Psychosocial Functioning Of Children Research Articles

Family and developmental correlates of adolescent involvement in decision making about screen use

ObjectiveAssess how child involvement in making rules about screen time relates to age, child prosocial functioning, and amount of screen use. MethodsNORC’s AmeriSpeak Panel was used to recruit a nationally representative sample of parents or guardians of school-aged children (age 5–17) in the United States (n = 2084). Parents completed survey that included measures of screen time, child involvement in rule making about screen use, family functioning, and dimensions of child psychosocial functioning. ResultsAcross all age categories, most families had some form of rules about the allowable amount of screen-based digital media for uses other than schoolwork: 86% of elementary school-aged children (ages 5 to 10), 81% of middle school-aged children (ages 11–13), and 61% of high school aged children (ages 14–17). Across all age groups, having rules was associated with fewer hours of screen time (elementary school: B = -1.31, 95% CI = -1.80 to −0.81, p < 0.001; middle school: B = -1.40, 95% CI = -2.20 to −0.59, p < 0.001; high school: B = -0.97, 95% CI = -1.68 to −0.27, p = 0.007). Child involvement in making rules was significantly greater for high school students as compared to elementary school students (ß=0.12, p < 0.001), and not associated with high school- or middle-school aged child screen time. Across all age groups, child involvement in making rules was associated with higher levels of prosocial functioning (elementary school: ß=0.07, p < 0.001; middle school: ß=0.19, p = 0.001; high school: ß=0.21, p < 0.001). ConclusionsChild involvement in making rules about screen use may be an opportunity to strengthen developmentally important competencies, as part of a broader autonomy-supportive approach to parenting.

Caregiver Burden Associated With Pediatric Chronic Pain: A Retrospective Study Using the Pediatric Electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration Database.

This retrospective, cross-sectional study investigated the nature and extent of burden experienced by caregivers of children and adolescents with chronic pain, and factors associated with increased caregiver burden. The Pediatric Electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration database provided prospectively collected data from 1929 families attending 9 pediatric chronic pain services across Australia and New Zealand. Data included demographic information, responses to child pain and functioning measures, caregiver work impairment, and psychosocial functioning. Caregivers of children with chronic pain reported work impairment associated with their child's pain (mean: 15% ± SD 25 absenteeism; 38% ± SD 29 productivity lost), significantly worse than published international population norms (large-scale community survey data), most other caregiver samples of adults and children with other chronic conditions, and adult samples with various pain conditions. Caregivers reported considerable burden in multiple psychosocial functioning domains, particularly leisure functioning, pain-related catastrophizing, and adverse parenting behaviors (with greater pain-related avoidance). Caregiver psychosocial burden was significantly associated with child psychosocial functioning (β = -0.308, P < 0.01), school absenteeism (β = 0.161, P < 0.01), physical disability (β = 0.096, P < 0.05), and pain duration (β = 0.084, P < 0.05), but not pain intensity. Caregiver work productivity loss was significantly associated with school absenteeism (β = 0.290, P < 0.01), child physical disability (β = 0.148, P < 0.01), child health care utilization (β = 0.118, P < 0.05), and worst pain intensity (β = 0.101, P < 0.05). These results highlight the significant and varied impacts experienced by caregivers of children with chronic pain. This work is novel in reporting significant work impairment and confirms psychosocial burden in a larger sample than previous studies.

Mindfulness-enhanced parenting programmes for improving the psychosocial outcomes of children (0 to 18 years) and their parents.

Mindfulness-enhanced parenting programmes for improving the psychosocial outcomes of children (0 to 18 years) and their parents.

