Children's Psychosocial Adjustment Research Articles

Self-awareness of peer-rated social attributes in children with traumatic brain injury.

This study investigated self-awareness of peer-rated social attributes and its relations to executive function (EF), theory of mind (TOM), and psychosocial adjustment in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Self- and peer perceptions of classroom social behavior were assessed for 87 children 8-13 years of age: 15 with severe TBI, 40 with complicated mild/moderate TBI, and 32 with orthopedic injury. Participants completed measures of EF and TOM, and parents rated children's psychosocial adjustment. Self-ratings of classroom social behavior did not differ between injury groups. Self- and peer ratings generally agreed, although children with severe TBI rated themselves as less rejected/victimized than did their peers. Higher EF predicted better self- and peer ratings and smaller self-peer discrepancies, which in turn predicted better adjustment. Children with TBI show variable social self-awareness, which relates to EF and adjustment. Future studies should identify additional factors that contribute to limited insight.

The Mediating Role of Aggressive Behaviour, Emotional and Behavioural Instability on the Association between ADHD Symptoms and Best Friend Conflicts

This study examined the direct association between Attention Deficit Hy- peractivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms (i.e. inattention and hyperactivity symptoms) and children's experience of best friend conflicts, and the mediating role of aggression, emotional and behavioural instability, exploring possible gender differences. The sample consisted of 334 children (52 % female; Mage=9.38, SD=0.89) attending primary schools in northwest Italy. ADHD symptoms were measured with a question- naire completed by teachers whereas others variables were assessed a self-report questionnaire completed by the children. Analyses revealed that inattention and hyper- activity symptoms were differently associated with best friend conflicts according to gender. Among boys, only hyperactivity symptoms were associated with best friend conflicts whereas among girls only inattention symptoms contributed to best friend conflicts. Aggression and emotional and behavioural instability were found to mediate these associations for both genders. These findings suggest that to understand fully the association between ADHD symptoms and best friend conflicts it might be helpful to consider the different manifestations of that association by gender, whilst also consid- ering behavioural and emotional dimensions of children's psychosocial adjustment.

Perceived self-competence, psychosocial adjustment, and quality of life in pediatric patients with pacemakers.

To compare participants' self-competence levels to normative data and examine self-competence as a potential protective factor against poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and psychosocial adjustment in children with pacemakers. Twenty-seven children between the ages of 8 and 18 years and their caregivers were recruited from a pediatric pacemaker clinic. Participants completed self-report and parent-proxy measures of children's health-related quality of life (HRQOL), self-competence, and psychosocial functioning, which included externalizing and internalizing symptoms, adaptive skills, and behavioral symptoms. Participants reported significantly lower levels of self-competence compared to healthy norms. Self-competence was significantly and positively correlated with most HRQOL domains. Few significant correlations emerged between self-competence and various domains of psychosocial functioning. Self-competence may function as a protective factor against lower HRQOL in children with pacemakers. There was less evidence that self-competence may play a protective role against lower adaptive skills and higher externalizing, internalizing, and behavioral symptoms. Clinical implications of these findings, limitations of the study, and areas for future research are discussed.

The study on the level of psychosocial adjustment and related factors affecting to psychosocial adjustment of children living with custodial grandparents

본 연구는 조손가정 아동들의 심리사회적 적응 수준이 일반 아동과 비교하여 어떠한 상태인지 살펴보고, 이들의 심리사회적응 수준에 영향을 미치는 요인들은 무엇인지 검토하기 위한 목적으로 수행되었다. 이를 위해 서울 경기 지역 지역사회복지관과 지역아동센터를 대상으로 조손가정 아동들에 대한 설문을 실시하여 112부를 수거하였으며, 초중고등학교에 재학중인 일반 아동 124명을 비교집단으로 하여 심리사회적응 수준과 개인, 가정, 학교 환경적 특성에 대해 비교분석하였다. 결과를 살펴보면, 조손가정 아동들은 일반아동에 비해 더 많은 심리사회적응 문제를 지니고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 조손가정 아동들을 대상으로 심리사회적 적응 수준에 유의미한 영향을 미치는 요인들에 대해 검토한 결과 신체적 건강문제가 많을수록, 학교생활에 대한 흥미가 낮을수록 심리사회적응의 문제가 높아짐을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 연구결과를 볼 때, 우선적으로 조손가정 아동들의 심리사회적 적응을 도울 수 있는 사회시스템이 갖추어져야 할 필요성이 높으며, 특히 조손가정 아동들의 건강 증진과 학교생활에의 흥미를 높일 수 있는 방안이 도입되어야 함을 알 수 있다.

