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While children can and do learn STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) skills from interactive media, like smartphone and tablet applications, it is not clear why digital interactivity might benefit children’s learning. As new interactive technologies, like virtual reality, become more popular, it is important to understand the mechanisms behind learning from these media to best design them for learning. Some research demonstrates that interactive media may not produce greater learning than non-interactive media (such as watching a video), and these findings come in contrast to social theories of learning. Another theory that is untested in this area of research is the Limited Capacity for Motivated Media Message Processing which would suggest that working memory demands could hinder children’s learning from interactive media. The current study was an experiment (N = 188, children ages 7-12) in which children completed both puzzles in virtual reality and physical puzzles to demonstrate learning spatial skills. Working memory demands were manipulated through working memory precues that were predictive (children saw a picture of a completed puzzle for 3s) or neutral (children saw a picture of a blank square or rectangle for 3s). Findings demonstrate that the working memory precue manipulation did not relate to number of physical puzzles completed after using virtual reality, but there was a main effect of age such that older children completed more physical puzzles than younger children. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The aim of the current systematic review is (1) to examine theoretical frameworks and mechanisms explaining the association between parental and teacher behaviors and child executive function (EF) development, and (2) to compare and combine empirical findings for the relationship between parental and teacher behaviors and child EF development in early and middle childhood. Results revealed that theoretical frameworks have been established more strongly in the parent literature and parental behaviors have been more extensively studied with more diverse terms compared to studies in teacher literature. Overall, patterns of findings suggest that positive (e.g., emotional support) and cognitive parental/teacher behaviors (e.g., cognitive stimulation) were positively linked to child EF performance while negative behaviors (e.g., intrusiveness) were adversely related. Considering the similar roles of parents and teachers in child EF development, insights from parent literature could enable a better understanding of the impact of teacher behaviors on child EF (and vice versa), and opens new venues for future teacher research. Moreover, these findings suggest that, in addition to genetic transmission, social factors such as parent/teacher-child interactions play a significant role in EF development. Future research should investigate the joint influence of parent and teacher behaviors on child EF.

The current study explored dynamics of secure state attachment expectations in everyday life in middle childhood, specifically state attachment carry-over and reactivity to experiences of caregiver support in the context of stress. In two independent samples (one community sample, N = 123; one adoption sample, N = 69), children (8–12 years) daily reported on their state attachment for respectively 14 and 7 consecutive days. Additionally, they reported daily on their experiences of distress and subsequent experiences of caregiver support. Results in both samples indicated that secure state attachment on a day-to-day basis is characterized by a significant positive carry-over effect, suggesting that state attachment fluctuations are (partially) self-predictive. In Study 1, experiencing no support following distress significantly related to intraindividual decreases in secure state attachment; in Study 2, experiencing effective support during distress related to intra-individual increases in secure state attachment. Taken together, the current studies provide novel and important insights into how state attachment temporally evolves on a day-to-day basis in middle childhood.

A better understanding of protective factors against childhood depression may allow for the mitigation of severe and chronic symptoms and the timely implementation of intervention strategies. This study investigated the protective effect of having a secure base script on depressive symptoms when children face daily stressors. To test this hypothesis, moderation analyses were performed in a cross-sectional study with 378 children (48.5% boys, 51.5%) aged 8-12 years (M = 10.20; SD = 0.57). The results provided some support for the moderation effect when secure base script knowledge was investigated as a categorical variable in middle childhood. However, the results did not support the moderation effect when investigating secure base script as a continuous variable. Therefore, future investigations may need to address whether a categorical approach could better elucidate the protective role of secure base script knowledge in childhood depression.

This study is an indepth exploration of the experience of the children of Asian international students in Halmstad University, Sweden. The study has a qualitative research design and it provides insights to the perceptions and experiences of the kids through semi structured interviews. The results highlight positive aspects of relocation as well as areas where additional support is needed for a better integrationa and adaptation. The findings are informatives to parents, university and to policy makers.The study concludes that there must be clearly better understandingabout the reality of kids and more effective practices are to be developed to ensure better adaptation of the kids.

INTRODUCTION: Executive functions (EFs) are linked to positive outcomes across the lifespan. Yet, methodological challenges have prevented precise understanding of the developmental trajectory of their organization. METHODS: We introduce novel methods to address challenges for both measuring and modeling EFs using an accelerated longitudinal design with a large, diverse sample of students in middle childhood (N = 1,286; ages 8 to 14). We used eight adaptive assessments hypothesized to measure three EFs, working memory, context monitoring, and interference resolution. We deployed adaptive assessments to equate EF challenge across ages and a data-driven, network analytic approach to reveal the evolving diversity of EFs while simultaneously accounting for their unity. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Using this methodological paradigm shift brought new precision and clarity to the development of these EFs, showing these eight tasks are organized into three stable components by age 10, but refinement of composition of these components continues through at least age 14.

Parenting sets up the characteristics of the environment in which development takes place, making it a major predictor of most developmental outcomes, including academic skills. Much research has demonstrated that parenting behaviors influence math performance, however, the mechanisms and conditions under which this association takes place remain unclear. My thesis project assessed how child executive functions (EFs) influence the effects of middle childhood parenting on adolescents’ math skills. 77 mother-child dyads from Blacksburg contributed data in two different occasions: during the first visit (child age=9), maternal parenting behaviors (supportive and non-supportive), and child EF were assessed via questionnaires, behavioral coding, and a battery of EF tasks; during the second visit (child age=14), children’s math skills were assessed using a standardized test of achievement. Regression analyses revealed a direct effect of a composite measure of non-supportive parenting during middle childhood on adolescents’ math performance. Furthermore, EF did not mediate or moderate the effect of parenting on math skills, when using composite measures of parenting. However, when the parenting behaviors were assessed individually, maternal facilitation of attention, maternal expressive encouragement, and maternal minimizing reactions had indirect effects on adolescents’ math skills via EFs; specifically, working memory and inhibitory control were significant mediators. Furthermore, child cognitive flexibility moderated the effect of maternal distress reactions on adolescents’ math skills, but only when the levels of cognitive flexibility are considerably low.

