Social-emotional Challenges Research Articles

The unique social-emotional challenges that bright immigrant youth face

This paper explores the social-emotional challenges faced by bright immigrant youth. We incorporate Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to identify complexities across the model’s 5 layers. In the microsystem, cultural heritage conflicts with assimilation, disrupting support networks, suggesting the need for culturally sensitive support in schools, peer networks, and family involvement. The mesosystem highlights language and cultural barriers in family-school cooperation, recommending enhanced communication, curricular adjustments, and language support. The exosystem reveals immigration policies and discrimination exacerbate challenges, advocating for equitable educational access and cultural competence training. The macrosystem addresses societal perceptions and the recognition of giftedness, promoting equality, diversity, and positive cultural climates. Finally, the chronosystem indicates that policy changes impact developmental trajectories. Understanding these 5 socio-cultural layers and implementing targeted interventions can effectively support the social-emotional well-being and academic success of immigrant youth.

The development of the Sensory Emotional Engagement Checklist (SEE-C): Preliminary reliability and validity

ABSTRACT The Sensory Emotional Engagement Checklist (SEE-C) was developed to assess social emotional challenges in children whose sensory integration and sensory processing differences impact daily life. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the SEE-C for identifying social emotional patterns. Retrospective data were used from parent interviews and consultations at a pediatric clinic in the northeast with occupational therapists that produced items representative of hypothesized social-emotional behavioral subtypes. Factor analysis was conducted to explore construct validity, followed by internal consistency reliability of factor groupings. Correlational analyses were computed for factors within the SEE-C as well as between the SEE-C and the Sensory Processing 3 Dimensions Checklist (SP3D-C). Data were collected from 167 individuals’ charts of children ranging from 4.5 to 13.5 years who were evaluated for sensory integration and sensory processing differences. Factor analysis revealed a four-factor solution that explained the proposed structure of the SEE-C. Internal reliability for SEE-C factors ranged from α = .7 to .8. Correlations were weak but significant within the SEE-C, as well as between factors of the SEE-C and the SP3D-C subscales. Evidence supports the preliminary reliability and validity of the SEE-C as well as suggesting a link between children’s social emotional styles and sensory-related behaviors. The proposed social emotional behavior patterns of the SEE-C also suggest behaviors commonly considered in the mental health field may be reflective of sensory integration and sensory processing differences. These sensory-emotional patterns can further justify the inclusion of pediatric Occupational Therapists as part of the therapeutic intervention team for social emotional challenges in children.

Development of the Sensory Emotional Engagement Checklist: Preliminary Reliability & Validity

Abstract Date Presented 03/23/24 The Sensory Emotional Engagement Checklist (SEE-C) was developed to assess social-emotional challenges in children with sensory integration and processing differences. This study evaluated the scale's preliminary reliability and validity. Primary Author and Speaker: Michele Parkins Additional Authors and Speakers: AnnMarie Murphy, Sarah A. Schoen

Preparing Educators to Navigate the Social-Emotional Terrain

The FIXIT Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) game was created by the authors as an analog card game to help educators prepare for social-emotional challenges in the classroom. In the game, players work together as a team to overcome obstacles and practice addressing challenging scenarios while thinking through support beyond academic needs. This game-based approach provides a low-risk environment for educators to practice and prepare for real-life situations. Learning assessment is completed through gameplay discussions, end-of-game debriefs, and personal learning reflections. This version of FIXIT is for educators, but the game can be adapted to fit any content that includes problem-solving for all ages and grades ECE-12+.

Regulation of emotions in project-based collaborative learning: an empirical study in academic English classrooms.

