Psychological Well-being Of Children Research Articles

Topic Valence and Ambiguity in Parent-Emerging Adult Child Postdivorce Discussions

Communication privacy management theory maintains permeability rules manifest as communication strategies used during conversation. Although postdivorce families tend to privilege openness, this conclusion is based on recalled reports and single discussions about negatively valenced topics. To determine whether ambiguity functions as a manifestation of permeability rules and its effects on relational satisfaction and psychological well-being, 39 parent-emerging adult child dyads discussed one negatively valenced and one positively valenced postdivorce topic. Results indicated parents were ambiguous while discussing negatively and positively valenced topics, and children were perceptive of parents' ambiguity during the conversations. No differences were found between parents' use and children's perceptions of parents' ambiguity. Further, children's relational satisfaction and psychological well-being were affected by ambiguity in both discussions.

Psychosocial needs of HIV-positive children on antiretrovirals: A survey of South African children's homes

Although the distribution of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is still far from adequate, where such therapy is accessible, HIV has largely been transformed from a fatal to chronic infection. The South African government began a national ART rollout in 2003, providing ART free to medically qualifying individuals. Institutions caring for HIV-positive children have since seen a significant increase in the life expectancies of the children for whom they care. These institutions are experiencing a major transformation from their original role as a hospice for sick and dying patients to a children's home raising relatively healthy children with a chronic illness. This anthropologically based research was done in Johannesburg, South Africa, using a social survey and semi-structured interviews conducted with administrators and caregivers from local children's homes. The specific aim was to assess the current state of children's homes caring for HIV-positive children and the psychosocial challenges they face. The 23 homes included in this study cared for a total of 1091 children; 35% of the children were HIV positive with 73% on ART. The majority of homes were facing new and important challenges. Disclosing a child's HIV infection was difficult with only 35% of homes reporting a formal disclosure policy. Education was a concern with most homes expressing a serious need for access to more remedial and special needs schools. Caring for the psychological well-being of children was a challenge with 39% of homes having no access to any form of counseling. Finally, a majority of homes (65%) did not have a plan in place for the children's eventual move from the institution. This study concludes that the provision of antiretrovirals would be best accompanied by a number of medical, psychological, educational, and social services that help prepare HIV-positive children for futures they only recently have been able to expect.

The Impact of Pollution on Children’s Health: A Call for Global Accountability and Enforcement

Environmental pollution in large industrial centers has had a negative impact on the population’s health, specifically among children. Our objective is to provide a systematic review of the literature, focusing on the impact of environmental pollutants from urban and metropolitan areas on pediatric health. Disregard for the Earth’s atmosphere can negatively impact our fragile ecosystem and create a global toxicity. The impact of industrial growth and economic development has become paramount to modern society. Unfortunately, future generations will pay the consequences of the world’s failure to implement regulations to secure a safe environment for our children’s health and development. Pollutants penetrate an organism through different routes and change physiological processes, which leads to a decrease in microbial resistance by weakening the child’s immune system. The major contaminants are: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, manganese, sulfur dioxide, airborne fine particles, and nitrogen dioxide. Xenobiotics negatively affect the morphological, functional, biochemical parameters, genetics, and epigenetics of the body. It is well documented that the physical development and psychological well-being of children is adversely affected by pollution. The accumulation of heavy metals and other contaminants adversely affected a child’s health has been found in the pediatric population. An effort has been made to develop detoxicant remedies, in particular, some enterosorbents and natural adaptogens. Research is ongoing to improve medical rehabilitation of children, who already are affected. Public education and regulations regarding emerging non-pollutant industrial technologies is called for. A global system of accountability and enforcement regarding environmental protection needs to be implemented.

Demonstrating clinical outcomes and psychological well-being in children, young people and families

Demonstrating clinical outcomes and psychological well-being in children, young people and families

Acute and medium term effects of a 10-week running intervention on mood state in apprentices.

