Child Behavior Problems Research Articles

A mixed-methods study of parents' social connectedness in a group-based parenting program in low-income communities.

Group-based parent training (PT) is an evidence-based approach for strengthening parenting skills and reducing child behavior problems. However, there has been little research on the social connectedness (SC) formed among PT participants, particularly in low-income communities where parents may be more socially isolated. This study describes SC formed among parents in a group-based PT program implemented in their children's school and its association with changes in child behavior. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, data collection occurred between 2020 and 2022. Parents (n = 97) completed measures of their SC to other parents in their PT group and their child's behavior. Qualitative interviews with a representative subsample of parents (n = 17) were also conducted to understand parents' perceptions and experiences of SC within their PT group. Parents reported high levels of SC (M = 4.45 [range = 3.04-5 on scale of 1-5]; SD = 0.4). From baseline to postintervention, the number of children with child behavior problems significantly decreased (32.12%, 37.5% behavior intensity and problems, respectively). The magnitude of decline in child behavior problems was significantly related to parents' SC (b = -11.52, p = .02, SE = 4.99). Qualitative data confirmed high levels of SC, which parents linked to improvements in their parenting and children's behavior. Themes focused on the building of connections, committing to a safe space with parents who share similar goals, supporting one another, and gaining connections within the school environment and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results highlight the potential synergistic effects of SC formed in the context of group-based PT with implications for strengthening parenting skills and children's well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

To limit the spread of the coronavirus infection COVID-19, which has received the status of a pandemic, a lockdown was temporarily introduced. In conditions of isolation, children and adolescents suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were faced with forced changes in their daily routine in the form of a transition to distance learning, a decrease in physical activity, an increase in time in front of TV screens/computer monitors/tablets, etc. The review provides current evidence on the associations between social restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and behavioral problems in children and adolescents with ADHD. The main factors that can influence the severity of the disease in children and adolescents are analyzed. Particular attention is paid to the role of parental behavior and its influence on the manifestations of ADHD in children in isolation. The results of numerous observations and online surveys of relatives and children suffering from ADHD have demonstrated a multidirectional trajectory of the disease depending on numerous factors, including relationships with parents and immediate family. Despite the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of isolation during critical periods of childhood have the potential to increase the burden of mental illness. Treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD during the COVID-19 pandemic should be pathogenetic, taking into account the main symptoms of the disease. When choosing pharmacotherapy, priority should be given to drugs with verified effectiveness and a reliable safety profile.

The Effect Of Music Education On The Development Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review Of The Literature

This systematic review aims to highlight the positive impact that music education and music therapy programs have on the development of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The findings revealed that music interventions could successfully target psycho-motor, cognitive, emotional and social aspects. The research approach was carried out through the classification of the results obtained from the review of scientific articles, where after the review of 21 articles, 15 reviews of applied scientific articles and systematic reviews were included in this work. The framework of music interventions for the population with ID and ASD was reviewed. The results showed that singing, rhythm exercises and instrumental music classes can ease social communication barriers and reduce the number of behavioral problems in children with ASD. It shows that music therapy positively affects the emotional well-being of people with these disorders and reduces their behavior under pressure. It shows that music sessions were found to be effective in improving socialization, emotional well-being and verbal communication in people affected by ID. The literature emphasized the importance of person-centered interventions in a clinical and educational setting or in community settings helping people develop in different aspects. The effect of music education on people with intellectual disabilities shows that their cognitive function can be improved as well as emotional regulation; stress can also be controlled through music therapy. The findings of this review have reasonable implications as they may relate to practical research, policy and future scientific direction regarding music education and therapy for people with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders.

Women Inmates’ Experiences of Juvenile Delinquency: A Research with Phenomenological Approach

This study is aimed to examine the juvenile delinquency experiences of female prisoners who have committed a crime before the age of 18, were tried and convicted and are still in prison with a phenomenological approach. The working group consists of 10 female convicts in a Women's Closed Penitentiary Institution in Turkey who were involved in a crime when they were under the age of 18 and are still in prison due to this crime. As a data collection tool, a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher was used. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), one of the qualitative data analysis methods, was used in the analysis of the research data. In this context, the data obtained were examined with a holistic approach, and each participant's data were interpreted separately and evaluated with similar and different aspects. The MAXQDA program was used in the analysis of the data. It was revealed that women's family and friends are effective in their juvenile delinquency and the family relations of the children and the presence of an individual with a criminal history in the family are also among the risk factors. It is determined that women between the ages of 18-25 were driven to juvenile delinquency by their friends over 18, especially when they were between the ages of 14- 16. Delinquency has been evaluated as a negative situation that is seen in children with the effect of family relations and social environment and causes social, psychological and behavioural problems in children.