In spite of the increasing popularity of project-based collaborative learning (PBCL) as a pedagogy, real successful collaboration cannot always be achieved due to the cognitive, motivational and social emotional challenges students encounter during collaboration. Recognizing the challenges and developing regulation strategies to cope with the challenges at both individual and group level is essential for successful collaboration. In the last decades, a growing interest has been developed around socially shared regulation of emotions and how it is interwoven with self-regulation and co-regulation. However, capturing the process of students' emotional challenges and regulations in a long and dynamic project proves difficult and there remains a paucity of evidence on how co-regulation and socially-shared regulation co-occur with learners' cognitive and emotional progress in project-based collaborative learning. The purpose of the present study is to investigate and identify what kind of social emotional challenges students encountered during PBCL and how they regulate themselves and the groups in order to finish the projects. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted in an academic English classroom, with thirty-eight students self-reporting their challenges and regulations three times after finishing each of the projects. The results of qualitative analysis plus a case study of two groups indicate that students encounter a variety of social emotional challenges and employed different levels of co-regulation and socially shared regulation in addition to self-regulation, leading to varying collaboration results and experiences. The findings of the study offer insights into the emotional regulation in PBCL and shed light for future design of pedagogical interventions aiming at supporting socially shared regulation.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation Research and Practice: Taking Stock and Looking Toward the Future

ABSTRACT Family engagement and family–school partnership interventions present significant opportunities to support students who experience identified disabilities or academic or social-emotional challenges. One intervention that brings families and educators together via a collaborative problem-solving process and joint decision-making consultation framework is Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC). Decades of research has documented the efficacy of CBC for promoting positive outcomes for students through the relationship established between teachers and parents. Parent and teacher competencies and practices also improve significantly as a function of CBC. In this paper, we summarize recent research related to CBC’s efficacy for students with or at risk for developing disabilities, articulate important practices aimed at promoting and supporting collaborative partnerships, and lay out an agenda for future work.

Assessing adherence and clinical utility of modified goal management training for adolescents with ADHD: A pilot study

Many adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have executive functioning (EF) difficulties that contribute to academic and social-emotional challenges. This pilot explored adherence to and effectiveness of modified Goal Management Training (GMT), an EF intervention, with ADHD youth. Six adolescents with ADHD (14–17 years, 2 female) participated in a 6-session online group. Adherence was tracked via attendance and homework. Reliable change scores gaged pre-post differences on measures before and after training (primary: everyday EF and goal attainment; secondary: EF task performance, functional impairment, emotional adjustment, and self-concept). All youth attended at least 4 sessions, though homework completion was mixed. Four youth achieved their goal, some demonstrated reliable change on outcome measures, and all evidenced a reduction in impairment. Results support the feasibility of modified GMT in adolescents with ADHD and suggest that youth may benefit from this more personalized and holistic approach to EF intervention.

Community responses to persons with aphasia participating in CoActive therapeutic theatre: A pilot study.

Persons with aphasia (PWA) experience a number of communicative and social-emotional challenges. Reported experiences of PWA include but are not limited to, being misunderstood, isolated, frustrated, and infantilised. The aim of this pilot study, involving a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA), conducted over the course of 2 years, was to understand community perceptions of aphasia while PWA engaged in an interprofessional treatment program involving speech and drama therapy. The interprofessional treatment program involved PWA participating in a therapeutic theatre program using the CoActive Therapeutic Theater (CoATT) while also receiving speech-language therapy. Each year, the PWA performed a different, original therapeutic theatre production for a public audience, at the culmination of their interprofessional treatment program. In this paper, we share data obtained from perspectives of audience members who witnessed the theatre production and aphasia education during the first year of the study and friends and family of PWA who participated in the therapeutic theatre process during the second year of the study. Responses from audience members who participated in aphasia education and witnessed the therapeutic theatre performance by the PWA during the first year, indicated an increased knowledge of aphasia. Friends and family members of PWA who witnessed their loved ones engaging in the CoATT process through interprofessional treatment, in the second year, reported that their loved ones benefited from the CoATT process, which was distinct from other therapeutic processes to their knowledge and that they were impacted by watching their loved one perform. These initial findings create footing towards understanding impact of therapeutic theatre in combination with speech-language therapy in the lives of PWA. They help us to obtain an initial appreciation of how therapeutic theatre and aphasia education help connect PWA and their community. What is already known on this subject Caregivers and communities at large play a significant role in and substantially impact the recovery of their loved ones (Dalemans etal., 2010; Grawburget etal., 2013; Kniepmann & Cupler, 2014) with aphasia. However, existing research suggests that persons with aphasia (PWA) are often misunderstood, isolated and infantilised by their communities. What this paper adds to existing knowledge The findings of our study reveal that friends, families and extended communities of PWA gain a positive and deep understanding of challenges experienced by PWA through therapeutic theatre supported by speech language therapy, based in a new CoActive Therapeutic Theatre (CoATT) model. This PWA community also agrees that therapeutic theatre in combination with speech-language therapy provides confidence and camaraderie between PWAs and strengthen connection between all constituencies. These results support the need for interprofessional intervention within the framework of a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA). What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Treatment paradigms that bring PWAs in contact with their communities using an LPAA approach can increase confidence and social engagement for PWAs potentially leading to better outcomes for their individual speech-language therapy as well as create means of educating communities about PWA, and their stories.

