Positive Outcomes For Children Research Articles

Making decisions about long-term foster family care as a permanence plan in England: An investigation of the implementation of the first government regulations and guidance for long-term foster care

Long-term foster family care has been included as a permanence option in policy in England since the 1980s, however it was not until 2015 that it was defined in government regulations and guidance, with a required practice framework for local authorities, including reporting placement numbers annually to the government. This was intended to give long-term foster care a more formal status as a permanence option, ensure high standards of practice and promote positive outcomes for children. This project aimed: (1) to identify the profiles and pathways of children in long-term foster care and (2) to investigate the impact of the regulations and guidance on procedure and practice in local authorities. The second aim provides the focus for the findings presented in this article. The research design included analysis of administrative data, a national survey of local authorities and interviews with 43 managers in 30 local authorities. The survey results and interview data suggested that the regulations and guidance have had a positive impact by raising the profile of long-term foster care and supporting improved procedures. But there were varying patterns of implementation and significant differences in rates of long-term foster care, which did not relate to differences in local authority populations. This article concludes, therefore, that there is a need for the provision of government support to provide greater consistency in the implementation of the regulations and guidance.

The Associations Between Parenting and Bullying Among Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Parenting styles are closely related to bullying behavior in children and adolescents. However, differences in study design and inconsistent results create uncertainty regarding the relationship between parenting and bullying. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between four parenting styles and bullying perpetration/victimization through a meta-analysis, identifying sources of study heterogeneity by examining moderating effects. This meta-analysis included 107 studies with 624 effect sizes and 162203 participants (49.28% female, Mage = 13.51, SDage = 2.56). Results indicated that positive parenting was negatively correlated with bullying perpetration and victimization, while negative/harsh parenting and uninvolved parenting were positively correlated with bullying perpetration and victimization. A positive correlation was also found between psychologically controlling parenting and bullying victimization (not perpetration). Significant moderating variables included the identity of the caregiver, country of origin, ethnic group, reporter of parenting, reporter of bullying, and measure of bullying. Specifically, the mother's psychological control was more related to bullying perpetration and victimization than the father's. Compared to other countries and ethnic groups, the relationships between psychologically controlling parenting or negative/harsh parenting and bullying were more positive in studies of Chinese and Asians. The relationship between negative/harsh parenting and bullying demonstrated a greater effect size in self-reported measures of parenting and bullying. Finally, a stronger correlation was found between negative/harsh parenting and bullying victimization when using the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire to measure bullying. The current study deepens the understanding of the relationship between different parenting styles and bullying, emphasizing that adopting appropriate parenting, particularly positive parenting behaviors, helps mitigate bullying issues and achieve positive developmental outcomes for children and adolescents.

Examining the Impact of COVID-19 on Early Intervention Service Provision for Military Families: A Brief Report

Understanding the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted birth-to-three early intervention (EI) service provision is critical as these services play an essential role in ensuring positive long-term developmental outcomes for children with disabilities, including those who are military dependents. The present study leveraged an interrupted time series approach to compare monthly service provision rates before and after the onset of the pandemic for a subset of children served by the Army Medical Department’s Educational and Developmental Intervention Services EI program. Analysis identified 77% and 93% immediate step decreases in EI referral and enrollment rates, respectively, following the onset of the pandemic in March 2020; however, rates returned to, or exceeded, prepandemic levels by late 2020. There were limited differences by race or ethnicity. Additional research is necessary to explore the mechanisms underlying these changes and to understand the long-term impact of missed referrals and enrollments on military children.

Caregiver-child Neural Synchrony: Magic, Mirage, or Developmental Mechanism?