Vocabulary size predicts behavioral problems in emotionally reactive children

Internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems place children at an increased risk for low academic achievement and socioemotional maladjustment. Children's language skills and level of emotional reactivity have been shown to predict behavioral problems later in development. Yet, there is an absence of research investigating vocabulary by negative emotionality interactions with respect to the development of behavioral problems during early childhood. Our study sought to fill this gap by examining whether the relation between preschool (age 3) vocabulary size and internalizing/externalizing problems during the early school years (age 6) is moderated by preschool negative emotional reactivity, even after controlling for preschool behavioral problems as well as children's socioeconomic background. Longitudinal data was collected from 256 typically developing children (129 girls, 75% White) and their mothers (64% held a college degree). Linear regression analyses revealed moderate rank-order stability in children's internalizing and externalizing problems across this period of development. Evidence of an interaction effect emerged in both the internalizing and externalizing problems regression models. That is, age 3 vocabulary was negatively related to age 6 behavioral problems, but only among children exhibiting higher levels of negative emotional reactivity. Our results indicate that early vocabulary acquisition may serve as a buffer against adverse behavioral outcomes in children with a natural propensity toward expressing negative emotions. These findings point to a more nuanced picture of the relations between language, emotional reactivity, and behavioral problems in childhood, which are discussed in greater detail to inform future intervention and educational research.

Assessment of Quality of Life and Behavioral Problems in Children with Central Precocious Puberty

Assessment of Quality of Life and Behavioral Problems in Children with Central Precocious Puberty

Research on the Intervention Effects of Music Therapy on Developmental and Behavioral Problems in Children

Research on the Intervention Effects of Music Therapy on Developmental and Behavioral Problems in Children

A self-paced online emotion socialization intervention for parents of children with challenging behavior: Tuning in to Kids OnLine.

Evidence-based parenting programs delivered using online technology are an important way to enhance program uptake. To date, programs that address emotion socialization processes, such as Tuning in to Kids, have always been delivered in person, via group or one-to-one delivery. This study used a randomized control design to examine the efficacy of the self-paced Tuning in to Kids OnLine (TIKOL). Participants were 150 parents of children aged 4-10 years old with challenging behaviors, randomized into intervention or 10-month waitlist control. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires at baseline and 6 months after the intervention (equivalent time points for controls) measuring parent wellbeing, parent emotion socialization, parent efficacy, child behavior, and anxiety. Analyses, using mixed methods multilevel modeling, showed that intervention parents reported significantly reduced emotion dismissiveness and increased emotion coaching, empathy and efficacy compared to controls who did not. Parents participating in TIKOL also reported that their children's behavior problems and anxiety were significantly improved. Greater engagement (modules watched and duration of support calls) was associated with more significant improvements. Findings provide preliminary support for the efficacy of TIKOL in improving parents' emotion socialization and reducing child behavior problems and anxiety, especially when efforts to support online engagement are utilized. Further evaluation using independent observations and a sample representing a wider demographic would strengthen these findings. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry No. ACTRN12618000310268.

Structural Relationships Between Behavioral Problems, Sensory Processing Traits, and Sleep Among Preschoolers.

An association between sensory processing difficulties and behavioral problems among children has been reported in previous studies. Sleep problems among children can lead to both externalizing and internalizing behavioral problems. However, the relationships between sensory processing and sleep among children are not well understood. To develop a structural causal model (SCM) predicated on the hypothesis that sensory processing difficulties and sleep problems are closely related among preschoolers and may contribute to behavioral issues. Cross-sectional study. A total of 168 children ages 3-5 yr who were enrolled in a preschool or an accredited kindergarten (four facilities in total) in a Japanese prefecture participated in the analysis. After gaining the cooperation of educators, we distributed the following items to the children's parents: an informed consent form, the Short Sensory Profile-Japanese version (SSP-J), the Japanese Sleep Questionnaire for Preschoolers (JSQ-P), and the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1.5-5. Through factor analysis of the SSP-J and the JSQ-P, we identified common factors. We developed an SCM using structural equation modeling. Four factors were identified by factor analysis: attention deficit, sensory sensitivity, sleep problems, and restless legs syndrome symptoms. The final structural equation modeling analysis had an acceptable goodness of fit (goodness-of-fit index = .862; root-mean-square error of approximation = .087). The model suggests that sensory sensitivity and sleep difficulties may contribute to behavioral issues among preschoolers. Plain-Language Summary: The results of this study suggest that relationships exist between behavioral problems, sensory processing, and sleep among preschoolers. The authors developed a model that identified four common factors that contribute to behavioral issues among preschoolers: attention deficit, sensory sensitivity, sleep problems, and restless legs syndrome symptoms. Children's behavioral problems are an important consideration for occupational therapy practitioners working with preschoolers. Sensory processing and sleep must be accurately evaluated to address preschoolers' behavioral issues.