Defining the Neurologic Consequences of Preterm Birth

(N Engl J Med. 2023; 389:441–53) Approximately 15 million babies are born prematurely (before 37 wk gestation) each year, making prematurity the leading cause of neonatal deaths. Despite advancements in perinatal health care, preterm survivors still face a high risk of long-term issues, especially neurological and developmental disabilities. While severe cerebral palsy rates have decreased in the past 2 decades, cognitive impairment and social-emotional challenges among preterm children and young adults remain prevalent. Very preterm children (born <32 wk) typically exhibit lower intelligence quotient scores, with more significant deficits in those born before 26 weeks. The variability in outcomes reflects the extent of brain injury and dysmaturation, with earlier births carrying a risk that is more significant. New insights from advanced neuroimaging and developmental neuroscience emphasize that both brain injury and impaired brain development contribute to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. This review explores the major forms of brain injury, subsequent dysmaturation, mediating factors, and their impact on preterm infant neurodevelopment and aims to guide neonatal clinicians in implementing future neuroprotective strategies for better long-term outcomes.

Research and Application of Virtual Reality Technology Based on the Medical Field of Autism

With the rapid advancement of technology, virtual reality has revolutionized various industries, including healthcare. In particular, the treatment of autism has greatly benefited from the integration of virtual reality technology. This study aims to provide an analysis and summary of the recent advancements and applications of virtual reality in the medical field for autism, based on a comprehensive literature review. It investigates how virtual reality technology is currently helping individuals with autism to alleviate the difficulties caused by complex symptoms, and explores effective treatment and rehabilitation approaches for different types of autism spectrum disorder. The study also examines specific autism disorders, such as social interaction difficulties and emotional regulation challenges. Furthermore, it outlines the numerous challenges that virtual reality technology faces in its development for medical applications in the field of autism. Finally, the paper concludes and offers future prospects in this domain.

Sociolinguistic aspects of integrating within the space of the ‘Other’: the case of Arab students in Jewish schools

ABSTRACT Israel, a multilingual and multicultural society, has an indigenous Arab minority distinguished from the Jewish majority by national, religious, cultural, and linguistic characteristics. Jews and Arabs live mostly in different geographical locales and education systems are also split. In recent years, the number of Arab students attending Jewish schools has increased significantly. Using mixed methods, we examined the question of how, and to what extent, does the integration of Arab adolescents in Jewish schools affect their identity construction, their attitudes toward Hebrew and Arabic, and the maintenance of other cultural and religious characteristics. We explored this from both the parents’ and the students’ perspectives. Findings pointed to the complexity of this experience, including its psychological advantages, the social-emotional challenges involved, and the significant role of teachers. By shedding light on these processes, this study may help to reformulate policy to decrease conflict levels between the groups, and promote intergroup solidarity.

School Sports Club in South Korea: Supporting Middle School Students’ Physical Activity Engagement and Social-Emotional Development in Schools

Adolescents in South Korea have been facing physical (physical inactivity) and social-emotional (e.g., bullying and suicide) challenges in the last few decades. To address these issues, the Ministry of Education in South Korea implemented School Sports Club as a part of the school curriculum. This article introduces the overview, the goals and structure, the status quo, and the future directions of the School Sports Club. School Sports Club is offered during the regular school time and a required curriculum. The primary goal of the School Sports Club is to increase physical activity opportunities, strengthen humanistic education, prevent bullying, and ultimately develop a positive attitude in their school life among students. In School Sports Club, teachers are allowed to select the content that would best meet their students’ needs and school contexts. While there are some challenges, the students have positive experiences in School Sports Club. In summary, School Sports Club is one way to support students’ physical activity engagement and social-emotional learning in school settings.