Young children transition in and out of more and less synchronous states with their caregivers across physiology, behavior, and brain activity, but what do these synchronous periods mean? One body of caregiver-child two-brain studies using fNIRS finds that individual, familial, and moment-to-moment behavioral and contextual factors are correlated with caregiver-child neural synchrony, while a separate body of literature finds that neural synchrony is associated with positive child outcomes. Taken together, it is tempting to conclude that caregiver-child neural synchrony may act as a key developmental mechanism linking children’s experiences to their healthy development, but many questions remain. In this brief review, we synthesize key findings and open questions from two-brain caregiver-child studies using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), which is uniquely well-suited for use with caregivers and children, but also laden with unique constraints. Throughout, we highlight key questions and best practice recommendations to optimize two-brain fNIRS to examine these critical developmental mechanisms from assumptions guiding study design to final analysis. We particularly emphasize the need to consider immediate and global stressors as context for interpretation of neural synchrony findings, and the need for full inclusion of socioeconomically and racially diverse families in future studies.

Coregulation between parents and elementary school-aged children in response to challenge and in association with child outcomes: A systematic review.

Parent-child coregulation, the active dyadic adaptation of biological states, behaviors, and emotions, is an important developmental process. Especially in challenging situations, children need coregulatory support from their parents, which supports the formation of their self-regulation skills. While research has established that coregulation occurs in various contexts across the developmental period, less is known about what constitutes coregulation in terms of child adjustment and the contextual factors that affect coregulation. This systematic review examined what constitutes parent-child coregulation in response to an experimentally induced challenge and in association with child socioemotional outcomes. Systematic searches were conducted in Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, and PubMed, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Fourteen full-text, peer-reviewed, empirical journal articles that were available in English were included. Children were between the ages of 3 and 12 (Mage = 5.37 years, 44%-100% male, 6.3%-90% White). Findings indicate that behavioral and emotional coregulation in response to challenge is positively associated with better child self-regulation. Coregulation associated with positive child outcomes seems to be characterized by high flexibility and dyadic synchrony in mutually responsive and engaged states. Findings regarding physiological coregulation suggest that high levels of physiological synchrony can be maladaptive for child outcomes in the presence of risk (e.g., poverty, maltreatment). In addition, this review highlighted the current ambiguity surrounding the diverse terminologies and concepts used to measure coregulation. The findings of this review reveal a significant link between parent-child coregulation and child socioemotional outcomes, while supporting the idea that contextual factors need to be considered to understand its significance. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Parenting by Love and Understanding: Special Children Perspective in Bangladesh

This research investigates the essential components of parenting children with special needs, highlighting the critical role of love and understanding in this complex journey. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study incorporated qualitative interviews with 50 parents of special needs children and quantitative surveys administered to educators and healthcare professionals. This dual approach aimed to uncover effective strategies, communication techniques, and support systems that empower families facing unique challenges. The results of this research work indicate that strong emotional connections significantly enhance parental resilience and positively impact children’s developmental outcomes. Furthermore, the findings reveal that parents who utilize tailored communication approaches and establish robust support networks are better equipped to navigate the distinctive demands of special needs parenting. Based on these insights, a comprehensive framework was developed to serve as a practical guide for parents, educators, and healthcare professionals. This framework outlines key strategies for fostering nurturing environments that support both the child and parent, emphasizing collaboration among all stakeholders. Ultimately, this study provides valuable insights and tools to improve the parenting experience and promote positive outcomes for children with special needs, reinforcing the importance of love, understanding, and community support.

Examining Sociodemographic Variability in the Amount and Type of Interventions for Children With Autism.

Various intervention usage is associated with positive outcomes for children with autism. However, the intensity of these interventions tends to be below recommendations, especially for minoritized children. This study aimed to examine how average weekly intervention hours among children vary by sociodemographic factors. Regression analyses were conducted using data from 2,857 participants with autism included in the Simons Simplex Collection. Findings indicated the amount and type of intervention received varied by race, ethnicity, family income, and maternal education. This study marks an important step in documenting the extent of sociodemographic intervention disparities; and, helps to elucidate which therapy types are most readily underused and by which groups to help inform approaches to increase more equitable access.