When There is more than a Cleft: Psychological Adjustment When a Cleft is Associated with an Additional Condition

In spite of studies reporting a relatively high frequency of additional conditions in children with a cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P), almost no research has focused on this clinically important subgroup. The objective of this study was to compare psychosocial adjustment in children with CL/P with and without an additional condition. Cross-sectional data based on routine psychological assessments at age 10 years, with comparisons to national reference groups. Centralized treatment, Norway. Two hundred five children with CL/P (participation rate: 80.1%) from three consecutive birth cohorts. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (self-report and parent report) and the Child Experience Questionnaire (self-report). Eighty-one children (39.5%) were identified as having at least one condition in addition to the cleft. These children reported significantly more psychosocial difficulties than children with a cleft alone. Differences between specific conditions were minor. Children with a cleft alone (n = 124) reported mean scores that were comparable to those reported by the reference group. There were no differences in adjustment between children with a visible versus a non-visible cleft. The present study highlights the need for research to be conducted in children with CL/P who have additional conditions to provide better knowledge and clinical care for a potentially vulnerable subgroup of children and their parents.

Cross-Lagged Relations Among Parenting, Children's Emotion Regulation, and Psychosocial Adjustment in Early Adolescence

Numerous studies have reported substantive correlations between indicators of parenting, children's emotion regulation (ER), and children's psychosocial adjustment. However, studies on underlying mechanisms are scarce. Particularly in early adolescence, it is still unclear whether relations between parenting and ER are caused by adolescent behavior, by parent behavior, or by reciprocal processes. Moreover, it is unclear whether ER can be seen as an antecedent or a consequence of psychosocial adjustment. The aim of this study was to examine predictive relations among parenting and adolescents’ ER, and adolescents’ ER and psychosocial adjustment, respectively. We collected longitudinal, multiple informant data at two measurement occasions (Grade 6, Grade 7). All told, 1,100 adolescents (10–14 years) and their parents filled out questionnaires assessing responsiveness and psychological control, adolescents’ anger regulation, and adolescents’ problem and prosocial behavior. Cross-lagged analyses revealed reciprocal effects between parenting, ER, and adjustment for the parent and boys’, but not for the girls’, report. Moreover, relations were different for adolescents with versus without clinically elevated symptoms of psychopathology. Our findings support the assumption that reciprocal relations between parenting, ER, and psychosocial adjustment are likely to persist until early adolescence. Nevertheless, the moderating role of gender and psychopathology should be taken into account. Possible reasons for the different findings, and practical implications, are discussed.

Separation Anxiety in Children Ages 4 through 9 with Oral Clefts

Background : Psychosocial research on children with oral clefts (OCs), i.e., clefts of the lip, palate, or lip and palate, has suggested that these children may have higher rates of anxiety in general, but overall results have been equivocal. In this study we estimated the prevalence of separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in a population-based sample of children with OCs and identified associated risk factors. Methods : Parents of 279 children with OCs, identified through three state birth defect registries, responded to a postal survey that included the Separation Anxiety subscale of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and items regarding the child's OC and its sequelae, parent and child health, parent mental health, family structure, and socioeconomic status indicators. Associations with SA were evaluated using bivariate and multivariate statistics. Results : One quarter (24%) of the children screened positive for SAD, which was substantially higher than the U.S. child population estimates of 3% to 5%. OC-related impairments in speaking and eating more than doubled the risk of SAD, as did lower socioeconomic status and lower maternal health rating. Maternal mental health and marital status remained in the logistic model but were not significant. Conclusions : Children with OCs appear to be at increased risk for SAD as measured by the SCARED instrument. OC-related problems with speech and eating more than doubled the risk of SAD. The use of targeted screening tools may help refine our understanding of psychosocial adjustment in children with OCs.