Young people lived experience of parental divorce with an emphasis on educational consequences

Background and Aim: Divorce has adverse effects on children and can have adverse effects on their mental and physical health. Also, divorce has negative effects on children's education. Based on this, the aim of the present study was to investigate the lived experience of young people from their parents' divorce, emphasizing the educational consequences. Methods: The present research method was qualitative with thematic analysis and applied in terms of purpose. The participants included high school students of Kurdish city in the academic year of 2022, who were selected purposefully. Some of the criteria for their selection were the experience of parental divorce and the desire to participate in the research. Also, the interviews were continued up to 14 cases based on the theoretical saturation criterion. For validity, face validity was used and for reliability, the agreement coefficient between coders was used, and the result of recoding was 0.86. For data analysis, manual coding method was used in the form of open, axial and selective coding. Results: The findings showed that 162 open codes, 13 core themes include: taunting by peers, blaming family, stigma of school environment, shame of divorce, family instability, children's cold heart, emotional void, reluctance to study, excessive study fatigue, drop in academic mentality, Change in academic priority, academic aspirations, lack of morale and vitality, weak self-confidence, increased isolationism and increased introversion and 6 optional themes including: social stigma, cultural challenges, emotional challenges, poor education, academic conflict and psychological consequences for the lived experience of young people. Parental divorce was identified with an emphasis on educational outcomes. Conclusion: Based on the results, it can be concluded that divorce creates different and negative challenges for children and their education, which cultural and educational planners of the country can reduce the negative effects of these effects by empowering them.

Individual differences in SEL among preservice, beginner, and experienced educators with different simulation experiences

This study examines the premise that social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies develop with time and experience. A sample of 616 educators at different stages of seniority (pre-service, beginner or experienced) was surveyed using SEL questionnaires. Results showed an advantage in social competencies for both experienced and beginner educators over pre-service educators. In contrast, dividing the sample based on different simulation experiences (none, limited, and multiple) revealed that experienced educators with limited simulation experience were considerably lower in the cognitive and emotional subscales. Encouragingly, this negative trend was not observed among experienced educators with multiple simulation experience. Theoretically, the findings unveil vulnerabilities in the cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions of SEL that are unique to each stage of seniority, alongside a potential cumulative effect of simulations that may provide means for addressing the inherent social-emotional challenges in the field.

Gifted Children through the Eyes of Their Parents:Talents, Social-Emotional Challenges, and Educational Strategies from Preschool through Middle School.

Few studies have been conducted analyzing the experience of raising a gifted child. The present exploratory study focused on examining the profiles of a sample of 44 gifted children, exploring aspects related to health status, precociousness of development, and peculiarities of their potentiality and peculiar emotional profile. Through the administration of a semi-structured questionnaire and an in-depth interview, the experience of parents of gifted children was also analyzed, deepening the challenges they have to face and the educational strategies they implement. The evidence that emerged helps shed light on specific aspects that characterize gifted children and have implications for family educational practices.

Parental Resilience and Quality of Life in Children with Developmental Disabilities in Indonesia: The Role of Protective Factors

The severity of physical, cognitive, and social-emotional challenges in children with developmental disabilities significantly impacts their quality of life. One of the most consistent factors that play a role in the quality of life for children with a developmental disability is parental resilience. Previous research has identified several factors that influence parental resilience. However, this research is limited to Western countries. Little is known about the role of these factors in relation to parental resilience in Asian societies. The present study investigates the longitudinal associations between potential protective factors (fewer stressors, adaptive appraisal, social support, and compensating experiences) and parental resilience and quality of life in Indonesian families with children with developmental disabilities. A three-wave longitudinal design was used to test the indirect link between protective factors, family resilience, and quality of life. Wave one was composed of 497 families, out of which 224 and 209 families participated in waves two (1-year follow-up) and three (2-year follow-up), respectively. The Inventory of Family Protective Factors (IFPP), the Parenting Resilience Elements and the Quality of Life of children scales were used to assess the main concepts. The longitudinal connections between protective variables, parental resilience, and children’s quality of life were tested using cross-lagged path analysis. The results showed that all protective factors predicted parental resilience, and parental resilience predicted the quality of life of children with developmental disabilities.

