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Caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication can reduce sexual risk attitudes and behaviors, but less is known about caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication in Uganda. Using a risk-focused approach, this paper seeks to characterize caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication and associated individual and family-based attributes, and associations with adolescents' sexual risk attitudes. We used latent class analyses to derive typologies (classes) of sexual health communication and assess their relationships with respondents' socio-demographic characteristics and sexual risk-taking attitudes. We derived three latent classes of sexual risk communication characterized as avoidant (class 1; 48%), functional (class 2; 22.2%) and comprehensive (class 3; 29.8%), each representing varying levels of frequency and type of content covered in the caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication. Primary caregiver's sex and respondents' comfort talking to their caregiver were significantly associated with membership in the functional class (RRR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.05–2.19; p < 0.05) and comprehensive class (RRR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.13–2.49; p < 0.05). Caregivers and their adolescents are attempting to engage in conversations related to sexual health, but many caregivers tend to shy away from potentially embarrassing topics such as sex. The wide variations in type and content of covered in caregiver-adolescent sexual health communications may compromise adolescents' sexual health knowledge, putting them at risk for poor sexual health outcomes. Given the cultural taboos around caregiver-adolescent communications on sex related topics, family interventions to address to strengthen caregiver-adolescent communication on sexual health are required. Highlights: Study findings revealed three latent caregiver-adolescent sexual health classes, dominated by avoidant communication. Caregiver gender and adolescents' comfort enhanced caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication. Interventions must tackle cultural norms and taboos for better caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether family structure and its transitions are associated with internalizing and externalizing psychiatric disorders among Puerto Rican-origin children. It uses longitudinal data (three waves) from the Boricua Youth Study, which includes probability samples of children in the South Bronx (New York) and San Juan (Puerto Rico) (n = 2,142). We also examine factors which may explain how family structure and transitions may be related to child psychiatric disorders. Our results show that for both internalizing and externalizing disorders there were no significant differences between children of cohabiting (biological or step) parents or of single parents compared to children of married biological parents. In Puerto Rico only, transitioning once from a two-parent family to a single-parent family was related to child internalizing disorders. Family transitions were not associated with externalizing disorders at either site. Context may be an important factor shaping the risk that family dissolution is followed by an internalizing disorder among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the lack of validated measures of adolescents' self-representation, in this paper we present the development process and psychometric properties of a new self-representation questionnaire for adolescents (SRQA), aged 12-16 year old. We examined SRQA factor structure through two studies. In the first study, 32 attributes (16 positive and 16 negative), previously validated in three studies, were administered to 239 adolescents ( M = 13.8; SD = 1.28). An exploratory factor analysis showed that 21 attributes (13 positive and 8 negative) were organized in five factors: instrumental, social, emotional, intelligence, and physical appearance. In the second study, these 21 attributes were administered to 232 adolescents ( M = 13.8; SD = 1.23). A confirmatory factor analysis supported the SRQA five factor model (Model fit: χ / df ratio = 2.392; CFI = .90; RMSEA = .08). Internal consistency was acceptable, ranging between .60 and .85. Girls displayed higher scores in the instrumental and social factors, whereas boys presented higher scores on the physical appearance factor. In line with previous research, results regarding age differences were inconsistent: while in Study 1 results suggested that as, age increases, adolescents' intelligence self-representation becomes more negative, in Study 2 no age differences were found. Concurrent validity of the SRQA was explored through correlations with the Teacher Report Form, filled out by the adolescents' homeroom teachers. Results revealed significant negative correlations between two dimensions of self-representation (i.e., instrumental and intelligence) and several dimensions of adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems, providing evidence of concurrent validity for the SRQA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the initial development of the Friendships and Social Skills Test (FASST), a clinically oriented 25-item parent report measure of child peer relationships and social skills in a community (N = 423) and clinical sample (N = 159) of elementary school age children. Confirmatory factor analyses supported five factors measuring pro-social skills, negative peer directed behavior, friendship interactions, peer victimization, and the level of concern expressed about a child's social functioning. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the FASST factors predominately ranged from moderate to very good. Validity was supported through higher scores in at-risk and clinical groups compared to children in the community and through correlations with an existing measure of social skills and emotional and behavioral functioning. Cross-informant validity was supported by correlations with teacher-report. Moreover, the scales measuring negative social behaviors and pro-social skills predicted changes in peer victimization and concern expressed about the child over a 1-year duration. By assessing positive and negative aspects of peer-directed behaviors and relationships the FASST has the potential to facilitate the identification and treatment of childhood social deficits in mental health settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children's perception of their parents' behavior is very important for their adjustment. Raising a child with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can be particularly challenging. However, little is known about how children with ADHD perceive their parents' childrearing style. The main purpose of this paper is to study how children with ADHD perceive acceptance and control in parent-child relationships and this perception's relationship with inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and externalizing behaviors. Participants were children between 7 and 13 years old with ADHD who were attending psychotherapy (ADHD), children without ADHD who were attending psychotherapy (APG), and children with unknown ADHD status who were not attending psychotherapy (NPG). Furthermore, one parent of each child participated in the study. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that children with ADHD perceived higher levels of pathological control in their relationships with their mothers than did APG and NPG children. NPG children perceived higher extreme autonomy than ADHD and APG children. Linear regression analyses revealed that the perception of pathological parental control and extreme autonomy predicted externalizing symptoms in children with ADHD. The perception of maternal acceptance and pathological control predicted inattention in APG children. Also, perceived maternal pathological control and perceived paternal acceptance predicted externalizing symptoms in APG children. Thus, these results show the importance of taking into account children's perception of their relationships with their parents in addition to parental reports of their own behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Life Experiences Scale (ELES) is a self-report questionnaire that assesses personal feelings of perceived threat and submissiveness in interactions within family. This paper presents the adaptation and validation of the ELES in Portuguese language for adolescents. The sample was composed of 771 adolescents from community schools with ages between 13 and 18 years old. Along with ELES, participants also answered the Early Memories of Warmth and Safeness Scale and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children and Adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the factor structure of the ELES and results confirm a three-factor structure, composed by Threat, Submissiveness and Unvalued dimensions. These emotional memories focused on perceived threat, submissiveness and unvalued seem to have a distinct nature. The scale also showed adequate internal consistency, good test-retest reliability and convergent validity with measures of positive emotional memories, positive and negative affect. There were sex differences for threat subscale and age differences for submissiveness subscale. Overall, these findings suggest that the ELES in its Portuguese version for adolescents may be a useful tool for research, educational and clinical contexts with school-aged adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most frequently used measures to assess parents' assessment of their parenting ability is the Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC) Scale. However, there is limited psychometric evaluation of the measure with samples of mothers of infants. This paper examines the psychometric properties of the PSOC in a heterogeneous sample of mothers of infants between the ages of 2 and 12 months of age. To capture a diverse sample, data were obtained from two studies of mothers of infants. All participants (n = 218) completed the 17-item PSOC at one time point during the postpartum period along with information about maternal age and education. Additional measures for the purpose of examining convergent validity assessed mothers' self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and