Emotional Behavioral Problems Research Articles

Razumijevanje rizičnih ponašanja djece: Perspektive odgajatelja i stručnih suradnika dječjeg vrtića

The overall aim of this paper is to investigate, describe, and compare the understanding of the concept of risk behaviors in preschool-aged children from two perspectives (preschool teachers’ and expert associates’ perspectives). The paper presents the results of a qualitative analysis of focus groups with preschool teachers and expert associates from 31 kindergartens in Rijeka who provided a description and interpretation of their understanding of the concept of risk behaviors in children with whom they worked or are currently working. For the analysis of the focus group transcript, we applied a thematic analysis according to Clarke and Braun (2013), which isolated two topics: “phenomenology and criteria for assessing risk behaviors” and “etiological factors.” Among the described phenomena and assessment criteria, preschool teachers and expert associates provided similar responses: forms/types of risk behaviors as well as general and specific criteria for assessing risk behaviors. Among the etiologic factors, they notice factors in all ecological areas and the child himself. The results showed a relative alignment of the two perspectives, while certain specifics in both topics can be recognized between preschool teachers and professionals, which is likely due to the differences in their initial education. The contribution of the work is in considering risky behaviors of kindergarten children and their perception by the professionals who work with them and, in practical terms, in the implication of joint team and coordinated action and individual approach to each child and family in the prevention and intervention of behavioral problems. Key words: child; early and preschool age; emotional-behavioral problems EBD; kindergarten; risk behaviors

A Classroom-Based Training Program Involving Preschool Children for Developing Prerequisite Learning Skills and Social Skills: Ready to Learn

Social skills training is a good way of intervention for preventing social skills deficiencies and emotional-behavioral problems and academic deficiencies that may arise from these deficiencies. Different activities, different methods-strategies and different approaches from theory to practice can be included in intervention programs for social skills. In this study, it is aimed to introduce a classroom program called “Ready to Learn” developed by Brigman, Lane, and Lane (1994), the scientific effect of which has been proven, and to adapt it to Turkish, thus put forth in an available story-based social skill training program for Turkish children. This program was developed for the children aged four to seven in order to promote the learning skills and social skills that are needed for school success. The program called “Ready to Learn” includes social cooperation activities to contain the use of “big books” that are read aloud, storytelling by teachers and children, activities of drawing, dramatic play, puppet, and song, activities on listening and attention, practices for understanding directions through story structures, as well as discussion and interaction. The program, which consists of a series of stories, includes five teacher strategies: (1) modelling-coaching-cueing, (2) student story-telling, (3) student story re-telling, (4) peer reporting, and (5) encouragement council activities. Within the scope of the study, a social skill training program was gained to the literature for Turkish children in preschool period by carrying out phases from the procedures for the provision of Ready to Learn program to the steps required by the adaptation processes. In this context, the study is envisaged to be a guide for social skills training applications and program development studies for preschool children and to provide an intellectual basis for the practices in daily life, meanwhile to be a key resource for improving the problems experienced in preschool period.

Child‐centered play therapy and adverse childhood experiences: A randomized controlled trial

AbstractThere is a preponderance of evidence that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) result in harmful physical, learning, social, emotional, and behavioral health outcomes during childhood, with far reaching effects lasting across the lifespan. The cumulative effect of childhood adversity and its relationship to childhood trauma represent an urgent call to action among stakeholders, yet treatment studies are rare. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to explore the impact of child‐centered play therapy (CCPT) among children with two or more ACEs on improvement of social and emotional assets and behavioral problems. Results of a repeated measures linear mixed model demonstrated statistically significant increases in social‐emotional competencies including empathy, social competence, and self‐regulation/responsibility and decreases in total behavior problems among children who participated in CCPT. Results of this study support the effectiveness of CCPT among children who have experienced ACEs and at risk for complex trauma.

Challenges Confronting Child and Youth Care Workers and Organisations in Their Work Milieu during the Covid-19 Pandemic in South Africa

Child and youth care is devoted to protecting vulnerable children and youths and enhancing their well-being. Covid-19 brought many challenges to both child and youth care workers and centres in their work milieu in South Africa. Guided by a qualitative research design and the use of purposive sampling, the study sought to understand the experiences of practitioners working at different child and youth care centres. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews and a thematic analysis was used to guide the analysis. The article offers insights into the challenges faced by practitioners at these organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic. In summary, the children at these facilities presented with emotional distress and behavioural problems due to the protracted separation from their parents, family reunification was affected and the child and youth care workers themselves had to deal with increased personal fear and distress as their colleagues tested positive for Covid-19. More important were the new and diverse changes that had to be made to safeguard the well-being of the staff and children at these facilities.

