Psychological Well-being Of Children Research Articles

ПСИХОЛОГІЧНЕ БЛАГОПОЛУЧЧЯ ДИТИНИ: ВІД МЕТОДОЛОГІЇ ОЦІНЮВАННЯ ДО ПРИКЛАДНИХ ПРАКТИК

The theoretical analysis of modern research on the phenomenon of psychological well-being allows us to identify the essence and features of child's psychological well-being. It is shown that there are different approaches to its evaluation (analysis of individual determinants of well-being and contextual analysis), which reflect the evolution of approaches to studying the phenomenon of happiness and human well-being in historical and scientific contexts. An analysis of Ukrainian and foreign studies shows that psychological health is most often singled out as the main component of psychological well-being. There is a difference between the concepts of psychological health and mental one. In the legislative documents of Ukraine, these definitions began to be used more often as the purpose of the activities of institutions related to the child. There is a difference between ways of assessing the psychological well-being of preschool, primary school and adolescent children. Parents' assessments of young children are often irrelevant and cannot be an indicator of their child's psychological well-being. Alternatively, it is suggested to study the relationship of parents with the child as a factor of its well-being. Positive psychology had a great influence on the study of the child's psychological well-being, and the idea of the child's positive development as a result of constructive socialization and the process of individualization can become a reference point in building a child's well-being environment. It is proved that the analysis of the environment (theory of ecosystems) of the psychological well-being of the child is one of the promising areas of research and a popular applied practice. Foreign programs for the development of emotional and psychological well-being in schools are analyzed: SEL, Zippy's Friends, MindMatters, The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP).

Designing Hospital Environments to Improve the Psychological Wellbeing of Pediatric Patients

The hospital environment may either positively or negatively affect patient experience. The potential of the hospital environment to stimulate children's psychological wellbeing (PWB) is yet to be fully understood. This paper aims to describe how interventions in the hospital may improve the PWB of pediatric patients (including self-acceptance, positive relations, autonomy, environmental mastery, life purpose, and personal growth). We conducted interviews with healthcare experts to identify possible interventions that would respond to children's needs, and architecture and mental health experts assessed the proposals' potential to improve children's PWB. Results indicate that it is possible for the hospital environment to stimulate all components of children's PWB, especially environmental mastery, personal growth, and self-acceptance.

Kako roditelji opažaju fizičku aktivnost i psihološku dobrobit dece tokom mera izolacije izazvanih pandemijom KOVID-19 u Srbiji

The importance of physical activity (PA) for the psychological well-being of children is well documented. COVID-19 lockdown implied a severe reduction in organized and unorganized PA. Our goal was to examine how parents perceive their children's PA and their own PA related behaviours during the first month of COVID-19 lockdown in Serbia compared to the usual circumstances, to investigate the relationship between parents' evaluations of PA and children's PA level during the lockdown, and to examine the relationship between children's PA level and changes in psychological well-being and daily routines. The sample included 127 parents of preschool and school children. We constructed a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic information, parents' ratings of children's PA, their own children's PA-related behaviours, their evaluations of children's PA engagement before and during the lockdown, and their perception of psychological well-being and daily routines of their children during the lockdown. Results showed that the amount of daily PA in children decreased during the lockdown, especially the organized forms, which indicated that online PA programs have failed to replace regular PE classes and sports training. Also, parents valued regular forms of organized PA more than their online counterparts. We confirmed the relationship between parental evaluations and children's PA and showed that it depends on the specific aspect of PA the parents valued. Parents perceived that changes in children's psychological well-being and daily routines during the lockdown were of moderate intensity. PA frequency was related to attention, mood swings and PC and TV use. Our study offers several practical recommendations for children's PA in restrictive circumstances.

Psychological Well-Being of Children in Covid Scenario – Ayurvedic Approach

The entire health scenario have been transformed or even altered with the COVID pandemic. Each and every one in the society is being affected in the scenario of mental health, with the resulting drastic changes happened in the society. One of the key vulnerable groups in the society is none other than children. Even though the educational scenario has been supplemented by the learning platforms, the social scenario have been affected so adversely. They are having several psychological issues as per reported studies from various parts of the globe. Ayurvedic principles of psychiatry and psychology including preventive principles, medicines and psychotherapy will do fine if applied in this area, so as to enhance the quality of life of the affected children. The various possibilities are discussed in the article

The detrimental role of punitive parenting in psychological well-being of children with learning disabilities: a longitudinal study

In accordance with self-determination theory, this paper examined whether punitive parenting (child and parent reports) would predict psychological well-being (i.e., self-esteem, affect, life satisfaction) of children with learning disabilities over time. We analysed data from 300 German children with learning disabilities who were surveyed in Grades 3 and 4 and their parents (N = 300), who were surveyed only once in Grade 3. Cross-sectional results in Grade 3 demonstrated negative associations between children’s perceived punitive parenting and all child well-being outcomes, whereas parent report of punitive parenting was not associated with any well-being outcomes. In terms of longitudinal relations, children’s perceptions of greater punitive parenting in Grade 3 resulted in greater negative affect in Grade 4. Results and implications of this paper are discussed.