social support. The characteristics of the mothers differed significantly between the two subsamples except for their PSOC scores. Despite these differences, within each subsample the PSOC total and subscale scores were internally consistent and significantly, moderately correlated with the three psychosocial measures confirming the PSOC's construct validity when administered to mothers of infants. Future studies should continue to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PSOC with varied samples of mothers as well as fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the 6-month follow-up outcomes of an effectiveness study testing a multiple family group (MFG) intervention for clinic-referred youth (aged 7-11) with disruptive behavior disorders (DBDs) and their families in socioeconomically disadvantaged families compared to services-as-usual (SAU) using a block comparison design. The settings were urban community-based outpatient mental health agencies. Clinic-based providers and family partner advocates facilitated the MFG intervention. Parent-report measures targeting child behavior, social skills, and impairment across functional domains (i.e., relationships with peers, parents, siblings, and academic progress) were assessed across four timepoints (baseline, mid-test, post-test, and 6-month follow-up) using mixed effects regression modeling. Compared to SAU participants, MFG participants reported significant improvement at 6-month follow-up in child behavior, impact of behavior on relationship with peers, and overall impairment/need for services. Findings indicate that MFG may provide longer-term benefits for youth with DBDs and their families in community-based settings. Implications within the context of a transforming healthcare system are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brief and age-appropriate measures of trauma-related symptoms are useful for identifying children in need of clinical services. The current study examines the psychometric properties of the 23-item Child's Reaction to Traumatic Events Scale-Revised (CRTES-R). The CRTES-R includes subscales assessing hyperarousal, avoidance and intrusion. To date, no studies have examined the psychometric properties of this revised measure or cross-cultural differences in its factor structure. Two samples of (a) children (ages 6-21) who had experienced a hurricane in the USA or Grenada ( N = 135), and (b) Ugandan children (ages 8-17) who had experienced a variety of traumatic events ( N = 339) completed the CRTES-R in English or Lugandan. Confirmatory factor analysis supported an empirically adjusted model with three modified latent factors in both the English (χ/ df = 1.34, CFI = .90, RMSEA = .05) and Lugandan samples (χ/ df = 1.45, CFI = .93, RMSEA = .04). Although the analysis supported separate hyperarousal, avoidance and intrusion subscales, the items that loaded on each factor differed from the original CRTES-R subscales. The English version of the CRTES-R showed good concurrent validity with the Kauai Recovery Index measure of trauma symptoms. Those using the CRTES-R to assess children's experiences of the different symptom types should consider using the empirically-derived subscales described in this paper; however, those who wish to capture a broad spectrum of PTSD symptoms should consider using all the original CRTES-R items and calculating a total score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical goal setting is an important area of practice within mental health interventions for children and young people (CYP). The present research aimed to explore the type of intervention goals set by CYP during mental health interventions. Further, changes in goal progress from pre- to post-intervention were compared between externally observed behavioural goals and subjective feelings-based goals. The relationship between therapeutic goal achievement and changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety (measured using the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale) was also investigated. Data were collected from 792 participants aged 3 to 18 years (mean age: 13.8, SD: 2.85) across all gender identities and ethnicities, who received low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy interventions from Children's Wellbeing Practitioners in the Southwest of England. A mixed methods approach involving conceptual content analysis, correlational analysis, and group comparisons was utilised. Eleven categories of child-rated goals were identified. The most commonly developed goals focused on understanding, managing, and expressing emotions and feelings. No significant differences were found between behavioural and feelings-based goals (p = 0.061). Partial correlations demonstrated that improvements in goal progress were significantly associated with reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms (rs > −0.157, p < 0.001), even when controlling for the number of sessions attended (rs > −0.146, p < 0.001). Integrating goal-based outcomes with standardised measures could enhance a comprehensive approach to service delivery and evaluation. Highlights: The most commonly generated treatment goals focussed on understanding, managing and expressing emotions and feelings, followed by doing better at school. The majority of children and young people (75%) showed reliable improvement in their therapeutic goals from pre-to-post CBT intervention. Therapeutic goal achievement showed a significant negative association with symptoms of anxiety and low mood, whilst controlling for number of sessions attended. Combining goal-based outcomes with standardised measures promotes an individualised approach to intervention, whilst facilitating wider therapeutic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study carried out in Spain with 214 families with children aged between 3 and 10, comparing the quality of family context and the internal and external adjustment of children living in six different types of family structure: traditional, single-parent, stepfamilies, adoptive, same-sex parent and multiple-birth. Members of the research team interviewed the families in their homes and administered the assessment instruments (Development History, HOME inventory, Parenting Stress Index and Behavior Assessment System for Children). The results indicate that although some significant differences were observed between families (children living in same-sex parent families scored higher for internal and external adjustment, and those from stepfamilies scored lowest in these same measures), these differences disappeared when the effects of sociodemographic and contextual variables were statistically controlled in a covariance analysis. It can therefore be concluded that it was not family structure itself that was related to children's adjustment, but rather the sociodemographic and contextual variables associated with it. Thus, all the family structures analysed in the study are capable of promoting positive child development and adjustment, providing they meet the necessary conditions, such as good-quality care and a stimulating environment free from conflict and stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the effects of family type, family relationships and socialization on alcohol consumption and delinquent behaviour among Flemish adolescents. Data came from the second round of the Leuven Adolescents and Families Study and were collected in 2010 by paper-and-pencil questionnaires in 10 different secondary schools (N = 1,688). The results show that children living in non-intact families are more likely to be delinquent and to drink alcohol at an age it is not legally allowed (below 16 years old). High delinquent behaviour is found among boys in single parent families and among girls in stepfamilies. For alcohol use the reverse is true. A good relationship with the same-sex parent is negatively associated with delinquency. High interparental conflict increases delinquency for boys and alcohol use for girls. Parental role models are highly important, since drinking behaviour of parents, and especially the same-sex parent, are positively associated with externalising problems of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from the transitioning youth to families intervention, which aimed to promote family care for youth served in group care programs in the child welfare system. The intervention was conducted in two counties in a Mid-Atlantic state. The effort encompassed administrative case review and family involvement meetings. We assessed the effect of the intervention in promoting placement in family settings within 12 months. We also explored other effects of the intervention identified by participants. Using propensity score matching with administrative data to compare one-year placement settings for the intervention counties and non-intervention counties, a higher rate of family reunification was identified for youth in the treatment counties. To provide a richer contextual understanding of the effects of the intervention, thematic analysis of open-ended comments from youth and caregiver participants was conducted. These resulting themes provided further understanding of the value of the intervention especially in the areas of planning for the transition, improving youth insight about placement options, and the importance of family involvement. Participants also made recommendations for how to enhance the intervention and promote the transition of youth from group care to family settings. Overall, the effect of the intervention in transitioning youth to family settings was nominal; however unanticipated benefits of engaging youth and family in the transition process were noted. From this evaluation, we provide suggestions for future research and the development of effort to transition youth from group care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth with disabilities are at risk for being cyberbullied. Additionally, these risks can be compounded by other intersectional factors, such as cultural identity. Youth with multiple marginalized identities are at risk for stress, discrimination, and poor mental health outcomes as a result of bullying. However, research exploring the intersections between risk, sexual identity, and disability is sparse. In this article, we begin to address this gap in a diverse sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth who have reported being cyberbullied in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. We discuss implications for child and family studies, identifying opportunities for further discussion on risk, mental health, and person-in-environment factors for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth with disabilities. Highlights: Child and family practitioners should be holistically inclusive and attend to intersectionality, affirming disability, sexual identity, and other identities. Cyberbullied sexual minority youth, especially those youth of color who had disabilities, were more likely than not to report poor mental health. Practitioners should understand the intersectional dimensions of people's lives, treating them as whole people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined whether parental psychopathology (depression and social anxiety), parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive) and practice (parental accommodation), and parental beliefs about children's anxiety are related to symptom severity in pediatric patients diagnosed with Selective Mutism (SM). Participants included 78 children, aged 3.5-8.5 years, with SM diagnosis, and their primary care-giving parent. The measures included clinical interviews, clinicians and parents' reports, and behavioral observations. Clinician reports of less severe SM symptoms in children were associated with more positive parental beliefs about their children's anxiety. Parents' reports of less severe symptoms in their children were associated with lower levels of parental social anxiety and accommodations, as well as with more authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles. Parental accommodations mediated the relationship between parental social anxiety and severity of children's symptoms, such that parents who are more socially anxious were also more accommodative, and this was related to greater SM severity. The findings of this study highlight important parenting characteristics involved in SM. These findings may lead to refining the psychological interventions for children with SM by allocating greater attention to parents' characteristics. Highlights: This study examined the relationships between parental characteristics and symptom severity in children with Selective mutism. Parents' social anxiety, authority style, accommodation and beliefs regarding their children's anxiety are related to children's symptom severity. Parental accommodation has a unique contribution to children's symptom severity and mediates its relationship with parents' social anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting interventions for parents and children facing risks associated with poverty have significant effects on children's social-emotional, behavioral and academic functioning, but they are threatened by low engagement, especially among families from underrepresented groups. The purpose of this study was to understand ways to enhance engagement in parenting programs among families in Head Start who are Spanish-Speaking in the United States. We used a conjoint analysis technique, namely a discrete choice experiment (DCE) (N = 73, 94% mothers, 31% single parents), to examine how Head Start parents who were Spanish-speaking prioritized key attributes of parenting programs when considering potential participation. Utility values and importance scores indicate that parents placed the highest priority on a program that optimized children's friendship skills, academics, the parent-child relationship and behavioral skills (rather than on incentives and the inclusion of child groups). Next, we used simulations or forecasting tools to estimate parents' preferences for types of programs. Seventy-three percent of parents preferred Outcome-focused Programs that fostered parents' understanding and practice of skills, whereas 27% prioritized Enhanced Support Programs offering logistic support, followed by child outcomes. Results from multivariate analyses of variance showed that parents preferring Outcome-focused Programs reported lower levels of children's mental health problems and higher child prosocial behaviors compared to parents preferring Enhanced Support Programs. MANOVAS and chi square analyses showed that the latter parents were more likely to have dropped out of a previous parenting program, less likely to have completed high school, reported higher levels of children's mental health problems, and/or reported fewer children's prosocial behaviors. Findings suggest ways to enhance accessibility and program reach, especially for families living in poverty speaking Spanish. Highlights: Parents most preferred programs that would optimize friendships and academics. Parents preferring Outcome-focused Programs reported lower child mental health problems and higher prosocial problems. Parents preferring Enhanced-Support Programs reported more child mental health problems and fewer prosocial behaviors. Programs that aim to optimize friendships and academics and/or provide logistical supports might enhance parents' uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has demonstrated the importance of maternal attachment style to children's well-being, but the mediators of this relationship are understudied. Parental affect is one potential mediator. Previous research has documented the relationship between parental attachment and parental affect, and between parental affect and parental behaviors, but maternal affect has not yet been established as a mechanism through which attachment influences parenting behaviors. We hypothesized that parental affect would mediate the relationship between parental attachment and parental behaviors in mothers. A community-based sample of 132 mothers of at least one child between the ages of 2 and 12 completed questionnaires on maternal attachment, maternal affect, and parenting behaviors. Confirming previous research, significant relationships were found between maternal attachment and affect, maternal attachment and parenting behaviors, and maternal affect and parenting behaviors. As predicted, maternal affect mediated the relationship between maternal attachment style and parenting behavior. Specifically, positive affect mediated the relationship between maternal attachment and nurturance, secure base, safe haven, and companionship parenting behaviors. Negative affect mediated the relationship between maternal attachment and nurturance. Implications include acknowledging differential roles of positive and negative affect in their influence on parental behaviors. Highlights: Maternal affect may mediate the relation between parental attachment and parenting behaviors. Positive affect and negative affect differ in terms of how they influence the relation between parental attachment and parenting behaviors. Established relations between negative affect and parental behaviors in clinical populations are similar to those in community samples. The indirect relation between parental attachment and parenting behaviors via maternal affect is significant. Positive affect is also related to parental behaviors in a community sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge to the well-being of families with children. Although previous studies have documented COVID-related deterioration in parents' mental health, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. It is also unclear how much of the deterioration is due to the pandemic itself, versus mandated lockdown measures. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Singapore to examine perceived changes in parents' lives and mental health related to the pandemic and lockdown measures. In June 2020, when Singapore had just exited a nationwide lockdown, we asked families to retrospectively report on the family dynamics, daily activities, and mental health of family members during the phases before local transmission (Pre-pandemic), during local transmission but before the lockdown (Pre-lockdown), and during the lockdown (Lockdown). Results from 180 mothers and 166 fathers from 198 families showed significant changes in jobs and income, childcare arrangements, family dynamics, and parents' perceived mental health across the three timepoints. Mothers' increased time spent on housework was associated with the increase in their mental health problems from Pre-lockdown to Lockdown. Parents' increased conflict with other adults in the household was associated with the increase in their mental health problems from Pre-pandemic to Pre-lockdown, and from Pre-lockdown to Lockdown. Mental health problems increased more for young mothers, parents with a graduate or professional degree, and fathers high on authoritarian values. Findings suggest that both the pandemic and the imposed lockdown measures impact parents' lives and family dynamics, in turn leading to deterioration in parents' mental health. Highlights: There were significant changes in Singaporean parents' daily activities, family dynamics, and mental health during the COVID-19 period. Rule setting and conflict with children increased among authoritarian fathers, and autonomy granting decreased among authoritarian mothers. Mothers' time spent on housework was associated with their increased mental health problems during lockdown. Parents' conflict with other adults in the household was associated with their increased mental health problems during both pandemic and lockdown. Mental health problems increased more for young mothers, parents with a graduate or professional degree, and authoritarian fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 lockdown-imposed restrictions emerged as a risk to children's well-being. However, the extant literature often ignored children's experiences, emotions, struggles, hopes, and expectations. Based on a large sample of Italian students (N = 906; mean age = 9.4 years, 48.8% female), we drew data from a post-lockdown school re-entry program where students completed narrative activities in 2020. These narratives underwent quantitative content analysis according to gender and school level. Overall, children reported mixed feelings about the lockdown; they felt safe at home but also experienced fear and missed their friends, school, and freedom. Screen-time, technology and friendships helped, but children struggled to make sense of the events. Our findings show how children