The roles of birth inputs and outputs in predicting health, behaviour and test scores in early childhood.

PubMed

Li, Kai; Poirier, Dale J

2003-11-30

The goal of this study is to address directly the predictive value of birth inputs and outputs, particularly birth weight, for measures of early childhood development in a simultaneous equations modelling framework. Strikingly, birth outputs have virtually no structural/causal effects on early childhood developmental outcomes, and only maternal smoking and drinking during pregnancy have some effects on child height. Not surprisingly, family child-rearing environment has sizeable negative and positive effects on a behavioural problems index and a mathematics/reading test score, respectively, and a mildly surprising negative effect on child height. Despite little evidence of a structural/causal effect of birth weight on early childhood developmental outcomes, our results demonstrate that birth weight nonetheless has strong predictive effects on early childhood outcomes. Furthermore, these effects are largely invariant to whether family child-rearing environment is taken into account. Family child-rearing environment has both structural and predictive effects on early childhood outcomes, but they are largely orthogonal and in addition to the effects of birth weight. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Science-Based Framework for Early Childhood Policy: Using Evidence to Improve Outcomes in Learning, Behavior, and Health for Vulnerable Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2007

2007-01-01

This report combines neuroscience, child development research, and program evaluation data to better inform policymakers' decisions about investing in and supporting existing early childhood programs. Core child development concepts highlight the importance of early experiences on the development of brain architecture and, in turn, future…

Intervening to Improve Outcomes for Siblings in Foster Care: Conceptual, Substantive, and Methodological Dimensions of a Prevention Science Framework

PubMed Central

Kothari, Brianne H.; Blakeslee, Jennifer; Lamson-Siu, Emilie; Bank, Lew; Linares, L. Oriana; Waid, Jeffrey; Sorenson, Paul; Jimenez, Jessica; Pearson, Eva; Shlonsky, Aron

2014-01-01

In recent years, the child welfare field has devoted significant attention to siblings in foster care. Policymakers and practitioners have supported efforts to connect siblings via shared foster placements and visitation while researchers have focused on illuminating the empirical foundations of sibling placement and sibling intervention in child welfare. The current paper synthesizes literature on sibling relationship development and sibling issues in child welfare in the service of presenting a typology of sibling-focused interventions for use with foster youth. The paper provides two examples of current intervention research studies focused on enhancing sibling developmental processes and understanding their connection to child welfare outcomes. The paper concludes by presenting an emerging agenda informing policy, practice, and research on siblings in foster care. PMID:24634558

Knowledge, instruction and behavioural change: building a framework for effective eczema education in clinical practice.

PubMed

Thompson, Deryn Lee; Thompson, Murray John

2014-11-01

A discussion on the reasons educational interventions about eczema, by nurses, are successful, with the subsequent development of a theoretical framework to guide nurses to become effective patient educators. Effective child and parent education is the key to successful self-management of eczema. When diagnosed, children and parents should learn to understand the condition through clear explanations, seeing treatment demonstrations and have ongoing support to learn practical skills to control eczema. Dermatology nurses provide these services, but no one has proposed a framework of the concepts underpinning their successful eczema educational interventions. A discussion paper. A literature search of online databases was undertaken utilizing terms 'eczema OR atopic dermatitis', 'education', 'parent', 'nurs*', 'framework', 'knowledge', motivation', in Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Medline and Pubmed. Limits were English language and 2003-2013. The framework can inform discussion on child and parent education, provide a scaffold for future research and guide non-specialist nurses, internationally, in providing consistent patient education about eczema. Founded on an understanding of knowledge, the framework utilizes essential elements of cognitive psychology and social cognitive theory leading to successful self-management of eczema. This framework may prove useful as a basis for future research in child and parent education, globally, in the healthcare community. A framework has been created to help nurses understand the essential elements of the learning processes at the foundation of effective child and parent education. The framework serves to explain the improved outcomes reported in previous nurse-led eczema educational interventions. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The neighborhoods they live in: the effects of neighborhood residence on child and adolescent outcomes.

PubMed

Leventhal, T; Brooks-Gunn, J

2000-03-01

This article provides a comprehensive review of research on the effects of neighborhood residence on child and adolescent well-being. The first section reviews key methodological issues. The following section considers links between neighborhood characteristics and child outcomes and suggests the importance of high socioeconomic status (SES) for achievement and low SES and residential instability for behavioral/emotional outcomes. The third section identifies 3 pathways (institutional resources, relationships, and norms/collective efficacy) through which neighborhoods might influence development, and which represent an extension of models identified by C. Jencks and S. Mayer (1990) and R. J. Sampson (1992). The models provide a theoretical base for studying neighborhood mechanisms and specify different levels (individual, family, school, peer, community) at which processes may operate. Implications for an emerging developmental framework for research on neighborhoods are discussed.

Teacher and child predictors of achieving IEP goals of children with autism.

PubMed

Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H

2013-12-01

It is encouraging that children with autism show a strong response to early intervention, yet more research is needed for understanding the variability in responsiveness to specialized programs. Treatment predictor variables from 47 teachers and children who were randomized to receive the COMPASS intervention (Ruble et al. in The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) were analyzed. Predictors evaluated against child IEP goal attainment included child, teacher, intervention practice, and implementation practice variables based on an implementation science framework (Dunst and Trivette in J Soc Sci 8:143-148, 2012). Findings revealed one child (engagement), one teacher (exhaustion), two intervention quality (IEP quality for targeted and not targeted elements), and no implementation quality variables accounted for variance in child outcomes when analyzed separately. When the four significant variables were compared against each other in a single regression analysis, IEP quality accounted for one quarter of the variance in child outcomes.

Teacher and Child Predictors of Achieving IEP Goals of Children with Autism

PubMed Central

Ruble, Lisa; McGrew, John H.

2013-01-01

It is encouraging that children with autism show a strong response to early intervention, yet more research is needed for understanding the variability in responsiveness to specialized programs. Treatment predictor variables from 47 teachers and children who were randomized to receive the COMPASS intervention (Ruble et al. in The collaborative model for promoting competence and success for students with ASD. Springer, New York, 2012a) were analyzed. Predictors evaluated against child IEP goal attainment included child, teacher, intervention practice, and implementation practice variables based on an implementation science framework (Dunst and Trivette in J Soc Sci 8:143–148, 2012). Findings revealed one child (engagement), one teacher (exhaustion), two intervention quality (IEP quality for targeted and not targeted elements), and no implementation quality variables accounted for variance in child outcomes when analyzed separately. When the four significant variables were compared against each other in a single regression analysis, IEP quality accounted for one quarter of the variance in child outcomes. PMID:23838728

Building the Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network: How does it work and what is it achieving?

PubMed

Leonardo, Jennifer B; Spicer, Rebecca S; Katradis, Maria; Allison, Jennifer; Thomas, Rebekah

2018-06-01

This study investigated whether the Child Safety Collaborative Innovation and Improvement Network (CS CoIIN) framework could be applied in the field of injury and violence prevention to reduce fatalities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits among 0-19 year olds. Twenty-one states/jurisdictions were accepted into cohort 1 of the CS CoIIN, and 14 were engaged from March 2016 through April 2017. A quality improvement framework was used to test, implement and spread evidence-based change ideas (strategies and programs) in child passenger safety, falls prevention, interpersonal violence prevention, suicide and self-harm prevention and teen driver safety. Outcome and process measure data were analyzed using run chart rules. Descriptive data were analyzed for participation measures and descriptive statistics were produced. Qualitative data were analyzed to identify key themes. Seventy-six percent of CS CoIIN states/jurisdictions were engaged in activities and used data to inform decision making. Within a year, states/jurisdictions were able to test and implement evidence-based change ideas in pilot sites. A small group showed improvement in process measures and were ready to spread change ideas. Improvement in outcome measures was not achieved; however, 25% of states/jurisdictions identified data sources and reported on real-time outcome measures. Evidence indicates the CS CoIIN framework can be applied to make progress on process measures, but more time is needed to determine if this will result in progress on long-term outcome measures of fatalities, hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Seventeen states/jurisdictions will participate in cohort 2. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Parenting and child outcomes of HIV-infected African American mothers: a literature review.

PubMed

Muze, Ruth H

2013-01-01

Parenting young children while living with HIV is an important public health concern. This article reviews maternal HIV and the impact it has on the parenting experience of African American mothers. Because living with HIV has been considered a family illness, the Family Systems Model provided a framework for this article. The model demonstrated an important link between maternal HIV and its impact on the health and wellbeing of not only the mother and her children, but her parenting and family roles as well. Research has documented an association between maternal HIV and negative parent-child outcomes among African American mothers. I examined studies on parenting and child outcomes among African American mothers living with HIV. The review assists in conceptualizing parenting with HIV as an area of increasing importance in health services delivery to HIV-infected African American mothers who are caring for young children.

Analysis of Parent, Teacher, and Consultant Speech Exchanges and Educational Outcomes of Students With Autism During COMPASS Consultation.

PubMed

Ruble, Lisa; Birdwhistell, Jessie; Toland, Michael D; McGrew, John H

2011-01-01

The significant increase in the numbers of students with autism combined with the need for better trained teachers (National Research Council, 2001) call for research on the effectiveness of alternative methods, such as consultation, that have the potential to improve service delivery. Data from 2 randomized controlled single-blind trials indicate that an autism-specific consultation planning framework known as the collaborative model for promoting competence and success (COMPASS) is effective in increasing child Individual Education Programs (IEP) outcomes (Ruble, Dal-rymple, & McGrew, 2010; Ruble, McGrew, & Toland, 2011). In this study, we describe the verbal interactions, defined as speech acts and speech act exchanges that take place during COMPASS consultation, and examine the associations between speech exchanges and child outcomes. We applied the Psychosocial Processes Coding Scheme (Leaper, 1991) to code speech acts. Speech act exchanges were overwhelmingly affiliative, failed to show statistically significant relationships with child IEP outcomes and teacher adherence, but did correlate positively with IEP quality.

Analysis of Parent, Teacher, and Consultant Speech Exchanges and Educational Outcomes of Students With Autism During COMPASS Consultation

PubMed Central

RUBLE, LISA; BIRDWHISTELL, JESSIE; TOLAND, MICHAEL D.; MCGREW, JOHN H.

2011-01-01

The significant increase in the numbers of students with autism combined with the need for better trained teachers (National Research Council, 2001) call for research on the effectiveness of alternative methods, such as consultation, that have the potential to improve service delivery. Data from 2 randomized controlled single-blind trials indicate that an autism-specific consultation planning framework known as the collaborative model for promoting competence and success (COMPASS) is effective in increasing child Individual Education Programs (IEP) outcomes (Ruble, Dal-rymple, & McGrew, 2010; Ruble, McGrew, & Toland, 2011). In this study, we describe the verbal interactions, defined as speech acts and speech act exchanges that take place during COMPASS consultation, and examine the associations between speech exchanges and child outcomes. We applied the Psychosocial Processes Coding Scheme (Leaper, 1991) to code speech acts. Speech act exchanges were overwhelmingly affiliative, failed to show statistically significant relationships with child IEP outcomes and teacher adherence, but did correlate positively with IEP quality. PMID:22639523

Implications of the ethical-legal framework for adolescent HIV vaccine trials--report of a consultative forum.

PubMed

Slack, Catherine; Strode, Ann; Grant, Catherine; Milford, Cecilia

2005-09-01

The ethical-legal framework in South Africa is in a period of transition, with a number of new developments changing the substantive principles and procedures for health research in the country. Some of the changing dynamics include both law reform and the review of ethical guidelines. This changing environment poses many complexities for researchers, research ethics committees and participating communities involved in planning, implementing and reviewing research with child participants, including HIV vaccine trials. This paper presents the major themes and outcomes of a consultative meeting convened by the HIV AIDS Vaccines Ethics Group in July 2004 for key stakeholder groups. At this forum participants discussed the complexities posed by a transitional and sometimes contradictory ethical-legal framework and how the framework could be improved to simultaneously promote critical research and the welfare of child participants.

Knowledge, instruction and behavioural change: building a framework for effective eczema education in clinical practice

PubMed Central

Thompson, Deryn Lee; Thompson, Murray John

2014-01-01

Aims A discussion on the reasons educational interventions about eczema, by nurses, are successful, with the subsequent development of a theoretical framework to guide nurses to become effective patient educators. Background Effective child and parent education is the key to successful self-management of eczema. When diagnosed, children and parents should learn to understand the condition through clear explanations, seeing treatment demonstrations and have ongoing support to learn practical skills to control eczema. Dermatology nurses provide these services, but no one has proposed a framework of the concepts underpinning their successful eczema educational interventions. Design A discussion paper. Data Sources A literature search of online databases was undertaken utilizing terms ‘eczema OR atopic dermatitis’, ‘education’, ‘parent’, ‘nurs*’, ‘framework’, ‘knowledge’, motivation’, in Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Medline and Pubmed. Limits were English language and 2003–2013. Implications for Nursing The framework can inform discussion on child and parent education, provide a scaffold for future research and guide non-specialist nurses, internationally, in providing consistent patient education about eczema. Conclusion Founded on an understanding of knowledge, the framework utilizes essential elements of cognitive psychology and social cognitive theory leading to successful self-management of eczema. This framework may prove useful as a basis for future research in child and parent education, globally, in the healthcare community. A framework has been created to help nurses understand the essential elements of the learning processes at the foundation of effective child and parent education. The framework serves to explain the improved outcomes reported in previous nurse-led eczema educational interventions. PMID:25312442

An Integrated Conceptual Framework for the Development of Asian American Children and Youth.

PubMed

Mistry, Jayanthi; Li, Jin; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Tseng, Vivian; Tirrell, Jonathan; Kiang, Lisa; Mistry, Rashmita; Wang, Yijie

2016-07-01

The diversity of circumstances and developmental outcomes among Asian American children and youth poses a challenge for scholars interested in Asian American child development. This article addresses the challenge by offering an integrated conceptual framework based on three broad questions: (a) What are theory-predicated specifications of contexts that are pertinent for the development of Asian American children? (b) What are the domains of development and socialization that are particularly relevant? (c) How can culture as meaning-making processes be integrated in conceptualizations of development? The heuristic value of the conceptual model is illustrated by research on Asian American children and youth that examines the interconnected nature of specific features of context, pertinent aspects of development, and interpretive processes. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Outcomes in pediatric neurology: a review of conceptual issues and recommendationsThe 2010 Ronnie Mac Keith Lecture.

PubMed

Ronen, Gabriel M; Fayed, Nora; Rosenbaum, Peter L

2011-04-01

This paper discusses how to evaluate whether, and in what ways, treatments affect the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. We argue that professionals should incorporate perspectives from patients and families to help them make decisions about what 'outcomes' are important, and we discuss how those outcomes might be assessed. A case vignette illustrates the differences and complementarity between the perspectives of clinicians and those of children and their parents. We recommend methods for expanding the range of relevant health outcomes in child neurology to include those that reflect the ways patients and families view their conditions and our interventions. We explore the added value of a 'non-categorical' approach to the choice of outcomes. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health is a useful biopsychosocial framework to 'rule in' relevant aspects of child and family issues to create a dynamic system of possible influences on outcomes. We examine the meaning of 'health', 'health-related quality of life', and 'quality of life' as related but conceptually distinct outcomes. Specific issues are discussed about the construction, validation, and appraisal of outcome measures, as well as practical recommendations on how to select outcome measures in the clinical setting and research. © The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2011 Mac Keith Press.

Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector?

PubMed

Bustreo, Flavia; Harding, April; Axelsson, Henrik

2003-01-01

The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations.

Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector?

PubMed Central

Bustreo, Flavia; Harding, April; Axelsson, Henrik

2003-01-01

The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations. PMID:14997241

Using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework to Achieve Interprofessional Functional Outcomes for Young Children: A Speech-Language Pathology Perspective.

PubMed

McNeilly, Lemmietta G

2018-02-01

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework is an excellent tool to facilitate the writing of functional goals for children who exhibit communication disorders and other developmental problems that require services from professionals in multiple therapeutic areas. The holistic view of children provides each professional with an approach that integrates how one's specific health conditions and contextual factors influence a child's functioning and participation in daily activities. This allows the interprofessional team to view the child as a person, recognizing how one need influences another within his or her environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethical Considerations in Balancing Parental Autonomy With Protecting a Child With Epilepsy From Harm.

PubMed

Miller-Horn, Jill

2016-02-01

Neurologists are expected to accommodate parental decisions in the medical care for their child, unless the parental decision places the child at an unnecessary risk of serious harm. Sometimes, respect for parental autonomy is in conflict with the physician's professional obligation to protect the patient from harm and to optimize treatment for a particular disease or condition. This case illustrates an ethical dilemma created when the neurologist and parent disagree about the most appropriate medical treatment for a child with epilepsy. Viewing the disagreement within an ethical framework, however, provides the parties to the disagreement with an opportunity to understand the beliefs and motivations of everyone involved and creates the potential for an outcome based upon the child's best interest.

Family-oriented services in pediatric rehabilitation: a scoping review and framework to promote parent and family wellness.

PubMed

King, G; Williams, L; Hahn Goldberg, S

2017-05-01

Family-oriented services are not as common as one would expect, given the widespread endorsement of family-centred care, the role of parents in supporting optimal child outcomes, and legislation and literature indicating that parent outcomes are important in their own right. There are no published service delivery frameworks describing the scope of services that could be delivered to promote parent and family wellness. A scoping review was conducted to identify types of family-oriented services for parents of children with physical disabilities and/or intellectual impairments. This information was then synthesized into a conceptual framework of services to inform service selection and design. A scoping review of the recent literature was performed to capture descriptions of services targeting parents/families of children with physical disabilities and/or intellectual impairments, published in a six-year period (2009 to 2014). Six databases were searched and 557 retrieved articles were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty six relevant articles were identified. Based on descriptions of services in these articles, along with seminal articles describing the nature of desirable services, we propose a needs-based and capacity-enhancing framework outlining a continuum of family-oriented services for parents of children with disabilities. The framework includes six types of services to meet parent/family needs, organized as a continuum from fundamental information/education services, to those supporting parents to deliver services to meet their child's needs, to a variety of services addressing parents' own needs (support groups, psychosocial services and service coordination). The framework provides pediatric rehabilitation service organizations with a way to consider different possible family-oriented services. Implications include the particular importance of providing information resources, support groups and psychosocial services to meet parents' needs, enhance capacity and promote family wellness. There is also an opportunity to provide composite parent-child services to address the needs of both parents and children. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The stigma of childhood mental disorders: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Mukolo, Abraham; Heflinger, Craig Anne; Wallston, Kenneth A

2010-02-01

To describe the state of the literature on stigma associated with children's mental disorders and highlight gaps in empirical work. We reviewed child mental illness stigma articles in (English only) peer-reviewed journals available through Medline and PsychInfo. We augmented these with adult-oriented stigma articles that focus on theory and measurement. A total of 145 articles in PsychInfo and 77 articles in MEDLINE met search criteria. The review process involved identifying and appraising literature convergence on the definition of critical dimensions of stigma, antecedents, and outcomes reported in empirical studies. We found concurrence on three dimensions of stigma (negative stereotypes, devaluation, and discrimination), two contexts of stigma (self, general public), and two targets of stigma (self/individual, family). Theory and empirics on institutional and self-stigma in child populations were sparse. Literature reports few theoretic frameworks and conceptualizations of child mental illness stigma. One model of help seeking (the FINIS) explicitly acknowledges the role of stigma in children's access and use of mental health services. Compared with adults, children are subject to unique stigmatizing contexts that have not been adequately studied. The field needs conceptual frameworks that get closer to stigma experiences that are causally linked to how parents/caregivers cope with children's emotional and behavioral problems, such as seeking professional help. To further research in child mental illness, we suggest an approach to adapting current theoretical frameworks and operationalizing stigma, highlighting three dimensions of stigma, three contexts of stigma (including institutions), and three targets of stigma (self/child, family, and services).

Conceptual and measurement issues in early parenting practices research: an epidemiologic perspective.

PubMed

Walker, Lorraine O; Kirby, Russell S

2010-11-01

Early parenting practices are significant to public health because of their linkages to child health outcomes. This paper focuses on the current state of the science regarding conceptual frameworks that incorporate early parenting practices in epidemiologic research and evidence supporting reliability and validity of self-report measures of such practices. Guided by a provisional definition of early parenting practices, literature searches were conducted using PubMed and Sociological Abstracts. Twenty-five published studies that included parent-report measures of early parenting practices met inclusion criteria. Findings on conceptual frameworks were analyzed qualitatively, whereas evidence of reliability and validity were organized into four domains (safety, feeding and oral health, development promotion, and discipline) and summarized in tabular form. Quantitative estimates of measures of reliability and validity were extracted, where available. We found two frameworks incorporating early parenting: one a program theory and the other a predictive model. We found no reported evidence of the reliability or validity of parent-report measures of safety or feeding and oral health practices. Evidence for reliability and validity were reported with greater frequency for development promotion and discipline practices, but report of the most pertinent type of reliability estimation, test-retest reliability, was rare. Failure to examine associations of early parenting practices with any child outcomes within most studies resulted in missed opportunities to indirectly estimate validity of parenting practice measures. Stronger evidence concerning specific measurement properties of early parenting practices is important to advancing maternal-child research, surveillance, and practice.

Maternity Leave Access and Health: A Systematic Narrative Review and Conceptual Framework Development.

PubMed

Andres, Ellie; Baird, Sarah; Bingenheimer, Jeffrey Bart; Markus, Anne Rossier

2016-06-01

Background Maternity leave is integral to postpartum maternal and child health, providing necessary time to heal and bond following birth. However, the relationship between maternity leave and health outcomes has not been formally and comprehensively assessed to guide public health research and policy in this area. This review aims to address this gap by investigating both the correlates of maternity leave utilization in the US and the related health benefits for mother and child. Methods We searched the peer-reviewed scholarly literature using six databases for the years 1990 to early 2015 and identified 37 studies to be included in the review. We extracted key data for each of the included studies and assessed study quality using the "Weight of the Evidence" approach. Results The literature generally confirms a positive, though limited correlation between maternity leave coverage and utilization. Likewise, longer maternity leaves are associated with improved breastfeeding intentions and rates of initiation, duration and predominance as well as improved maternal mental health and early childhood outcomes. However, the literature points to important disparities in access to maternity leave that carry over into health outcomes, such as breastfeeding. Synthesis We present a conceptual framework synthesizing what is known to date related to maternity leave access and health outcomes.

Targeting couple and parent-child coercion to improve health behaviors.

PubMed

Smith Slep, Amy M; Heyman, Richard E; Mitnick, Danielle M; Lorber, Michael F; Beauchaine, Theodore P

2018-02-01

This phase of the NIH Science of Behavior Change program emphasizes an "experimental medicine approach to behavior change," that seeks to identify targets related to stress reactivity, self-regulation, and social processes for maximal effects on multiple health outcomes. Within this framework, our project focuses on interpersonal processes associated with health: coercive couple and parent-child conflict. Diabetes and poor oral health portend pain, distress, expense, loss of productivity, and even mortality. They share overlapping medical regimens, are driven by overlapping proximal health behaviors, and affect a wide developmental span, from early childhood to late adulthood. Coercive couple and parent-child conflict constitute potent and destructive influences on a wide range of adult and child health outcomes. Such interaction patterns give rise to disturbed environmental stress reactivity (e.g., disrupted sympathetic nervous and parasympathetic nervous systems) and a wide range of adverse health outcomes in children and adults, including dental caries, obesity, and diabetes-related metabolic markers. In this work, we seek to identify/develop/validate assays assessing coercion, identify/develop and test brief interventions to reduce coercion, and test whether changes in coercion trigger changes in health behaviors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic Disadvantage in Complex Family Systems: Expansion of Family Stress Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, Melissa A.

2008-01-01

Economic disadvantage is associated with multiple risks to early socioemotional development. This article reviews research regarding family stress frameworks to model the pathways from economic disadvantage to negative child outcomes via family processes. Future research in this area should expand definitions of family and household to incorporate…

Context matters: A community-based study of urban minority parents’ views on child health

PubMed Central

Bolar, Cassandra L.; Hernandez, Natalie; Akintobi, Tabia Henry; McAllister, Calvin; Ferguson, Aneeqah S.; Rollins, Latrice; Wrenn, Glenda; Okafor, Martha; Collins, David; Clem, Thomas

2016-01-01

Background Among children, there are substantial ethno-racial minority disparities across a broad range of health-related behaviors, experiences, and outcomes. Addressing these disparities is important, as childhood and adolescence establish health trajectories that extend throughout life. Methods The current study employed a community-based participatory research approach to gain community insight on child health priorities and to frame an intervention aimed at improving the health of minority children. Eight focus groups were conducted among seventy-five African American parents in a Southeastern city. The current study was guided by an ecological theoretical framework. Results Although the focus of this investigation was on community identification of child health priorities, participants cited, as root determinants, contextual factors, which included lack of healthy food options, lack of spaces for physical activity, and community violence. These co-occurring factors were related to limited engagement in outdoor activities and physical activity, increased obesity, and poor mental health and coping. Poor parenting was cited as the most substantial barrier to improving child health outcomes, and quality parenting was identified as the most important issue to address for community programs focused on promoting the health and success of children. For improving health outcomes for children in their neighborhoods, establishment of positive social capital and constructive activities were also cited. Conclusions These results reinforce social determinants of health as influences on child health outcomes and describe how community engagement can address potential solutions through interventions that resonate with program participants. PMID:27275021

Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams: Implementation Fidelity and Related Outcomes.

PubMed

Huebner, Ruth A; Posze, Lynn; Willauer, Tina M; Hall, Martin T

2015-01-01

Although integrated programs between child welfare and substance abuse treatment are recommended for families with co-occurring child maltreatment and substance use disorders, implementing integrated service delivery strategies with fidelity is a challenging process. This study of the first five years of the Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Team (START) program examines implementation fidelity using a model proposed by Carroll et al. (2007). The study describes the process of strengthening moderators of implementation fidelity, trends in adherence to START service delivery standards, and trends in parent and child outcomes. Qualitative and quantitative measures were used to prospectively study three START sites serving 341 families with 550 parents and 717 children. To achieve implementation fidelity to service delivery standards required a pre-service year and two full years of operation, persistent leadership, and facilitative actions that challenged the existing paradigm. Over four years of service delivery, the time from the child protective services report to completion of five drug treatment sessions was reduced by an average of 75 days. This trend was associated with an increase in parent retention, parental sobriety, and parent retention of child custody. Conclusions/Importance: Understanding the implementation processes necessary to establish complex integrated programs may support realistic allocation of resources. Although implementation fidelity is a moderator of program outcome, complex inter-agency interventions may benefit from innovative measures of fidelity that promote improvement without extensive cost and data collection burden. The implementation framework applied in this study was useful in examining implementation processes, fidelity, and related outcomes.

Intergenerational transmission of traumatization: Theoretical framework and implications for prevention.

PubMed

Lang, Ariel J; Gartstein, Maria A

2018-01-01

Intergenerational transmission of traumatization (ITT) occurs when traumatized parents have offspring with increased risk for emotional and behavioral problems. Although fetal exposure to the maternal biological milieu is known to be one factor in ITT, PTSD-driven parent-child interactions represent an additional important and potentially modifiable contributor. The Perinatal Interactional Model of ITT presented herein proposes that PTSD leads to social learning and suboptimal parent-child interactions, which undermine child regulatory capacity and increase distress, largely explaining poor social-emotional outcomes for offspring of parents with PTSD. Psychosocial intervention, particularly when delivered early in pregnancy, holds the possibility of disrupting ITT.

Associations between quantitative measures of women's empowerment and access to care and health status for mothers and their children: A systematic review of evidence from the developing world.

PubMed

Pratley, Pierre

2016-11-01

Research on the association between women's empowerment and maternal and child health has rapidly expanded. However, questions concerning the measurement and aggregation of quantitative indicators of women's empowerment and their associations with measures of maternal and child health status and healthcare utilization remain unanswered. Major challenges include complexity in measuring progress in several dimensions and the situational, context dependent nature of the empowerment process as it relates to improvements in maternal and child health status and maternal care seeking behaviors. This systematic literature review summarizes recent evidence from the developing world regarding the role women's empowerment plays as a social determinant of maternal and child health outcomes. A search of quantitative evidence previously reported in the economic, socio-demographic and public health literature finds 67 eligible studies that report on direct indicators of women's empowerment and their association with indicators capturing maternal and child health outcomes. Statistically significant associations were found between women's empowerment and maternal and child health outcomes such as antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth, contraceptive use, child mortality, full vaccination, nutritional status and exposure to violence. Although associations differ in magnitude and direction, the studies reviewed generally support the hypothesis that women's empowerment is significantly and positively associated with maternal and child health outcomes. While major challenges remain regarding comparability between studies and lack of direct indicators in key dimensions of empowerment, these results suggest that policy makers and practitioners must consider women's empowerment as a viable strategy to improve maternal and child health, but also as a merit in itself. Recommendations include collection of indicators on psychological, legal and political dimensions of women's empowerment and development of a comprehensive conceptual framework that can guide research and policy making. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Research Framework for Understanding the Practical Impact of Family Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System: The Juvenile Justice Family Involvement Model.

PubMed

Walker, Sarah Cusworth; Bishop, Asia S; Pullmann, Michael D; Bauer, Grace

2015-12-01

Family involvement is recognized as a critical element of service planning for children's mental health, welfare and education. For the juvenile justice system, however, parents' roles in this system are complex due to youths' legal rights, public safety, a process which can legally position parents as plaintiffs, and a historical legacy of blaming parents for youth indiscretions. Three recent national surveys of juvenile justice-involved parents reveal that the current paradigm elicits feelings of stress, shame and distrust among parents and is likely leading to worse outcomes for youth, families and communities. While research on the impact of family involvement in the justice system is starting to emerge, the field currently has no organizing framework to guide a research agenda, interpret outcomes or translate findings for practitioners. We propose a research framework for family involvement that is informed by a comprehensive review and content analysis of current, published arguments for family involvement in juvenile justice along with a synthesis of family involvement efforts in other child-serving systems. In this model, family involvement is presented as an ascending, ordinal concept beginning with (1) exclusion, and moving toward climates characterized by (2) information-giving, (3) information-eliciting and (4) full, decision-making partnerships. Specific examples of how courts and facilities might align with these levels are described. Further, the model makes predictions for how involvement will impact outcomes at multiple levels with applications for other child-serving systems.

Breast-feeding Coparenting Framework: A New Framework to Improve Breast-feeding Duration and Exclusivity.

PubMed

Abbass-Dick, Jennifer; Dennis, Cindy-Lee

Targeting mothers and fathers in breast-feeding promotion programs is recommended as research has found that father's support positively impacts breast-feeding duration and exclusivity. Breast-feeding coparenting refers to the manner in which parents work together to achieve their breast-feeding goals. The Breast-feeding Coparenting Framework was developed on the basis of diverse coparenting models and research related to father's involvement with breast-feeding. This framework consists of 5 components: joint breast-feeding goal setting, shared breast-feeding responsibility, proactive breast-feeding support, father's/partner's parental-child interactions, and productive communication and problem solving. This framework may be of value to policy makers and program providers working to improve breast-feeding outcomes.

Child and youth participatory interventions for addressing lifestyle-related childhood obesity: a systematic review.

PubMed

Frerichs, L; Ataga, O; Corbie-Smith, G; Tessler Lindau, S

2016-12-01

A growing number of childhood obesity interventions involve children and youth in participatory roles, but these types of interventions have not been systematically reviewed. We aimed to identify child and youth participatory interventions in the peer-reviewed literature in order to characterize the approaches and examine their impact on obesity and obesity-related lifestyle behaviours. We searched PubMed/Medline, psychINFO and ERIC for quasi-experimental and randomized trials conducted from date of database initiation through May 2015 that engaged children or youth in implementing healthy eating, physical activity or weight management strategies. Eighteen studies met our eligibility criteria. Most (n = 14) trained youth to implement pre-defined strategies targeting their peers. A few (n = 4) assisted youth to plan and implement interventions that addressed environmental changes. Thirteen studies reported at least one statistically significant weight, physical activity or dietary change outcome. Participatory approaches have potential, but variation in strategies and outcomes leave questions unanswered about the mechanisms through which child and youth engagement impact childhood obesity. Future research should compare child-delivered or youth-delivered to adult-delivered health promotion interventions and more rigorously evaluate natural experiments that engage youth to implement environmental changes. With careful attention to theoretical frameworks, process and outcome measures, these studies could strengthen the effectiveness of child and youth participatory approaches. © 2016 World Obesity Federation.

How Has the Presence of Zimbabwe's Victim-Friendly Court and Relevant Child Protection Policy and Legal Frameworks Affected the Management of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse in Zimbabwe? The Case of Marondera District.

PubMed

Musiwa, Anthony Shuko

2018-06-01

The study intended to assess, based on the perceptions of Victim-Friendly Court (VFC) professionals in Marondera District in Zimbabwe, how the presence of the VFC and relevant child protection policy and legal frameworks has affected the management of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse (ICSA) in Zimbabwe. Sem-istructured questionnaires were administered to 25 professionals from 13 VFC agencies in Marondera, while one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 key informants who included five ICSA survivors and their respective five caregivers as well as five key community child protection committee members. All 40 participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed manually using thematic analysis, descriptive analysis, and document analysis. The study showed that the VFC manages ICSA through prevention, protection, treatment, and support interventions, and that its mandate is guided by key child protection policy and legal frameworks, particularly the National Action Plan for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children and the Children's Act (Chapter 5:06). The presence of these mechanisms is perceived to have resulted in increased awareness of ICSA, realization of effective results, increased reporting of ICSA, and enhanced coordination among VFC agencies. However, the same frameworks are perceived to be fraught with gaps and inconsistencies, too prescriptive, incoherent with some key aspects of the National Constitution and international child rights standards, and poorly resourced for effective implementation. All this has negatively affected the management of ICSA. Therefore, the Government of Zimbabwe should consistently review these systems to make them responsive to the ever-evolving factors associated with ICSA. Also, alignment with the National Constitution, full domestication of global child rights instruments, and routine collection of better statistics for evidence-based policy- and decision-making, and for better monitoring of progress and evaluation of outcomes, are necessary for positive results. Non-governmental stakeholders too should chip in with human, technical, and financial resources to enhance effective management of the social problem.

Multiple Levels of Family Factors and Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms Among Chinese Children.

