Social Emotional Difficulties Research Articles

The Use of Dance as a Therapeutic Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose: This study sought to investigate the use of dance as a therapeutic intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the use of dance as a therapeutic intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Preliminary empirical review revealed that dance therapy holds promise in addressing the diverse needs of individuals with ASD, including social communication deficits, sensory sensitivities, and emotional regulation difficulties. By tailoring dance activities to accommodate individual preferences and needs, dance therapy provided a supportive and empowering environment for engagement, self-expression, and personal growth. While preliminary evidence suggested the efficacy of dance therapy, further research was deemed necessary to understand its therapeutic mechanisms fully. The study emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize the delivery of dance therapy interventions and enhance their effectiveness in supporting individuals with ASD in reaching their full potential and leading fulfilling lives. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Attachment theory, Socioecological theory and Embodied Cognition theory may be used to anchor future studies on therapeutic interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The study offered several recommendations that contributed to theory, practice, and policy. It suggested further research to advance theoretical frameworks and understand the mechanisms underlying dance therapy's effectiveness. In practice, the study recommended developing evidence-based guidelines, providing training for practitioners, and adopting person-centered approaches. Policy recommendations included advocating for policy changes, funding research, and integrating dance therapy into mainstream ASD interventions. Training initiatives, research collaboration, community engagement, and advocacy efforts were also emphasized to promote the integration and effectiveness of dance therapy for individuals with ASD in the past.

Cultivating Compassion in Jewish-Israeli Kindergartners: The Effectiveness of Mindfulness- and Empathy-Based Interventions As Facilitators of Compassion

ABSTRACT We examined the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) compared to a social-emotional empathy-based intervention (EBI), and a passive control group in promoting compassion among Jewish-Israeli kindergartners. Three middle-class public kindergartens were randomly assigned to the MBI (n = 26;M age = 5.03), EBI (n = 24;M age = 5.02), or control groups (n = 24;M age = 5.16; N girls = 40). The interventions lasted 12-weeks. Pre- and post-intervention, children’s cognitive compassion was assessed utilizing computerized continuous performance tasks for attention/impulsivity, and structured observations of attention to teacher and on-task behaviors; emotional compassion was measured with structured observations of prosociality, negative affect, social-emotional difficulties, and aggression; intentional and actual compassion was measured using a compassionate responding paradigm. Research Findings: Results showed that MBI participants decreased impulsivity and improved sustained attention, increased attentiveness to the teacher, and reduced social difficulties and aggression – these effects did not appear for either other group. Additionally, the MBI and EBI participants increased prosociality and compassionate behaviors more than the control group, however the magnitude of change from the MBI was significantly larger. The MBI increased cognitive, emotional, intentional, and behavioral skills and understanding that are essential components necessary to engage in compassion. Practice or Policy: MBIs can be effectively led by teachers and integrated into school curriculum to facilitate just and caring educational communities.

Understanding the Social Interaction and Communication Skills in Autistic Children

Abstract: ASD (autism spectrum disorder) presents with social emotional difficulties for individuals who interpret and successfully communicate social signals. This paper reviews the effect of peer influence on social communication and interaction abilities in the children with autism. The paper reviews the available literature and offers intervention strategies that can better the social interaction status of the children. Research points to the fact that there are gender difference patterns in the social communication skills of ASD children, suggesting therefore the need for gender-sensitivity in their understanding and care. The research supports the need for personalized therapeutic strategies and care services. This allows for progressive social and communication advancements for children with autism spectrum disorder. On the other hand, the study also acknowledges several limitations, so that, proper diagnostic tools along with other approaches such as longitudinal studies should be considered for a better understanding of social interaction in ASD.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Mental Health: Influence of Hyperandrogenism During Brain Plasticity Periods on Emotional Distress and Social Cognition [ID 2683671

