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Living with a child who has a life-limiting condition (LLC) is likely to have a major impact on all family members. There is a need to have a clearer understanding of the nature and extent of this impact on parents and well-siblings. The current study aimed to investigate the psychosocial functioning of well-siblings and parents living with a child with an LLC. Further, the study aimed to assess the resilience resources of both well-siblings and parents, giving consideration to how these relate to psychosocial functioning.Participants included 48 well-siblings (6-21 years) and 42 parents of children with LLCs. Parents and well-siblings independently completed validated measures of child and adult functioning and personal resilience. Parents provided demographic information about the patient and family.The emotional, social and school functioning of well-siblings in the current study was found to be significantly poorer than published norms (all p's .01). Parental self-reported depression, anxiety and stress scores were also all significantly poorer than published norms (all p's .01). There was negligible agreement between well-sibling self-reported functioning and parental proxy-report of the well-siblings functioning (all r's .126, all p's .464). Sibling self-reported resilience was positively correlated with each of the measures of psychosocial functioning (all r's .318, p's .05). Parental resilience was significantly negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -.369, p .05) and anxiety symptoms (r = -.473, p .01) but not stress scores (r = -.074, p = .644).Family members living with a child who has an LLC were found to have significantly poorer psychosocial functioning than published norms. Although one cannot infer a causal direction from the current study, greater self-reported well-sibling and parental resilience were associated with aspects of better self-reported psychosocial functioning. Future studies should assess the impact of psychosocial interventions aimed at enhancing the resilience and functioning of both well-siblings and parents.

This study tested an empirical model of the relationship between Personal Positive Youth Development (PPYD) and two contextual factors: Positive Parenting (PP), and Perception of the Climate and Functioning of the School (PcfS). The hypothesis tested was that a positive relationship with parents and a positive perception of the school will contribute to the prediction of PPYD. The sample was composed of 1507 adolescents recruited in 10 Spanish schools who were aged between 12 and 18 years and 52% were female. PPYD was evaluated through Dispositional optimism, Self‐competence, and Sense of coherence. PP was evaluated through Affect and communication, Autonomy granting, Humor, and Self‐disclosure. PcfS was evaluated through School climate, School bonds, Clarity of rules and values, and Empowerment. Previous reliability and validity analyses of the constructs were carried out, and correlational analyses and structural predictions were made. The results show that both PP and PcfS were associated with better scores in PPYD. Also, a positive correlation between those two contextual factors was found. Implications for applied research are discussed. Highlights: Positive Parenting has a positive association with Perception of climate and functioning of the School.Positive Parenting and better Perception of climate and functioning of the School both predict Personal Positive Youth Development.Positive Parenting is the most relevant predictor of Personal Positive Youth Development

Approximately 9% of children in the United States have asthma, and in many urban cities and school districts, rates range from 25% to 50%, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When asthma is poorly controlled, symptoms can negatively affect school performance and cause disruptions for the entire classroom. Additionally, poorly managed asthma can increase emotional, social, and/or behavioral problems, which also can impact academic progress. The presence of daytime and nighttime asthma symptoms can result in disruptions in the continuity of sleep, poor attention in the classroom, failure to complete homework, and limitations to participation in social and physical activities. On average, children with asthma are absent from school two weeks across the academic year. For many children with poor asthma control, chronic absenteeism is often identified as a critical barrier to satisfactory school performance.

This study investigated the characteristics of students who report extremely high levels of hope. A sample of 682 students (ages 11–17) completed measures of hope, school engagement, life satisfaction, self-worth, and mental health. Academic achievement was obtained from students’ school records. Based on their hope scores, students were divided into three groups: “extremely low” (bottom 10% of the distribution), “average” (middle 25%), and “extremely high” (upper 10%). Results indicate that students in the extremely high hope (EHH) group differed from students with average (AH) and extremely low hope (ELH) on all measures. Further, EHH and AH are associated with mental health benefits that are not found among students reporting comparatively ELH levels. Taken together, the findings support the notion that EHH in students is associated with adaptive psychological and school-related functioning. Overall, given the superior adjustment profile, perhaps ‘‘enough hope’’ should be defined as “EHH.”