In this exploratory study, we analyzed the contribution of fathering to relational aggression (RA) in middle childhood and the moderating role of children's temperament and gender. Participants (N = 234; 46% girls) were attending public elementary school (mean age = 8.15; SD = 1.23) in middle-class neighborhoods in two Spanish cities. Fathers provided information about their parenting practices using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, parents gave data on their child's temperament using the Temperament in Middle Childhood Questionnaire and children provided information about their peers’ aggressive behavior using the Mini Direct Indirect Aggression Inventory. Fathering dimensions considered were Authoritative Cold, Authoritative Warm, Physical Punishment, and Insecurity; temperament dimensions considered were negative affect (NA), effortful control (EC), activity (AC), and shyness (SH). Gender, fathering, and temperament dimensions additively accounted for a significant proportion of the variance observed in RA. Several significant interactions suggested that the effect of fathering on RA was moderated by temperament and, in some cases, by children's gender. NA increased the potential risk of Authoritative Cold fathering (CF) and, in boys only, of Insecure fathering, while EC potentiated the protective effect of Authoritative-Warm fathering and, in boys only, buffered the risk effect of CF. SH buffered the risk effect of CF and decreased the protective effect of Authoritative Warm fathering on RA. Lastly, AC also buffered the risk effect of CF on RA. Results are discussed in light of the protective or the vulnerability role of temperament and in relation to models that explain sensitivity differences to environmental contexts.

Middle childhood is a critical period of attentional development. Previous research has linked neural oscillations in the theta frequency band to controlled attentional and cognitive processes, which has been replicated in children and adults. The development of executive attention, which biases attention and alters mental representation in the service of task goals, is preceded by development of sustained attention, and further selective sustained attention. These three attentional constructs can be represented by Posner’s altering (sustained) orienting (selective sustained) and executive attention networks. Effortful control, a temperament trait describing individual differences in ability to exert self-regulation, has been linked to efficiency of the executive attention system. To examine attentional engagement (within task) and demand (between task) electroencephalography was recorded from 226 six- and nine-year-old children at medial and lateral, frontal, and parietal scalp locations during a baseline, visual search, and the Attention Network Task to measure sustained, selective sustained and executive attention, respectively. Repeated measures MANOVA of frontal and parietal scalp locations indicate multiple complex three-way interactions of region (medial vs lateral), Age, and Block/Task. Frontal and parietal activation patterns were also different from each other, as well as between age groups. When temperament factors, effortful control and surgency, were included in the model (repeated measures MANCOVA) most interactions were no longer significant. We therefore find, in accord with previous literature, that medial frontal theta is impacted by attentional engagement and demand but this association is heavily impacted by individual biologically based differences.

Substantial gender disparities in career advancement are still apparent, for instance in the gender pay gap, the overrepresentation of women in parttime work, and the underrepresentation of women in managerial positions. Regarding the developmental origins of these gender disparities, the current study examined whether children’s views about future career and family involvement were associated with children’s own gender schemas (gender stereotypes, gender identity) and parents’ career- and family-related gender roles. Participants were 142 Dutch families with a child between the ages of 6 and 12 years old (M = 9.80, SD = 1.48, 60% girls). The families had different compositions (1 parent, 2 parents, 1 to 3 children). Children completed a computer task assessing gender stereotypes about toys and questionnaires on gender identity (i.e., felt similarity to same- and other-gender children) and their views about future career and family involvement. Parents reported their occupation, work hours, and task division in the home, which were combined in a composite variable reflecting gender-typicality of career and family involvement. Generalized estimation equations were used to take into account dependency between family members. Results revealed that parents’, and especially mothers’, gender-typical career and family involvement was associated with children’s gender-typical views about future career and family involvement. In addition, children’s felt similarity to the same gender was associated with children’s gender-typical expectations about career and family involvement. These findings suggest that parents’ career, work hours, and task division in the home, together play an important role in how their children envision their future work and family roles. Children themselves also play an active role in developing this vision for the future by their own gender identity, specifically by how similar they feel to individuals of the same gender. To reduce gender disparit

[EN] Recent research suggests that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be influenced by interactions between the individual and their social context. This study examined the predictive value of family context variables and attentional control levels on child ADHD symptoms. A new explanatory model of the relationship amongst these variables was also tested. A sample of 754 families with children aged 7 to 11 was assessed through the Conners Parent Rating Scale, the Haezi-Etxadi Family Assessment Scale, and the Attention Network Test. Path analysis models showed a predictive association between children ADHD symptoms and Social Support Network, Parental Stress, Parental Self-efficacy, Attentional Control and being male. Furthermore, a stronger Social Support Network was associated with greater Parental Self-efficacy, a variable that predicted Parental Stress levels and children ADHD symptoms. In conclusion, a new multi-influence model of variables linked to ADHD symptomatology during mid-childhood is provided, which may be useful to support the design of family interventions.

AbstractEmpathy refers to the understanding and sharing of others’ emotions and comprises cognitive and affective components. Empathy is important for social functioning, and alterations in empathy have been demonstrated in many developmental or psychiatric disorders. While several studies have examined associations between empathy and brain structure in adults, few have investigated this relationship in children. Investigating associations between empathy and brain structure during childhood will help us to develop a deeper understanding of the neural correlates of empathy across the lifespan. A total of 125 children (66 females, mean age 10 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging brain scans. Grey matter volume and cortical thickness from structural images were examined using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12) within Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12) software. Children completed questionnaire measures of empathy (cognitive empathy, affective empathy: affective sharing, empathic concern, and empathic distress). In hypothesised region of interest analyses, individual differences in affective and cognitive empathy were related to grey matter volume in the insula and the precuneus. Although these relationships were of similar strength to those found in previous research, they did not survive correction for the total number of models computed. While no significant findings were detected between grey matter volume and empathy in exploratory whole-brain analysis, associations were found between cortical thickness and empathic concern in the right precentral gyrus. This study provides preliminary evidence that individual differences in self-reported empathy in children may be related to aspects of brain structure. Findings highlight the need for more research investigating the neurobiological correlates of empathy in children.