INTRODUCTION: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent cause of endocrine disorders in teenagers. Hyperandrogenism affects brain maturation, especially in high plasticity periods (intrauterine and adolescence), potentially modulating the social-emotional status of affected adolescents (aPCOS). This study characterizes the consequences of hyperandrogenism in social-emotional status and social cognition on aPCOS. METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study that included aPCOS between 12 and 25 years. Each patient underwent a clinical evaluation and measurements of the following: intrauterine androgen exposure markers (2D:4D, AGD), hormonal parameters, psychological questionnaires (PANAS, SDQ, EQ/SQ, RET, CAM), and Eye-Tracking (Tobii). This study was approved by Universidad de Chile's ethics commitee. RESULTS: Ninety participants were included: 43 cases and 47 controls. aPCOS presented more intrauterine exposure to androgens ([15/18] AGD: 9.7 versus 7.8; P=.014) and hyperandrogenemia ([15/18] FAI: 7.5 versus 4.1; P=.004). They exhibited a predominance of negative affects ([43/47] PANAS: 8.0 versus 2.0; P=.049), more socio-emotional problems ([43/47] SDQ: 2.5 versus 1.5; P=.047), less self-reported empathy ((43/47) EQ: 19.0 versus 25.1; P=.001), and differences in gaze patterns, such as longer time to first fixation in areas of interest (s) ([7/3] AOI(s): 0.35 versus 0.28; P=.037), which was associated with a worse score in emotional recognition (CAM; aR2=−0,920; f=19,48; Pr>|t|=|t|=0.049). CONCLUSION: aPCOS presented with predominance of negative affects, more social-emotional difficulties, and lower score on emotional recognition, associated with exposure to hyperandrogenism during the most critical neuroplasticity periods. These findings suggest that mental health should be evaluated on every PCOS patient, especially adolescents.

Keeping Early Social-Emotional Learning Developmental: The Development, Implementation, and Preliminary Evaluation of a Preventive Intervention Program for Early Childhood Education and Care

Early childhood forms the fundamental basis for developing various social-emotional skills and represents a unique opportunity to lay the foundation for healthy development. Insensitive learning environments in early childhood may lead to social-emotional difficulties, increasing the risk of developing severe behavioral problems. However, professional development (PD) opportunities that support early childhood education professionals’ (ECEPs) knowledge and skills to promote young children’s social and emotional development are scarce. In Finland, notably, the increasing need to enhance competence through further training has been widely recognized. Therefore, this study introduced the POMPedaSens program in early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Finland. The program aims to promote children’s social-emotional learning (SEL) by supporting ECEPs’ engagement and emotional availability. As a universal intervention program, POMPedaSens includes all children in ECEC regardless of risk factors. The present study included 200 children (MAGE = 72.27 months, SD = 5.48; 53% girls) and 62 ECEPs (MAGE = 43.82 years, SD = 11.71; 95% female). ECEPs received the intervention training to implement the curriculum in their everyday daycare routine. The present study describes the program design, implementation, and results from a preliminary evaluation of the social validity of the POMPedaSens program, measured by the ECEPs’ satisfaction with the program. The results of the social validity evaluation suggested high teachers’ satisfaction and improved children’s SEL. These findings prove that the program may effectively build ECEPs’ capacity to promote children’s SEL.

Benefits of expanding behavioral health screening in a pediatric diabetes clinic to include anxiety and caregiver reports in youth 12 years and younger.