Wealth at Birth and its Effect on Child Academic Achievement and Behavioral Problems

Wealth at Birth and its Effect on Child Academic Achievement and Behavioral Problems

First evaluation of Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory for foster children in Japan.

Behavioral problems of foster children are an important issue for the maintenance of the foster care system, but they have not been adequately studied in Japan. We used the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) to investigate behavioral problems among foster children and to examine associated factors. Twenty-nine foster children and their foster parents and 479 non-foster children and parents were recruited for the foster and control groups, respectively. Both groups underwent statistical comparative analyses using data from their ECBI assessments. The ECBI has two scales: the Intensity Scale quantifies the severity of child behavioral problems, and the Problem Scale captures the caregiver's perceived difficulties handling each behavior. We conducted a retrospective investigation of the background of the foster parent-child pairs to explore potential causal relationships with behavioral problems. The mean intensity score for the foster group was significantly higher than that for the control group (p = 0.001). The mean problem scores for the foster group and the control group were not significantly different (p = 0.79). In the foster group, the retrospective investigation revealed two children with neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders, 17 with histories of abuse, and 10 with other issues. Intensity scores showed severe behavioral problems among foster children, perhaps caused by neurological disorders, abuse, parental mental health, or economic hardship. Problem scores showed no significant differences between groups. It can therefore be posited that foster parents might exhibit a more lenient parenting style when dealing with children who have a history of abuse by their biological parents.

ASSESSMENT OF BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN AND HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF PARENT IN SELECTED URBAN COMMUNITY, WEST BENGAL

Introduction: Behavioral problem are the reactions to emotional disturbance or environmental maladjustments. Behavioral problems in school aged children can cause significant difficulties in children’s healthy development.Aim: To find out the behavioral problem of school children and health seeking behavior of parents in urban community in Kolkata.Methods: A descriptive study was conducted to detect the behavioral problem of school children, health seeking behavior of parents, relationship of behavioral problem of school children and health seeking behavior of parents, association behavioral problem and health seeking behavior with selected demographic variables. A total of 150 participants were selected through Cluster sampling technique. Data were collected through Semi-structured Interview Schedule, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire by Robert Goodman and Structured Interview Schedule to assess socio- demographic information, behavioral problems and Health seeking behavior of participants respectively.Result: Results revealed that 98 (65.33%) children belongs to normal category followed by abnormal category 30(20%) and borderline category 22(14.66%): area wise children's behavioral problems mean% score of pro-social scale was (83.47%) followed by hyperactivity scale (73.47%), emotional problem (45.33%), conduct problem (37.47%) and peer problem (34%). Most of the mothers 28 (93.33%) had perceived behavioral problem of their child, 15 (50%) had taken action to relief the problem, 15 (50%) had seek advice from government hospital, only 3(10%) received treatment from Ojha, Quack practitioner, 27 (90%) perceived wrong decision cause delay or no health seeking. There was a positive correlation (0.222) between behavioral problem among school children and health seeking behavior of their parents. Age of mother and No. of siblings were significantly associated with behavioral problems; education of mother has been associated with health seeking behavior of mother having children with behavioral problem.Conclusion: Mental health of a child is of basic importance to gain the ability to live harmoniously in the changing environment. The community which neglects its children retards its future progresses. Children are dependent on their parents for their health and wellbeing. This study results focused that immediate need for regular assessment of children for early identification of behavioral problem.

