Parent Report Research Articles

Adoptive parents' racial colorblindness and adopted Korean adolescents' experiences of discrimination.

Using longitudinal data, this study investigated the association between parent racial colorblindness and discrimination toward children (reported by both parents and adolescents) in transracial, transnational adoptive families. Eighty White adoptive parents with adopted Korean children (ages 5-12 years old) were surveyed in 2007 (Time 1 [T1]), and both parents and adolescents (ages 13-19 years old) were surveyed in 2014 (Time 2 [T2]). Parents completed a self-report measure of parent racial colorblindness toward their child at T1 and T2, and parents and adolescents completed a measure of discrimination experienced by adoptees at T2. Parent reports of racial colorblindness toward their child were not significantly different between T1 and T2. However, parent reports of discrimination increased between time points. Further, parent and adolescent reports of discrimination were not significantly different from one another. Using hierarchical regression models, racial colorblindness among parents at T1 (when children were in middle childhood) was significantly associated with parent reports of discrimination experienced by adolescent children at T2, even when controlling for T2 racial colorblindness. This association did not hold for adolescent reports of discrimination. Adoptive parents' acknowledgment of their children's race and ethnicity appears relatively stable from childhood into adolescence, and parent racial colorblindness toward their own child can affect their ability to recognize discrimination during adolescent development, a vital period when discrimination becomes more common and salient. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Autistic Characteristics, Cognitive Impairment, and Sex as Predictors of Anxiety and Depression among Autistic Youth.

Although it is well established that autistic youth are at high risk for anxiety and depression, factors associated with heightened risk within this population are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether autistic characteristics and cognitive impairment interact to predict anxiety and depression symptoms, and whether the impacts of autistic characteristics and cognitive impairment on anxiety and depression differ for male and female children. Participants comprised 7989 youth (M = 11.23 years) enrolled in SPARK, a national cohort of autistic individuals. Autistic characteristics were assessed via the Social Communication Questionnaire. Anxiety and depression were assessed via the Child Behavior Checklist. Linear regressions were conducted to examine associations between autistic characteristics, cognitive impairment, and symptoms and to test for interactions. The effect of parent-reported autistic characteristics on anxiety was stronger for males than for females, while the effect of cognitive impairment on anxiety was stronger for females than for males. A different pattern was observed for depression. The effect of autistic characteristics on depression was the same for males and females, while cognitive impairment was not associated with depression per parent report. Findings indicate that both male and female children with high levels of autistic characteristics are susceptible to experiencing anxiety and depression, and that autistic female children with intact cognitive abilities are uniquely vulnerable to experiencing anxiety based on parent report. Results have implications for the prevention of internalizing problems in autistic youth, and highlight future directions for longitudinal work examining mechanisms of comorbidity.

Longitudinal Use Patterns of Technology Subtypes During the Transition Into Early Adolescence: Results From the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study

PurposeAdolescents encounter a complex digital environment, yet existing data on youth technology use rarely differentiates technology subtypes. This study maps the evolution and intricacies of youth engagement with technology subtypes. MethodsN = 11,868 participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study followed from ages ∼9/10 to ∼13/14. We examined youths' self-reported hours per day (hr/day) of technology subtypes: TV/Movies, video games, YouTube, social media, video chat, and texting. We used descriptive statistics and multilevel logistic regression to assess cross-sectional and longitudinal use patterns of technology subtypes, agreement between child and parent reports on the child's technology use, and associations between each technology subtype and sociodemographics (child's biological sex, parent education, income, and marital status). ResultsAt age 9/10, ∼75% of youth reported minimal (<30 min/day) social technology use (social media, video chat, texting) and up to ∼1.5 hr/day of TV, video games, and YouTube. By age 13/14, TV trajectories were converging to >2 hr/day, but social technology trajectories “fanned out” into a wide range of usage rates. Child and parent reports were weakly correlated (rs range: 0.13–0.29). Using child-reported hours of technology use, increases in the subject-specific odds of using a technology >2 hr/day ranged from 25% (YouTube; 95% CI: 1.16–1.35) to 234% (social media; 95% CI: 3.14–3.55). Compared with males, females had ∼100–200% greater odds of >2 hr/day of social technologies, but ∼40–80% reduced odds of >2 hr/day of video games and YouTube. Higher parent education and income predicted significantly lower odds of >2 hr/day of use – regardless of technology subtype. DiscussionDistributions of youths' self-reported technology engagement are highly contingent on technology subtype, age, and biological sex. Future research on youth development and technology may benefit from considering youths' varied digital experiences.