Research indicates that school discipline policies and practices have a significant influence on both student and school functioning. The purpose of this article is to uncover how the ethical standards guiding the field of school psychology inform school decisions about discipline in a three-tiered approach. Various discipline approaches, empirical research evaluating the effectiveness of these approaches, and the role of school psychologists in school discipline decision making are reviewed. Ultimately, this integration of theory, empirical research, and ethical standards points to the importance of creating comprehensive and individualized school discipline policies that apply ethically sound practices at all three tiers of intervention. Implications for practicing school psychologists are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Background It is well established that children's self-evaluation bias of competence is related to the quality of parent–child emotional relationship. Such biases are linked to children's academic functioning and achievement. Links have also been established between the quality of parent–child emotional relationship and children's academic functioning. No study has yet explored how the effects of children's emotional relationship with their parents and children's self-evaluation bias combine to explain their academic functioning. Aims The first goal was to examine whether the quality of parental emotional support reported by both children and parents was related to the children's self-evaluation bias of competence. The second goal was to examine the relationships between children's and parents' reports of emotional support, and children's academic functioning as measured by teachers' report of their motivation, self-regulation of school activities, and academic achievement. The third goal was to determine whether a children's self-evaluation bias mediated the relationship between parental emotional support and academic functioning. Sample In a 2-year longitudinal design, participants were 524 elementary pupils (grades 4 and 5), one of their parents, and their teachers. Results Our results indicated that a bias in self-evaluation in the first year of the study mediated the relationship between the quality of parental emotional support assessed at the first year and their school functioning evaluated by their teacher 1 year later. Conclusion The mediational model received clear support when it refers to the emotional support reported by children, but mixed support when reported by parents.

The aim of this study was to examine whether, and to what extent, teachers are able to recognize the creativity of their students. The study measured the creative abilities, creative attitude, creative activity, as well as intrinsic motivation, intelligence, and school functioning of 589 Polish high school students, while their teachers (N = 178) rated students' creativity. The structural equation model (SEM) demonstrated that the accuracy of teachers' ratings of students' creativity is generally low—the latent factor of students' creativity reliably, however weakly, predicted teachers' ratings. The accuracy of teachers' ratings was moderated by gender: Only in the case of male students did the latent creativity factor reliably predict teachers' ratings. Students' school functioning emerged as a key factor positively associated with the perception of students as creative.

Drawing on early research on parental involvement and its effect on children's school functioning, it was hypothesized in this study that parents’ educational involvement is positively related to two indicators of school functioning: academic self-competence and academic achievement. However, in light of research on the distinction between parents’ home- and school-based educational involvement in terms of their different provisions of parents’ school-related support, this study examined the relationship between each of these two bases and two adolescent outcomes: self-evaluation (consisting of global self-worth and scholastic self-evaluation) and school-reported academic achievement. Analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM) on data collected from 397 (187 girls) Israeli seventh-graders (first year of junior high school) confirm the distinction between home- and school-based parental involvement and their different links to adolescent outcomes. SEM analyses carried out separately for girls and boys showed positive links between home-based parental involvement for girls and parent's volunteering for boys and global self-worth. This analysis also showed direct negative links between school-based parental involvement and academic achievement for boys. The discussion addresses these differences and their implication for the school experiences of young adolescents in the wake of the transition to junior high school.

Ngo KD, Farmer DG, McDiarmid SV, Artavia K, Ament ME, Vargas J, Busuttil RW, Colangelo J, Esmailian Y, Gordon-Burroughs S, Duffy J, Venick RS. Pediatric health-related quality of life after intestinal transplantation. Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: 849–854. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: As outcomes after ITx improve, greater emphasis is needed on HRQOL. The primary aims of this study were to (i) assess the feasibility of measuring HRQOL in pediatric ITx recipients, (ii) measure HRQOL using validated instruments, and (iii) compare HRQOL in ITx recipients to healthy normal (NL) children. The CHQ and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL4.0) instruments were administered to both patients and parents at outpatient visits. All 24 eligible patients were enrolled. The median age at study enrollment was 6.0 yr (range: 2–18 yr), and the median time from transplant to study enrollment was 2.8 yr (range: 0.5–11.8 yr). The majority of subjects were male (58%), Latino (58%), and liver-inclusive (92%) recipients. For CHQ and PedsQL4.0, parental responses were significantly lower in multiple categories including physical health and social functioning compared to healthy norms. Patient responses were not different from NL using CHQ but using PedsQL4.0 were significantly lower in the school functioning subcategory and psychosocial health summary score. HRQOL as reported by children and families after ITx is significantly lower in multiple categories compared to NL.

Purpose To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Jordanian children with thalassaemia, identify differences in HRQoL according to socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of participants, and identify factors influencing HRQoL of thalassaemic children in Jordan. Methods The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and socio-demographic and clinical data forms were used to collect data from a convenience sample of 128 thalassaemic children and 83 healthy children between the ages of 8 to 18 years. Thalassaemic children were recruited from two thalassaemia units during their blood transfusion and treatment visits. Healthy children were recruited from four public schools. Results Thalassaemic children had significantly lower HRQoL mean scores in all dimensions compared with their healthy counterparts. The lowest mean scores for thalassaemic children were reported for the school functioning and the physical functioning domains (46.71 ± 21.14 and 54.19 ± 15.10), respectively. Regression analysis showed that disease complications and family history of thalassaemia explained 8.5% of the variance in the total HRQoL. Conclusion This study highlights the negative impact of thalassaemia on the quality of life of children, especially in terms of physical well-being and school achievement. Healthcare providers, counsellors and school teachers have very important roles in helping these children to overcome these problems and enhance their quality of life.