This study examined parental depression and parental reflective functioning (PRF) as predictors of parental proficiency in relational savoring (RS), the association between RS proficiency and a marker of children's physiological self-regulation, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), during a stressor, and indirect effects of parental depression and PRF on children's RSA via parents' RS. At Time 1 (T1), parents of 8- to 12-year-old children (N = 139) reported on their depressive symptoms and completed a parenting interview, coded for PRF. After 1.5 years (Time 2; T2), parents savored a positive relational memory that involved their children, which was coded for savoring proficiency. Children's RSA was measured during a stressful task (a series of impossible puzzles). Depressive symptoms (inversely) and PRF (positively) were associated with RS proficiency. Higher parental RS proficiency was associated with children's higher mean levels of RSA during the stressor. Indirect effects models supported that T2 RS proficiency mediated the negative association between parental T1 depressive symptoms and children's T2 RSA, and between T1 PRF and children's T2 RSA. We discuss these findings in terms of implications for parents' emotion regulation, children's emotion regulation, children's mental health, and intervention.

Children exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) are at heightened risk of poor developmental outcomes, including impacts on their cognitive, social, emotional, mental, and academic functioning. However, little is known about the long-term outcomes of children exposed to IPV during infancy, and little is known about the protective role of schools for children exposed to IPV. The objective of this thesis was to generate evidence regarding the impact of early-life IPV on children’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioural development, and to examine the role of schools in moderating children’s outcomes. A multi-method approach was used across four studies. The first study was a systematic review of the relationship between IPV and child cognitive development. The second study used data from a longitudinal prospective pregnancy cohort study (N = 615) to explore the association between IPV exposure during infancy and cognitive functioning in middle childhood. The third study built upon the second by using longitudinal data (N = 1507) to explore the moderating role of school experiences in the association between IPV exposure and child cognitive, emotional, and behavioural functioning. Finally, primary school staff (N = 13) were interviewed in the fourth study to explore their perspectives on supporting the development of children exposed to IPV in schools. Results from Study 1 (presented in Chapter 7) indicated that IPV is associated with a range of cognitive outcomes, but there was limited research investigating executive functioning skills such as attention and working memory. In Study 2 (presented in Chapter 8), exposure to IPV during infancy was associated with general cognitive ability and executive attention in middle childhood, while IPV exposure in middle childhood was not associated with any cognitive outcomes. In Study 3 (presented in Chapter 9), exposure to IPV during infancy was associated with general cognitive ability and externalising symptoms in middle c

This exploratory cross-sectional study attempts to understand the mechanisms underlying the role of parental mentalizing in a child's psychological functioning during middle childhood by using Parental Reflective Functioning (PRF) and Parental Insightfulness (PI) constructs. The main aims are to examine the role of PI and PRF as processes capable of influencing a child's psychological functioning in terms of emotional-behavioral difficulties and social-emotional competencies. Eighty-six community parents (48 mothers, 38 fathers) and their 50 children in middle childhood (Mage = 10.10, SD = 1.13) participated in this study, recruited through a non-probabilistic sampling. The following measures were used to assess the aims of this study: Insightfulness Assessment, Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA) questionnaires. Results showed that parental mentalizing was found to be significantly associated with both child's internalizing and externalizing symptoms and social-emotional competencies as reported by parents through the CBCL and DESSA questionnaires. This study may offer a contribution to the study of parental mentalizing during middle childhood, supporting the hypothesis that both parents' ability to understand their child's mental states could affect the child's psychological functioning. Clinical and theoretical implications are geared toward a family-based view with a specific focus on the importance of fostering in both parents a positive attitude toward mentalizing processes.

Mentalization is the ability to understand behaviors as underlying mental states such as thoughts, emotions, and motivations. Mentalization development is considered complete between 8 to 12 years old. The possibility to work on this competence may have a substantial role in preventing or intervening in child psychopathology. Mentalizing Skills (MS) are activated in a relational context. This contribution's main objective is to suggest developing a Virtual Reality (VR) tool to assess socio-emotional abilities in children and train mentalization skills (MS) in an immersive environment. More specifically, we aim to test longitudinal variations (before and after intervention) of (1) socio-emotional problems and (2) emotion regulation strategies (expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal). Participants will be assessed with the Roberts-2 test using a VR app to assess MS using a head-tracked Head Mounted Display (HMD). The new app will assess the participants' ability to make inferential thoughts about others' states of mind, and a validated device will record Heart Rate Variability as a measure of emotion regulation. This new protocol will provide a reliable and engaging way to assess and train MS in an ecological environment via an agile technology-based approach, offering clinicians valuable insights into the children's skills/deficiencies, useful for prevention and clinical intervention.

In this randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effectiveness of the brief, home-based Videofeedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) in parents of 257 school-aged twin pairs (N = 514 children, Mage = 7.92, SD = 0.66), replicating a previous study testing the effectiveness of the intervention in parents with preschool-aged twins (Euser et al., 2021). We conducted two pretests (1 year apart) and one posttest 1 month after the intervention. An age-adequate twin-adapted version of the VIPP-SD was used in primary caregivers (91% female). We examined the main effect of the intervention on observed parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline and on attitudes toward sensitivity and sensitive discipline. We also investigated whether parents who are more susceptible to the environment, as measured by their self and partner-reported current temperamental reactivity, benefitted more from the intervention. In our sample with older children, the VIPP-SD did not significantly change observed parental sensitivity or sensitive discipline in the intervention group compared to the control group. The VIPP-SD did improve parents’ attitude toward sensitivity, but not toward discipline. Intervention effects were not moderated by temperamental reactivity of the parents, providing no support for the differential susceptibility hypothesis. Future research might examine the differential susceptibility hypothesis in parents using stressreactivity or genetic susceptibility markers instead of self-reported reactive temperament.