Autoaceitação em gestantes e mulheres no pós-parto: uma pesquisa qualitativa

The objective was to investigate the main attitudes related to self-acceptance of pregnant women and postpartum women. 14 pregnant women (age average = 33.43 ± 3.76 years) and four postpartum women (age average = 33.33 ± 3.53 years) took part. Four focal groups were performed based on a semi-structured script, three groups consisting of pregnant women and one composed of postpartum women. Content analysis was used in the data interpretation. Four categories were identified: 1) Feelings and beliefs of body acceptance (attitudes of love, happiness, appreciation, thoughts, and expectations directed at the body); 2) Behaviors of body acceptance (practicing pleasurable exercise, adopting a healthy diet, pampering the body (for example, massages), seeking medical assistance for prevention); 3) Acceptance of pregnancy or motherhood (admiration for her own abilities, positive qualities, and characteristics, evaluation and appreciation of the functions performed); and 4) Cognitive protection filter (ability to select the information received, in order to protect yourself from unfavorable messages or negative judgments transmitted by people or media). The evaluation of self-acceptance in pregnant women and postpartum women should focus on intervention of different health areas professionals, which could reflect on the maternal and child psychological well-being.

Effects of Chess Training on the Psychological Well-Being of Children in Conflict with the Law

Children in conflict with the law (CICL) experience psychological distress during detention. Psychological well‐being is about CICL feeling better and functioning effectively. The ability to manage negative emotions that come with their failures and disappointments is essential for the long‐term well‐being of CICL, especially when negative emotions interfere with their daily functions. It is reasonable that CICL should participate in activities that will promote their well-being, such as chess. Chess is a non-threatening game that has a positive influence not only on auditory memory function, working memory, problem-solving, concentration, cognitive skills, academic skills, and scholastic achievement but also on socio-emotional enrichment of children and adolescents. The present study deals with positive psychology and recreational therapy, which is concerned with improving well-being and utilizing recreation and other activity-based interventions as a means of physical health, psychological, recovery, and well-being, respectively. This study aimed to determine the effect of chess training on the psychological well-being of CICL. It was hypothesized that chess training increases the levels of resiliency and flourishing of CICL. The study also aimed to determine whether a significant relationship exists between resiliency and flourishing.

Examining the Relation Between Gender Nonconformity and Psychological Well-Being in Children: The Roles of Peers and Parents.

No study to date has simultaneously tested how poor peer relations, generic risk factors, and parental attitudes impact the behavioral and emotional challenges of children who vary in their gender expression. In a community sample, the present study investigated various hypothesized psychosocial and generic risk factors regarding the association between childhood gender nonconformity (GNC) and psychological well-being. Canadian parents/guardians reported on their children aged 6-12years (N = 1719, 48.8% assigned male at birth) regarding their child's GNC, measured by the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children; behavioral and emotional challenges, measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); and peer relations, measured by the CBCL and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire. Parent/guardian gender-stereotypical attitudes toward child-rearing were assessed using an adapted version of the Child-Rearing Sex Role Attitude Scale, and attachment between the parent/guardian and child was measured with an adapted version of the Child-Rearing Practices Report. Based on regression analyses, GNC was related to elevated behavioral and emotional challenges, and this association was stronger for those who experienced poor peer relations as well as for those whose parents/guardians endorsed gender-stereotyped attitudes and were less willing to serve as a secure base for the child. Recommendations are provided for ways in which social environments can be altered to improve psychological well-being among gender-nonconforming children.