The impact of domestic violence on the mental health and psychosocial functioning of children and adolescents: abroad experience of diagnostics

The article presents an overview of the foreign experience of professional monitoring of children exposed to domestic violence, which is characterized by structured approaches and the wide use of short screening tests-questionnaires for all involved parties - children, parents, teachers, nurses, pediatricians, and mental health specialists. For diagnosis, tools recommended by the international community of specialists in the field of mental health protection of children and adolescents are provided. There are ready-made test-batteries for comprehensive routine assessment of treatment progress that assess indicators of mental health and clinical disorders for adolescents aged 11–18 years and are based on information from adolescents, caregivers and clinicians. They are appropriate for use as screening tools and/or to monitor changes in symptoms over time, assess the outcome of therapy, focus on treatment processes, for example, the therapeutic alliance, treatment expectations. The review pays special attention to a method that gives a global assessment of the psyche, namely the “Pediatric Symptom Checklist” method by M. Jellinek and M. Murphy and colleagues (PSC and Y-PSC versions), which is successfully used to screen for psychosocial problems children This tool has several significant advantages - it has a wide range of action, namely targeting various symptoms of a child’s psychosocial disorders (and not just one: depression or anxiety, or fears, or dissociation, or behavior disorder, etc.); it is very easy and economical in terms of implementation and administration (it takes only 3-5 minutes to execute and the same to process); it clearly distinguishes children who already need additional attention and help from specialists in psychological and psychiatric profiles, and can be used to assess the dynamics of the condition and the effectiveness of assistance. In addition, it conceptually corresponds to the theoretical model of T. M. Achenbach and reveals a violation of the child’s psyche in both ways - internalization and externalization - as a result of adverse developmental conditions. This tool is quite actively used in modern science and clinical practice, it provides important results during the study of psychological problems of children who have experienced domestic or other types of violence, have post-traumatic stress disorder, and experienced displacement from military conflict zones

Caregiver Perceptions of Children's and Adolescents' Psychosocial Functioning During the Stringent COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions in Shanghai: Cross-sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a global health crisis. The Shanghai municipal government in China implemented strict and comprehensive pandemic control strategies in the first half of 2022 to eliminate a wave of COVID-19 infection. The pandemic and the resulting government responses have led to abrupt changes to families' daily lives, including the mental health of children and adolescents. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of COVID-19 exposure and the stringent lockdown measures on the daily life and mental health of children and adolescents and to provide suggestions on maintaining their mental health when similar public health emergencies occur in the future. In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous survey was distributed online in May 1-15, 2022, in Shanghai. Individuals were eligible to participate if they were currently the caregiver of a child or adolescent (aged 4-17 years). Outcomes were psychosocial functioning of children and adolescents, as reported by parents, using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17. COVID-19 exposure and life changes were also reported. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors for poor psychosocial functioning. In total, 2493 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The rate of positive scores on the global Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 scale was 16.5% (n=411). Internalizing, attention, and externalizing problem subscale positivity rates were 17.3% (n=431), 10.9% (n=272), and 8.9% (n=221), respectively. Caregivers reported that 64.2% (n=1601) and 20.7% (n=516) of the children's interactions with friends or peers and parents deteriorated, respectively. Compared with male caregivers, female caregivers were less likely to report psychosocial problems in children and adolescents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.68; 95% CI 0.53-0.88). Older children and those with lower COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Scales scores were less likely to have psychological problems (aOR 1.15; 95% CI 1.10-1.21). Compared with children with screen times <1 hour per day for recreation, those using screens for >3 hours had higher odds of psychological distress (aOR 2.09; 95% CI 1.47-1.97). Children who spent 1-2 hours exercising and had better interactions with friends or peers and parents showed a trend toward lower odds of psychological problems. Children and adolescents with worse sleep compared with preclosure were more likely to have psychological problems. The prevalence of psychosocial problems among children and adolescents is relatively high. Being young, having more COVID-19 exposure, and having more screen times (>3 h/day), less exercise time (<30 min), worse sleep, and deteriorated interactions with friends or peers and parents were risk factors for poor psychosocial functioning. It is necessary for governments, communities, schools, and families to take appropriate countermeasures to reduce the negative impact of the stringent control measures on caregivers' parenting and psychosocial functioning of children and adolescents.