The main aim of this study was to investigate the development of selective inhibitory control in middle childhood, a critical period for the maturation of inhibition-related processes. To this end, 64 children aged 6–7 and 56 children aged 10–11 performed a stimulus-selective stop-signal task, which allowed us to estimate not only the efficiency of response inhibition (the stop-signal reaction time or SSRT), but also the strategy adopted by participants to achieve task demands. We found that the adoption of a non-selective (global) strategy characterized by stopping indiscriminately to all stimuli decreased in older children, so that most of them were able to interrupt their ongoing responses selectively at the end of middle childhood. Moreover, compared to younger children, older children were more efficient in their ability to cancel an initiated response (indexed by a shorter SSRT), regardless of which strategy they used. Additionally, we found improvements in other forms of impulsivity, such as the control of premature responding (waiting impulsivity), and attentional-related processes, such as intra-individual variability and distractibility. The present results suggest that middle childhood represents a milestone in the development of crucial aspects of inhibitory control, including selective stopping., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), Comunidad de Madrid, Depto. de Psicología Experimental, Procesos Cognitivos y Logopedia, Fac. de Medicina, Fac. de Psicología, TRUE, pub

This thesis presents a 10-week curriculum for a short-term expressive arts therapy group for children ages 6-7 (grades 1 & 2). The curriculum is unique in that it combines the dance/movement therapy program of Rainbowdance with expressive arts therapy. The targeted population sub-group for this proposed curriculum is children whose caregivers, teachers, or guidance counselors have expressed concerns about isolation and/or a lack of social skills. The purpose of this proposed curriculum is to develop the social skills essential for making friends and building relationships. More specifically, group members will gain skills in building a sense of community, sharing, taking turns, taking another’s perspective, and developing empathy. The facilitator will use a combination of visual art, music, movement, and play therapy activities to experience and process these skills. In addition, each week the session will begin and close with a Rainbowdance circle ritual. This capstone thesis reviews the literature that supports the reasoning for the development of this curriculum.

This 3-study dissertation explored White children’s negotiation of Whiteness, racial identity development, intergroup attitudes, and experiences of socialization. Participants were from an ethnically and racially diverse, rural elementary school in the Midwest United States. In Study 1, I explored the labels that White children (N = 53; Mage = 8.97, SD = 1.72) use to define themselves and their open-ended identity-related beliefs and knowledge. Results revealed that White children most often identified as American or with an ethnic heritage label. White children’s identity-related beliefs were grouped into five narratives indicating that some children were still developing identity-related beliefs whereas others’ beliefs conformed to dominant ideologies that normalized Whiteness. In Study 2, I examined White children’s (N = 53; Mage = 8.97, SD = 1.72) conceptions of and attitudes about ethnic-racial and religious groups and the degree to which they were correlated with child and parent level characteristics. Results indicated that White children reported more social group-related knowledge about ethnic as compared with racial and religious groups and more favorable attitudes about their own as compared with other groups. These dimensions of children’s intergroup attitudes were differentially correlated with parent level characteristics: children’s conceptions of ethnic-racial and religious groups were related to parents’ racial attitudes whereas children’s attitudes about these groups were related to parents’ comfort with intergroup contact and socialization practices. Using a phenomenological approach in Study 3, I explored White elementary school teachers’ (N = 12) attitudes about and strategies for addressing ethnicity, race, and related topics in their classrooms. Results highlighted a paradox in teachers’ attitudes and socialization about ethnicity and race. Teachers reported an appreciation for the school-level ethnic and racial diversity, while simultaneously

Physical health in childhood is crucial for neurobiological as well as overall development, and can shape long-term outcomes into adulthood. The landmark, longitudinal Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development StudySM (ABCD study®), was designed to investigate brain development and health in almost 12,000 youth who were recruited when they were 9-10 years old and will be followed through adolescence and early adulthood. The overall goal of this paper is to provide descriptive analyses of physical health measures in the ABCD study at baseline, including but not limited to sleep, physical activity and sports involvement, and body mass index. Further this summary will describe how physical health measures collected from the ABCD cohort compare with current normative data and clinical guidelines. We propose this data set has the potential to facilitate clinical recommendations and inform national standards of physical health in this age group. This manuscript will also provide important information for ABCD users and help guide analyses investigating physical health including new avenues for health disparity research as it pertains to adolescent and young adult development.

Developing social skills is essential to succeed in social relations. Two important social constructs in middle childhood, prosocial behavior and reactive aggression, are often regarded as separate behaviors with opposing developmental outcomes. However, there is increasing evidence for the co-occurrence of prosociality and aggression, as both might indicate responsivity to the social environment. Here, we tested whether a bi-dimensional taxonomy of prosociality and reactive aggression could predict internalizing and externalizing problems over time. We re-analyzed data of two well-validated experimental tasks for prosociality (the Prosocial Cyberball Game) and reactive aggression (the Social Network Aggression Task) in a developmental population sample (n = 496, 7–9 years old). Results revealed no associations between prosociality and reactive aggression, confirming the independence of those constructs. Interestingly, although prosociality and reactive aggression independently did not predict problem behavior, the interaction of both was negatively predictive of changes in externalizing problems over time. Specifically, only children who scored low on both prosociality and reactive aggression showed an increase in externalizing problems 1 year later, whereas levels of externalizing problems did not change for children who scored high on both types of behavior. Thus, our results suggest that at an individual level, reactive aggression in middle childhood might not always be maladaptive when combined with prosocial behavior, thereby confirming the importance of studying social competence across multiple dimensions.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders with recent surveillance efforts estimating that 1 in 44 children are affected (CDC, 2021). ASD symptoms manifest early in life at different rates through infancy and toddlerhood, with diagnosis reliably available by 3 years of age. Our increased ability to identify and diagnose children with ASD has resulted in a strong research base of highly effective evidence-based practices for the early treatment of ASD symptoms. Parenting a child with ASD presents a unique set of challenges that may influence personal wellbeing and the family system. Elevated stress in parents of children with ASD is well indicated in the literature and has been associated with mental health outcomes related to anxiety, depression, and diminished self-efficacy, and can impact treatment efficacy in parent-mediated intervention practices. The unique complexities associated with raising a child with ASD put parents at greater risk, warranting a closer examination into the characteristics associated with stress and potentially sensitive periods of stress throughout development as it relates to raising a child at high-risk. Despite advancement in early treatment practices for children with ASD, the long-term outcomes of infants at high-risk and their families is less understood in the literature. Thus, the current study aimed to examine long-term outcomes of toddlers at-risk for ASD and their caregivers. The study follows from an earlier treatment trial on promoting development in young children with communication delays (Kasari, Siller, Huynh, Shih, & Swanson, et al., 2014). High-risk toddlers aged 15 to 30 months demonstrated a communication delay, exhibited early signs and symptoms consistent with ASD, and screened positive on ASD risk measures (n=40). Toddlers and their caregivers were followed across a 12-month period from baseline to 36-months of age at which time the initial autism diagnostic evaluatio

