Peer Relationship Problems Research Articles

Correction: Susceptibility to Peer Relationship Problems: Does Sociability Play a Role?

Correction: Susceptibility to Peer Relationship Problems: Does Sociability Play a Role?

Socioeconomic status, linguistic skills and language background differentially relate to preschoolers' emotional and behavioural profile.

Proximal and distal factors interact to shape children's development and well-being. The present study aimed to examine socioeconomic status (SES), linguistic skills, and language background as concurrent predictors of socio-emotional and behavioural outcomes in heritage bilingual and monolingual children attending preschool. Parents of 1810 children (mean age = 63.42 months ± 7.36), attending preschool in Italy, completed the Four Factor Index of SES and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Teachers (n = 99) completed a questionnaire on children's linguistic skills and emotional and behavioural profiles. A subsample of 995 children was administered an expressive vocabulary task in Italian. Regression analyses showed that linguistic skills were the only concurrent predictor of conduct problems, as well as the dominant predictor of hyperactivity/impulsivity, peer problems, and better prosocial behaviour. SES was negatively related to ADHD traits, peer problems, and prosocial behaviour. Finally, heritage bilingualism background was associated, although not as a primary predictor, with increased emotional problems, peer relationship problems, and lower teacher-rated emotional and behavioural skills. However, it was the main factor positively associated with prosocial behaviour. The implications of these findings for research in this area and for educational policy are discussed, highlighting the need for a multidimensional perspective that includes linguistic skills and SES in the assessment of children's emotional and behavioural outcomes.

German Parents and Educators of Two to Four-Year-Old Children as Informants for the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Screeners are used in early intervention and early childhood education and care programs to identify children's potential need for further evaluation and diagnostics. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is a brief behavioral screening instrument that can be completed by both parents and educators to assess the social and emotional traits of children. However, multiple informants' reports vary. In this study, the extent to which parents' (n = 241) and educators' (n = 157) differ and agree in their assessments of children aged 3.5 years on average, was examined. T-tests were used to examine differences between informants and correlations within a multitrait-multimethod matrix (MTMM) in their agreement. Results showed moderate to high levels of rater agreement ranging from r = .35 and r = .53 on the five subscales of the SDQ. We found that hyperactivity, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior vary due to meaningful reasons, e.g., the home vs. pre-school setting, and the informant's relationship towards the child. Hyperactivity seems to be relatively consistent across settings. Methodological variations might explain differences in emotional symptoms and conduct problems. Considering ratings from multiple informants outlines a more comprehensive view of children's behavior and should be preferred over single-informant research designs.

Susceptibility to Peer Relationship Problems: Does Sociability Play a Role?

Susceptibility to Peer Relationship Problems: Does Sociability Play a Role?

Psychological Impact on Overweight and Obese Among Adolescents Visited in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Dhaka

Background: The relationship between overweight/obesity and Psychological impact is quite complex. Many researchers believe that overweight/obesity has a direct impact on mental health and can lead to mental disorders. Mental illness is common during the period of adolescence. Overweight and obesity in adolescent’s present significant challenges to public health and have become major public health issues in recent decades in Bangladesh. This study needed as there was very few information of Psychological impact on overweight and obese among adolescents. Methodology: This cross sectional observational study was held in Bangladesh Shishu Hospital & Institute from 1st September 2023 to 29th February 2024. A total 84 participants were included in this study. Data were collected by SDQ questionnaire and demographic variables like age, sex and BMI were measured. Results: Among 84 participants 57% were male and 43% were female. Most of the respondents 63 (75%) were between the age of 10 to 14 years, 13 (15.5%) respondents were between the age of 15 to 17 years and 8 (9.5%) respondents were between the age of ≥ 18 years. Regarding Participant’s Education, 58.33% of respondents were in Junior Secondary, 28.57% were in Primary, 8.3% were in Higher Secondary and 4.76% were in Secondary education. According to the Parent’s Monthly Income, most of the parents 83.33% earn more than Forty Thousand Taka Per Month. Among 84 Participants, 58 (69%) were Overweight and 26 (31%) were Obese. Among Overweight participants 6(10.34%) were normal, 42 (72.41%) respondents had Emotional symptoms, 7 (12.07%) respondents had Conduct Problem, 2 (3.45%) respondents had Hyperactivity/Inattention and 1 (1.72%) respondents had Peer Relationship Problems. Among Obese participants 1 (3.85%) was normal, 17 (65.38%) respondents had Emotional symptoms, 5 (19.23%) respondents had Conduct Problem, 2 (7.69%) respondents had Hyperactivity/Inattention and 1 (3.85%) respondents had Peer Relationship Problems. Conclusion: This study have been conducted regarding the Psychological impact on overweight and obese among adolescents and found significant impact of both overweight and obesity but Obese adolescents face more psychological impact comparatively.