Depression and anxiety among youth with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are associated with poor diabetes management. Further guidance regarding psychosocial screening measures would benefit pediatric integrated care clinics. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine whether screening for anxiety, assessing caregiver reports, and screening children 12 years old and younger could identify a larger percentage of youth who may benefit from behavioral health support compared to the standard approach of only screening youth 13 and older for depression. Sixty-five youth 8-17 years old with T1D (N = 65; M = 13.2 years; 55.4% females) and their caregivers (75% mothers) completed validated self-report and proxy-report depression and anxiety screeners during routine clinic visits between 2019 and 2021. Twenty-seven youth aged 13-17 also completed a measure of diabetes-related distress. The standard approach of screening youth aged 13-17 for depression via self-report identified 25.6% of participants, whereas screening youth ages 8-17 for depression and anxiety via self- and proxy-reports identified 47.7%. Screening for depression/anxiety identified unique portions of youth independent of diabetes distress. Utilizing anxiety and proxy-report measures may identify youth likely to benefit from behavioral health support who are not identified when only a self-report depression measure is used in screening. Research should evaluate whether utilizing multiple measures and screening children under 13 years old improve detection and connection to care for youth experiencing difficulty managing diabetes. Early identification and intervention could subsequently mitigate the negative impacts of social-emotional difficulties on diabetes management. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Paroxysmal Dystonic Posturing Mimicking Nocturnal Leg Cramps as a Presenting Sign in an Infant with DCC Mutation, Callosal Agenesis and Mirror Movements.

Background/Objectives: Pathogenic variants in the deleted in colorectal cancer gene (DCC), encoding the Netrin-1 receptor, may lead to mirror movements (MMs) associated with agenesis/dysgenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) and cognitive and/or neuropsychiatric issues. The clinical phenotype is related to the biological function of DCC in the corpus callosum and corticospinal tract development as Netrin-1 is implicated in the guidance of developing axons toward the midline. We report on a child with a novel inherited, monoallelic, pathogenic variant in the DCC gene. Methods: Standardized measures and clinical scales were used to assess psychomotor development, communication and social skills, emotional and behavioural difficulties. MMs were measured via the Woods and Teuber classification. Exome sequencing was performed on affected and healthy family members. Results: The patient's clinical presentation during infancy consisted of paroxysmal dystonic posturing when asleep, mimicking nocturnal leg cramps. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed complete ACC. He developed typical upper limb MMs during childhood and a progressively evolving neuro-phenotype with global development delay and behavioural problems. We found an intrafamilial clinical variability associated with DCC mutations: the proband's father and uncle shared the same DCC variant, with a milder clinical phenotype. The atypical early clinical presentation of the present patient expands the clinical spectrum associated with DCC variants, especially those in the paediatric age. Conclusions: This study underlines the importance of in-depth genetic investigations in young children with ACC and highlights the need for further detailed analyses of early motor symptoms in infants with DCC mutations.

Validating the Social-Emotional Assessment Measure (36–66 Months) for Use Among Chinese Preschoolers

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Social-Emotional Assessment Measure (SEAM) (33–66 months), which is designed to assess social-emotional difficulties and behavior disorders in young children. In this case, the SEAM was translated and back-translated. The sample included 2477 preschoolers (1256 boys; M age = 57.57 months, SD = 10.93) residing in Shanghai, China. In summary, the results presented a 10-factor model that showed a good fit for the SEAM (33–66 months). Ultimately, the analyses demonstrated adequate internal consistency, reliability, and convergent validity. These findings indicate that the SEAM (33–36 months) is appropriate for use in Chinese preschool populations.

Caregiver report of social-emotional functioning in infants and young children after inflicted traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Social-emotional difficulties are common sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Children who have experienced inflicted TBI (iTBI) may be at increased risk for social-emotional problems due to the risk factors associated with both early neurologic injury and with child maltreatment. We characterized the associations among injury severity, caregiver type (i.e., biological parents, non-kinship, kinship), and child social-emotional functioning in 41 infants and young children who had sustained iTBI and were seen in a large, regional children’s hospital. This study was a retrospective analysis, utilizing data collected from the medical record as part of routine clinical care. Social-emotional functioning was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition. Children with more severe injuries were rated as having worse social-emotional functioning. Caregiver type was associated with child social-emotional scores, above and beyond injury and demographic predictors. Biological parents were more likely to report better social-emotional skills than non-kinship caregivers, with the pattern of results suggesting that rater bias plays a role in this difference. In order to ensure that children are accurately identified for supports, these relationships should be considered when interpreting caregiver report of social-emotional skills.