Mindfulness Initiatives for Students, Teachers, and Parents: a Review of Literature and Implications for Practice During COVID-19 and Beyond.

The use of mindfulness in schools has greatly expanded over the past 10years. Research has demonstrated positive psychological effects of mindfulness for students as well as teachers (Emerson et al., Mindfulness 8:1136-1149, 2017; Semple et al., Psychology in the Schools 54:29-52, 2017). Similarly, studies focusing on mindfulness interventions for parents of children with disabilities and/or psychosocial difficulties have also yielded a variety of positive outcomes, including reduced parenting stress, increases in quality of life, and improved parent-child interactions (Bögels et al., 2016; Rayan and Ahmad, Research in Developmental Disabilities 55:185-196, 2016). Although there has been a proliferation of mindfulness research, and mindfulness has become a buzzword in popular culture, it has not been systematically examined or applied as an approach to improving psychosocial functioning in children, school personnel, and families during COVID-19 and in online settings. This article provides a preliminary framework for this examination by reviewing relevant research and providing practical strategies and resources for school psychologists.

Mothers’ temperament and psychosocial functioning of children with autism spectrum disorder

Mothers’ temperament and psychosocial functioning of children with autism spectrum disorder

A Prospective Cohort Study of the Association Between Preinjury Psychosocial Function and Postconcussive Symptoms in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An A-CAP Study.

We evaluated the moderating effect of preinjury psychosocial function on postconcussion symptoms for children with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). We conducted a prospective cohort study of children ages 8.0 to 16.9 years with mTBI ( n = 633) or orthopedic injury (OI; n = 334), recruited from 5 pediatric emergency departments from September 2016 to December 2018. Participants completed baseline assessments within 48 hours of injury, and postconcussion symptoms assessments at 7 to 10 days, weekly to 3 months, and biweekly to 6 months post-injury. Preinjury psychosocial function was measured using parent ratings on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), retrospectively evaluating their child's status prior to the injury. Parent and child ratings on the Health and Behavior Inventory (HBI) (cognitive and somatic subscales) and the Post-Concussion Symptom Interview (PCS-I) were used as measures of postconcussion symptoms. We fitted 6 longitudinal regression models, which included 747 to 764 participants, to evaluate potential interactions between preinjury psychosocial function and injury group as predictors of child- and parent-reported postconcussion symptoms. Preinjury psychosocial function moderated group differences in postconcussion symptoms across the first 6 months post-injury. Higher emotional and conduct problems were significantly associated with more severe postconcussion symptoms among children with mTBI compared with OI. Wald's χ 2 for interaction terms (injury group × SDQ subscales) ranged from 6.3 to 10.6 ( P values <.001 to .043) across parent- and child-reported models. In contrast, larger group differences (mTBI > OI) in postconcussion symptoms were associated with milder hyperactivity (Wald's χ 2 : 15.3-43.0, all P < .001), milder peer problems (Wald's χ 2 : 11.51, P = .003), and higher social functioning (Wald's χ 2 : 12.435, P = .002). Preinjury psychosocial function moderates postconcussion symptoms in pediatric mTBI, highlighting the importance of assessing preinjury psychosocial function in children with mTBI.

Diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders-INfORM recommendations: Comprehensive and short-form adaptations for children.

The Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) are used worldwide in adults. Until now, no adaptation for use in children has been proposed. The aim of this study was to present comprehensive and short-form adaptations of Axis I and Axis II of the DC/TMD for adults that are appropriate for use with children in clinical and research settings. Global Delphi studies with experts in TMDs and in pain psychology identified ways of adapting the DC/TMD for children. The proposed adaptation is suitable for children aged 6-9 years. Proposed changes in Axis I include (i) adapting the language of the Demographics and the Symptom Questionnaires to be developmentally appropriate for children, (ii) adding a general health questionnaire for children and one for their parents, (iii) replacing the TMD Pain Screener with the 3Q/TMD questionnaire and (iv) modifying the clinical examination protocol. Proposed changes in Axis II include (i) for the Graded Chronic Pain Scale, to be developmentally appropriate for children, (ii) adding anxiety and depression assessments that have been validated in children and (iii) adding three constructs (stress, catastrophising and sleep disorders) to assess psychosocial functioning in children. The recommended DC/TMD, including Axis I and Axis II, for children aged 6-9 years, is appropriate for use in clinical and research settings. This adapted the first version for children includes changes in Axis I and Axis II changes requiring reliability and validity testing in international settings. Official translations to different languages according to INfORM requirements will enable a worldwide dissemination and implementation.

Convergence Between the Child Behavior Checklist Sleep Items, Actigraphy and Other Sleep Measures Among Children of Parents with Alcoholic Disorders and Controls.

The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) is a widely used instrument of children psychosocial functioning. CBCL sleep items have been used in both clinical settings and research. To date, few empirical studies have examined the relationships between CBCL sleep items and other sleep measures such as actigraphy and validated sleep questionnaires. This study extends the literature by examining these relationships in a group of children of parents with an alcohol use disorder (COAs) and matched controls. Two hundred and forty-eight children aged 8-12 (48% COAs; 50% girls; Mean age =10.37 (Standard deviation = 1.47)), participated in this study. Data presented here were taken from Time 1 of a larger prospective study designed to understand the relationship between sleep and alcohol use. All participants were naïve to alcohol and other illicit drugs. Parents completed the Achenbach CBCL and the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ). Participants wore an actigraph watch on their non-dominant wrists for one week and filled out the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Multiple regression analyses showed that CBCL sleep items (eg, "trouble sleeping") correlated with related actigraphy (eg, shorter total sleep time and longer sleep onset latency) and Pediatrics Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ) items (eg, sleep difficulties and daytime sleepiness). Logistic regression analyses indicated that CBCL items (eg, "trouble sleeping) predicted similar items in the Youth Self Report (YSR) (eg, trouble sleeping). Structural equation modeling analyses showed that the latent variable "CBCL sleep" correlated significantly with the latent variables of actigraphy (r = -0.54, p < 0.001), PSQ (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) and YSR (r = 0.38, p < 0.01). These associations were largely the same for COAs and controls. CBCL items were significantly associated with actigraphy variables, a validated sleep measure (PSQ) and youth report of sleep for both COAs and non-COAs.

Inclusive education for children with disabilities in a refugee camp.

Children in refugee camps, and particularly those with disabilities, face unique challenges in accessing education and are at high risk of being marginalised. Best practices suggest that main-streaming is the optimal strategy for serving students with disabilities. This study examines the extent to which mainstreaming in a refugee camp helps to promote children's prosocial behaviours, taking into account their emotional and behavioural problems. In Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, researchers collected data from the parents of children currently enrolled in special needs education centres (n=65) and from those formerly enrolled at these facilities who transitioned to mainstream classrooms (n=81). Children in mainstream schools functioned better in terms of prosocial behaviours, but this relationship disappeared when factoring in children's emotional and behavioural difficulties. In the context of a refugee camp, mainstreaming alone is not likely to help children's psychosocial and educational functioning, which requires dedicated supports, appropriate facilities and infrastructure, and a dual focus on disability-specific and disability-inclusive initiatives.