attempted to make sense of the lockdown experience and may provide key information for the development of community coping programs to help children facing crises in the future. Highlights: Children narrated their lockdown experiences as part of a post lockdown school re-entry program. We identified, coded, classified, and evaluated their narratives to examine perception and coping mechanisms utilized during the covid pandemic. Family, friendship, and relationships helped children to deal with the impacts of the pandemic and with the forced isolation. Children suffered from the loss of physical contacts with peers, freedom, and school. Understanding children's experience during a crisis can benefit the future development of crisis coping programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study develops and evaluates the interpersonal problem-solving inventory for elementary school students (IPSI). In particular, the study employs a multidimensional interpersonal problem-solving model that is based on the cognitive-affective-behavioral approach to construct a process measure of interpersonal problem-solving inventory for 4th and 5th grade students, especially for elementary school settings in Vietnam. The inventory is a 4-point Likert-type scale consisting of 44 items and five dimensions. The IPSI was administered to a total elementary student sample that consisted of 786 Vietnamese elementary students in fourth and fifth grades (ages: 9–12, M = 10.11, SD = 0.75). The reliability of the IPSI was reported (Cronbach's α = 0.90; McDonald's ω = 0.82). EFA was conducted on the first dataset to explore the emerging factor structure of the IPSI. The EFA results suggested an exclusive five-factor solution. CFA was examined on the second dataset to define the theory-driven five-factor structure of the IPSI. The CFA findings indicated that the IPSI consented to the five-factor structure as similar as the EFA results. The assessment of the five-factor model endorsed that five of the six global fit indices (χ2/df = 1.406 < 2, P < 0.001; CFI = 0.928; TLI = 0.924; GFI = 0.875; RMSEA = 0.032 < 0.05; and SRMR = 0.049 < 0.05) are statistically acceptable, suggesting a good fitting model. The results suggest that the scale has acceptable internal reliability and construct validity. Applicability and limitations of the IPSI are discussed. Subsequent studies and possible improvements are proposed. Highlights: The IPSI scale was developed to assess individual problem-solving skills of elementary-age school students to real-life interpersonal issues. The construct validity of the IPSI scale for Vietnamese fourth and fifth grade student samples were analysed using EFA and CFA techniques. The results of examining Cronbach's coefficient alpha levels indicated that the subscale scores on the IPSI verify good internal consistencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the continued racism and oppression experienced by Black Americans in the United States, ethnic-racial socialization—explicit and implicit messages about the meaning and significance of race—remains a critical process among Black families. However, one aspect of the ethnic-racial socialization process about which there is limited research concerns the ways in which Black parenting couples navigate this process together. Building on our prior work exploring Black coparenting related to ethnic-racial socialization (Jones & Neblett, 2019), the purpose of this study was to explore whether distinct dyadic profiles of ethnic-racial socialization exist among Black couples. Using latent profile analysis of dyadic data from 59 Black mixed gender couples (42 married, 17 cohabiting), three patterns of Black couple socialization emerged. Balanced and Higher (N = 40) couples tended to have similar message delivered between mothers and fathers, with overall higher frequency. Among Low Mother Egalitarian (N = 15) couples, mothers were significantly less likely to deliver messages centering on equality among racial groups. Lastly, High Mother Socialization (N = 4) was characterized by mothers who reported greater racial pride and egalitarian messages relative to their male counterparts. In addition, sociodemographic and race-related correlates that distinguished these dyadic patterns were identified. Implications and future directions for supporting Black families in the ethnic-racial socialization process. Highlights: There appear to be distinct patterns of ethnic-racial socialization among Black, different gender parenting couples. Although in most couples mothers and fathers provide messages at a similar frequency, some couples are identified by either mothers of fathers providing greater messages. Dyadic patterns of ethnic-racial socialization are associated with a number of racially relevant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregiver monitoring and warmth have protective mental health effects for adolescents, including vulnerable adolescents. However, combinations of the aforesaid parenting behaviours and their relationship with adolescent mental health are underexplored, especially among younger and older South African (SA) adolescents challenged by structural disadvantage. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate unique profiles of caregiver monitoring and warmth and their associations with depression and conduct problems as reported by younger and older adolescents from disadvantaged SA communities. Latent profile and linear regression analyses were used to examine cross-sectional survey data generated by 891 adolescents from two disadvantaged SA communities (62.2% aged 13–17 [average age: 16.13]; 37.5% aged 18–24 [average age: 20.62]). Two profiles emerged. The first, i.e. substantial caregiver warmth and some monitoring, was associated with younger and older adolescent reports of statistically significantly fewer symptoms of depression and conduct problems. The second, i.e. caregiver monitoring without much warmth, was associated with significantly more symptoms of depression or conduct problems among younger and older adolescents. Traditional gender effects (i.e. higher depression symptoms among girls; higher conduct problem symptoms among boys) were amplified when caregiver monitoring was combined with low warmth. In short, protecting the mental health of younger and older adolescents from disadvantaged communities requires higher levels of caregiver warmth combined with moderate levels of caregiver supervision. Because stressors associated with disadvantaged communities jeopardise warm parenting, supporting caregiver resilience to those stressors is integral to supporting adolescent mental health. Highlights: Considerable caregiver warmth combined with moderate caregiver supervision protected the mental health of adolescents from disadvantaged study communities. This protective association held for younger (13–17 years) and older (18–24 years) adolescents. Most caregivers from the disadvantaged study communities parented warmly; capacity for warm parenting in the face of disadvantage must be acknowledged and sustained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared youth in the Florida Medicaid system prior to entry into treatment foster care or treatment group care, and compared outcomes in the 6 months after treatment. Florida Medicaid data from FY2003/04 through 2006/2007 along with Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Law Enforcement, and involuntary examination data were used to examine youth receiving out-of-home treatment. Propensity score matching was used to examine the effect of out-of-home treatment on outcomes. Males, older youth, and youth with prior involuntary examinations, felony charges, misdemeanor charges, or inpatient psychiatric treatment were more likely to be placed in treatment group care. Treatment foster care placement was more likely for youth with prior treatment foster care episodes. Propensity matching results indicated that youth in treatment foster care had greater reductions in felony charges, and were less likely to return to out-of-home treatment in the following 6 months. While often placed in group care settings, youth with prior criminal justice encounters, especially for felony charges, may be better served in treatment foster care programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal stress reactivity as an indicator of differential susceptibility in moderating the links between family socioeconomic status (SES) and executive function (EF) in three-year-old urban Chinese children. The participants included 77 children (36 girls) and their families. Family income, parents' education, and level of occupation were reported by the mothers and aggregated into a composite index of family SES. We assessed the children's biological reactivity by salivary cortisol responses to a mild stressor, which we calculated by the area under the curve with respect to increase. We measured EF skills with a series of laboratory tasks. The results revealed significant interactive effects of SES and cortisol reactivity on children's cognitive inhibitory control. More specifically, SES was significantly related to cognitive inhibitory control for children with higher cortisol reactivity. Conversely, for children with lower cortisol reactivity, there were no significant correlations between SES and cognitive inhibitory control. Region of significance analyses indicated a moderating effect supporting the "bright side" of differential susceptibility, meaning that high cortisol reactive children were more likely to benefit from high levels of SES. The results also manifested a direct association between SES and children's working memory, and this association was not dependent on the features of cortisol reactivity. SES did not relate to hot EF. The results highlight the SES disparity in different EF elements and may help in the development of targeted interventions. Highlights: Effects of family socioeconomic status (SES) and its interplay with cortisol reactivity on children's executive function (EF) were tested in Chinese children. Cortisol reactivity moderated the association between family SES and children's cognitive inhibitory control. SES was significantly related to cognitive inhibitory control for children with higher but not lower cortisol reactivity. Further analyses indicated a moderating effect, supporting the "bright side" of the differential susceptibility model. The association between SES and children's working memory did not vary with the features of cortisol reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a brief, group-based parenting intervention for parents of children aged three to 10 years, in improving parental communication about sexuality with their children. A 2 (intervention vs. control) by 3 (baseline, 4-week follow-up, 3-month follow-up) design was used, with parents randomly allocated to intervention or control groups. The intervention comprised of a single session, two-hour parent discussion group on how to positively communicate to children about sexuality. Parental behaviours, self-efficacy, beliefs, and attitudes about sexuality communication were the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcome measures included parental knowledge, parental comfort, child behaviours, and observed sexuality communication. 