PubMed

Lin, Xiuyun; Li, Longfeng; Heath, Melissa A; Chi, Peilian; Xu, Shousen; Fang, Xiaoyi

2018-03-01

Family factors are closely associated with child developmental outcomes. This study examined the relationship of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) symptoms and factors at whole family, dyadic, and individual levels in Chinese children. Participants, who were recruited from 14 primary schools in north, east, and south-west China, included 80 father-child dyads and 169 mother-child dyads. Children in the participating dyads were previously diagnosed with ODD. Results revealed that family cohesion/adaptability was indirectly associated with ODD symptoms via parent-child relationship and child emotion regulation. Parent-child relationship affected ODD symptoms directly and indirectly through child emotion regulation. In addition, the effects of family cohesion/adaptability on parent emotion regulation and child emotion regulation were mediated by the parent-child relationship. The tested model provides a comprehensive framework of how family factors at multiple levels are related to child ODD symptoms and highlights the importance of understanding child emotional and behavioral problems within the family context, more specifically within the multiple levels of family relationships. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

Further Iterations on Using the Problem-Analysis Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annan, Michael; Chua, Jocelyn; Cole, Rachel; Kennedy, Emma; James, Robert; Markusdottir, Ingibjorg; Monsen, Jeremy; Robertson, Lucy; Shah, Sonia

2013-01-01

A core component of applied educational and child psychology practice is the skilfulness with which practitioners are able to rigorously structure and conceptualise complex real world human problems. This is done in such a way that when they (with others) jointly work on them, there is an increased likelihood of positive outcomes being achieved…

Evidence-Based Practice: A Framework for Making Effective Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Trina D.; Detrich, Ronnie; Slocum, Timothy A.

2012-01-01

The research to practice gap in education has been a long-standing concern. The enactment of No Child Left Behind brought increased emphasis on the value of using scientifically based instructional practices to improve educational outcomes. It also brought education into the broader evidence-based practice movement that started in medicine and has…

Ethnic Differences in the Developmental Significance of Parentification

PubMed Central

Khafi, Tamar Y.; Yates, Tuppett M.; Luthar, Suniya S.

2014-01-01

Using an ecological framework, this 2-wave longitudinal study examined the effects of parentification on youth adjustment across the transition to adolescence in a high-risk, low-income sample of African American (58%) and European American (42%) mother-child dyads (T1 Mage = 10.17 years, T2 Mage = 14.89 years; 52.4% female). Children’s provision of family caregiving was moderately stable from early to late adolescence. Emotional and instrumental parentification evidenced distinct long-term effects on adolescents’ psychopathology and the quality of the parent-child relationship. Ethnicity moderated these relations. Emotional and instrumental parentification behaviors were associated with predominantly negative outcomes among European American youth in the form of increased externalizing behavior problems and decreased parent-child relationship quality, whereas emotional parentification was associated with positive outcomes among African American youth in the form of increased parent-child relationship quality, and instrumental parentification was neutral. These findings support a multidimensional view of parentification as a set of culturally-embedded phenomena whose effects can only be understood in consideration of the context in which they occur. PMID:24684188

Child Health in Elementary School Following California’s Paid Family Leave Program.

PubMed

Lichtman-Sadot, Shirlee; Bell, Niryvia Pillay

We evaluate changes in elementary school children health outcomes following the introduction of California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, which provided parents with paid time off following the birth of a child. Our health outcomes--overweight, ADHD, and hearing-related problems--are characterized by diagnosis rates that only pick up during early elementary school. Moreover, our health outcomes have been found to be negatively linked with many potential implications of extended maternity leave--increased breastfeeding, prompt medical checkups at infancy, reduced prenatal stress, and reduced non-parental care during infancy. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies (ECLS) within a difference-in-differences framework, our results suggest improvements in health outcomes among California elementary school children following PFL’s introduction. Furthermore, the improvements are driven by children from less advantaged backgrounds, which is consistent with the notion that California’s PFL had the greatest effect on leave-taking duration after childbirth mostly for less advantaged mothers who previously could not afford to take unpaid leave.

[Better rights for sick children].

PubMed

Lie, Sverre O; Rø, Otto Christian

2012-02-21

Recognizing that healthy children are the future of Europe and the rights of every child to equitable access to health care which is appropriate, child-oriented and of good quality must be respected; The health and well-being of children are priority goals shared by all member states within the general context of human rights and the specific framework of children's rights; Investments in children's health and wellbeing ensures better outcome for the entire lifespan and may reduce the burden on health and welfare systems, since a significant number of avoidable physical and socio-psychological problems in adult life have their origin in infancy and childhood Effective and efficient child-friendly healthcare contributes to social cohesion

Multidimensional treatment foster care as a preventive intervention to promote resiliency among youth in the child welfare system.

PubMed

Leve, Leslie D; Fisher, Philip A; Chamberlain, Patricia

2009-12-01

Demographic trends indicate that a growing segment of families is exposed to adversity such as poverty, drug use problems, caregiver transitions, and domestic violence. Although these risk processes and the accompanying poor outcomes for children have been well studied, little is known about why some children develop resilience in the face of such adversity, particularly when it is severe enough to invoke child welfare involvement. This paper describes a program of research involving families in the child welfare system. Using a resiliency framework, evidence from 4 randomized clinical trials that included components of the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care program is presented. Future directions and next steps are proposed.

A Qualitative Exploration Into the Parent-Child Feeding Relationship: How Parents of Preschoolers Divide the Responsibilities of Feeding with Their Children.

PubMed

Loth, Katie A; Nogueira de Brito, Junia; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne; Fisher, Jennifer Orlet; Berge, Jerica M

2018-04-05

To explore the extent to which parents divide responsibilities of feeding (what, when, where, how much, and whether) with their children and the factors that influence parents' approach to feeding. Individual interviews. Parents (n = 40) of preschoolers. Division of feeding responsibilities; motivation for feeding approach; challenges to feeding. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using deductive and inductive content analysis. Parent's approaches to feeding varied widely. A few parents followed the Division of Responsibility approach closely. Instead, many parents gave their child more than the recommended amount of influence over what foods were served and offered children less than the recommended amount of autonomy over the whether and how much of eating. Meals and snacks were approached differently; parents exhibited less control over the timing of snacks as well as the types and amounts of foods eaten during snacks, compared with the control exhibited during meals. This data supports future research to understand the impact of this framework on child health outcomes when it is adhered to on all eating occasions, including snacks. Researchers and clinicians should collaborate to explore alternative frameworks that encourage parents to provide the structure and autonomy support shown to yield positive outcomes in children. Copyright © 2018 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Depression in children.

PubMed

Charles, Julian; Fazeli, Mandana

2017-12-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) in children (5-12 years of age) is a confronting and serious psychiatric illness. MDD has significant ramifications for the psychosocial development of the child, yet it remains under-recognised and undertreated. General practice is where these children and their parents will first present. The aim of this article is to provide general practitioners (GPs) with a framework for considering MDD in a child and recommendations for treatment. Children with MDD have the same core features as adolescents and adults, taking into account the child's capacities for cognition and language, and developmental stage. Earlier onset of illness is associated with poorer outcomes and greater psychiatric morbidity persisting into adulthood. MDD is more common than anticipated, and should be considered for any child presenting with depressive symptoms and/or impaired psychosocial functioning. Despite limited evidence, numerous interventions exist that will, ideally, significantly affect the child's developmental trajectory. GPs are in an important position to initiate these interventions.

Conceptualising paediatric health disparities: a metanarrative systematic review and unified conceptual framework.

PubMed

Ridgeway, Jennifer L; Wang, Zhen; Finney Rutten, Lila J; van Ryn, Michelle; Griffin, Joan M; Murad, M Hassan; Asiedu, Gladys B; Egginton, Jason S; Beebe, Timothy J

2017-08-04

There exists a paucity of work in the development and testing of theoretical models specific to childhood health disparities even though they have been linked to the prevalence of adult health disparities including high rates of chronic disease. We conducted a systematic review and thematic analysis of existing models of health disparities specific to children to inform development of a unified conceptual framework. We systematically reviewed articles reporting theoretical or explanatory models of disparities on a range of outcomes related to child health. We searched Ovid Medline In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus (database inception to 9 July 2015). A metanarrative approach guided the analysis process. A total of 48 studies presenting 48 models were included. This systematic review found multiple models but no consensus on one approach. However, we did discover a fair amount of overlap, such that the 48 models reviewed converged into the unified conceptual framework. The majority of models included factors in three domains: individual characteristics and behaviours (88%), healthcare providers and systems (63%), and environment/community (56%), . Only 38% of models included factors in the health and public policies domain. A disease-agnostic unified conceptual framework may inform integration of existing knowledge of child health disparities and guide future research. This multilevel framework can focus attention among clinical, basic and social science research on the relationships between policy, social factors, health systems and the physical environment that impact children's health outcomes. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Using frameworks to diagram value in complex policy and environmental interventions to prevent childhood obesity.

PubMed

Swank, Melissa Farrell; Brennan, Laura K; Gentry, Daniel; Kemner, Allison L

2015-01-01

To date, few tools assist policy makers and practitioners in understanding and conveying the implementation costs, potential impacts, and value of policy and environmental changes to address healthy eating, active living, and childhood obesity. For the Evaluation of Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities (HKHC), evaluators considered inputs (resources and investments) that generate costs and savings as well as benefits and harms related to social, economic, environmental, and health-related outcomes in their assessment of 49 HKHC community partnerships funded from 2009 to 2014. Using data collected through individual and group interviews and an online performance monitoring system, evaluators created a socioecological framework to assess investments, resources, costs, savings, benefits, and harms at the individual, organizational, community, and societal levels. Evaluators customized frameworks for 6 focal strategies: active transportation, parks and play spaces, child care physical activity standards, corner stores, farmers' markets, and child care nutrition standards. To illustrate the Value Frameworks, this brief highlights the 38 HKHC communities implementing at least 1 active transportation strategy. Evaluators populated this conceptual Value Framework with themes from the strategy-specific inputs and outputs. The range of factors corresponding to the implementation and impact of the HKHC community partnerships are highlighted along with the inputs and outputs. The Value Frameworks helped evaluators identify gaps in current analysis models (ie, benefit-cost analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis) as well as paint a more complete picture of value for potential obesity prevention strategies. These frameworks provide a comprehensive understanding of investments needed, proposed costs and savings, and potential benefits and harms associated with economic, social, environmental, and health outcomes. This framing also allowed evaluators to demonstrate the interdependence of each socioecological level on the others in these multicomponent interventions. This model can be used by practitioners and community leaders to assess realistic and sustainable strategies to combat childhood obesity.

A real-time analysis of parent-child emotion discussions: the interaction is reciprocal.

PubMed

Morelen, Diana; Suveg, Cynthia

2012-12-01

The current study examined reciprocal parent-child emotion-related behaviors and links to child emotional and psychological functioning. Fifty-four mothers, fathers, and children (7 to 12 years old) participated in four emotion discussions about a time when the child felt angry, happy, sad, and anxious. Supportive emotion parenting (SEP), unsupportive emotion parenting (UEP), and child adaptive/maladaptive emotion regulation (ER) behaviors were coded using Noldus behavioral research software (Noldus Information Technology, 2007). Parents were more likely to follow children's adaptive emotion regulation with supportive versus unsupportive emotional responses and children were more likely to show adaptive versus maladaptive emotion regulation in response to supportive emotion parenting. Interaction patterns involving unsupportive emotion parenting related to child psychological and emotional outcomes. The results provide empirical support for an evocative person-environment framework of emotion socialization and identify the ways in which particular patterns of interaction relate to psychological functioning in youth. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Social influence in child care centers: a test of the theory of normative social behavior.

PubMed

Lapinski, Maria Knight; Anderson, Jenn; Shugart, Alicia; Todd, Ewen

2014-01-01

Child care centers are a unique context for studying communication about the social and personal expectations about health behaviors. The theory of normative social behavior (TNSB; Rimal & Real, 2005 ) provides a framework for testing the role of social and psychological influences on handwashing behaviors among child care workers. A cross-sectional survey of child care workers in 21 centers indicates that outcome expectations and group identity increase the strength of the relationship between descriptive norms and handwashing behavior. Injunctive norms also moderate the effect of descriptive norms on handwashing behavior such that when strong injunctive norms are reported, descriptive norms are positively related to handwashing, but when weak injunctive norms are reported, descriptive norms are negatively related to handwashing. The findings suggest that communication interventions in child care centers can focus on strengthening injunctive norms in order to increase handwashing behaviors in child care centers. The findings also suggest that the theory of normative social behavior can be useful in organizational contexts.

Understanding the Cycle

PubMed Central

Currie, Janet; Tekin, Erdal

2013-01-01

Child maltreatment is a major social problem. This paper focuses on measuring the relationship between child maltreatment and crime using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). We focus on crime because it is one of the most costly potential outcomes of maltreatment. Our work addresses two main limitations of the existing literature on child maltreatment. First, we use a large national sample, and investigate different types of maltreatment in a unified framework. Second, we pay careful attention to controlling for possible confounders using a variety of statistical methods that make differing assumptions. The results suggest that maltreatment greatly increases the probability of engaging in crime and that the probability increases with the experience of multiple forms of maltreatment. PMID:24204082

Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care as a Preventive Intervention to Promote Resiliency Among Youth in the Child Welfare System

PubMed Central

Leve, Leslie D.; Fisher, Philip A.; Chamberlain, Patricia

2009-01-01

Demographic trends indicate that a growing segment of families is exposed to adversity such as poverty, drug use problems, caregiver transitions, and domestic violence. Although these risk processes and the accompanying poor outcomes for children have been well-studied, little is known about why some children develop resilience in the face of such adversity, particularly when it is severe enough to invoke child welfare involvement. This paper describes a program of research involving families in the child welfare system. Using a resiliency framework, evidence from four randomized clinical trials that included components of the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care program is presented. Future directions and next steps are proposed. PMID:19807861

What Explains Cambodia’s Success in Reducing Child Stunting-2000-2014?

PubMed Central

Zanello, Giacomo; Srinivasan, C. S.; Shankar, Bhavani

2016-01-01

In many developing countries, high levels of child undernutrition persist alongside rapid economic growth. There is considerable interest in the study of countries that have made rapid progress in child nutrition to uncover the driving forces behind these improvements. Cambodia is often cited as a success case having reduced the incidence of child stunting from 51% to 34% over the period 2000 to 2014. To what extent is this success driven by improvements in the underlying determinants of nutrition, such as wealth and education, (“covariate effects”) and to what extent by changes in the strengths of association between these determinants and nutrition outcomes (“coefficient effects”)? Using determinants derived from the widely-applied UNICEF framework for the analysis of child nutrition and data from four Demographic and Health Surveys datasets, we apply quantile regression based decomposition methods to quantify the covariate and coefficient effect contributions to this improvement in child nutrition. The method used in the study allows the covariate and coefficient effects to vary across the entire distribution of child nutrition outcomes. There are important differences in the drivers of improvements in child nutrition between severely stunted and moderately stunted children and between rural and urban areas. The translation of improvements in household endowments, characteristics and practices into improvements in child nutrition (the coefficient effects) may be influenced by macroeconomic shocks or other events such as natural calamities or civil disturbance and may vary substantially over different time periods. Our analysis also highlights the need to explicitly examine the contribution of targeted child health and nutrition interventions to improvements in child nutrition in developing countries. PMID:27649080

Predictors of mental health competence in a population cohort of Australian children.

PubMed

Goldfeld, Sharon; Kvalsvig, Amanda; Incledon, Emily; O'Connor, Meredith; Mensah, Fiona

2014-05-01

The child mental health epidemiology literature focuses almost exclusively on reporting the prevalence and predictors of child mental disorders. However, there is growing recognition of positive mental health or mental health competence as an independent outcome that cannot be inferred from the absence of problems, and requires epidemiological investigation in its own right. We developed a novel measure of child mental health competence within the framework of the Australian Early Development Index, a three-yearly national census of early child development. Predictors of this outcome were investigated by linking these census data at individual level to detailed background information collected by a large longitudinal cohort study. Predictors of competence were consistent with previously described theoretical and empirical models. Overall, boys were significantly less likely than girls to demonstrate a high level of competence (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.91). Other strong predictors of competence were parent education and a relative absence of maternal psychological distress; these factors also appeared to attenuate the negative effect of family hardship on child competence. This measure of mental health competence shows promise as a population-level indicator with the potential benefit of informing and evaluating evidence-based public health intervention strategies that promote positive mental health.

Describing the clinical reasoning process: application of a model of enablement to a pediatric case.

PubMed

Furze, Jennifer; Nelson, Kelly; O'Hare, Megan; Ortner, Amanda; Threlkeld, A Joseph; Jensen, Gail M

2013-04-01

Clinical reasoning is a core tenet of physical therapy practice leading to optimal patient care. The purpose of this case was to describe the outcomes, subjective experience, and reflective clinical reasoning process for a child with cerebral palsy using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model. Application of the ICF framework to a 9-year-old boy with spastic triplegic cerebral palsy was utilized to capture the interwoven factors present in this case. Interventions in the pool occurred twice weekly for 1 h over a 10-week period. Immediately post and 4 months post-intervention, the child made functional and meaningful gains. The family unit also developed an enjoyment of exercising together. Each individual family member described psychological, emotional, or physical health improvements. Reflection using the ICF model as a framework to discuss clinical reasoning can highlight important factors contributing to effective patient management.

Social exchange as a framework for client-nurse interaction during public health nursing maternal-child home visits.

PubMed

Byrd, Mary E

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper was to develop a nursing-focused use of social exchange theory within the context of maternal-child home visiting. The nature of social exchange theory, its application to client-nurse interaction, and its fit with an existing data set from a field research investigation were examined. Resources exchanged between the nurse and clients were categorized and compared across the patterns of home visiting, nursing strategies based on exchange notions were identified, and variations in exchange were linked with client outcomes. The nurse provided resources within the categories of information, status, service, and goods. Clients provided time, access to the home, space within the home to conduct the visit, opportunities to observe maternal-child interaction, access to the infant, and information. The ease and breadth of resource exchange varied across the patterns of home visiting. The social exchange perspective was useful in categorizing resources, specifying and uncovering new resource categories, understanding nursing strategies to initiate and maintain the client-nurse relationship, and linking client-nurse interactive phenomena with client outcomes. Social exchange theory is potentially useful for understanding client-nurse interaction in the context of maternal-child home visits.

Reducing Underserved Children’s Exposure to Secondhand Smoke

PubMed Central

Collins, Bradley N.; Nair, Uma S.; Hovell, Melbourne F.; DiSantis, Katie I.; Jaffe, Karen; Tolley, Natalie; Wileyto, E. Paul; Audrain-McGovern, Janet

2015-01-01

Introduction Addressing maternal smoking and child secondhand smoke exposure is a public health priority. Standard care advice and self-help materials to help parents reduce child secondhand smoke exposure is not sufficient to promote change in underserved populations. We tested the efficacy of a behavioral counseling approach with underserved maternal smokers to reduce infant’s and preschooler’s secondhand smoke exposure. Design A two-arm randomized trial: experimental behavior counseling versus enhanced standard care (control). Assessment staff members were blinded. Setting/participants Three hundred randomized maternal smokers were recruited from low-income urban communities. Participants had a child aged <4 years exposed to two or more maternal cigarettes/day at baseline. Intervention Philadelphia Family Rules for Establishing Smokefree Homes (FRESH) included 16 weeks of counseling. Using a behavioral shaping approach within an individualized cognitive–behavioral therapy framework, counseling reinforced efforts to adopt increasingly challenging secondhand smoke exposure–protective behaviors with the eventual goal of establishing a smokefree home. Main outcome measures Primary outcomes were end-of-treatment child cotinine and reported secondhand smoke exposure (maternal cigarettes/day exposed). Secondary outcomes were end-of-treatment 7-day point-prevalence self-reported cigarettes smoked/day and bioverified quit status. Results Participation in FRESH behavioral counseling was associated with lower child cotinine (β= −0.18, p=0.03) and secondhand smoke exposure (β= −0.57, p=0.03) at end of treatment. Mothers in behavioral counseling smoked fewer cigarettes/day (β= –1.84, p=0.03) and had higher bioverified quit rates compared with controls (13.8% vs 1.9%, χ2=10.56, p<0.01). There was no moderating effect of other smokers living at home. Conclusions FRESH behavioral counseling reduces child secondhand smoke exposure and promotes smoking quit rates in a highly distressed and vulnerable population. PMID:26028355

Development of an outcome measurement system for service planning for children and youth with special needs

PubMed Central

Kertoy, M K; Russell, D J; Rosenbaum, P; Jaffer, S; Law, M; McCauley, D; Gorter, J W

2013-01-01

Aim This study described the process used in developing an outcome measurement framework for system planning to improve services for children and youth with special needs and their families in a Canadian province. The study reports the results of several parent-completed measures, which would be useful in service planning as well as the acceptability and utility of these measures for use by families and service centres. Methods/results Development of a theoretical framework, consultation with key stakeholders, testing the utility of selected outcome measures and initial dissemination of results were critical elements in the successful development of an outcome system. Consultation with stakeholders confirmed use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and the child-within-family-within community model as theoretical frameworks while building valuable partnerships and identifying potential barriers to implementation. Pilot testing showed three outcome measures were feasible for families to complete and the measures provided information about services for children that was valuable to families as well as service providers. Gaps in service delivery were identified and the need for better communication between service providers and communities to facilitate integrated services was highlighted. Conclusion The findings from this study can be used to implement an outcome measurement system for children with special needs and may serve as a resource for international researchers who are working to develop valid tools as well as outcome systems that are useful for system planning. PMID:22845889

Motivation in pediatric motor rehabilitation: A systematic search of the literature using the self-determination theory as a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Meyns, Pieter; Roman de Mettelinge, Tine; van der Spank, Judith; Coussens, Marieke; Van Waelvelde, Hilde

2017-03-09

Motivation is suggested as an important factor in pediatric motor rehabilitation. Therefore, we reviewed the existing evidence of (motivational) motor rehabilitation paradigms, and how motivation influences rehabilitation outcome using self-determination theory as conceptual framework. PubMed and Web-of-Science databases were systematically searched until June 2015. Data were independently extracted and critiqued for quality by three authors. Studies reporting motivational aspects were included. Most studies examined new technology (e.g., virtual reality [VR]). Out of 479 records, three RCT, six case-control, and six non-comparative studies were included with mixed quality. Motivation was rarely reported. Training individualization to the child's capabilities with more variety seemed promising to increase motivation. Motivation increased when the exercises seemed helpful for daily activities. Motivation in pediatric rehabilitation should be comprehensively assessed within a theoretical framework as there are indications that motivated children have better rehabilitation outcomes, depending on the aspect of motivation.

Development and validation of a child health workforce competence framework.

PubMed

Smith, Lynda; Hawkins, Jean; McCrum, Anita

2011-05-01

Providing high quality, effective services is fundamental to the delivery of key health outcomes for children and young people. This requires a competent workforce. This paper reports on the development of a validated competence framework tool for the children and young people's health workforce. The framework brings together policy, strategic agendas and existing workforce competences. The framework will contribute to the improvement of children's physical and mental wellbeing by identifying competences required to provide proactive services that respond to children and young people with acute, continuing and complex needs. It details five core competences for the workforce, the functions that underpin them and levels of competence required to deliver a particular service. The framework will be of value to commissioners to inform contracting, to providers to ensure services are delivered by a workforce with relevant competences to meet identified needs, and to the workforce to assess existing capabilities and identify gaps in competence.

Addressing the Developmental and Mental Health Needs of Young Children in Foster Care

PubMed Central

LESLIE, LAUREL K.; GORDON, JEANNE N.; LAMBROS, KATINA; PREMJI, KAMILA; PEOPLES, JOHN; GIST, KRISTIN

2006-01-01

Research over the past two decades has consistently documented the high rates of young children entering the child protective services/child welfare system with developmental and mental health problems. There is an emerging evidence base for the role of early intervention services in improving outcomes for children with developmental and mental health problems in the general population that heavily relies on accurate and appropriate screening and assessment practices. The Child Welfare League of America, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have all published guidelines concerning the importance of comprehensive assessments and appropriate referral to early intervention services for children entering out-of-home care. Recent federal legislation (P.L. 108–36) calls for increased collaboration between child welfare and public agencies to address the developmental and mental health needs of young children in foster care. This paper provides a framework for health, developmental, and mental health professionals seeking to partner with child welfare to develop and implement programs addressing these critical issues. PMID:15827467

Child Support Enforcement: A Framework for Evaluating Costs, Benefits, and Effects.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-03-01

efforts to gain and enforce child support awards might yield additional collections on behalf of these children, they would surely entail additional...framework for evaluating the full costs and ne . effects of child support enforcement.I This framework could assist your office and others in planning...following results of our develop- S . ............. .. mental work: (1) models of the child support enforcement system activi- AvajiabilitY Codes. ties

Transportability of an Evidence-Based Early Childhood Intervention in a Low-Income African Country: Results of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Huang, Keng-Yen; Nakigudde, Janet; Rhule, Dana; Gumikiriza-Onoria, Joy Louise; Abura, Gloria; Kolawole, Bukky; Ndyanabangi, Sheila; Kim, Sharon; Seidman, Edward; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Brotman, Laurie Miller

2017-11-01

Children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are burdened by significant unmet mental health needs. Despite the successes of numerous school-based interventions for promoting child mental health, most evidence-based interventions (EBIs) are not available in SSA. This study investigated the implementation quality and effectiveness of one component of an EBI from a developed country (USA) in a SSA country (Uganda). The EBI component, Professional Development, was provided by trained Ugandan mental health professionals to Ugandan primary school teachers. It included large-group experiential training and small-group coaching to introduce and support a range of evidence-based practices (EBPs) to create nurturing and predictable classroom experiences. The study was guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, the Teacher Training Implementation Model, and the RE-AIM evaluation framework. Effectiveness outcomes were studied using a cluster randomized design, in which 10 schools were randomized to intervention and wait-list control conditions. A total of 79 early childhood teachers participated. Teacher knowledge and the use of EBPs were assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention (4-5 months later). A sample of 154 parents was randomly selected to report on child behavior at baseline and post-intervention. Linear mixed effect modeling was applied to examine effectiveness outcomes. Findings support the feasibility of training Ugandan mental health professionals to provide Professional Development for Ugandan teachers. Professional Development was delivered with high levels of fidelity and resulted in improved teacher EBP knowledge and the use of EBPs in the classroom, and child social competence.

Positive parenting for positive parents: HIV/AIDS, poverty, caregiver depression, child behavior, and parenting in South Africa.

PubMed

Lachman, Jamie M; Cluver, Lucie D; Boyes, Mark E; Kuo, Caroline; Casale, Marisa

2014-01-01

Families affected by HIV/AIDS in the developing world experience higher risks of psychosocial problems than nonaffected families. Positive parenting behavior may buffer against the negative impact of child AIDS-orphanhood and caregiver AIDS-sickness on child well-being. Although there is substantial literature regarding the predictors of parenting behavior in Western populations, there is insufficient evidence on HIV/AIDS as a risk factor for poor parenting in low- and middle-income countries. This paper examines the relationship between HIV/AIDS and positive parenting by comparing HIV/AIDS-affected and nonaffected caregiver-child dyads (n=2477) from a cross-sectional survey in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (27.7% AIDS-ill caregivers; 7.4% child AIDS-orphanhood). Multiple mediation analyses tested an ecological model with poverty, caregiver depression, perceived social support, and child behavior problems as potential mediators of the association of HIV/AIDS with positive parenting. Results indicate that familial HIV/AIDS's association to reduced positive parenting was consistent with mediation by poverty, caregiver depression, and child behavior problems. Parenting interventions that situate positive parenting within a wider ecological framework by improving child behavior problems and caregiver depression may buffer against risks for poor child mental and physical health outcomes in families affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty.

What Can We Do to Bring the Sparkle Back into This Child's Eyes? Child Rights/Community Development Principles: Key Elements for a Strengths-Based Child Protection Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Susan; McKenzie, Margaret; Schjelderup, Liv; Omre, Cecilie; Walker, Shayne

2014-01-01

Working from practice experiences, Social Work educators from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Norway and Western Australia have developed a framework for child welfare work . The framework brings together the Rights of the Child, Community Development and Child Protection. This article describes the principles and theoretical underpinnings of this…

A Review of Parent Participation Engagement in Child and Family Mental Health Treatment

PubMed Central

Haine-Schlagel, Rachel; Walsh, Natalia Escobar

2015-01-01

Engagement in child and family mental health treatment has critically important clinical, implementation, and policy implications for efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of care. This article describes a review of the existing literature on one understudied element of engagement, parent participation. Twenty-three published articles were identified. Questions asked of the literature include what terms are used to represent parent participation engagement, how parent participation engagement is measured, what are the rates of parent participation engagement reported in studies of child and family mental health treatment, whether parent participation engagement has been found to overlap with attendance engagement, what factors have been identified as associated with parent participation engagement, whether parent participation engagement is associated with improved outcomes, and what strategies have been designed to improve PPE and whether such strategies are associated with improved outcomes. Results indicate varied terms and measures of parent participation engagement, moderate overall rates, and high overlap with measures of attendance engagement. The extant literature on factors associated with parent participation engagement was somewhat limited and focused primarily on parent/family-level factors. Evidence of links between parent participation engagement and outcome improvements was found across some outcome domains, and strategies designed to target parent participation engagement were found to be effective overall. A framework for organizing efforts to examine the different elements of engagement is described, and findings are discussed in terms of suggestions for consistent terminology, clinical implications, and areas for future research. PMID:25726421

Biobehavioral Factors in Child Health Outcomes: The Roles of Maternal Stress, Maternal-Child Engagement, Salivary Cortisol, and Salivary Testosterone.

PubMed

Clowtis, Licia M; Kang, Duck-Hee; Padhye, Nikhil S; Rozmus, Cathy; Barratt, Michelle S

2016-01-01

Exposure to high levels of maternal stress and ineffective maternal-child engagement (MC-E) may adversely affect child health-related outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of maternal stress and MC-E on maternal and child biological responses (salivary cortisol and testosterone) and child health outcome in mother-child dyads of preschool children (3-5.9 years) in a low socioeconomic setting. Observational and biobehavioral data were collected from 50 mother-child dyads in a preschool setting. Assessments included maternal stress with the Perceived Stress Scale, child health outcomes with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and MC-E with videotaped mother-child interactions and scored with the Keys to Interactive Parenting Scale. Morning and evening saliva samples were collected from mother and child for biological assays. Maternal stress was negatively correlated with MC-E (r = -.32, p < .05) and child health outcome (r = -.33, p < .05). Lower levels of MC-E predicted higher morning cortisol (p = .02) and higher morning and bedtime testosterone levels in children (p = .03 and p = .04, respectively). Child biological responses did not predict child health outcome. Maternal stress and MC-E during mother-child interactions play a significant role in the regulation of child stress physiology and child health outcome. Elevated cortisol and testosterone related to high maternal stress and low MC-E may increase the child's vulnerability to negative health outcomes-if sustained. More biobehavioral research is needed to understand how parent-child interactions affect child development and health outcomes in early childhood.

Using Health Provider Insights to Inform Pediatric HIV Disclosure: A Qualitative Study and Practice Framework from Kenya

PubMed Central

John-Stewart, Grace; Shah, Brandi; Wamalwa, Dalton; Maleche-Obimbo, Elizabeth; Kelley, Maureen

2014-01-01

Abstract Optimal pediatric HIV disclosure impacts illness and developmental experiences while improving access to timely treatment. However, disclosure rates in high HIV prevalence countries remain low and there are limited data on best practices. We conducted a qualitative study of disclosure practices and interviewed healthcare providers from five pediatric HIV clinics in Kenya. We identified themes central to disclosure practices, rationale for approaches, barriers to implementing disclosure, and creative strategies to overcome challenges. We used these insights to develop a practice-based framework for disclosure that is sensitive to practical challenges. Overall, providers had limited training but extensive experience in disclosure, endorsed individualized disclosure practices, invested substantial time on disclosure despite clinical burden, and noted adverse outcomes associated with unplanned or abrupt disclosure. Providers advocated for an approach to disclosure that is child-centered but respects caregiver fears and values. Caregiver support was provided to enable caregivers to be the person who ultimately disclosed HIV status to children. Unplanned or abrupt disclosure to children was reported to have severe and persistent adverse impact and was a stimulus to accelerate disclosure in scenarios when providers believed children may be suspecting their diagnosis. Based on these expert insights, the framework we developed incorporates concurrent evaluation of child and caregiver readiness, identifies cues to prompt disclosure discussions, includes caregiver education and support, and utilizes a gradual approach of unveiling HIV diagnosis to the child. PMID:25216105

A social pedagogy approach to residential care: balancing education and placement in the development of an innovative child welfare residential program in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Gharabaghi, Kiaras; Groskleg, Ron

2010-01-01

This paper chronicles the exploration and development of a residential program of the child welfare authority of Renfrew County in Ontario, Canada. Recognizing that virtually its entire population of youth in care was failing to achieve positive outcomes in education, Renfrew County Family and Children Services embarked on a program development process that included many unique elements within the Ontario child welfare context. This process introduced the theoretical framework of social pedagogy to the provision of residential care, and it replaced the idea of psychotherapy as the primary agent of change for youth with the concept of living and learning. The result is a template for the Ottawa River Academy, a living and learning program for youth in care that exemplifies the possibilities embedded in creative thought, attention to research and evidence, and a preparedness to transcend traditional assumptions with respect to service designs and business models for residential care in child welfare.

A new performance measurement system for maternal and child health in the United States.

