Psychosocial Development Of Children Research Articles

Physical Abuse of Preschoolers: Identification and Intervention Through Occupational Therapy

Child abuse is a major public health concern in the United States, one that has negative consequences on abused persons' productivity and mental health throughout their lives. Occupational therapists who work with preschool-aged children are in a strategic position to screen for physical abuse and aid in the rehabilitation of children and families engaged in abuse. This article provides a review of the literature and accounts of clinical experience with children and families in a variety of settings. It offers an overview of behavioral risk factors that have been shown to correlate with physical abuse, including how these factors can be observed within the context of an occupational therapy evaluation. Guidelines for interacting with child protective services via reporting suspected cases of child abuse and working collaboratively with such agencies are provided. Strategies for occupational therapy intervention with abused children and their parents are described. These strategies include using activities to facilitate positive parent-child interaction, educating parents regarding child development and management techniques, and facilitating children's psychosocial development.

Attachment in the context of high-risk conditions

AbstractThe role of attachment in interaction with other relationships and conditions was investigated in relation to children's later psychosocial development (at ages 6 and 9). Thirty-nine unipolar depressed mothers, 24 bipolar mothers, and 32 normal control mothers and their children were studied. The network of conditions defining early experience included, in addition to attachment, maternal psychopathology, marital discord, other disordered relationships in the family, and recent losses of significant persons. Patterns of mother-child interaction were also examined. Assessments of children's problems were based on psychiatric evaluations of depressive affect, anxiety, and disruptive-oppositional behavior.The findings support the conclusion that attachment enters into development in interaction with other relationships and conditions. Maternal psychopathology, in particular, in interaction with the attachment relationship, is linked to later developmental outcomes. The importance of considering mother-child interactional and dispositional characteristics is indicated. The early attachment relationship together with the ways in which the mother's depression is expressed with her child, and the child's style of coping with the mother's functioning establish patterns of behavior that influence the child's vulnerability to later problems. Multiple pathways of transmission of affective problems are discussed.

Cognitive, psychosocial, and physical development in infants and children with end-stage renal disease.

The purpose of this article is to synthesize research related to the cognitive, physical, and psychosocial development of children with end-stage renal disease who are receiving conservative management, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, or who have received transplants. An impressive array of research in these three areas of development was found, but more work is needed. Suggestions are made for more multicenter research with larger sample sizes and greater generalizability. In addition, more developmental research that includes measures of renal disease, such as age at onset, severity of disease, and length of time in renal failure, is needed.

Developmental and Psychological Factors Related to Children’s Observational Learning of Physical Skills

Visual demonstrations have long been regarded as a critical instructional method for children’s motor skill and social-emotional development. Despite their widespread importance, skill demonstrations have often been characterized by a failure to consider age related differences in children’s cognitive and physical abilities. Similarly, the potential psychological effects of modeling on children’s behaviors in the physical domain have rarely been discussed. Thus the purpose of this paper is to review theoretical and research perspectives from the motor behavior and psychology literatures about developmental and psychological factors associated with children’s modeling of motor skills. Specifically, this paper will emphasize (a) how children perceive characteristics of a visual demonstration, (b) how they translate perceptions to actions that attempt to match the skill demonstration, and (c) how observational learning can be used to enhance self-confidence and motivation in youth. Practical implications for maximizing motor skill and psychosocial development in children are addressed in each section of the paper.

A controlled study of the psycho-social development of children conceived following insemination with donor semen

Although donor insemination has been used to produce pregnancies for many years, there has been little information on how children conceived in this unusual manner develop psycho-socially. We have therefore carried out a controlled quantitative assessment comparing children who were conceived by donor insemination to adoptees and naturally conceived children who were matched for age and sex. We conclude that the psycho-social development of donor insemination children was no different from the two control groups.

Born Unwanted: Long‐Term Developmental Effects of Denied Abortion

Studied were 220 children born in 1961–1963 to Prague women twice denied abortion for the same pregnancy and 220 pair‐matched controls, whose mothers were also pair‐matched for socioeconomic status and the husband's or partner's presence in the home. All the children were born into intact homes, and they were medically, psychologically, and socially assessed at ages 9, 14–16, and 21–23. Findings show that differences between the two groups of children widened over time, always to the disadvantage of the unwanted children. In the aggregate, unwantedness in early pregnancy has a detrimental effect on children's psychosocial development. In adulthood, marital partners of the unwanted children were similar to their spouses. Families founded by men or women unwanted in early pregnancy were more problem‐prone than families founded by individuals wanted or accepted in early pregnancy. A further follow‐up at age 30 is in progress.