Using a developmental-affordances framework, this thesis investigates child-friendliness of designated child-friendly public places in Jakarta by exploring how children from low-income neighbourhoods use and make meaning of these places to fulfill their psychosocial needs. The children perceived these places as ‘the beyond playground’ where they activated affordances for play, work and rest. Children associated these activities with their competence in forming relationships with friends and adults outside their family, exercising autonomy, and mastering cultural skills. Collaboration between stakeholders supported children to benefit from these places for their psychosocial development; while intergenerational and gender tensions constrained navigation of their play spaces.

The aim of the present study was to examine the hypothesis that attachment and childhood sexual abuse (CSA) interacted such that school aged CSA survivors with insecure attachment to parents would be at an elevated risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma symptoms. Participants (n = 111, ages 7-12) comprised two groups, child CSA survivors (n = 43) and a matched comparison group of children (n = 68) recruited from the community. Children completed the Child Attachment Interview (CAI) as well as the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC). There was a significant interaction between sexual abuse history and attachment security, such that sexually abused children with insecure attachment representations had significantly more PTSD and trauma symptoms than sexually abused children with secure attachment to parents. The findings show that using a dual lens of attachment and CSA can facilitate the identification of children most at risk and has important implications for understanding risk and resilience processes.

Recent studies have addressed the importance of identifying determinants of parental emotion socialization (ES) to clarify how and why parents engage in ES practices. Furthermore, emotions occur within cultural contexts. Recent work has drawn attention to the importance of cross-cultural research for developmental science. Consistent with these calls for research, I examined parents' beliefs about emotions and self-construals as two sets of distinct factors guiding parental ES responses in China and the United States (US). Three emotion-related beliefs (manipulation [children can use emotions to manipulate parents]; parental knowledge [parents have to know all about their child's emotions]; autonomy [children can work through emotions on their own]) and two self-construals (independence [view self as unique entity]; interdependence [view self as connected with others]) were highlighted. One hundred seven parents with 7- to 11-year-old children (75 Chinese, 32 US; 90 mothers, 17 fathers) completed online questionnaires in their native language. MANCOVA analyses indicated cultural differences. Compared with Chinese parents, US parents less strongly endorsed beliefs about manipulation, parental knowledge, and autonomy. US parents endorsed more supportive and less nonsupportive responses towards children's emotions than Chinese parents. There was a trend for Chinese parents to endorse more interdependence than independence in self-construals, whereas no within-person difference was found for US parents' endorsement of these two self-construals. For both Chinese and US parents, beliefs about emotions and self-construals were significantly associated with ES responses. Linear regressions showed that parents' stronger manipulation belief was associated with higher nonsupportive responses to positive and negative emotions. Parents with stronger parental knowledge or autonomy beliefs reported more supportive responses to negative emotions and explanations of positive emotion

Although conscious aspects of attachment representations can be effectively assessed in middle childhood, the few available self-reports are based on different operationalizations of attachment and do not always show adequate psychometric properties. The current study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Attachment in Middle Childhood Questionnaire (AMCQ). Using three independent samples of Italian children (Mage = 10 years, 52% = girls), in three interrelated studies we (1) selected a pool of items from existing questionnaires, adapted them to the same response format, and subjected them to exploratory factor analysis; (2) performed confirmatory factor analyses on the retained items; and (3) used structural equation modeling to assess the factor structure, external validity, and invariance across gender and age groups. The final 15-item questionnaire comprised two dimensions (anxiety and avoidance) and a supplementary scale (security). Overall, results supported the reliability and validity of the AMCQ for Italian children.

The scientific literature analyses in detail the problems of a family at social risk, threats to the child’s social and personality development, etc., however, all insights are provided from an adult perspective – research that would allow the voice of a child growing up in a family at social risk to be heard has not been detected. Children have a limited ability to talk about their experiences. This is facilitated by the creation of a fairy tale, where the child, through the images of the characters created, can safely convey his/her individual life experiences. The aim of the article is to identify the expression of the needs of the characters of fairy tales created by children growing up in families at social risk and their satisfaction. Fairy tales created by 9‒12 year old children were selected as the object of analysis. Of the 69 texts written by children, 47 were selected for analysis. The content analysis of fairy tales was based on the principles of phenomenological hermeneutics. The analysis of fairy tales created by children growing up in families at social risk shows that the characters of the fairy tales they create experience the following unmet needs: physiological, security and social. Heroes of the fairy tales of children growing up in families at social risk are not prone to solving problems, it is more comfortable for them to live as usual, although not always they feel good because of that.