Anxiety and emotional-behavioral problems of adolescents in China: evidence for a serial mediation model of alexithymia and dependency

ABSTRACT High prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among Chinese adolescence has been reported. This study seeks to investigate the mediating effect of alexithymia and dependency on anxiety and emotional-behavioral problems among adolescents. The study population included 519 adolescents. The assessments included the completion of standardized scales such as the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale (MASC), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Independent-sample t-tests, bivariate correlation, and serial mediation analyses were performed using SPSS23.0. Bivariate analyses revealed that anxiety, emotional-behavioral problem, alexithymia, and dependency were positively correlated. Alexithymia and dependency play a significant role in mediating the effect of multidimensional anxiety on emotional-behavioral problems. The effects of the two mediating paths were 69.86% and 7.81% for indirect effect through alexithymia, dependency, and specific indirect effect by alexithymia and dependency was 12.33%. Anxiety and emotional-behavioral problems mediate the relationship between alexithymia and dependency.

Effectiveness of Compassion-Focused Therapy on Metacognitive Beliefs, Forgiveness, and Psychological Well-Being of Women Applying for Divorce

Background and Objective: Divorce is one of the most stressful events leading to emotional distress and behavioral problems that affect the metacognitive beliefs and psychological well-being of family members. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy (CFT) on metacognitive beliefs, forgiveness, and psychological well-being of women applying for divorce in Shahr-e Ray, Iran, between 2018 and 2019. Materials and Methods: This study followed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population included all women applying for divorce in Shahar-e Ray city of Iran, from whom 28 applicants were selected using the convenience sampling method. The study population was randomly assigned to two groups of experiment (n=14) and control (n=14). The CFT was applied for eight sessions to the participants in the experimental group who were further divided into two groups. Women in the control group were put on the waiting list and did not receive any intervention. The tools used in this study consisted of Wells’ Metacognitive Beliefs Questionnaire (MCQ-30), Pollard’s Family Forgiveness Scale, and Ryff’s Scale of Psychological Well-being, which was administered to the participants in the pre-and post-test phases. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (Version 16) through descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance. Results: The results indicate that there is a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of metacognitive beliefs variables, family forgiveness, and psychological well-being scales (P<0.001). Conclusions: CFT is a third-wave psychological therapy that improve acceptance of unpleasant emotions, thoughts, metacognitive beliefs, forgiveness, and psychological well-being of women applying for a divorce.

Learning Disabilities Elevate Children’s Risk for Behavioral-Emotional Problems: Differences Between LD Types, Genders, and Contexts

Our purpose was to study the frequency of behavioral-emotional problems among children identified with a learning disability (LD). The data were obtained for 579 Finnish children (8–15 years) with reading disability (RD-only), math disability (MD-only), or both (RDMD) assessed at a specialized clinic between 1985 and 2017. We analyzed percentages of children with behavioral-emotional symptoms reaching clinical range (i.e., z score ≥1.5 SDs) and the effects of the LD type, gender, and context (home vs. school) on them. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of the severity of LD and gender on the amount of behavioral-emotional symptoms reported by teachers and parents. Alarmingly high percentages of children, irrespective of LD type, demonstrated behavioral-emotional problems: more than 37% in Affective, Anxiety, and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) problems. Contextual variation was large, as more problems were reported by teachers than by mothers. The unique effects of gender and LD type were rare, but the results raised concern for those with MD-only, especially boys. The results underscore the need to draw attention to the importance of assessing children with LD for behavioral-emotional problems and emphasize the importance of teachers’ awareness of behavioral-emotional problems among students with LD and cooperation among child, teacher, and parents in assessment and support planning.

Occupational Therapy Theory and School-Based Filial Therapy: Intervention Rationale and Formulation.

Background: Emotional-behavioural problems in children present a barrier to engagement and participation in school occupations. Applying practice theory is an essential process to explore the impact of clinical problems and to orient clinical thinking to the domain of occupation. Purpose: Occupational therapy practice theory and frameworks are applied to the formulation of School-Based Filial Therapy, a viable treatment response to emotional-behavioural problems in children. Key issues: Bowen family systems theory, the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework IV and the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement are applied to intervention formulation. Implications: School-Based Filial Therapy engages the dynamic interaction of the person, the occupations he/she engages in and the environment via therapeutic medium of play. It is consistent with the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework IV and the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement and provides new possibilities as an intervention for occupational therapists working in children's mental health.

Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes in Childhood for Survivors of Invasive Group B Streptococcus Disease in Infancy: Findings From 5 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

BackgroundSurvivors of invasive group B Streptococcus (iGBS) disease, notably meningitis, are at increased risk of neurodevelopmental impairment. However, the limited studies to date have a median follow-up to 18 months and have mainly focused on moderate or severe neurodevelopmental impairment, with no previous studies on emotional-behavioral problems among iGBS survivors.MethodsIn this multicountry, matched cohort study, we included children aged 18 months to 17 years with infant iGBS sepsis and meningitis from health demographic surveillance systems, or hospital records in Argentina, India, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa. Children without an iGBS history were matched to iGBS survivors for sex and age. Our primary outcomes were emotional-behavioral problems and psychopathological conditions as measured with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The CBCL was completed by the child’s primary caregiver.ResultsBetween October 2019 and April 2021, 573 children (mean age, 7.18 years) were assessed, including 156 iGBS survivors and 417 non-iGBS comparison children. On average, we observed more total problems and more anxiety, attention, and conduct problems for school-aged iGBS survivors compared with the non-iGBS group. No differences were found in the proportion of clinically significant psychopathological conditions defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition).ConclusionsOur findings suggested that school-aged iGBS survivors experienced increased mild emotional behavioral problems that may affect children and families. At-risk neonates including iGBS survivors need long-term follow-up with integrated emotional-behavioral assessments and appropriate care. Scale-up will require simplified assessments that are free and culturally adapted.

South African Children: A Matched Cohort Study of Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Survivors of Invasive Group B Streptococcus Disease Aged 5 to 8 Years.

BackgroundInvasive group B Streptococcus (iGBS) sepsis and meningitis are important causes of child mortality, but studies on neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) after iGBS are limited. Using Griffiths Mental Development Scales–Extended Revised (GMDS-ER), we described NDI in iGBS survivors and non-iGBS children from South Africa, as part of a 5-country study.MethodsWe identified children aged 5–8 years with a history of iGBS and children with no history of iGBS between October 2019 and January 2021. Children were matched on sex, and birth data (month, year) (matched cohort study). Moderate or Severe NDI was the primary outcome as a composite of GMDS-ER motor, GMDS-ER cognition, hearing, and vision. Secondary outcomes included mild NDI, any emotional-behavioral problems, and GMDS-ER developmental quotients (DQ) calculated by dividing the age equivalent GMDS-ER score by the chronological age.ResultsIn total, 160 children (iGBS survivors, 43; non-iGBS, 117) were assessed. Among iGBS survivors 13 (30.2%) had meningitis, and 30 (69.8%) had sepsis. Six (13.9%) iGBS survivors, and 5 (4.3%) non-iGBS children had moderate or severe NDI. Children who survived iGBS were 5.56 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07–28.93; P = .041) times more likely to have moderate or severe NDI at 5–8 years than non-iGBS children. Compared to the non-iGBS children, iGBS meningitis survivors had a significantly lower global median DQ (P < .05), as well as a lower median DQ for the language GMDS-ER subscale and performance GMDS-ER subscale (P < .05).ConclusionsChildren surviving iGBS, particularly meningitis, are more likely to have NDI at 5–8 years compared to non-iGBS children. Further research is required to improve detection and care for at-risk newborns.

The effects of emotional behavioral problems and gender on predicting developmental trajectories of peer and teacher relationships in elementary school students

