to increase children's physical activity while they are in the FCCH setting. This research should use multi-level frameworks and apply longitudinal study designs.

Using “Project ECHO” to Support Birth-to-Three Providers Partnering With Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Using “Project ECHO” to Support Birth-to-Three Providers Partnering With Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Access to jeopardy: The legal hybridity of criminal-civil debt in the United States

Research on the shadow carceral state identifies new species of criminal-civil and civil-criminal legal hybrids embedded in state law. We bring into conversation disparate literatures on growing family complexity, monetary sanctions, justiciable problems, and child support enforcement to examine how contemporary American families experience a system of double and triple jeopardy—the compounding risks of exposure to both criminal and civil debts at the nexus of a legal hybrid, wherein monetary sanctions (criminal) and child support orders (civil) become co-constitutive (double jeopardy), thereby amplifying the risk that a parent will also experience (civil) child support arrearage (triple jeopardy). Using data from seven sources to construct a unique dataset, we evaluate the spatial and racial risk of double and triple jeopardy, as well as the state-level factors that explain them. Our analysis provides a valid description of, and critically establishes the sociolegal precarity wherein, currently incarcerated parents observe and experience their risks of double and triple jeopardy in the child support system via its orders, collections, and enforcement powers. We find that there are, indeed, racial and spatial disparities in the risk of double and triple jeopardy, and that specific state-level factors increment and decrement those risks.

A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial of a Targeted Distributed Toothpaste and Toothbrushing Programme.

The aim was to assess the effectiveness of a distributed, targeted toothbrush and toothpaste programme on referrals for tooth extraction under Dental General Anaesthetic (DGA), in children of high-risk families compared to usual care. A recruiter and assessor-blinded, clustered parallel randomised control trial (RCT). Families with one or more children aged between 3 and 10 years having undergone a DGA operation for extraction of carious teeth, were approached within hospitals in the North West of England. Families were randomised at the cluster level in a 1:1 ratio. All eligible children within the family consented to the study. The primary outcome was participant referral for a DGA 6-24-month post-randomisation. A total of 961 families (1,671 children) were randomised, 482 families (832 children) to the intervention, and 479 families (839 children) to the control group. Families (1,662 children, 955 families) were included in the final analysis (825 intervention, 837 control). Marginal regression models (generalised estimating equation approach) taking into account cluster membership were used to model the effectiveness of the intervention at 24 and 48 month follow-up, including the variables, age, sex, and IMD quintile. Seventy-six children (9.2%) in the intervention group had a DGA referral within 2 years compared to 57 children (6.8%) in the control group. The study found no effect of a clinically meaningful difference between the intervention group and usual care (risk ratio 1.36, 95% CI: 0.98-1.89) in reducing referral for DGA for a targeted postal toothpaste/toothbrush program in a contemporary, population with previous family experience of DGA residing in an area of high deprivation. The target of the intervention (families of children with a DGA) was the correct focus given the referrals observed over 2 and 4 years. The study can aid policymakers, local authorities and commissioners to understand repeat DGA within families and further need for intervention.

Age-varying association between discrimination, childhood family support, and substance use disorders among Latin American immigrants in the United States.

The cultural stress theory posits that immigrants experience a constellation of cultural stressors such as discrimination that could exacerbate alcohol- and other substance-related problems. Drawing on cultural stress theory, this study investigated the age-varying association between past-year discrimination and substance use disorders (SUDs) among Latin American immigrants aged 18-60 and whether childhood family support moderated the above association. We used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) among adults aged 18-60 who identified as a Latin American immigrant (N = 3,049; 48% female). Time-varying effect models (TVEMs) revealed that experiencing past-year discrimination was associated with greater odds of having a SUD during young and middle adulthood for Latin American immigrants. Furthermore, for immigrants with lower childhood family support, discrimination was associated with SUD risk in young and middle adulthood. The present study documents that past-year discrimination was linked to greater SUD risk during young and middle adulthood. Childhood family support may serve as a protective factor in the association between discrimination and risk for SUD among Latin American immigrants. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Family child care educators’ experiences and decision-making related to serving children during COVID-19 and implications for supporting educators after the pandemic

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted early care and education, and many early education programs paused their operations or closed permanently. This study focused on the experiences of family child care educators, how they made decisions about operating during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges they faced, and the supports that helped them. Using a semi-structured interview protocol, we interviewed 27 randomly selected family child care educators in a southern state. We used qualitative analysis to identify themes in educators’ responses. Results show that most educators based their operating decisions on the needs of the families they served. They faced common COVID-related challenges like finding supplies and implementing enhanced health and safety guidelines; however, participants primarily described these as manageable. We discuss implications for targeting future compensation and quality improvement efforts to support educators, help them operate safely, and ensure equitable early care and education access to families. Understanding family child care educators’ decisions can help support continued operations in the future, using lessons from the pandemic to help slow family child care decline and support educators in offering high-quality early care and education.