Serious game the Emotion Detectives helps to improve social–emotional skills of children with neurodevelopmental disorders

AbstractChildren with neurodevelopmental disorders often have social–emotional difficulties. Serious games can be used to support their social–emotional learning. This study investigated if 6–10‐year‐old children with autism spectrum condition, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and developmental language disorder would improve their emotion discrimination skills by playing a serious game. Intervention (n = 30) and control groups (n = 20), comprising children with neurodevelopmental disorders, and a group of typically developing (TD) age peers (n = 106), completed six emotion discrimination tasks. ABA research design was applied in this study. Prior to the game intervention, children with neurodevelopmental disorders were significantly delayed in relation to their TD age peers in all tasks. After playing the game for two months, the children in the intervention group had significantly improved their emotion discrimination skills in four tasks, whereas the control group had significantly advanced in only one task without practice. Intervention gains were maintained at the one‐month follow‐up. Parents reported that the children in the intervention group somewhat improved their emotion recognition and behavioural skills in daily life in comparison to the control group. Implications for practice are discussed. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often exhibit various social–emotional symptoms. Within the field of social–emotional learning, many serious games have a narrow focus on specific skills, and they often only provide possibilities for observing target behaviours, not actual skill training. There are mixed results on the efficacy of game‐based interventions targeted at improving social–emotional skills. What this paper adds The Emotion Detectives game used in this study offers a well‐designed learning environment that provides adaptive learning and feedback systems. The participating children's social–emotional skills were assessed with versatile methods and via triangulation. Intervention with the Emotion Detectives game helped to decrease some emotion and behavioural symptoms of the players. Implications for practice This study provides information about the efficacy of a web‐based game that is freely available for supporting children's social–emotional learning. Improvements in emotion discrimination and recognition, as well as behavioural skills, can be gained by playing serious games. For optimal intervention outcomes, multimodal training should be utilized in serious games targeting social–emotional learning.

Teacher attitudes towards evidence-based practices for social, emotional and mental health difficulties in school and association with teacher academic research engagement

ABSTRACT The study examined the association between teacher engagement with academic research to inform practice for pupils with Social Emotional Mental Health Difficulties (SEMHD) and teacher attitudes towards the adoption of evidence-based practices (EBP) for pupils with SEMHD in a sample (n = 79) of undergraduate and postgraduate primary school trainee teachers in England, UK. A questionnaire was used to assess teachers’ academic research engagement operationalised as positive attitudes towards academic research, use of academic research, and knowledge about research. The Evidence-based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) was used to examine attitudes towards EBP. The findings showed that while appreciation of academic research in the sample was high, the use of academic research to inform practice and knowledge about research was low. A positive attitude towards academic research, less scepticism towards the value of academic research to inform school practice, and high research knowledge was associated with a more positive attitude towards EBP. More scepticism towards academic research to inform school practice for SEMHD and weaker understanding of research methods was linked to more scepticism about the relevance of EBP for school practice. The findings have implications for pre-service and in-service teacher training on SEMHD and the implementation of EBP for SEMHD in schools.

Observing mother-child interaction in a free-play vs. a structured task context and its relationship with preterm and term born toddlers' psychosocial outcomes