English

BACKGROUND Health education is an essential aspect for prevention of oral health problems in school children. Dental trauma can result in damaging the tooth, periodontal ligaments, and sometimes even alveolar bone and gingiva. These traumatic injuries to the anterior teeth in young children are tragic but are an ignored problem. They can result in aesthetic and functional problem with possible impact on child’s quality of life as anterior teeth are essential for phonetics, mastication, integrity of supporting tissue and also mental and psychological wellbeing of children. This dental emergency can be best handled by the school teachers and the staff members when it happens in a school. So, the study was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude of the school teachers regarding the emergency management of dental trauma and sensitize them on the subject. METHODS This is a pre- and post-test study performed using self - designed questionnaire provided to the school-teachers of Wardha district. RESULTS Knowledge of 98 % teachers increased after the activity whereas knowledge of 2 % of school teachers was the same as earlier. CONCLUSIONS Sensitization of the school teachers improved their awareness and attitude to manage the dental trauma and avulsion injury of teeth in school. KEY WORDS Tooth Avulsion, Emergency Dental Traumatic Care, School Teachers

COVID-19 and Parent-Child Psychological Well-being.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 has changed American society in ways that are difficult to capture in a timely manner. With this study, we take advantage of daily survey data collected before and after the crisis started to investigate the hypothesis that the crisis has worsened parents' and children's psychological well-being. We also examine the extent of crisis-related hardships and evaluate the hypothesis that the accumulation of hardships will be associated with parent and child psychological well-being. Daily survey data were collected between February 20 and April 27, 2020, from hourly service workers with a young child (aged 2-7) in a large US city (N = 8222 person-days from 645 individuals). A subsample completed a one-time survey about the effects of the crisis fielded between March 23 and April 26 (subsample n = 561). Ordered probit models revealed that the frequency of parent-reported daily negative mood increased significantly since the start of the crisis. Many families have experienced hardships during the crisis, including job loss, income loss, caregiving burden, and illness. Both parents' and children's well-being in the postcrisis period was strongly associated with the number of crisis-related hardships that the family experienced. Consistent with our hypotheses, in families that have experienced multiple hardships related to the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis, both parents' and children's mental health is worse. As the crisis continues to unfold, pediatricians should screen for mental health, with particular attention to children whose families are especially vulnerable to economic and disease aspects of the crisis.

Facing the truth

The purpose of the study was to explore the process of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disclosure to children living with perinatal HIV at Mpilo Opportunistic Clinic (OI) in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. The qualitative approach was used to study the topic and a phenomenological research design was used to describe the process of disclosure to children living with perinatal HIV. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. The data collected revealed that the HIV status disclosure to adolescents was difficult for caregivers, which caused the disclosure to be done later than recommended by the Ministry of Health and Child Care Zimbabwe. This had a significant negative impact on the psychological well-being of children who also struggled to disclose their status to others. The study revealed that the HIV counsellors lacked skills to counsel on psychological issues. The researcher recommended that psychologist be integrated in the formulation of an HIV manual and be employed at OI clinics to counsel children and caregivers. Keywords: Perinatal HIV, children, psychosocial, OI clinic.

Material deprivation, parenting practices, and children's psychological health and wellbeing in China.

This paper examined the extent and risk factors of child subjective wellbeing and psychological health empirically using China Family Panel Studies data set. Child subjective wellbeing was measured in this paper using six indicators including the frequency in feelings of depression, nervousness, restlessness, hopelessness, helplessness, and meaninglessness. Risk factors of child subjective wellbeing have also been examined in particular to the domains of household multidimensional material deprivation, parenting practices, and children's personal health conditions. The results of this paper implied that providing adequate nutrition and ensuring children's access to basic water and sanitation facilities were important strategies for promoting children's psychological health and wellbeing. Also important factor for child wellbeing is parenting styles and practices, that is, how parents interact with children in daily lives and how they behave as parents.

The psychological impact of surrogacy on the families of gestational surrogates: implications for clinical practice

Objective To examine the psychological impact of gestational surrogacy on surrogates’ families. Background ASRM practice committee guidelines recommend that psychological counseling prior to surrogacy include consideration of a surrogate’s own family, but there has been little research to help guide mental health professionals (MHPs) providing implications counseling. Methods Fifty-nine family members from 16 surrogate families were recruited and data were collected on family relationships, child psychological well-being, and family experiences of surrogacy. Family members filled out a series of questionnaires based on their age and role in the family system. Results Participants included 16 surrogates (28 surrogate pregnancies) with an average time since first surrogate pregnancy = 2.93 years (range = 0–8 years). Overall, families of surrogates are functioning well across a number of psychological domains. There were some differences between surrogates and spouses regarding their perceptions of their children’s experience. A small number of children reported negative emotions about surrogacy and more research is needed to identify which children may be at risk. Children reported surrogacy having a positive impact on their lives and endorsed both pride and excitement about their mother being a surrogate. Conclusions There has been limited data to inform MHPs tasked with implications counseling prior to surrogacy in offering guidance to surrogates’ family members to help prepare them for the experience. This data can be used by MHPs providing implications counseling to help facilitate discussions about the potential impact of surrogacy tohelp ensure positive psychological outcomes for surrogates and their family members.