OBJECTIVES: There is a need for brief and publicly‐available assessments of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) easily administered in large‐scale survey efforts monitoring symptoms among adolescents. The ADHD Self‐Report Scale v1.1 (ASRS; Kessler et al., 2005) Screener, a six‐item measure of ADHD symptoms, is a valid and reliable screening instrument for ADHD among adults. The current study provides initial evidence for the reliability and validity of the ASRS Screener among a community sample of U.S. adolescents. METHODS: Middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12 (N = 2,472) completed the ASRS Screener, along with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 2001) and several questions about school functioning. RESULTS: The ASRS Screener demonstrated good internal consistency, with items captured by a single underlying latent variable, which was invariant across subsamples differing by gender. The ASRS Screener scores were associated with the SDQ subscale measuring hyperactivity/inattention (r = 0.58) and significantly less strongly associated with other SDQ subscale scores (r = −0.15–0.41). The ASRS Screener scores were also significantly associated with student‐reported school functioning. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest directions for future research and provide preliminary support for use of the ASRS Screener as a brief tool for identifying symptoms of ADHD among adolescents.

As a result of advancements in medical expertise and technology, children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer now have opportunities to participate in many typical activities, including school. To some extent, school reintegration reflects positive adjustment to their illness. Nevertheless, children and adolescents with cancer may experience consequences that result in problems with school functioning and performance, along with other psychosocial difficulties. Accordingly, school personnel may not be equipped to appropriately intervene with this unique population of students. One means of offsetting such consequences, and thus facilitating successful school reintegration, is consultation between children or adolescents, parents and/or caregivers, school personnel, and health professionals. The eco-triadic model of educational consultation may be useful as a means of providing indirect and direct services to children and adolescents with cancer. This article provides a description of the model, describes the model's application to school psychologists' work with this unique population of children, provides checklists to help guide school psychologists' intervention throughout the school reintegration process, and highlights implications for school psychology practice. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Children surviving a brain tumour face major difficulties including learning problems, lengthy school absences and psychosocial problems, all of which can impact on school functioning. Our aims were to provide information for parents and teachers about the skills and resources of this group. Specifically, we aimed to: describe the special educational needs of these children; document the impact of diagnosis and treatment on school attendance; compare parent and teacher assessments of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.Forty families agreed to participate (response rate = 58.82%). The children (19 males and 21 females) were aged from 6 to 16 years and had completed treatment at least 2 years previously (range = 2 years-12 years 5 months). Questionnaires (Strengths and Difficulties and school experience) were completed by mothers and teachers.Survivors were experiencing a wide range of physical, learning and interpersonal difficulties, according to parent and teacher reports. Almost half the children (n = 19) had ongoing neurological problems that were significant enough to require special help at school. Literacy and numeracy were the most common learning difficulties. Parents also rated brain tumour survivors as having more behavioural and emotional problems than would be expected from population norms. For example, survivors were rated as having more Total Difficulties (t = 6.86, P0.001), Emotional Symptoms (t = 8.82, P0.001), Hyperactivity (t = 2.25, P = 0.03), Peer Relationship Problems (t = 7.58, P0.001) and poorer Pro-social Behaviour (t = -3.34, P = 0.002) than would be expected from population norms. These problems were also seen to be having a significant impact on the child's functioning (t = 3.95, P0.001). Teachers rated these problems as less serious than parents.These children experience significant problems in school some time after diagnosis and when they are considered medically cured. Closer school-hospital liaison is essential to maximize integration and achievement in these children.

INTRODUCTION To describe the quality of life (QOL) of pediatric brain tumor survivors (PBTSs) prospectively and to identify potential medical, personal and family contextual factors associated with QOL. METHODS Ninety-one PBTSs (8-16 years) who were off treatment and attending a regular classroom participated. Self- and caregiver-proxy-reported on QOL at baseline, 2 and 8 months. At baseline, cognitive, executive function, attention and memory, medical and demographics information were attained. RESULTS Significant improvements over time in PBTS's emotional QOL were self- and proxy-reported (P < 0.01) and global QOL proxy-reported (P = 0.04). Receiving cranial irradiation therapy (CIT) and poor behavioral regulation predicted poor global QOL scores reported by both informants (P < 0.017). Poor behavioral regulation also predicted poor self-reported school functioning, and poor proxy-reported emotional and social QOL (P < 0.037). Boys reported better emotional QOL (P = 0.029), and PBTSs over 11 years old were reported to have better emotion and school-related QOL. Finally, being non-White and having low income predicted poor self-reported global and emotional QOL (P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS Receiving CIT, having poor behavioral regulation, being a female, under 11 years old and coming from low-income, non-White families place PBTSs at risk for poor QOL.