IntroductionHigh quality of mother-child interaction is associated with better psychosocial outcomes in children. However, this association might depend on the context in which mother-child interaction is observed as well as specific child characteristics. In this study, we examine differences in the assessment of mother-child interaction in a free-play and a structured task context. In addition, it will be investigated whether the behaviors per context are differently associated with preterm vs. term born toddlers' psychosocial outcomes.MethodsA total of 201 Dutch mother-child dyads participated in the study, of whom 108 children were moderate to late preterm (MLP) and 93 were born at term. Mother-child interaction was observed in a free-play and a structured task context when the child was 18 months of (corrected) age. Six subscales of mother-child interaction were assessed using the Coding Interactive Behavior scheme: maternal stimulation, maternal warmth, child's negative affect, active mother and child engagement, dyadic synchrony and tense interaction. Psychosocial outcomes were assessed at 24 months of (corrected) age using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire – Social Emotional and the Child Behavior Checklist.ResultsMother-child interaction was reliably assessed (α > .60) in each context, except for tense interaction during free-play (α = .41) and child's negative affect when averaged across contexts (α = 0.55). Compared to the free-play context, during the structured task, more child's negative affect, tense interaction and active mother and child engagement was observed in MLP and term born children, and less dyadic synchrony in MLP children (p's < .01). Only during a structured task and for term born children, active mother and child engagement was related to less social-emotional difficulties, internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Only during free-play and for MLP children, active mother and child engagement was related to less externalizing behaviors. Dyadic synchrony during a structured task was associated with less social-emotional difficulties in MLP and term born children, and dyadic synchrony during free-play was only associated with less social-emotional difficulties in term born children (all p's < .05).DiscussionMost mother-child interactive behaviors can be reliably assessed in both contexts. The structured task context elicited more varied behaviors than the free-play context. With the observations in the structured task context, more associations with children's psychosocial outcomes were found than with the observations in the free-play context. Mother-child interactions characterized by active, engaged and synchronous behaviors were associated with better psychosocial outcomes in toddlers, with some differences observed for MLP vs. term born children and for the free-play vs. the structured task context. Suggestions for future research as well as clinical practice are provided.

Neurobehavioral Symptoms in Children Born Extremely Preterm: A Swedish National Study.

To determine the prevalence of neurobehavioral problems at 6.5 years in children born extremely preterm (EPT, <27 weeks' gestation). Population-based cohort study of infants born EPT in Sweden from 2004 to 2007. Of 486 survivors 375 were assessed and compared with 369 matched term-born controls. EPT children free from neurosensory and intellectual disabilities (NDD-free, n=236) were compared separately. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess parental ratings of hyperactivity and attention, emotional, peer-relation, conduct, and social problems; and deficits in perception, language and memory. EPT children had more reported problems in all assessed neurobehavioral domains than controls, with more than 3 times greater odds for most outcomes. Except for conduct problems, increased problems were identified also in NDD-free children. The odds of having neurobehavioral problems in ≥3 co-occurring domains were five (whole EPT group) and three (NDD-free group) times higher than in controls. EPT children with or without NDD have more neurobehavioral problems in multiple domains than term peers. Ongoing assessments of behavior until school age or beyond should recognize early symptoms of attention, everyday social problems, perceptual, emotional or language difficulties.

Prenatal and postnatal small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements and children’s social–emotional difficulties at ages 9–11 y in Ghana: follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundProvision of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) during early life improves growth and development. In the International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements DYAD–Ghana trial, prenatal and postnatal SQ-LNS reduced social–emotional difficulties at age 5 y, with greater effects among children in less-enriched home environments. ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal and postnatal SQ-LNS on children's social–emotional problems at age 9–11 y. MethodsIn 2009–2011, 1320 pregnant women ≤20 wk gestation were randomly assigned to receive the following daily until 6 mo postpartum: 1) iron and folic acid until delivery, then placebo, 2) multiple micronutrients (MMNs), or 3) SQ-LNS (20 g/d). Children in group 3 received SQ-LNS from 6 to 18 mo. In 2021, we evaluated children's social–emotional outcomes with 6 assessment tools that used caregiver, teacher, and/or self-report to measure socioemotional difficulties, conduct problems, temperament, mood, anxiety, and emotion management. ResultsWe assessed outcomes in 966 children, comprising 79.4% of 1217 participants eligible for re-enrolment. No significant differences were found between the SQ-LNS and control (non-LNS groups combined) groups. Few children (<2%) experienced high parent-reported social–emotional difficulties at 9–11 y, in contrast to the high prevalence at age 5 in this cohort (25%). Among children in less-enriched early childhood home environments, the SQ-LNS group had 0.37 SD (−0.04 to 0.82) lower self-reported conduct problems than the control group (P-interaction = 0.047). ConclusionsOverall positive effects of SQ-LNS on social–emotional development previously found at age 5 y are not sustained to age 9–11 y; however, there is some evidence of positive effects among children in less-enriched environments. The lack of effects may be owing to low prevalence of social–emotional problems at preadolescence, resulting in little potential to benefit from early nutritional intervention at this age in this outcome domain. Follow-up during adolescence, when social-emotional problems more typically onset, may yield further insights.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00970866. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT00970866