MATERNAL ÇOCUK YETİŞTİRME TUTUMU VE ERKEN ÇOCUKLUK DÖNEMİNDEKİ DAVRANIŞ PROBLEMLERİ ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN İNCELENMESİ

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between maternal child rearing attitude and behavioral problems in early childhood.
 Method: The study is a descriptive research type. The sample of the study consisted of 756 mothers with children enrolled in preschool education in public schools within the borders of city center in the 2022-2023 academic year. The data were collected with the Personal Information Form, Preschool Behavioral Problems Screening Scale (PBPSS) and Child Raising Attitude Scale (CRAS). The data were transferred to the SPSS 22.0 program and evaluated using descriptive statistical analyses and Pearson Correlation Analysis.
 Results: 66.7% of the mothers and 45.6% of the fathers were between the ages of 26-35, 54.4% of the mothers and 55.6% of the fathers had undergraduate/graduate education. The mean age (months) of the children was 63.70 (5.59). The mean total score of the PBPSS was 11.63 (5.78). The scores of the mothers on the democratic, authoritarian, protective, and overly tolerant sub-dimensions of the CRAS were 10.51 (2.71); 20.01 (2.15); 21.51 (2.73); and 19.63 (2.44), respectively. In this study, it was determined that mothers with democratic parental attitudes decreased behavioral problems in children, while mothers with authoritarian, protective and overly tolerant attitudes increased behavioral problems in children (p

Preschool Children with Hearing Loss: Social Communication and Parenting Stress.

Studies on parenting stress (PS) in parents of children with hearing loss (HL) have found relationships between child behavior, language skills and parenting stress. The role of early social communication skills has not been researched before. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between child behavior, social communication and PS. The study was performed in a subgroup of a total population sample from the AChild (Austrian Children with Hearing Impairment-Longitudinal Databank) study. Preschool children (n = 81) with all degrees of HL and average cognitive functioning and their families were included, and the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) was used. Through factor component analysis, compound scores for externalizing/internalizing problem behavior and hyperactivity were analyzed. Although mean PS was not elevated, the proportion of those with elevated scores was higher compared with the norm population. There was a strong correlation between child behavior problems and PS (strongest correlation: externalizing problem behavior r = 0.643; p < 0.001). All three problem behaviors accounted for 49.7% of the variance in PS. An indirect effect of social communication on PS was almost completely mediated by problem behavior (especially hyperactivity). The importance of social communication development with respect to problem behavior and PS is highlighted.

Children's and Parents' Factors That Affect Parenting Stress in Preschool Children With Developmental Disabilities or Typical Development.

This study compared parenting stress in preschool children with developmental disabilities (DD) or typical development (TD). We also investigated children's factors that affect parenting stress. A total of 196 preschool children participated in the study (aged 54.8±9.2 months). There were 79 children with DD (59 with autism spectrum disorder, 61 with intellectual disability, 12 with language disorder) and 117 with TD. The high parenting stress and the low parenting stress groups were divided based on the Total Stress of Korean Parenting Stress Index Fourth Edition (K-PSI-4) with an 85-percentile cutoff score. Pearson's correlation analysis was conducted to calculate the correlation between K-PSI-4 and the children's or parents' measures. The difference in parenting stress between DD and TD was significant in the Total Stress of K-PSI-4 (p<0.001). The Total Stress scale of K-PSI-4 represented a modest to strong correlation with cognitive development, adaptive functioning, social communication, and behavioral problems in children with DD. Our results showed that caregivers of children with DD reported higher parenting stress than those with TD. Parenting stress was strongly associated with cognitive development, adaptive functioning, social communication, and behavioral problems in children with DD. Among the children's factors, especially social communication, attention problems, and aggressive behavior had association with caregivers' higher parenting stress. These findings suggest the need for early intervention for parenting stress in caregivers by assessing child characteristics, including social cognition, awareness, communication, and inattention and hyperactivity, in the evaluation of children with DD.

Factors associated with nasal airway resistance in young children

AimThis study investigated the association between nasal obstruction and its associated factors in young children by quantitatively measuring the nasal airway resistance (NAR). MethodsA total of 82 children aged 3–6 years (31 boys and 51 girls) were included in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect information about allergies, nasal diseases, stuffy nose, oral habits, and feeding behavior problems from the parents. Furthermore, measurements of the height, body weight, calf circumference, grip strength, tongue pressure, occlusal force, lip-closure strength, mouth rinsing function test, and NAR were taken. ResultsThe NAR was negatively correlated with the height and age of the children. Additionally, NAR was associated with feeding behavior problems, as reported by the parents of the children. ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that interviewing parents about their children's feeding behavior problems may prove valuable in diagnosing nasal disorders in young children. Early improvements in nasal obstruction may address feeding behavior problems and contribute to the normal growth and development of oral functions in young children.