Exercise and physical activity have proven benefits for physical and psychological well-being. However, it is not clear if healthy young adults can enhance mood in everyday life through regular exercise. Earlier studies mainly showed positive effects of acute exercise and exercise programs on psychological well-being in children, older people and in clinical populations. Few studies controlled participants' physical activity in daily life, performed besides the exercise program, which can impact results. In addition the transition from mood enhancement induced by acute exercise to medium or long-term effects due to regular exercise is not yet determined. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the acute effects of an aerobic running training on mood and trends in medium term changes of mood in everyday life of young adults. We conducted a 10-week aerobic endurance training with frequent mood assessments and continuous activity monitoring. 23 apprentices, separated into experimental and control group, were monitored over 12 weeks. To control the effectiveness of the aerobic exercise program, participants completed a progressive treadmill test pre and post the intervention period. The three basic mood dimensions energetic arousal, valence and calmness were assessed via electronic diaries. Participants had to rate their mood state frequently on 3 days a week at five times of measurement within 12 weeks. Participants' physical activity was assessed with accelerometers. All mood dimensions increased immediately after acute endurance exercise but results were not significant. The highest acute mood change could be observed in valence (p = 0.07; η2 = 0.27). However, no medium term effects in mood states could be observed after a few weeks of endurance training. Future studies should focus on the interaction between acute and medium term effects of exercise training on mood. The decreasing compliance over the course of the study requires the development of strategies to maintain compliance over longer periods.

Play therapy: What is it?

Eleanor de Bruin meets senior play therapist Debi Maskell-Graham, to find out just how important a role play can have in supporting young children's emotional and psychological wellbeing.

The Association Between Bullying and the Psychological Functioning of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Bullying has become a major national concern, particularly as it affects children with disabilities. The current study aimed to determine the association between psychiatric comorbid conditions, involvement in bullying (victim, bully, or bully-victim), and the immediate psychological correlates of bullying among children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). A national sample of 1221 parents completed a survey dedicated to the bullying and school experiences of their child with ASD, reporting on the immediate consequences of bullying involvement, including their child's psychological well-being and any psychiatric comorbidity. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to determine whether specific psychiatric comorbidities were associated with an increased risk of involvement as victim, bully, or bully-victim. Analyses of variance determined the relationship between bullying frequency and psychological functioning. All models adjusted for child and school covariates. Children who were frequently victimized were more likely to present with internalizing symptoms, whereas children who frequently bullied others were more likely to exhibit emotion regulation problems. Children who were identified as frequent bully-victims presented with both internalizing symptoms and emotion regulation problems. Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression were more likely to have been victimized, whereas children with conduct disorder (CD) or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) were more likely to have bullied other children. Children identified as bully-victims were more likely to have ADHD, CD, or ODD. Children with ASDs who had displayed bullying behaviors in the past month exhibited psychological impairments, including psychiatric comorbidity. The frequency of bullying behaviors was significantly associated with the level of impairment.

Impact of Parental HIV/AIDS on Children’s Psychological Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Global Literature

This review examines the global literature regarding the impact of parental HIV/AIDS on children's psychological well-being. Fifty one articles reporting quantitative data from a total of 30 studies were retrieved and reviewed. Findings were mixed but tended to show that AIDS orphans and vulnerable children had poorer psychological well-being in comparison with children from HIV-free families or children orphaned by other causes. Limited longitudinal studies suggested a negative effect of parental HIV on children's psychological well-being in an early stage of parental HIV-related illness and such effects persisted through the course of parental illness and after parental death. HIV-related stressful life events, stigma, and poverty were risk factors that might aggravate the negative impact of parental HIV/AIDS on children. Individual coping skills, trusting relationship with caregivers and social support were suggested to protect children against the negative effects of parental HIV/AIDS. This review underlines the vulnerability of children affected by HIV/AIDS. Culturally and developmentally appropriate evidence-based interventions are urgently needed to promote the psychological well-being of children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Pogo Stick Programs Provide Physical and Psychological Benefits to Children