Association between developmental patterns of single and concurrent externalizing behaviors and internalizing problems over the preschool years.

The present study investigated whether distinct developmental patterns of externalizing behaviors (EBs: hyperactivity-impulsivity, noncompliance, physical aggression) based on parent reports were repeatedly and differentially associated with separate dimensions of internalizing problems such as general anxiety, separation anxiety, and depressive symptoms across the early, middle, and late preschool years in a population birth cohort (N = 2,057, 50.7% boys). Six high trajectory classes obtained by latent growth modeling were used as longitudinal indicators of single EB and co-occurrent EBs. Children following low or moderate trajectories for all EBs served as the reference class. Results revealed that children in trajectory classes reflecting high levels of co-occurring EBs showed higher levels of general anxiety, separation anxiety, and depressive symptoms across the preschool years. In contrast, children in trajectory classes reflecting single EB manifested higher levels of some, but not all, dimensions of internalizing problems. In addition, their scores varied from one period to another. No sex differences were observed in the above associations. These results underline the need for comprehensive assessments across distinct types of EBs and internalizing problems to better reflect the characteristics that distinguish individual children. Finally, results suggest that children showing early co-occurrent EBs and internalizing symptoms may be an important group to target for in-depth assessment and possibly preventive intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Trajectories of egg sensitization in childhood: Two birth cohorts in Asia and Europe.

Hen's egg exposure through impaired skin barrier is considered a major mechanism of sensitization to eggs. However, the impact of filaggrin (FLG) gene loss-of-function mutations on the natural history of egg sensitization lacks consensus among studies. To evaluate the association between the natural course of egg sensitization and FLG mutations. We used Japanese and the UK birth cohorts (CHIBA and MAAS) to identify the longitudinal patterns of egg sensitization until mid-school age and examined the relationship between the identified patterns and FLG mutations. Sensitization was assessed using egg white-specific IgE levels or skin prick tests (SPTs). Egg allergy was confirmed by parental reports and sensitization. Latent class growth analysis identified longitudinal patterns. Three similar patterns of egg sensitization (persistent, early-onset remitting, and no/low grade classes) were identified in both cohorts, with differing prevalence estimates. The proportion of children with egg allergy in the persistent class at 7 or 8 years of age was 23% (CHIBA) and 20% (MAAS). Consistently in both cohorts, FLG mutations were significantly associated only with the persistent class. Children with FLG mutations had an approximately four-fold increased risk of being in the persistent sensitization class (RRRs: 4.3, 95%C.I. (1.2-16.0), p = .03 in CHIBA; 4.3 (1.3-14.7), p = .02 in MAAS). FLG loss-of-function mutations are associated with persistent egg sensitization in both Japanese and European ethnicities, and the mutations might be a potential biomarker for identifying the risk of persistent egg sensitization/allergy in early infancy. Future studies should incorporate oral food challenges to confirm this relationship.

Self &amp; Parent-Reported Autism Identity Perception Among Adolescents With ASD

Abstract Date Presented 03/21/24 There is a high agreement between self- and parental report of adolescents' autism identity perception. Promoting positive autism identity when working with adolescents and parents is crucial for improved quality-of-life outcomes. Primary Author and Speaker: Liron Lamash Additional Authors and Speakers: Sonya Meyer, Eynat Gal Contributing Authors: Yael Gutman

The utility of the child development review in Suriname: Validating a neurodevelopmental screener for use in a low- to middle- income Country