PubMed

Kogan, Michael D; Dykton, Christopher; Hirai, Ashley H; Strickland, Bonnie B; Bethell, Christina D; Naqvi, Iran; Cano, Carlos E; Downing-Futrell, Sheri L; Lu, Michael C

2015-05-01

The Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant is the linchpin for US MCH services. The first national performance measures (NPMs) for MCH were instituted in 1997. Changing trends in MCH risk factors, outcomes, health services, data sources, and advances in scientific knowledge, in conjunction with budgetary constraints led the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) to design a new performance measurement system. A workgroup was formed to develop a new system. The following guiding principles were used: (1) Afford States more flexibility and reduce the overall reporting burden; (2) Improve accountability to better document Title V's impact; (3) Develop NPMs that encompass measures in: maternal and women's health, perinatal health, child health, children with special health care needs, adolescent health, and cross-cutting areas. A three-tiered performance measurement system was proposed with national outcome measures (NOMs), NPMs and evidence-based/informed strategy measures (ESMs). NOMs are the ultimate goals that MCHB and States are attempting to achieve. NPMs are measures, generally associated with processes or programs, shown to affect NOMs. ESMs are evidence-based or informed measures that each State Title V program develops to affect the NPMs. There are 15 NPMs from which States select eight, with at least one from each population area. MCHB will provide the data for the NOMs and NPMs, when possible. The new performance measurement system increases the flexibility and reduces the reporting burden for States by allowing them to choose 8 NPMs to target, and increases accountability by having States develop actionable ESMs. The new national performance measure framework for maternal and child health will allow States more flexibility to address their areas of greatest need, reduce their data reporting burden by having the Maternal and Child Health Bureau provide data for the National Outcome and Performance Measures, yet afford States the opportunity to develop measurable strategies to address their selected performance measures.

Conceptual Frameworks for Child Care Decision-Making. White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaudry, Ajay; Henly, Julia; Meyers, Marcia

2010-01-01

This working paper is one in a series of projects initiated by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to improve knowledge for child care researchers and policy makers about parental child care decision making. In this paper, the authors identify three distinct conceptual frameworks for understanding child care decisions--a rational…

Breaking cycles of risk: The mitigating role of maternal working memory in associations among socioeconomic status, early caregiving, and children's working memory.

PubMed

Suor, Jennifer H; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L; Skibo, Michael A

2017-10-01

Previous research has documented socioeconomic-related disparities in children's working memory; however, the putative proximal caregiving mechanisms that underlie these effects are less known. The present study sought to examine whether the effects of early family socioeconomic status on children's working memory were mediated through experiences of caregiving, specifically maternal harsh discipline and responsiveness. Utilizing a psychobiological framework of parenting, the present study also tested whether maternal working memory moderated the initial paths between the family socioeconomic context and maternal harsh discipline and responsiveness in the mediation model. The sample included 185 socioeconomically diverse mother-child dyads assessed when children were 3.5 and 5 years old. Results demonstrated that maternal harsh discipline was a unique mediator of the relation between early experiences of family socioeconomic adversity and lower working memory outcomes in children. Individual differences in maternal working memory emerged as a potent individual difference factor that specifically moderated the mediating influence of harsh discipline within low socioeconomic contexts. The findings have implications for early risk processes underlying deficits in child working memory outcomes and potential targets for parent-child interventions.

Child Safety Reference Frameworks: a Policy Tool for Child Injury Prevention at the Sub-national Level.

PubMed

Scholtes, Beatrice; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Mackay, Morag; Vincenten, Joanne; Brand, Helmut

2017-06-01

The aim of this paper is to present the Child Safety Reference Frameworks (CSRF), a policy advice tool that places evidence-based child safety interventions, applicable at the sub-national level, into a framework resembling the Haddon Matrix. The CSRF is based on work done in previous EU funded projects, which we have adapted to the field of child safety. The CSRF were populated following a literature review. Four CSRF were developed for four domains of child safety: road, water and home safety, and intentional injury prevention. The CSRF can be used as a reference, assessment and comparative tool by child safety practitioners and policy makers working at the sub-national level. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2017

Exploring morally relevant issues facing families in their decisions to monitor the health-related behaviours of loved ones.

PubMed

Gammon, D; Christiansen, E K; Wynn, R

2009-07-01

Patient self-management of disease is increasingly supported by technologies that can monitor a wide range of behavioural and biomedical parameters. Incorporated into everyday devices such as cell phones and clothes, these technologies become integral to the psychosocial aspects of everyday life. Many technologies are likely to be marketed directly to families with ill members, and families may enlist the support of clinicians in shaping use. Current ethical frameworks are mainly conceptualised from the perspective of caregivers, researchers, developers and regulators in order to ensure the ethics of their own practices. This paper focuses on families as autonomous decision-makers outside the regulated context of healthcare. We discuss some morally relevant issues facing families in their decisions to monitor the health-related behaviours of loved ones. An example - remote parental monitoring of adolescent blood glucose - is presented and discussed through the lens of two contrasting accounts of ethics; one reflecting the predominant focus on health outcomes within the health technology assessment (HTA) framework and the other that attends to the broader sociocultural contexts shaping technologies and their implications. Issues discussed include the focus of assessments, informed consent and child assent, and family co-creation of system characteristics and implications. The parents' decisions to remotely monitor their child has relational implications that are likely to influence conflict levels and thus also health outcomes. Current efforts to better integrate outcome assessments with social and ethical assessments are particularly relevant for informed decision-making about health monitoring technologies in families.

Religious faith in Mexican-American families dealing with chronic childhood illness.

PubMed

Rehm, R S

1999-01-01

To explore Mexican-American family experiences with chronic childhood illness, from the perspective of parents, and report findings about the influence of religious faith on families' spiritual and secular responses to illness. Mexican-Americans are often characterized as religious, fatalistic, and passive, but families' perceptions of the consequences of their daily faith and its meaning in the face of chronic childhood illness is not well understood. Descriptive. The sample included 25 parents from 19 families living with children with a variety of chronic conditions. Data were collected in 1995-1996. Interpretive, using symbolic interaction as the framework, and in-depth interviewing for data collection. Parents professed a variety of beliefs and devotional practices. Six unifying dimensions of religious faith were related to parental caretaking and decision making for the family: (a) God determined the outcome of the child's illness, (b) God and health care for the child were closely linked, (c) parents took an active role in facilitating God's will, (d) families had obligations to God, (e) intercession with God by others was often sought by or offered to the family, and (f) faith encouraged optimism. Families were not fatalistic in the sense of feeling outcomes were predetermined and unalterable. Family members took spiritual and secular actions to assure the best possible familial and professional care for their child and sought to influence God's good will on behalf of the child and family.

Interpreting Epidemiological Evidence in the Presence of Multiple Endpoints: An Alternative Analytic Approach using the 9-Year Follow-up of the Seychelles Child Development Study

PubMed Central

van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Myers, Gary J.; Thurston, Sally W.; Shamlaye, Conrad F.; Davidson, Philip W.

2012-01-01

Purpose The potential for ill-informed causal inference is a major concern in published longitudinal studies evaluating impaired neurological function in children prenatally exposed to background levels of methyl mercury (MeHg). These studies evaluate a large number of developmental tests. We propose an alternative analysis strategy that reduces the number of comparisons tested in these studies. Methods Using data from the 9-year follow-up of 643 children in the Seychelles Child Development Study (SCDS), we grouped 18 individual endpoints into one overall ordinal outcome variable as well as by developmental domains. Subsequently, ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed. Results We did not find an association between prenatal MeHg exposure and developmental outcomes at 9 years of age. Conclusion Our proposed framework is more likely to result in a balanced interpretation of a posteriori associations. In addition, this new strategy should facilitate the use of complex epidemiological data in quantitative risk assessment. PMID:19205720

Interpreting epidemiological evidence in the presence of multiple endpoints: an alternative analytic approach using the 9-year follow-up of the Seychelles child development study.

PubMed

van Wijngaarden, Edwin; Myers, Gary J; Thurston, Sally W; Shamlaye, Conrad F; Davidson, Philip W

2009-08-01

The potential for ill-informed causal inference is a major concern in published longitudinal studies evaluating impaired neurological function in children prenatally exposed to background levels of methyl mercury (MeHg). These studies evaluate a large number of developmental tests. We propose an alternative analysis strategy that reduces the number of comparisons tested in these studies. Using data from the 9-year follow-up of 643 children in the Seychelles child development study, we grouped 18 individual endpoints into one overall ordinal outcome variable as well as by developmental domains. Subsequently, ordinal logistic regression analyses were performed. We did not find an association between prenatal MeHg exposure and developmental outcomes at 9 years of age. Our proposed framework is more likely to result in a balanced interpretation of a posteriori associations. In addition, this new strategy should facilitate the use of complex epidemiological data in quantitative risk assessment.

“Culture Is So Interspersed”: Child-Minders' and Health Workers' Perceptions of Childhood Obesity in South Africa

PubMed Central

Saltzman, Jaclyn; Jarick Metcalfe, Jessica; Wiley, Angela

2017-01-01

Introduction. Forty-one million children globally are overweight or obese, with most rapid rate increases among low- and middle-income nations. Child-minders and health workers play a crucial role in obesity prevention efforts, but their perceptions of childhood obesity in low- and middle-income countries are poorly understood. This study aims to (1) explore child-minders and health workers' perceptions of the causes, consequences, potential strategies, and barriers for childhood obesity prevention and intervention in Cape Town, South Africa and (2) to provisionally test the fit of a socioecological framework to explain these perceptions. Methods. Twenty-one interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through analytic induction. Results. Participants identified multilevel factors and contexts, as well as potential consequences and priorities of interest in addressing childhood obesity. An adapted childhood obesity perceptions model was generated, which introduces an overarching cultural dimension embedded across levels of the socioecological framework. Conclusions. Culture plays a pivotal role in explaining obesogenic outcomes, and the results of this study demonstrate the need for further research investigating how obesity perceptions are shaped by cultural frames (e.g., social, political, and historical). Understanding the causes, consequences, and potential interventions to address obesity through a cultural lens is critical for promoting health in low- and middle-income nations. PMID:28367326

"Culture Is So Interspersed": Child-Minders' and Health Workers' Perceptions of Childhood Obesity in South Africa.

PubMed

Figueroa, Roger; Saltzman, Jaclyn; Jarick Metcalfe, Jessica; Wiley, Angela

2017-01-01

Introduction. Forty-one million children globally are overweight or obese, with most rapid rate increases among low- and middle-income nations. Child-minders and health workers play a crucial role in obesity prevention efforts, but their perceptions of childhood obesity in low- and middle-income countries are poorly understood. This study aims to (1) explore child-minders and health workers' perceptions of the causes, consequences, potential strategies, and barriers for childhood obesity prevention and intervention in Cape Town, South Africa and (2) to provisionally test the fit of a socioecological framework to explain these perceptions. Methods. Twenty-one interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through analytic induction. Results. Participants identified multilevel factors and contexts, as well as potential consequences and priorities of interest in addressing childhood obesity. An adapted childhood obesity perceptions model was generated, which introduces an overarching cultural dimension embedded across levels of the socioecological framework. Conclusions. Culture plays a pivotal role in explaining obesogenic outcomes, and the results of this study demonstrate the need for further research investigating how obesity perceptions are shaped by cultural frames (e.g., social, political, and historical). Understanding the causes, consequences, and potential interventions to address obesity through a cultural lens is critical for promoting health in low- and middle-income nations.

Following the Yellow Brick Road: Next Steps in the Synthesis of Pediatric Bioethics and Child Rights.

PubMed

Goldhagen, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

The Symposium on "The Interface of Child Rights and Pediatric Bioethics in the Clinical Setting" brought together a diverse group of pediatric bioethicists and child rights advocates to explore how the junction of these disciplines could inform their respective work. In retrospect, it is clear how the diversity of personal histories, professional disciplines, knowledge, experience, language, culture, and politics of the participants influenced the outcomes of the Symposium and provided both challenges and opportunities for further collaboration. Several themes emerged from the meeting, including the relevance of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the role of the family, and consideration of the best interests of the child to complex medical decision-making; research ethics; and the applicability of the principles of bioethics and child rights to the social determinants of health. This essay poses questions related to each of these themes that can serve as a framework for further collaboration. It concludes with a statement by Da Silva and his coauthors that the CRC and the principles of child rights can provide "increased conceptual clarity and a widely endorsed language that can assist pediatric bioethicists in clinical, organizational, and international consultations, as well as in education and policy development."

A Conceptual Framework: The Musical Self as a Unique Pathway to Outcomes in the Acute Pediatric Health Setting.

PubMed

Shoemark, Helen; Rimmer, Jo; Bower, Janeen; Tucquet, Belinda; Miller, Lauren; Fisher, Michelle; Ogburn, Nicholas; Dun, Beth

2018-03-09

This article reports on a project at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne in which the music therapy team synthesized their practice and related theories to propose a new conceptual framework for music therapy in their acute pediatric setting. The impetus for the project was the realization that in the process of producing key statements about the non-musical benefits of music therapy, the cost was often the suppression of information about the patient's unique musical potential as the major (mediating) pathway from referral reason, to music therapy, and to effective outcomes. The purpose of the project was to articulate how this team of clinicians conceive of the patient's musical self as the major theoretical pathway for music therapy in an evidence-based acute medical setting. The clinicians' shared reflexive process across six months involved robust directed discussion, annotation of shared reading, and documentation of all engagement in words and diagrams. The outcome was a consensus framework including three constructs: the place of music in the life of the infant, child, and young people, Culture and Context, and Musical Manifestations. The constructs were tested in a clinical audit, and found to be robustly inclusive. In addition to the conceptual framework, this project serves to demonstrate a process by which clinical teams may reflect on their individual practice and theory together to create a consensus stance for the overall service they provide in the one setting.

Coparenting and the Transition to Parenthood: A Framework for Prevention

PubMed Central

Feinberg, Mark E.

2011-01-01

The way that parents work together in their roles as parents, the coparenting relationship, has been linked to parental adjustment, parenting, and child outcomes. The coparenting relationship offers a potentially modifiable, circumscribed risk factor that could be targeted in family-focused prevention. This paper briefly outlines an integrated and comprehensive view of coparenting, and suggests that the time around the birth of the first child is an opportune moment for coparenting intervention. To support the development of such prevention programs, an outline of the possible goals of coparenting intervention is presented with a description of the processes by which enhanced coparenting may have effects in each area. The paper discusses several issues involved in developing and disseminating effective coparenting interventions. PMID:12240706

The impact of exposure to domestic violence on children and young people: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Holt, Stephanie; Buckley, Helen; Whelan, Sadhbh

2008-08-01

This article reviews the literature concerning the impact of exposure to domestic violence on the health and developmental well-being of children and young people. Impact is explored across four separate yet inter-related domains (domestic violence exposure and child abuse; impact on parental capacity; impact on child and adolescent development; and exposure to additional adversities), with potential outcomes and key messages concerning best practice responses to children's needs highlighted. A comprehensive search of identified databases was conducted within an 11-year framework (1995-2006). This yielded a vast literature which was selectively organized and analyzed according to the four domains identified above. This review finds that children and adolescents living with domestic violence are at increased risk of experiencing emotional, physical and sexual abuse, of developing emotional and behavioral problems and of increased exposure to the presence of other adversities in their lives. It also highlights a range of protective factors that can mitigate against this impact, in particular a strong relationship with and attachment to a caring adult, usually the mother. Children and young people may be significantly affected by living with domestic violence, and impact can endure even after measures have been taken to secure their safety. It also concludes that there is rarely a direct causal pathway leading to a particular outcome and that children are active in constructing their own social world. Implications for interventions suggest that timely, appropriate and individually tailored responses need to build on the resilient blocks in the child's life. This study illustrate the links between exposure to domestic violence, various forms of child abuse and other related adversities, concluding that such exposure may have a differential yet potentially deleterious impact for children and young people. From a resilient perspective this review also highlights range of protective factors that influence the extent of the impact of exposure and the subsequent outcomes for the child. This review advocates for a holistic and child-centered approach to service delivery, derived from an informed assessment, designed to capture a picture of the individual child's experience, and responsive to their individual needs.

Factors influencing speech and language outcomes of children with early identified severe/profound hearing loss: Clinician-identified facilitators and barriers.

PubMed

Fulcher, Anne Nivelles; Purcell, Alison; Baker, Elise; Munro, Natalie

2015-06-01

Early identification of severe/profound childhood hearing loss (HL) gives these children access to hearing devices and early intervention to facilitate improved speech and language outcomes. Predicting which infants will go on to achieve such outcomes remains difficult. This study describes clinician identified malleable and non-malleable factors that may influence speech and language outcomes for children with severe/profound HL. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six experienced auditory verbal clinicians. A collective case study design was implemented. The interviews were transcribed and coded into themes using constant comparative analysis. Clinicians identified that, for children with severe/profound HL, early identification, early amplification and commencing auditory-verbal intervention under 6 months of age may facilitate child progress. Possible barriers were living in rural/remote areas, the clinicians' lack of experience and confidence in providing intervention for infants under age 6-months and belonging to a family with a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. The results indicate that multiple factors need to be considered by clinicians working with children with HL and their families to determine how each child functions within their own environment and personal contexts, consistent with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. Such an approach is likely to empower clinicians to carefully balance potential barriers to, and facilitators of, optimal speech and language outcomes for all children with HL.

Getting It Right for Every Child: A National Policy Framework to Promote Children's Well-being in Scotland, United Kingdom.

PubMed

Coles, Emma; Cheyne, Helen; Rankin, Jean; Daniel, Brigid

2016-06-01

Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), a landmark policy framework for improving children's well-being in Scotland, United Kingdom, is a practice initiative signifying a distinct way of thinking, an agenda for change, and the future direction of child welfare policy. GIRFEC represents a unique case study of national transformative change within the contexts of children's well-being and universal services and is of relevance to other jurisdictions. Implementation is under way, with an understanding of well-being and the requirement for information sharing enshrined in law. Yet there is scope for interpretation within the legislation and associated guidance. Inherent tensions around intrusion, data gathering, professional roles, and balancing well-being against child protection threaten the effectiveness of the policy if not resolved. Despite persistent health inequalities and intergenerational deprivation, the Scottish government aspires for Scotland to be the best country for children to grow up in. Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is a landmark children's policy framework to improve children's well-being via early intervention, universal service provision, and multiagency coordination across organizational boundaries. Placing the child and family "at the center," this approach marks a shift from welfare to well-being, yet there is still a general lack of consensus over how well-being is defined and measured. As an umbrella policy framework with broad reach, GIRFEC represents the current and future direction of children's/family policy in Scotland, yet large-scale practice change is required for successful implementation. This article explores the origins and emergence of GIRFEC and presents a critical analysis of its incremental design, development, and implementation. There is considerable scope for interpretation within the GIRFEC legislation and guidance, most notably around assessment of well-being and the role and remit of those charged with implementation. Tensions have arisen around issues such as professional roles; intrusion, data sharing, and confidentiality; and the balance between supporting well-being and protecting children. Despite the policy's intentions for integration, the service landscape for children and families still remains relatively fragmented. Although the policy has groundbreaking potential, inherent tensions must be resolved and the processes of change carefully managed in order for GIRFEC to be effective. It remains to be seen whether GIRFEC can fulfil the Scottish government's aspirations to reduce inequalities and improve lifelong outcomes for Scotland's children and young people. In terms of both a national children's well-being framework within a universal public service context and a distinct style of policymaking and implementation, the Scottish experience represents a unique case study of whole-country, transformational change and is of relevance to other jurisdictions. © 2016 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Getting It Right for Every Child: A National Policy Framework to Promote Children's Well‐being in Scotland, United Kingdom

PubMed Central

CHEYNE, HELEN; RANKIN, JEAN; DANIEL, BRIGID

2016-01-01

Policy Points: Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), a landmark policy framework for improving children's well‐being in Scotland, United Kingdom, is a practice initiative signifying a distinct way of thinking, an agenda for change, and the future direction of child welfare policy.GIRFEC represents a unique case study of national transformative change within the contexts of children's well‐being and universal services and is of relevance to other jurisdictions.Implementation is under way, with an understanding of well‐being and the requirement for information sharing enshrined in law. Yet there is scope for interpretation within the legislation and associated guidance.Inherent tensions around intrusion, data gathering, professional roles, and balancing well‐being against child protection threaten the effectiveness of the policy if not resolved. Context Despite persistent health inequalities and intergenerational deprivation, the Scottish government aspires for Scotland to be the best country for children to grow up in. Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is a landmark children's policy framework to improve children's well‐being via early intervention, universal service provision, and multiagency coordination across organizational boundaries. Placing the child and family “at the center,” this approach marks a shift from welfare to well‐being, yet there is still a general lack of consensus over how well‐being is defined and measured. As an umbrella policy framework with broad reach, GIRFEC represents the current and future direction of children's/family policy in Scotland, yet large‐scale practice change is required for successful implementation. Methods This article explores the origins and emergence of GIRFEC and presents a critical analysis of its incremental design, development, and implementation. Findings There is considerable scope for interpretation within the GIRFEC legislation and guidance, most notably around assessment of well‐being and the role and remit of those charged with implementation. Tensions have arisen around issues such as professional roles; intrusion, data sharing, and confidentiality; and the balance between supporting well‐being and protecting children. Despite the policy's intentions for integration, the service landscape for children and families still remains relatively fragmented. Conclusions Although the policy has groundbreaking potential, inherent tensions must be resolved and the processes of change carefully managed in order for GIRFEC to be effective. It remains to be seen whether GIRFEC can fulfil the Scottish government's aspirations to reduce inequalities and improve lifelong outcomes for Scotland's children and young people. In terms of both a national children's well‐being framework within a universal public service context and a distinct style of policymaking and implementation, the Scottish experience represents a unique case study of whole‐country, transformational change and is of relevance to other jurisdictions. PMID:27265560

Framework for culturally competent decisionmaking in child welfare.

PubMed

Cohen, Elena P

2003-01-01

This article provides a framework to understand the cultural, social, political, and economic factors that affect decisionmaking when working with ethnically and racially diverse families in the child welfare system. The article describes external factors affecting the decisionmaking process, including community environment, agency structure, and family characteristics. It then reviews the core stages of the casework process, describing key decisions during intake, assessment, service planning, implementation, evaluation, and closure. Although the framework is based on casework process in the child welfare system, it can be adapted to other child-serving systems, including education, mental health, and juvenile justice.

Aggressive Behaviors in Young Siblings: Associations with Executive Functions and Maternal Characteristics.

PubMed

Spann, Catherine A; Gagne, Jeffrey R

2016-04-01

Aggressive behaviors in early childhood are associated with multiple undesirable outcomes, including juvenile delinquency, academic failure, and substance abuse. This investigation employed a family study design to examine child, mother and sibling predictors of early-emerging aggressive behaviors. These predictors included several indices of executive functioning within children, depression symptoms and education level of mothers, and inhibitory control (IC) of siblings. The sample consisted of 95 families (191 children; boys = 100) with at least two, typically developing children between 30 and 66 months of age (M(age) = 45.93 months, SD = 12.40). Measures included laboratory-assessed working memory and IC, parent-reported aggressive behaviors, as well as self-reported maternal depression symptoms and education. Results revealed that children showed substantial sibling similarity in aggressive behaviors. Using multilevel regression analyses, low child IC and greater maternal depression symptoms were associated with increased child aggressive behaviors. Child working memory, maternal education, and sibling IC did not uniquely predict child aggressive behaviors. Moderation analyses revealed an interaction between maternal depression symptoms and maternal education, such that the effect of depression symptoms on child aggressive behaviors was particularly evident amongst highly educated mothers. The current analysis moved beyond a main effects model of maternal depression and extended previous findings on the importance of child IC to aggressive behaviors by using a multiple-child-per-family framework. A promising direction for future research includes assessing whether efforts to increase child IC are successful in reducing child aggressive behaviors.

Caregiver perceptions about mental health services after child sexual abuse.

PubMed

Fong, Hiu-fai; Bennett, Colleen E; Mondestin, Valerie; Scribano, Philip V; Mollen, Cynthia; Wood, Joanne N

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to describe caregiver perceptions about mental health services (MHS) after child sexual abuse (CSA) and to explore factors that affected whether their children linked to services. We conducted semi-structured, in-person interviews with 22 non-offending caregivers of suspected CSA victims<13 years old seen at a child advocacy center in Philadelphia. Purposive sampling was used to recruit caregivers who had (n=12) and had not (n=10) linked their children to MHS. Guided by the Health Belief Model framework, interviews assessed perceptions about: CSA severity, the child's susceptibility for adverse outcomes, the benefits of MHS, and the facilitators and barriers to MHS. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using modified grounded theory. Recruitment ended when thematic saturation was reached. Caregivers expressed strong reactions to CSA and multiple concerns about adverse child outcomes. Most caregivers reported that MHS were generally necessary for children after CSA. Caregivers who had not linked to MHS, however, believed MHS were not necessary for their children, most commonly because they were not exhibiting behavioral symptoms. Caregivers described multiple access barriers to MHS, but caregivers who had not linked reported that they could have overcome these barriers if they believed MHS were necessary for their children. Caregivers who had not linked to services also expressed concerns about MHS being re-traumatizing and stigmatizing. Interventions to increase MHS linkage should focus on improving communication with caregivers about the specific benefits of MHS for their children and proactively addressing caregiver concerns about MHS. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rethinking family-centred care for the child and family in hospital.

PubMed

Tallon, Mary M; Kendall, Garth E; Snider, Paul D

2015-05-01

This paper presents and discusses an alternative model of family-centred care (FCC) that focuses on optimising the health and developmental outcomes of children through the provision of appropriate support to the child's family. The relevance, meaning and effectiveness of FCC have been challenged recently. Studies show that parents in hospital often feel unsupported, judged by hospital staff and uncertain about what care they should give to their child. With no convincing evidence relating FCC to improved child health outcomes, it has been suggested that FCC should be replaced with a new improved model to guide the care of children in hospital. This integrative review discusses theory and evidence-based literature that supports the practice of an alternative model of FCC that is focused on the health and developmental outcomes of children who are seriously ill, rather than the organisational requirements of children's hospitals. Theories and research findings in a wide range of disciplines including epidemiology, psychology, sociology, anthropology and neuroscience were accessed for this discussion. Nursing literature regarding partnership building, communication and FCC was also accessed. This paper discusses the benefits of applying a bioecological model of human development, the family and community resource framework, the concepts of allostatic load and biological embedding, empowerment theory, and the nurse-family partnership model to FCC. While there is no direct evidence showing that the implementation of this alternative model of FCC in the hospital setting improves the health and developmental outcomes of children who are seriously ill, there is a great deal of evidence from community nursing practice that suggests it is very likely to do so. Application of these theoretical concepts to practice has the potential to underpin a theory of nursing that is relevant for all nurses irrespective of the age of those they care for and the settings within which they work. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bridging the Gap: using an interrupted time series design to evaluate systems reform addressing refugee maternal and child health inequalities.

PubMed

Yelland, Jane; Riggs, Elisha; Szwarc, Josef; Casey, Sue; Dawson, Wendy; Vanpraag, Dannielle; East, Chris; Wallace, Euan; Teale, Glyn; Harrison, Bernie; Petschel, Pauline; Furler, John; Goldfeld, Sharon; Mensah, Fiona; Biro, Mary Anne; Willey, Sue; Cheng, I-Hao; Small, Rhonda; Brown, Stephanie

2015-04-30

The risk of poor maternal and perinatal outcomes in high-income countries such as Australia is greatest for those experiencing extreme social and economic disadvantage. Australian data show that women of refugee background have higher rates of stillbirth, fetal death in utero and perinatal mortality compared with Australian born women. Policy and health system responses to such inequities have been slow and poorly integrated. This protocol describes an innovative programme of quality improvement and reform in publically funded universal health services in Melbourne, Australia, that aims to address refugee maternal and child health inequalities. A partnership of 11 organisations spanning health services, government and research is working to achieve change in the way that maternity and early childhood health services support families of refugee background. The aims of the programme are to improve access to universal health care for families of refugee background and build organisational and system capacity to address modifiable risk factors for poor maternal and child health outcomes. Quality improvement initiatives are iterative, co-designed by partners and implemented using the Plan Do Study Act framework in four maternity hospitals and two local government maternal and child health services. Bridging the Gap is designed as a multi-phase, quasi-experimental study. Evaluation methods include use of interrupted time series design to examine health service use and maternal and child health outcomes over a 3-year period of implementation. Process measures will examine refugee families' experiences of specific initiatives and service providers' views and experiences of innovation and change. It is envisaged that the Bridging the Gap program will provide essential evidence to support service and policy innovation and knowledge about what it takes to implement sustainable improvements in the way that health services support vulnerable populations, within the constraints of existing resources.

Systematic Review: A Reevaluation and Update of the Integrative (Trajectory) Model of Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress.

PubMed

Price, Julia; Kassam-Adams, Nancy; Alderfer, Melissa A; Christofferson, Jennifer; Kazak, Anne E

2016-01-01

The objective of this systematic review is to reevaluate and update the Integrative Model of Pediatric Medical Traumatic Stress (PMTS; Kazak et al., 2006), which provides a conceptual framework for traumatic stress responses across pediatric illnesses and injuries. Using established systematic review guidelines, we searched PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PubMed (producing 216 PMTS papers published since 2005), extracted findings for review, and organized and interpreted findings within the Integrative Model framework. Recent PMTS research has included additional pediatric populations, used advanced longitudinal modeling techniques, clarified relations between parent and child PMTS, and considered effects of PMTS on health outcomes. Results support and extend the model's five assumptions, and suggest a sixth assumption related to health outcomes and PMTS. Based on new evidence, the renamed Integrative Trajectory Model includes phases corresponding with medical events, adds family-centered trajectories, reaffirms a competency-based framework, and suggests updated assessment and intervention implications. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Promotion of children's rights and prevention of child maltreatment.

PubMed

Reading, Richard; Bissell, Susan; Goldhagen, Jeffrey; Harwin, Judith; Masson, Judith; Moynihan, Sian; Parton, Nigel; Pais, Marta Santos; Thoburn, June; Webb, Elspeth

2009-01-24

In medical literature, child maltreatment is considered as a public-health problem or an issue of harm to individuals, but less frequently as a violation of children's human rights. Public-health approaches emphasise monitoring, prevention, cost-effectiveness, and population strategies; protective approaches concentrate on the legal and professional response to cases of maltreatment. Both approaches have been associated with improvement in outcomes for children, yet maltreatment remains a major global problem. We describe how children's rights provide a different perspective on child maltreatment, and contribute to both public-health and protective responses. Children's rights as laid out in the UN convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC) provide a framework for understanding child maltreatment as part of a range of violence, harm, and exploitation of children at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Rights of participation and provision are as important as rights of protection. The principles embodied in the UNCRC are concordant with those of medical ethics. The greatest strength of an approach based on the UNCRC is that it provides a legal instrument for implementing policy, accountability, and social justice, all of which enhance public-health responses. Incorporation of the principles of the UNCRC into laws, research, public-health policy, and professional training and practice will result in further progress in the area of child maltreatment.

Translating policies into practice: a framework to prevent childhood obesity in afterschool programs.

PubMed

Beets, Michael W; Webster, Collin; Saunders, Ruth; Huberty, Jennifer L

2013-03-01

Afterschool programs (3-6 p.m.) are positioned to play a critical role in combating childhood obesity. To this end, state and national organizations have developed policies related to promoting physical activity and guiding the nutritional quality of snacks served in afterschool programs. No conceptual frameworks, however, are available that describe the process of how afterschool programs will translate such policies into daily practice to reach eventual outcomes. Drawing from complex systems theory, this article describes the development of a framework that identifies critical modifiable levers within afterschool programs that can be altered and/or strengthened to reach policy goals. These include the policy environment at the national, state, and local levels; individual site, afterschool program leader, staff, and child characteristics; and existing outside organizational partnerships. Use of this framework and recognition of its constituent elements have the potential to lead to the successful and sustainable adoption and implementation of physical activity and nutrition policies in afterschool programs nationwide.

The Effects of Parent Participation on Child Psychotherapy Outcome: A Meta-Analytic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dowell, Kathy A.; Ogles, Benjamin M.

2010-01-01

Forty-eight child psychotherapy outcome studies offering direct comparisons of an individual child treatment group to a combined parent-child/family therapy treatment group were included in this meta-analytic review. Results indicate that combined treatments produced a moderate effect beyond the outcomes achieved by individual child treatments,…

The influence of childhood sexual abuse on adolescent outcomes: the roles of gender, poverty, and revictimization.

PubMed

Matta Oshima, Karen M; Jonson-Reid, Melissa; Seay, Kristen D

2014-01-01

Research on child sexual abuse has focused on adult revictimization and outcomes. This article examines the rate of child maltreatment revictimization among male and female children reported to child protective services for child sexual abuse and whether revictimization impacts outcomes. Using longitudinal administrative data, Cox regressions were used to examine relationships between initial report of child sexual abuse, maltreatment revictimization, and adolescent outcomes among children from poor and nonpoor families. Despite no significant differences in child sexual abuse rates between poor and nonpoor families, poor child sexual abuse victims were significantly more likely to have re-reports for maltreatment. Children with multiple reports were more likely to have negative outcomes. Interventions for child sexual abuse survivors should focus on preventing maltreatment recurrence generally and not ignore needs of male victims.

Developing parenting programs to prevent child health risk behaviors: a practice model

PubMed Central

Jackson, Christine; Dickinson, Denise M.

2009-01-01

Research indicates that developing public health programs to modify parenting behaviors could lead to multiple beneficial health outcomes for children. Developing feasible effective parenting programs requires an approach that applies a theory-based model of parenting to a specific domain of child health and engages participant representatives in intervention development. This article describes this approach to intervention development in detail. Our presentation emphasizes three points that provide key insights into the goals and procedures of parenting program development. These are a generalized theoretical model of parenting derived from the child development literature, an established eight-step parenting intervention development process and an approach to integrating experiential learning methods into interventions for parents and children. By disseminating this framework for a systematic theory-based approach to developing parenting programs, we aim to support the program development efforts of public health researchers and practitioners who recognize the potential of parenting programs to achieve primary prevention of health risk behaviors in children. PMID:19661165

Building capacity for evidence generation, synthesis and implementation to improve the care of mothers and babies in South East Asia: methods and design of the SEA-ORCHID Project using a logical framework approach.