Center-based childcare during infancy: The relations with functional brain networks and self-regulation in young children

Given the substantial increase in children attending center-based childcare over the past decades, the consequences of center-based childcare for children’s development have gained more attention in developmental research. However, the relation between center-based childcare and children’s neurocognitive development remains relatively underexplored. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the relations between quantity of center-based childcare during infancy and the neurocognitive development (both functional brain networks and self-regulation) of 584 Dutch children. Small-world brain networks and children’s self-regulation were assessed during infancy (around 10 months of age) and the preschool period (2–6 years of age). The findings revealed that the quantity of center-based childcare during infancy was unrelated to individual differences in children’s functional brain networks. However, spending more hours per week in center-based childcare was positively related to the development of self-regulation in preschool age children, regardless of children’s sex or the levels of exposure to risk and maternal support in the home environment. More insight into the positive effects of center-based childcare on children’s development from infancy to toddlerhood can help to increase our insight into a better work–life balance and labor force participation of parents with young children. Moreover, this study highlights that Dutch center-based childcare offers opportunities to invest in positive child outcomes in children, including self-regulation.

Effects of Mozart–Orff parent–child music therapy among mothers and their preschool children with autism spectrum disorder: A mixed-methods randomised controlled trial

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) negatively impacts mental health, particularly in mothers of autistic children who experience heightened stress. Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and music therapy are recognised interventions for improving ASD symptoms. However, the specific benefits of parent–child music therapy and ABA for autistic children and their mothers remain uncertain. This study evaluated the effects of parent–child music therapy on preschool autistic children and their mothers.MethodA randomised controlled trial was conducted with 100 mother–child pairs assigned to either the control group receiving ABA or the intervention group receiving both music therapy and ABA. Qualitative interviews were conducted post-intervention for 12 mothers.ResultsChildren in the intervention group exhibited lower scores for ASD symptoms than those in the control group. Moreover, mothers in the intervention group demonstrated reduced dysfunctional parent–child interaction, lower overall parental stress, significantly improved family functioning, and increased levels of hope compared with those in the control group. Mothers held positive views regarding music therapy.ConclusionsCombining ABA with parent–child music therapy can alleviate ASD symptoms in children and reduce stress in mothers. Improved parent–child interaction and enhanced family functioning further support the benefits of this combined approach. Parent–child music therapy, combined with ABA demonstrated positive outcomes for autistic children, including reduced ASD symptoms, improved parent–child interaction, decreased parental stress, enhanced family functioning, and increased hope. These findings highlight the potential of incorporating music therapy as a valuable component in the comprehensive treatment of ASD.Trial registrationThis study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial registry (05/07/2021, ChiCTR2100048261, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=128957). Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of Fujian Medical University and the study hospital (Fujian Provincial Maternity and Child Health Hospital; 2017 − 105), and informed consent was obtained from all subjects and/or their legal guardian(s).

North Carolina head start teachers’ needs, resources, experiences, and priority for science education and professional development

ABSTRACT Early science learning is a part of preschool curriculum that can have positive outcomes for children’s scientific knowledge and interest. Head Start teachers are well positioned to implement quality science lessons. Through an in-depth needs assessment survey, the current study examined North Carolina preschool Head Start teachers’ responses on needs, resources, experiences with professional development, and personal priority levels for science education. Our analysis revealed that Head Start teachers mostly utilized informal teaching methods and used curricular and organizational resources, but utilizing mealtimes for teaching science had mixed responses. Teachers reported their access to resources and connections to community partnerships. Teachers preferred asynchronous or online PD formats and were motivated by compensation and continuing education credits while accessing PD. Most teachers rated science to be a very or extremely important personal priority. Differences in teacher education, experience, and position levels also influenced the findings of the study. The implication section delineates steps that can be taken toward strengthening science education within Head Start settings along with support that can be provided to teachers.