117 parents completed assessment measures across three time-points and their data were used in the final analyses. Parents in the intervention group reported (i) greater sexuality teaching behaviours; (ii) increased self-efficacy in using sexuality teaching strategies; and (iii) decreased negative beliefs and attitudes about child sexuality communication, relative to parents in the control group, at the 4-week and 3-month follow-ups. No significant differences between parents in the two groups were found on parental knowledge, parental comfort, and child behaviours. Observational data indicated significant intervention effects only on parents' encouraging responses to their child's sexuality questions. These findings provide initial support for a brief parenting discussion group in improving sexuality communication between parents and children. Further research is needed to expand on the generalisability of the present study's findings. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000459527 Highlights: Most parents acknowledge their role as sexuality educators, yet often feel that they lack the skills and confidence in effectively communicating to their children about sexuality. Parents participating in a brief intervention reported changes in sexuality teaching behaviours, self-efficacy, and beliefs and attitudes about child sexuality communication. Findings support the efficacy of a brief parenting discussion group in improving sexuality communication between parents and children, but studies on generalisability to more diverse populations are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimated prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is consistently higher in males than females. Gender differences in ASD have long been debated and are influenced by the historical period and source of the sample. The current study reports gender differences in core symptoms, associated features, and treatment response in 682 youth (585 males, 97 females) with ASD. The sample included participants (mean = 7.4 years; range 3–17 years) from six federally-funded, multisite, randomized clinical trials. These trials collected the same measures of social disability, repetitive behavior, adaptive skills, disruptive behavior, and anxiety pretreatment and used the Improvement scale of the Clinical Global Impression at study endpoint. Exploratory analyses yielded no differences between males and females across numerous pre-treatment measures. The rate of positive response was 49.7% for males and 53.6% for females (Chi square = 0.50; p = 0.48). In this sample of convenience, youth with ASD clinical characteristics and response to treatment showed no significant gender differences. Highlights: This study is the first analysis of gender differences in a large sample of treatment-seeking youth with ASD. Participants included 682 youth with ASD enrolled in six multisite clinical trials. No differences were found between males and females with ASD across pre-treatment characterizing measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between family climate and identity development, and the moderating role of the development stage and (in)adaptive outcomes in that relationship. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was developed with 387 participants (65.4% female; 162 adolescents aged between 15–19 years and 225 emerging adults aged between 20–25 years). Data was collected using self-reported measures: Sociodemographic questionnaire, Dimensions of Identity Development Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory and Family Climate Inventory. Results: The results of structural equation modeling showed moderating effects of developmental stage (Δχ2 (38) = 93.47, p = 0.009) and outcomes (Δχ2 (38) = 63.50, p = 0.006) in the relationship between family climate and identity development, suggesting that family cohesion predicted identity outcomes differently for adolescents and emerging adults, as well as for participants with adaptive and non-adaptive developmental trajectories. Also, family conflict predicted identity formation outcomes differently in function of developmental outcomes. Conclusions: As high levels of family conflict and cohesion are associated to higher levels of exploration in depth, future studies should focus on enmeshed family interactional patterns and its outcomes on children across development. Our data highlights the role of family climate on the identity development in adolescence and emerging adulthood and the importance of analyzing family risk and protection factors as conditions for individual developmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Play is crucial for healthy child development; yet, the time dedicated to free play during the pre-school years has decreased in both school and home environments. Parental beliefs influence the activities in which children engage in daily life; therefore, exploring these beliefs is a first step to understand possible reasons for the decreased frequency of free play. Instruments developed for this purpose are scarce and, to date, none of them is available in Spanish. We adapted and assessed the psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Play Scale (PPS) and developed the Spanish version of the instrument (i.e., PPS-S). Method: We followed Beaton and colleagues' Guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures, which describes two stages, namely translation and adaptation of the instrument, and assessment of its psychometric properties. During the first stage, a panel of 5 experts developed the preliminary version of the PPS-S. This version of the scale was piloted in a sample of 28 early childhood educators and parents of preschool children, whose feedback informed the development of the final version of the instrument. During the second stage, 452 parents of pre-school children completed the PPS-S to assess its psychometric properties. Results: An Exploratory Factor analysis showed high to excellent reliabilities for the three PPS-S subscales and the complete questionnaire. The PPS-S is a valuable, culturally sensitive tool for exploring parental beliefs about three aspects of play (i.e., frequency, playful character, and academic contribution) and could contribute to studies to promote this activity in Chilean children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Adolescent girls with emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBDs) have a heightened risk of negative sexual health, including HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unplanned pregnancy. Few evidence-based sexual health interventions are available for adolescent girls with EBDs. This study tested the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a brief, online sexual health program called HEART (Health Education and Relationship Training). Methods: Forty-seven participants (M-age = 15.79; SD = 1.71; 62% Black, 23% Hispanic) recruited from community-based organizations in the southeastern U.S. were compared to a non-equivalent comparison group who received an attention-matched intervention. Results: Findings support the feasibility of participant recruitment and program administration in community-based settings. Participants completed HEART in 44 min and experienced few technological difficulties. HEART was highly acceptable: most participants liked, learned from, and were engaged with the program. Further, 92% would recommend HEART to a friend and 98% would use what they learned in the future. At posttest, intervention participants had significantly higher communication intentions, communication skills, STI/HIV knowledge, sexual self-efficacy, condom attitudes, and condom norms than the comparison group (ps < 0.003; effect size ds= 0.38–1.65). Significant improvement in condom intentions was observed when comparing pretest to posttest scores among intervention participants only, t(46) = −3.21, d= 0.47. Conclusions: Findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of HEART among adolescent girls with EBDs in community-based settings. This study also addresses the growing need for research into the transferability of sexual health interventions to facilitate evidence-based decision-making about program dissemination and implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The adoption of research-supported treatments is contingent upon multiple interactional levels, including provider level factors. Provider-level factors have been shown to be critical to uptake. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between sociodemographic factors, attitudes, and perceived barriers/facilitators to implementation through a comparative approach involving practitioners trained to facilitate a multiple family group intervention for children with disruptive behavior. Methods: Participants included 91 practitioners who participated in an intervention study regarding barriers to adopting an evidence-based practice. Demographic characteristics were collected via a socio-demographic questionnaire. Barriers and facilitators were assessed via open-ended questions as well as a scale, developed by the authors and guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research that explored provider views regarding the intervention, the systemic and organizational context, experience facilitating groups and involving families in treatment, and feelings toward involving families in treatment. Between group analyses were conducted to examine demographic and characteristic differences of providers by implementation status. Independent samples t-tests for continuous characteristics and chi-square tests for categorical characteristics were used. Responses to open-ended questions were compiled, reviewed, and coded, and frequencies and percentages were calculated. Results: Results demonstrated that providers who implemented the intervention were significantly more likely to have favorable attitudes toward the intervention compared to those who did not implement it. Prior experience facilitating groups was significantly associated with implementation. Common barriers to implementation included ineligible caseloads and feeling unqualified to deliver the intervention. Conclusions: Further attention on improving recruitment rates and promoting adequate training and supervision is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our study investigated the association between parental behaviour and anxiety in children and adolescents in a longitudinal 3-year follow-up design. Our study supplements widely used self-reports on parental behaviour with observations of the parent-child interactions. Methods: A community sample of 101 children and their mothers were included in the study. We hypothesized that anxiety symptoms in the child and mother at intake would influence levels of anxiety in the child at three-year follow-up. We also hypothesized that negative maternal behaviour both self-reported and observed would provide a unique variance in predicting increased levels of anxiety symptoms in the child after three years above and beyond child and maternal levels of anxiety symptoms at intake. Results: We found that children's anxiety symptom levels at intake, as well as female gender were significant and the most important contributors to the development of higher levels of anxiety symptoms at follow-up. Furthermore, observed maternal tension at intake significantly predicted child's anxiety levels at follow-up. Conclusion: Although maternal tension also significantly predicted higher levels of anxiety symptoms, the maternal variables were of less importance than child anxiety level at intake and female gender in predicting anxiety levels at follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the frequency with which adolescents' used different conflict resolution styles in their three close relationships (mother, father and best friend); to examine the associations among adolescents' conflict resolution styles in these relationships and the links between conflict resolution styles and life satisfaction. Methods: The participants were adolescents (N = 854; aged 11–19 years), from six secondary schools in a metropolitan city in Turkey, who completed self-report questionnaires. Results: In conflicts with their parents, adolescents used constructive styles (problem solving and compliance) more often than dysfunctional styles (withdrawal and conflict engagement). Problem solving was the most frequently used strategy in conflicts with a best friend, followed by conflict engagement, withdrawal, and compliance. Path analysis indicated a strong association between the strategies used to resolve conflicts with parents and with one's best friend, χ2 = 6.45, df = 6, p = 0.38, CFI/TLI = 1/0.999, RMSEA = 0.007. Across all three relationships problem solving was positively linked to life satisfaction, whereas withdrawal and conflict engagement were negatively linked to life satisfaction, χ2 = 25.234, df = 24, p = 0.39, CFI/TLI = 0.999/0.999, RMSEA = 0.006. Conclusion: There were similarities and differences in the conflict resolution strategies used in the different relationships, which provide support for the social problem solving model as well as for the contextual view of conflict resolution. The findings also underline the importance of constructive conflict resolution to the wellbeing of adolescents and point to the importance of conflict resolution training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mealtimes are a common source of stress for families. Examining factors related to problem eating may provide markers by which to identify families requiring assistance and salient targets for treatment. The current study investigated parenting practices and cognitions, generalisation of child behavioural issues, and early feeding history as they relate to problem eating in typically developing young children. We compared a community sample of 105 parents of 1.5-6-year-old children via survey and observation with 96 parents seeking treatment for their child's problem eating. History of problems with breastfeeding, χ(1) = 3.88, p = .049, and the transition to solids, χ(1) = 7.27, p = .007, were more common among problem eaters than comparisons. Problem eaters had a greater number of problem behaviours outside of mealtimes, F(1181) = 10.88, p = .001, though not more frequently than comparisons and not to clinical levels, F(1181) = 1.81, p = .181. Parents of problem eaters reported more unhelpful mealtime parenting strategies, F(1155) = 22.59, p < .001, yet general parenting style was similar by group, F(1187) = 0.42, p = .527. Parents' cognitions about mealtimes, F(1155) = 119.81, p < .001, including mealtime-specific self-efficacy, F(1155) = 171.30, p < .001, were poorer amongst problem eaters, and were the only factors to predict problem eating in the total sample. General parenting self-efficacy was poorer in parents of problem eaters (Behaviour: F(1187) = 42.36, p < .001; Setting: F(1187) = 10.64, p = .001). Evidence of feeding issues in infancy may support early detection of and intervention for later problem eating. The significance of broader child behaviour is less clear. Parent factors, particularly those specific to mealtimes, and cognitive in nature (including mealtime parenting self-efficacy) clearly differentiated the groups, and represent important targets for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic adolescents in the U.S. report higher rates of several mental, emotional, and behavioral problems such as substance use, sexual risk behaviors, and internalizing and externalizing problems. There is evidence of common pathways in the development of mental, emotional, and behavioral problems with certain subgroups of Hispanic adolescents being at greater risk. In the present article, we report analysis of baseline data for 959 Hispanic adolescents who participated in one of two randomized controlled trials evaluating a family-based preventive intervention. Utilizing latent class analysis, we identified subgroups of Hispanic adolescents based on socio-ecological risk and protective factors (e.g., parent-adolescent communication, parental involvement in school). Three distinct socio-ecological risk subgroups (high, medium, and low risk) were identified and exhibited significant differences from each other across a majority of socio-ecological risk and protective factors. Adolescents in higher socio-ecological risk subgroups reported greater mental, emotional, and behavioral problems across all outcomes. Individual comparisons revealed significant differences between the low socio-ecological risk group and both the medium and high socio-ecological risk group in lifetime alcohol use, smoking, and sex, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems. Implications for intervention include focusing on specific risk subgroups and targeting shared risk and protective factors rather than specific mental, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the associations between perceived maternal psychological control and adolescent academic functioning in terms of academic performance and academic self-concept. The study also tested the possible mediating role of basic psychological needs to investigate how parental psychological control is related to child academic functioning. A sample of Chinese adolescents ( N = 338) completed a self-administered questionnaire on maternal psychological control, academic self-concept, academic performance and basic psychological needs satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. Findings of this study revealed that Chinese adolescents' perceptions of maternal psychological control were associated with their academic self-concept, and furthermore this association was mediated by adolescents' basic psychological needs satisfaction on autonomy, relatedness and competence. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The People in My Life questionnaire (PIML) is one of the few available self-report measures for assessing children's representations of the relationship with attachment figures (parents and peers) in middle childhood. The current study presents validation studies of the PIML in a sample of Portuguese children aged between 8 and 12 years ( N = 314) and adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years ( N = 281). The original factor structure, composed of a second-order factor of attachment and three first-order factors (Trust, Communication, and Alienation), was confirmed for both scales (Parents Attachment and Peers Attachment) in the sample of children and replicated in the sample of adolescents using confirmatory factor analyses. The Portuguese version of the PIML showed adequate internal consistency and correlated as expected with measures of intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning (internalizing and externalizing problems, prosocial behavior, quality of life, self-compassion, and emotion regulation strategies). The PIML proved to be a psychometrically robust measure of children's representations of their relationships with parents and peers, representing an important advance in the measurement of attachment in middle childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some cases, parents caring for an adult child with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD) must balance this with caregiving for another family member. This dual responsibility, referred to as 'compound caregiving', may contribute to increased feelings of distress, or change their perceived ability to care for their child. The current study examined how compound caregivers differ from other parents of adults with IDD, and whether compound caregiving is significantly associated with family distress. Data was available for 199 parents aged 38 to 91 years who were seeking adult services for their son or daughter with