Subjective well-being as a new field of social science research is calling for unique and innovative metrics and research methods. Studying the well-being of children introduces additional hurdles for data collection and research. The current field-favorite survey, the Personal Wellbeing Index–School Children (PWI-SC), asks participants to rate their “happiness” on a rating scale for seven domains of well-being and overall satisfaction with life. Current literature in the field of developmental and family science informs on the cognitive capabilities of children throughout their development and suggests that children in middle childhood may lack the ability to express abstract ideas (happiness) in a concrete format, such as a rating scale. Using comparative analysis of the PWI-SC and personal interviews, data from 33 participants aged 6–10 suggests that the PWI-SC is invalid and unreliable when used alone for participants under the age of 10. Furthermore, some of the language used in the PWI-SC provokes tangential but inaccurate impressions in a majority of participants, acting as a barrier for gathering information about specific domains of well-being. To increase the reliability and accuracy of subjective well-being studies with children in middle childhood, researchers should consider the use of qualitative measures such as personal interviews in conjunction with quantitative such measures as the PWI-SC.

This study aims to know whether maladaptive child perfectionism (in its Self-Oriented, Socially Prescribed, and Other- Oriented dimensions) predicts feelings of loneliness and the perception of social support and if these results change according to the sex of the children. A sample of 364 Argentine boys and girls, with ages between 9 and 12 years old, was selected (m =10.26; sd=1.08). The children were evaluated using psychological tests created or adapted to Argentina. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that maladaptive perfectionism predicts peers-related loneliness, the affinity for being alone, and low perceived social support. In addition, variations were found in the prediction patterns according to sex. Concluding, maladaptive perfectionism deteriorates the social life of children that could augment their vulnerability for negative outcomes. How to cite: Chemisquy, S. & Oros, L.B. (2020). Maladaptive Perfectionism as a Predictor of Loneliness and Low Perceived Social Support in Argentinean Children. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 29,(2), 105-123. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v29n2.78591, El presente estudio se propuso conocer si el perfeccionismo infantil desadaptativo (en sus dimensiones Auto-Orientado, Socialmente Prescrito y Orientado a Otros) predice los sentimientos de soledad y la percepción de apoyo social, y si estos resultados varían según el sexo de los menores. Se seleccionó una muestra intencional compuesta por 364 niños y niñas argentinos de entre 9 y 12 años (M=10.26; DE=1.08), quienes completaron pruebas psicológicas creadas o adaptadas al país de origen. Análisis de regresión lineal múltiple indicaron que el perfeccionismo desadaptativo predice la soledad en relación con los pares, la afinidad por la soledad y el escaso apoyo social percibido. Asimismo, se hallaron variaciones en los patrones de predicción según el sexo. Se concluye que el perfeccionismo desadaptativo deteriora la vida social de niños y niñas, lo que podría aumentar la vulnerabilidad para el desarrollo de desenlaces negativos. Cómo citar este artículo: Chemisquy, S. & Oros, L.B. (2020). El Perfeccionismo Desadaptativo como Predictor de la Soledad y del Escaso Apoyo Social Percibido en Niños y Niñas Argentinos. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 29,(2), 105-123. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v29n2.78591, Este estudo avaliou o impacto do perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo na vida social das crianças, analisando suas contribuições sobre a solidão e o apoio social percebido. Regressões lineares múltiplas foram realizadas para avaliar as relações diferenciais das dimensões do perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo (autoritário, socialmente prescrito e orientado a outros) e, em seguida, a repercussão do sexo dos menores nessas relações foi avaliada. Constatou-se que o perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo prediz a solidão em relação aos pares, a afinidade pela solidão e o pouco apoio social percebido; Em geral, as dimensões sociais do perfeccionismo tiveram mais impacto. Padrões diferenciais de interação entre as variáveis foram encontrados de acordo com o sexo das crianças. Estes resultados indicam que o perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo deteriora a vida social de meninos e meninas, o que poderia aumentar a vulnerabilidade para o desenvolvimento de resultados negativos; A criação de estratégias de prevenção e intervenção é um desafio para clínicos, pesquisadores e outros profissionais dedicados à saúde das crianças.

There is a peak in peer victimization during middle childhood, with multiple negative consequences. Parental use of corporal punishment and child aggression are the most widely studied predictors of this phenomenon. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether parental use of corporal punishment affects peer victimization through child aggression. This mediation model was explored for both mothers and fathers and for both physical and relational forms of aggression and peer victimization. Furthermore, we also analyzed whether the mediation models were moderated by the sex of the child. Participants were 234 third graders (46% girls). Child aggression and victimization were measured by peers using the Mini Direct Indirect Aggression Inventory. Independent measures of mother's and father's use of corporal punishment were obtained from a PCA of items from the Parental Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ). Conditional process modeling was carried out using a macro for SPSS developed by Hayes (2013). Results indicated that aggression mediated the relation of parental corporal punishment to peer victimization. Some interesting moderating effects of sex in this mediation model were found; specifically, physical, and relational aggression mediated the relation of maternal corporal punishment to peer victimization only in boys. Few studies to date have addressed the connection between aggressive behavior and peer victimization as outcomes of corporal punishment, taking into consideration the role of parent's and child's sex, and both physical and relational forms of aggression and victimization during childhood.

Background and objectives: Research on the social effects of intranasal oxytocin in children is scarce. Oxytocin has been proposed to have clearer beneficial effects when added to social learning paradigms. The current study tested this proposition in middle childhood by assessing effects of cognitive bias modification (CBM) training and oxytocin on trust in maternal support. Methods: Children (N = 100, 8–12 years) were randomly assigned to one of two training conditions: CBM training aimed at increasing trust or neutral placebo training. Within each training condition, half the participants received oxytocin and half a placebo. Main and interaction effects were assessed on measures of trust-related interpretation bias and trust. We explored whether child characteristics moderated intervention effects. Results: Children in the CBM training were faster to interpret maternal behaviour securely versus insecurely. Effects did not generalize to interpretation bias measures or trust. There were no main or interaction effects of oxytocin. Exploratory moderation analyses indicated that combining CBM training with oxytocin had less positive effects on trust for children with more internalizing problems. Limitations: As this was the first study combining CBM and oxytocin, replication of the results is needed. Conclusions: This study combined a social learning paradigm with oxytocin in children. CBM training was effective at an automatic level of processing. Oxytocin did not enhance CBM effects or independently exert effects. Research in larger samples specifying when oxytocin might have beneficial effects is necessary before oxytocin can be used as intervention option in children.