Retinitis Pigmentosa: Current Clinical Management and Emerging Therapies.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) comprises a group of inherited retinal dystrophies characterized by the degeneration of rod photoreceptors, followed by the degeneration of cone photoreceptors. As a result of photoreceptor degeneration, affected individuals experience gradual loss of visual function, with primary symptoms of progressive nyctalopia, constricted visual fields and, ultimately, central vision loss. The onset, severity and clinical course of RP shows great variability and unpredictability, with most patients already experiencing some degree of visual disability in childhood. While RP is currently untreatable for the majority of patients, significant efforts have been made in the development of genetic therapies, which offer new hope for treatment for patients affected by inherited retinal dystrophies. In this exciting era of emerging gene therapies, it remains imperative to continue supporting patients with RP using all available options to manage their condition. Patients with RP experience a wide variety of physical, mental and social-emotional difficulties during their lifetime, of which some require timely intervention. This review aims to familiarize readers with clinical management options that are currently available for patients with RP.

Associations between attentional biases to fearful faces and social-emotional development in infants with and without an older sibling with autism

During the first year of life, infants become increasingly attuned to facial emotion, with heightened sensitivity to faces conveying threat observed by age seven months as illustrated through attentional biases (e.g., slower shifting away from fearful faces). Individual differences in these cognitive attentional biases have been discussed in relation to broader social-emotional functioning, and the current study examines these associations in infants with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a group with an elevated likelihood of a subsequent ASD diagnosis (ELA; n = 33), and a group of infants with no family history of ASD who are at low likelihood of ASD (LLA; n = 24). All infants completed a task measuring disengagement of attention from faces at 12 months (fearful, happy, neutral), and caregivers completed the Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment at 12, 18, and/or 24 months. For the full sample, greater fear bias in attention disengagement at 12 months related to more internalizing behaviors at 18 months, and this was driven by the LLA infants. When examining groups separately, findings revealed that LLA with a greater fear bias had more difficult behaviors at 12, 18, and 24 months; in contrast, ELA showed the opposite pattern, and this was most pronounced for ELA who later received an ASD diagnosis. These preliminary group-level findings suggest that heightened sensitivity to fearful faces might serve an adaptive function in children who later receive an ASD diagnosis, but in infants with no family history of ASD, increased biases might reflect a marker of social-emotional difficulties.

Response to Gattino’s review of the book ‘The AQR tool – Assessment of the quality of relationship’