IDD. Parents completed a mailed questionnaire and telephone interview in which they indicated compound caregiver responsibilities. Parents identified as compound caregivers were then compared to those who were not in terms of family characteristics, as well as parental perceptions of burden and mastery, and family distress as measured by the Revised Caregiver Appraisal Scale and the Brief Family Distress Scale, respectively. Nearly half of the parents reported being compound caregivers. The demographic profile of these parents was no different from that of the other parents but their children were slightly younger. Compound caregiving was significantly associated with parental perceptions of burden and mastery and family distress. Demands outside of caring for an adult child with IDD can negatively influence family functioning and must be included as part of caregiving assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first goal of this study was to investigate whether levels of overparenting behavior (anticipatory problem-solving, advice/affect management, tangible assistance, and low levels of child self-direction) differ depending on the context (Arab-Israeli vs. Jewish-Israeli; mothers vs. fathers). Second, we considered whether the association between overparenting and young adults' interpersonal sensitivity depends on those contexts. Questionnaires were collected from 165 triads (mothers, fathers, and young adults), of which 89 were Jewish-Israeli and 76 Arab-Israeli. Parents reported on their overparenting behaviors and young adults reported on their interpersonal sensitivity. Results indicated that all four dimensions of overparenting behaviors were more prominent in Arab-Israeli culture than in Jewish-Israeli culture, while advice/affect management was lower for mothers than for fathers and fathers provided more child self-direction than mothers. In addition, higher levels of anticipatory problem-solving were significantly associated with higher levels of young adult interpersonal sensitivity, independent of parental gender or cultural background, supporting the general negative association between anticipatory problem-solving and interpersonal sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current guidelines for treatment of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) in children and adolescents recommend an integrated multidisciplinary approach as the elective intervention for this disorder. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence on the results of an integrated approach for the treatment of AN adolescent patients, especially in a Hospital setting. This study aims to analyze clinical and psychological changes occurring in adolescent patients after completion of a Day-Hospital Multifocal Integrated Treatment (MIT) for Anorexia Nervosa. The sample consisted of 60 adolescents with AN or Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) restrictive type, aged 11 to 18 years, and their parents. Clinical course was evaluated at 3, 6 and 12-month follow-up periods. Our results showed clinical remission in a good percentage of patients. In general, we found a significant reduction of the eating psychopathology, whereas we did not detect any significant improvement in body dissatisfaction, perfectionism, and relational difficulties. This positive trend was confirmed at 3, 6, and 12-month follow-up, despite the increase of drop-outs. These results suggest that the proposed treatment is reasonably effective, because it aims to contain and reduce the acute phase of the disease in a limited time and in a hospital setting, but it is necessary to continue the treatment with targeted psychotherapeutic interventions to address the deeper psychological discomfort underlying the eating disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most empirical work examining stress in children focuses on major life events, like divorce of parents, while fewer studies consider the role of daily stressors, or the routine challenges of day-to-day living. Existing work on children's daily stress is lacking such that it primarily: (1) focuses on children who are ill, disabled, or who face significant environmental risks, (2) relies on retrospective reports, (3) relies on parent or teacher reports of stressors experienced by children, or (4) does not comprehensively examine the role of stress on mood and health. In the current study, we explored daily experiences of stress, mood, and physical health symptoms across five consecutive days in 25 children between 8 and 10 years old. Results showed that children reported a variety of types of stressors, and that more stressors were reported by older children, girls, and on weekdays compared to weekends. Daily reports of stress were linked to same day reports of physical health symptoms but not mood, however the presence of both negative mood and daily stress was associated with even more same day health symptoms. This study extends prior work by examining children's stress at the daily level as well as relying on children's self-reports of their stress, mood, and physical health symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed by a social interactional framework of stress and parenting, the aim of this study was to examine the mediating effect of depression symptoms on the association between parents' marital status (married and divorced parents) and child physical abuse potential, in a Portuguese community sample. It was hypothesized that the possible observed differences between divorced and married parents in the child physical abuse potential would be explained by their depression symptoms. Parents ( N = 892) were assessed in their marital status, severity of depression symptoms and child physical abuse potential. Results showed that, when compared with married parents, divorced parents had higher child physical abuse potential. However, parents' depression symptomatology was found as a mediator of the effect of marital status differences on child physical abuse potential. The influence of the status of divorced parents on the increase of child physical abuse potential was explained by the increase of the parents' depression symptoms. This finding suggested that parents' divorced status had no longer an effect on child physical abuse potential when parents' depression symptomatology was tested as a mediator variable. The present mediation model explained 47 % of the variability in the child physical abuse potential score. Practical implications of these findings for prevention and psychological intervention are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on theory that parents with higher levels of self-efficacy (PSE) should find it easier to parent effectively in the face of challenging child behaviors than should parents with lower levels of PSE, this study examines the link between PSE and parenting using children's behaviors as potential moderators. Participants were 130 parents who had an older adolescent ( M = 17.58) in addition to the target adolescent ( M = 11.79), and both adolescents' externalizing behaviors were used as moderators for the link between PSE and parenting of the target adolescent. Path analysis in Mplus showed that higher PSE was linked to more promotive parenting but only among parents who had an older adolescent with lower levels of externalizing behaviors. Among parents of adolescents with higher levels of externalizing behaviors, whose promotive parenting was significantly lower than other parents overall, PSE did not predict promotive parenting. The link between PSE and parenting did not differ depending on the target adolescents' behavior. Findings suggest that the link between parents' beliefs and parenting depends on the broader family context. More specifically, how PSE is linked to parenting practices depends at least partly on the experiences that parents bring from parenting an older adolescent to their interactions with a later-born adolescent. From a clinical perspective, parents might need guidance in how to think about their earlier parenting experiences when parenting a younger adolescent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying experiences are associated with body image and eating-related problems. Nonetheless, research on possible resilience factors is scant. The current study tested a path model examining the association between emotional memories of experiences of warmth and safeness, and self-reassuring abilities, and whether these abilities moderate the impact of bullying experiences on body image shame and eating psychopathology. We tested this model in a nonclinical sample of 609 adolescent girls aged 12-18 years. The examined model accounted for 22 % of body image shame variance and 51 % of eating psychopathology variance. Memories of warmth and safeness were significantly associated with self-reassurance, and negatively linked to body image shame and eating psychopathology. Self-reassurance significantly moderated the association between bullying experiences and both body image shame and eating psychopathology. The present findings suggest the relevance of assessing the quality of interpersonal experiences reported by adolescents and their potential association with self-reassuring abilities. Moreover, these results suggest that the ability to reassure and soothe the self may have a buffering effect against the negative impact of bullying experiences on adolescents' body image and eating behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many typically-developing (TD) siblings provide care for their siblings with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), both as children and as adults. Research on parentification (i.e., when children assume responsibilities typically reserved for adults) has been mixed, with some studies supporting positive outcomes for TD siblings and others indicating negative outcomes. Some of these discrepancies may be due to inconsistencies in differentiating types of parentification. The current study examined how different types of parentification during childhood (retrospectively-reported) related to distress outcomes and attitudes about sibling relationships among 41 TD adult siblings of individuals with ASD. Results indicated that parent-focused parentification was positively related with anxiety and stress among TD siblings. Sibling-focused parentification was positively related to