A Systematic Review of Interventions to Promote Parent-Teacher Relationships in Early Care and Education: Exploring the Social Process Between Parents and Teachers

Parent-teacher relationships are known to promote positive outcomes for young children in early childhood education; however, parents and teachers face barriers to forming quality relationships. To better understand how to support parents and teachers in forming quality relationships, the present systematic review sought to identify existing interventions designed to promote quality parent-teacher relationships in early childhood education. Systematic search and data extraction identified peer-reviewed manuscripts describing interventions that included components to increase parent-teacher relationships in early childhood education. Each included manuscript was evaluated to answer the following questions: (1) how is the social process between parents and teachers conceptualized?, (2) what strategies were used to improve this social process?, and (3) what outcomes are associated with improving this social process ? Nine out of the 1,992 nonduplicate screened manuscripts met inclusion criteria. Results indicate a small body of research focused solely on interventions designed to improve parent-teacher relationships. Included interventions were limited in their conceptualization of the social process between parents and teachers, strategies to improve it, and associated outcomes assessed. Additional research is needed to understand low-cost and highly feasible interventions that promote quality parent-teacher relationships in early childhood education.

The efficacy of the Peace Ambassador Project: Promoting children’s emotional intelligence to address aggression in the early childhood classroom

This study explored the effect of a social emotional learning programme- the ECE-Peace Ambassador Project (ECE-PAP) − on children’s (i) emotional intelligence, (ii) prosocial behaviour, (iii) aggressive behaviour with peers, (iv) and peer exclusion. Employing a quasi-experimental design, ECE-PAP was implemented in 16 schools in Hong Kong. In each school, teachers in one K3 class (4- to 5-year-olds) implemented the programme and a second K3 class served as a control (N=302). Multiple reporters (children, parents, and teachers) provided assessments of children’s emotional competence, social behaviour, aggressive behaviour, and responses to peer aggression the week before the programme, the week after, and three months later. Preliminary analyses showed that at pretest, children in the experimental condition showed lower emotional intelligence and less competent responses to peer aggression than controls. However, these differences disappeared by posttest and remained non-significant at follow-up. Children in the experimental condition showed increases from pre- to posttest in emotional intelligence, emotion labelling, and taking action to stop bullying, and decreases in avoidance and aggressive responses. Implementing the programme over a greater number of weeks was associated with more positive child outcomes. These results suggest that ECE-PAP may be an effective, cost-effective way to address aggressive behaviour in kindergarten classrooms by promoting children’s emotional intelligence and social skills.

Pre-service teachers’ perspectives on the influence of children's pretend play as ‘superheroes’ on their healthy habits

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate pre-service preschool teachers’ beliefs regarding the effectiveness of pretend play with familiar superheroes on children’s lifestyle. The study involved 84 pre-service teachers. All the participants filled in a questionnaire on their beliefs about the impact of pretend play on children’s lifestyle. Twenty-two went further and implemented in pairs 10 pretend play sessions with familiar to the children’s superheroes. A focus group discussion took place before and after the implementation. Consent was sought from pre-service teachers. The questionnaire revealed that they did not believe that they could influence children's habits. The 22 participants stated that the more they used pretend play with superheroes, the more they observed positive healthy outcomes in children’s routines. Future research on media characters can be used to inform the deliberations of policymakers on how they should be used to promote healthy habits.

Adapting and validating a game-based testing instrument for measuring nature connectedness in children

This study aimed to adapt and validate a Canadian-developed instrument for measuring nature connectedness among young children in China. Nature connectedness, which encompasses emotional, cognitive, and experiential relationships with the natural environment, is linked to various positive outcomes in children, including well-being, eco-friendly behaviors, and academic success. However, existing instruments, which often rely on self-reports, face challenges when applied to young children due to dependence on introspective and expressive abilities and issues with cultural relevance across diverse settings. To address these limitations, this research adapted and validated a game-based instrument through three steps: adaptation for cultural relevance and linguistic accuracy, expert review for content validity, and empirical testing for construct validity. The initial adaptation was informed by a pilot study with 38 children in Hangzhou, which led to further modifications based on feedback. The adapted Chinese version was tested with 406 kindergartners from Hangzhou and Shanghai, demonstrating good reliability and validity in measuring nature connectedness in this population. Findings indicate that the adapted instrument effectively captures the dimensions of nature connectedness among young Chinese children, validating its feasibility of adapting for use in non-Western contexts. This research underscores the importance of culturally sensitive tools in environmental psychology and education, offering a valuable methodology for understanding and enhancing children's connections with nature across different cultural backgrounds. The study contributes to developing educational strategies and environmental policies to foster a deep, enduring relationship between children and the natural world.