Novel methods of adding vigorous exercise to physical education classes or after school programs could boost physical and psychological well-being in children. We explored the use of pogo stick classes in two cohorts of 10 - 11 years old children. Both interventions consisted of two, one-hour sessions per week for six weeks. Attendance at these after-school sessions was high (Study 1, 82%; Study 2, 95%). Study 1 tested the efficacy of a pogo class in sports-active children aged 10 - 11 years from a community adjacent to a university. They were tested before and after the intervention for balance using a stabilometer, for leg power using jump height, and for VO2max using the Leger 20 m shuttle run. Means of pre and post intervention measures were compared using paired t-tests. Balance improved (p = 0.001) while VO2max and leg power remained consistent. Study 2 tested the ability of pogo classes to improve self-esteem in girls who did not participate in sports and resided in a low socio-economic urban area. Before and after the intervention they completed the Harter Self-Perception Profile. Self-assessed scores in all six categories of the Harter Profile increased, indicating that the pogo stick intervention elicited improved self-esteem in the children. Results from these two pilot studies using pogo sticks in different cohorts of children indicate that pogo-based programs can provide physical and mental health benefits.

Yoga for children

Excessive stress is harmful to academic performance in children and may lead to dropping out of school. To meet the demands of a modern life-style which is full of speed, stress and tension, an all-round child health program is crucial. The use of yoga for children has diverse applications in maintaining and developing their physical, mental, intellectual, emotional and spiritual levels. Yoga, through its physical postures (asana), breathing practices (pranayama), cleansing techniques (kriya), meditation therapies (dhyana) and relaxation training (yoga nidra) yields a positive effect in the management of stress in children. Yoga practice benefited children by improving their eye-hand coordination, attention span, levels of concentration, competitive performance and relaxation. Visually impaired children showed a significant decrease in their abnormal anxiety levels when they practiced yoga for three weeks, while a program of physical activity had no such effect. Socially disadvantaged children in a remand home showed significant improvements in sleep, appetite and general well being, as well as a decrease in physiological arousal after yoga. In one study, it is found that a 4-week program of asana and meditation lowers the aggressive behavior of children. Meditation helped to reduce problems related to maladaptive behavior, increase emotional and physical health and psychological well-being in children. Finally, the possible role of yoga in improving the mental state and general well-being of children with cancer is being explored.

Associations among depression, perceived self-efficacy, and immune function and health in preadolescent children

Experimental animal studies and adult research consistently show that stress exposure and/or psychological symptoms are associated with poorer health and immune functioning. The application to children is not yet clear, however, and we lack developmental models for studies in this area. The objective of this paper was to test the hypothesis that self-reported self-efficacy and depression, two markers of psychological well-being in children, would predict immunity and rate of illnesses. The data are based on a prospective study of 141 healthy, normally developing children aged 7-13 years who were recruited from an ambulatory pediatric setting. Children completed self-efficacy and depression measures and had blood obtained for IL-6 plasma levels and natural killer cell functional assays on three occasions, 6 months apart. Parents maintained weekly child illness diaries over 1 year using a thermometer to record fever. Parent psychiatric symptoms and income were used as covariates. Results indicated that, across the three occasions of measurement collected over the 1-year period, higher perceived self-efficacy was significantly associated with lower plasma interleukin 6 concentrations. There was no overall main effect of depressive symptoms on immune measures; however, for older girls, higher depression was associated with elevated natural killer cell cytotoxicity and an increased rate of total illnesses and febrile illnesses. The findings provide some of the first evidence that psychological processes are associated with immunity and health in a normally developing sample of preadolescents. Furthermore, the pattern of results suggests a modified model of a link between psychological well-being and immunological processes in children. These results build on and expand research on the notion of allostatic load and develop a groundwork for developmental studies in this area.

Modelling the relationship between obesity and mental health in children and adolescents: findings from the Health Survey for England 2007.