Prosocial behavior and empathy are important aspects of developing social relations in childhood. Prior studies showed protracted structural development of social brain regions associated with prosocial behavior. However, it remains unknown how structure of the social brain is influenced by genetic or environmental factors, and whether overlapping heritability factors explain covariance in structure of the social brain and behavior. The current study examined this hypothesis in a twin sample (aged 7–9-year; N = 512). Bilateral measures of surface area and cortical thickness of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), and precuneus were analyzed. Results showed genetic contributions to surface area and cortical thickness for all brain regions. We fo

Contemporary research suggests that attachment has both a trait-like, stable component, and a state-like component that varies across contexts. In the current study, we assessed state attachment variability across comparably distressing situations in middle childhood. In two samples, children reported their expectations of maternal support in each situation. Additionally, we administered trait attachment and psychological well-being measures. Results indicated that, overall, children varied in their expectations across situations: more than half of the variance was explained by intra-individual differences across situations. Results revealed two components underlying variability: a Signal-and-Support component reflecting expectations of support-seeking and receiving, and a Back-on-Track component reflecting expectations of stress reduction and comfort. State attachment variability was related to individual differences in trait attachment: children who are more securely attached at the trait level, overall appear to vary less in their state attachment, likely due to their high mean state attachment scores across situations. When the mean state attachment scores are accounted for, more securely attached children seem to vary more, suggesting that their state attachment expectations are more sensitive to contextual fluctuations. Importantly, degree of state attachment variability explained psychological well-being over and above trait attachment.

Within the learner–teacher relationship, learners receive messages of who they are in the eyes of the teacher and in this way their self-configuration is shaped by the interactions with their teacher. To understand their self-configuration experiences it is important that their voices be heard regarding their own experiences within their relationships with their teachers. This article focuses on learners’ self-configuration experiences within this relationship from the Gestalt field theory and Dialogical theory of self-perspectives. A qualitative case study design was followed with nine learners with mild learning difficulties. The participants were purposively selected and participated voluntary. The results showed that, when teachers spend time with learners, they ascribe meaning to themselves, feeling valued, confident and experiencing a sense of worthiness

Children at risk for anxiety display elevated threat sensitivity and may inaccurately classify safe stimuli as threatening, a process known as overgeneralization. Little is known about whether such overgeneralization might stem from altered sensory representations of stimuli resembling threat, especially in youth. Here we implement representational similarity analysis of fMRI data to examine the similarity of neural representations of threat versus ambiguous or safe stimuli in threat and perceptual neurocircuitry among children at varying levels of anxiety traits. Three weeks after completing threat conditioning and extinction, children underwent an fMRI extinction recall task, during which they viewed the extinguished threat cue (CS+), safety cue (CS-) and generalization stimuli (GS) consisting of CS-/CS+ blends. Multivoxel BOLD signal patterns were measured in seven regions of interest: four affective areas (ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), anterior insular cortex (AIC), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), and amygdala) and three perceptual areas (inferior temporal cortex (ITC) and visual areas V1 and V4). Compared to low anxious children, children with high trait anxiety evidenced less neural pattern differentiation between the CS+ and similar GS, particularly in the vmPFC. Together, these results demonstrate the utility of multivariate neuroimaging approaches in arbitrating the relative contributions of perceptual versus affective sources to threat generalization.

Although individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been often shown to display similar memory performance on semantic memory tasks compared to typically developing (TD) children, there is ongoing debate about whether and how their ability to remember specific past events (i.e., episodic memory) is impaired. We assessed a sample of 62 children with ASD and 72 TD children, ranging in age between 8 and 12 years on 2 memory tasks. Participants encoded a series of images and their association with either where they appeared on the screen (item-space association task) or with the color of an image's border (item-color association task). Children with ASD showed worse memory in the item-space association task compared to their TD peers, but comparable memory for the item-color association task. These differences persisted when age, intellectual quotient, and general item recognition memory were accounted for statistically. We interpret these results in light of evidence for specific deficits along the dorsal stream affecting processing of spatiotemporal information in ASD. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1985-1997. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC LAY SUMMARY: Episodic memory requires the ability to bind contextual details (such as color, location, etc.) to an item or event in order to remember the past with specific detail. Here, we compared children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children on tasks examining episodic memory. Children with ASD recalled more poorly previously seen items and their associated space-related details, but they performed comparably to TD children on color details. We discuss the possible mechanisms that contribute to worse spatial processing/recall in ASD.