PubMed

McDonald, Steve; Turner, Tari; Chamberlain, Catherine; Lumbiganon, Pisake; Thinkhamrop, Jadsada; Festin, Mario R; Ho, Jacqueline J; Mohammad, Hakimi; Henderson-Smart, David J; Short, Jacki; Crowther, Caroline A; Martis, Ruth; Green, Sally

2010-07-01

Rates of maternal and perinatal mortality remain high in developing countries despite the existence of effective interventions. Efforts to strengthen evidence-based approaches to improve health in these settings are partly hindered by restricted access to the best available evidence, limited training in evidence-based practice and concerns about the relevance of existing evidence. South East Asia--Optimising Reproductive and Child Health in Developing Countries (SEA-ORCHID) was a five-year project that aimed to determine whether a multifaceted intervention designed to strengthen the capacity for research synthesis, evidence-based care and knowledge implementation improved clinical practice and led to better health outcomes for mothers and babies. This paper describes the development and design of the SEA-ORCHID intervention plan using a logical framework approach. SEA-ORCHID used a before-and-after design to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted tailored intervention at nine sites across Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia, supported by three centres in Australia. We used a logical framework approach to systematically prepare and summarise the project plan in a clear and logical way. The development and design of the SEA-ORCHID project was based around the three components of a logical framework (problem analysis, project plan and evaluation strategy). The SEA-ORCHID logical framework defined the project's goal and purpose (To improve the health of mothers and babies in South East Asia and To improve clinical practice in reproductive health in South East Asia), and outlined a series of project objectives and activities designed to achieve these. The logical framework also established outcome and process measures appropriate to each level of the project plan, and guided project work in each of the participating countries and hospitals. Development of a logical framework in the SEA-ORCHID project enabled a reasoned, logical approach to the project design that ensured the project activities would achieve the desired outcomes and that the evaluation plan would assess both the process and outcome of the project. The logical framework was also valuable over the course of the project to facilitate communication, assess progress and build a shared understanding of the project activities, purpose and goal.

Building capacity for evidence generation, synthesis and implementation to improve the care of mothers and babies in South East Asia: methods and design of the SEA-ORCHID Project using a logical framework approach

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Rates of maternal and perinatal mortality remain high in developing countries despite the existence of effective interventions. Efforts to strengthen evidence-based approaches to improve health in these settings are partly hindered by restricted access to the best available evidence, limited training in evidence-based practice and concerns about the relevance of existing evidence. South East Asia - Optimising Reproductive and Child Health in Developing Countries (SEA-ORCHID) was a five-year project that aimed to determine whether a multifaceted intervention designed to strengthen the capacity for research synthesis, evidence-based care and knowledge implementation improved clinical practice and led to better health outcomes for mothers and babies. This paper describes the development and design of the SEA-ORCHID intervention plan using a logical framework approach. Methods SEA-ORCHID used a before-and-after design to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted tailored intervention at nine sites across Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia, supported by three centres in Australia. We used a logical framework approach to systematically prepare and summarise the project plan in a clear and logical way. The development and design of the SEA-ORCHID project was based around the three components of a logical framework (problem analysis, project plan and evaluation strategy). Results The SEA-ORCHID logical framework defined the project's goal and purpose (To improve the health of mothers and babies in South East Asia and To improve clinical practice in reproductive health in South East Asia), and outlined a series of project objectives and activities designed to achieve these. The logical framework also established outcome and process measures appropriate to each level of the project plan, and guided project work in each of the participating countries and hospitals. Conclusions Development of a logical framework in the SEA-ORCHID project enabled a reasoned, logical approach to the project design that ensured the project activities would achieve the desired outcomes and that the evaluation plan would assess both the process and outcome of the project. The logical framework was also valuable over the course of the project to facilitate communication, assess progress and build a shared understanding of the project activities, purpose and goal. PMID:20594325

Implementing and evaluating a professional practice framework in child and family health nursing: a pilot project.

PubMed

Guest, Eileen M; Keatinge, Diana R; Reed, Jennifer; Johnson, Karen R; Higgins, Helen M; Greig, Jennifer

2013-09-01

This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of the NSW Child and Family Health Nursing Professional Practice Framework in one health district in New South Wales, Australia. Child and family health nurses provide specialised, community based primary health care to families with children 0-5 years. A state wide professional practice framework was recently developed to support child and family health nurses. Online learning, clinical practice consultancies and skill assessments related to routine infant and child health surveillance were developed and implemented. Child and family health nurse reviewers gained competency in the various education and assessment components. Reviewers replicated this process in partnership with 21 child and family health nurses from two rural and one regional cluster. Evaluation questionnaires and focus groups were held with stakeholder groups. Participation provided nurses with affirmation of clinical practice and competency. Education and assessment processes were user friendly and particularly helpful for rural and remote nurses. Managers reported greater confidence in staff competence following project participation. Detailed planning and consultation is recommended before implementation of the Framework. Online learning, skills assessments and model of clinical practice consultancies were identified as central to ongoing orientation, education and professional development. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the relation between the therapeutic alliance, treatment adherence, and outcome of cognitive behavioral therapy for children with anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Liber, Juliette M; McLeod, Bryce D; Van Widenfelt, Brigit M; Goedhart, Arnold W; van der Leeden, Adelinde J M; Utens, Elisabeth M W J; Treffers, Philip D A

2010-06-01

Little is known about the contribution of technical and relational factors to child outcomes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety disorders. This study investigated the association between treatment adherence, the child-therapist alliance, and child clinical outcomes in manual-guided individual- and group-based CBT for youths diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Trained observers rated tapes of therapy sessions for treatment adherence and child-therapist alliance in a sample of 52 children (aged 8 to 12) with anxiety disorders. Self-reported child anxiety was assessed at pre-, mid-, and posttreatment; parent-reported child internalizing symptoms was assessed at pre- and posttreatment. The results showed high levels of treatment adherence and child-therapist alliance in both CBT programs. Neither treatment adherence nor child-therapist alliance predicted traditional measurements of child outcomes in the present study, but a relation between alliance and outcome was found using a more precise estimation of the true pre-post differences. Implications of these findings for expanding our understanding of how treatment processes relate to child outcome in CBT for children with anxiety disorders are discussed. 2009. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Postsecondary Child Development Technology Programs (CIP: 20.0201--Child Care & Guidance Workers & Mgr). Postsecondary Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which is intended for use by community and junior colleges throughout Mississippi, contains curriculum frameworks for the course sequences in the child development technology programs cluster. Presented in the introductory section are a description of the program and suggested course sequence. Section I lists baseline competencies,…

Mothers Parenting a Child with Intellectual Disability in Urban India: An Application of the Stress and Resilience Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

John, Aesha; Roblyer, Martha Zapata

2017-01-01

We examined relevance of the key constructs of the stress and resilience framework in the urban Indian context. Analyses of interviews with urban Indian mothers (N = 47) of a 3-6 year old child with intellectual disability generated themes on maternal appraisals of the child's disability, perceived stressors, and resources. Mothers seemed to…

Resilience in perinatal HIV+ adolescents in South Africa.

PubMed

Bhana, Arvin; Mellins, Claude A; Small, Latoya; Nestadt, Danielle F; Leu, Cheng-Shiun; Petersen, Inge; Machanyangwa, Sphindile; McKay, Mary

2016-03-01

Increasing numbers of perinatally HIV (PHIV+)-infected youth are surviving into adulthood with better access to treatment. However, few studies examine positive outcomes in the face of adversity (resilience) for PHIV+ youth. Social Action Theory (SAT) provided the theoretical framework for this study of PHIV + youth in South Africa (SA), allowing examination of contextual, social, and self-regulatory factors that influence behavioral health. Data were from youth and caregiver baseline interviews, simply pooled from a pilot (N=66) and larger (n=111) randomized control trial (RCT) of the VUKA Family program. For this analysis, outcomes included emotional and behavioral functioning (total difficulties), and prosocial behaviors. Potential SAT correlates included socio-demographics; caregiver health and mental health; parent-child relationship factors; stigma, and child coping, support; and self-esteem. Regression analyses adjusted for age, gender, and study revealed significant associations at the contextual, social, and self-regulation level. Lower total child difficulties scores were associated with lower caregiver depression (β = 3.906,p < .001), less caregiver-reported communication about difficult issues (β = 1.882, p = .009) and higher youth self-esteem (β = -0.119, p = .020). Greater prosocial behaviors were associated with greater caregiver-reported communication (β = 0.722, p = .020) and child use of wishful thinking for coping (β = 5.532, p = .009). Less youth depression was associated with higher caregiver education (β =-0.399, p = .010), greater caregiver supervision (β = -1.261, p = .012), more social support seeking (β = -0.453, p = .002), higher youth self-esteem (β = -0.067, p < .001), lower internalized stigma (β = 0.608, p = .040), and child use of resignation for coping (β = 1.152, p = .041). Our data support evidence-based family interventions that also promote youth self-regulation skills to enhance the health and mental health of PHIV+ youth.

Child and adult outcomes of chronic child maltreatment.

PubMed

Jonson-Reid, Melissa; Kohl, Patricia L; Drake, Brett

2012-05-01

To describe how child maltreatment chronicity is related to negative outcomes in later childhood and early adulthood. The study included 5994 low-income children from St Louis, including 3521 with child maltreatment reports, who were followed from 1993-1994 through 2009. Children were 1.5 to 11 years of age at sampling. Data include administrative and treatment records indicating substance abuse, mental health treatment, brain injury, sexually transmitted disease, suicide attempts, and violent delinquency before age 18 and child maltreatment perpetration, mental health treatment, or substance abuse in adulthood. Multivariate analysis controlled for potential confounders. Child maltreatment chronicity predicted negative childhood outcomes in a linear fashion (eg, percentage with at least 1 negative outcome: no maltreatment = 29.7%, 1 report = 39.5%, 4 reports = 67.1%). Suicide attempts before age 18 showed the largest proportionate increase with repeated maltreatment (no report versus 4+ reports = +625%, P < .0001). The dose-response relationship was reduced once controls for other adverse child outcomes were added in multivariate models of child maltreatment perpetration and mental health issues. The relationship between adult substance abuse and maltreatment report history disappeared after controlling for adverse child outcomes. Child maltreatment chronicity as measured by official reports is a robust indicator of future negative outcomes across a range of systems, but this relationship may desist for certain adult outcomes once childhood adverse events are controlled. Although primary and secondary prevention remain important approaches, this study suggests that enhanced tertiary prevention may pay high dividends across a range of medical and behavioral domains.

Parental Cognitive Impairment, Mental Health, and Child Outcomes in a Child Protection Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Maurice; McConnell, David; Aunos, Marjorie

2012-01-01

Parents with cognitive impairments (CI) are overrepresented in child custody cases and their children are at risk for adverse outcomes. Ecological-transactional researchers propose that child outcomes are a function of the interaction of multiple distal, intermediate, and proximal risk and resilience factors. This study tested the fit of, and…

Multiple Traumas, Maternal Depression, Mother-Child Relationship, Social Support, and Young Children's Behavioral Problems.

PubMed

Schiff, Miriam; Pat-Horenczyk, Ruth; Ziv, Yuval; Brom, Danny

2017-09-01

This study examined whether maternal depression, mother-child relationships, and maternal perceived social support mediate the associations between child's exposure to multiple traumatic events and behavioral problems. We recruited a representative sample of 904 Israeli (Jewish and Arab) mothers and their 2- to 6-year-old children. Data collection was conducted through structured face-to-face interviews with the mothers between July and November 2011. All measures were completed by the mothers. We used the child's and mother's exposure to political violence questionnaires, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a short version of the Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (PARQ), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey. The research study model was tested using path analysis. The model showed a very good fit to the data, suggesting that maternal rejection, maternal depression, and social support play an important role in child's behavioral problems in the context of multiple traumatic events. Higher levels of maternal rejection were significantly associated with greater children behavior problems. Maternal rejection mediated the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and child's behavioral problems. Maternal perceived social support mediated the associations between child's exposure to multiple traumatic events and child's behavioral problems; child's exposure to multiple traumatic events was associated with lower levels of maternal perceived social support. In turn, lower levels of perceived social support were associated with higher levels of behavioral problems. In conclusion, in accordance with the "social stress framework," social support has a mediation role in the association between exposure to traumatic events and child's behavioral problems. Thus, enhancing social support to mothers to young children in the context of multiple traumatic events is essential for children resiliency.

Parent- and child-reported parenting. Associations with child weight-related outcomes.

PubMed

Taylor, Amanda; Wilson, Carlene; Slater, Amy; Mohr, Philip

2011-12-01

The present study aimed to investigate associations of both parent-reported and child-perceived parenting styles and parent-reported parenting practices with child weight and weight-related behaviours. Participants were 175 children (56% female) aged between 7 and 11, and their primary caregivers (91% female), recruited through South Australian primary schools. Children completed measures of parenting style, attitude toward fruit, vegetables, and non-core food, and attraction to physical activity. Parents completed measures of parenting style and domain-specific parenting practices (feeding and activity-related practices) and reported on child dietary intake, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour. Objective height and weight measurements were taken from children, from which body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Child-reported parenting style and parent-reported parenting practices were uniquely associated with child weight-related outcomes, but styles and practices did not interact in their association with child outcomes. Child-reported parenting style was associated with child food and activity attitudes, whereas parent-reported parenting style was not associated with child outcomes. The findings of the present study generally support the recommendation of a parenting style high in demandingness and responsiveness for supporting healthy child weight-related behaviours, along with appropriate domain-specific practices. The child's perspective should be incorporated into research involving child outcomes wherever possible. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Secure Base from which to Cooperate: Security, Child and Parent Willing Stance, and Adaptive and Maladaptive Outcomes in two Longitudinal Studies.

PubMed

Goffin, Kathryn C; Boldt, Lea J; Kochanska, Grazyna

2017-10-17

Early secure attachment plays a key role in socialization by inaugurating a long-term mutual positive, collaborative interpersonal orientation within the parent-child dyad. We report findings from Family Study (community mothers, fathers, and children, from age 2 to 12, N = 102, 51 girls) and Play Study (exclusively low-income mothers and children, from age 3.5 to 7, N = 186, 90 girls). We examined links among observed secure attachment at toddler age, child and parent receptive, willing stance to each other, observed in parent-child contexts at early school age, and developmental outcomes. The developmental outcomes included parent-rated child antisocial behavior problems and observed positive mutuality with regard to conflict issues at age 12 in Family Study, and mother-rated child antisocial behavior problems and observed child regard for rules and moral self at age 7 in Play Study. In mother-child relationships, the child's willing stance mediated indirect effects of child security on positive mutuality in Family Study and on all outcomes in Play Study. In father-child relationships, both the child's and the parent's willing stance mediated indirect effects of child security on both outcomes. Early security initiates an adaptive developmental cascade by enlisting the child and the parent as active, willingly receptive and cooperative agents in the socialization process. Implications for children's parenting interventions are noted.

Spanning maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) and health systems research boundaries: conducive and limiting health systems factors to improving MNCH outcomes in West Africa.

PubMed

Agyepong, Irene Akua; Kwamie, Aku; Frimpong, Edith; Defor, Selina; Ibrahim, Abdallah; Aryeetey, Genevieve C; Lokossou, Virgil; Sombie, Issiaka

2017-07-12

Despite improvements over time, West Africa lags behind global as well as sub-Saharan averages in its maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes. This is despite the availability of an increasing body of knowledge on interventions that improve such outcomes. Beyond our knowledge of what interventions work, insights are needed on others factors that facilitate or inhibit MNCH outcome improvement. This study aimed to explore health system factors conducive or limiting to MNCH policy and programme implementation and outcomes in West Africa, and how and why they work in context. We conducted a mixed methods multi-country case study focusing predominantly, but not exclusively, on the six West African countries (Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, Senegal, Nigeria and Ghana) of the Innovating for Maternal and Child Health in Africa initiative. Data collection involved non-exhaustive review of grey and published literature, and 48 key informant interviews. We validated our findings and conclusions at two separate multi-stakeholder meetings organised by the West African Health Organization. To guide our data collection and analysis, we developed a unique theoretical framework of the link between health systems and MNCH, in which we conceptualised health systems as the foundations, pillars and roofing of a shelter for MNCH, and context as the ground on which the foundation is laid. A multitude of MNCH policies and interventions were being piloted, researched or implemented at scale in the sub-region, most of which faced multiple interacting conducive and limiting health system factors to effective implementation, as well as contextual challenges. Context acted through its effect on health system factors as well as on the social determinants of health. To accelerate and sustain improvements in MNCH outcomes in West Africa, an integrated approach to research and practice of simultaneously addressing health systems and contextual factors alongside MNCH service delivery interventions is needed. This requires multi-level, multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement approaches that span current geographical, language, research and practice community boundaries in West Africa, and effectively link the efforts of actors interested in health systems strengthening with those of actors interested in MNCH outcome improvement.

Associations between maternal experiences of intimate partner violence and child nutrition and mortality: findings from Demographic and Health Surveys in Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda.

PubMed

Rico, Emily; Fenn, Bridget; Abramsky, Tanya; Watts, Charlotte

2011-04-01

If effective interventions are to be used to address child mortality and malnutrition, then it is important that we understand the different pathways operating within the framework of child health. More attention needs to be given to understanding the contribution of social influences such as intimate partner violence (IPV). To investigate the relationship between maternal exposure to IPV and child mortality and malnutrition using data from five developing countries. Population data from Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda were analysed. Logistic regression analysis was used to generate odds ratios of the associations between several categories of maternal exposure to IPV since the age of 15 and three child outcomes: under-2-year-old (U2) mortality and moderate and severe stunting (<-2 Z-score height-for-age and <-3 Z-score height-for-age) in 6-59-month-old children. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders, and the role of mediating factors was explored. The prevalence of physical and/or sexual IPV since the age of 15 years ranged from 15.5% (Honduras) to 46.2% (Kenya). For child stunting, prevalence ranged from 25.4% (Egypt) to 58.0% (Malawi) and for U2 mortality from 3.6% (Honduras) to 15.2% (Rwanda). In Kenya, maternal exposure to IPV was associated with higher U2 mortality (adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.42, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.71) and child stunting (adjusted OR=1.36, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.61). In Malawi and Honduras, marginal associations were observed between IPV and severe stunting and U2 mortality, respectively, with strength of associations varying by type of violence. The relationship between IPV and U2 mortality and stunting in Kenya, Honduras and Malawi suggests that, in these countries, IPV plays a role in child malnutrition and mortality. This contributes to a growing body of evidence that broader public health benefits may be incurred if efforts to address IPV are incorporated into a wider range of maternal and child health programmes; however, the authors highlight the need for more research that can establish temporality, use data collected on the basis of the study's objectives, and further explore the causal framework of this relationship using more advanced statistical analysis.

The association of minimum wage change on child nutritional status in LMICs: A quasi-experimental multi-country study.

PubMed

Ponce, Ninez; Shimkhada, Riti; Raub, Amy; Daoud, Adel; Nandi, Arijit; Richter, Linda; Heymann, Jody

2017-08-02

There is recognition that social protection policies such as raising the minimum wage can favourably impact health, but little evidence links minimum wage increases to child health outcomes. We used multi-year data (2003-2012) on national minimum wages linked to individual-level data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 23 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that had least two DHS surveys to establish pre- and post-observation periods. Over a pre- and post-interval ranging from 4 to 8 years, we examined minimum wage growth and four nutritional status outcomes among children under 5 years: stunting, wasting, underweight, and anthropometric failure. Using a differences-in-differences framework with country and time-fixed effects, a 10% increase in minimum wage growth over time was associated with a 0.5 percentage point decline in stunting (-0.054, 95% CI (-0.084,-0.025)), and a 0.3 percentage point decline in failure (-0.031, 95% CI (-0.057,-0.005)). We did not observe statistically significant associations between minimum wage growth and underweight or wasting. We found similar results for the poorest households working in non-agricultural and non-professional jobs, where minimum wage growth may have the most leverage. Modest increases in minimum wage over a 4- to 8-year period might be effective in reducing child undernutrition in LMICs.

A systematic review of children's dietary interventions with parents as change agents: Application of the RE-AIM framework.

PubMed

Schlechter, Chelsey R; Rosenkranz, Richard R; Guagliano, Justin M; Dzewaltowski, David A

2016-10-01

Interventions targeting children's dietary behavior often include strategies that target parents as implementation agents of change, though parent involvement on intervention effectiveness is unclear. The present study systematically assessed (1) reporting of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance (RE-AIM) of child dietary intervention studies with parents as change agents and (2) evaluated within these studies the comparative effectiveness of interventions with and without a parent component. The search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library. Eligible studies were required to include a condition with a parental component, a comparison/control group, and target a child dietary behavior outcome. Forty-nine articles met criteria. Raters extracted RE-AIM and parent implementation information for each study. Effectiveness (72.5%) was the highest reported RE-AIM element, followed by reach (27.5%), adoption (12.5%), implementation (10%), and maintenance (2.5%). Median reporting of parent implementation was highest for adoption and enactment (20%), followed by receipt (7.5%), and maintenance (2.5%). Six studies tested comparative effectiveness of parental involvement on child dietary outcomes. Current RE-AIM reporting among children's dietary interventions is inchoate. The contribution of parental involvement on intervention effectiveness remains unclear. Increased focus should be placed on reporting of external validity information, to enable better translation of research to practical applications. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Experience of taking care of children exposed to HIV: a trajectory of expectations 1

PubMed Central

Alvarenga, Willyane de Andrade; Dupas, Giselle

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to learn about the experience of caregivers/mothers providing care to infants exposed to HIV through vertical transmission. METHODS: this qualitative study used Symbolic Interactionism as the theoretical framework. A total of 39 caregivers of children exposed to HIV in follow-up at a specialized service were interviewed. Data were analyzed through inductive content analysis. RESULTS: four categories were identified that report on the lonely experience of handling the child's antiretroviral therapy, mainly due to a lack of information or incomplete information; being attentive to required care, such as the use of prophylaxis for pneumonia, vaccines, and other practices restricted to the mother-child interaction; the desire to omit the HIV out of fear of prejudice and fear of the disease, considering future prospects. CONCLUSION: the HIV and the threat this infection may affect the child cause apprehension and feelings such as fear, guilt and anxiety in the caregivers. Healthcare workers need to work together with mothers so they are able to cope with demands and distress. Only then will the treatment to avoid vertical transmission be efficient and will mother and child be supported during the process, despite apprehension with the outcome. PMID:25493682

Rural-urban disparities in child nutrition in Bangladesh and Nepal

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The persistence of rural-urban disparities in child nutrition outcomes in developing countries alongside rapid urbanisation and increasing incidence of child malnutrition in urban areas raises an important health policy question - whether fundamentally different nutrition policies and interventions are required in rural and urban areas. Addressing this question requires an enhanced understanding of the main drivers of rural-urban disparities in child nutrition outcomes especially for the vulnerable segments of the population. This study applies recently developed statistical methods to quantify the contribution of different socio-economic determinants to rural-urban differences in child nutrition outcomes in two South Asian countries – Bangladesh and Nepal. Methods Using DHS data sets for Bangladesh and Nepal, we apply quantile regression-based counterfactual decomposition methods to quantify the contribution of (1) the differences in levels of socio-economic determinants (covariate effects) and (2) the differences in the strength of association between socio-economic determinants and child nutrition outcomes (co-efficient effects) to the observed rural-urban disparities in child HAZ scores. The methodology employed in the study allows the covariate and coefficient effects to vary across entire distribution of child nutrition outcomes. This is particularly useful in providing specific insights into factors influencing rural-urban disparities at the lower tails of child HAZ score distributions. It also helps assess the importance of individual determinants and how they vary across the distribution of HAZ scores. Results There are no fundamental differences in the characteristics that determine child nutrition outcomes in urban and rural areas. Differences in the levels of a limited number of socio-economic characteristics – maternal education, spouse’s education and the wealth index (incorporating household asset ownership and access to drinking water and sanitation) contribute a major share of rural-urban disparities in the lowest quantiles of child nutrition outcomes. Differences in the strength of association between socio-economic characteristics and child nutrition outcomes account for less than a quarter of rural-urban disparities at the lower end of the HAZ score distribution. Conclusions Public health interventions aimed at overcoming rural-urban disparities in child nutrition outcomes need to focus principally on bridging gaps in socio-economic endowments of rural and urban households and improving the quality of rural infrastructure. Improving child nutrition outcomes in developing countries does not call for fundamentally different approaches to public health interventions in rural and urban areas. PMID:23767425

Rural-urban disparities in child nutrition in Bangladesh and Nepal.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Chittur S; Zanello, Giacomo; Shankar, Bhavani

2013-06-14

The persistence of rural-urban disparities in child nutrition outcomes in developing countries alongside rapid urbanisation and increasing incidence of child malnutrition in urban areas raises an important health policy question - whether fundamentally different nutrition policies and interventions are required in rural and urban areas. Addressing this question requires an enhanced understanding of the main drivers of rural-urban disparities in child nutrition outcomes especially for the vulnerable segments of the population. This study applies recently developed statistical methods to quantify the contribution of different socio-economic determinants to rural-urban differences in child nutrition outcomes in two South Asian countries - Bangladesh and Nepal. Using DHS data sets for Bangladesh and Nepal, we apply quantile regression-based counterfactual decomposition methods to quantify the contribution of (1) the differences in levels of socio-economic determinants (covariate effects) and (2) the differences in the strength of association between socio-economic determinants and child nutrition outcomes (co-efficient effects) to the observed rural-urban disparities in child HAZ scores. The methodology employed in the study allows the covariate and coefficient effects to vary across entire distribution of child nutrition outcomes. This is particularly useful in providing specific insights into factors influencing rural-urban disparities at the lower tails of child HAZ score distributions. It also helps assess the importance of individual determinants and how they vary across the distribution of HAZ scores. There are no fundamental differences in the characteristics that determine child nutrition outcomes in urban and rural areas. Differences in the levels of a limited number of socio-economic characteristics - maternal education, spouse's education and the wealth index (incorporating household asset ownership and access to drinking water and sanitation) contribute a major share of rural-urban disparities in the lowest quantiles of child nutrition outcomes. Differences in the strength of association between socio-economic characteristics and child nutrition outcomes account for less than a quarter of rural-urban disparities at the lower end of the HAZ score distribution. Public health interventions aimed at overcoming rural-urban disparities in child nutrition outcomes need to focus principally on bridging gaps in socio-economic endowments of rural and urban households and improving the quality of rural infrastructure. Improving child nutrition outcomes in developing countries does not call for fundamentally different approaches to public health interventions in rural and urban areas.

“My Baby & Me”: Effects of an Early, Comprehensive Parenting Intervention on At-Risk Mothers and Their Children

PubMed Central

Guttentag, Cathy L.; Landry, Susan H.; Williams, Jeffrey M.; Baggett, Kathleen M.; Noria, Christine W.; Borkowski, John G.; Swank, Paul R.; Farris, Jaelyn R.; Crawford, April; Lanzi, Robin G.; Carta, Judith J.; Warren, Steven F.; Ramey, Sharon L.

2017-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of a multimodule parenting intervention, “My Baby & Me,” that began prenatally and continued until children reached 2.5 years of age. The intervention targeted specific parenting skills designed to alter trajectories of maternal and child development. Of 361 high-risk mothers (193 adolescents, 168 adults) enrolled across 4 states, half were randomly assigned to the high-intensity (HI) home visitation coaching program (55 sessions), and half to a low-intensity (LI) condition that included monthly phone calls from a coach, printed informational materials, and community resource referrals. Videotaped observations of mother–child play were coded at 5 time points for multiple maternal and child behaviors and skills. Compared to mothers in the LI group, mothers in the HI group showed higher levels of contingent responsiveness, higher quality verbal stimulation, and more verbal scaffolding by 30 months, with higher levels of warmth and greater decreases in physical intrusiveness and negativity when their children were 24 months. By 30 months, children in the HI group showed more rapid increases and higher levels of engagement with the environment, expressive language skills, and social engagement, as well as more complex toy play and fewer problem behaviors than those in the LI group. Gains in maternal responsive behaviors mediated the effects of the intervention on child outcomes. Results were comparable for adolescent and adult mothers. A strong theoretical framework, consistent focus on maternal responsiveness, high dosage, and trusting relationships with coaches are thought to explain the positive outcomes. PMID:24447116

Effective intervention or child's play? A review of video games for diabetes education.

PubMed

DeShazo, Jonathan; Harris, Lynne; Pratt, Wanda

2010-10-01

The purpose of this study is (1) to identify diabetes education video games and pilot studies in the literature, (2) to review themes in diabetes video game design and evaluation, and (3) to evaluate the potential role of educational video games in diabetes self-management education. Studies were systematically identified for inclusion from Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psychinfo, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library. Features of each video game intervention were reviewed and coded based on an existing taxonomy of diabetes interventions framework. Nine studies featuring 11 video games for diabetes care were identified. Video games for diabetes have typically targeted children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and used situation problem-solving methods to teach diet, exercise, self-monitored blood glucose, and medication adherence. Evaluations have shown positive outcomes in knowledge, disease management adherence, and clinical outcomes. Video games for diabetes education show potential as effective educational interventions. Yet we found that improvements are needed in expanding the target audience, tailoring the intervention, and using theoretical frameworks. In the future, the reach and effectiveness of educational video games for diabetes education could be improved by expanding the target audience beyond juvenile type 1 diabetes mellitus, the use of tailoring, and increased use of theoretical frameworks.

Horses for courses? A qualitative exploration of goals formulated in mental health settings by young people, parents, and clinicians.

PubMed

Jacob, Jenna; Edbrooke-Childs, Julian; Holley, Simone; Law, Duncan; Wolpert, Miranda

2016-04-01

This research sought to explore and categorise goals set by children and young people, parents/caregivers and jointly by a combination of children/young people, parents/caregivers and/or clinicians within mental health settings across the United Kingdom. Using a dataset of 441 goals formed at the outset of 180 treatment episodes (2007-2010) from UK child mental health services using the Goal-Based Outcomes tool, a grounded theory approach was taken, which built on previous research into child-rated goals to develop frameworks for parent and joint goal data which were then compared with the child goal data. A total of 19 subthemes and four overarching themes were identified for parent goals. A total of 19 subthemes in five overarching themes were identified for joint goals. These were compared with 25 subthemes and three overarching themes for child goals. A comparison of subthemes between parent, child and joint goals demonstrated many consistencies, but also differences. Most commonly rated goals from children focused on coping with specific difficulties, personal growth and independence. Parent goals focused mainly on managing specific difficulties, parent-specific goals and improving self or life. Jointly negotiated goals focused on parent-specific goals, self-confidence and understanding, hopes for the future and managing specific problems. The results suggest that goals may capture areas not captured by other normed outcome measures. In particular, goals may capture higher order, underlying factors, such as confidence, resilience, coping, and parenting factors that may not be explored by other measures. The differences across perspectives also link to existing literature suggesting a different focus on treatment based on perspectives and highlights the potential importance when jointly agreeing goals of ensuring the voice of the child/young person is heard and included in goal setting. © The Author(s) 2015.

THE FERTILITY MOTIVATIONS OF YOUTH PREDICT LATER FERTILITY OUTCOMES: A PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF NLSY DATA*

PubMed Central

Miller, Warren B.; Rodgers, Joseph Lee; Pasta, David J.

2010-01-01

We examine how the motivational sequence that leads to childbearing predicts fertility outcomes across reproductive careers. Using a motivational traits-desires-intentions theoretical framework, we test a structural equation model using prospective male and female data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Specifically, we take motivational data collected during the 1979–1982 period, when the youths were in their teens and early twenties, to predict the timing of the next child born after 1982 and the total number of children born by 2002. Separate models were estimated for males and females but with equality constraints imposed unless relaxing these constraints improved the overall model fit. The results indicate substantial explanatory power of fertility motivations for both short-term and long-term fertility outcomes. They also reveal the effects of both gender role attitude and educational intentions on these outcomes. Although some sex differences in model pathways occurred, the primary hypothesized pathways were essentially the same across the sexes. Two validity substudies support the soundness of the results. A third substudy comparing the male and female models across the sample split on the basis of previous childbearing revealed a number of pattern differences within the four sex-by-previous childbearing groups. Several of the more robust of these pattern differences offer interesting insights and support the validity and usefulness of our theoretical framework. PMID:20463915

Towards a capability approach to child growth: A theoretical framework.

PubMed

Haisma, Hinke; Yousefzadeh, Sepideh; Boele Van Hensbroek, Pieter

2018-04-01

Child malnutrition is an important cause of under-5 mortality and morbidity around the globe. Despite the partial success of (inter)national efforts to reduce child mortality, under-5 mortality rates continue to be high. The multidimensional approaches of the Sustainable Development Goals may suggest new directions for rethinking strategies for reducing child mortality and malnutrition. We propose a theoretical framework for developing a "capability" approach to child growth. The current child growth monitoring practices are based on 2 assumptions: (a) that anthropometric and motor development measures are the appropriate indicators; and (b) that child growth can be assessed using a single universal standard that is applicable around the world. These practices may be further advanced by applying a capability approach to child growth, whereby growth is redefined as the achievement of certain capabilities (of society, parents, and children). This framework is similar to the multidimensional approach to societal development presented in the seminal work of Amartya Sen. To identify the dimensions of healthy child growth, we draw upon theories from the social sciences and evolutionary biology. Conceptually, we consider growth as a plural space and propose assessing growth by means of a child growth matrix in which the context is embedded in the assessment. This approach will better address the diversities and the inequalities in child growth. Such a multidimensional measure will have implications for interventions and policy, including prevention and counselling, and could have an impact on child malnutrition and mortality. © 2017 The Authors. Maternal and Child Nutrition Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Implementing the Common Core of Constructs: Measurement and Interviewer Training. The Project on State-Level Child Outcomes. Proceedings of the Meeting of the Operational Phase of the Project on State-Level Child Outcome (1st, Washington, DC, December 9, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Child Trends, Inc., Washington, DC.

The Project on State-Level Child Outcomes is designed to assist states and other groups to improve the measurement of child outcomes in state welfare evaluations and in other state data systems. This report summarizes the first meeting of the five states (Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota) that participated in the operational phase of…

Preliminary Validation of a Parent-Child Relational Framework for Teaching Developmental Assessment to Pediatric Residents.