목적 본 연구는 초등학교 4학년부터 6학년까지 교우관계, 교사관계의 모집단 내 이질적 발달궤적을 추적하고 예측요인으로서의 정서행동문제(공격성, 사회적위축, 우울)와 성별의 영향력을 확인하는데 목적이 있다. 방법 모집단 내 이질적인 발달궤적 추적을 위해 R3STEP 보조변수(Auxiliary)방식을 활용하여 예측요인에 의해 잠재계층의 변경이 발생되지 않도록 한 후 가장 적합한 발달궤적을 검증하였으며, 이후 정서행동문제와 성별에 의해 예측되는 변화유형에 차이가 있는지 확인하였다. 이를 위해 한국아동청소년패널조사(KCYPS 2010) 초1자료(여학생 814명, 48.4%)가 활용되었으며 성장혼합모형(Growth Mixture Modeling)을 통해 분석되었다 결과 본 연구의 결과는 다음과 같다. 교우관계는 ‘낮은-감소’, ‘낮은-매우감소’, ‘높은-증가’, 교사관계는 ‘매우 낮은-매우 증가’, ‘낮은-증가’, ‘높은-감소’의 각각 3개의 적합한 발달궤적을 지니는 것으로 나타났다. 공격성과 우울은 교우관계 및 교사관계 변화유형, 사회적위축과 성별은 교사관계 변화유형을 결정짓는 요인으로 밝혀졌다. 전반적으로 정서행동문제 수준이 높은 학생일수록 교우 및 교사와의 관계는 좋지 않은 것으로 확인되었다. 결론 본 연구는 현재 초등학생들이 보이는 정서행동문제 및 성별 특성을 통해 향후 교우관계, 교사관계의 발달궤적을 예측함으로써 학교 내 사회적 관계형성에서의 학생들의 어려움에 대한 이해를 돕고 사전 예방 및 개입을 촉진하는데에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.

Factors Correlating with the Emotional and Behavioral Problems among Adolescents with Legal Problems

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems (EBP) among adolescents (12–18 years) in Indonesia is 28.4%. These problems are related to age, sex, family economic level, father’s education, peer relationships, psychosocial skills, and family mental health status. However, factors related to EBPs among adolescents who are dealing with law cases have not been widely reported. AIM: The purpose of this study is to find out factors correlating with the EBPs among adolescents with legal problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used in this study. Fifty-nine adolescents with legal problems who were sheltered at the Social Protection and Rehabilitation Centre for Adolescents (SPRCA) and the Guidance Institution for Children (GIC) served respondents. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires were used to measure the EBP among adolescents. The Pearson Product Moment and linear regressions were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The prevalence of the EBP among adolescents with legal problems at SPRCA and GIC is 67.8%. The correlations of emotional problems, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems with the EBP among adolescents with legal problems are 67.8%, 64.4%, 13.6%, and 57.6%, respectively. Age and psychosocial skills have an effect of 15.7% on the EBP among adolescents. CONCLUSION: Age and psychosocial skills correlate with the EBP among adolescents with legal problems at the SPRCA and GIC.

A comparison of the effectiveness of Clark and ACT parenting training on improving the emotional-behavioral problems of the child with divorced single mothers

The main purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Clark and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy parenting training on improving the emotional-behavioral problems of the child with divorced single mothers. The present study was a semi-experimental, pre-test, post-test, and control group. The research population included divorced mothers referred to the psychology and counseling organization centers of the Mashhad, Iran, during May-July 2019. Among them, 66 parents with their children were selected and randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. Parents with their children in all groups responded to the Achenbach Children's emotional-behavioral problems Questionnaire before intervention (pretest) and immediately after the intervention (posttest). The results showed that there was a significant difference in anxious/depressed and attention problems between parenting skills training based on the Clark approach and Parent-Child Relationship Training based on Acceptance and Commitment approach. The results indicated that training the mothers in two parenting skills training and Parent-Child Relationship Training approaches can improve the emotional-behavioral problems of the child with divorced single mothers. The parenting skills training approach was more effective than control and Parent-Child Relationship Training groups in anxious/depressed and attention problems variables. Finally, it’s possible to conclude that both parenting skills training and Parent-Child Relationship Training are useful interventions in improving the children's negative feelings and beliefs about their parents' divorce and their emotional-behavioral problems, and can also increase positive feelings and attitudes toward parents and their resilience, ultimately leading to increase their compatibility with parental divorce.

Testing Children\u2019s Mentalizing in Middle Childhood: Adopting the Child and Adolescent Reflective Functioning Scale with Clinical and Community Children

