Psychological Maladjustment Of Children Research Articles

The relationship between parental stress and psychological adjustment of the children: The role of parental psychological flexibility as a mediator

There is growing interest in parental psychological flexibility, understood as parents' ability to enjoy an optimal relationship with their children by accepting their negative emotions and thoughts in the present moment, while remaining child-conscious, in value-based parenting. Parenting can sometimes be stressful, especially when faced with the varied and changing challenges of parenthood. Parental stress, in turn, has been related to high levels of psychological inflexibility. So, this study aimed to analyze the relationship of parental psychological flexibility with parental stress and its impact on children's psychological adjustment. The sample consisted of 909 families with children aged 3–18 years who answered the following questionnaires: The Parental Acceptance Questionnaire (6-PAQ), which measures psychological flexibility, the Parental Stress Scale (PSS), and the Strenght and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), which studies the general psychological state of children and adolescents by screening for emotional and behavioral difficulties. These variables were analyzed by difference analysis according to the level of psychological flexibility, regression analysis, and mediation analysis. The group of parents who scored highest on psychological inflexibility scored high on parental stress and the child psychological adjustment scales, except for the prosocial behavior subscale. The results show that parental psychological inflexibility is related to higher levels of parental stress, and in turn, has an impact on greater psychological maladjustment in children. These relationships are analyzed from their clinical and educational implications as factors and objectives to be incorporated into family intervention.

The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience in the Relationship between Emotional Reactivity, Intolerance of Uncertainty and Psychological Maladjustment in Children Receiving Orthodontic Treatment.

The aim of this research was to examine the various psychological characteristics that affect psychological maladjustment in children undergoing orthodontic treatment. In this context, the predictive and mediating relationships between emotional reactivity, intolerance of uncertainty, psychological resilience and psychological maladjustment were considered. The study was conducted cross-sectionally with 543 children and adolescents aged 10–18 years, who were being treated at a state university orthodontic clinic in Turkey. Standardized measurement tools (The Emotional Reactivity Scale, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Brief Resilience Scale and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale) and online data collection processes were used in the data collection process. The findings show that emotional reactivity and intolerance of uncertainty pose a risk for psychological maladjustment in children and adolescents receiving orthodontic treatment, but psychological resilience has a protective function against this risk (p < 0.001). It is suggested that these findings may contribute to the expansion of pediatric dentists’ perspectives on the secondary outcomes of orthodontic treatment practices.

COVID-19: Psychological symptoms and coping strategies in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents

The present study aimed to compare psychological symptoms and coping strategies in 1480 preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents during home confinement due to COVID-19. We enrolled parents from Italy, Portugal, and Spain who completed a survey between the second and fourth week of lockdown. The results showed that preschoolers displayed more sleeping difficulties, temper tantrums, and dependency while adolescents' reactions were more related to COVID-19 worries and uncertainty. Schoolchildren showed more difficulty in concentrating. Adolescent girls showed higher anxiety levels than schoolchildren boys. Schoolchildren relied more on emotion-oriented strategies, which were linked to increased internalizing and externalizing symptoms in all ages. Task-oriented strategies, regardless of the child's age, work best to cope with stress. Our findings provide information for professionals and parents about children's most common and adaptive coping strategies according to age. Furthermore, they contribute to the early detection of long-term psychological maladjustment in children.

Influencia de la biblioterapia sobre el perfeccionismo infantil

Perfectionism is a personality disposition characterized by the setting of excessively high performance standards. Several studies have proved the relationship between perfectionism and psychological maladjustment in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of bibliotherapy based on children's literature -more properly, literature therapy- on perfectionism levels in children. A quantitative investigation with explanatory scope and quasi-experimental design (pretest-posttest, one group) was carried out. A brief program of bibliotherapy was applied to 16 children with extreme perfectionism (≥ P 75 ), who were in 4 th and 5 th grade of primary education -i.e., children aged 9-10- in a private school in Caracas. The literary selection used consisted of eight children's stories written and illustrated by European and American authors. Perfectionism was evaluated with the Venezuelan version (Aguilar & Castellanos, 2017) of the Scale of Childhood Perfectionism (Oros, 2003). Bibliotherapy achieved statistically significant decreases in the scores of children in perfectionism and their dimensions ( p < .01). These results coincide with previous empirical evidence referred by foreign investigations. The application of reading therapy in similar contexts is recommended. Certain adjustments could be made to maximize its effects and improve experimental control.