Interpregnancy intervals and behavioural outcomes in children: A population-based longitudinal study

BackgroundWhile the physical health consequence of short interpregnancy intervals (IPIs) is well documented, its mental health impact is not well explored. This study aimed to examine the associations between IPIs and behavioural outcomes in children born following the interval at four developmental time points between ages 7 and 16. MethodsOur study sample comprised participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort, an ongoing population-based longitudinal birth cohort in Bristol, Avon, United Kingdom. Behavioural problems, including total behavioural difficulties, hyperactivity, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer-problems, and problems of pro-social behaviour, were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Over 2300 mothers and their singleton children were included in this study. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) were used to estimate odds ratios for the associations. ResultsChildren born to mothers with short IPI (<6 months) were 1.54 (95%CI: 1.12–2.11), 1.42 (95% CI: 1.12–1.81) and 1.37 (95%CI: 1.04–1.79) times more likely to have total behavioural difficulties, conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention problems across the child's age, respectively, compared with children of mothers with IPIs of 18–23 months. We found no evidence of associations between short IPI (<6 months) and emotional symptoms, peer-relationship problems and pro-social behaviour problems. ConclusionShort IPI (<6 months) was associated with externalising (conduct and hyperactivity/inattention) but not internalising (emotional and peer-relationship problems) problems. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Psychiatric Difficulties in Children with Celiac Disease and the Relationship between Adherence to Treatment and Parental Attitudes.

Our knowledge of the factors related to parenting styles affecting adherence to diet in children with celiac diseases (CDs) and the association between psychiatric difficulties and diet compliance is largely based on limited data. Therefore, our work aims to examine primarily coexisting psychiatric difficulties in children with CD and raising attitudes of their parents and secondarily the relationship among adherence to treatment, psychiatric difficulties, and parental attitudes. Children aged 4-12 years (n = 42) who have been followed up with the diagnosis of CD in a Paediatric Gastroenterology Outpatient Clinic were compared with those of healthy controls (n = 31). One of the parents was asked to fill out the socio-demographic information form, Diet Compliance Form (only the patient group), "Parental Attitude Research Instrument" (PARI) and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-parent form (SDQ). The scores from "emotional problems," "peer relationship problems," and "total difficulties" areas were statistically significantly higher in the disease group than healthy controls. The average score of SDQ subscales and none of the PARI subscales differed between dietary compliance +/- groups. Significant positive correlations were detected between disease duration and PARI-overprotection/extreme motherhood (r = .421, P = .017) and PARI-strict/hard discipline (r = .368, P = .038) subscales. Clarifying the factors related to parenting that may affect patients' adherence to a gluten-free diet will contribute positively to the course of the disease and the quality of life of patients and their families.