Beginning with Ensink’s seminal study (2015), the field entered a new era in which we were able to measure mentalizing in school-aged children. The goal of this work is to continue developing the state of the research within this tradition by exploring the psychometric properties of the Child Reflective Functioning Scale (CRFS) - a measure applied to the Child Attachment Interview and designed to assess RF during middle childhood - within both clinical and normative groups, and to examine if it differentiates between both groups. Participants were 159 Italian children (age range 8–12 years, Mage = 10.66, SD =1.83; 57% males) divided into two groups: 71 children with emotional-behavioral problems (‘clinical group’) and 88 children without emotional-behavioral problems (‘community group’). Demographic data and Verbal Comprehension Index were collected. A two-factor model of CRFS (self- and other-focused RF) was confirmed in both groups, revealing that these intrapersonal and interpersonal indicators of children’s RF are important domains of mentalizing abilities in middle childhood. The results revealed adequate inter-rater reliability of the CRFS. Controlling for the effect of potentially confounding demographic variables, significant differences on CRFS scales between clinical and community groups were found. The clinical group showed lower levels of CRFS scores than normative group, but importantly, the self-focused RF score uniquely predicted clinical/community status. Taken together, the findings showed that the CRFS is a reliable and validity measure for assessing RF in middle childhood with clinical and normative groups, contributing important information to the scientific literature on mentalizing in middle childhood.

Effects of sandplay therapy in reducing emotional and behavioural problems in school-age children with chronic diseases: A randomized controlled trial.

PurposeChildren with chronic diseases exhibit a higher incidence of emotional–behavioural problems. Though sandplay therapy is a universally recognized psychological treatment method, experimental evidence for this form of therapy is lacking. Our aims were to examine the effectiveness of sandplay therapy in reducing emotional and behavioural problems in school‐age children with chronic diseases as well as anxiety and depression in their caregivers.Design and methodsA total of 60 children and their caregivers were enrolled in the present study between January and October 2019. A randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China. Participants were divided into an intervention and a control group. Both groups received regular treatment, and the intervention group received additional sandplay therapy. Four behavioural rating scales were used to evaluate the differences between the two groups. The children's scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self‐Rating Depression Scale (SDS) before and after the intervention were compared using the Mann–Whitney test. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was also employed to compare the median results before and after treatment.ResultsThe total scores for CBCL, anxiety and depression, withdrawal, and social behavioural problems for children in the intervention group were all lower than the corresponding scores for those in the control group (p < .05). The EPQ scores for emotional stability and psychosis in the intervention group were both lower than those in the control group (p < .05). The SAS and SDS scores for the caregivers of children in the intervention group were also lower than the corresponding scores for those in the control group (p < .05).ConclusionSandplay therapy can reduce anxiety, withdrawal, and social behavioural problems in school‐age children with chronic diseases, as well as relieve anxiety and depression symptoms in their caregivers. Our study provided evidence for the clinical application of sandplay therapy and highlights the importance of offering and integrating psychological treatment in clinical nursing care.

Emotional-behavioral problems, attachment and verbal skills in late-adopted adolescents: The role of pre-adoption adversities and adoption variables

BackgroundThere are few studies on late-adopted adolescents' outcomes -e.g., emotional-behavioral problems, attachment and cognitive status- and their possible predictive factors, none from Italy. Objective: This paper aimed to investigate emotional-behavioral problems, attachment representations, and verbal skills in late-adopted adolescents in Italy and to explore the predictive role of pre-adoption adversities and adoption variables for worse adoptees' outcomes. Participants and settingThe study included N = 79 late-adopted (mean age at adoption = 6 years) adolescents, between 11 and 18 years, placed via both intercountry and domestic adoption. MethodsParents provided information about pre-adoption and adoption history and filled the Children's Behavior Checklist 6–18 for measuring participants' emotional-behavioral problems. Attachment representations were assessed through the Friend and Family Interview administered directly to adolescents, like the verbal comprehension index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (4th edition) for measuring participants' verbal IQ. ResultsMaltreatment and its interaction with multiple placements were the main predictors of other problems—i.e., social, thought, and identity difficulties (respectively, p = .007 and p = .029)—while intercountry adoption was the unique predictor of both externalizing and total problems (respectively, p = .047 and p = .015). However, domestic adoption was the most important predictor both for higher insecurity and disorganized attachment representations and lower verbal skills (all p < .044); even stronger if domestic adoption interacted with pre-adoptive institutionalization. ConclusionsPre-adoption adversities as well as domestic vs. intercountry adoption, but not the age at placement, contributed to adolescent adoptees' developmental outcomes.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Longitudinal Emotional-Behavioral Functioning Among Youth Born to Women Living With HIV.