IDENTIFICATION OF BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN PRESCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

The aim of the research is to analyze the theoretical literature on the manifestations of behavior problems of preschool children and to develop and approve a child behavior problem identification tool for educators.The research analyzes the theoretical literature and summarizes findings on the manifestations of behavioral problems of preschool children; analyzes the existing methods of identification of children's behavioral problems in preschool; a study was conducted on the identification of behavioral problems of preschool children and a child behavior problem identification tool developed.

Auditory chaos classification in real-world environments.

Household chaos is an established risk factor for child development. However, current methods for measuring household chaos rely on parent surveys, meaning existing research efforts cannot disentangle potentially dynamic bidirectional relations between high chaos environments and child behavior problems. We train and make publicly available a classifier to provide objective, high-resolution predictions of household chaos from real-world child-worn audio recordings. To do so, we collect and annotate a novel dataset of ground-truth auditory chaos labels compiled from over 411 h of daylong recordings collected via audio recorders worn by infants in their homes. We leverage an existing sound event classifier to identify candidate high chaos segments, increasing annotation efficiency 8.32 relative to random sampling. Our best-performing model successfully classifies four levels of real-world household auditory chaos with a macro F1 score of 0.701 (Precision: 0.705, Recall: 0.702) and a weighted F1 score of 0.679 (Precision: 0.685, Recall: 0.680). In future work, high-resolution objective chaos predictions from our model can be leveraged for basic science and intervention, including testing theorized mechanisms by which chaos affects children's cognition and behavior. Additionally, to facilitate further model development we make publicly available the first and largest balanced annotated audio dataset of real-world household chaos.

Agreement Between Two Behavioral Rating Scales in Preschoolers Born Very Preterm.

Broadband parent rating scales are commonly used to assess behavioral problems in children. Multiple rating scales are available, yet agreement between them is not well-understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate agreement between the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3), and Child Behavior Checklist 1.5 to 5 years (CBCL) in a sample of children born very preterm. We assessed 73 children born < 30 weeks' gestational age whose caregivers completed the BASC-3 and CBCL at age 4. We examined correlations, within-person differences, and agreement in clinical categorization for all corresponding subscales and composites. Comparable subscales on the BASC-3 and CBCL were significantly correlated, albeit to differing magnitudes. Subscales indexing hyperactivity and attention problems were the most comparable across the 2 measures, evidenced by strong correlations and few to no differences in mean T-scores. Composite scores indexing internalizing, externalizing, and total problems were also strongly correlated, and there were no differences in the mean T-scores for externalizing or total problems across measures. Agreement in clinical classifications were weak to moderate, though again, the highest agreement was found for hyperactivity, attention, externalizing, and total problems. Agreement between BASC-3 and CBCL subscales was weak to moderate, with the exception of subscales related to attention and hyperactivity, as well as composite scores indicating overall behavior problems. Researchers and clinicians should consider these discrepancies when interpreting the results of behavior rating scales with preschool children because conclusions could differ based on the assessment that is used.

The Relationship between Social and Family Structures and Behavioral Problems in Preschool Children

Behavioral problems in children are indicators of compromised mental health. Their development is influenced by family and social factors, with limited understanding of interactions among family structure, educational status, migration background, and parental employment concerning behavioral problems. These associations were investigated in children between 5-6 years of age. Data (n=15,271) were collected between 09/2018 and 08/2019 in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein as part of school entry examinations. Children's behavioral problems were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Statistical analyses included descriptive assessments and the calculation of a bivariate logistic regression model, with SDQ's outcomes "problematic" and "non-problematic" as dependent variables, and social and family factors as independent variables (gender, family structure, number of siblings, language proficiency, migration background, parental education level, parental employment, and sports participation in a sports club). Logistic regression analyses revealed that children living with single parents had a 2.1-fold (odds ratio; OR) higher likelihood [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-2.6] of displaying behavioral problems compared to children living with both biological parents. Only children had a 1.4-fold higher likelihood [95% CI: 1.2-1.8] compared to children with one or two siblings. Children with a unilateral migration background exhibited a lower likelihood of behavioral problems [OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.38-0.87] than children without a migration background. Children from families with low educational attainment had a 3-fold higher likelihood of behavioral problems [95% CI: 2.3-3.8] compared to those from high educational attainment families. When both parents (or the single parent) were employed at least part-time, there was a lower likelihood of behavioral problems [OR: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.47-0.71] in the child compared to situations where at least one parent was unemployed. This study identified sociodemographic factors associated with manifestation of behavioral problems. Particularly, single parents, families with lower educational levels and families with at least one unemployed parent should be targeted for intervention.