BackgroundAccess to efficient, culturally relevant, and validated measures of neurodevelopment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) remains a critical need. This study describes the validation and reliability of the Child Development Review (CDR), a parent report neurodevelopmental screening tool, for use in a cohort of Surinamese children aged 2–4 years. SubjectsComplete data from 355 Surinamese children through the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health were utilized for validation. Convergent validity was assessed using a subset of 31 children with concurrently administered CDRs and Bayley Scales of Infant and Child Development Third Edition (BSID-III). MethodsCronbach's alpha was used to assess subscale reliability. Cluster analyses were used to assess internal factor structure. Measures of convergent validity used Cohen's Kappa statistic and partial correlations between comparative CDR and BSID-III subscales. ResultsCronbach's Alpha values were acceptable for all CDR subscales (range 0.63 - 0.79). CDR subscale responses clustered into two distinct groups, representing milestones that were or were not achieved. Patterns of change indicate increased milestone achievement with increased age. Partial correlations indicated that the social, fine motor, and language subscales of the CDR and BSID-III subscales were significantly correlated. However, Cohen's Kappa was only significant for the gross motor CDR and BSID-III subscales. ConclusionsThe CDR has acceptable reliability, internal validity, and convergent validity. Use of the CDR should be considered as a screening tool for neurodevelopment in Suriname and may provide an efficient initial assessment of developmental delay in LMIC.

Emotional Competences in Adolescents Exposed to Colombian Armed Conflict During Their Childhood

AbstractObjective: Analyse the mediation role of emotional competences on behavior problems in adolescents exposed to Armed-Conflict Childhood Adversities (ACCA). Method: Families with adolescent children who studied in three schools in the municipality of Soacha, Colombia, were invited to participate in the study. One hundred and sixty-one participants were selected and pooled into three groups according to their Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores: lower-ACE (LACE), higher-ACE (HACE), and ACCA using the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire for Adolescents (ACE-QA). The Emotion Recognition Task, the Empathy for Pain Task, and the Child Behavior Checklist assessed teenagers’ emotional functioning. Results: Teenagers exposed to ACCA more frequently experienced childhood adversities such as domestic violence, child abuse, and parental neglect. Moreover, these adolescents were less accurate in discriminating angry faces, reported higher control perception after social stressors, were more rigorous in punishing those who intentionally harmed others, and showed more internalizing behavior problems. In the mediational model, we found that: the control perception after social stress mediated the reduction of depressive symptoms in adolescents with ACCA history. Additionally, inaccuracy in perceiving angry faces and harsh punishment toward behaviors that intentionally harm others mediated the presence of thinking problems, anxiety, and rule-breaking behaviors. Conclusions: Colombian adolescents who experienced ACCA showed specific changes in their emotional competences, which mediate the parental report of behavioral problems. These results indicate the need for more focused interventions aimed at improving the emotional competences and mental health of adolescent victims of armed conflicts.

Peer victimization in early adolescence and maladjustment in adulthood.

Studies report different effect sizes for associations between peer victimization and later maladjustment. A possible origin of this heterogeneity is the length of the interval between victimization and maladjustment assessments. Effect sizes might also vary as a function of reporter. Longitudinal data from TRAILS, a study of adolescents followed from age 11 to 29 (baseline n = 2229) were used to test whether peer victimization assessed from adolescents themselves, their parents, teachers, and peers predicted internalizing symptoms, thought problems, and somatic complaints at six follow-ups with a temporal distance of up to 19years. Neither self- nor peer-reported victimization predicted later maladjustment. In contrast, parent-reported victimization stably predicted adult maladjustment. Teacher-reported victimization also predicted maladjustment but associations were weaker and largely non-significant when parent reports were accounted for simultaneously. Parent-reported peer victimization has traditionally played a minor role in bullying research as parents are usually not present when victimization occurs. The results of this study however suggest that parents should be listened to when talking about their offspring being victimized.

Sex Differences and Parent-Teacher Discrepancies in Reports of Autism Traits: Evidence for Camouflaging in a School Setting.