Evaluation of a Schema Therapy-Based Prevention Group Program for Children and Their Parents

Although Schema Therapy has emerged as an effective treatment for a large range of psychopathology, there is limited research on its effectiveness with children and adolescents, especially for preventive purposes, in individual or group settings and with the involvement of parents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of a newly developed group prevention program based on Schema Therapy (rationale, principles, and techniques) for children and their parents. It is a psychoeducational, developmentally-appropriate program addressing core emotional needs, early maladaptive schemas, schema modes, coping styles, and parent-child relationship with the aim of preventing the emergence of psychopathology in children. Participants were 90 Greek children (aged 9-13) who attended 16 weekly meetings and their parents who attended 10 biweekly meetings. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated with pre-and-postintervention assessment (i.e., pre-experimental design). Children’s early maladaptive schemas (self-reports) and strengths and difficulties (self- and parent-reports), as well as parents’ early maladaptive schemas (self-reports) were assessed. Results showed a significant decrease in most early maladaptive schemas of children and in many early maladaptive schemas of parents. A significant decrease was found in children’s emotional symptoms, peer relationship problems and total difficulties score and a significant increase in prosocial behavior. The supporting evidence for the effectiveness of the program and the necessity of evidence-based prevention programs based on Schema Therapy for children and parents are discussed.

Gender-specific play behavior in relation to autistic traits and behavioral difficulties at the age of seven in the SELMA study.

Childhood gender nonconformity is related to psychological distress and behavioral difficulties. Similarly, there is evidence for a link between gender nonconformity, or gender dysphoria in some studies, and autism spectrum disorder and related traits. Our knowledge on those associations mostly originates from clinical populations, which might lead to overestimation. Thus, this study aimed to assess associations between gender nonconformity and behavioral difficulties in a population-based study. In the Swedish Environmental Longitudinal, Mother and Child, Asthma and Allergy (SELMA) study, cross-sectional associations between gender-specific play behavior and behavioral outcomes and autistic traits were investigated among 718 children at 7-years of age. Play behavior was measured using the Preschool Activities Inventory; behavioral outcomes and autistic traits were measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Social Responsiveness Scale, respectively. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed. Higher composite play behavior scores (indicating either increased masculine or decreased feminine play behavior) were associated with increased autistic trait scores in girls (β = 0.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.00, 0.26). Furthermore, higher composite scores were shown to be associated with behavioral difficulties in both girls (β = 0.11; 95% CI = 0.04, 0.18) and boys (β = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.02, 0.19). Additionally, higher feminine scores were related with increased problems in peer relationships in boys (β = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.00, 0.07). This study suggests a link between gender nonconforming play behavior and autistic traits as well as behavioral difficulties among children in a non-clinical population, which calls attention to the necessity of supporting children with gender nonconformity from early ages.

Harsh parenting trajectories from childhood through adolescence and socioemotional competences at age 18: 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study

BackgroundLimited research has explored the course of harsh parenting practices throughout childhood and adolescence and its impact on socioemotional competences from a longitudinal perspective. This study examined the association between harsh parenting trajectories and socioemotional competences at age 18. MethodsData from the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort study, originally comprising 4231 live births, were used. Harsh parenting was measured using the parent-report version of the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale at ages 6, 11, 15 and 17 years, and trajectories were identified using a group-based modelling approach. Socioemotional competences were emotion regulation, assessed by the Emotional Regulation Index for Children and Adolescents; self-esteem, measured by the self-report Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale; prosocial behaviour and peer relationship problems, both assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multivariate linear and Poisson regression models were applied to examine the effects of harsh parenting trajectories on socioemotional competences, adjusting for confounding variables. ResultsWe identified three trajectories: a “low harsh parenting” trajectory (49.7 %), a “moderate harsh parenting” (44.7 %), and a “high harsh parenting” trajectory (5.6 %). Compared to those belonging to the low harsh parenting trajectory group, adolescents who experienced either a moderate or high harsh parenting trajectory exhibited lower scores in emotion regulation, self-esteem, and prosocial behaviour scales, along with higher scores of peer relationships problems. LimitationsData on harsh parenting at 15 and 17 years were available only for a sub-sample. ConclusionsOur study extends the evidence of the adverse effects of persistent harsh parenting on socioemotional competences during adolescence.