Psychosocial development of children with hemangiomas: home, school, health care collaboration.

Hemangiomas are among the most common neoplasms of childhood and often found on the face, head, and neck. In a society that places great importance on physical appearance, sustaining a hemangioma can significantly influence the psychosocial development of children. The purpose of this article is to briefly discuss the etiology of hemangiomas and provide practical suggestions for educators, health care professionals, and parents to foster the psychosocial development of children with a hemangioma.

Assessing War Trauma in Children: A Case Study of Lebanese Children

This paper describes war related traumas experienced by a sample of Lebanese children. A questionnaire on Childhood War Traumas (CWTQ) was devised and distributed to parents of a selected sample of 2220 cfhildren (three to 16 year olds) living in Greater Beirut. Results indicate that on average a Lebanese child has experienced five to six different types of war related traumatic events during his or her lifetime, and some events were experienced several times. Exposure to shelling or combat, displacement, extreme poverty and witnessing violent acts were the most common traumatic experiences faced by Lebanese children. In contrast, involvement in military activities, being a victim of violent acts and suffering from serious physical injuries were less common experiences. In addition, the number andj types of traumatic experiences varied significantly by age, gender, socioeconomic status and region of residence. Directions for future research on the effects of war traumas on the psychosocial development of children, and implications for clinical interventions, are explored.

Children, Sports, and Chronic Disease.

In brief Chronic disease afflicts several million children in the United States, many of whom face the additional burden of having their physical activities unnecessarily restricted. Yet sports and exercise can alleviate symptoms as well as improve a child's psychosocial development and quality of life. Physicians should consider prescribing exercise programs for children with cystic fibrosis, congenital heart disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma. They should also strongly advocate these children's right to engage in whatever levels of physical activity will allow them to reach their potential.

Research and practice with congenital amputees

This paper highlights the need for methodologically sound research on the motor, cognitive and psychosocial development of children with congenital limb deficiencies and the integration of findings in these three areas. Such topics have received little attention in the literature and systematic attempts to apply developmental theory to the assessment, fitting, training and evaluation of these children seldom have been made. A number of important current issues in research and practice are critically reviewed including optimal age for fitting, training procedures, prosthesis usage, cognitive deficits and vulnerability to psychosocial problems. Recommendations for the adoption of a more holistic approach to research and practice with amputee children are presented and the need to develop strategies for systematic evaluation and follow up is emphasized.

Television viewing and self‐concept among Hispanic American children—a pilot study

This study explores the relationship between television viewing (hours per week in general and number of Spanish‐language programs watched in particular) and self‐concept among 117 Spanish‐surnamed elementary school children in a small, semirural school district in southern California. The study was conducted by administering a one‐time questionnaire and the results are based on mostly zero‐ and first‐order correlations. Contrary to our expectations, (a) amount of viewing was insignificantly related to self‐concept, and (b) Spanish‐language television viewing was not correlated significantly with self‐concept However, Hispanic American girls tend to watch Spanish‐language television more often than do their male counterparts. Theoretical considerations for studying possible relationships between television viewing and Hispanic American children's psychosocial development are discussed.

Non-parametric estimation of age-related centiles over wide age ranges

A new method for estimating age-related centile curves has been developed, which is suitable for measurement covering a wide age range. The method was used to calculate weight centile curves of 8995 children from birth to 6 years obtained by the Collaborating Centre for Physical Growth and Psychosocial Development of Children in Shanghai, China.

Congenital malformations and psychosocial development in children conceived by in vitro fertilization

To determine whether in vitro fertilization (IVF) as a method of conception is associated with an increased risk for congenital malformations or developmental dysfunction, we performed a general physical examination for malformations, neurologic examination, developmental examination (Bayley Scales), echocardiography, electrocardiography, abdominal ultrasound study, and, when possible, cranial ultrasound examination on a cohort of 83 IVF children and 93 matched non-IVF children. Major malformations were found in two IVF and one non-IVF subject; the rates were not significantly different. The mean Mental Development Index scores for IVF subjects and the comparison group were 115 +/- 13 and 111 +/- 13, respectively (p = 0.12). The mean Psychomotor Development Index scores were 114 +/- 14 and 108 +/- 15 (p = 0.04). Based on these small numbers but extensive evaluation, we found no association between conception by IVF and an increased risk for congenital malformations. Likewise, children conceived by IVF showed no evidence of developmental delay. Their high average achievement on the Bayley tests probably resulted from the exceptional motivation of their parents ("wantedness") and their generally high socioeconomic status.