Social Competence in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

This study examined the associations among brain volumes, theory of mind (ToM), peer relationships, and psychosocial adjustment in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants included 8- to 13-year-old children, 82 with TBI and 61 with orthopedic injuries (OIs). Children completed three measures of ToM. Classmates provided ratings of participants’ peer relationships, acceptance, and friendships. Parents rated children’s psychosocial adjustment. MRI was used to determine brain volumes. Brain volumes were associated with ToM, which in turn was associated with peer rejection/victimization. Peer rejection/victimization in the classroom was associated with peer acceptance, friendship, social withdrawal, and general psychopathology. Brain volumes, ToM, peer relationships, and social adjustment show significant links among children with TBI and those with OI. The findings support a multilevel model of social competence in childhood TBI.

Children's Trait and Emotion Attributions in Socially Ambiguous and Unambiguous Situations

ABSTRACT Children's attributions about story characters in ambiguous and unambiguous social situations were assessed. One hundred and forty-four 6–7-year-olds and 10–11-year-olds heard about actors who slighted a recipient intentionally or for an undetermined reason and then made causal attributions about the events, an emotion attribution about the recipient, and global personality attributions about the actors and recipient. Relations between perceived self-competence and attribution style were also assessed. Participants were more likely to make negative causal attributions in the unambiguous condition and with increasing age. Older girls and younger boys were more likely than other groups to attribute negative emotions to the recipient. Overall, participants perceived recipients positively and actors negatively. Perceived self-competence was positively correlated with actor attributions, although these differed by age and gender. Implications for children's psychosocial adjustment are discussed.

Links between different measures of mother/father involvement and child social adjustment

The relative integration of fathers into the parental unit clearly poses numerous conceptual and methodological challenges despite the considerable progress that has been made in this area. Important social changes that have occurred over a relatively short period of time have resulted in a redefinition of parental roles which supports the pertinence of examining not just behavioural measures but also cognitive variables such as parents' respective perceptions of their roles. In this study, we have compared diverse quantitative measures of maternal and paternal involvement in relation to child psychosocial adjustment as assessed by parents and childcare teachers. This study was conducted with 45 dual-parent families having a preschool-aged child (20 girls, 25 boys). Both mothers and fathers completed five questionnaires. Childcare teachers (n = 33) participated in the study by assessing child social adjustment. The results indicate that, with regard to both mothers and fathers, cognitive measures are essentially proven to be the best predictive factors for child social adjustment. The results indicate that mothers who consider their professional employment as being important perceive their children as manifesting more externalising problems. The results are the opposite for mothers who value being present in the home. Child prosociality is linked to maternal prioritisation of emotional support for the child. Children of fathers who consider taking an active role in discipline to be important are assessed by childcare teachers as more socially competent. Also, children whose father values play interactions display fewer internalising behaviour problems according to assessments completed by teachers. The results will be discussed in terms of the respective contributions of these different ways of defining parental involvement. The discussion will adopt the perspective that the roles perceived by mothers and fathers are complementary.

Do television and electronic games predict children's psychosocial adjustment? Longitudinal research using the UK Millennium Cohort Study

BackgroundScreen entertainment for young children has been associated with several aspects of psychosocial adjustment. Most research is from North America and focuses on television. Few longitudinal studies have compared the...

Secondary school transition for children with special educational needs: a literature review

Successful transition from primary to secondary school is important for psychosocial well‐being. Children with special educational needs (SEN) may face additional complexities at transition, although the impact of this process on children's psychosocial adjustment has been underexplored. The article aims to review systematically the literature exploring the impact of transition on the concerns and psychosocial adjustment of children with SEN in comparison to typically developing children. Published studies were identified through a systematic search of six electronic databases. Articles fulfilling inclusion criteria were reviewed and a quality criteria system was developed to rank studies. Children with specific learning difficulties perceive lower levels of social support and more peer victimisation after transition than typically developing children, but methodological limitations and the modest number of studies restricted the conclusions that could be drawn.