A lay provider delivered behavioral intervention for Syrian refugees and their children in Jordan

Abstract Background Refugees and their children are exposed to many distressing events, including detention in refugee camps. Not surprisingly, refugees are at high risk for common mental disorders. A major barrier to addressing mental health problems in refugees is that most host countries lack sufficient mental health specialists to provide high-intensity treatments. A recent trend has focused on training non-specialists to deliver simple psychosocial programs to those with distress. One such program is Problem Management Plus (PM+) which was developed by the World Health Organization; it comprises 5 small-group sessions that teach behavioural skills to reduce distress. This study reports the first evaluation of group PM+ in a refugee camp. We investigated the extent to which PM+ provided to adult Syrian refugees can benefit their children. Methods 480 Adult Syrian refugees in the Azraq Refugee Camp were randomized to either PM+ or Treatment as Usual (TAU). Participants were independently assessed prior to the program, immediately following the program, and 3 months later. Outcome variables included anxiety, depression, functioning, posttraumatic stress, and grief and parenting behaviours. Children's psychological wellbeing was assessed in one child of each participant. Results Of the 650 adult refugees were screened in the camp, 96% met the cut-off for psychological distress and 76% met criteria for functional impairment. 480 participants were randomized to PM+ or TAU. The baseline assessment indicated 85% of refugees met criteria for depression, 84% met criteria for anxiety, and 84% met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. The 3-month assessment will be presented following linear mixed modelling to determine the relative gains made by refugees and their children in PM+ and TAU. Conclusions These findings will be discussed in terms of implementation of scalable programs in refugee settings, and specifically how these can benefit participants and their children.

The interplay between mothers\u2019 and children behavioral and psychological factors during COVID-19: an Italian study

Italy has been the first nation outside of Asia to face the COVID-19 outbreak. To limit viral transmission of infection, by March 10th, 2020, the Italian Government has ordered a national lockdown, which established home confinement, home (smart) working, and temporary closure of non-essential businesses and schools. The present study investigated how these restrictive measures impacted mothers and their pre-school children’s behavioral habits (i.e., sleep timing and quality, subjective time experience) and psychological well-being (i.e., emotion regulation, self-regulation capacity). An online survey was administered to 245 mothers with pre-school children (from 2 to 5 years). Mothers were asked to fill the survey thinking both on their habits, behaviors, and emotions and on those of their children during the quarantine, and retrospectively, before the national lockdown (i.e., in late February). A general worsening of sleep quality and distortion of time experience in both mothers and children, as well as increasing emotional symptoms and self-regulation difficulties in children, was observed. Moreover, even when the interplay between the behavioral and psychological factors was investigated, the factor that seems to mostly impact both mothers' and children's psychological well-being was their sleep quality. Overall, central institutions urgently need to implementing special programs for families, including not only psychological support to sustain families with working parents and ameliorating children's management.

Australian parents' work-family conflict: accumulated effects on children's family environment and mental health.

Many parents struggle to balance their work and family responsibilities. Yet, little research in the field of social psychiatry has explored the emergence of work-family conflict (WFC) as an important social determinant of mental health, particularly for children. The current study used longitudinal Australian population-based data to investigate the impact of parents' accumulated experiences of work-family conflict on children's mental health. Levels of parent psychological distress, marital satisfaction and parenting irritability were examined as potential explanatory factors within the family environment. The study used five waves of data from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), a representative community sample of Australian children and their parents. Analyses were restricted to coupled, employed mothers (1903) and fathers (1584) who reported their WFC levels in all five waves. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to examine the association between accumulated experiences of work-family conflict across all time-points (AWFC) and children's mental health at wave 5. Family environment factors were assessed as possible explanatory mediators. There was a significant association between AWFC and children's mental health at wave 5. Parent psychological distress, marital satisfaction and parenting irritability were all found to significantly explain this association (accounting for 66% of the total effect). Children whose parents have ongoing or accumulated difficulties managing their work and family responsibilities are more likely to have poorer mental health. This has important implications for family-friendly work arrangements and demonstrates the need to further understand the intergenerational impacts of parents' jobs on their children's psychological wellbeing.

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Clinical Implementation of an Immersive Virtual Reality Intervention to Address Psychological Well-Being in Children and Adolescents With Cancer.