The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences and informant discrepancies in parent- and teacher-reports of autism traits. Data were drawn from the Simons Simplex Collection to create a sex-matched sample of autistic youth (N = 388; 4-17years). Included participants had both parent and teacher reports of autistic traits from the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS). Within each sex group, parent and teacher raw SRS scores were compared. Scores within each informant group (parent/teacher) was assessed for sex differences. Predictors of parent-teacher discrepancies were examined. Despite no sex differences in parent-reported autistic traits, teachers reported males as having more autistic traits compared to females. Parents of females reported significantly more autistic traits than teachers across multiple domains. Being older and female were significant predictors of increased parent-teacher discrepancy for multiple domains. These results suggest discrepancies between the observed autistic traits for females at home and school and builds on the growing body of literature highlighting potential camouflaging across development in autistic youth: parent-teacher discrepancies may reflect ways that autistic females are overlooked by teachers due to conscious changes in behavior or gender-based expectations of female characteristics. Discussion of discrepancies on an individual basis may therefore alleviate potential long-term consequences of camouflaging.

Concordance of Mother and Father Reports of Intimate Partner Violence and Observed Interactions in Unmarried Black Coparents Expecting Their First Child.

Concordance between partner reports of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is generally low, but self-reporting of IPV and concordance between partners among expectant parents in marginalized communities has not been explored, nor have associations among each partner's reports of IPV and their behaviors in observed conflict discussions. This study will examine these gaps. One hundred and thirty-eight low-income, unmarried, Black, coparenting dyads expecting their first child together (136 mothers and 136 fathers) completed the Revised-Conflict Tactics Scale and a video recorded and coded conflict discussion. There was low concordance between parent's reports of IPV overall with moderate levels of concordance for coparents who were living together and had more harmonious relationships. Linear regression analyses indicated only mothers' reports of fathers' psychological and physical IPV but not fathers' reports of IPV were significantly associated with observed negative communication. Neither coparents' reports of psychological or physical IPV were associated with positive communication during a conflict discussion. These findings suggest that at the time of parenthood transitions, mothers' reports of fathers' IPV behaviors may be more robust in their association with negative/unhealthy couple communication patterns than fathers' reports and should be used when making safety determinations with families.

Long‐term implications of a multidisciplinary tube‐weaning program: Parental perspectives

AbstractObjectivesChildren who are unable to eat and drink orally require temporary or permanent enteral nutritional support via tube feeding. The objective was to describe a weaning program held at a children's rehabilitation hospital and to review the long‐term outcomes of the transition from tube nutrition to oral feeding.MethodsThe parents of 82 children who took part in the ALYN intervention program from 2011 to 2022 were requested to participate in a telephone survey to learn about their child's status related to eating, education, social wellbeing, and overall health. They also provided feedback concerning their experience with the tube‐weaning program and their current reliance on support for eating‐related issues.ResultsThe parents of 35 (39%) children responded. Their mean ± SD age at the time of treatment were 2.1 ± 1.76, and the mean ± SD age at the time of the survey 8.85 ± 3.96 years. Their mean current zBMI is −0.7. Overall, parents were very satisfied with the child's eating (4.7 out of 5) ± 0.7, and few reported that the child's eating affected the family mealtime routine (2.1 out of 5) ± 1.3. The children's age at weaning was significantly correlated with parental reports of concern with the child's current eating ability, with younger ages at weaning associated with lower parental concern.ConclusionsThe data demonstrated that despite the complexity of the participants, most children succeed in achieving long‐term independent eating, good nutritional status, and social participation around mealtimes.

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, parental stress, and attachment styles

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) is a relatively new diagnostic entity concerning children with chronic irritability and severe anger outbursts. Currently, there is limited knowledge about the parental factors associated with the disorder. The aim of this study was to compare stress levels and attachment styles in parents of children with DMDD with those of parents of children with other diagnoses. Our sample consisted of 218 children (6–12 years, Mage = 9.68 years) referred to child mental health outpatient clinics. Clinicians used a standardized semi-structured diagnostic interview to identify diagnoses. Parental stress levels and attachment styles were assessed using parent reports. We found that parents of children with DMDD experience significantly higher levels of parenting stress related to factors in the child than parents of children with other diagnoses. Furthermore, parents of children with DMDD show a higher association with insecure adult attachment styles than parents of children without DMDD. Finally, an adult preoccupied-ambivalent attachment style explains the variability in parental stress in the DMDD group to a large degree. We discuss how parental stress and an insecure attachment style can be associated with negative parenting practices. An implication from this study could be that treatment results might be improved by involving parents more in treatment programs for children with DMDD.