I am writing this letter to add some facts and answers to questions asked in Gattino’s review of ‘The AQR Tool – Assessment of the Quality of Relationship’ which was published in Approaches (Gattino, 2022). The book, ’The AQR Tool – Assessment of the Quality of Relationship. Based on Developmental Psychology’, was authored by three authors. Two of us, Claudine Calvet and I, developed the tool, and Silke Reimer’s role as the third author was very relevant for the revised publication. Reimer added some important ideas, especially for the accompanying DVD. The following themes made in Gattino’s review needed to be commented on: reliability, case study, certification courses, research, and references.&#x0D; Reliability: The reliability of the AQR tool was mentioned in the book (see page 10). This reliability could therefore be proven by 84 raters from four different cities (Vienna, Berlin, Munich and Sjövig) who were first trained and then did this work. The result of this examination of reliability, carried out by an independent statistician, showed an Intraclass-Correlation (ICC) higher than 0.74, which meant that the reliability was very good (Stallmann, 2006). The validity has not been done because we could not find a comparative tool for assessing the quality of relationship for the first three years of life. This is perhaps an area that could be addressed in the future.&#x0D; Case study: There were two publications (one with DVD) where you could find a case study analysed with the help of the AQR Tool. In German, readers could find a book (Schumacher, 2017). This book was about the three years of work with an autistic boy called Max, which was published in 1994 before the AQR Tool was developed. In 2016, I re-examined the film material from this work with Max and analysed it with the help of the AQR. This book is published again in German, now with a DVD and is entitled Musiktherapie bei Kindern mit Autismus, Musik-Bewegungs- und Sprachspiele zur Behandlung gestörter Sinnes- und Körperwahrnehmung (2017). In English, readers could find another case study in an article (Schumacher, 2014). This article described the application of the AQR Tool in music therapy work with Steven.&#x0D; Certification courses: Our training course lasts ninety (90) hours over five weekends and is only for experienced music therapists. Over the past 16 years of running this course, we found that it was necessary to teach practitioners how to use the AQR Tool. Developmental psychology forms the basis of this tool, and it is often not taught in the curriculum of different music therapy training programmes. This knowledge is not only valuable for work with children with social-emotional difficulties, including children with autism, but also for other areas of music therapy clinical practice. In these courses, all participants have to demonstrate how they work and how well they understood the book. To read is one thing, but to show how one practices and explains their interventions indicates if one has understood this tool. The danger of applying this tool without a deep understanding of developmental psychology and supervision is that one might obtain superficial and imprecise results regarding the quality of relationship. Over the last years, I have offered introductions in English and other languages, with the help of translators from many countries including France, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, and Hungary. Colleagues in Japan and Korea were particularly interested, and we have now introduced certification courses in their countries. My impression was and is that we need more time for this complex and important question: Does the therapeutic relationship have a good quality? In other words, does the therapist reach his or her client with their music therapeutic intervention through an appropriate assessment of the state of development? The most common mistake, in my experience, was to expect the capacity for joint attention and the attempt to enter into dialogue with a client who does not have the ability to do so.&#x0D; Research: The research work with Karin Mössler showed whether the music therapeutic intervention has reached the patient, that means whether a “shared moment” can be observed. Through the Covid-19 pandemic we stopped our plan to give a course in English, but we will see what is possible in the future. At the moment, we offer courses in Berlin, Munich, Vienna, and Zürich. The newest are in Korea and Japan, where colleagues were very interested to profit from our knowledge and to teach the AQR Tool in their countries.&#x0D;

Social-Emotional Interventions for Young Children in Rural Areas: A Single-Case Design Meta-Analysis

For young children with early social-emotional difficulties, early intervention is imperative. A number of interventions are available for young children to promote social-emotional competencies. Yet, little is known regarding the impact of early childhood interventions among rural children. Rural communities have several barriers which impede access to early intervention, and rural children often are at increased risk for social-emotional difficulties. Thus, the purpose of this article is to conduct a meta-analysis of single case design studies of social-emotional interventions that have been implemented within rural settings with young children, in an effort to determine the effects and types of early interventions specific to young children in rural areas. A total of 7 studies with 26 participants and 53 effects comprised the final sample. Findings indicated that all interventions, representing three different component types (i.e., teacher/parent behavior management training, social-emotional competency training, parent involvement/enhancement), produced positive social-emotional outcomes (i.e., improved prosocial behavior and decreased disruptive behavior). Moderating variables (e.g., child characteristics, intervention implementer) that may impact intervention effectiveness were also studied and one variable was significant; specifically, studies published in journals had more impact on outcomes than those which were not published. Implications for future research and policy are provided.