Gender differences in risk factors and psychosocial functioning in children with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

ObjectiveFemale predominance is evident in childhood-onset psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). Understanding gender-specific vulnerability to PNES may provide a unique insight into its cause and management. We aimed to investigate gender differences in demographic characteristics, triggering factors and psychosocial functioning in children and youth with PNES. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed patients who were evaluated in the PNES clinic at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta from July 2019 to March 2020 and completed questionnaires to assess adverse life events, psychosocial function (Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 [PSC-17]), and somatic symptoms (Children’s Somatic Symptom Inventory-8, [CSSI-8]). ResultsForty-nine consecutive patients (38 girls, 11 boys) with a median age of 15.0 (9–19) years were included in the study. We performed univariate analysis and evaluated significant variables related to PNES according to sex. Majority of both genders experienced daily to weekly PNES, came from dysfunctional families, scored high on PSC-17, were treated for neuropsychiatric illnesses, and experienced bothersome somatic symptoms. The variables significantly different between genders were suicidal thoughts, history of trauma, and learning disability. Suicidal thoughts and trauma, particularly sexual abuse, were significantly more prevalent in girls (p = 0.03) whereas learning disability was more common in boys (p = 0.03). ConclusionFemales predominated in our PNES clinic (F:M = 3.5:1). Gender differences in predisposing factors were sexual abuse in females and learning disability in males. Our data highlight the gender-specific risk factors and vulnerability to PNES. The awareness of gender difference may guide more targeted intervention for children and youth with PNES.

Psychopathological symptoms associated with psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and their typically developing peers

Children and adolescents with autism have increased prevalence of psychosocial disabilities. Studies in autism indicate that key psychosocial factors including adaptive functioning, school absence, special needs education, frequency of peer socialization and participation in organized leisure activities may differ in their relationship with autistic, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, but the findings are so far mixed. Therefore, we examined if these measures of psychosocial functioning displayed specific associations with autistic, internalizing and/or externalizing symptoms in 61 children with autism aged 7–14 years compared to 61 typically developing controls. Multiple linear regression analyses across all participants showed that lower adaptive functioning, frequency of peer socialization and participation in leisure activities were driven by more social communication problems and not internalizing, externalizing or autistic-like symptoms including rigidity, stereotypy and sensory sensitivity. Notably, increased school absence was specifically driven by more internalizing symptoms and not autistic or externalizing symptoms. These associations were observed across all participants, both children with autism and their typically developing peers, and therefore appear to be dimensional and general in nature. Within the autism group, children who received special needs education displayed fewer social communication problems compared to those who attended regular education, while a developmental history of social interaction problems was related to lower adaptive functioning. Our findings suggest that social communication problems are more critical for psychosocial functioning than other autistic-like behaviors, internalizing or externalizing symptoms but that efforts to reduce school absence specifically need to target internalizing symptoms and not autistic-like or externalizing symptoms.

A Multisite Study Investigating Child and Parent Proxy Reported Quality of Life in Children With Cleft Lip and/or Palate.

This observational, multisite cohort study explored health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P), including interrater agreement and ratings for this group relative to clinical cutoff scores and published means for healthy and chronically ill children. Participants (338 children ages 8-10 years, 45.9% male and their parents, 82.0% female) across 6 sites completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Generic Core Scales (PedsQL). Intraclass correlation revealed poor interrater agreement for most HRQoL domains. Although ratings were generally higher than those expected for children with a chronic illness, child ratings were below healthy means for school functioning, and parent proxy ratings were below healthy means for all domains except physical functioning. Lower ratings consistent with chronic illness means were found for self-reported emotional and psychosocial functioning in children with cleft lip and palate (CLP), as well as parent proxy-reported emotional, school, and psychosocial functioning for children with cleft palate (CP). Scores were most likely to be in the clinical range for children with CP for social, school, and total functioning. Although parent proxy report provides important information about observed functioning, poor interrater agreement indicates that both child and parent proxy reported HRQoL should be included in outcomes assessment for CL/P. HRQoL ratings may be higher for children with CL/P compared to youth with other chronic illnesses, but psychosocial functioning may be negatively impacted when compared with healthy youth, particularly for emotional, social, and school functioning in children with CLP or CP.

Sibling relationships and school entry psychosocial functioning: Dual risk or differential susceptibility?