PubMed

Regalado, Michael; Schneiderman, Janet U; Duan, Lei; Ragusa, Gisele

A parent-child relational framework was used as a method to train pediatric residents in basic knowledge and observation skills for the assessment of child development. Components of the training framework and its preliminary validation as an alternative to milestone-based approaches are described. Pediatric residents were trained during a 4-week clinical rotation to use a semistructured interview and observe parent-child behavior during health visits using clinical criteria for historical information and observed behavior that reflect developmental change in the parent-child relationship. Clinical impressions of concern versus no concern for developmental delay were derived from parent-child relational criteria and the physical examination. A chart review yielded 330 preterm infants evaluated using this methodology at 4 and 15 months corrected age who also had standardized developmental testing at 6 and 18 months corrected age. Sensitivities and specificities were computed to examine the validity of the clinical assessment compared with standardized testing. A subset of residents who completed 50 or more assessments during the rotation was timed at the end of 4 weeks. Parent-child behavioral markers elicited from the history and/or observed during the health visit correlated highly with standardized developmental assessment. Sensitivities and specificities were 0.72/0.98 and 0.87/0.96 at 4 to 6 and 15 to 18 months, respectively. Residents completed their assessments <1 minute on average if they had completed at least 50 supervised assessments. A parent-child relational framework is a potentially efficient and effective approach to training residents in the clinical knowledge and skills of child development assessment. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Child-Staff Ratios in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings and Child Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Perlman, Michal; Fletcher, Brooke; Falenchuk, Olesya; Brunsek, Ashley; McMullen, Evelyn; Shah, Prakesh S

2017-01-01

Child-staff ratios are a key quality indicator in early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs. Better ratios are believed to improve child outcomes by increasing opportunities for individual interactions and educational instruction from staff. The purpose of this systematic review, and where possible, meta-analysis, was to evaluate the association between child-staff ratios in preschool ECEC programs and children's outcomes. Searches of Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, websites of large datasets and reference sections of all retrieved articles were conducted up to July 3, 2015. Cross-sectional or longitudinal studies that evaluated the relationship between child-staff ratios in ECEC classrooms serving preschool aged children and child outcomes were independently identified by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from included studies by two raters and differences between raters were resolved by consensus. Searches revealed 29 eligible studies (31 samples). Child-staff ratios ranged from 5 to 14.5 preschool-aged children per adult with a mean of 8.65. All 29 studies were included in the systematic review. However, the only meta-analysis that could be conducted was based on three studies that explored associations between ratios and children's receptive language. Results of this meta-analysis were not significant. Results of the qualitative systematic review revealed few significant relationships between child-staff ratios and child outcomes construed broadly. Thus, the available literature reveal few, if any, relationships between child-staff ratios in preschool ECEC programs and children's developmental outcomes. Substantial heterogeneity in the assessment of ratios, outcomes measured, and statistics used to capture associations limited quantitative synthesis. Other methodological limitations of the research integrated in this synthesis are discussed.

Child-Staff Ratios in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings and Child Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Perlman, Michal; Fletcher, Brooke; Falenchuk, Olesya; Brunsek, Ashley; McMullen, Evelyn; Shah, Prakesh S.

2017-01-01

Child-staff ratios are a key quality indicator in early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs. Better ratios are believed to improve child outcomes by increasing opportunities for individual interactions and educational instruction from staff. The purpose of this systematic review, and where possible, meta-analysis, was to evaluate the association between child-staff ratios in preschool ECEC programs and children’s outcomes. Searches of Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, websites of large datasets and reference sections of all retrieved articles were conducted up to July 3, 2015. Cross-sectional or longitudinal studies that evaluated the relationship between child-staff ratios in ECEC classrooms serving preschool aged children and child outcomes were independently identified by two reviewers. Data were independently extracted from included studies by two raters and differences between raters were resolved by consensus. Searches revealed 29 eligible studies (31 samples). Child-staff ratios ranged from 5 to 14.5 preschool-aged children per adult with a mean of 8.65. All 29 studies were included in the systematic review. However, the only meta-analysis that could be conducted was based on three studies that explored associations between ratios and children’s receptive language. Results of this meta-analysis were not significant. Results of the qualitative systematic review revealed few significant relationships between child-staff ratios and child outcomes construed broadly. Thus, the available literature reveal few, if any, relationships between child-staff ratios in preschool ECEC programs and children’s developmental outcomes. Substantial heterogeneity in the assessment of ratios, outcomes measured, and statistics used to capture associations limited quantitative synthesis. Other methodological limitations of the research integrated in this synthesis are discussed. PMID:28103288

Child-care quality moderates the association between maternal depression and children's behavioural outcome.

PubMed

Charrois, Justine; Côté, Sylvana M; Japel, Christa; Séguin, Jean R; Paquin, Stéphane; Tremblay, Richard E; Herba, Catherine M

2017-11-01

Maternal depression is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in the child, including emotional and behavioural difficulties. There is evidence that child care attendance during the preschool years may moderate associations between familial risk factors and child outcome. However, the possibility that high-quality child care provides protection for children exposed to maternal depression or that low-quality child care provides additional risk has not been investigated. We study whether child-care quality moderates the association between probable history of maternal depression (PMD) and child behavioural and emotional outcomes over the preschool period. Within a longitudinal study, we examined PMD (no depression; clinical PMD before the child's birth; subclinical PMD from 0 to 5 years; clinical PMD from 0 to 5 years), child-care quality and child emotional and behavioural difficulties at the ages of 2, 3 and 4 years. Child-care quality was evaluated in settings, and trajectories were calculated to reflect (a) global quality and (b) two quality subfactors: 'Teaching and interactions' and 'Provision for learning'. Data were analysed for 264 families. Significant interactions emerged between clinical PMD and global quality of child care for children's externalising behaviour (b = -.185, p = .008), more specifically hyperactivity/inattention (b = -.237, p = .002). In the context of clinical PMD, children attending high-quality child care presented fewer difficulties than those attending a low-quality care. Child-care quality was not associated with outcomes for children whose mothers did not report a PMD or a PMD before their birth. In the context of PMD, high-quality child care was associated with fewer behavioural problems and may thus constitute a protective factor. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Measuring Outcomes in Children's Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christner, Anne Marshall, Ed.

Outcomes evaluation can provide program managers and clinical directors in child welfare, juvenile justice, child mental health, and child protective services the necessary tools for program quality assurance and accountability. This guide describes the outcomes evaluation process and provides a summary of articles and reports detailing current…

Migrant Farm Child Abuse and Neglect within an Ecosystem Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tan, Gerdean G.; And Others

1991-01-01

Discusses environmental stress within ecosystem framework as predictor of migrant farm child abuse and neglect. Reviews relationship among individual, family, community, and cultural elements as primary etiologic factor in maltreatment of migrant children. Points to need for strengthening family and neighborhood systems through changes in…

Caregiver stress and outcomes of children with pediatric feeding disorders treated in an intensive interdisciplinary program.

PubMed

Greer, Ashley J; Gulotta, Charles S; Masler, Elizabeth A; Laud, Rinita B

2008-07-01

This study investigated the impact of an intensive interdisciplinary feeding program on caregiver stress and child outcomes of children with feeding disorders across three categories. Children were categorized into either tube dependent, liquid dependent, or food selective groups. Outcomes for caregiver stress levels, child mealtime behaviors, weight, and calories were examined at admission and discharge for 121 children. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine differences pre- and post-treatment and across feeding categories. Caregiver stress, child mealtime behaviors, weight, and caloric intake improved significantly following treatment in the intensive feeding program, regardless of category placement. Few studies have examined the impact of an intensive interdisciplinary approach on caregiver stress, as well as on child outcome variables with such a diverse population. This study provides support that regardless of a child's medical and feeding history, an intensive interdisciplinary approach significantly improves caregiver stress and child outcomes.

Organizational climate, services, and outcomes in child welfare systems.

PubMed

Glisson, Charles; Green, Philip

2011-08-01

This study examines the association of organizational climate, casework services, and youth outcomes in child welfare systems. Building on preliminary findings linking organizational climate to youth outcomes over a 3-year follow-up period, the current study extends the follow-up period to 7 years and tests main, moderating and mediating effects of organizational climate and casework services on outcomes. The study applies hierarchical linear models (HLMs) analyses to all 5 waves of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW) with a US nationwide sample of 1,678 maltreated youth aged 4-16 years and 1,696 caseworkers from 88 child welfare systems. Organizational climate is assessed on 2 dimensions, Engagement and Stress, with scales from the well established measure, Organizational Social Context (OSC); youth outcomes are measured as problems in psychosocial functioning with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); and casework services are assessed with original scales developed for the study and completed by the maltreated youths' primary caregivers and caseworkers. Maltreated youth served by child welfare systems with more engaged organizational climates have significantly better outcomes. Moreover, the quantity and quality of casework services neither mediate nor interact with the effects of organizational climate on youth outcomes. Organizational climate is associated with youth outcomes in child welfare systems, but a better understanding is needed of the mechanisms that link organizational climate to outcomes. In addition, there is a need for evidence-based organizational interventions that can improve the organizational climates and effectiveness of child welfare systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility and perceived benefits of a framework for physician-parent follow-up meetings after a child's death in the PICU.

PubMed

Meert, Kathleen L; Eggly, Susan; Berg, Robert A; Wessel, David L; Newth, Christopher J L; Shanley, Thomas P; Harrison, Rick; Dalton, Heidi; Clark, Amy E; Dean, J Michael; Doctor, Allan; Nicholson, Carol E

2014-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility and perceived benefits of conducting physician-parent follow-up meetings after a child's death in the PICU according to a framework developed by the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network. Prospective observational study. Seven Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network-affiliated children's hospitals. Critical care attending physicians, bereaved parents, and meeting guests (i.e., parent support persons, other health professionals). Physician-parent follow-up meetings using the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network framework. Forty-six critical care physicians were trained to conduct follow-up meetings using the framework. All meetings were video recorded. Videos were evaluated for the presence or absence of physician behaviors consistent with the framework. Present behaviors were evaluated for performance quality using a 5-point scale (1 = low, 5 = high). Participants completed meeting evaluation surveys. Parents of 194 deceased children were mailed an invitation to a follow-up meeting. Of these, one or both parents from 39 families (20%) agreed to participate, 80 (41%) refused, and 75 (39%) could not be contacted. Of 39 who initially agreed, three meetings were canceled due to conflicting schedules. Thirty-six meetings were conducted including 54 bereaved parents, 17 parent support persons, 23 critical care physicians, and 47 other health professionals. Physician adherence to the framework was high; 79% of behaviors consistent with the framework were rated as present with a quality score of 4.3 ± 0.2. Of 50 evaluation surveys completed by parents, 46 (92%) agreed or strongly agreed the meeting was helpful to them and 40 (89%) to others they brought with them. Of 36 evaluation surveys completed by critical care physicians (i.e., one per meeting), 33 (92%) agreed or strongly agreed the meeting was beneficial to parents and 31 (89%) to them. Follow-up meetings using the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network framework are feasible and viewed as beneficial by meeting participants. Future research should evaluate the effects of follow-up meetings on bereaved parents' health outcomes.

What Are Good Child Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kristin Anderson; Evans, V. Jeffery; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Roth, Jodie

This paper considers the question "What are good child outcomes?" from the perspectives of developmental psychology, economics, and sociology. Section 1 of the paper examines good child outcomes as characteristics of stage-salient tasks of development. Section 2 emphasizes the acquisition of "human capital," the development of productive traits…

What Have We Learned From Collaborative Partnerships to Concomitantly Improve Both Education and Health?

PubMed Central

Kolbe, Lloyd J; Allensworth, Diane D; Potts-Datema, William; White, Douglas R

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Collaborative partnerships are an essential means to concomitantly improve both education outcomes and health outcomes among K-12 students. METHODS We describe examples of contemporaneous, interactive, and evolving partnerships that have been implemented, respectively, by a national governmental health organization, national nongovernmental education and health organizations, a state governmental education organization, and a local nongovernmental health organization that serves partner schools. RESULTS Each of these partnerships strategically built operational infrastructures that enabled partners to efficiently combine their resources to improve student education and health. CONCLUSIONS To implement a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Framework, we need to purposefully strengthen, expand, and interconnect national, state, and local collaborative partnerships and supporting infrastructures that concomitantly can improve both education and health. PMID:26440818

Services used by perinatal substance-users with child welfare involvement: a descriptive study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Substance use during pregnancy often leads to involvement in the child welfare system, resulting in multiple social service systems and service providers working with families to achieve successful child welfare outcomes. The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island (VIP-RI) is a care coordination program developed to work with perinatal substance-users to optimize opportunities for reunification and promote permanency for substance-exposed infants. This paper describes services used by VIP-RI participants and child welfare outcomes. Methods Data collected during the first four years of VIP-RI were used to identify characteristics of program participants, services received, and child welfare outcomes: closed child welfare cases, reunification with biological mothers and identified infant permanent placements. Descriptive Results Medical and financial services were associated with positive child welfare outcomes. Medical services included family planning, pre- and post-natal care and HIV test counseling. Financial services included assistance with obtaining entitlement benefits and receiving tangible support such as food and clothing. Conclusions Findings from this study suggest services that address basic family needs were related to positive child welfare outcomes. The provision of basic services, such as health care and financial assistance through entitlement benefits and tangible donations, may help to establish a foundation so mothers can concentrate on recovery and parenting skills. Identification of services for perinatal substance users that are associated with more successful child welfare outcomes has implications for the child welfare system, treatment providers, courts and families. PMID:20807432

Services used by perinatal substance-users with child welfare involvement: a descriptive study.

PubMed

McCann, Kenneth J; Twomey, Jean E; Caldwell, Donna; Soave, Rosemary; Fontaine, Lynne Andreozzi; Lester, Barry M

2010-08-31

Substance use during pregnancy often leads to involvement in the child welfare system, resulting in multiple social service systems and service providers working with families to achieve successful child welfare outcomes. The Vulnerable Infants Program of Rhode Island (VIP-RI) is a care coordination program developed to work with perinatal substance-users to optimize opportunities for reunification and promote permanency for substance-exposed infants. This paper describes services used by VIP-RI participants and child welfare outcomes. Data collected during the first four years of VIP-RI were used to identify characteristics of program participants, services received, and child welfare outcomes: closed child welfare cases, reunification with biological mothers and identified infant permanent placements. DESCRIPTIVE RESULTS: Medical and financial services were associated with positive child welfare outcomes. Medical services included family planning, pre- and post-natal care and HIV test counseling. Financial services included assistance with obtaining entitlement benefits and receiving tangible support such as food and clothing. Findings from this study suggest services that address basic family needs were related to positive child welfare outcomes. The provision of basic services, such as health care and financial assistance through entitlement benefits and tangible donations, may help to establish a foundation so mothers can concentrate on recovery and parenting skills. Identification of services for perinatal substance users that are associated with more successful child welfare outcomes has implications for the child welfare system, treatment providers, courts and families.

Advancing the Development of the Guidelines for the Nursing of Children, Adolescents, and Families: 2014 Revision: Process, Development, and Dissemination.

PubMed

Betz, Cecily L; Cowell, Julia Muennich; Faulkner, Melissa Spezia; Feeg, Veronica D; Greenberg, Cindy Smith; Krajicek, Marilyn J; Lipman, Terri H; Lobo, Marie L; Nehring, Wendy M; Craft-Rosenberg, Martha; Vessey, Judith A

2016-01-01

This article details the process used to develop the revision of the original Guidelines that resulted in the development of the 2014 Health Care Quality and Outcomes Guidelines for Nursing of Children, Adolescents, and Families. Members of the 2014 Guidelines Revision Task Force conducted an extensive process of revision, which included the input and approval of 16 pediatric and child health nursing and affiliated organizational endorsements. The revised Guidelines were presented to and endorsed by the American Academy of Nursing Board. These Guidelines are designed for use by pediatric and child health nurses who work in a range of health care and community-based settings. The Guidelines are proposed to be used as a framework for nurse-directed services and intervention development and testing, as a model for undergraduate and graduate pediatric and child health nursing program curriculum development, and as the theoretical basis for nursing investigations on the care of children, adolescents, and families. Copyright © 2016 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Maternal Employment and Child Cognitive Outcomes in the First Three Years of Life: The NICHD Study of Early Child Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Han, Wen-Jui; Waldfogel, Jane

2002-01-01

Examined data on 900 European American children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care to explore links between maternal employment during the child's first year and child cognitive outcomes. Found that maternal employment by the child's ninth month related to lower school readiness scores at 36 months, with more pronounced effects for certain…

Social Withdrawal in Childhood

PubMed Central

Rubin, Kenneth H.; Coplan, Robert J.; Bowker, Julie C.

2013-01-01

Socially withdrawn children frequently refrain from social activities in the presence of peers. The lack of social interaction in childhood may result from a variety of causes, including social fear and anxiety or a preference for solitude. From early childhood through to adolescence, socially withdrawn children are concurrently and predictively at risk for a wide range of negative adjustment outcomes, including socio-emotional difficulties (e.g., anxiety, low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and internalizing problems), peer difficulties (e.g., rejection, victimization, poor friendship quality), and school difficulties (e.g., poor-quality teacher-child relationships, academic difficulties, school avoidance). The goals of the current review are to (a) provide some definitional, theoretical, and methodological clarity to the complex array of terms and constructs previously employed in the study of social withdrawal; (b) examine the predictors, correlates, and consequences of child and early-adolescent social withdrawal; and (c) present a developmental framework describing pathways to and from social withdrawal in childhood. PMID:18851686

Welfare reform, family support, and child development: perspectives from policy analysis and developmental psychopathology.

PubMed

Knitzer, J; Yoshikawa, H; Cauthen, N K; Aber, J L

2000-01-01

This article explores the implications of recent welfare-related policy change for the well-being of children in low-income families, and for research investigating child development processes and outcomes. It provides an overview of current welfare-related policies and explores the implications for developmental researchers. The article also synthesizes early findings from research, highlighting both overall impacts and the more nuanced evidence that while families are transitioning off welfare, only a small number are transitioning out of poverty, and a subgroup of families at risk are not faring well. It then examines, from a theoretical and methodological framework, what developmental psychopathology might bring to the study of welfare-related impacts on children in the context of this complex and changing policy landscape, and what welfare researchers might bring to the field of developmental psychopathology. The article concludes with broad recommendations for both research and policy.

Exploring the Role of Filipino Fathers: Paternal Behaviors and Child Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harper, Scott E.

2010-01-01

Using data collected from an urban Southern Visayan province during the Summer of 2006, this study examines a sample of 133 Filipino fathers to consider potential relationships between father behaviors and child outcomes. Increased paternal psychological control predicts increased problematic child outcomes, with sons being more affected than…

Community Resilience Impact on Child and Youth Health Outcomes: A Neighbourhood Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mykota, David B.; Muhajarine, Nazeem

2005-01-01

In this study, the authors investigated community resilience from the perspectives of well-defined, geographically bounded neighbourhoods and in relation to factors within them that may mediate, either positively or negatively, child and youth health outcomes. Three socially contrasting neighbourhoods with heterogeneous child health outcomes were…

Families with children with diabetes: implications of parent stress for parent and child health.

PubMed

Helgeson, Vicki S; Becker, Dorothy; Escobar, Oscar; Siminerio, Linda

2012-05-01

To examine the relation of parent stress to parent mental health and child mental and physical health. We interviewed children with type 1 diabetes (n = 132; mean age 12 years) annually for 5 years and had one parent complete a questionnaire at each assessment. Parents completed measures of general life stress, stress related to caring for a child with diabetes, benefit finding, and mental health. Child outcomes were depressive symptoms, self-care behavior, and glycemic control. Multilevel modeling was used to examine concurrent and longitudinal relations. Greater parent general stress and greater parent diabetes-specific stress were associated with poorer parent mental health. Overall, greater parent general stress was associated with poorer child outcomes, whereas greater parent diabetes-specific stress was associated with better child outcomes. Families with high levels of general life stress should be identified as they are at risk for both poor parent and child health outcomes.

From parent-child mutuality to security to socialization outcomes: developmental cascade toward positive adaptation in preadolescence.

PubMed

Kim, Sanghag; Boldt, Lea J; Kochanska, Grazyna

2015-01-01

A developmental cascade from positive early parent-child relationship to child security with the parent to adaptive socialization outcomes, proposed in attachment theory and often implicitly accepted but rarely formally tested, was examined in 100 mothers, fathers, and children followed from toddler age to preadolescence. Parent-child Mutually Responsive Orientation (MRO) was observed in lengthy interactions at 38, 52, 67, and 80 months; children reported their security with parents at age eight. Socialization outcomes (parent- and child-reported cooperation with parental monitoring and teacher-reported school competence) were assessed at age 10. Mediation was tested with PROCESS. The parent-child history of MRO significantly predicted both mother-child and father-child security. For mother-child dyads, security mediated links between history of MRO and cooperation with maternal monitoring and school competence, controlling for developmental continuity of the studied constructs. For father-child dyads, the mediation effect was not evident.

Child health: a legitimate business concern.

PubMed

Major, Debra A; Cardenas, Rebekah A; Allard, Carolyn B

2004-10-01

This article reviews evidence substantiating the relationship between child health and business outcomes and evaluates literature regarding organizational interventions that benefit child health and reduce associated costs. The review focuses on 4 family-friendly initiatives, including prenatal programs, lactation programs, sick child care, and flexible working arrangements, and considers 4 business outcomes, specifically health care costs, face time, productive time, and employer attractiveness. Limitations of previous research are discussed, and preventive and reactive models of the relationship between child health and business outcomes are developed as guides for future research.

Autism, attachment, and social learning: Three challenges and a way forward.

PubMed

Vivanti, Giacomo; Nuske, Heather J

2017-05-15

We explore three challenges that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) poses to our understanding of the processes underlying early attachment. First, while caregiver-infant attachment and later social-affiliative behavior share common biobehavioral mechanisms, individuals with ASD are able to form secure attachment relationships, despite reduced social-emotional reciprocity and motivation for social interaction. Therefore, disruptions in social affiliation mechanisms can co-exist with secure caregiver-infant bonding. Second, while early attachment quality is associated with later social outcomes in typical development, interventions targeting caregiver-child interaction in ASD often show positive effects on parental responsivity and attachment quality, but not on child social behavior. Therefore, improvements in parent-child bonding do not necessarily result in improvements in social functioning in ASD. Third, individuals with ASD show normative brain activity and selective social affiliative behaviors in response to people that they know but not to unfamiliar people. We propose a conceptual framework to reformulate and address these three theoretical impasses posed by ASD, arguing that the dissociable pathways of child-parent bonding and social development in ASD are shaped by (1) a dissociation between externally-driven and internally-driven attachment responses and (2) atypical learning dynamics occurring during child-caregiver bonding episodes, which are governed by and influence social-affiliation motives and other operant contingencies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Research on the Intergenerational Links in the Every Child Matters Outcomes. Report to the Department of Children, Schools and Families. CEE Special Report 005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blanden, Jo; Machin, Stephen; Murphy, Richard; Tominey, Emma

2010-01-01

The Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda was introduced in the UK, as a policy aiming to improve child outcomes along five broad areas. The categories are Be Healthy, Stay Safe, Enjoy and Achieve, Make a Positive Contribution and Achieve Economic Wellbeing. The objective therefore, is to move beyond the traditional focus on child academic outcomes, to…

Impact of participant attrition on child injury outcome estimates: a longitudinal birth cohort study in Australia

PubMed Central

Cameron, Cate M; Osborne, Jodie M; Spinks, Anneliese B; Davey, Tamzyn M; Sipe, Neil; McClure, Roderick J

2017-01-01

Background Longitudinal research is subject to participant attrition. Systemic differences between retained participants and those lost to attrition potentially bias prevalence of outcomes, as well as exposure-outcome associations. This study examines the impact of attrition on the prevalence of child injury outcomes and the association between sociodemographic factors and child injury. Methods Participants were recruited as part of the Environments for Healthy Living (EFHL) birth cohort study. Baseline data were drawn from maternal surveys. Child injury outcome data were extracted from hospital records, 2006–2013. Participant attrition status was assessed up to 2014. Rates of injury-related episodes of care were calculated, taking into account exposure time and Poisson regression was performed to estimate exposure-outcome associations. Results Of the 2222 participating families, 799 families (36.0%) had complete follow-up data. Those with incomplete data included 137 (6.2%) who withdrew, 308 (13.8%) were lost to follow-up and 978 families (44.0%) who were partial/non-responders. Families of lower socioeconomic status were less likely to have complete follow-up data (p<0.05). Systematic differences in attrition did not result in differential child injury outcomes or significant differences between the attrition and non-attrition groups in risk factor effect estimates. Participants who withdrew were the only group to demonstrate differences in child injury outcomes. Conclusion This research suggests that even with considerable attrition, if the proportion of participants who withdraw is minimal, overall attrition is unlikely to affect the population prevalence estimate of child injury or measures of association between sociodemographic factors and child injury. PMID:28667218

Child maltreatment among Asian Americans: characteristics and explanatory framework.

PubMed

Fuhua Zhai; Qin Gao

2009-05-01

This article systematically reviews the characteristics of child maltreatment among Asian Americans and provides a theoretical explanatory framework. The reported rate of child maltreatment among Asian Americans is disproportionately low. A high rate of physical abuse and low rates of neglect and sexual abuse are found among Asian American victims. Some protective factors (e.g., the emphasis on family harmony and reputation and the indulgence to infants and toddlers) may lead to low probability of child maltreatment among Asian Americans. Some others (e.g., parental authority and beliefs in physical punishment) may be risk factors of child maltreatment, especially physical abuse. Meanwhile, many other coexisting factors (e.g., children's obedience to parents and families' invisibility to authorities) may prohibit child maltreatment from being disclosed. Therefore, the overall low reported rate of child maltreatment among Asian Americans may be a combination of low incidence and underreporting. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

The Relationship Between Child Maltreatment and Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes Among Emerging Adults and Adolescents

PubMed Central

Garner, Bryan R.; Hunter, Brooke D.; Smith, Douglas C.; Smith, Jane Ellen; Godley, Mark D.

2015-01-01

Emerging adulthood is the period of greatest risk for problematic substance use. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between a broad measure of child maltreatment and several key outcomes for a large clinical sample of emerging adults (n = 858) and adolescents (n = 2,697). The secondary aim was to examine the extent to which the relationship between child maltreatment and treatment outcomes differed between emerging adults and adolescents. Multilevel latent growth curve analyses revealed emerging adults and adolescents who experienced child maltreatment reported significantly greater reductions over time on several treatment outcomes (e.g., substance use, substance-related problems, and emotional problems). Overall, analyses did not support differential relationships between child maltreatment and changes over time in these substance use disorder treatment outcomes for emerging adults and adolescents. The one exception was that although emerging adults with child maltreatment did reduce their HIV risk over time, their improvements were not as great as were the improvements in HIV risk reported by adolescents who had experienced child maltreatment. PMID:25125233

The relationship between child maltreatment and substance abuse treatment outcomes among emerging adults and adolescents.

PubMed

Garner, Bryan R; Hunter, Brooke D; Smith, Douglas C; Smith, Jane Ellen; Godley, Mark D

2014-01-01

Emerging adulthood is the period of greatest risk for problematic substance use. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the relationship between a broad measure of child maltreatment and several key outcomes for a large clinical sample of emerging adults (n = 858) and adolescents (n = 2,697). The secondary aim was to examine the extent to which the relationship between child maltreatment and treatment outcomes differed between emerging adults and adolescents. Multilevel latent growth curve analyses revealed emerging adults and adolescents who experienced child maltreatment reported significantly greater reductions over time on several treatment outcomes (e.g., substance use, substance-related problems, and emotional problems). Overall, analyses did not support differential relationships between child maltreatment and changes over time in these substance use disorder treatment outcomes for emerging adults and adolescents. The one exception was that although emerging adults with child maltreatment did reduce their HIV risk over time, their improvements were not as great as were the improvements in HIV risk reported by adolescents who had experienced child maltreatment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Beneficial Effect of Maintaining Hepatic Reserve during Chemotherapy on the Outcomes of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Terashima, Takeshi; Yamashita, Tatsuya; Arai, Kuniaki; Kawaguchi, Kazunori; Kitamura, Kazuya; Yamashita, Taro; Sakai, Yoshio; Mizukoshi, Eishiro; Honda, Masao; Kaneko, Shuichi

2017-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) usually develops in chronically damaged liver. We investigated hepatic reserves during chemotherapy of patients with advanced HCC and compensated liver function to evaluate the effect on patients' outcomes of maintaining hepatic reserve after chemotherapy. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 190 patients with Child-Pugh A with advanced HCC who were treated with sorafenib or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). We investigated the Child-Pugh score and albumin-bilirubin grade for hepatic reserve, and evaluated the effect of the change in Child-Pugh scores on patients' outcomes. Subjects were treated with sorafenib (n = 59) or HAIC (n = 131). Of patients with Child-Pugh data, 66.7% maintained or improved their Child-Pugh score after 4 weeks. Treatment with HAIC was the only factor that significantly contributed to maintaining Child-Pugh scores after 4 weeks. The overall survival of patients with a higher Child-Pugh score after 4 weeks was shorter than that of patients whose Child-Pugh classification was unchanged. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that an increased Child-Pugh score after 4 weeks was one of the independent unfavorable prognostic factors. The change of hepatic reserve as a function of albumin-bilirubin grade did not significantly correlate with patients' outcomes. Maintaining the Child-Pugh score during chemotherapy benefits the outcomes of patients with advanced HCC, even those with sufficient hepatic reserve. PMID:28626734

Well-being, health and fitness of children who use wheelchairs: feasibility study protocol to develop child-centred 'keep-fit' exercise interventions.

PubMed

O'Brien, Thomas D; Noyes, Jane; Spencer, Llinos Haf; Kubis, Hans-Peter; Edwards, Rhiannon T; Bray, Nathan; Whitaker, Rhiannon

2015-02-01

To undertake the pre-clinical and modelling phases of the Medical Research Council complex intervention framework to underpin development of child-centred 'keep-fit', exercise and physical activity interventions for children and young people who use wheelchairs. Children who use wheelchairs face many barriers to participation in physical activity, which compromises fitness, obesity, well-being and health. 'Keep-fit' programmes that are child-centred and engaging are urgently required to enhance participation of disabled children and their families as part of a healthy lifestyle. Nurses will likely be important in promoting and monitoring 'keep-fit' intervention(s) when implemented in the community. Mixed-method (including economic analysis) feasibility study to capture child and family preferences and keep-fit needs and to determine outcome measures for a 'keep-fit' intervention. The study comprises three stages. Stage 1 includes a mixed-method systematic review of effectiveness, cost effectiveness and key stakeholder views and experiences of keep-fit interventions, followed by qualitative interviews with children, young people and their parents to explore preferences and motivations for physical activity. Stage 2 will identify standardized outcome measures and test their application with children who use wheelchairs to obtain baseline fitness data. Options for an exercise-based keep-fit intervention will then be designed based on Stage 1 and 2 findings. In stage 3, we will present intervention options for feedback and further refinement to children and parents/carers in focus groups. (Project funded October 2012). At completion, this study will lead to the design of the intervention and a protocol to test its efficacy. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teaching and Learning in Preschool: Using Individually Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Literacy Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Venn, Elizabeth Claire; Jahn, Monica Dacy

This book presents a preschool framework that integrates literacy activities into content area lessons while embedding instruction within adult-child social interactions and realistic, playful activities tailored to each child's individual needs. Chapter 1 of the book delineates the theory and rationale behind the framework, and outlines essential…

Child Health, Maternal Marital and Socioeconomic Factors, and Maternal Health

PubMed Central

Witt, Whitney P.

2012-01-01

While maternal socioeconomic status and health predict in part children’s future health and socioeconomic prospects, it is possible that the intergenerational association flows in the other direction such that child health affects maternal outcomes. Previous research demonstrates that poor child health increases the risk of adverse maternal physical and mental health outcomes. We hypothesize that poor child health may also increase the risk of poor maternal health outcomes through an interaction between child health and factors associated with health outcomes, such as marital status, marital quality, and socioeconomic status. Using data on women in the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 cohort (N = 2,279), we find evidence that the effects of certain maternal marital quality and socioeconomic factors on maternal physical and mental health depend on child health status and vice versa. PMID:23788824

Consequences of Teen Parents’ Child Care Arrangements for Mothers and Children*

PubMed Central

Mollborn, Stefanie; Blalock, Casey

2013-01-01

Using the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (2001 - 2006; N ≈ 7900), we examined child care arrangements among teen parents from birth through prekindergarten. Four latent classes of child care arrangements at 9, 24, and 52 months emerged: “parental care,” “center care,” “paid home-based care,” and “free kin-based care.” Disadvantaged teen-parent families were overrepresented in the “parental care” class, which was negatively associated with children’s preschool reading, math, and behavior scores and mothers’ socioeconomic and fertility outcomes compared to some nonparental care classes. Nonparental care did not predict any negative maternal or child outcomes, and different care arrangements had different benefits for mothers and children. Time spent in nonparental care and improved maternal outcomes contributed to children’s increased scores across domains. Child care classes predicted maternal outcomes similarly in teen-parent and nonteen-parent families, but the “parental care” class predicted some disproportionately negative child outcomes for teen-parent families. PMID:23729861

Poverty and child health in the UK: using evidence for action

PubMed Central

Wickham, Sophie; Anwar, Elspeth; Barr, Ben; Law, Catherine; Taylor-Robinson, David

2016-01-01

There are currently high levels of child poverty in the UK, and for the first time in almost two decades child poverty has started to rise in absolute terms. Child poverty is associated with a wide range of health-damaging impacts, negative educational outcomes and adverse long-term social and psychological outcomes. The poor health associated with child poverty limits children's potential and development, leading to poor health and life chances in adulthood. This article outlines some key definitions with regard to child poverty, reviews the links between child poverty and a range of health, developmental, behavioural and social outcomes for children, describes gaps in the evidence base and provides an overview of current policies relevant to child poverty in the UK. Finally, the article outlines how child health professionals can take action by (1) supporting policies to reduce child poverty, (2) providing services that reduce the health consequences of child poverty and (3) measuring and understanding the problem and assessing the impact of action. PMID:26857824

Experts' Perspectives Toward a Population Health Approach for Children With Medical Complexity.

PubMed

Barnert, Elizabeth S; Coller, Ryan J; Nelson, Bergen B; Thompson, Lindsey R; Chan, Vincent; Padilla, Cesar; Klitzner, Thomas S; Szilagyi, Moira; Chung, Paul J

2017-08-01

Because children with medical complexity (CMC) display very different health trajectories, needs, and resource utilization than other children, it is unclear how well traditional conceptions of population health apply to CMC. We sought to identify key health outcome domains for CMC as a step toward determining core health metrics for this distinct population of children. We conducted and analyzed interviews with 23 diverse national experts on CMC to better understand population health for CMC. Interviewees included child and family advocates, health and social service providers, and research, health systems, and policy leaders. We performed thematic content analyses to identify emergent themes regarding population health for CMC. Overall, interviewees conveyed that defining and measuring population health for CMC is an achievable, worthwhile goal. Qualitative themes from interviews included: 1) CMC share unifying characteristics that could serve as the basis for population health outcomes; 2) optimal health for CMC is child specific and dynamic; 3) health of CMC is intertwined with health of families; 4) social determinants of health are especially important for CMC; and 5) measuring population health for CMC faces serious conceptual and logistical challenges. Experts have taken initial steps in defining the population health of CMC. Population health for CMC involves a dynamic concept of health that is attuned to individual, health-related goals for each child. We propose a framework that can guide the identification and development of population health metrics for CMC. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Case study: child with global developmental delay.