A number of studies have reported significant associations between obesity and poor psychological wellbeing in children but findings have been inconsistent. Methods: This study utilised data from 3,898 children aged 5-16 years obtained from the Health Survey for England 2007. Information was available on Body Mass Index (BMI), parental ratings of child emotional and behavioural health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), self-reported physical activity levels and sociodemographic variables. A multilevel modelling approach was used to allow for the clustering of children within households. Results: Curvilinear relationships between both internalising (emotional) and externalising (behavioural) symptoms and adjusted BMI were observed. After adjusting for potential confounders the relationships between obesity and psychological adjustment (reported externalising and internalising symptoms) remained statistically significant. Being overweight, rather than obese, had no impact on overall reported mental health. 17% of children with obesity were above the suggested screening threshold for emotional problems, compared to 9% of non-obese children. Allowing for clustering and potential confounding variables children classified as obese had an odds ratio (OR) of 2.13 (95% CI 1.39 to 3.26) for being above the screening threshold for an emotional disorder compared to non-obese young people. No cross-level interactions between household income and the relationships between obesity and internalising or externalising symptoms were observed. Conclusions: In this large, representative, UK-based community sample a curvilinear association with emotional wellbeing was observed for adjusted BMI suggesting the possibility of a threshold effect. Further research could focus on exploring causal relationships and developing targeted interventions.

Promoting Psychological Well-Being in Children with Acute and Chronic Illness

Promoting Psychological Well-Being in Children with Acute and Chronic Illness

Children with surgically corrected hand deformities and upper limb deficiencies: self-concept and psychological well-being

We studied self-concept and psychological well-being in children with hand deformities and upper limb deficiencies. Ninety-two children, 53 boys, 39 girls, aged 9-11 years were included. The children were divided into two subgroups - one with milder (less visible) deformities and one with severe (more complex and visible) finger-hand-arm deformities. Of the 92 children, 79 had received reconstructive surgery, and 13 had been treated with prostheses. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale (PHCSCS) was used to measure self-esteem and well-being. Overall PHCSCS scores showed that the whole hand deformity group had 'good' self-concept with mean scores in excess of 60 points, equal to a comparison group of healthy children. Within the hand deformity group, those with mild deformities had lower scores than those with severe deformities. This result was also found in the group of boys but not in the girls. The children with severe deformities had even higher scores than the comparison group regarding the subscale 'Intellectual and School Status'. The children with milder deformities had lower scores than the comparison group regarding the subscale 'Popularity'.

Promoting psychological well-being in children with acute and chronic illnessPromoting psychological well-being in children with acute and chronic illness Melinda Edwards and Penny Titman Jessica Kingsley £19.99 216pp 9781843109679 1843109670

Promoting psychological well-being in children with acute and chronic illnessPromoting psychological well-being in children with acute and chronic illness Melinda Edwards and Penny Titman Jessica Kingsley £19.99 216pp 9781843109679 1843109670

The Mediating Role of Perceived Parental Warmth and Parental Punishment in the Psychological Well-Being of Children in Rural China

Research has documented that parenting practices, such as parental warmth and parental punishment, play a mediating role in linking individual (e.g., age, gender) and familial characteristics (e.g., economic status, marital quality) to the psychological well-being of children. However, few studies have validated these connections with respect to the Chinese population, especially those in rural areas of China plagued with unfavorable conditions such as poverty and lack of education. In this study, we investigated whether child (age, gender, and sibship size), and familial characteristics (family wealth, parental education, and marital quality) indirectly contribute to the children’s psychological well-being (as indicated by their self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems) through their perceived parental warmth and parental punishment. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data collected from 2,000 children (ages 9–13) and their parents in rural China. The results reveal significant, indirect relationships from family wealth and marital quality to these children’s externalizing problems through parental warmth and parental punishment. There are age and gender differences in the children’s experiencing internalizing and externalizing problems. Gender differences are also found in their perceived parental warmth and parental punishment. Directions for future research are discussed.