The Efficacy of a Culturally-Adapted Group-based Parent Coaching Program for Autistic Children in China via Telehealth: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The study aimed to examine the efficacy of a culturally-adapted, group-based parent coaching program for autistic children in China delivered via telehealth. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, with 18 parents allocated to the self-directed group that received the intervention through an online learning platform, and 19 parents allocated to the web + group therapy group, which included the same program along with weekly 1.5-hour group coaching sessions via videoconferencing. The primary outcomes were parents' mental health and children's adaptive functioning, while the secondary outcomes focused on the child behaviors, parenting stress and parenting style, and family quality of life. Linear Mixed Models were used to evaluate treatment effects across time and to model longitudinal trajectories of outcomes in both children and parents. Both intervention groups showed significant improvements in children's communication skills (F (1, 60.27) = 29.86, p < 0.001) and social engagement (F (1, 60.07) = 11.73, p = 0.001), as well as reductions in parenting stress (F (1, 59.07) = 8.76, p = 0.004) and anxiety levels (F (1, 57.62) = 4.84, p = 0.032). Additionally, the group-based parent coaching via videoconferencing was associated with greater improvements in children's quality of life (F (1, 59.95) = 5.90, p = 0.018) and parents' anxiety outcomes (F (1, 57.62) = 4.84, p = 0.032). This study demonstrated the efficacy of a culturally adapted telehealth intervention for both autistic children and their parents. The preliminary findings suggest positive outcomes in children's adaptive functioning and parents' mental well-being. Group-based parent coaching through videoconferencing could be a promising and practical model for in-home services, particularly for families with limited access to in-person services.

A Study of the Effectiveness of Camp Baker, an Adapted Summer Treatment Program for Children with ADHD

ABSTRACT Background Although the Summer Treatment Program (STP) is a well-established treatment for ADHD, STPs are only offered at a few sites in the United States, suggesting opportunities for improved implementation. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and caregiver satisfaction of Camp Baker, an adapted STP for children with ADHD designed to address implementation barriers. Methods Adaptations included condensing the length of treatment and augmenting the STP to cover additional skills (e.g. educational opportunities, therapeutic skills training, enhanced parent training). Children (N = 159; 84.3% male; 65.4% White; 5–12 years old) with ADHD participated in Camp Baker throughout 2019, 2021, and 2022. Families who participated in Camp Baker in 2019 were asked to complete an anonymous survey that contained choice-select (e.g. “My child is better at handling daily life”) and open-ended questions (e.g. “From your perspective, how did Camp Baker most help your child?”) to assess their perceptions of and satisfaction with Camp Baker. Qualitative survey responses (n = 30) were double-coded using an inductive content analysis approach. Results Commonly endorsed themes included positive feelings about the program (e.g. “fun camp experience at Camp Baker”), positive feelings about parent training (e.g. “the training is amazing”), and positive child outcomes (e.g. “gave him newfound confidence”). Caregivers reported significant improvement in child behavioral, attentional, and emotional problems from pre- to post-camp. Conclusion With intentional adaptations made, Camp Baker was easily implementable while demonstrating promise for the retainment of effectiveness and satisfaction.