아동의 심리적 부적응에 따른 모자화(Mother and Child Drawings) 반응특성 연구

본 연구는 모자화 반응특성에 따라 아동의 심리적 어려움을 진단하는 도구로서 활용 가능성을 탐색하는데 그 목적을 두었다. 이를 위하여 경기 소재의 초등학교 2곳의 4∼6학년 464명을 대상으로 아동의 심리적 부적응에 따른 모자화의 반응특성 연구를 위해 상관계수를 통한 일치도와 집단분류를 위해 기술통계와 동질성 검사를 위한 교차분석을 실시하였다. 본 연구의 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 심리적 부적응이 낮은 집단과 높은 집단 간 모자화 그림지표에 따른 반응특성의 차이에서 아이상의 표정, 어머니상의 표정, 모자상의 크기, 모자상 신체접촉에서 유의미한 차이를 보였다. 둘째, 심리적 부적응이 낮은 집단과 높은 집단 간 모자화 PDI지표에 따른 반응특성의 차이에서는 아이상 연령, 아이상 행위, 모자상 행위, 모자상 생각에서 유의미한 차이를 보였다. 따라서 이러한 연구결과를 통하여 모자화가 아동의 심리적 부적응을 알아볼 수 있는 유용한 도구로 활용될 수 있다는 것을 확인하였다.

The Effects of Past Parental and Maternal Rejection in Childhood on Adults' Current Psychological Maladjustments: ACorrelational and Comparative Study

This study investigatedperceived parental and maternal rejection (hostility aggression, indifference/neglect, and undifferentiated rejection), as experienced and remembered by adults, andits relationships totheir current depression, anxiety and stress symptoms.In order to assess adults' perceptions of the degree of parental and maternal rejection received during childhood,asampleof two hundred and ninety-five( n= 295) adults in Kuwait from six Kuwaiti governerates completed the Arabic version of the adultsParental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ)Father &Mother versions, developed by (Rohner,Saaverda, & Granum, 1980)standardized inArabic by Salama (1986a). In addition, theDepression- Anxiety- Stress Scales-42(DASS-42) developed by Lovibond, and Lovibond (1995a) a version modified by, Lovibond, and Laube(2001)standardized in Arabic by,Moussawas used.The results indicated that males recalled their fathers' aggression and hostility and undifferentiated rejection more than females. In addition, perceivedpaternal rejection was found to be more influential than perceived maternal rejection. Moreover, the results indicated that there were low to moderate correlations between adults' currentfeelings of depression, anxiety, and stress with parental maternal rejection. The findings recommend parents to modify their parenting styles to alleviatefuture psychological maladjustmentsin their children. In addition, this study provides some insight into the impact of perceived parental rejection on future psychological maladjustment in children.

Social support and adaptation outcomes in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy

Objectives: This study had two main objectives: first, to describe the social support and psychological maladjustment of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP); and second, to test a mediation model where psychological maladjustment was hypothesized to mediate the link between social support and health-related quality of life (HRQL). In addition, the moderating role of gender and age was examined for this mediation model. Methods: Self- and proxy-report questionnaires on the aforementioned variables were administered to a sample of 96 children/adolescents with CP and 118 healthy controls, as well as one of their parents. Univariate and multivariate analyses of covariance were conducted to examine differences in social support and psychological maladjustment, respectively. PROCESS computational tool was used for path analysis-based mediation, moderation and moderated mediation analyses. Results: Children/adolescents with CP reported lower levels of social support than their healthy peers, but no significant differences emerged in terms of their psychological maladjustment. For children/adolescents with CP, internalizing and externalizing problems were found to mediate the link between social support and HRQL, and these indirect effects were not conditional upon age or gender. Discussion: Children and adolescents with CP are likely have more negative perceptions of social support, but not necessarily more psychological adjustment problems than their healthy, able-bodied peers. Results further suggest that interventions targeting social support perceptions may positively affect HRQL outcomes in children/adolescents with CP, through the improvement of internalizing and externalizing dimensions of their psychological adjustment.Implications for RehabilitationSocial support perceptions are important intervention targets in psychosocial rehabilitation with children and adolescents with CP.Children and adolescents with CP do not necessarily present increased psychological maladjustment.Interventions targeting these children and adolescents’ social support may promote their psychological adjustment and health-related quality of life.Developmental specificities, such as age and gender differences, should be considered when planning and implementing psychosocial interventions.