The aim of the present study was to test whether relations between temperament, sibling relationship quality, and problem behavior and social competence of children at school entry are in line with either of two competing models, dual risk and differential susceptibility. Our sample consisted of 977 Dutch mothers (Mean age 35.7 years) reporting about a target child at school entry. Regarding target children, mean age was 4.7 years, 48.1% were boys and 52.1% were older than their sibling. Mean age difference between siblings was 2.7 years. Using a cross-sectional design, mothers filled out online questionnaires concerning sibling relationship quality, temperament, problem behavior, and social competence of the target child. Path analysis was used to examine whether temperament moderated the link between sibling relationship quality and child psychosocial functioning. In line with differential susceptibility, results from moderation analyses indicate that among children low in effortful control (EC), sibling conflict was more strongly positively associated with internalizing and externalizing problems than among children high in EC, but sibling warmth also was more strongly positively related to social competence in children low in EC than in children high in EC. However, follow-up Region of Significance analyses shows that our findings are only consistent with weak differential susceptibility. No significant moderation effects were found for surgency or negative affect. Our findings suggest that low effortful control is a susceptibility marker concerning the link between sibling relationship quality and child functioning. Limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Young Children with Type 1 Diabetes: Recent Advances in Behavioral Research.

Purpose of ReviewThis review provides a recent update of behavioral research pertinent to young children with T1D and addresses current priorities and future directions.Recent FindingsRates of type 1 diabetes (T1D) in young children (ages 1–7) are continuing to rise. Since 2014, changes to diabetes care and management have impacted young children and reinforced the need for increased attention and interventions to support diabetes management, especially in caregivers who are primarily responsible for their young child’s diabetes management.SummaryT1D is associated with unique physiologic challenges in young children, with constant management demands elevating parental diabetes-related stress and fear of hypoglycemia. Diabetes technology use has significantly increased in young children, contributing to improvements in glycemic levels and parent and child psychosocial functioning. Yet despite the positive outcomes demonstrated in select clinical behavioral interventions, research with this young child age group remains limited in scope and quantity.

Earthquake exposure, adverse childhood experiences, and psychosocial functioning in Chilean children: A longitudinal study.

The impact of an 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake on elementary school students' psychosocial functioning was assessed along with exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Skills for Life,a national school-based mental health program in Chile, routinely assesses first- and third-grade students' psychosocial functioning and classroom adaptation. Students (N = 19,627) were screened before (2009) and after (2011) the 2010 earthquake with parent- and teacher-report measures and with a parent-report of four ACEs (family psychopathology, child chronic illness, family social isolation, father absence). Earthquake exposure was categorized as mild, moderate, or severe for Chile's 15 regions. Multilevel models analyzed the unadjusted and adjusted impacts of earthquake exposure and ACEs on functioning while clustering for school- and district-level effects. In covariate-adjusted models, earthquake exposure and three ACEs were significantly associated with worsened psychosocial functioning; earthquake exposure and all four ACEs were significantly associated with worsened classroom adaptation. New family psychopathology, B = 1.90, p < .001; chronic illness, B = 2.25, p < .001; and severe earthquake impact, B = 1.29, p < .001, held the strongest negative effects on psychosocial well-being. Moderate, B = 3.04, p = .011, and severe earthquake exposure, B = 2.53, p = .047, and new family psychopathology, B = 1.99, p < .001, were associated with the worst classroom functioning 1-year postdisaster. Findings suggest that both exogenous and home-based stressors can have significant consequences for children's psychosocial functioning and classroom adaptation, and routine screening helps quantify how individual students are affected by chronic versus acute stressors.