PubMed

Okumakpeyi, Pearline; Lunney, Margaret

2010-01-01

This case study focused on the care of a child with global developmental delay. Data were obtained through the author's clinical practice in long-term care pediatric rehabilitation and literature sources. NANDA-International Classifications, the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), and Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) were used to identify the appropriate nursing diagnosis, nursing interventions, and patient outcomes. This case study provides the pertinent nursing diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes for a child with global developmental delay. The interdisciplinary team approach and family involvement is addressed. Use of NANDA, NIC, and NOC outcomes constructs for enhancing the care of a child with global developmental delay.

Understanding child sexual behavior problems: a developmental psychopathology framework.

PubMed

Elkovitch, Natasha; Latzman, Robert D; Hansen, David J; Flood, Mary Fran

2009-11-01

Children exhibiting sexual behavior have increasingly gained the attention of child welfare and mental health systems, as well as the scientific community. While a heterogeneous group, children with sexual behavior problems consistently demonstrate a number of problems related to adjustment and overall development. In order to appropriately intervene with these children, a comprehensive understanding of etiology is imperative. The overarching goal of the present paper is to review the extant research on mechanisms associated with the development of problematic sexual behavior in childhood within a developmental psychopathology framework. What is known about normative and nonnormative sexual behavior in childhood is reviewed, highlighting definitional challenges and age-related developmental differences. Further, the relationship between child sexual abuse and child sexual behavior problems is discussed, drawing attention to factors impacting this relationship. Risk factors for child sexual behavior problems, beyond that of sexual abuse, are also reviewed utilizing a transactional-ecological framework. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of implications of a developmental psychopathology perspective on problematic child sexual behaviors to inform future research and intervention efforts. Such implications include the need for attention to normative childhood sexual behavior, developmental sensitivity, and examinations of ecological domain in concert.

Family Meals and Child Academic and Behavioral Outcomes

PubMed Central

Miller, Daniel P.; Waldfogel, Jane; Han, Wen-Jui

2012-01-01

This study investigates the link between the frequency of family breakfasts and dinners and child academic and behavioral outcomes in a panel sample of 21,400 children aged 5–15. It complements previous work by examining younger and older children separately and by using information on a large number of controls and rigorous analytic methods to discern whether there is causal relation between family meal frequency (FMF) and child outcomes. In child fixed effects models, which controlled for unchanging aspects of children and their families, there were no significant (p<.05) relations between FMF and either academic or behavioral outcomes, a novel finding. These results were robust to various specifications of the FMF variables and did not differ by child age. PMID:22880815

Reducing turnover is not enough: The need for proficient organizational cultures to support positive youth outcomes in child welfare.

PubMed

Williams, Nathaniel J; Glisson, Charles

2013-11-01

High caseworker turnover has been identified as a factor in the poor outcomes of child welfare services. However, almost no empirical research has examined the relationship between caseworker turnover and youth outcomes in child welfare systems and there is an important knowledge gap regarding whether, and how, caseworker turnover relates to outcomes for youth. We hypothesized that the effects of caseworker turnover are moderated by organizational culture such that reduced caseworker turnover is only associated with improved youth outcomes in organizations with proficient cultures. The study applied hierarchical linear models (HLM) analysis to the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW II) with a U.S. nationwide sample of 2,346 youth aged 1.5- to 18-years-old and 1,544 caseworkers in 73 child welfare agencies. Proficient organizational culture was measured by caseworkers' responses to the Organizational Social Context (OSC) measure; staff turnover was reported by the agencies' directors; and youth outcomes were measured as total problems in psychosocial functioning with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) completed by the youths' caregivers at intake and at 18 month follow-up. The association between caseworker turnover and youth outcomes was moderated by organizational culture. Youth outcomes were improved with lower staff turnover in proficient organizational cultures and the best outcomes occurred in organizations with low turnover and high proficiency. To be successful, efforts to improve child welfare services by lowering staff turnover must also create proficient cultures that expect caseworkers to be competent and responsive to the needs of the youth and families they serve.

Nonresident Father Involvement and Child Outcomes among Young Children in Families on Welfare.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greene, Angela Dungee; Moore, Kristin Anderson

This study used descriptive data from the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Child Outcome Study to identify predictors of involvement among nonresident fathers of young children who receive welfare, and the relationship of father involvement to child outcomes. Participating were 693 mothers and children ages 3 to 5 in Fulton County,…

Child Welfare Outcomes 2002-2005. Report to Congress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Health and Human Services, 2008

2008-01-01

"Child Welfare Outcomes 2002-2005: Report to Congress" (Child Welfare Outcomes Report) is the seventh in a series of annual reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (the Department). The reports are developed in accordance with section 479A of the Social Security Act (as amended by the Adoption and Safe Families Act…

Child Health and Young Adult Outcomes. NBER Working Paper No. 14482

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Currie, Janet; Stabile, Mark; Manivong, Phongsack; Roos, Leslie L.

2008-01-01

Previous research has shown a strong connection between birth weight and future child outcomes. But this research has not asked how insults to child health after birth affect long-term outcomes, whether health at birth matters primarily because it predicts future health or through some other mechanism, or whether health insults matter more at some…

Promising outcomes in teen mothers enrolled in a school-based parent support program and child care center.

PubMed

Sadler, Lois S; Swartz, Martha K; Ryan-Krause, Patricia; Seitz, Victoria; Meadows-Oliver, Mikki; Grey, Margaret; Clemmens, Donna A

2007-03-01

This study described a cohort of teen mothers and their children attending an urban high school with a parent support program and school-based child care center. Specific aims of the study were to describe maternal characteristics and outcomes, and child developmental and health outcomes. A volunteer sample of 65 adolescent mothers enrolled in the parent support program and their children were interviewed, surveyed, and assessed. Fifty-three mothers had children enrolled in the school-based child care center and 12 mothers had their children cared for by family members. Maternal characteristics assessed included self-esteem and depressive symptoms, social stressors and support, self-perceived parental competence, parent-child teaching interactions, and subsequent childbearing and maternal educational outcomes. Child outcomes included child developmental assessments and health outcomes. About 33% of teen mothers were mildly to moderately depressed and 39% of the sample had experienced transitional homelessness. Social support networks were small; in the past 12 months, mothers experienced a mean number of 13.2 +/- 11.9 negative life events. Maternal self-report measures and mother-child observation measures indicated positive levels of parental competence. Maternal educational outcomes were positive, and only 6% of mothers had subsequent childbirths within 2 years. The mean scores on developmental assessments of children fell within the normal range, although there were 7 children identified with developmental delays. For at-risk teen mothers, this parent support program and school-based child care setting appears to offer promising opportunities to help young mothers with parenting, avoid rapid subsequent pregnancies, and stay engaged with school, while their children are cared for in a close and safe environment.

Mothers’ perceptions of the UK physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines for the early years (Start Active, Stay Active): a qualitative study

PubMed Central

Bentley, Georgina F; Jago, Russell; Turner, Katrina M

2015-01-01

Objectives Higher levels of physical activity (PA) during early childhood have been associated with improved health outcomes, whereas sedentary behaviour (SB) has been associated with poorer health outcomes in children. In 2011, the UK produced guidelines for PA and SB in children under 5 years. Mothers have been identified as key influences in young children's PA and SB. The aim of this study was to use in-depth interviews with mothers of preschool children to examine attitudes to the guidance. Design Qualitative study using one-to-one, semistructured interviews; Data were analysed thematically using a framework approach. Setting Mothers were recruited from preschools, nurseries, and mother and toddler groups located in four areas of varying socioeconomic status within Bristol, UK. Participants 24 mothers who were considered the main or joint carer for a preschool child who was at least 2 years of age but had not yet started formal schooling. Results Mothers are not aware of the UK PA and SB guidelines for the early years. They believe that their child achieves the guideline targets for PA and SB and therefore, they do not believe these quidelines are relevant to them. Mothers feel that an increase in PA and reduction in SB (especially screen-viewing) would cause stress for mothers. Mothers found defining and quantifying PA and SB in their preschool child problematic. Conclusions As mothers do not identify with the need to increase PA or reduce SB in their child, awareness of the guidelines alone is unlikely to initiate behaviour change. Information on how mothers can make a more accurate assessment of their preschool child's PA and SB levels, and information about the benefits of increased PA and reduced SB should be provided alongside the guideline targets. Clear messages need to be developed that reframe the guidelines into pragmatic and usable targets. PMID:26351186

Why Should We Care about Child Labor? The Education, Labor Market, and Health Consequences of Child Labor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beegle, Kathleen; Dehejia, Rajeev; Gatti, Roberta

2009-01-01

Despite the extensive literature on the determinants of child labor, the evidence on the consequences of child labor on outcomes such as education, labor, and health is limited. We evaluate the causal effect of child labor participation among children in school on these outcomes using panel data from Vietnam and an instrumental variables strategy.…

Caregiver-Child Verbal Interactions in Child Care: A Buffer against Poor Language Outcomes when Maternal Language Input is Less

PubMed Central

Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Bratsch-Hines, Mary E.

2013-01-01

Recent research has suggested that high quality child care can buffer young children against poorer cognitive and language outcomes when they are at risk for poorer language and readiness skills. Most of this research measured the quality of parenting and the quality of the child care with global observational measures or rating scales that did not specify the exact maternal or caregiver behaviors that might be causally implicated in the buffering of these children from poor outcomes. The current study examined the actual language by the mother to her child in the home and the verbal interactions between the caregiver and child in the child care setting that might be implicated in the buffering effect of high quality childcare. The sample included 433 rural children from the Family Life Project who were in child care at 36 months of age. Even after controlling for a variety of covariates, including maternal education, income, race, child previous skill, child care type, the overall quality of the home and quality of the child care environment; observed positive caregiver-child verbal interactions in the child care setting interacted with the maternal language complexity and diversity in predicting children’s language development. Caregiver-child positive verbal interactions appeared to buffer children from poor language outcomes concurrently and two years later if children came from homes where observed maternal language complexity and diversity during a picture book task was less. PMID:24634566

Do Demographic Characteristics Make Differences? Demographic Characteristics as Moderators in the Associations between Only Child Status and Cognitive/Non-cognitive Outcomes in China

PubMed Central

Liu, Ning; Chen, Yiting; Yang, Xiangdong; Hu, Yi

2017-01-01

Different family compositions and sizes may affect child development through the different modes of interaction between family members. Previous studies have compared only children with non-only children in cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes. However, relatively little research has systematically investigated the potential moderators among them. Using a large and representative sample of Chinese students (Grades 7–8; N = 5,752), this study examines the roles of demographic characteristics, such as gender, region, parental educational level, parental expectations, family socio-economic status and family structure, in the associations between only child status and cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes. For the cognitive outcomes, only child status exerts an influence on the students' academic performance in Chinese and mathematics in the sample of three districts' students. The examined associations between only child status and cognitive outcomes are different in region, parental education, parental expectations and family structure, while gender and family socio-economic status did not. For the non-cognitive outcomes, only child status exerts an influence on the students' school well-being, academic self-efficacy, academic self-concept, and internal academic motivation in the full sample of students, but not on external academic motivation. Further, the examined associations between only child status and non-cognitive outcomes are different in region, parental education, family socio-economic status and family structure, while gender and parental expectations did not. These findings suggest that the associations between only child status and cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes are heterogeneous in terms of some of the demographic characteristics. Possible explanations are proposed in some concepts of region and family environment in China. PMID:28421006

Do Demographic Characteristics Make Differences? Demographic Characteristics as Moderators in the Associations between Only Child Status and Cognitive/Non-cognitive Outcomes in China.

PubMed

Liu, Ning; Chen, Yiting; Yang, Xiangdong; Hu, Yi

2017-01-01

Different family compositions and sizes may affect child development through the different modes of interaction between family members. Previous studies have compared only children with non-only children in cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes. However, relatively little research has systematically investigated the potential moderators among them. Using a large and representative sample of Chinese students (Grades 7-8; N = 5,752), this study examines the roles of demographic characteristics, such as gender, region, parental educational level, parental expectations, family socio-economic status and family structure, in the associations between only child status and cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes. For the cognitive outcomes, only child status exerts an influence on the students' academic performance in Chinese and mathematics in the sample of three districts' students. The examined associations between only child status and cognitive outcomes are different in region, parental education, parental expectations and family structure, while gender and family socio-economic status did not. For the non-cognitive outcomes, only child status exerts an influence on the students' school well-being, academic self-efficacy, academic self-concept, and internal academic motivation in the full sample of students, but not on external academic motivation. Further, the examined associations between only child status and non-cognitive outcomes are different in region, parental education, family socio-economic status and family structure, while gender and parental expectations did not. These findings suggest that the associations between only child status and cognitive/non-cognitive outcomes are heterogeneous in terms of some of the demographic characteristics. Possible explanations are proposed in some concepts of region and family environment in China.

Families With Children With Diabetes: Implications of Parent Stress for Parent and Child Health

PubMed Central

Becker, Dorothy; Escobar, Oscar; Siminerio, Linda

2012-01-01

Objective To examine the relation of parent stress to parent mental health and child mental and physical health. Methods We interviewed children with type 1 diabetes (n = 132; mean age 12 years) annually for 5 years and had one parent complete a questionnaire at each assessment. Parents completed measures of general life stress, stress related to caring for a child with diabetes, benefit finding, and mental health. Child outcomes were depressive symptoms, self-care behavior, and glycemic control. Multilevel modeling was used to examine concurrent and longitudinal relations. Results Greater parent general stress and greater parent diabetes-specific stress were associated with poorer parent mental health. Overall, greater parent general stress was associated with poorer child outcomes, whereas greater parent diabetes-specific stress was associated with better child outcomes. Conclusions Families with high levels of general life stress should be identified as they are at risk for both poor parent and child health outcomes. PMID:22267104

Mediating and Moderating Effects of Social Support in the Study of Child Abuse and Adult Physical and Mental Health

PubMed Central

Herrenkohl, Todd I.; Jung, Hyunzee; Klika, J. Bart; Mason, W. Alex; Brown, Eric C.; Leeb, Rebecca T.; Herrenkohl, Roy. C.

2016-01-01

A number of cross-sectional and a few longitudinal studies have shown a developmental relationship between child abuse and adult physical and mental health. Published findings also suggest that social support can lessen the risk of adverse outcomes for some abused children. However, few studies have investigated whether social support mediates or moderates the relationship between child abuse and adult physical and mental health. Structural equation modeling was used to examine data on these topics from a longitudinal study of more than 30 years. While a latent construct of physical and emotional child abuse did not predict adult health outcomes directly, child abuse did predict outcomes indirectly through social support. A test of variable moderation for child abuse and social support was nonsignificant. Results suggest that social support may help explain the association between child abuse and health outcomes at midlife. Implications of the findings for prevention and treatment are discussed. PMID:26845043

The Impact of Child Labor on Schooling Outcomes in Nicaragua

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zabaleta, Mariela Buonomo

2011-01-01

Child labor is considered a key obstacle to reaching the international commitments of Education For All. However, the empirical evidence on the effects of child labor on educational attainments is mostly limited to static measurements. This paper assesses the consequences of child labor on schooling outcomes over time by employing a three-year…

Child maltreatment entrenched by poverty: how financial need is linked to poorer outcomes in family preservation.

PubMed

Escaravage, Jody Hearn

2014-01-01

This cross-sectional secondary data analysis examined the ecological factors influencing the outcomes of families receiving services from a local department of social services to address child maltreatment risk and incidence. The results indicated that families that experienced repeated maltreatment also experienced greater poverty and material need than families with more successful outcomes. This study highlights the responsibility of the child welfare system to address deep-seated poverty issues of families experiencing child maltreatment risk and incidence.

From Parent-Child Mutuality to Security to Socialization Outcomes: Developmental Cascade toward Positive Adaptation in Preadolescence

PubMed Central

Kim, Sanghag; Boldt, Lea J.; Kochanska, Grazyna

2016-01-01

A developmental cascade from positive early parent-child relationship to child security with the parent to adaptive socialization outcomes, proposed in attachment theory and often implicitly accepted but rarely formally tested, was examined in 100 mothers, fathers, and children followed from toddler age to preadolescence. Parent-child Mutually Responsive Orientation (MRO) was observed in lengthy interactions at 38, 52, 67, and 80 months; children reported their security with parents at age 8. Socialization outcomes (parent- and child-reported cooperation with parental monitoring and teacher-reported school competence) were assessed at age 10. Mediation was tested with PROCESS (Hayes, 2013). The parent-child history of MRO significantly predicted both mother-child and father-child security. For mother-child dyads, security mediated links between history of MRO and cooperation with maternal monitoring and school competence, controlling for developmental continuity of the studied constructs. For father-child dyads, the mediation effect was not evident. PMID:26258443

Patient-reported outcomes in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS): use of idiographic and standardized measures.

PubMed

Wolpert, Miranda; Ford, Tamsin; Trustam, Emma; Law, Duncan; Deighton, Jessica; Flannery, Halina; Fugard, Andrew J B; Fugard, Rew J B

2012-04-01

There is increasing emphasis on use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in mental health but little research on the best approach, especially where there are multiple perspectives. To present emerging findings from both standardized and idiographic child-, parent- and clinician-rated outcomes in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and consider their correlations. Outcomes were collected in CAMHS across the UK. These comprised idiographic measures (goal-based outcomes) and standardized measures (practitioner-rated Children's Global Assessment Scale; child- and parent-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). There was reliable positive change from the beginning of treatment to later follow-up according to all informants. Standardized clinician function report was correlated with standardized child difficulty report (r  =  - 0.26), standardized parent report (r  =  - 0.28) and idiographic joint client-determined goals (r  =  0.38) in the expected directions. These results suggest that routine outcome monitoring is feasible, and suggest the possibility of using jointly agreed idiographic measures alongside particular perspectives on outcome as part of a PROMs approach.

Child involvement, alliance, and therapist flexibility: process variables in cognitive-behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders in childhood.

PubMed

Hudson, Jennifer L; Kendall, Philip C; Chu, Brian C; Gosch, Elizabeth; Martin, Erin; Taylor, Alan; Knight, Ashleigh

2014-01-01

This study examined the relations between treatment process variables and child anxiety outcomes. Independent raters watched/listened to taped therapy sessions of 151 anxiety-disordered (6-14 yr-old; M = 10.71) children (43% boys) and assessed process variables (child alliance, therapist alliance, child involvement, therapist flexibility and therapist functionality) within a manual-based cognitive-behavioural treatment. Latent growth modelling examined three latent variables (intercept, slope, and quadratic) for each process variable. Child age, gender, family income and ethnicity were examined as potential antecedents. Outcome was analyzed using factorially derived clinician, mother, father, child and teacher scores from questionnaire and structured diagnostic interviews at pretreatment, posttreatment and 12-month follow-up. Latent growth models demonstrated a concave quadratic curve for child involvement and therapist flexibility over time. A predominantly linear, downward slope was observed for alliance, and functional flexibility remained consistent over time. Increased alliance, child involvement and therapist flexibility showed some albeit inconsistent, associations with positive treatment outcome. Findings support the notion that maintaining the initial high level of alliance or involvement is important for clinical improvement. There is some support that progressively increasing alliance/involvement also positively impacts on treatment outcome. These findings were not consistent across outcome measurement points or reporters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wisconsin's Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families: application of the maternal and child health life course perspective through a regional funding initiative.

PubMed

Frey, Catherine A; Farrell, Philip M; Cotton, Quinton D; Lathen, Lorraine S; Marks, Katherine

2014-02-01

National experts are calling for more integrated approaches such as the life course perspective to reduce health disparities and achieve greater health equity. The translation and application of the life course perspective is therefore of great interest to public health planners, policy makers and funders to promote community-wide improvements in maternal and child health. However, few organizations have applied the life course perspective in designing strategic funding initiatives. For over three decades, Wisconsin has observed persistent racial disparities in birth outcomes. This complex public health issue led to the development of the Lifecourse Initiative for Health Families, a regional multi-million dollar funding initiative created and supported by the Wisconsin Partnership Program of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health (Created by the UW SMPH from an endowment following the conversion of Blue Cross Blue Shield United of Wisconsin, the Partnership Program makes investments in research, education, and public health and prevention initiatives that improve health and reduce health disparities in the state.). Over a 2-year period, the program funded four collaboratives to adopt a life course perspective and develop strategic plans for improving African American birth outcomes. The Twelve-point plan to close the black-white gap in birth outcomes provided the framework for the planning process. Despite the conceptual challenges, the life course perspective was embraced by the collaboratives, challenged community assumptions on the root causes of poor birth outcomes and provided a unifying funding construct for organizing and planning complementary individual-level interventions with social and physical environmental change strategies. These integrated and complimentary approaches provide a long-term opportunity to address the persistent racial birth outcome disparity in Wisconsin.

Promoting Healthy Child Development via a Two-Generation Translational Neuroscience Framework: The Filming Interactions to Nurture Development Video Coaching Program.

PubMed

Fisher, Philip A; Frenkel, Tahl I; Noll, Laura K; Berry, Melanie; Yockelson, Melissa

2016-12-01

In this article, we focus on applying methods of translational neuroscience to two-generation, family-based interventions. In recent years, a small but growing body of evidence has documented the reversibility of some of the neurobiological effects of early adversity in the context of environmental early interventions. Some of these interventions are now being implemented at scale, which may help reduce disparities in the face of early life stress. Further progress may occur by extending these efforts to two-generation models that target caregivers' capabilities to improve children's outcomes. In this article, we describe the content and processes of the Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) video coaching intervention. We also discuss the two-generation, translational neuroscience framework on which FIND is based, and how similar approaches can be developed and scaled to mitigate the effects of adversity.

Promoting Healthy Child Development via a Two-Generation Translational Neuroscience Framework: The Filming Interactions to Nurture Development Video Coaching Program

PubMed Central

Fisher, Philip A.; Frenkel, Tahl I.; Noll, Laura K.; Berry, Melanie; Yockelson, Melissa

2017-01-01

In this article, we focus on applying methods of translational neuroscience to two-generation, family-based interventions. In recent years, a small but growing body of evidence has documented the reversibility of some of the neurobiological effects of early adversity in the context of environmental early interventions. Some of these interventions are now being implemented at scale, which may help reduce disparities in the face of early life stress. Further progress may occur by extending these efforts to two-generation models that target caregivers’ capabilities to improve children’s outcomes. In this article, we describe the content and processes of the Filming Interactions to Nurture Development (FIND) video coaching intervention. We also discuss the two-generation, translational neuroscience framework on which FIND is based, and how similar approaches can be developed and scaled to mitigate the effects of adversity. PMID:28936231

Health Impact Assessment as a framework for evaluation of local complex projects.

PubMed

Heath, Lucy

2007-07-01

Health impact assessment (HIA) has been used to predict effects of a local parenting strategy and develop an evaluation framework. Methods used included literature searches, inequalities profiling, interviews with key informants and a review of available cost data. Four priority areas, where parenting can potentially impact, were identified: education, antisocial behaviour, lifestyle choices and mental health. The results concerning mental health are presented here. Improving the quality of parenting can impact on a child's mental health. The costs relating to the mental health outcomes are high and parenting is a cost-effective method to address the family dynamics that impact on this. Intermediary indicators, including clear boundaries, time spent as a family and parental involvement can be used to evaluate the intervention in the short-term, although there are difficulties in their measurement. The HIA process can improve cross-sectorial working, increased community participation and keep inequalities on the agenda.

Promising Outcomes in Teen Mothers Enrolled in a School-Based Parent Support Program and Child Care Center

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadler, Lois S.; Swartz, Martha K.; Ryan-Krause, Patricia; Seitz, Victoria; Meadows-Oliver, Mikki; Grey, Margaret; Clemmens, Donna A.

2007-01-01

Background: This study described a cohort of teen mothers and their children attending an urban high school with a parent support program and school-based child care center. Specific aims of the study were to describe maternal characteristics and outcomes, and child developmental and health outcomes. Methods: A volunteer sample of 65 adolescent…

Does Parental Mediation of Media Influence Child Outcomes? A Meta-Analysis on Media Time, Aggression, Substance Use, and Sexual Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collier, Kevin M.; Coyne, Sarah M.; Rasmussen, Eric E.; Hawkins, Alan J.; Padilla-Walker, Laura M.; Erickson, Sage E.; Memmott-Elison, Madison K.

2016-01-01

The current study examined how parental mediation of media (restrictive mediation, active mediation, and coviewing) influenced child outcomes. Three meta-analyses, 1 for each type of mediation, were conducted on a total of 57 studies. Each analysis assessed the effectiveness of parental mediation on 4 pertinent child outcomes: media use,…

Examining the Relation between the Therapeutic Alliance, Treatment Adherence, and Outcome of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Children with Anxiety Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liber, Juliette M.; McLeod, Bryce D.; Van Widenfelt, Brigit M.; Goedhart, Arnold W.; van der Leeden, Adelinde J. M.; Utens, Elisabeth M. W. J.; Treffers, Philip D. A.

2010-01-01

Little is known about the contribution of technical and relational factors to child outcomes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with anxiety disorders. This study investigated the association between treatment adherence, the child-therapist alliance, and child clinical outcomes in manual-guided individual- and group-based CBT for…

Gender equality as a means to improve maternal and child health in Africa.

PubMed

Singh, Kavita; Bloom, Shelah; Brodish, Paul

2015-01-01

In this article we examine whether measures of gender equality, household decision making, and attitudes toward gender-based violence are associated with maternal and child health outcomes in Africa. We pooled Demographic and Health Surveys data from eight African countries and used multilevel logistic regression on two maternal health outcomes (low body mass index and facility delivery) and two child health outcomes (immunization status and treatment for an acute respiratory infection). We found protective associations between the gender equality measures and the outcomes studied, indicating that gender equality is a potential strategy to improve maternal and child health in Africa.

Gender Equality as a Means to Improve Maternal and Child Health in Africa

PubMed Central

Singh, Kavita; Bloom, Shelah; Brodish, Paul

2015-01-01

In this paper we examine whether measures of gender equality, household decision-making and attitudes toward gender-based violence are associated with maternal and child health outcomes in Africa. We pooled Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data from eight African countries and used multilevel logistic regression on two maternal health outcomes (low body mass index and facility delivery) and two child health outcomes (immunization status and treatment for an acute respiratory infection). We found protective associations between the gender equality measures and the outcomes studied, indicating that gender equality is a potential strategy to improve maternal and child health in Africa. PMID:24028632

Maternal Smoking Cessation and Reduced Academic and Behavioral Problems In Offspring*

PubMed Central

Piper, Brian J.; Gray, Hilary M.; Birkett, Melissa A.

2011-01-01

Background There is some debate whether smoking during pregnancy causes or is only a risk factor for negative academic outcomes and increased risk of psychopathology in offspring. This study evaluated whether maternal smoking cessation would reduce the risk of adverse outcomes in school-aged children. Methods Women completed an online survey that included items about child scholastic performance and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Mothers were divided based on pre-pregnancy and pregnancy smoking status into: 1) Nonsmokers (N=320); 2) Women that smoked in the three months preceding and throughout pregnancy (Smokers, N=83); and 3) Smoking before, but not during pregnancy (Quitters, N=72). Results The Smokers and Quitters groups each had lower education and incomes compared to Nonsmokers but were indistinguishable from each other on these measures. The offspring of Smokers were more likely (p<.05) to be behind their peers on standardized tests in math (27.8%) relative to both Nonsmokers (17.4%) and Quitters (13.0%) with similar findings for reading. Smokers reported more behavioral problems by their children in several areas including Hyperactivity and Impulsivity, Social problems, and Externalizing problems including Aggression and Rule-Breaking. Further, the children of Quitters had significantly fewer Attention and Externalizing problems than Smokers. These outcomes were observed even after accounting for the variance attributable to maternal education and several other potential confounds. Conclusions Together, these findings indicate that smoking cessation is associated with reduced risk of having children with academic and neuropsychological difficulties. These outcomes are discussed within the framework that nicotine may be a neurobehavioral teratogen. PMID:21937170

Social Ecology of Child Soldiers: Child, Family, and Community Determinants of Mental Health, Psychosocial Wellbeing, and Reintegration in Nepal

PubMed Central

Kohrt, Brandon A.; Jordans, Mark J.D.; Tol, Wietse A.; Perera, Em; Karki, Rohit; Koirala, Suraj; Upadhaya, Nawaraj

2013-01-01

This study employs social ecology to evaluate psychosocial wellbeing in a cross-sectional sample of 142 former child soldiers in Nepal. Outcome measures included the Depression Self Rating Scale (DSRS), Child Posttraumatic Stress Scale (CPSS), and locally developed measures of function impairment and reintegration. At the child level, traumatic exposures, especially torture, predicted poor outcomes, while education improved outcomes. At the family level, conflict-related death of a relative, physical abuse in the household, and loss of wealth during the conflict predicted poor outcomes. At the community level, living in high caste Hindu communities predicted fewer reintegration supports. Ultimately, social ecology is well-suited to identify intervention foci across ecological levels, based on community differences in vulnerability and protective factors. PMID:21088102

Evaluation of the Preschool Situational Self-Regulation Toolkit (PRSIST) Program for Supporting children's early self-regulation development: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Howard, Steven J; Vasseleu, Elena; Neilsen-Hewett, Cathrine; Cliff, Ken

2018-01-24

For children with low self-regulation in the preschool years, the likelihood of poorer intellectual, health, wealth and anti-social outcomes in adulthood is overwhelming. Yet this knowledge has not yielded a framework for understanding self-regulatory change, nor generated particularly successful methods for enacting this change. Reconciling insights from cross-disciplinary theory, research and practice, this study seeks to implement a newly developed program of low-cost and routine practices and activities for supporting early self-regulatory development within preschool contexts and to evaluate its effect on children's self-regulation, executive function and school readiness; and educator perceived knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy related to self-regulation. The Early Start to Self-Regulation study is a cluster randomized, controlled trial for evaluating benefits of the Preschool Situational Self-Regulation Toolkit (PRSIST) program, when implemented by early childhood educators, compared with routine practice. The PRSIST program combines professional learning, adult practices, child activities and connections to the home to support children's self-regulation development. Fifty preschool centers in New South Wales, Australia, will be selected to ensure a range of characteristics, namely: National Quality Standards (NQS) ratings, geographic location and socioeconomic status. After collection of baseline child and educator data, participating centers will then be randomly allocated to one of two groups, stratified by NQS rating: (1) an intervention group (25 centers) that will implement the PRSIST program; or (2) a control group (25 centers) that will continue to engage in practice as usual. Primary outcomes at the child level will be two measures of self-regulation: Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task and the PRSIST observational assessment. Secondary outcomes at the child level will be adult-reported measures of child self-regulation, executive function and school readiness. Outcomes at the educator level will involve a survey of their perceived knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy for supporting children's self-regulatory development. In all cases, data collectors will be blinded to group allocation. This is the first randomized controlled trial of a new program to foster early self-regulation, using low-cost practices and activities that are aligned with early-years contexts, routines and practices. Results will provide important information about the efficacy of this approach and evaluate its underlying model of self-regulatory change. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12617001568303 . Registered on 21 November 2017.

Long-term outcome of the shaken baby syndrome and medicolegal consequences: a case report.

PubMed

Laurent-Vannier, A; Toure, H; Vieux, E; Brugel, D G; Chevignard, M

2009-06-01

Studies of long-term outcome of the shaken baby syndrome (SBS) are scarce, but they usually indicate poor outcome. To describe long-term outcome of a child having sustained a SBS, to ascertain possible delayed sequelae and to discuss medicolegal issues. We report a single case study of a child having sustained a SBS, illustrating the initial clinical features, the neurological, cognitive and behavioural outcomes as well as her social integration. The child sustained diffuse brain injuries, responsible for spastic right hemiplegia leading to secondary orthopaedic consequences, as well as severe cognitive impairment, worsening over time: the developmental quotient measured at 15 months of age was 55 and worsened as age increased. At 6 years and 8 months, the child's IQ had fallen to 40. Behavioural disorders became apparent only after several months and precluded any social integration. The child eventually had to be placed in a specialised education centre at age 5. The SBS has a very poor outcome and major long-standing sequelae are frequent. Cognitive or behavioural sequelae can become apparent only after a long sign-free interval, due to increasing demands placed on the child during development. This case report confirms severity of early brain lesions and necessity for an extended follow-up by a multi-disciplinary team. From a medicolegal point of view, signaling the child to legal authorities allows protection of the child, but also conditions later compensation if sequelae compromise autonomy.