TBRI® Nurture Group©: tier 2 intervention for preschoolers born during the COVID-19 pandemic & experiencing economic hardship

ABSTRACT This study explored the effectiveness of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) Nurture Group© to improve social-emotional development among preschool aged students who experienced economic hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods approach using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and focus group interviews with teaching staff were used to determine effectiveness of the intervention on pre-kindergarten and preschool students. Significant improvements in social-emotional development among pre-kindergarten children occurred, including reduced conduct and peer relationship problems, decreased emotional behavioral difficulties, and increased prosocial behavior. Preschool children showed positive changes in social-emotional development, though not statistically significant. There was a significant difference in the changes that occurred between classes in the domains of conduct problems and prosocial behaviors, as the pre-kindergarten children experienced significantly larger improvements in these domains. Qualitative findings indicated enhanced empathy and self-regulation skills among children participating in the Nurture Group© and consistency between TBRI® principles and the center’s curriculum. Overall, this study confirms the theory that TBRI® Nurture Group© positively impacts children’s social-emotional development, with implications for occupational therapy practitioners to promote trauma-informed approaches and protective factors through collaboration with educators.

Effects Of Bilingualism On Emotional Intelligence &amp; Cognition Of Pakistani ESL Learners

This study draws a comparison between emotional intelligence &amp; cognitive abilities of bilingual and monolingual English Language Learners in Pakistan. The sample was young learners having monolingual and bilingual/multilingual background. The model highlighted three perspectives of cognition and IQ in bilingual children, i.e. social, psychological and societal. The model deals with the idea that bilingualism is greatly affected by the socio-cultural phenomena and the way society values a language. The emotional intelligence portion[1] of our questionnaire is based on Kids’ Empathetic Development Scale. It assesses cognitive and behavioral components of empathy in children. Moreover, the ability model is used for emotional intelligence. This model has four different abilities which are interrelated such as the ability to perceive emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding and managing emotions. Children’s emotional development is also assessed using parental responses to the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which screens for children’s antisocial behavior, hyperactivity (inattention), emotional symptoms, and peer relationship problems. Inductive approach thematic analysis was done to analyse data (Braun &amp; Clarke, 2021). The results imply that bilingual children have higher IQ and EQ as compared to monolingual English Language Learners.

Not attending preschool was linked to challenges in peer relationships.

There is limited research on the impact of preschool attendance on socio-emotional problems. This study aimed to investigate the association between not attending preschool and emotional and behavioural problems among children aged 3-5 years in Sweden. We analysed cross-sectional data from 9395 children, rated by both parents or by one parent. The dependent variable, emotional and behavioural problems, was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Preschool attendance served as the independent variable. Single and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Only 1.2% of children did not attend preschool. Single logistic regression models, using SDQ subscales with scores at or above the cut-off point as outcomes, showed that not attending preschool was associated with peer relationship problems, rated by mothers, and with peer relationship problems and overall difficulties, rated by fathers. These associations remained significant when controlling for covariates. Children with parents born outside Sweden or with lower educational levels had higher odds of experiencing peer relationship problems and overall difficulties. Children who do not attend preschool are at heightened risk of experiencing peer relationship problems. It is important to ensure that children who may benefit most from preschool education receive adequate support.

Adolescent Peer Relationship Difficulties, Prosociality, and Parental Emotion Socialization: Moderating Roles of Adolescent Gender