Sources of perceived social support and emotional difficulties in late adolescence

Abstract Background Late adolescence is a life phase when mental health problems are common. Social support is, however, associated with less problems. Social support stems from different sources with the family being the main provider in early life while friends gain in importance during adolescence. Using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), this study investigates the relative importance of different sources of support for emotional difficulties in girls and boys. Methods Data was derived from the Swedish population-based cohort study Futura01 (girls: n = 2105, boys: n = 1673). Adolescents in the final year in compulsory school (aged 15-16 years) were sampled in 2017 and followed up in 2019 (aged 17-18 years). Perceived social support was measured at 17-18 years by the MSPSS scale. Emotional difficulties were measured at 15-16 and 17-18 years by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscale. Linear regression analysis was used to study associations between support sources and emotional difficulties at 17-18 years, adjusting for all support sources, family type, upper secondary school program as well as prior emotional difficulties. Results Among girls, emotional difficulties were associated with perceived support from family (b=-0.22; 95% CI -0.29; -0.15) and friends (b=-0.26; 95% CI -0.35; -0.18) but not significant others (b = 0.00; 95% CI -0.10; 0.11). Among boys, emotional difficulties were associated with support from family (b=-0.10; 95% CI -0.18; -0.02), friends (b=-0.17; 95% CI -0.25; -0.09) and significant others (b=-0.13; 95% CI -0.22; -0.04). Conclusions The negative association between perceived social support and emotional difficulties, irrespective of prior emotional difficulties, suggests that support has a protective effect. In late adolescence, support from friends and, to a similar degree, the family seems to matter for mental health. Support from significant others did however not show a protective effect in girls. Key messages • Adolescents aged 17-18 years with higher levels of perceived social support report less emotional difficulties. • Efforts to increase family and friend support are relevant for adolescent mental health.

Is maternal negative affectivity related to psychosocial behavior of preterm and term-born toddlers through mother-child interaction?

IntroductionChildren born moderately to late preterm (MLP) are more prone to psychosocial difficulties than their term-born counterparts. Maternal negative affectivity (NA)–a relatively stable personality trait characterized by the tendency to experience negative thoughts, feelings and emotions–has been related to more psychosocial problems in their offspring, and to a lower quality of mother–child interactions. As MLP children seem more sensitive to their early caregiving environment, they might be more affected by maternal NA and interaction style than their term-born peers. The current study investigated whether maternal NA predicted child’s psychosocial outcomes through quality of mother–child interaction, and if these associations differed between MLP and term-born children.MethodsThe sample consisted of 108 MLP and 92 term-born children and their mothers. At 18 months corrected age, maternal NA was measured using a self-report questionnaire and mother–child interaction was observed during two structured tasks. Five subscales of mother–child interaction were assessed: negative interaction, reciprocal engagement, emotional support, maternal stimulation and mother-led interaction. At 24 months corrected age, social–emotional difficulties, internalizing, and externalizing problems were assessed using mother-report.ResultsFor MLP children, maternal NA directly, positively, predicted social–emotional difficulties (b = 0.57) and internalizing problems (b = 0.45), but no mediation effect of mother–child interaction was found. For term-born children, no direct effect but a mediation effect of mother-led interaction was found. Higher levels of maternal NA predicted less mother-led interaction which in turn predicted more problems. Birth status did not moderate any of the relationships, showing that the differences in patterns of effects found within the MLP and term-born group did not reach statistical significance.DiscussionMaternal NA was found to be a risk factor for psychosocial outcomes in toddlers, either directly for MLP children or indirectly through mother-led interaction for term-born children. These findings suggest that the process through which maternal NA affects psychosocial outcomes may be different for MLP and term-born children. However, as the examined moderation effects of birth status did not reach statistical significance, more research using larger sample sizes is needed to study mother–child interaction in greater detail.