Exploitation of Children in England and Wales: Barriers to understanding child-centred support service outcomes using two sources of administrative data

Across the UK, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the framework by which those affected, or those at risk of, modern slavery, are referred by ‘first-responders’ (such as the police) to other support services. For children, a key support mechanism is the Independent Child Trafficking Guardianship (ICTG) service, run by Barnardo’s for the Home Office. Administrative data from the NRM and ICTG were utilised in a novel mixed-method study to evaluate child-centred outcomes for children receiving ICTG support. We utilised publicly available NRM data to look at the nature of reported modern slavery between 2017 and 2022. We also negotiated access to Home Office held ICTG service data for the same period. Whilst our findings reveal patterns in the extent of reported exploitation and the nature of service support, examination of the two data sets revealed a number of issues related to categorisation of children, exploitation experiences, and geographical representation that hinder a comprehensive understanding of outcomes for child exploitation and trafficking. Qualitative ICTG data, however, revealed a ‘pyramid’ of support areas that were crucial to supporting positive outcomes, whilst participatory research methods revealed significant positive outcomes for children. The research identified a failure of administrative data to directly collect information relevant to positive child-centred outcomes. The recommendations, detailed within the final report, suggest that there is further work that could be done to improve administrative data collection, and highlight the potential of linked administrative data sources to understand related outcomes, such as health, education and crime/justice.

Implications of Cash Transfer Programs for Mental Health Promotion among Families Facing Significant Stressors: Using Ecological Systems Theory to Explain Successes of Conditional and Unconditional Programs.

The purpose of this paper is to apply Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to explore the literature on how Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) programs might support positive mental health outcomes. The paper begins with transnational considerations of stress, such as poverty and COVID-19, and their impact on mental health. Bronfenbrenner's theory is applied to better understand the mechanisms by which CCT and UCT programs can potentially lead to positive outcomes for children and families who face such stressors. The implications of cash transfer programs are subsequently discussed in terms of how they might promote positive mental health outcomes among families globally. This theoretical application paper concludes with a call for transnational research to explore connections between cash transfer programs and mental health outcomes for children/adolescents and their parents/caregivers.

Increasing the odds for success: Applying evidence-based professional learning to foster self-regulation and executive functioning in preschool classrooms

Higher educator qualifications and training are associated with more positive child outcomes. For in-service educators, professional learning (PL) is promotive of high-quality pedagogical practices. Yet rarely is PL efficacy evaluated. This paper elucidates the principles underpinning a PL program for in-service preschool educators that generated educator-level practice change and child-level self-regulation and executive function improvement. Grounded in contemporary research on characteristics for effective PL, expected mechanisms of change are articulated in relation to the design and implementation of PL programs. Mechanisms included: presenting credible information from high-quality evidence and sources; managing educators’ cognitive load; modelling new learning within the specific educational context; and encouraging self-monitoring. This paper details how the PL program leverages these mechanisms, in alignment with recognised characteristics for effective PL. Through this mapping, this paper provides an example of the potential of PL to foster a positive shift in educator practices.

Unveiling injustice: Disrupting child removal policies and upholding breastfeeding: An emancipatory framework.

Before colonization, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities had nurturing, holistic, and communitarian approaches that promoted extended and healthy lives for their children. Colonization, marked by policies of genocide and assimilation, has resulted in an alarming overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children under the care of child protection agencies, resulting in compromised health outcomes and reduced life expectancies. We are conducting a study designed to enhance positive developmental outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children by articulating and enabling the rights of mothers and children to breastfeed in the context of a child protection intervention and child removal. To understand and address this problem, it is critical to implement culturally safe, de-colonized, emancipatory research that is guided by and benefits Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This article presents an emancipatory framework that we are applying to our study using an Aboriginal participatory action research approach, that serves as a guide for non-Indigenous researchers seeking to conduct research with Indigenous communities. We emphasize the importance of incorporating an Aboriginal participatory action research framework, using community consultation and codesign; culturally secure data collection methods, and paying attention to Indigenous data sovereignty. Developing trusting respectful relationships is conducive to knowledge acquisition, exchange, and use, when research approaches deeply rooted in community involvement are applied. A call to action by the critical midwifery studies collective, urges non-Indigenous researchers to become accountable allies that demonstrates respect for community leadership while actively striving to ensure research does not perpetuate further harm, and produces effective change. This article provides an overview of ways to conduct ethical emancipatory research with Indigenous participants, that is, of benefit to midwifery practitioners and is applicable to many areas of research, policy, and practice.