This study aims to know whether maladaptive child perfectionism (in its Self-Oriented, Socially Prescribed, and Other- Oriented dimensions) predicts feelings of loneliness and the perception of social support and if these results change according to the sex of the children. A sample of 364 Argentine boys and girls, with ages between 9 and 12 years old, was selected (m =10.26; sd=1.08). The children were evaluated using psychological tests created or adapted to Argentina. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that maladaptive perfectionism predicts peers-related loneliness, the affinity for being alone, and low perceived social support. In addition, variations were found in the prediction patterns according to sex. Concluding, maladaptive perfectionism deteriorates the social life of children that could augment their vulnerability for negative outcomes. How to cite: Chemisquy, S. & Oros, L.B. (2020). Maladaptive Perfectionism as a Predictor of Loneliness and Low Perceived Social Support in Argentinean Children. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 29,(2), 105-123. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v29n2.78591, Este estudo avaliou o impacto do perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo na vida social das crianças, analisando suas contribuições sobre a solidão e o apoio social percebido. Regressões lineares múltiplas foram realizadas para avaliar as relações diferenciais das dimensões do perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo (autoritário, socialmente prescrito e orientado a outros) e, em seguida, a repercussão do sexo dos menores nessas relações foi avaliada. Constatou-se que o perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo prediz a solidão em relação aos pares, a afinidade pela solidão e o pouco apoio social percebido; Em geral, as dimensões sociais do perfeccionismo tiveram mais impacto. Padrões diferenciais de interação entre as variáveis foram encontrados de acordo com o sexo das crianças. Estes resultados indicam que o perfeccionismo mal-adaptativo deteriora a vida social de meninos e meninas, o que poderia aumentar a vulnerabilidade para o desenvolvimento de resultados negativos; A criação de estratégias de prevenção e intervenção é um desafio para clínicos, pesquisadores e outros profissionais dedicados à saúde das crianças., El presente estudio se propuso conocer si el perfeccionismo infantil desadaptativo (en sus dimensiones Auto-Orientado, Socialmente Prescrito y Orientado a Otros) predice los sentimientos de soledad y la percepción de apoyo social, y si estos resultados varían según el sexo de los menores. Se seleccionó una muestra intencional compuesta por 364 niños y niñas argentinos de entre 9 y 12 años (M=10.26; DE=1.08), quienes completaron pruebas psicológicas creadas o adaptadas al país de origen. Análisis de regresión lineal múltiple indicaron que el perfeccionismo desadaptativo predice la soledad en relación con los pares, la afinidad por la soledad y el escaso apoyo social percibido. Asimismo, se hallaron variaciones en los patrones de predicción según el sexo. Se concluye que el perfeccionismo desadaptativo deteriora la vida social de niños y niñas, lo que podría aumentar la vulnerabilidad para el desarrollo de desenlaces negativos. Cómo citar este artículo: Chemisquy, S. & Oros, L.B. (2020). El Perfeccionismo Desadaptativo como Predictor de la Soledad y del Escaso Apoyo Social Percibido en Niños y Niñas Argentinos. Revista Colombiana de Psicología, 29,(2), 105-123. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v29n2.78591

The aim of this study was to specify the latent construct structure of the Friends and Family Interview (FFI: Steele & Steele, 2005) based on its dimensional scale coding protocol. The FFI is a semi-structured interview measuring attachment in middle childhood. We analyzed data from 341 FFI interviews with children aged 7-12 years, recruited in the Scandinavian oresund Region. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a three-component model as best fitting the data. The first component, denoting attachment security, gathered all dimensional scales for evidence of secure base/safe haven regarding mother/father and coherence in the child's narrative style, along with scales regarding reflective functioning, self-perception, and social functioning. The second component comprised preoccupying feelings of anger, but also derogation. The third component gathered all scales coding idealization. Inter-relations among the components were consistent with attachment theory, and respondents' scores for all three components differed significantly across the four categorical attachment classifications. Affect regulation of negative emotion through anger and through derogation co-occurred, and was distinct from regulation through maintaining a belief that things are better than they appear (idealization). These two affect regulation strategies appeared commonly when reflective functioning, and an organized self-perception, and positive peer relations were less in evidence. The multi-dimensional FFI coding system appears to measure successfully these diverse features of the child's narrative provided in response to the interview. Overall, our findings support the construct validity of the FFI and provide further evidence of its usefulness for assessing attachment in middle childhood and early adolescence.

The aim of the current study was to longitudinally investigate the bi-directional relationship between moral disengagement and bullying perpetration in a sample of 1,354 students from 108 elementary classes in 69 public schools. Students participated in the study both at Time 1 (fourth grade) and around one year later at Time 2 (fifth grade). Structural equation model analyses showed that bullying perpetration at Time 1 predicted moral disengagement at Time 2, when controlling for moral disengagement stability over time. In addition, we found that moral disengagement at Time 1 also predicted bullying perpetration at Time 2, when controlling for bullying perpetration at Time 1. These findings suggest that teachers, school staff, and professionals should consider interventions that address moral disengagement when working with children involved in bullying., Funding agencies: Vetenskapsradet [D0775301]

This study examined the relation between 9 and 12-year-old children’s interest in science and their scientific thinking skills. Eighty children aged 9 and 12 years and their parents reported their interest in science and children answered epistemological understanding questions and solved scientific reasoning problems during a one-time laboratory visit. In addition, children answered questions concerning their concept of science, their parents’ interest in science, and individual factors related to scientific thinking. During the child’s participation, their parent filled out demographic, academic achievement, and their own interest in science questionnaires. Findings reveal that children’s interest in science and concept of science related to their epistemological understanding, and the relation between children’s interest in science and epistemological understanding is mediated by children’s critical thinking skills. Results further showed that children’s age and academic achievement, but not interest in science, related to their scientific reasoning skills. Other findings revealed that children’s identification with science as an interest was the predominant characteristic of interest to relate to epistemological understanding, and that children’s interest in science related to children’s perception of their mothers as interested in science. These findings are discussed in relation to their implications for further research and educational implementation.

Children’s comprehension of death and how well they cope is fundamentally affected by their stage of development when they are bereaved. This qualitative descriptive research examines the emotions and experiences of children in middle childhood who have lost their mothers. Twenty-two participants between the ages of 10 and 12 years were purposefully selected to share their experiences during individual semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used to explore the data. Particular recommendations are made to help bereaved children develop greater resilience and the coping strategies to deal with their traumatic loss

Children in foster care often present difficulties related to executive functions, such as poor school adjustment and impulsivity. Despite their importance, few studies have analyzed executive functions in foster children, especially beyond preschool age. This study sought to analyze the executive functions of a sample of 43 Spanish foster children aged between five and nine years (M = 7.51, SD = 1.29), using a caregiver-reported questionnaire. We also explored the relationship between executive functions, early adversity variables, and teacher-reported school adjustment. Results indicate that participants experienced more executive function-related difficulties than the measure's standardization sample in almost all areas, particularly in behavioral regulation, although they were found to have ageappropriate executive function levels in some areas, such as monitoring and organization of materials. Prenatal substance exposure was associated with poorer planning/organization skills, whereas other early adversity variables showed no statistically significant associations with executive functions. A higher level of difficulty in inhibitory control and other areas were associated with poorer school adjustment as reported by teachers. The results of our study point to an important presence of executive function difficulties in foster children in middle childhood, a finding which highlights the need for early intervention efforts targeting these skills among this population.