Has the Association Between Parental Divorce and Young Adults’ Psychological Problems Changed Over Time? Evidence From Sweden, 1968-2000

A large number of studies have shown that parental divorce is associated with psychological maladjustment in children. Less is known about whether the magnitude of this association has changed over time. This is mainly because of the lack of repeated data, containing identical measures over time. In the present article, the authors use data from two waves of the Swedish Level of Living Survey, conducted in 1968 and 2000, to analyze whether the association between parental divorce and psychological adjustment in 19- to 34-year-olds (i.e., born during 1934-1949 and 1966-1981) has changed between the two survey years. Results indicate a weakening association over time, but the change does not reach statistical significance. A reason for the persisting link seems to be that parental divorce is still associated with economic hardship and, above all, family dissension, two conditions that in turn are strongly associated with psychological problems in children.

Outcomes of Parental Use of Psychological Aggression on Children: A Structural Model From Sri Lanka

The objective of this study was to explore the existence and, if so, the nature of the association between parental use of psychological aggression and psychological maladjustment in a 12-year-old Sri Lankan school population. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 1,226 children from Colombo district schools. Three instruments, validated in the Sri Lankan context, were used to collect data on children's experience of psychological aggression, its psychological outcomes, and psychosocial correlates. The annual prevalence of psychological aggression reported by the study sample was 75%. A predictive model for psychological outcomes was examined. The experience of psychological aggression was shown to be moderately, but directly and significantly, associated with psychological maladjustment in children. This association was mediated by non-parentto-child violence-the child's knowledge of violence between the parents, experience of teacher violence, exposure to peer violence, and violence in the child's community. However, the child's report of a nurturant parent-child relationship did not impact on the association between psychological aggression and psychological maladjustment. The study also indicated that greater the child's experience of non-parent-to-child violence, the greater is his/her own level of hostility and aggression. These findings show that although many Sri Lankan parents use psychological aggression it has negative consequences for their children.

Psychosocial adjustment and physical health in children of divorce

To review the literature on the effects of parental divorce over the psychological maladjustment and physical health problems in children of divorced parents, thus contributing to the integration of existing scientific knowledge based on the biopsychosocial model of the impact of divorce on children's physical health as proposed by Troxel and Matthews (2004). Review of the literature using MEDLINE and PsycInfo (1980-2007) databases, selecting the most representative articles on the subject. Special attention was paid to contributions by internationally renowned investigators on the subject. Divorce may be responsible for a decline of physical and psychological health in children. The developmental maladjustment of children is not triggered by divorce itself, but rather by other risk factors associated with it, such as interparental conflict, parental psychopathology, decline in socio-economic level, inconsistency in parenting styles, a parallel and conflicting co-parenting relationship between parents and low levels of social support. Such risk factors trigger maladjusted developmental pathways, marked by psychopathological symptoms, poor academic performance, worst levels of physical health, risk behavior, exacerbated psychophysiological responses to stress and weakening of the immune system. Clear links were observed between experiencing parental divorce and facing problems of physical and psychological maladjustment in children. Divorce is a stressor that should be considered by health professionals as potentially responsible for maladjusted neuropsychobiological responses and for decline in children's physical health.

Adaptação psicossocial e saúde física em crianças de pais separados

OBJETIVO: Apresentar uma revisão da literatura sobre os efeitos da separação parental na desadaptação psicológica e nos problemas de saúde física em crianças filhas de pais separados, contribuindo para a integração do conhecimento científico existente à luz do modelo biopsicossocial do impacto da separação na saúde física das crianças de Troxel e Matthews (2004). FONTES DE DADOS: Revisão da literatura utilizando as bases de dados MEDLINE e PsycInfo (1980-2007), selecionando os artigos mais representativos do tema. Foi dada especial atenção aos contributos dos investigadores de referência internacional no tema. SÍNTESE DOS DADOS: A separação pode ser responsável pela diminuição da saúde física e psicológica das crianças. Não é a separação por si própria a que desencadeia a desadaptação desenvolvimental das crianças, mas sim outros fatores de risco associados à mesma, como, por exemplo, o conflito interparental, a psicopatologia de um dos pais, a redução do nível socioeconômico, um estilo parental inconsistente, uma relação coparental paralela e conflituosa e baixos níveis de suporte social. Estes fatores de risco desencadeiam trajetórias desenvolvimentais caracterizadas por inadequada adaptação, com possível sintomatologia psicopatológica, pior rendimento acadêmico, piores níveis de saúde física, comportamentos de risco, exacerbadas respostas psicofisiológicas ao estresse e enfraquecimento do sistema imunitário. CONCLUSÕES: Existem claras ligações entre a experiência de separação parental e os problemas de saúde física e de desadaptação psicológica das crianças. A separação é um estressor que deve ser considerado pelos profissionais superiores de saúde como potencial desencadeador de respostas neuropsicobiológicas desadaptativas e responsável pelo declínio dos índices de saúde física infantil.