Development and Verification of a Gender-Role Stereotyping Index for Physical Activities

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to measure the extent to which parents, teachers, and children (4 1/2 to 7 yr.) label physical activities according to gender. The research involved two phases, (a) development/validation of the instrument and (b) assessment of reliability and stability. Participants for the development/validity assessment were 12 experts in motor and psychosocial development of children; they were divided into two groups of six judges (three women and three men). Both groups of judges rated 45 research-based, gender-specific and gender-neutral physical activities according to the extent to which each activity involved each of 14 research-based, gender-specific physical activity characteristics. Based on the ratings of Group I judges, 24 physical activities, representative of 8 male, 8 female, and 8 gender-neutral items, were combined to make up the preliminary questionnaire. To assess the construct validity of the instrument, two steps were taken. Product-moment correlations for the rating of the two groups of judges for the total list of activities were for male characteristics .98 and for female characteristics .82. Analyses of variance showed the ratings of the two sets of judges were not significantly different on any construct. Test-retest reliability for 270 participants was .94 and .95 for parents and teachers, respectively, and .77 for the 4 1/2 to 7-yr.-old children.

Gay and Lesbian Parents.

Foreword by Joseph Harry Preface Gay and Lesbian Parents Gay Fathers by Frederick W. Bozett Against All Odds: Lesbian Mother Family Dynamics by Barbara M. McCandlish The Children of Gay and Lesbian Parents Children of Gay Fathers by Frederick W. Bozett Children of Lesbian Mothers by Saralie Bisnovich Pennington Psychosocial Development of Children of Lesbian Mothers by Alisa Steckel Alternative Gay and Lesbian Families The Adoptive and Foster Gay and Lesbian Parent by Wendell Ricketts and Roberta Achtenberg The Gay and Lesbian Stepparent Family by David A. Baptiste, Jr. The Heterosexually Married Gay and Lesbian Parent David R. Matteson Psychosocial Implications and Legal Issues Considering Parenthood: Psychosocial Issues for Gay Men and Lesbians Choosing Alternative Fertilization by Cheri Pies Counseling Gay Husbands and Fathers by Brian Miller Lesbian Mothers: Mental Health Considerations by G. Dorsey Green Legal Issues in Gay and Lesbian Parenting by Rhonda R. Rivera Epilogue Gay and Lesbian Parents: Future Perspectives by Frederick W. Bozett Additional References Index

Migration, Remittances, and the Family

Remittances by migrants along with migration itself are elements in a migrant familys intertemporal contractual arrangement. The reasons why the migrant and his family voluntarily enter into a mutually beneficial contractual arrangement with each other rather than with a 3rd party--are discussed and the conditions under which the contractual arrangement is self-enforcing are identified. Both parties can usually benefit from a number of Pareto-efficient mutual contractual arrangements. This gives rise to an indeterminacy problem solved through a bargaining process between the parties who consequently converge to a contractual arrangement implying a specific flow of migrant-to-family remittances. The chosen contractual arrangement reflects the relative bargaining powers of the parties and variables impinging upon these powers thus bear upon remittances. In the light of these arguments tests are conducted on observed remittance behavior across individual migrants in Botswana. (authors)

Quality of care in public health well child clinics: a neglected issue.

The process of well child care in public health clinics was evaluated using a peer review approach based on explicit criteria formulated by the peers themselves. The criteria defined what should be done in order to ensure good preventive care during a client-provider encounter. The data from this study suggest that the traditional goals of public health are being pursued, but that a broader spectrum of preventive care, including attention to the child's psychosocial development, is still lacking.

Psychosocial Development in Children With Chronic Renal Insufficiency

Psychosocial Development in Children With Chronic Renal Insufficiency

Connections—Relating Instructional Theory to Children's Psychosocial Development

Connections—Relating Instructional Theory to Children's Psychosocial Development

Critique [of Cultural Differences in American and Southeast Asian Children's Psychosocial Development by Jacqueline Ulmen Zbaracki

Critique [of Cultural Differences in American and Southeast Asian Children's Psychosocial Development by Jacqueline Ulmen Zbaracki