CAREGIVER RESILIENCE, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, AND THE RELATION WITH SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN AFFECTED BY ARMED CONFLICT IN COLOMBIA

The first aim was to quantify levels of anxiety, depression, and PTSD among Colombian caregivers, along with rates of comorbidities of these conditions. The second aim was to examine the associations between caregiver psychopathology and social-emotional challenges of children. Third, we examined interactions between caregiver psychopathology and child gender and their associations with child social-emotional problems. Finally, no prior studies have examined caregiver resilience as a buffering factor in the relationship between caregiver psychopathology and child social-emotional challenges.

In the Zoom Where it Happens: From Overwhelmed to Overcome, Collegiate Students’ Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of college and university campuses across the United States and abroad to contain the spread of the virus. While those closures affected everyone, students who lived alone, off-campus were especially impacted, as their access to opportunities for colligate social interaction and engagement, as well as face to face instruction were eliminated. As a result, students living in isolation clung to their synchronous, online courses to overcome social-emotional challenges they experienced as a result of the pandemic. This study explored the impact of mandatory campus closures on college students’ social-emotional health and discovered that synchronous, online courses provided the unprecedented support for students. The results of this study underscore the need for social-emotional learning resources for college students and suggest strategies for faculty to consider adopting as part of their instructional routines.

Constraints of transition to online distance learning in Higher Education Institutions during COVID-19 in developing countries: A systematic review

This paper addresses the paradox of transition to online distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in developing countries. The systematic review methodological procedures were employed to draw some limitations and possible opportunities that may inform future practices on online distance learning. The findings reveal several limitations such as digital inequalities, lack of reliable internet access, low readiness and technological competence among instructors and students, and limited availability of digital solutions. The findings also reveal that most students faced social emotional challenges due to rapid and blind transition to online distance learning. It was concluded that most limitations were due to lack of digital culture even before the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. It is recommended that deliberate investment should be made to promote digital culture and equity. Further possible areas for research recommended in this paper include exploration of digital inclusion among marginalized groups in developing countries.

Cancer treatment regimens and their impact on the patient-reported outcome measures health-related quality of life and perceived cognitive function

Background and purposeBreast cancer can be a significant challenge for those affected. Knowledge of physical function, social-emotional challenges, and perceived cognitive function based on the cancer treatment regimens may help to inform adequate support.MethodsFor this prospective observational pilot study, we collected data of seventy-nine women (mean age 54.6 ± 9.5 years) before (T0) and after (T1) initial breast cancer treatment. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast (FACT-B) and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Cognitive-Function (FACT-Cog) were used to collect data of four treatment subgroups: SCR = Surgery + Chemotherapy + Radiation Therapy; SC = Surgery + Chemotherapy; SR = Surgery + Radiation Therapy; S = Surgery. A mixed ANOVA and posthoc analysis (Tukey, Games-Howell) were used to detect interactions (group by time) and the main effect. A repeated-measures ANOVA displayed individual group differences (time).ResultsSignificant interaction showed more deterioration was experienced with SC and SCR than SR and S for FACT-B (p < 0.01) and FACT-Cog (p < 0.001). The longitudinal comparison between T0 and T1 indicated a significant group main effect on all subscales (p < 0.001) except for Emotional Well-Being. Significant reductions (p < 0.05) in FACT-B, (− 19%); FACT-Cog, (− 21%) with most pronounced effect in Physical Well-Being (− 30%), Functional Well-Being (− 20%), Breast Cancer Subscale (− 20%), Perceived Cognitive Impairments (− 18%) and Impact of Cognitive Impairments on Quality of Life (− 39%) were detected for SCR.ConclusionOur study showed that the extent of change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and perceived cognitive function (PCF) depends on the treatment regimen. Multidisciplinary support initiated early in breast cancer therapy is needed, especially for women undergoing combined cancer treatment. Routine assessment of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in oncology practice may increase the transparency of patients’ perceived circumstances, leading to personalized and optimized acute and survivorship care.