Spatial prevalence and associated risk factors of childhood diarrhea: A cross-sectional study in rural Indian context

Diarrheal disease is the most prevalent health issue among children under the age of five, contributing to a staggering toll of approximately 525,000 deaths worldwide each year. Despite its devastating consequences, it is essential to note that this disease is both preventable and treatable. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of childhood (under 5 years) diarrheal disease in rural parts of India and identify relevant factors associated with diarrheal disease, encompassing maternal, household, environmental, and individual-level characteristics. In addition, the study highlights the spatial distribution of diarrheal disease across India, identifying hot-spot and cold-spot regions, along with the associated risk factors. The study utilized secondary data extracted from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey, conducted in India between 2019 and 2021 (N=161,368). Binary logistic regression analysis and spatial clustering techniques, specifically utilizing Global Moran’s I, were employed to achieve the study’s objectives. The findings revealed that diarrhea cases are more prevalent among the poor, rural, and children of Muslim families, as well as among those residing in environments lacking hygienic or adequate sanitation facilities and in households without floors, walls, or roofs built with concrete material. The highest prevalence is observed in the eastern and western parts of India. Necessary interventions are required to reduce diarrhea cases among children under the age of five in rural Indian areas. Given the vector-borne nature of this disease, public awareness of the importance of maintaining fresh and clean drinking water facilities is imperative.

How do street‐level organisations adapt to a new policy framework? Evidence from a Swiss canton

AbstractThis article examines how street‐level organisations (SLO) respond to new legal framework conditions after regulatory reform. Organisational response to a changed legal framework is key to understand implementation resilience as established organisational practice may collide with new legal obligations. Our cases are four family support and child protection organisations in a Swiss canton facing new legislation. These SLO and their personnel are strongly committed to their clientele and thus cannot simply adapt to new legislation. The study shows how the organisations perceive their discretion in the implementation of the new policy framework, the accountabilities they are bound by, and the way they cope with divergent requirements and conflicting priorities given their dependence on the regulator as commissioner of their work. SLO differ in their strategies for dealing with the new legal framework depending on the economic context in which they operate, in particular if they act as mainly privately run organisations.Points for practitioners Members of street‐level organisations (SLO) are strongly committed to their clientele and thus cannot simply adapt to new legislation. Facing legal restrictions, SLO members aim to maintain their client‐oriented services and to exercise their discretion as far as possible. SLO that are administratively and financially dependent on the regulator and the service commissioners cannot ignore a new legal framework. SLO differ in their strategies for dealing with the new legal framework depending on the economic context in which they operate, in particular if they act as mainly privately run organisations.

Agreement between quality of life assessed using family proxy and child self-reports among children with hematologic malignancy.

Evidence-based literature recognizes that the different degrees of agreement between a child self-report and a proxy-report depend on the characteristics of the domains, the child's age and illness, the proxy's own perspective on QoL, and family attendance during the child's hospitalization. This study aims to determine the degree of agreement between proxy-reports and child self-reports on quality of life (QoL) for children with hematologic malignancy ranging in age from 5 to 18 years who are undergoing treatment.We retrieved clinical QoL data from a study titled "Dynamic change in QoL for Vietnamese children with hematologic malignancy" from April 2021 to December 2022. To evaluate the magnitude of agreement between self-reports and proxy-reports, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for 259 pairs of measurements were quantified. Using independent t tests, the mean differences between self-reports and proxy-reports were tested.Moderate agreement was consistent through all age groups for five subscales, including physical, psychosocial, pain, nausea, and procedural anxiety (ICCs ranged from 0.53 to 0.74). The weakest agreement appeared in two groups, subjects aged 5-7 years and 13-18 years on six domains (school, treatment anxiety, worry, cognitive problems, perceived physical appearance, and communication) (-0.01 to 0.49). Child self-rating was consistently higher than that of proxies for the physical, emotional, and nausea domains among children aged 5-7 years and for procedural anxiety, treatment anxiety, and cognitive problems among children aged 8-12 years. Conclusion: The agreement level of self-reports and proxy-reports was differently distributed by child age and the PedsQL domains. The proxy children agreement on QoL among children with hematologic malignancy was divergent according to the different age groups, which could potentially be explained by proxy-child bonding at different stages of childhood development. Our recommendation for future studies is to explore children's age as a potential factor influencing proxy agreement on QoL among children with cancer. What is Known: • Children and their proxies may think differently about quality of life (QoL). • Comparing two sources of data (i.e., child and proxy) on aspects of QoL can help identify the discrepancies between children's perceptions of their QoL and their parents' perceptions. This can be useful in terms of identifying potential areas for improvement or concern and may also be helpful in making decisions about treatment and care. What is New: • Our study results demonstrated that proxies who comprised children aged 5-7 years or 13-18 years reported differently among domains that cannot be expressed verbally or with body language, including cognitive problems, perceived physical appearance, and communication. • Children generally perceived their QoL to be better than their proxies. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of children's QoL may require the consideration of multiple sources of data from various perspectives.