stress but was also related to more positive sibling relationship attitudes. Accounting for demographic variables and the other form of parentification, parent-focused parentification was a unique predictor of distress, whereas sibling-focused parentification was a unique predictor of positive sibling relationship attitudes. Although parentification is often viewed negatively, sibling-focused parentification and perceived benefits of parentification may predict positive outcomes. Results suggest that parentification may prove important in understanding the complex nature of sibling relationships. Specifically, strengthening the sibling bond and reducing parent-focused parentification during childhood may curtail sibling relationship problems and general distress in TD siblings later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecure attachment can contribute to various psychological problems including body dissatisfaction. It is not clarified which attachment quality, anxiety or avoidance predict lower body satisfaction, and the relationship of maternal and paternal patterns has not been distinguished yet. Our aim was to test these aspects in adolescents. Participants of the large cross-sectional survey were Hungarian children and adolescents ( N = 5214, 51.6 % boys, mean age 14.8 years, SD = 2.6 years). Measures included self-reported body weight and height data, body satisfaction scale, the Experience in Close Relationships Scale-Relationship Structures, and the Child Depression Inventory. Boys had significantly higher body satisfaction, and worse maternal attachment than girls, who showed worse paternal attachment and higher depression. Higher paternal anxiety and avoidance, and maternal avoidance predicted lower body satisfaction in both genders adjusted for age and BMI ( R = 6.1-12.5 %). Depression fully mediated the relationship between dysfunctional maternal attachment and lower body satisfaction in both genders, between dysfunctional paternal attachment and lower body satisfaction in girls, while only partially mediated between dysfunctional paternal attachment and lower body satisfaction in boys. Dysfunctional parental attachment was associated with adolescents' lower body dissatisfaction, mediated by the level of depression. The importance of paternal attachment was highlighted in boys' body concerns. Results suggest that handling negative moods, parental anxiety and avoidance may be useful in the case conceptualizations and treatments related to adolescents' body dissatisfaction that requires further assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between family disruption and child socio-emotional and behavioral development is a relatively well-examined but as yet unresolved issue, and the conclusions of previous research have been ambiguous. Further, some studies have indicated that associations may depend on other risk factors, yet the question of heterogeneity has been relatively little discussed. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess associations between family disruption on the one hand and teacher-rated and self-reported outcomes on subscales from the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd edition (BASC-2) and the Behavior and Emotional Screening System (BESS) on the other, among a Danish sample of 817 normally developing schoolchildren. Specifically, we assessed (a) the extent to which background factors explained unadjusted associations and (b) whether associations were heterogeneous across the distribution of outcome measures. Results from ordinary least squares (OLS) models showed that relative to children from intact families, children from disrupted families had higher problem scores on BASC-2 subscales Externalizing Problems, Study Skills and School Problems even after controlling for a wide range of background factors. Quantile regression (QR) models showed that associations with Externalizing Problems and Study Skills were stronger among children with higher problem scores. Certain behavioral problems may therefore indicate increased vulnerability towards adverse events, such as family disruption. General screening for such problems could provide an opportunity to identify children in need of special attention and support against the potentially negative outcomes of family disruption for their school experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present study, we examined the protective role of peer acceptance in the links between two subtypes of social withdrawal (shyness, unsociability) and indices of young children's socio-emotional functioning. Participants were N = 112 Italian preschool children ( n = 54 boys) aged 36-74 months ( M = 56.85 months, SD = 10.14). Multi-source assessments included: (1) parental ratings of children's shyness and unsociability; (2) teacher ratings of children's internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and social competence; (3) child interview assessments of preference for solitary play; and (4) peer (sociometric) ratings of peer acceptance. Among the results, shyness was associated with internalizing problems at preschool, whereas unsociability was related to a preference for solitary play. In addition, results from multiple regression analyses indicated significant interactions between peer acceptance and both shyness and unsociability in the association with indices of socio-emotional functioning. For example, at lower levels of peer acceptance, shyness was positively related to children's preference for solitary play, whereas children's unsociability was associated with externalizing problems. In contrast, these relations were attenuated at higher levels of peer acceptance. Findings are discussed in term of the potential protective role of young children's peer acceptance for different subtypes of social withdrawal during early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parent training is an effective intervention for parents of children with a variety of childhood disorders, including conduct problems, and parents often view behavioral parent training as acceptable. Explanations and rationales for parent training are commonly provided at the beginning of treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether changing the description of a behavioral parenting intervention influenced parents' acceptability ratings and whether mothers and fathers differed in their ratings. There were 78 participants (39 mother-father dyads) in this study. Participants viewed one of two descriptions of parent training that focused on either addressing deficits in parenting skills or enhancing existing parenting skills. Parents' acceptability of the treatment descriptions was evaluated using the Treatment Evaluation Inventory-Short Form. Participants also completed the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory and The Parental Locus of Control Scale. A multiple linear regression and a mixed factorial ANOVA were used to analyze the data. There was not a significant interaction between parent gender and parent training description type. There was also not a significant difference in the acceptability of the two parent training descriptions. However, mothers rated both treatment descriptions as more acceptable than did fathers. Results indicated that parental locus of control significantly predicted acceptability of the parent training descriptions. The results of the current study suggested that treatment acceptability was not influenced by the way that the interventions were described. Future research should focus on how to increase acceptability of parent training for fathers and parents with an external locus of control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined authoritative parenting and associations with parenting sense of competence and social support in Chinese mothers of children with intellectual disability and mothers of typically developing children. One hundred and sixty-seven mothers of children with intellectual disability with a mean age of 10.89 years (SD = 1.74) and 119 mothers of typically developing children with a mean age of 10.55 years (SD = 1.10) participated in a survey. Mothers of children with intellectual disability reported similar levels of parental warmth, and less use of reasoning and autonomy support compared with mothers of typically developing children. Parenting efficacy contributed uniquely to three dimensions of authoritative parenting for mothers of children with intellectual disability. By comparison, parenting efficacy did not contribute to use of reasoning and autonomy support for mothers of typically developing children. Social support made a unique but small contribution to parental warmth but not to parental reasoning and autonomy support for mothers of children with intellectual disability. For mothers of typically developing children, social support was associated with both parental warmth and autonomy support. This study suggests that child disability status is related to maternal authoritative parenting, and additionally, parenting efficacy plays a more critical role in predicting authoritative parenting of Chinese mothers of children with intellectual disability than mothers of typically developing children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion regulation is a core developmental process that is related to children's academic success and mental health. A small body of research has documented that maltreated children show deficits in this developmental arena. The current study was designed to add to the limited literature on emotion regulation in maltreated children in foster care. Emotion regulation tasks were administered to preschool foster children, videotaped, and later coded. Parenting was assessed via coded observations of mother-child interactions. Mothers reported on their experience of depressive symptomatology. We examined the relation of foster parenting and foster mother depression, as well as child characteristics and child welfare experiences, to emotion regulation, specifically in the joy and anger domains. Findings revealed that maternal depression and parental structuring significantly contributed to children's anger regulation, but not to their regulation of joy. These findings are considered in the context of future research with respect to young maltreated children in foster care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]