School-Based Mental Health Counseling with Black Males in Title I Elementary School

Our study investigated changes in Black male children’s (N = 22) psychosocial functioning who participated in a school-based mental health counseling intervention at three Title I elementary schools. We collected the participating children’s psychosocial functioning data before their first counseling session, after the fifth session, and again after the tenth session. The results of the analyses for this single group design identified that the participants’ emotional and social behaviors changed over time, per parent report (η2 = .214). This study provides valuable implications for counselors working with Black male youth, highlighting the effectiveness of school-based mental health interventions in addressing the psychosocial needs of this population. This study’s findings also suggest that interventions focused on improving social-emotional functioning can have significant positive impacts on the mental health and wellbeing of Black male children.

Empathy among autistic and non-autistic adolescents: The importance of informant effects.

Empathy is the ability to recognize the emotions of others (cognitive empathy) and to share in those emotions while maintaining a self-other distinction (emotional empathy). Previous research often, but not always, showed that autistic adults and children have lower levels of overall and cognitive empathy than non-autistic individuals. Yet how empathy manifests during adolescence, a developmental period marked by physiological, social, and cognitive change, is largely unclear. As well, we aimed to compare self versus parents' perceptions regarding adolescents' empathy. To do so, parents (N = 157) of 10-16-year-olds (N = 59 autistic) and their children (N = 133) completed empathy questionnaires. Adolescents also completed a measure of mental state recognition (Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test; RMET) and parents reported on their child's autistic traits. The tasks were completed twice ~six months apart. We found that autistic adolescents reported having lower empathic concern and higher personal distress than their non-autistic peers, whereas parents of autistic adolescents perceived them as having overall lower levels of empathy. Performance on the mental state recognition task of autistic and non-autistic adolescents' was comparable. The gap between self and parent reports regarding adolescents' empathy was explainable by parent-reported autistic traits, mainly communication difficulties. Empathy remains stable across the study's two time points. Thus, the findings do not support previous views of autistic people as having less empathy and these are possibly explainable by informant effects.

Parent‐reported problematic lying tendencies and BIS/BAS activity as predictors of children's antisocial lie‐telling

AbstractThe current study examined whether age and parental reports of children's problematic lying, behavioural inhibition system (BIS) activity, and reward responsiveness predicted children's antisocial lie‐telling. Children from mostly middle and upper‐class Canadian families (ages 3–12, M = 6.23, SD = 2.52) participated in a modified Temptation Resistance Paradigm (TRP), where they were given opportunities to tell a self‐protective lie (to conceal a transgression) and an instrumental lie (to obtain a reward). Parents completed measures of their children's problematic lying tendencies, BIS activity, and reward responsiveness. Age and parent‐reported problematic lying and BIS activity were significant predictors of lie‐telling behaviour in the TRP. Instrumental liars were younger than dual liars (those who told both types of lies) and truth‐tellers. Truth‐tellers had lower parent‐reported problematic lying than instrumental and dual liars but not self‐protective liars. Dual liars had lower parent‐reported BIS activity than truth‐tellers; there were no differences among truth‐tellers, self‐protective liars, and instrumental liars. This study contributes to our understanding of the role of temperamental factors in children's lie‐telling propensity and the predictive utility of parent‐reported predictors for children's antisocial lie‐telling propensity. Our findings indicate that parents can identify and potentially address their children's problematic lying using their knowledge about their children's temperamental traits.