The Role of Primary and Secondary Appraisals in the Negative Emotions and Psychological Maladjustment of Children of Divorce

Two hundred and twenty-two children of divorce reported their reactions to stressful life events. They reported the threat posed by the events, self-blame, self-efficacy and negative emotions of sadness, anger and anxiety. Also, children's psychological maladjustment (Depression, Hostility and Anxiety) were assessed. As expected, the children's primary appraisal of threat was associated with all the negative emotions and psychological maladjustments. The role of children's secondary appraisals was confirmed by the findings that high self-blame for the stressful events was associated with the emotion of sadness, and low coping was associated with the psychological maladjustment of Anxiety. Finally, interactions between children's primary and secondary appraisals were observed: the emotions of anger and anxiety and the psychological maladjustments of Hostility and Anxiety increased with increases of self-blame when threat was low, but not when threat was high. The findings were discussed with respect to Lazarus' (1991) Cognitive Theory of Emotion as well as other relevant theories.

Psychosocial Adjustment of Children with Short Stature (Achondroplasia): Social Competence, Behavior Problems, Self-Esteem, Family Functioning, Body Image, and Reaction to Frustrations

While mythical elfin figures, dwarfs, and leprechauns have fired the imagination of story tellers for centuries, the social adjustment of short children with growth retardation lacks the fairy tale luster, and the economic, social, and psychological impact of their body size often result in deviant and marginal status (Ablon, 1985). Growth retardation, a major universal clinical problem, is caused by a great variety of en docrine, genetic, and chronic illnesses, and Ablon (1988) refers to more than 100 types of differing etiology and physical characteristics. According to Rimoin and Lachman (1983), more than 80 specific cases of skeletal dysplasias and primary disorders of the bone struc ture result in short stature. Regardless of etiology, early literature described children with short stature as a single group and studies of personality characteristics have generally por trayed them as psychologically maladjusted (Young-Hyman, 1986). Holmes, Karlsson, and Thompson (1988), in a brief review of psychological adjustment problems of short stature, list more internalizing behavior problems, a greater number of somatic complaints and with drawal, less aggressive and dominant behaviors than their peers of average stature. Parents report high levels of problems related to internalizing and externalizing behavior and their teachers describe more internalization at school (Holmes, Hayford, & Thompson, 1982). Low self-esteem, high degree of social isolation, withdrawal, immaturity, and distur bance of body image are listed by Richman, Gordon, Tegtmeyer, Grouthamel, and Post (1986). The notion of psychological maladjustment of children with short stature has been chal lenged by Drotar, Owens, and Gotthold (1980) who report no significant differences in gen eral psychological adjustment, sex role development, or body image maturity between growth hormone-deficient children and a matched control group, and by Stabler and Underwood (1977) who found no significant differences in locus of control as anxiety in chil dren with the same etiology. Gordon, Grouthamel, Post, and Richman (1982) warned that since children with hypopituitarism represent less than 1% of the short children, the findings were not generalizable to children with short stature of different etiologies. These re searchers compared a group of children with constitutional short stature with children of nor mal height, both groups without a previous history of psychiatric difficulties, and found that children with constitutional short stature had significantly more behavior problems and less self-esteem than their matched control. The children with constitutional short stature were socially withdrawn and aloof individuals who expressed emotional concerns internally and tended to view themselves less favorably than children of normal height. Children with short stature were reported to be equally satisfied with their physical appearance. These divergent results may well reflect a lack of homogeneity in the adjustment process of children with short stature due to differing etiologies and to availability or nonavailability of treatment.

Parental care and overprotection of children with cystic fibrosis.

Parental overprotection has often been clinically associated with the psychological maladjustment of children with a chronic disease. The purpose of this study was to examine parental care and overprotection in children with cystic fibrosis compared to healthy controls. Results indicated no differences in the level of parental care or overprotection between controls and children with cystic fibrosis. However, a number of significant correlations were found between parental care and overprotection and children's psychosocial functioning. In particular, positive correlations were found between parental overprotection and poor psychosocial functioning in children with cystic fibrosis, whereas, poor psychosocial functioning in healthy children was associated with lack of parental care. Parental overprotection and care appear to play important roles in the emotional and psychological functioning of healthy and chronically ill children.