The present study examined longitudinal, transactional associations between youth social adjustment (prosociality, peer relationship difficulties) and parental emotion socialization in early adolescence. Adolescent gender was considered as a potential moderator. Eighty-seven adolescent-parent dyads (50 girls, 37 boys) participated in 8th grade, with follow-up waves in 9th and 10th grade. Adolescents reported their experiences of peer victimization and their parents’ emotion socialization responses, and parents reported youth prosocial behavior and peer relation problems. Hierarchical linear modeling results indicated transactional associations between parent supportive/unsupportive responses and adolescent peer relations and prosociality over time, some of which were moderated by adolescent gender. Increases in parental supportive emotion socialization corresponded to decreased experiences of peer victimization over time for girls, but not boys. When peer victimization increased over time, girls reported less parental supportive responses and all adolescents reported receiving more unsupportive responses from parents. For all adolescents, parents’ increased supportive responses also corresponded to decreased peer problems and increased prosocial behavior. As prosocial behavior increased, so did parental supportive responses. Increases in parents’ unsupportive responses related to decreased prosocial behavior, and increases in adolescent prosocial behavior related to decreases in parents’ unsupportive responses. Results suggest that there is mutual influence between parent emotion socialization and adolescent social adjustment. Adolescent girls appear to uniquely benefit from parents’ supportive emotional socialization in relation to their experiences of peer victimization. Potential mechanisms and implications are discussed.

Promoting Psychological Well-being in Preschoolers Through Mindfulness-based Socio-emotional Learning: A Randomized-controlled Trial.

Mental health issues in children and young people are frequent and can have enduring negative consequences. Preventive early interventions delivered at school may foster psychological well-being, and preliminary evidence suggests that mindfulness-based social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions have positive effects on children's mental health. The aim of this study was to evaluate a mindfulness-based SEL curriculum including a French adaptation of the Kindness Curriculum (KC), delivered by pre-kindergarten teachers, in a cluster randomized control trial. Sixty-four classes (761 children, aged 38-58 months) from a socio-economically disadvantaged area in France were randomly assigned to either intervention or waiting-list control conditions. Indicators of children's mental health, self-management, positive relationships with teachers and peers, emotional processing and executive functioning were collected through teacher-rated questionnaires, standardized observations, and behavioral tasks. Results in the whole sample indicated a positive effect of the intervention on children's mental health, including a reduction in emotional, conduct and peer relationship problems, and a reduction in teacher-child conflicts. No significant effects were found on the other indicators. Heterogeneity analyses revealed stronger effects of the intervention on several indicators for children who had a teacher with lower level of teaching experience, for children with lower baseline mental health and for older children. This program therefore appears as a promising early school-based intervention promoting mental health and positive relationships, especially in a subgroup of at-risk preschool-aged children.

Longitudinal Transition Between Regular and Special Education in Autistic Children: Predictors and Policy Effects.

Inclusive education policies stimulate children with special educational needs, including autism, to attend regular education. We aimed to explore change over time in school placement and transitions of autistic children since the introduction of an inclusive education policy in the Netherlands (2014) and to examine the role of individual child characteristics. This study used longitudinal data from 2013 to 2021 on autistic children (N=1463, aged 5-16 years). We expected an increase in regular school placements and transitions to regular schools. Surprisingly, the proportion of children with autism in regular schools slightly decreased. Special school placement was more likely for boys and autistic children with lower intelligence scores, co-occurring conditions or behavioral and peer relation problems. Younger autistic children and those with lower intelligence scores more often transferred from a regular to a special school. The opposite transition was more common in older autistic children and those with higher intelligence scores. The likelihood of special-to-regular transitions did not change, but regular-to-special transitions were more prevalent during the years just after the policy change than in later years. The inclusive policy had little impact on the school placement, and at most led to a delayed drop in referrals to special schools.