Cross-condition risk and protective factors for psychosocial distress in parents and carers of children and young people with appearance-affecting conditions and injuries

Alongside typical parenting challenges, initial condition-specific research suggests thadifferent experiences and support needs.t parents of children with different visible differences may experience similar psychosocial difficulties. Despite this, large-scale cross-condition research to identify risk and protective factors for parental distress and psychosocial adjustment has been lacking. Two hundred and nine parents and carers of children with a range of visible differences completed an online survey comprised of standardised outcome measures, study-specific measures, and open-ended questions. Multiple regression modelling identified possible risk and protective factors, and data collected via open-ended questions were analysed using content analysis. Findings support themes previously identified in small-scale cross-condition qualitative research with parents of children with visible differences. Risk factors for parental negative affect and stress included parental reports of the noticeability of their child’s visible difference and teasing. Protective factors included good parent-child communication, self-compassion, knowledge of their child’s condition and satisfaction with treatment. The risk and protective factors identified provide important insight into the experiences of this parent population and indicate possible avenues for psychosocial intervention.

An examination of the association between neurotypical school-age children’s performance on two pretend play assessments

ABSTRACT Pretend play is an important developmental milestone. Therefore, clinicians need access to validated pretend play assessments. The study investigated the convergent validity between the Animated Movie Test (AMT) and the Affect in Play Scale-Brief Rating Version (APS-BR) when completed by a sample of neurotypical school-aged children. Fourteen participant pairs of 14 children (9 girls, 5 boys) between eight and 10 years of age and one of their parents took part in the study. Children completed the AMT and APS-BR, and parents completed the Parent Report of Children’s Pretend Play (PRCPP). Spearman rho correlations were used to measure the association between each of the pretend play assessments. Significant positive associations were found between the AMT Initiation of Ideas subscale score and two of the APS-BR pretend play factor scores: Organization (rho = 0.571, p = .033) and Comfort in Play (rho = .537, p = .048). A significant positive association was also found between the AMT Total Setup and Preparation Score and the PRCPP’s total score (rho = .539, p = .047). The results of this preliminary study provide preliminary convergent validity evidence between the AMT and APS-BR. Further psychometric research of pretend play scales is recommended.

Teacher-Rated Mental Health of Siblings of Children with Chronic Disorders

AbstractSiblings of children with chronic disorders are at a heightened risk for internalizing and externalizing problems. Studies on sibling mental health typically use parent report, and sometimes sibling self-report, but do not include the perspectives of teachers. We investigated how teachers and parents in Norway rated sibling mental health to gain a more coherent picture of siblings’ well-being and functioning across the home and school contexts. We compared how siblings aged 8–16 years (45% boys, 54% girls) were scored on the strengths and difficulties questionnaire by teachers (n = 125), mothers (n = 115), and fathers (n = 81) with population norms and clinical cutoffs. For boys, the mean teacher scores did not indicate problems for total difficulties or any subscale except hyperactivity–inattention, but mean parent scores were higher for total difficulties and most subscales (d = .44 to .96). For girls, teachers indicated higher than norm scores for total difficulties, emotional problems, hyperactivity–inattention and peer problems (d = .26 to .46), while parents indicated higher total difficulties and problems across most subscales (d = .31 to .54). Prosocial behavior was as a relative strength of siblings across all raters. Siblings may not display the same level of mental health problems in school as at home, and teachers can offer an important perspective on siblings’ mental health and functioning.

Harmonizing the CBCL and SDQ ADHD scores by using linear equating, kernel equating, item response theory and machine learning methods.

A problem that applied researchers and practitioners often face is the fact that different institutions within research consortia use different scales to evaluate the same construct which makes comparison of the results and pooling challenging. In order to meaningfully pool and compare the scores, the scales should be harmonized. The aim of this paper is to use different test equating methods to harmonize the ADHD scores from Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and to see which method leads to the result. Sample consists of 1551 parent reports of children aged 10-11.5 years from Raine study on both CBCL and SDQ (common persons design). We used linear equating, kernel equating, Item Response Theory (IRT), and the following machine learning methods: regression (linear and ordinal), random forest (regression and classification) and Support Vector Machine (regression and classification). Efficacy of the methods is operationalized in terms of the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of differences between predicted and observed scores in cross-validation. Results showed that with single group design, it is the best to use the methods that use item level information and that treat the outcome as interval measurement level (regression approach).