Objective: Virtual reality (VR), a novel and highly immersive technology, offers promise in addressing potential psychological impacts of cancer treatments and hospitalization. The primary aim of this study was to examine multiple key user perspectives on the acceptability and feasibility of an Immersive VR therapeutic intervention for use with hospitalized patients with cancer. Secondary aims were to identify issues and opportunities related to the adoption and clinical implementation of VR in pediatric oncology settings. Method: The study was conducted at The Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), Melbourne, Australia. Thirty multidisciplinary oncology health care professionals participated in an initial test of VR intervention usability (Stage 1). Ninety oncology inpatients (7-19 years) and their parent caregivers participated in a pilot randomized controlled study to examine the effectiveness of an Immersive VR therapeutic intervention (Stage 2). This mixed methods study reports Stages 1 and 2 quantitative and qualitative data related to VR feasibility and acceptability. Results: Results indicate favorable perceptions from health care professionals with respect to ease of use and usefulness of VR, and had positive intentions to use it in the future. Parent caregivers reported high acceptability of VR for their hospitalized child. Patients reported high satisfaction of the VR intervention within minimal adverse effects. Barriers and facilitators to VR use with seriously ill children and specific recommendations for content development were elicited. Conclusion: This study shows that there are several potential clinical uses for Immersive VR intervention, beyond medical procedural distraction, to support psychological adjustment to hospitalization and patient quality of life.

Perspectives on neuropsychology and clinical care in paediatric and adolescent medicine.

As a child and adolescent neuropsychology service based within a paediatric psychology team at a large teaching hospital, we meet children and young people across the age range who experience cognitive impairment as a result of long-term health conditions or traumatic brain injury. We have a remit of providing a neuropsychological assessment and report. Typically, a neuropsychology report includes recommendations for home and for school. However, research suggests that their uptake is variable and depends on the understanding and resources of families and school systems. As a stretched service, we have very limited capacity to follow the work through to the extent that we might like. Therefore, we are always seeking effective ways to support the ongoing adaptation and implementation of the assessment recommendations in the child's various day-to-day contexts. We address both the cognitive functioning and the psychological well-being of the child as a unified whole. Drawing on systemic ideas influences our communications with children, families, schools and the medical teams in ways which help bridge the gap between hospital-based assessment and everyday life. This article describes how we are integrating our systemic and neurodevelopmental perspectives to make the assessment and the findings a meaningful intervention in themselves. We consider ways of sharing neuropsychology findings which promote the child's psychological well-being in their different contexts: hospital, home, school, community and culture.

Bibliometric mapping of psychological well-being among children with a visual impairment

Children with a visual impairment experience lower psychological well-being than normative populations. While research on this subject is abundant, an overview is lacking of the methods used and topics commonly studied, to guide future research. The aim was to provide a visual overview of common topics included in psychological well-being research from 2000 to 2018 among children with a visual impairment. We created a bibliometric map with the VOSviewer programme using the text mining functionality to construct and visualise co-occurrences of relevant terms from the titles and abstracts in the included literature. The results show that common subjective terms are behaviour, relationships, attachment and parenting, cerebral visual impairment, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability. The common methodological terms include literature and randomized control trials, with the latter restricted to specific terms such as parenting. The conclusions and implications are that the results give insight into the subject terms studied in past years and provide a roadmap for future research in the fields of visual impairment and psychological well-being of children. The topics needing more research are rare disorders, siblings, assistive technology, romantic relationships, bullying, and the frequent cooccurrences of visual impairment with autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability.

Psychological functioning in children suspected for mitochondrial disease: the need for care

BackgroundMitochondrial diseases (MD) are generally serious and progressive, inherited metabolic diseases. There is a high comorbidity of anxiety and depression and limitations in daily functioning. The complexity and duration of the diagnostic process and lack of knowledge about prognosis leads to uncertainty. In this study, we investigated the psychological well-being of children who are suspected for MD and their parents.MethodsIn total 122 children suspected for MD and their parents, received questionnaires as part of standard clinical investigation.ResultsParent proxy report revealed a lower quality of life (QoL) compared to norms and even more physical problems compared to chronically ill patients. They also reported more behavioral problems in general and more internalizing problems compared to the norms. Most frequent reported somatic complaints were tiredness and pain. Parents did not report enhanced levels of stress regarding parenting and experienced sufficient social support. At the end of the diagnostic process, 5.7% of the children received the genetically confirmed diagnosis of MD, 26% showed non-conclusive abnormalities in the muscle biopsy, 54% did not receive any diagnosis, and the remaining received other diagnoses. Strikingly, children without a diagnosis showed equally QoL and behavioral problems as children with a diagnosis, and even more internalizing problems.ConclusionsThis study highlights the psychological concerns of children with a suspicion of MD. It is important to realize that as well as children with a confirmed diagnosis, children without a diagnosis are vulnerable since explanation for their complaints is still lacking.