Peer Relationship Problems, Fear of Missing Out, Family Affective Responsiveness, and Internet Addiction among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model

Peer Relationship Problems, Fear of Missing Out, Family Affective Responsiveness, and Internet Addiction among Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model

Neurodevelopmental outcomes and occupational participation of preterm children at school age: a scoping review

Preterm children may experience major challenges that affect their occupational participation and daily functioning, especially at school age. This scoping review aims to examining and synthesizing the available literature about adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes and occupational participation restrictions of preterm children born &lt; 37 weeks of gestation. The MEDLINE, Science Direct, CINAHL databases were searched from January 2013 to December 2023, for published cohort studies that assessed the neurodevelopmental outcomes and occupational participation of school-aged preterm children, compared to full-term born peers. Out of 6631 identified articles, 13 studies met the inclusion criteria and involved 958 preterm children, aged 6-10 years old. Studies included in the current scoping review reported adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as cognitive impairment, executive function and sensory processing deficits, emotional and behavioral problems, language and visual perception difficulties, as well as occupational participation restrictions, like feeding difficulties, academic challenges and peer relationship problems. Findings suggest that neurodevelopmental deficits and occupational participation restrictions, especially in extremely preterm children, not only exist in early childhood but persist during school age. Future research should focus on exploring potential differences or patterns in neurodevelopmental outcomes and occupational participation between preterm groups with different gestational age ranges.

Maternal concentrations of environmental phenols during early pregnancy and behavioral problems in children aged 4 years from the Shanghai Birth Cohort

BackgroundPrenatal exposure to environmental phenols such as bisphenol (BPs), paraben (PBs), benzophenone (BzPs), and triclosan (TCS) is ubiquitous and occurs in mixtures. Although some of them have been suspected to impact child behavioral development, evidence is still insufficient, and their mixed effects remain unclear. ObjectivesTo explore the association of prenatal exposure to multiple phenols with child behavioral problems. MethodIn a sample of 600 mother–child pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort, we quantified 18 phenols (6 PBs, 7 BPs, 4 BzPs, and TCS) in urine samples collected during early pregnancy. Parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires were utilized to evaluate child behavioral difficulties across four subscales, namely conduct, hyperactivity/inattention, emotion, and peer relationship problems, at 4 years of age. Multivariable linear regression was conducted to estimate the relationships between single phenolic compounds and behavioral problems. Additionally, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression was employed to examine the overall effects of the phenol mixture. Sex-stratified analyses were also performed. ResultsOur population was extensively exposed to 10 phenols (direction rates >50 %), with low median concentrations (1.00 × 10−3–6.89 ng/mL). Among them, single chemical analyses revealed that 2,4-dihydroxy benzophenone (BP1), TCS, and methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (MeP) were associated with increased behavior problems, including hyperactivity/inattention (BP1: β = 0.16; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.04, 0.30), emotional problems (BP1: β = 0.11; 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.20; TCS: β = 0.08; 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.14), and peer problems (MeP: β = 0.10; 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.18); however, we did not identify any significant association with conduct problems. Further phenol mixture analyses in the WQS model yielded similar results. Stratification for child sex showed stronger positive associations in boys. ConclusionOur findings indicated that maternal phenol levels during early pregnancy, specifically BP1, TCS, and MeP, are associated with high behavioral problem scores in 4-year-old children.

Terjebak Dalam Ketakutan: Kualitatif Tinjauan Sistematis Kecemasan Sosial pada Kehidupan Remaja

Social anxiety in adolescents is becoming an increasingly relevant and urgent issue as adolescence is a critical period of physical, mental, social and emotional development. This study aims to understand social anxiety in adolescents by reviewing the prevalence, causes, effects and indicators of social anxiety. A qualitative systematic review method was used to analyse 10 journal articles from 2019 to 2024, which were searched using Google Scholar and Harzing publish or perish applications. The results showed that levels of social anxiety varied, with a higher prevalence in adolescent girls. Factors such as social media use, lack of confidence, openness and substance abuse were found to have a significant impact on social anxiety levels. The consequences of social anxiety include reduced academic performance, peer relationship problems, social avoidance and risk of depression. This research highlights the importance of a deeper understanding of the causal factors and effects of social anxiety in order to develop effective interventions. The results of this study should not only add to academic knowledge, but also make a practical contribution to efforts to improve the quality of life of adolescents with social anxiety problems. The limitations of this study include the limited number of articles, so it is hoped that future research will be able to analyse the results of this study.