Reducing turnover is not enough: The need for proficient organizational cultures to support positive youth outcomes in child welfare

PubMed Central

Glisson, Charles

2013-01-01

Objective High caseworker turnover has been identified as a factor in the poor outcomes of child welfare services. However, almost no empirical research has examined the relationship between caseworker turnover and youth outcomes in child welfare systems and there is an important knowledge gap regarding whether, and how, caseworker turnover relates to outcomes for youth. We hypothesized that the effects of caseworker turnover are moderated by organizational culture such that reduced caseworker turnover is only associated with improved youth outcomes in organizations with proficient cultures. Methods The study applied hierarchical linear models (HLM) analysis to the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW II) with a U.S. nationwide sample of 2,346 youth aged 1.5- to 18-years-old and 1,544 caseworkers in 73 child welfare agencies. Proficient organizational culture was measured by caseworkers’ responses to the Organizational Social Context (OSC) measure; staff turnover was reported by the agencies’ directors; and youth outcomes were measured as total problems in psychosocial functioning with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) completed by the youths’ caregivers at intake and at 18 month follow-up. Results The association between caseworker turnover and youth outcomes was moderated by organizational culture. Youth outcomes were improved with lower staff turnover in proficient organizational cultures and the best outcomes occurred in organizations with low turnover and high proficiency. Conclusions To be successful, efforts to improve child welfare services by lowering staff turnover must also create proficient cultures that expect caseworkers to be competent and responsive to the needs of the youth and families they serve. PMID:24273363

Diversity, Child Care Quality and Developmental Outcomes. FPG Snapshot, #21

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, 2004

2004-01-01

It is widely accepted that high quality child care enhances children's cognitive and social development, but some people question if what constitutes quality care depends on the child's ethnic and cultural background. To examine this issue, secondary analysis of the two largest U.S. studies of child care--the Cost, Quality, and Outcomes Study and…

Associations between nine family dinner frequency measures and child weight, dietary and psychosocial outcomes

PubMed Central

Fulkerson, Jayne A.; Friend, Sarah E.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-01-01

Background Family meal frequency has been consistently and significantly associated with positive youth dietary and psychosocial outcomes but less consistently associated with weight outcomes. Family meal frequency measurement has varied widely and it is unclear how this variation may impact relationships with youth weight, dietary, and psychosocial outcomes. Objective This study assesses how five parent/caregiver-reported and four child-reported family dinner frequency measures correlate with each other and are associated with health-related outcomes. Design/Participants This secondary, cross-sectional analysis uses baseline, parent/caregiver (n=160) and 8–12 year old child (n=160) data from the Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME) Plus trial (collected 2011–2012). Data were obtained from objective measurements, dietary recall interviews, and psychosocial surveys. Outcome measures Outcomes included child body mass index z-scores (BMIz), fruit, vegetable and sugar-sweetened beverage intake, dietary quality (Healthy Eating Index-2010 [HEI-2010]), family connectedness, and meal conversations. Statistical analyses performed Pearson correlations and general linear models were used to assess associations between family dinner frequency measures and outcomes. Results All family dinner frequency measures had comparable means and were correlated within and across parent/caregiver- and child-reporters (r=0.17–0.94, p<0.01). In unadjusted analyses, 78% of family dinner frequency measures were significantly associated with BMIz scores and 100% were significantly associated with fruit/vegetable intake and HEI-2010. In adjusted models, most significant associations with dietary and psychosocial outcomes remained but associations with child BMIz remained significant only for parent/caregiver- (β±SE= −0.07±0.03; p<0.05) and child-reported (β±SE= −0.06+0.02; p<0.01) family dinner frequency measures asking about ‘sitting and eating’ dinner. Conclusions In spite of phrasing variations in family dinner frequency measures (e.g., which family members were present and how meals were occurring), few differences were found in associations with dietary and psychosocial outcomes but differences were apparent for child BMIz, which suggests phrasing of family dinner frequency measures may influence associations found with weight outcomes. PMID:26875023

Comparability of outcome frameworks in medical education: Implications for framework development.

PubMed

Hautz, Stefanie C; Hautz, Wolf E; Feufel, Markus A; Spies, Claudia D

2015-01-01

Given the increasing mobility of medical students and practitioners, there is a growing need for harmonization of medical education and qualifications. Although several initiatives have sought to compare national outcome frameworks, this task has proven a challenge. Drawing on an analysis of existing outcome frameworks, we identify factors that hinder comparability and suggest ways of facilitating comparability during framework development and revisions. We searched MedLine, EmBase and the Internet for outcome frameworks in medical education published by national or governmental organizations. We analyzed these frameworks for differences and similarities that influence comparability. Of 1816 search results, 13 outcome frameworks met our inclusion criteria. These frameworks differ in five core features: history and origins, formal structure, medical education system, target audience and key terms. Many frameworks reference other frameworks without acknowledging these differences. Importantly, the level of detail of the outcomes specified differs both within and between frameworks. The differences identified explain some of the challenges involved in comparing outcome frameworks and medical qualifications. We propose a two-level model distinguishing between "core" competencies and culture-specific "secondary" competencies. This approach could strike a balance between local specifics and cross-national comparability of outcome frameworks and medical education.

Same-Sex and Different-Sex Parent Households and Child Health Outcomes: Findings from the National Survey of Children's Health.

PubMed

Bos, Henny M W; Knox, Justin R; van Rijn-van Gelderen, Loes; Gartrell, Nanette K

2016-04-01

Using the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health data set, we compared spouse/partner relationships and parent-child relationships (family relationships), parenting stress, and children's general health, emotional difficulties, coping behavior, and learning behavior (child outcomes) in households of same-sex (female) versus different-sex continuously coupled parents with biological offspring. We assessed whether associations among family relationships, parenting stress, and child outcomes were different in the 2 household types. Parental and child characteristics were matched for 95 female same-sex parent and 95 different-sex parent households with children 6 to 17 years old. One parent per household was interviewed by telephone. Multivariate analyses of variance and multiple linear regressions were conducted. No differences were observed between household types on family relationships or any child outcomes. Same-sex parent households scored higher on parenting stress (95% confidence interval = 2.03-2.30) than different-sex parent households (95% confidence interval = 1.76-2.03), p = .006. No significant interactions between household type and family relationships or household type and parenting stress were found for any child outcomes. Children with female same-sex parents and different-sex parents demonstrated no differences in outcomes, despite female same-sex parents reporting more parenting stress. Future studies may reveal the sources of this parenting stress.

A comparative analysis of early child health and development services and outcomes in countries with different redistributive policies.

PubMed

van den Heuvel, Meta; Hopkins, Jessica; Biscaro, Anne; Srikanthan, Cinntha; Feller, Andrea; Bremberg, Sven; Verkuijl, Nienke; Flapper, Boudien; Ford-Jones, Elizabeth Lee; Williams, Robin

2013-11-06

The social environment is a fundamental determinant of early child development and, in turn, early child development is a determinant of health, well-being, and learning skills across the life course. Redistributive policies aimed at reducing social inequalities, such as a welfare state and labour market policies, have shown a positive association with selected health indicators. In this study, we investigated the influence of redistributive policies specifically on the social environment of early child development in five countries with different political traditions. The objective of this analysis was to highlight similarities and differences in social and health services between the countries and their associations with other health outcomes that can inform better global early child development policies and improve early child health and development. Four social determinants of early child development were selected to provide a cross-section of key time periods in a child's life from prenatal to kindergarten. They included: 1) prenatal care, 2) maternal leave, 3) child health care, and 4) child care and early childhood education. We searched international databases and reports (e.g. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, and UNICEF) to obtain information about early child development policies, services and outcomes. Although a comparative analysis cannot claim causation, our analysis suggests that redistributive policies aimed at reducing social inequalities are associated with a positive influence on the social determinants of early child development. Generous redistributive policies are associated with a higher maternal leave allowance and pay and more preventive child healthcare visits. A decreasing trend in infant mortality, low birth weight rate, and under five mortality rate were observed with an increase in redistributive policies. No clear influence of redistributive policies was observed on breastfeeding and immunization rates. In the analysis of child care and early education, the lack of uniform measures of early child development outcomes was apparent. This paper provides further support for an association between redistributive policies and early child health and development outcomes, along with the organization of early child health and development services.

Determinants of Child Outcomes in a Cohort of Children in the Free Pre-School Year in Ireland, 2012/2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKeown, Kieran; Haase, Trutz; Pratschke, Jonathan

2015-01-01

The study analyses determinants of child outcomes in a cohort of children who participated in the Free Pre-School Year. Child outcomes are measured through a before-and-after assessment of children using the Early Development Instrument. The sample comprises 448 children in 70 early years centres. There are three main findings. First, children…

The Children of the Cost, Quality, and Outcomes Study Go to School. Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peisner-Feinberg, Ellen. S.; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Clifford, Richard M.; Yazejian, Noreen; Culkin, Mary L.; Zelazo, Janice; Howes, Carollee; Byler, Patricia; Kagan, Sharon Lynn; Rustici, Jean

Since a substantial majority of preschoolers participate in some form of child care before coming to school, the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes in Child Care Centers Study (CQO) was designed to examine the influence of typical center-based child care on children's development during their preschool years and as they move into formal elementary…

Paternal investment and status-related child outcomes: timing of father's death affects offspring success.

PubMed

Shenk, Mary K; Scelza, Brooke A

2012-09-01

Recent work in human behavioural ecology has suggested that analyses focusing on early childhood may underestimate the importance of paternal investment to child outcomes since such investment may not become crucial until adolescence or beyond. This may be especially important in societies with a heritable component to status, as later investment by fathers may be more strongly related to a child's adult status than early forms of parental investment that affect child survival and child health. In such circumstances, the death or absence of a father may have profoundly negative effects on the adult outcomes of his children that cannot be easily compensated for by the investment of mothers or other relatives. This proposition is tested using a multigenerational dataset from Bangalore, India, containing information on paternal mortality as well as several child outcomes dependent on parental investment during adolescence and young adulthood. The paper examines the effects of paternal death, and the timing of paternal death, on a child's education, adult income, age at marriage and the amount spent on his or her marriage, along with similar characteristics of spouses. Results indicate that a father's death has a negative impact on child outcomes, and that, in contrast to some findings in the literature on father absence, the effects of paternal death are strongest for children who lose their father in late childhood or adolescence.

Children Interactions in Literacy Tutoring Situations: A Study with Urban Marginalized Populations in Argentina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosemberg, Celia Renata; Alam, Florencia; Stein, Alejandra

2014-01-01

The study analyzed the conversational exchanges through which child tutors mediated literacy abilities and knowledge with young children in the framework of the project "From Child to Child: A Tutor-Child Literacy Program," that is being conducted in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The analysis considered the conversational moves deployed by…

Child Care Design Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olds, Anita Rui

This book provides architects, interior designers, developers, and child-care professionals with detailed information on the planning and design of child care centers. Part 1 examines the current state of child care in the United States and offers an overall philosophical concert--the spirit of place--as the framework for all center design. Part 2…

Choosing a miracle: Impoverishment, mistrust, and discordant views in abandonment of treatment of children with cancer in El Salvador.

PubMed

Rossell, Nuria; Challinor, Julia; Gigengack, Roy; Reis, Ria

2017-09-01

In El Salvador, at the only hospital offering pediatric oncology care, the number of children abandoning treatment for cancer has decreased in recent years (13%-3%). An investigation of caregivers' motives for abandonment was performed over 15 months from 2012 to 2014. Caregiver and health team perspectives on abandonment are reported using the explanatory model (EM) framework. Semistructured in-depth interviews and in hospital participant observations were conducted with caregivers of children diagnosed with cancer, who abandoned their child's treatment or were considering abandoning, and with members of the medical team. Of the 41 caregivers interviewed, 26 caregivers (of 19 children) abandoned their child's treatment, returned from a series of missed appointments, or showed a risk of abandoning. Caregivers of 8 children stated that a miraculous cure was the main reason for abandoning; increasing impoverishment and misgivings toward treatment and outcomes were also mentioned. The responses of the medical team demonstrated a discordant EM for the child's cancer and treatment effects and that only biomedical treatment was effective for cure. The caregivers' increasing impoverishment (not only financial) and misgivings about the child's treatment caused them to reconsider their therapeutic choices and rely on their belief in a miraculous cure, thus abandoning. The caregivers and medical team's discordant EM about the child's cancer and treatment must be acknowledged and shared decision making considered, together with consistency in the strategies that currently demonstrate to be effective decreasing abandonment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Child maltreatment: pathway to chronic and long-term conditions?

PubMed

Taylor, Julie; Bradbury-Jones, Caroline; Lazenbatt, Anne; Soliman, Francesca

2016-09-01

The manifesto Start Well, Live Better by the UK Faculty of Public Health (Start Well, Live Better-A Manifesto for the Public's Health. London: UK Faculty of Public Health, 2014) sets out 12 compelling priorities for the protection of people's health. The focus of this document is preventative, calling for a comprehensive strategy to target a wide-ranging set of challenges to public health; however, it fails to mention child maltreatment and its negative impact on long-term health outcomes. In this article, we explore the long-term negative consequences of child maltreatment and how these can be conceptually aligned with four different characteristics of long-term health conditions. We suggest that situating child maltreatment within a long-term conditions framework could have significant advantages and implications for practice, policy and research, by strengthening a commitment across disciplines to apply evidence-based principles linked with policy and evaluation and recognizing the chronic effects of maltreatment to concentrate public, professional and government awareness of the extent and impact of the issue. We argue that a public health approach is the most effective way of focusing preventative efforts on the long-term sequelae of child maltreatment and to foster cooperation in promoting children's rights to grow and develop in a safe and caring environment free from violence and abuse. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Child development in poor areas of Peru].

PubMed

Díaz, Adrián Alberto; Gallestey, Jorge Bacallao; Vargas-Machuca, Rocío; Velarde, Roxana Aguilar

2017-06-08

The objective of the study was to demonstrate the influence of several socioeconomic factors on the motor and language development of children under 5 from the baseline study conducted within the framework of the Joint Program for Children, Food Security, and Nutrition, implemented by five United Nations agencies across 65 districts in the departments of Loreto, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, and Apurímac, Peru. Dichotomous logistic regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of achievement of motor and language milestones, while polynomial regression models were used to estimate the last milestone achieved and the number of milestones achieved. The study analyzes the influence that maternal education, urban vs. rural housing, and unmet basic needs have on the difference between actual results and expected results for age was analyzed. Children living in rural areas, those whose mothers had low educational attainment, and those from households with unmet basic needs exhibited poorer outcomes in the two areas of development assessed. As the number of risk factors increased, so did the developmental delay. Evaluation of child development and follow-up of families during the child-rearing process should be prioritized by health systems and social programs. The instruments used were sensitive to three criteria for validation.

A comparative analysis of early child health and development services and outcomes in countries with different redistributive policies

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The social environment is a fundamental determinant of early child development and, in turn, early child development is a determinant of health, well-being, and learning skills across the life course. Redistributive policies aimed at reducing social inequalities, such as a welfare state and labour market policies, have shown a positive association with selected health indicators. In this study, we investigated the influence of redistributive policies specifically on the social environment of early child development in five countries with different political traditions. The objective of this analysis was to highlight similarities and differences in social and health services between the countries and their associations with other health outcomes that can inform better global early child development policies and improve early child health and development. Methods Four social determinants of early child development were selected to provide a cross-section of key time periods in a child’s life from prenatal to kindergarten. They included: 1) prenatal care, 2) maternal leave, 3) child health care, and 4) child care and early childhood education. We searched international databases and reports (e.g. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, and UNICEF) to obtain information about early child development policies, services and outcomes. Results Although a comparative analysis cannot claim causation, our analysis suggests that redistributive policies aimed at reducing social inequalities are associated with a positive influence on the social determinants of early child development. Generous redistributive policies are associated with a higher maternal leave allowance and pay and more preventive child healthcare visits. A decreasing trend in infant mortality, low birth weight rate, and under five mortality rate were observed with an increase in redistributive policies. No clear influence of redistributive policies was observed on breastfeeding and immunization rates. In the analysis of child care and early education, the lack of uniform measures of early child development outcomes was apparent. Conclusions This paper provides further support for an association between redistributive policies and early child health and development outcomes, along with the organization of early child health and development services. PMID:24195544

Parental depression and child outcomes – is marital conflict the missing link?

PubMed Central

Hanington, L; Heron, J; Stein, A; Ramchandani, P

2012-01-01

Background Both maternal and paternal depression during the perinatal period are associated with adverse effects on child outcomes. Attention has started to focus on the mechanisms mediating these relationships. Marital conflict may play a role in this context. Methods In a large cohort study, the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n= 14 541 pregnancies), we aimed to (i) investigate the relative influences of parental postnatal depression and marital conflict on child outcomes and to attempt to determine the pathway(s) of risk; (ii) investigate the impact of two types of antenatal stress (parental depression and marital conflict) on child outcomes; and (iii) determine the relative contributions of antenatal and postnatal risk. Parents completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a marital conflict scale during the second trimester and at 8 months postnatally. Child outcomes were assessed at 42 months using the Rutter revised pre-school scales. Results Marital conflict partially mediated the relationship between postnatal depression in both mothers and fathers and child outcomes, and acted as an independent risk for adverse outcomes. Parental depression (maternal and paternal) and marital conflict in the antenatal period were both associated with adverse effects which persisted even when postnatal stresses were taken into account. Conclusions These findings, if replicated, suggest that screening and intervention programmes targeted at parental depression and marital problems should be considered antenatally, as well as postnatally. PMID:21771000

Randomized comparative efficacy study of parent-mediated interventions for toddlers with autism.

PubMed

Kasari, Connie; Gulsrud, Amanda; Paparella, Tanya; Hellemann, Gerhard; Berry, Kathleen

2015-06-01

This study compared effects of two parent-mediated interventions on joint engagement outcomes as augmentations of an early intervention program for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants included 86 toddlers (range 22-36 months) with ASD and their primary caregiver. Caregiver-child dyads were randomized to receive 10 weeks of hands-on parent training in a naturalistic, developmental behavioral intervention (joint attention, symbolic play, engagement and regulation-JASPER) or a parent-only psychoeducational intervention (PEI). Dose was controlled in terms of researcher-parent contact and early intervention services received by the child. Results yielded significant effects of the JASPER intervention on the primary outcome of joint engagement. The treatment effect was large (Cohen's f² = .69) and maintained over the 6-month follow-up. JASPER effects were also found on secondary outcomes of play diversity, highest play level achieved, and generalization to the child's classroom for child-initiated joint engagement. The PEI intervention was found to be effective in reducing parenting stress associated with child characteristics. All secondary effects were generally small to moderate. These data highlight the benefit of a brief, targeted, parent-mediated intervention on child outcomes. Future studies may consider the combination of JASPER and PEI treatments for optimal parent and child outcomes. Trial registry no. NCT00999778. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Progresses and challenges of utilizing traditional birth attendants in maternal and child health in Nigeria.

PubMed

Amutah-Onukagha, Ndidiamaka; Rodriguez, Monica; Opara, Ijeoma; Gardner, Michelle; Assan, Maame Araba; Hammond, Rodney; Plata, Jesus; Pierre, Kimberly; Farag, Ehsan

2017-01-01

Despite advances in modern healthcare, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) have continued to be heavily utilized in rural communities in Nigeria. Major disparities in maternal health care in Nigeria remain present despite the goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal mortality by 2015. The objective of this study is to review the contribution of TBAs in the birthing process in Nigeria, and to examine barriers and opportunities for utilizing TBAs in improving maternal and child health outcomes in Nigeria. A literature review of two major electronic databases was conducted using the PRISMA framework to identify English language studies conducted between 2006 and 2016. Inclusion criteria included articles that examined the role of traditional birth attendants as a factor influencing maternal health in Nigeria. The value of TBAs has not been fully examined as few studies have aimed to examine its potential role in reducing maternal mortality with proper training. Eight manuscripts that were examined highlighted the role of TBAs in maternal health including outcomes of utilizing trained versus non-trained TBAs. Specific areas of training for TBAs that were identified and recommended in review including: recognizing delivery complications, community support for TBA practices through policy, evaluation of TBA training programs and increasing collaboration between healthcare facilities and TBAs. Policies focused on improving access to health services and importantly, formal health education training to TBAs, are required to improve maternal health outcomes and underserved communities.

Child and Interviewer Race in Forensic Interviewing.

PubMed

Fisher, Amy K; Mackey, Tomiko D; Langendoen, Carol; Barnard, Marie

2016-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the potential effect of child race and interviewer race on forensic interviewing outcomes. The results of the regression analysis indicated that child race and interviewer race had a significant effect on interview outcome category (no findings, inconclusive, or findings consistent with sexual abuse). Furthermore, the results indicate that the interaction of child and interviewer race had predictive value for rates of findings consistent with sexual abuse but not in the direction predicted. Cross-race dyads had significantly higher rates of interview outcomes consistent with sexual abuse. These findings suggest that more research into the effect of race on disclosure of child sexual abuse is needed.

Child maltreatment prevention: a systematic review of reviews.

PubMed

Mikton, Christopher; Butchart, Alexander

2009-05-01

To synthesize recent evidence from systematic and comprehensive reviews on the effectiveness of universal and selective child maltreatment prevention interventions, evaluate the methodological quality of the reviews and outcome evaluation studies they are based on, and map the geographical distribution of the evidence. A systematic review of reviews was conducted. The quality of the systematic reviews was evaluated with a tool for the assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR), and the quality of the outcome evaluations was assessed using indicators of internal validity and of the construct validity of outcome measures. The review focused on seven main types of interventions: home visiting, parent education, child sex abuse prevention, abusive head trauma prevention, multi-component interventions, media-based interventions, and support and mutual aid groups. Four of the seven - home-visiting, parent education, abusive head trauma prevention and multi-component interventions - show promise in preventing actual child maltreatment. Three of them - home visiting, parent education and child sexual abuse prevention - appear effective in reducing risk factors for child maltreatment, although these conclusions are tentative due to the methodological shortcomings of the reviews and outcome evaluation studies they draw on. An analysis of the geographical distribution of the evidence shows that outcome evaluations of child maltreatment prevention interventions are exceedingly rare in low- and middle-income countries and make up only 0.6% of the total evidence base. Evidence for the effectiveness of four of the seven main types of interventions for preventing child maltreatment is promising, although it is weakened by methodological problems and paucity of outcome evaluations from low- and middle-income countries.

Midwest Child-Parent Center (CPC) PreK-3rd Grade School Reform Model: Impacts on Child and Family Outcomes over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaylor, Erika; Spiker, Donna; Wei, Xin; Lease, Erin; Reynolds, Arthur

2015-01-01

This presentation reports on the goals and preliminary outcomes of the Child-Parent Centers (CPC) Expansion Project, which is a PreK to 3rd grade school reform model aimed at improving the short- and long-term outcomes of participating children and families. The model provides continuous education and family support services to schools serving a…

A New Framework for Addressing Adverse Childhood and Community Experiences: The Building Community Resilience Model.

PubMed

Ellis, Wendy R; Dietz, William H

We propose a transformative approach to foster collaboration across child health, public health, and community-based agencies to address the root causes of toxic stress and childhood adversity and to build community resilience. Physicians, members of social service agencies, and experts in toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) were interviewed to inform development of the Building Community Resilience (BCR) model. Through a series of key informant interviews and focus groups, we sought to understand the role of BCR for child health systems and their partners to reduce toxic stress and build community resilience to improve child health outcomes. Key informants indicated the intentional approach to ACEs and toxic stress through continuous quality improvement (data-driven decisions and program development, partners testing and adapting to changes to their needs, and iterative development and testing) which provides a mechanism by which social determinants or a population health approach could be introduced to physicians and community partners as part of a larger effort to build community resilience. Structured interviews also reveal a need for a framework that provides guidance, structure, and support for child health systems and community partners to develop collective goals, shared work plans, and a means for data-sharing to reinforce the components that will contribute to community resilience. Key informant interviews and focus group dialogues revealed a deep understanding of the factors related to toxic stress and ACEs. Respondents endorsed the BCR approach as a means to explore capacity issues, reduce fragmented health care delivery, and facilitate integrated systems across partners in efforts to build community resilience. Current financing models are seen as a potential barrier, because they often do not support restructured roles, partnership development, and the work to sustain upstream efforts to address toxic stress and community resilience. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using social autopsy to understand maternal, newborn, and child mortality in low-resource settings: a systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Moyer, Cheryl A.; Johnson, Cassidy; Kaselitz, Elizabeth; Aborigo, Raymond

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Social, cultural, and behavioral factors are often potent upstream contributors to maternal, neonatal, and child mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Social autopsy is one method of identifying the impact of such factors, yet it is unclear how social autopsy methods are being used in LMICs. Objective: This study aimed to identify the most common social autopsy instruments, describe overarching findings across populations and geography, and identify gaps in the existing social autopsy literature. Methods: A systematic search of the peer-reviewed literature from 2005 to 2016 was conducted. Studies were included if they were conducted in an LMIC, focused on maternal/neonatal/infant/child health, reported on the results of original research, and explicitly mentioned the use of a social autopsy tool. Results: Sixteen articles out of 1950 citations were included, representing research conducted in 11 countries. Five different tools were described, with two primary conceptual frameworks used to guide analysis: Pathway to Survival and Three Delays models. Studies varied in methods for identifying deaths, and recall periods for respondents ranged from 6 weeks to 5+ years. Across studies, recognition of danger signs appeared to be high, while subsequent care-seeking was inconsistent. Cost, distance to facility, and transportation issues were frequently cited barriers to care-seeking, however, additional barriers were reported that varied by location. Gaps in the social autopsy literature include the lack of: harmonized tools and analytical methods that allow for cross-study comparisons, discussion of complexity of decision making for care seeking, qualitative narratives that address inconsistencies in responses, and the explicit inclusion of perspectives from husbands and fathers. Conclusion: Despite the nascence of the field, research across 11 countries has included social autopsy methods, using a variety of tools, sampling methods, and analytical frameworks to determine how social factors impact maternal, neonatal, and child health outcomes. PMID:29261449

Pediatric HIV disclosure: a process-oriented framework.

PubMed

Cantrell, Kathryn; Patel, Nehali; Mandrell, Belinda; Grissom, Shawna

2013-08-01

As children with vertically transmitted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection live into adulthood, caregivers face the stressful process of informing their children about their infection. Although developmentally guided disclosure of HIV status is widely recommended, there are few specific frameworks to guide caregivers, families, and health care providers through the disclosure process. The authors propose a process-oriented framework for the disclosure of HIV in children and adolescents. This educational framework incorporates Piaget's cognitive development theory in an attempt to disclose and assist children and adolescents in understanding their HIV status. The framework is organized into 10 sequential stages of disclosure and three assessment stages in which health care providers discuss HIV health concepts with the child and caregiver, based on the child's developmental readiness. The described framework can be easily replicated by health care providers in disclosing disease status to children with HIV.

Migration, Remittances and Nutrition Outcomes of Left-Behind Children: A National-Level Quantitative Assessment of Guatemala

PubMed Central

Davis, Jason; Brazil, Noli

2016-01-01

Historically, Guatemalans have suffered high rates of poverty and malnutrition while nearly ten percent of their population resides abroad. Many Guatemalan parents use economic migration, mainly international migration to the United States, as a means to improve the human capital prospects of their children. However, as this investigation shows, the timing of migration events in relation to left-behind children’s ages has important, often negative and likely permanent, repercussions on the physical development of their children. To illustrate these dynamics, this investigation uses an instrumental variables framework to disentangle the countervailing effects of Guatemalan fathers’ absences due to migration from concomitant remittances on left-behind children’s growth outcomes. Based on national-level data collected in 2000, the investigation reveals that the international migration of a father in the previous year is correlated with a 22.1% lower length/height-for-age z-score for the average left-behind child aged ≤ 3. In contrast, the receipt of remittance income has no influence on the physical stature of a child, which may indicate that migrant fathers with young children are not able to achieve economic success soon enough during their ventures abroad to fully ameliorate the harmful effects caused by their absences. PMID:27002528

Maltreatment, Coping, and Substance Use in Youth in Foster Care: Examination of Moderation Models.

PubMed

Gabrielli, Joy; Jackson, Yo; Huffhines, Lindsay; Stone, Katie

2018-05-01

Child maltreatment is associated with negative outcomes such as substance use (SU). This study tested relations among maltreatment history, coping behavior, and SU behavior in youth residing in foster care. Participants were 210 youth ( M age = 12.71 years; SD = 2.95) in foster care who completed self-report measures through an audio computer-assisted self-interview program. Using a structural equation modeling framework and latent measurement constructs, positive associations were identified between maltreatment at baseline and coping behavior outcomes as well as SU behavior outcome approximately 4.5 months later. Specifically, greater severity and chronicity of maltreatment was associated with greater SU behavior as well as indirect action, prosocial, and asocial coping behavior. Maltreatment was not significantly related to direct action coping behavior. In moderation tests, only asocial coping provided a significant interaction effect for SU behavior outcomes; SU behavior did not moderate pathways between maltreatment and coping behavior. For youth in foster care, the coping approach may be varied and relate differentially to SU behavior outcomes, with asocial approaches to coping acting as a buffer for the maltreatment/SU relation. Additionally, SU remains an important target for intervention and prevention in youth residing in foster care.

Maternal Depressive Symptoms, Maternal Behavior, and Toddler Internalizing Outcomes: A Moderated Mediation Model

PubMed Central

Hummel, Alexandra C.; Kiel, Elizabeth J.

2014-01-01

Maternal depression relates to child internalizing outcomes, but one missing aspect of this association is how variation in depressive symptoms, including mild and moderate symptoms, relates to young children’s outcomes. The current study examined a moderated mediation model to investigate how maternal behaviors may mediate this association in the context of child temperament and gender. Mothers and toddlers completed a free-play/clean-up task in the laboratory. Mothers rated their depressive symptoms and their toddlers’ temperament and internalizing behaviors. Results indicated a significant indirect of maternal warmth on the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and toddler internalizing outcomes for boys with low negative emotionality. Toddler gender and temperament moderated the relation between maternal intrusiveness and toddler internalizing outcomes, but mediation was not supported. Results highlight the important interaction between child and maternal variables in predicting child outcomes, and suggest mechanisms by and conditions under which mild maternal depressive symptomatology can be a risk factor for toddler internalizing outcomes. PMID:24553739

Health Communication Practices among Parents and Sexual Minority Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, India D.; Friedman, Daniela B.; Annang, Lucy; Spencer, S. Melinda; Lindley, Lisa L.

2014-01-01

Positive perceptions of parent-child communication can influence behavioral outcomes such as sexual behavior and substance use among young people. Parent-child communication has been effective in modifying adverse health outcomes among heterosexual youth; however, limited research has examined the perceptions of parent-child communication among…

The Interaction Between Child Behavioral Inhibition and Parenting Behaviors: Effects on Internalizing and Externalizing Symptomology.

PubMed

Ryan, Sarah M; Ollendick, Thomas H

2018-02-20

Both child temperament and parenting have been extensively researched as predictors of child outcomes. However, theoretical models suggest that specific combinations of temperament styles and parenting behaviors are better predictors of certain child outcomes such as internalizing and externalizing symptoms than either temperament or parenting alone. The current qualitative review examines the interaction between one childhood temperamental characteristic (child behavioral inhibition) and parenting behaviors, and their subsequent impact on child psychopathology. Specifically, the moderating role of parenting on the relationship between child behavioral inhibition and both internalizing and externalizing psychopathology is examined, and the methodological variations which may contribute to inconsistent findings are explored. Additionally, support for the bidirectional relations between behavioral inhibition and parenting behaviors, as well as for the moderating role of temperament on the relationships between parenting and child outcomes, is briefly discussed. Finally, the clinical applicability of this overall conceptual model, specifically in regard to future research directions and potential clinical interventions, is considered.

Preterm birth: the role of knowledge transfer and exchange.

PubMed

Horvath, Hacsi; Brindis, Claire D; Reyes, E Michael; Yamey, Gavin; Franck, Linda

2017-09-06

Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of death in children under age five. Healthcare policy and other decision-making relevant to PTB may rely on obsolete, incomplete or inapplicable research evidence, leading to worsened outcomes. Appropriate knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) strategies are an important component of efforts to reduce the global PTB burden. We sought to develop a 'landscape' analysis of KTE strategies currently used in PTB and related contexts, and to make recommendations for optimising programmatic implementation and for future research. In the University of California, San Francisco's Preterm Birth Initiative, we convened a multidisciplinary working group and examined KTE frameworks. After selecting a widely-used, adaptable, theoretically-strong framework we reviewed the literature to identify evidence-based KTE strategies. We analysed KTE approaches focusing on key PTB stakeholders (individuals, families and communities, healthcare providers and policymakers). Guided by the framework, we articulated KTE approaches that would likely improve PTB outcomes. We further applied the KTE framework in developing recommendations. We selected the Linking Research to Action framework. Searches identified 19 systematic reviews, including two 'reviews of reviews'. Twelve reviews provided evidence for KTE strategies in the context of maternal, neonatal and child health, though not PTB specifically; seven reviews provided 'cross-cutting' evidence that could likely be generalised to PTB contexts. For individuals, families and communities, potentially effective KTE strategies include community-based approaches, 'decision aids', regular discussions with providers and other strategies. For providers, KTE outcomes may be improved through local opinion leaders, electronic reminders, multifaceted strategies and other approaches. Policy decisions relevant to PTB may best be informed through the use of evidence briefs, deliberative dialogues, the SUPPORT tools for evidence-informed policymaking and other strategies. Our recommendations for research addressed knowledge gaps in regard to partner engagement, applicability and context, implementation strategy research, monitoring and evaluation, and infrastructure for sustainable KTE efforts. Evidence-based KTE, using strategies appropriate to each stakeholder group, is essential to any effort to improve health at the population level. PTB stakeholders should be fully engaged in KTE and programme planning from its earliest stages, and ideally before planning begins.

Poverty and child health in the UK: using evidence for action.

PubMed

Wickham, Sophie; Anwar, Elspeth; Barr, Ben; Law, Catherine; Taylor-Robinson, David

2016-08-01

There are currently high levels of child poverty in the UK, and for the first time in almost two decades child poverty has started to rise in absolute terms. Child poverty is associated with a wide range of health-damaging impacts, negative educational outcomes and adverse long-term social and psychological outcomes. The poor health associated with child poverty limits children's potential and development, leading to poor health and life chances in adulthood. This article outlines some key definitions with regard to child poverty, reviews the links between child poverty and a range of health, developmental, behavioural and social outcomes for children, describes gaps in the evidence base and provides an overview of current policies relevant to child poverty in the UK. Finally, the article outlines how child health professionals can take action by (1) supporting policies to reduce child poverty, (2) providing services that reduce the health consequences of child poverty and (3) measuring and understanding the problem and assessing the impact of action. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Modeling Dynamic Food Choice Processes to Understand Dietary Intervention Effects.

PubMed

Marcum, Christopher Steven; Goldring, Megan R; McBride, Colleen M; Persky, Susan

2018-02-17

Meal construction is largely governed by nonconscious and habit-based processes that can be represented as a collection of in dividual, micro-level food choices that eventually give rise to a final plate. Despite this, dietary behavior intervention research rarely captures these micro-level food choice processes, instead measuring outcomes at aggregated levels. This is due in part to a dearth of analytic techniques to model these dynamic time-series events. The current article addresses this limitation by applying a generalization of the relational event framework to model micro-level food choice behavior following an educational intervention. Relational event modeling was used to model the food choices that 221 mothers made for their child following receipt of an information-based intervention. Participants were randomized to receive either (a) control information; (b) childhood obesity risk information; (c) childhood obesity risk information plus a personalized family history-based risk estimate for their child. Participants then made food choices for their child in a virtual reality-based food buffet simulation. Micro-level aspects of the built environment, such as the ordering of each food in the buffet, were influential. Other dynamic processes such as choice inertia also influenced food selection. Among participants receiving the strongest intervention condition, choice inertia decreased and the overall rate of food selection increased. Modeling food selection processes can elucidate the points at which interventions exert their influence. Researchers can leverage these findings to gain insight into nonconscious and uncontrollable aspects of food selection that influence dietary outcomes, which can ultimately improve the design of dietary interventions.