Exposure to Parental Violence and Outcomes of Child Psychosocial Adjustment

Prior research suggests that exposure to violence at home increases the likelihood of mental health problems in children. Studies have also shown that children exposed to violence are more prone to delinquent behavior and regular alcohol use. This study examines the effects of witnessing and experiencing physical violence at home on the psychosocial adjustment of children. Children who both witnessed and personally experienced physical violence exhibited the highest levels of adjustment problems. However, having either one of these risk factors was also associated with negative outcomes. The data are based on the Finnish Child Victim Survey 2008 with a sample of 13,459 students aged 12-13 years and 15-16 years.

Effects of maternal HIV on children's psychosocial adjustment with peers and with their mother

A longitudinal assessment of young adolescents' psychosocial outcomes affected by maternal HIV/AIDS was undertaken, focusing on both parent–child psychosocial ties and peer relationships. Data were taken from the Parents and Children Coping Together (PACT) study, a 15-year study assessing mothers with HIV/AIDS and their well children every six months. Families (N = 118) who participated in PACT II and PACT III are included in the current analyses, who were assessed every six months for 36 months in PACT II, and every six months for 18 months in PACT III (providing 11 time points of data across eight years). Growth curve modeling was applied to assess the associations of maternal health on adolescent's psychosocial outcomes. In terms of their relationship with their mothers living with HIV (MLH), adolescents' psychosocial functioning was negatively impacted by maternal illness, specifically viral load count and vitality levels, whereas several indicators of increased maternal illness (including viral load, vitality, illness symptoms, and health-related anxiety) predicted less attachment with peers. In addition, MLH increased illness was associated with more adolescent autonomy.

Behavioural and cognitive effects during vagus nerve stimulation in children with intractable epilepsy – A randomized controlled trial

Background/AimsIn addition to effects on seizure frequency in intractable epilepsy, multiple studies report benefits of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on behavioural outcomes and quality of life. The present study aims to investigate the effects of VNS on cognition, mood in general, depression, epilepsy-related restrictions and psychosocial adjustment in children with intractable epilepsy, as well as the relation between these effects and seizure reduction. MethodsWe conducted a randomized, active-controlled, double-blinded, add-on study in 41 children (age 4–18) with medically refractory epilepsy. We performed cognitive and behavioural testing at baseline (12 weeks), at the end of the blinded phase (20 weeks) in children receiving either high-output or low-output (active control) stimulation, and at the end of the open label phase (19 weeks) with all children receiving high-output stimulation. Seizure frequency was recorded using seizure diaries. ResultsVNS did not have a negative effect on cognition nor on psychosocial adjustment. At the end of the follow-up phase we noted an improvement of mood in general and the depression subscale for the entire group, unrelated to a reduction of seizure frequency. At the end of the blinded phase a ≥50% reduction of seizure frequency occurred in 16% of the high-stimulation group and 21% of the low-stimulation group. At the end of the open-label follow-up phase, 26% of the children experienced a seizure frequency reduction of 50% or more (responders). ConclusionsVNS has additional beneficial effects in children with intractable epilepsy. As opposed to anti-epileptic drugs, there are no negative effects on cognition. Moreover, we observed an improvement of mood in general and depressed feelings in particular, irrespective of a reduction in seizure frequency. These beneficial effects should be taken into account when deciding whether to initiate or continue VNS treatment in these children.