Youth with perinatal HIV exposure have demonstrated high rates of emotional-behavioral problems. Few studies have longitudinally examined racial/ethnic disparities in such functioning across adolescence, a critical time for targeting prevention/intervention efforts. The Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study Adolescent Master Protocol is one of the largest US-based cohort studies of youth with perinatal HIV (YPHIV) infection or HIV exposed but uninfected (YPHEU). Youth and caregivers individually completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children, second edition, every 2 years between ages 7 and 19 years. We used adjusted mixed-effects models to evaluate whether mean youth-reported emotional concerns and caregiver-reported behavioral concerns differed by race/ethnicity. We used group-based trajectory models to identify groups having similar emotional-behavioral trajectories, followed by multinomial models to determine which factors predicted group membership. Three hundred ninety-one YPHIV and 209 YPHEU (7% White non-Hispanic, 21% White Hispanic, 66% Black non-Hispanic, and 6% Black Hispanic) completed a median of 4 assessments over follow-up. Adjusted models showed more caregiver-reported behavioral concerns for Black non-Hispanic YPHEU than for Black non-Hispanic YPHIV, White Hispanic YPHIV, and White Hispanic YPHEU, particularly later in adolescence. Race/ethnicity did not predict membership in subgroups of youth-reported emotional or caregiver-reported behavioral functioning identified using group-based trajectory models. However, factors predicting membership in vulnerable youth-reported emotional and caregiver-reported behavioral groups included experiencing a stressful life event and living with a caregiver who was married or screened positive for a psychiatric condition. Our study revealed that Black non-Hispanic YPHEU are a vulnerable subgroup. Contributing factors that could inform interventions include the caregiver's health, household characteristics, and psychiatric status.

School Adjustments in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Peer Relationships, the Quality of the Student-Teacher Relationship, and Children’s Academic and Behavioral Competencies

This study aimed to investigate how children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) adjust to school when compared to typically developing students. The convenience sample consisted of 135 children—27 with ADHD and 108 in the control group—and 19 prevalent teachers from 6 primary and secondary schools in Northwest Italy. Children were assessed with a sociometric questionnaire. Evaluations were also used to assess teachers’ perceptions of their relationships with their students, children’s behaviors, and children’s academic competencies. Chi-squared tests, independent sample t tests, bivariate correlations, and one-way multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were used to analyze the data. The chi-squared test showed that children with ADHD were rejected by their peers and more unpopular than expected. The results of the one-way MANOVA tests showed greater difficulty on the teacher’s part in establishing relationships based on affective closeness with children with ADHD than with typically developing children. Children with ADHD also showed higher levels in emotional symptoms, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems than typically developing children. This study’s findings suggest that teachers should consider the wellbeing of children with ADHD to improve their social and behavioral development on children’s ability to adjust to school.

Psychological Problems resulted from COVID-19 and its relation to E-Learning and E-Assessment Stress in a sample of College of Education Students, Sultan Qaboos University

The present study aimed at identifying the psychological problems resulted from the COVID-19 outbreak. Additionally, it explored the frequency, and gender differences in those problems. The paper also investigated the correlation relationship between COVID-19 associated psychological problems and e-learning and e-assessment stress. To achieve the objectives of the study, a COVID-19 psychological problems scale (CPPS) and an E-learning and E-assessment stress questionnaire were developed and validated. Data were collected through Google form from 125 students enrolled in the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University. Results indicated that COVID-19 associated psychological problems (Emotional problems, behavioral and health problems, fear of infection, social isolation, and lack of motivation) occupied a moderate rank. A significant positive correlation relationship was detected between COVID-19 associated psychological problems and e-learning stress r= 0.492, P &gt; 0.01 and e-assessment stress r= 0.331, P &gt; 0.01. No significant differences were found between both genders in COVID-19 associated psychological problems, e-learning stress, and e-assessment stress.

The Psychometric Properties of the Resilience Scale (RS-14) in Lithuanian Adolescents.

In the current study, we provided the evidence of satisfactory validity of the RS-14 scale in the Lithuanian adolescents’ sample (N = 1299; Mage = 14.24; SDage = 1.26), based on its internal structure, and relations to other variables. The results of the study indicated an acceptable model fit for a single-factor structure of the scale with a high internal consistency (McDonald’s omega = 0.89). We also confirmed the scalar measurement invariance across groups of adolescents in terms of their age (i.e., early and middle adolescence) and mental health profile as well as partial scalar gender invariance. Adolescents characterized by high levels of socio-emotional problems reported lower levels of resilience, in comparison to adolescents that reported low levels of socio-emotional problems. However, the data indicated that adolescents from emotional problems and behavioral problems groups cannot be differentiated with the RS-14 scale.