The effect of adolescents' image of parents on children's self-image and mental health.

Parents as caregivers are one of the most influential agents of socialisation/emotional stability in the lives of children, but the parent-child relationship is hardly conflict-free: occasional distress that affects mental health is known to occur. The present study examines the effect of adolescents' perception of their parents on the child's own self-image/mental health. Seven hundred and thirty-one (731) junior high school adolescents, living with their parents in the Ibaraki area of Japan, participated in the study. The self-esteem and self-denial scales assessed adolescents' self-image, while the trait-anxiety and depression tools rated mental health. The adolescents' perception of parents was measured with two tools: a checklist of negative/positive descriptive adjectives of parents, and the Perceived Emotional Support from Family scale. The structural equation modelling (SEM) of the study hypothesis was constructed and analysed by the AMOS statistics. Adolescents' image of their parents affected the children's self-image and mental health. A positive adolescent image of parents elicited a positive adolescent self-image, leading to a marked reduction in mental distress among children. The model outcome was applicable to boys and girls. A positive image of parents enhanced adolescents' self-image, and facilitated psychological wellbeing in children, irrespective of their sex.

Perceived social support and the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans in urban Kenya

Parental deaths due to AIDS seriously affect the psychological well-being of children. Social support may provide an effective resource in the care of vulnerable children in resource-limited settings. However, few studies have examined the relationships between social support and psychological well-being among AIDS orphans. This cross-sectional study was conducted to explore associations between perceived social support (PSS) and the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans, and to identify socio-demographic factors that are associated with PSS. Data were collected from 398 pairs of AIDS orphans (aged 10–18 years) and their caregivers in Nairobi, Kenya. The participants provided information on their socio-demographic characteristics, the children's PSS, and the children's psychological status (based on measures of depressive symptoms and self-esteem). Of the 398 pairs, 327 were included in the analysis. PSS scores of AIDS orphans showed significant correlations with depressive symptoms (ρ =−0.31, p<0.001) and self-esteem (ρ=0.32, p<0.001). Socio-demographic factors, such as HIV-positive status of children (β=3.714, p=0.014) and cohabitation with siblings (β=3.044, p=0.016), were also associated with higher PSS scores. In particular, HIV-infected children (n=37) had higher scores of PSS from a special person (β=2.208, p=0.004), and children living with biological siblings (n=269) also had higher scores of PSS from both a special person (β=1.411, p=0.029) and friends (β=1.276, p=0.039). In conclusion, this study showed that PSS is positively associated with the psychological well-being of AIDS orphans. Siblings and special persons can be effective sources of social support for AIDS orphans, which help to promote their psychological well-being.

Supporting Military Parent and Child Adjustment to Deployments and Separations With Filial Therapy

Parental deployment can have a significant impact on children's psychological, behavioral, and physical well-being. Although most children are resilient, researchers agree that long periods of separation might be a significant source of stress for parents and children in military families. This paper provides a review of the literature of the effects of parental military deployment on child well-being and the parent-child relationship. The authors examine several major parent-child interventions implemented nation-wide during the past five years and provide a rationale for the use of filial therapy, an empirically validated intervention, with military parents and children.

Langzeitevaluation eines psychologischen Trainings für adipöse Kinder und ihre Eltern (TAKE)

Cognitive-behavioral parent-child-programmes have shown the best effects in treating childhood obesity so far. With TAKE (Training adipöser Kinder und ihrer Eltern) we introduce a psychologically-informed training, that includes physical activity, nutrition and eating behavior but also addresses psychological issues like self-confidence, body image, social and anti-bullying skills. Long-term data from up to 64 month-follow-up showed moderate effects on body-mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS), and positive effects on children's psychological wellbeing. Maternal psychopathology predicted the course of BMI-SDS in children. Results underline the importance of psychological treatment for obese children to facilitate weight change and to reduce their psychological vulnerability which in turn may prevent the further development of behavior problems, eating disorders and affective disorders.