Mindfulness, parenting behavior, and children's mental health: An investigation among diverse, low-income mothers of preschool aged children

Mindfulness is a multifaceted construct, encompassing the ability to observe, describe, accept without judgment, and act with awareness, which has been shown to have a meaningful impact on parenting. The present study evaluated the relationship between discrete facets of mindfulness, mothers' parenting behaviors, and their children's mental health via a mediation model linking parental mindfulness to their children's psychological functioning through adaptive parenting behaviors. Low-income, racially and ethnically diverse mothers (N = 137) of preschool aged children (3-6 years-old) were recruited from programs for diverse, low-income families around an urban northeastern USA area. Mothers completed questionnaires assessing mindfulness, parenting behaviors, and their children's psychological functioning. Results revealed that punitive parenting mediated the relationship between lower parental mindfulness and greater child externalizing problems. Parenting behaviors were not found to mediate the relationship between mindfulness and internalizing symptoms. Regarding facets of mindfulness, mothers' ability to describe was associated with fewer internalizing symptoms, their capacity to observe was associated with less inconsistent parenting behaviors, and their tendency to act with awareness was associated with less punitive parenting. Mothers' ability to accept without judgment was the most consistent predictor of child functioning and parenting behavior, as lower acceptance among mothers was found to significantly predict more inconsistent and punitive parenting behaviors, as well as more child externalizing and internalizing symptoms. These results support the importance of mindfulness in parenting behaviors and child psychosocial functioning in a diverse sample of low-income mothers, and highlight acceptance without judgment as a particularly meaningful target for future mindfulness-based parenting interventions.

Diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders in children and adolescents: An international Delphi study-Part 2-Development of Axis II.

Unlike the psychosocial assessment established for adults in the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD), a standardised psychosocial assessment for children and adolescents with TMD complaints has not yet been established. To develop a new standardised instrument set to assess the psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents by adapting the psychosocial status and pain-related disability (Axis II) of the adult DC/TMD and by including new instruments. A modified Delphi method was used to survey 23 international TMD experts and four international experts in pain-related psychological factors for consensus regarding assessment tools for psychosocial functioning and pain-related disability in children and adolescents. The TMD experts reviewed 29 Axis II statements at round 1, 13 at round 2 and 2 at round 3. Agreement was set at 80% for first-round consensus level and 70% for each of the second and third rounds. The psychological experts completed a complementary Delphi survey to reach a consensus on tools to use to assess more complex psychological domains in children and adolescents. For the psychological experts, the first round included 10 open-ended questions on preferred screening tools for depression, anxiety, catastrophising, sleep problems and stress in children (ages 6-9years old) and adolescents (ages 10-19years old) as well as on other domains suggested for investigation. In the second round, the psychological experts received a 9-item questionnaire to prioritise the suggested instruments from most to least recommended. The TMD experts, after three Delphi rounds, reached consensus on the changes of DC/TMD to create a form to evaluate Axis II in children and adolescents with TMD complaints. The psychological experts added tools to assess depression and anxiety, sleep disorders, catastrophising, stress and resilience. Through international expert consensus, this study adapted Axis II of the adult DC/TMD to assess psychosocial functioning and pain-related disability in children and adolescents. The adapted Axis II protocols will be validated in the target populations.

Brief, parent-led, transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral teletherapy for youth with emotional problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased stress, anxiety, and depression in children. A six-session, parent-led, transdiagnostic, cognitive-behavioral teletherapy program was adapted from an established protocol to help youth aged between 5 and 13 years manage emotional problems during the pandemic. MethodsOne-hundred twenty-nine parents of youth struggling with emotional problems during the COVID-19 pandemic participated in the program. Parents reported on their children's psychosocial functioning before and after treatment using validated assessments. They also reported on treatment satisfaction. Clinician-rated global improvement was assessed at each session to determine clinically significant treatment response. ResultsSignificant improvements in parent proxy-reported anxiety (d = 0.56), depression (d = 0.69), stress (d = 0.61), anger (d = 0.69), family relationships (d = 0.32), and COVID-19-related distress (d = 1.08) were found, with 62% of participants who completed the program being classified as treatment responders. Parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the program. LimitationsThis study was limited by use of primarily parent-report assessments and a lack of a control group. ConclusionsBrief, parent-led, transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral teletherapy appeared to be an effective way to help youth cope with the pandemic and may be a scalable framework in response to large-scale mental health crises.