This study describes the relationship of time in bed and quality of sleep with concentration and functioning at school. Neurotic and psychosomatic symptoms have been used as control variables. The sample consisted of 449 Dutch children in the seventh and eighth grades of elementary school. The age of the children varied between 9 y 5 mo and 14 y 5 mo. Seven schools participated in the research, with a total of 18 classes. The results indicated that 43% of the children had difficulty getting up in the morning. Furthermore, 15% of the children reported sleep problems and 25% did not feel rested at school. Time in bed and sleep quality show no relationship with concentration. Sleep quality, feeling rested at school and less distinct bedtimes were clearly related to school functioning. Another result was that children who had no difficulty getting up displayed more achievement motivation. Being open to the teacher's influence and achievement motivation depended mainly on sleep characteristics. Not getting bored at school, self-image as a pupil and control over aggressive behaviour were also influenced by gender, age, neuroticism and neurosomaticism.

Recently, large numbers of grandparents have become full-time surrogate parents to their grandchildren. The term “grandfamily” was coined to easily identify families in which children are raised by grandparents. Grandchildren in these families are called “grandkin.” Grandparents who raise their grandkin tend to have elevated levels of stress that negatively impact their well-being. Grandkin tend to develop problems with attachment and establishing social networks, which can lead to poor psychological adjustment and development. Grandparents who raise their grandchildren significantly influence the development of their grandkin in the school environment. Often the children experience severe academic and behavioral problems in school. This article provides a review of the literature about grandkin and grandparents in grandfamilies, particularly as the relationship influences the children's school functioning. In addition, the Grandfamily School Support Network is discussed as a means of ameliorating the difficulties experienced by grandkin and grandparents. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the school performance of residential youth who attended a public school setting. Direct comparisons were made between the residential youth and students in the community on a number of school measures. Results from a multivariate analysis of covariance indicated that the residential students had significantly lower grades, participated in significantly fewer extracurricular activities, and exhibited more problematic behaviors such as tardies and absences. These findings were consistent with previous research which found that many residential youth have a number of behavioral, social, and academic difficulties that interfere with school functioning. A number of recommendations were made regarding educational placement for residential youth.

A sample of 738 students from grades 1 to 5 who were exhibiting behavior problems were nominated by teachers and subsequently assessed for behavioral disturbance using the Teacher's Report Form (TRF) of the Child Behavior Checklist. The data were analyzed to assess the accuracy of the TRF in discriminating disturbed and nondisturbed students, the internal consistency of the instrument, and its validity against measures of school functioning in terms of grade repetition and referral for special services support.

In a four-year follow-up study, the performance of 338 children on the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers was compared to indices of school functioning. Criterion measures included: retention in school, poor teachers' observations, assignment to special services or special classes, and below average report card grades. Results showed that preschoolers with low MAP scores were significantly more likely to be represented in school problem categories than were preschoolers with higher MAP scores. MAP Total scores differentiated problem and no-problem school children under all eight problem categories. These results confirm the predictive value of the MAP. Implications for refining school outcome variables in validity research on preschool screening instruments are discussed.

Examined the relationship between WISC scatter and school competence measures for 101 boys at risk for psychiatric disorder. This sample, shown in previous research to be less competent in school than controls, was predicted to have greater scatter than a standardization sample. Further, within the high-risk sample, an association was predicted between two measures of scatter and lowered school competence, as measured by Fisher's (1980) peer and teacher ratings. The results suggested that the mean scatter variable available for both samples is significantly higher in the high-risk group than in the intelligence test standardization sample. This scatter measure also measures. The second measure did not relate significantly to any of the school measures. These findings suggest that one of the two scatter measures is a valid index of less competent school functioning and may be in combination with other measures, a useful predictor of future psychopathology.

A 10-year follow-up study of parents and children in an area of Manhattan has identified factors that predict childhood behavior. The Family Research Project gathered extensive information on more than 2000 children and their parents from a cross-section of racial and economic groups and with the help of computors 18 comprehensive dimensions of child behavior were drawn up. The behavioral dimensions were subjected to a hierarchical cluster analysis and researchers were able to place children according to their behavior in identifiable groups. A 2nd major part of the study consisted of identifying the factors that contribute to the behaviors of the children. 1 of the main findings of the study was that having a large number of children in the household was related to reduced competition and impairment of the childrens school functioning. It is noted that birth control has cut down on family size but it is recommended that the razing of neighborhoods should be minimized since it is the most economically disadvantaged who are dispossessed.