Ketogenic diet effects on cognition, mood, and psychosocial adjustment in children

The ketogenic diet (KD) is increasingly used for the treatment of refractory epilepsy. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible adverse effects of the diet on cognition, behavior, psychosocial adjustment, and quality of life in school-aged children and adolescents. Fifteen subjects were assessed before diet initiation. After approximately 6 months, on diet treatment 11 patients (73%) were reassessed. We used a combination of individually administered psychological tests for the children and parent report questionnaires. Five of 15 patients had a seizure reduction of more than 50%. Cognition showed a small trend toward improvement in most patients. Psychosocial adjustment, on the other hand, showed small trends toward worsening. For mood, two areas showed a larger change, revealing more mood problems although this was not on a statistically significant level. In this small group of children, there is no indication that the KD has a negative impact on cognition or social adaptation at short term. There is a tendency toward an increase in mood problems.

Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

Parental Meta‐Emotion Philosophy: A Review of Research and Theoretical Framework

AbstractThe concept of parental meta‐emotion philosophy (PMEP)—the idea that parents have an organized set of beliefs, thoughts, and feelings about their own and their children's emotions—was introduced in 1996. Since then, empirical studies have examined the validity of the PMEP construct in relation to children's psychosocial adjustment and parent and child characteristics. This article reviews the current state of knowledge regarding PMEP, summarizing what the field has learned, and identifying critical directions for future research.

Psychosocial adjustment in a Dutch sample of children with cerebral palsy

BackgroundOver the last couple of years, there has been increasing interest for QoL in children with CP. Psychosocial adjustment in these children remains underrepresented in current literature. AimsTo describe psychosocial adjustment in children with CP by means of the Psychosocial Adjustment and Role Skills Scale III (PARS-III), to describe the psychometric properties of this questionnaire, to identify a cut-off score for psychosocial maladjustment and to investigate the relationship between patient characteristics (i.e. predictive factors) and psychosocial adjustment. MethodsThe parents of 93 children with CP (59 boys, 34 girls; mean age 12.3 years, SD 3.8; 4–18; GMFCS 1: 28, GMFCS 2: 5, GMFCS 3: 19, GMFCS 4: 18, GMFCS 5: 23) completed the PARS-III and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) concerning the psychosocial and behavioral functioning of their child. ResultsCronbach’s alpha-coefficient for the PARS-III was 0.89 indicating good internal consistency. High correlation with the CBCL was found. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the 6 domain structure of the PARS-III. Overall, children with CP achieved lower psychosocial adjustment scores compared to healthy children. A cut-off score (1 SD below the mean) of 78 was found. When predicting psychosocial maladjustment in children with CP, less gross motor function, hand function, communication skills and bilateral involvement of CP are the most important factors, but these can only explain 36% of variation in psychosocial adjustment. ConclusionUsing the by-proxy version of the PARS-III it was found that children with CP are reported to achieve lower psychosocial adjustment scores than healthy children.

A study of educational underachievement in Indian children with epilepsy

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic disorder that significantly affects learning and behavior. Children with epilepsy are much more vulnerable for educational problems than with any other chronic illness. Objectives: The study was conducted to assess the extent of educational problems and factors associated with educational underachievement in Indian children with epilepsy. Methods: It was a case control study and included 100 cases of 6–16years age of epilepsy, 50 healthy children (control A) and 50 children with persistent asthma (control B). Their demographic and disease variables were evaluated. The educational performance was assessed by using a predesigned semi structured open ended questionnaire to parents and by teacher’s report. Psychological evaluation was done in first step by using a standard questionnaire, childhood psychopathology measurement schedule. In second step, those have shown poor educational performance or significant score in standard questionnaire underwent detailed psychiatric evaluation. Results: Educational problems were reported in cases (36%), control A (2%) and control B (16%). Demographic or disease variables were not associated with educational problems in cases except that boys were more affected than girls. On psychiatric evaluation psychopathological illnesses (47%) like attention deficit hyperkinetic disorder, conduct disorder and depression were found to be commonly associated with poor educational performance (47%) followed by decreased learning opportunities (22.2%) and borderline intelligence (19.4%) in children with epilepsy. Conclusion: Educational problems are commoner in children with epilepsy than with asthma. Psychopathological problems are commonly associated with educational underachievement in children with epilepsy. Therefore periodic psychosocial assessment, counseling and support must be provided to improve the psychosocial adjustment in children with epilepsy.