Randomized control trial: Online parent program and waiting period for unmarried parents in Title IV-D court.

PubMed

Rudd, Brittany N; Holtzworth-Munroe, Amy; Reyome, Jason G; Applegate, Amy G; D'Onofrio, Brian M

2015-10-01

Despite a lack of research on parent education programs for unmarried parents, many judicial officers mandate participation. We recruited an understudied sample likely at high risk for negative outcomes-182 court cases involving unmarried parents on government assistance in which paternity was contested and then established via genetic testing ordered by the court. This 2 × 2 randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact on initial litigation outcomes of two factors: (a) participation in an online parent education program or not and (b) having a waiting period between the establishment of paternity and the court hearing concerning child-related issues or not. Using an intent-to-treat framework, we found that among cases not assigned to the program, there was no difference in the rate of full agreement on child-related issues (e.g., child support, custody, parenting time) when comparing cases assigned to a waiting period and cases not assigned to a waiting period. In contrast, for cases assigned to the program, cases also assigned a waiting period were less likely to reach a full agreement than cases that had their hearing on the same day. In addition, cases in the "program and waiting period" condition were less likely to return to court for their hearing than cases in the "no program and waiting period" condition. In exploratory analyses of the subsample of cases in which both parents were present at the court hearing, the pattern of results remained the same, although the findings were no longer statistically significant. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Early Brain and Child Development: Connections to Early Education and Child Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romano, Judith T.

2013-01-01

The vast majority of young children spend time in settings outside of the home, and the nature of those settings directly impacts the child's health and development. The ecobiodevelopmental framework of early brain and child development serve as the backdrop for establishing quality. This article describes the use of quality rating systems,…

Child Rights and Quality Education: Child-Friendly Schools in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clair, Nancy; Miske, Shirley; Patel, Deepa

2012-01-01

Since the breakup of the Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia, Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have engaged in education reforms based on international frameworks. One of these, the Child-Friendly Schools (CFS) approach, is distinctively grounded in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). CFS standards are comprehensive,…

Summer migrant students learn healthy choices through videography.

PubMed

Kilanowski, Jill F; Lin, Li

2014-08-01

The purpose of this single-group pre- and posttest intervention pilot study was to teach middle school migrant farmworker children the benefits of healthy eating and activity using a multimedia and ethnic-tailored health curriculum, embedded in a 7-week summer Migrant Education Program. Conceptual frameworks were from transcultural nursing, education, and child development. Student-made video productions enhanced classroom learning and content retention. Outcomes were health infomercials, body mass index (BMI), BMI percentile, muscle strength and flexibility, and We Can! and Coordinated Approach To Child Health (CATCH) surveys. Sixty-four students were enrolled (girls n = 31, boys n = 33), 96% Latino, and 65% were overweight or obese. Students had significant improvement in 12 knowledge and attitudes measures with significant gender differences in 11 measures. Although not statistically significant, trends toward healthier weight were seen. Five student infomercials were produced. The school environment effectively delivered health promotion to migrant children and will serve as a prototype for middle school health interventions. © The Author(s) 2013.

Paternal depression in the postnatal period and child development: mediators and moderators.

PubMed

Gutierrez-Galve, Leticia; Stein, Alan; Hanington, Lucy; Heron, Jon; Ramchandani, Paul

2015-02-01

To explore potential mediating and moderating factors that influence the association between paternal depression in the postnatal period and subsequent child behavioral and emotional problems. A population-based cohort (N = 13,822) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) was recruited during pregnancy. Paternal and maternal depressive symptoms were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 8 weeks after the birth of the child. Child outcomes were assessed at 3.5 years by using the Rutter revised preschool scales and at 7 years by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Path analysis was used to assess hypothesized mediators (ie, depression in the other parent, couple conflict, and paternal noninvolvement) of the associations between both paternal and maternal depression and child outcomes. We also tested for hypothesized moderators (ie, paternal education and antisocial traits). Family factors (maternal depression and couple conflict) mediated two-thirds of the overall association between paternal depression and child outcomes at 3.5 years. Similar findings were seen when children were 7 years old. In contrast, family factors mediated less than one-quarter of the association between maternal depression and child outcomes. There was no evidence of moderating effects of either parental education or antisocial traits. The majority of the association between depression in fathers postnatally and subsequent child behavior is explained by the mediating role of family environment, whereas the association between depression in mothers and child outcomes appears to be better explained by other factors, perhaps including direct mother-infant interaction. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Maternal Nonstandard Work Schedules and Child Cognitive Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Wen-Jui

2005-01-01

This paper examined associations between mothers' work schedules and children's cognitive outcomes in the first 3 years of life for approximately 900 children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care. Both the timing and duration of maternal nonstandard work schedules were examined. Although…

Sexual Minority Status, Peer Harassment, and Adolescent Depression

PubMed Central

Martin-Storey, Alexa; Crosnoe, Robert

2012-01-01

The well-documented higher rates of depression among sexual minority youth are increasingly viewed by developmentalists as a byproduct of the stigmatization of sexual minority status in American society and of the negative impact this stigma has on the processes associated with depression. This study attempted to spur future research by testing Hatzenbuehler’s (2009) psychological mediation framework to investigate the ways in which peer harassment related to sexuality puts young people at risk by influencing the cognitive, social, and regulatory factors associated with depression. Analyses of 15 year olds in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development revealed that sexual minority status was largely associated with depressive outcomes via harassment, which was subsequently associated with depression via cognitive and social factors. Results point to various avenues for exploring the importance of the social world and self-concept for the outcomes of sexual minority adolescents in the future. PMID:22401842

Estimating effect of environmental contaminants on women's subfecundity for the MoBa study data with an outcome-dependent sampling scheme

PubMed Central

Ding, Jieli; Zhou, Haibo; Liu, Yanyan; Cai, Jianwen; Longnecker, Matthew P.

2014-01-01

Motivated by the need from our on-going environmental study in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort (MoBa) study, we consider an outcome-dependent sampling (ODS) scheme for failure-time data with censoring. Like the case-cohort design, the ODS design enriches the observed sample by selectively including certain failure subjects. We present an estimated maximum semiparametric empirical likelihood estimation (EMSELE) under the proportional hazards model framework. The asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator were derived. Simulation studies were conducted to evaluate the small-sample performance of our proposed method. Our analyses show that the proposed estimator and design is more efficient than the current default approach and other competing approaches. Applying the proposed approach with the data set from the MoBa study, we found a significant effect of an environmental contaminant on fecundability. PMID:24812419

Rape: psychopathology, theory and treatment.

PubMed

Gannon, Theresa A; Collie, Rachael M; Ward, Tony; Thakker, Jo

2008-07-01

Whether treatment programs are effective at rehabilitating rapists is yet to be determined empirically. From a scientist-practitioner perspective, treatment should be based on an empirical understanding of rape and rapists, and evidence-based knowledge of treatment outcome with rapists. In this paper we comprehensively review the characteristics of rapists, etiological features implicated in the commission of rape, and relevant treatment outcome research. We pay particular attention to contemporary knowledge about the core vulnerabilities and features required to understand and treat rapists effectively, and, where possible, highlight similarities and differences between rapists, child molesters and non-sexual violent offenders. We use an epistemological framework to (a) critique the various etiological accounts of rape available and (b) help guide professionals' use of such knowledge in both treatment design and evaluation. Gaps in the understanding of rapists' characteristics and etiological features are highlighted, as are discrepancies between current knowledge and treatment approaches. We conclude by highlighting areas for future research and practice innovation.

The relationship between child protection contact and mental health outcomes among Canadian adults with a child abuse history.

PubMed

Afifi, Tracie O; McTavish, Jill; Turner, Sarah; MacMillan, Harriet L; Wathen, C Nadine

2018-05-01

Despite being a primary response to child abuse, it is currently unknown whether contact with child protection services (CPS) does more good than harm. The aim of the current study was to examine whether contact with CPS is associated with improved mental health outcomes among adult respondents who reported experiencing child abuse, after adjusting for sociodemographic factors and abuse severity. The data were drawn from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (CCHS-2012), which used a multistage stratified cluster design (household-level response rate = 79.8%). Included in this study were individuals aged 18 years and older living in the 10 Canadian provinces (N = 23,395). Child abuse included physical abuse, sexual abuse, and exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV). Mental health outcomes included lifetime mental disorders, lifetime and past year suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts, and current psychological well-being and functioning and distress. All models were adjusted for sociodemographic factors and severity of child abuse. For the majority of outcomes, there were no statistically significant differences between adults with a child abuse history who had CPS contact compared to those without CPS contact. However, those with CPS contact were more likely to report lifetime suicide attempts. These findings suggest that CPS contact is not associated with improved mental health outcomes. Implications are discussed. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Targeting Parenting in Early Childhood: A Public Health Approach to Improve Outcomes for Children Living in Poverty.

PubMed

Morris, Amanda Sheffield; Robinson, Lara R; Hays-Grudo, Jennifer; Claussen, Angelika H; Hartwig, Sophie A; Treat, Amy E

2017-03-01

In this article, the authors posit that programs promoting nurturing parent-child relationships influence outcomes of parents and young children living in poverty through two primary mechanisms: (a) strengthening parents' social support and (b) increasing positive parent-child interactions. The authors discuss evidence for these mechanisms as catalysts for change and provide examples from selected parenting programs that support the influence of nurturing relationships on child and parenting outcomes. The article focuses on prevention programs targeted at children and families living in poverty and closes with a discussion of the potential for widespread implementation and scalability for public health impact. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Child survival in England: Strengthening governance for health.

PubMed

Wolfe, Ingrid; Mandeville, Kate; Harrison, Katherine; Lingam, Raghu

2017-11-01

The United Kingdom, like all European countries, is struggling to strengthen health systems and improve conditions for child health and survival. Child mortality in the UK has failed to improve in line with other countries. Securing optimal conditions for child health requires a healthy society, strong health system, and effective health care. We examine inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral policy and governance for child health and survival in England. Literature reviews and universally applicable clinical scenarios were used to examine child health problems and English policy and governance responses for improving child health through integrating care and strengthening health systems, over the past 15 years. We applied the TAPIC framework for analysing policy governance: transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and capacity. We identified strengths and weaknesses in child health governance in all the five domains. However there remain policy failures that are not fully explained by the TAPIC framework. Other problems with successfully translating policy to improved health that we identified include policy flux; policies insufficiently supported by delivery mechanisms, measurable targets, and sufficient budgets; and policies with unintended or contradictory aspects. We make recommendations for inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral child health governance, policy, and action to improve child health in England with relevant lessons for other countries. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of domestic violence on child growth and nutrition: a conceptual review of the pathways of influence.

PubMed

Yount, Kathryn M; DiGirolamo, Ann M; Ramakrishnan, Usha

2011-05-01

Domestic violence against women is a global problem, and young children are disproportionate witnesses. Children's exposure to domestic violence (CEDV) predicts poorer health and development, but its effects on nutrition and growth are understudied. We propose a conceptual framework for the pathways by which domestic violence against mothers may impair child growth and nutrition, prenatally and during the first 36 months of life. We synthesize literatures from multiple disciplines and critically review the evidence for each pathway. Our review exposes gaps in knowledge and opportunities for research. The framework also identifies interim strategies to mitigate the effects of CEDV on child growth and nutrition. Given the global burden of child malnutrition and its long-term effects on human-capital formation, improving child growth and nutrition may be another reason to prevent domestic violence and its cascading after-effects. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Child maltreatment prevention: a systematic review of reviews

PubMed Central

Butchart, Alexander

2009-01-01

Abstract Objective To synthesize recent evidence from systematic and comprehensive reviews on the effectiveness of universal and selective child maltreatment prevention interventions, evaluate the methodological quality of the reviews and outcome evaluation studies they are based on, and map the geographical distribution of the evidence. Methods A systematic review of reviews was conducted. The quality of the systematic reviews was evaluated with a tool for the assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR), and the quality of the outcome evaluations was assessed using indicators of internal validity and of the construct validity of outcome measures. Findings The review focused on seven main types of interventions: home visiting, parent education, child sex abuse prevention, abusive head trauma prevention, multi-component interventions, media-based interventions, and support and mutual aid groups. Four of the seven – home-visiting, parent education, abusive head trauma prevention and multi-component interventions – show promise in preventing actual child maltreatment. Three of them – home visiting, parent education and child sexual abuse prevention – appear effective in reducing risk factors for child maltreatment, although these conclusions are tentative due to the methodological shortcomings of the reviews and outcome evaluation studies they draw on. An analysis of the geographical distribution of the evidence shows that outcome evaluations of child maltreatment prevention interventions are exceedingly rare in low- and middle-income countries and make up only 0.6% of the total evidence base. Conclusion Evidence for the effectiveness of four of the seven main types of interventions for preventing child maltreatment is promising, although it is weakened by methodological problems and paucity of outcome evaluations from low- and middle-income countries. PMID:19551253

Education of staff in preschool aged classrooms in child care centers and child outcomes: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

PubMed

Falenchuk, Olesya; Perlman, Michal; McMullen, Evelyn; Fletcher, Brooke; Shah, Prakesh S

2017-01-01

Staff education is considered key to quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs. However, findings about associations between staff education and children's outcomes have been inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of associations between ECEC staff education and child outcomes. Searches of Medline, PsycINFO, and ERIC, websites of large datasets and reference sections of all retrieved articles were conducted. Eligible studies provided a statistical link between staff education and child outcomes for preschool-aged children in ECEC programs. Titles, abstracts and paper reviews as well as all data extraction were conducted by two independent raters. Of the 823 studies reviewed for eligibility, 39 met our inclusion criteria. Research in this area is observational in nature and subject to the inherent biases of that research design. Results from our systematic review were hampered by heterogeneity in how staff education was defined, variability in whose education was measured and the child outcomes that were assessed. However, overall the qualitative summary indicates that associations between staff education and childhood outcomes are non-existent to very borderline positive. In our meta-analysis of more homogeneous studies we identified certain positive, albeit very weak, associations between staff education and children's language outcomes (specifically, vocabulary and letter word identification) and no significant association with a mathematics outcome (WJ Applied Problems). Thus, our findings suggest that within the range of education levels found in the existing literature, education is not a key driver of child outcomes. However, since we only explored levels of education that were reported in the literature, our findings cannot be used to argue for lowering education standards in ECEC settings.

Education of staff in preschool aged classrooms in child care centers and child outcomes: A meta-analysis and systematic review

PubMed Central

Falenchuk, Olesya; Perlman, Michal; McMullen, Evelyn; Fletcher, Brooke; Shah, Prakesh S.

2017-01-01

Staff education is considered key to quality of early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs. However, findings about associations between staff education and children’s outcomes have been inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of associations between ECEC staff education and child outcomes. Searches of Medline, PsycINFO, and ERIC, websites of large datasets and reference sections of all retrieved articles were conducted. Eligible studies provided a statistical link between staff education and child outcomes for preschool-aged children in ECEC programs. Titles, abstracts and paper reviews as well as all data extraction were conducted by two independent raters. Of the 823 studies reviewed for eligibility, 39 met our inclusion criteria. Research in this area is observational in nature and subject to the inherent biases of that research design. Results from our systematic review were hampered by heterogeneity in how staff education was defined, variability in whose education was measured and the child outcomes that were assessed. However, overall the qualitative summary indicates that associations between staff education and childhood outcomes are non-existent to very borderline positive. In our meta-analysis of more homogeneous studies we identified certain positive, albeit very weak, associations between staff education and children’s language outcomes (specifically, vocabulary and letter word identification) and no significant association with a mathematics outcome (WJ Applied Problems). Thus, our findings suggest that within the range of education levels found in the existing literature, education is not a key driver of child outcomes. However, since we only explored levels of education that were reported in the literature, our findings cannot be used to argue for lowering education standards in ECEC settings. PMID:28854281

Pathways to poor educational outcomes for HIV/AIDS-affected youth in South Africa.

PubMed

Orkin, Mark; Boyes, Mark E; Cluver, Lucie D; Zhang, Yuning

2014-01-01

A recent systematic review of studies in the developing world has critically examined linkages from familial HIV/AIDS and associated factors such as poverty and child mental health to negative child educational outcomes. In line with several recommendations in the review, the current study modelled relationships between familial HIV/AIDS, poverty, child internalising problems, gender and four educational outcomes: non-enrolment at school, non-attendance, deficits in grade progression and concentration problems. Path analyses reveal no direct associations between familial HIV/AIDS and any of the educational outcomes. Instead, HIV/AIDS-orphanhood or caregiver HIV/AIDS-sickness impacted indirectly on educational outcomes via the poverty and internalising problems that they occasioned. This has implications for evidence-based policy inferences. For instance, by addressing such intervening variables generally, rather than by seeking to target families affected by HIV/AIDS, interventions could avoid exacerbating stigmatisation, while having a more direct and stronger impact on children's educational outcomes. This analytic approach also suggests that future research should seek to identify causal paths, and may include other intervening variables related to poverty (such as child housework and caring responsibilities) or to child mental health (such as stigma and abuse), that are linked to both familial HIV/AIDS and educational outcomes.

The role of motivation in family-based guided self-help treatment for pediatric obesity.

PubMed

Accurso, Erin C; Norman, Gregory J; Crow, Scott J; Rock, Cheryl L; Boutelle, Kerri N

2014-10-01

Identifying factors associated with effective treatment for childhood obesity is important to improving weight loss outcomes. The current study investigated whether child or parent motivation throughout the course of treatment predicted reductions in BMI. Fifty 8- to 12-year-old children with overweight and obesity (BMI percentiles 85-98%) and their parents participated in a guided self-help weight loss program, which included 12 brief sessions across 5 months. Parents and interventionists reported on child and parent motivation level at each session. Multilevel slopes-as-outcome models were used to examine growth trajectories for both child and parent BMI across sessions. Greater interventionist-rated child motivation predicted greater reductions in child BMI; parent motivation did not. However, interventionist-rated parent motivation predicted greater reductions in parent BMI, and its impact on BMI became more pronounced over the course of treatment, such that sustained motivation was more important than initial motivation. Children who were older, Latino, or who had lower initial BMIs had slower reductions in BMI. This study suggests that motivation may be an important predictor of reduced BMI in child obesity treatment, with sustained motivation being more important than initial motivation. In particular, interventionist-rated, but not parent-rated, motivation is a robust predictor of child and parent BMI outcomes. Future research may evaluate whether motivational interventions can enhance outcome, with particular attention to improving outcomes for Latino children.

Use of Management Pathways or Algorithms in Children With Chronic Cough: CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report.

PubMed

Chang, Anne B; Oppenheimer, John J; Weinberger, Miles M; Rubin, Bruce K; Weir, Kelly; Grant, Cameron C; Irwin, Richard S

2017-04-01

Using management algorithms or pathways potentially improves clinical outcomes. We undertook systematic reviews to examine various aspects in the generic approach (use of cough algorithms and tests) to the management of chronic cough in children (aged ≤ 14 years) based on key questions (KQs) using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome format. We used the CHEST Expert Cough Panel's protocol for the systematic reviews and the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) methodological guidelines and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Data from the systematic reviews in conjunction with patients' values and preferences and the clinical context were used to form recommendations. Delphi methodology was used to obtain the final grading. Combining data from systematic reviews addressing five KQs, we found high-quality evidence that a systematic approach to the management of chronic cough improves clinical outcomes. Although there was evidence from several pathways, the highest evidence was from the use of the CHEST approach. However, there was no or little evidence to address some of the KQs posed. Compared with the 2006 Cough Guidelines, there is now high-quality evidence that in children aged ≤ 14 years with chronic cough (> 4 weeks' duration), the use of cough management protocols (or algorithms) improves clinical outcomes, and cough management or testing algorithms should differ depending on the associated characteristics of the cough and clinical history. A chest radiograph and, when age appropriate, spirometry (pre- and post-β 2 agonist) should be undertaken. Other tests should not be routinely performed and undertaken in accordance with the clinical setting and the child's clinical symptoms and signs (eg, tests for tuberculosis when the child has been exposed). Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. All rights reserved.

Poverty is Not Just an Indicator: The Relationship Between Income, Poverty, and Child Well-Being.

PubMed

Chaudry, Ajay; Wimer, Christopher

2016-04-01

In this article, we review the evidence on the effects of poverty and low income on children's development and well-being. We argue that poverty is an important indicator of societal and child well-being, but that poverty is more than just an indicator. Poverty and low income are causally related to worse child development outcomes, particularly cognitive developmental and educational outcomes. Mechanisms through which poverty affects these outcomes include material hardship, family stress, parental and cognitive inputs, and the developmental context to which children are exposed. The timing, duration, and community context of poverty also appear to matter for children's outcomes-with early experiences of poverty, longer durations of poverty, and higher concentrations of poverty in the community leading to worse child outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutrition as an important mediator of the impact of background variables on outcome in middle childhood

PubMed Central

Kitsao-Wekulo, Patricia; Holding, Penny; Taylor, H. Gerry; Abubakar, Amina; Kvalsvig, Jane; Connolly, Kevin

2013-01-01

Adequate nutrition is fundamental to the development of a child's full potential. However, the extent to which malnutrition affects developmental and cognitive outcomes in the midst of co-occurring risk factors remains largely understudied. We sought to establish if the effects of nutritional status varied according to diverse background characteristics as well as to compare the relative strength of the effects of poor nutritional status on language skills, motor abilities, and cognitive functioning at school age. This cross-sectional study was conducted among school-age boys and girls resident in Kilifi District in Kenya. We hypothesized that the effects of area of residence, school attendance, household wealth, age and gender on child outcomes are experienced directly and indirectly through child nutritional status. The use of structural equation modeling (SEM) allowed the disaggregation of the total effect of the explanatory variables into direct effects (effects that go directly from one variable to another) and indirect effects. Each of the models tested for the four child outcomes had a good fit. However, the effects on verbal memory apart from being weaker than for the other outcomes, were not mediated through nutritional status. School attendance was the most influential predictor of nutritional status and child outcomes. The estimated models demonstrated the continued importance of child nutritional status at school-age. PMID:24298246

Predictors of treatment outcome in an effectiveness trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for children with anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Wergeland, Gro Janne H; Fjermestad, Krister W; Marin, Carla E; Bjelland, Ingvar; Haugland, Bente Storm Mowatt; Silverman, Wendy K; Öst, Lars-Göran; Bjaastad, Jon Fauskanger; Oeding, Kristin; Havik, Odd E; Heiervang, Einar R

2016-01-01

A substantial number of children with anxiety disorders do not improve following cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Recent effectiveness studies have found poorer outcome for CBT programs than what is typically found in efficacy studies. The present study examined predictors of treatment outcome among 181 children (aged 8-15 years), with separation anxiety, social phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder, who participated in a randomized, controlled effectiveness trial of a 10-session CBT program in community clinics. Potential predictors included baseline demographic, child, and parent factors. Outcomes were as follows: a) remission from all inclusion anxiety disorders; b) remission from the primary anxiety disorder; and c) child- and parent-rated reduction of anxiety symptoms at post-treatment and at 1-year follow-up. The most consistent findings across outcome measures and informants were that child-rated anxiety symptoms, functional impairment, a primary diagnosis of social phobia or separation anxiety disorder, and parent internalizing symptoms predicted poorer outcome at post-treatment. Child-rated anxiety symptoms, lower family social class, lower pretreatment child motivation, and parent internalizing symptoms predicted poorer outcome at 1-year follow-up. These results suggest that anxious children with more severe problems, and children of parents with elevated internalizing symptom levels, may be in need of modified, additional, or alternative interventions to achieve a positive treatment outcome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of Child and Adolescent Refugee Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lustig, Stuart L.; Kia-Keating, Maryam; Knight, Wanda Grant; Geltman, Paul; Ellis, Heidi; Kinzie, J. David; Keane, Terence; Saxe, Glenn N.

2004-01-01

Objective: To review stressful experiences and stress reactions among child and adolescent refugees, as well as interventions and ethical considerations in research and clinical work, within the framework of the chronological experiences of child refugees; namely, the phases of preflight, flight, and resettlement. Highlighted are special refugee…

Maternal Employment, Nonparental Care, Mother-Child Interactions, and Child Outcomes during Preschool Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nomaguchi, Kei M.

2006-01-01

This study examines the relationships between maternal employment, nonparental care, mother-child interactions, and preschoolers' outcomes. Data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (N = 1,248) show that maternal employment during the previous year, especially full-time employment, was related to care by…

Why Parents Matter: Parental Investment and Child Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barber, Nigel

There has been a recent academic controversy over whether parental child-rearing has any real effect on how offspring turn out. This book is a comprehensive collection of the experimental evidence establishing that parental treatment does affect child outcomes. Also included are natural experiments, as in the case of children raised in…

Improving Child Outcomes with Data-Based Decision Making: Graphing Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hojnoski, Robin L.; Gischlar, Karen L.; Missall, Kristen N.

2009-01-01

Child performance data collected frequently in natural settings are important for monitoring progress toward short-term and long-term goals and are an essential component of instruction designed to improve outcomes for children. Organizing child performance data into graphic displays can promote the systematic use of data in educational decision…

Child-Therapist Alliance and Clinical Outcomes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Child Anxiety Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiu, Angela W.; McLeod, Bryce D.; Har, Kim; Wood, Jeffrey J.

2009-01-01

Background: Few studies have examined the link between child-therapist alliance and outcome in manual-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children diagnosed with anxiety disorders. This study sought to clarify the nature and strength of this relation. Methods: The Therapy Process Observational Coding System for Child…

77 FR 21986 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-12

... the Child Welfare Sector and Comparison Study with an administrative record review form to lessen... in the study is up to 24 months. The outcome measures include the following: child symptomatology and............ 1,081 3 1.00 3,243 649 Child and Family Outcome Study Caregiver Information Questionnaire, Caregiver...

77 FR 34961 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-12

... the Child Welfare Sector and Comparison Study with an administrative record review form to lessen... in the study is up to 24 months. The outcome measures include the following: Child symptomatology and... site informants......... 1081 3 1.00 3,243 649 Child and Family Outcome Study Caregiver Information...

Child Maltreatment and Adolescent Mental Health Problems in a Large Birth Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Ryan; Scott, James; Alati, Rosa; O'Callaghan, Michael; Najman, Jake M.; Strathearn, Lane

2013-01-01

Objective: To examine whether notified child maltreatment is associated with adverse psychological outcomes in adolescence, and whether differing patterns of psychological outcome are seen depending on the type of maltreatment. Methods: The participants were 7,223 mother and child pairs enrolled in a population-based birth cohort study in…

An explanatory framework of teachers' perceptions of a positive mealtime environment in a preschool setting.

PubMed

Mita, Satoko C; Gray, Samuel A; Goodell, L Suzanne

2015-07-01

Attending a preschool center may help preschoolers with growth and development that encourage a healthy lifestyle, including sound eating behaviors. Providing a positive mealtime environment (PME) may be one of the keys to fostering a child's healthy eating habits in the classroom. However, a specific definition of a PME, the components of a PME, or directions on how to create one have not been established. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to explore Head Start teachers' perceptions related to a PME and create a conceptual framework representing these perceptions. To achieve this purpose, researchers conducted 65 in-depth phone interviews with Head Start teachers around the US. Applying principles of grounded theory, researchers developed a conceptual framework depicting teachers' perceptions of PME, consisting of five key components: (1) the people (i.e., teachers, kitchen staff, parent volunteers, and children), (2) positive emotional tone (e.g., relaxed and happy), (3) rules, expectations, and routines (e.g., family-style mealtime), (4) operations of a PME (i.e., eating, socialization, and learning), and (5) both short- and long-term outcomes of a PME. With this PME framework, researchers may be able to enhance the effectiveness of nutrition interventions related to a PME, focusing on the factors in the conceptual framework as well as barriers associated with achieving these factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Child Welfare Services for Indigenous Populations: A Comparison of Child Welfare Histories, Policies, Practices and Laws for American Indians and Norwegian Samis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobs, Mary Ann; Saus, Merete

2012-01-01

This article takes Dixon and Scheurell's framework for understanding colonisation processes within social welfare policies and applies it to child welfare for Indigenous populations in the United States and Norway. While those countries' historical child welfare policies follow Dixon and Scheurell's hypotheses regarding colonisation, each nation…

Mother-Child Touch Patterns in Infant Feeding Disorders: Relation to Maternal, Child, and Environmental Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldman, Ruth; Keren, Miri; Gross-Rozval, Orna; Tyano, Sam

2004-01-01

Objective: To examine mother and child's touch patterns in infant feeding disorders within a transactional framework. Method: Infants (aged 9-34 months) referred to a community-based clinic were diagnosed with feeding disorders (n = 20) or other primary disorder (n = 27) and were case matched with nonreferred controls (n = 47). Mother-child play…

The Impact of Child and Family Service Reviews on Knowledge Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mischen, Pamela A.

2008-01-01

This article uses knowledge management as a framework to analyze the impact of the child and family review process on child protective service agencies. Results of a qualitative analysis of child and family service reviews and program improvement plans indicated that the process has led to an increase in the use of family team meetings and risk…

Assessing the quality of healthcare provided to children.

PubMed

Mangione-Smith, R; McGlynn, E A

1998-10-01

To present a conceptual framework for evaluating quality of care for children and adolescents, summarize the key issues related to developing measures to assess pediatric quality of care, examine some existing measures, and present evidence about their current level of performance. Assessing the quality of care for children poses many challenges not encountered when making these measurements in the adult population. Children and adolescents (from this point forward referred to collectively as children unless differentiation is necessary) differ from adults in two clinically important ways (Jameson and Wehr 1993): (1) their normal developmental trajectory is characterized by change, and (2) they have differential morbidity. These factors contribute to the limitations encountered when developing measures to assess the quality of care for children. The movement of a child through the various stages of development makes it difficult to establish what constitutes a "normal" outcome and by extension what constitutes a poor outcome. Additionally, salient developmental outcomes that result from poor quality of care may not be observed for several years. This implies that poor outcomes may be observed when the child is receiving care from a delivery system other than the one that provided the low-quality care. Attributing the suboptimal outcome to the new delivery system would be inappropriate. Differential morbidity refers to the fact that the type, prevalence, and severity of illness experienced by children is measurably different from that observed in adults. Most children experience numerous self-limited illness of mild severity. A minority of children suffer from markedly more severe diseases. Thus, condition-specific measures in children are problematic to implement for routine assessments because of the extremely low incidence and prevalence of most severe pediatric diseases (Halfon 1996). However, children with these conditions are potentially the segment of the pediatric population that can be most affected by variations in the quality of care. Improving the care provided to these children is likely to have the largest impact on quality of life and longevity. The low prevalence of most severe pediatric diseases also makes it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of new treatment modalities; multi-center trials or long enrollment periods are usually required to obtain a large enough patient sample to conduct the necessary randomized controlled trials or cohort studies. Another challenge encountered when measuring quality of care for children is that, in most cases, they depend on adults to both obtain care and to report on the outcomes of that care. Parents and their children may have different perceptions of what defines health or have different levels of satisfaction with the care they receive. Children, particularly those with special needs, also depend on a broad range of services including the medical system, community intervention programs, social programs, and school-based services. Dependency on these various services adds to the difficulty of measuring and appropriately attributing health outcomes observed in children to a particular service delivery entity. Adolescents also depend on adults for access to some of their care; however, they have special needs related to confidentiality and parent-child information sharing. Adolescents commonly seek care at facilities, such as school-based clinics, that allow them to obtain confidential care. These facilities usually provide out-of-health plan care for these children, which raises special issues related to information availability for quality assessments and for assessing utilization patterns in this population. If the source of poor health outcomes is not known, quality improvement is not possible. The many challenges faced when constructing pediatric (this term will be used to refer to both children and adolescents) quality of care measures have resulted in few of these instruments being developed specifically for children. Most of the measures developed to date have either a very limited pediatric component or still require the process or outcome validation step. Although several practice guidelines and indicators of quality have been constructed, a conceptual framework to guide the development of such tools for quality assessment in the pediatric population is lacking. Pediatric health services researchers and the organizations that fund this work need to focus on developing a set of quality assessment tools that will address several challenging issues. Working within the context of the conceptual framework presented, we draw several conclusions related to issues that should be considered in developing quality of care measures for children.

The Cool Little Kids randomised controlled trial: Population-level early prevention for anxiety disorders

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030 internalising problems (e.g. depression and anxiety) will be second only to HIV/AIDS in international burden of disease. Internalising problems affect 1 in 7 school aged children, impacting on peer relations, school engagement, and later mental health, relationships and employment. The development of early childhood prevention for internalising problems is in its infancy. The current study follows two successful 'efficacy' trials of a parenting group intervention to reduce internalising disorders in temperamentally inhibited preschool children. Cool Little Kids is a population-level randomised trial to determine the impacts of systematically screening preschoolers for inhibition then offering a parenting group intervention, on child internalising problems and economic costs at school entry. Methods/Design This randomised trial will be conducted within the preschool service system, attended by more than 95% of Australian children in the year before starting school. In early 2011, preschool services in four local government areas in Melbourne, Australia, will distribute the screening tool. The ≈16% (n≈500) with temperamental inhibition will enter the trial. Intervention parents will be offered Cool Little Kids, a 6-session group program in the local community, focusing on ways to develop their child's bravery skills by reducing overprotective parenting interactions. Outcomes one and two years post-baseline will comprise child internalising diagnoses and symptoms, parenting interactions, and parent wellbeing. An economic evaluation (cost-consequences framework) will compare incremental differences in costs of the intervention versus control children to incremental differences in outcomes, from a societal perspective. Analyses will use the intention-to-treat principle, using logistic and linear regression models (binary and continuous outcomes respectively) to compare outcomes between the trial arms. Discussion This trial addresses gaps for internalising problems identified in the 2004 World Health Organization Prevention of Mental Disorders report. If effective and cost-effective, the intervention could readily be applied at a population level. Governments consider mental health to be a priority, enhancing the likelihood that an effective early prevention program would be adopted in Australia and internationally. Trial Registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN30996662 RCH Human Research Ethics Approval 30105A PMID:21208451

The Cool Little Kids randomised controlled trial: population-level early prevention for anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Bayer, Jordana K; Rapee, Ronald M; Hiscock, Harriet; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Mihalopoulos, Cathrine; Clifford, Susan; Wake, Melissa

2011-01-05

The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030 internalising problems (e.g. depression and anxiety) will be second only to HIV/AIDS in international burden of disease. Internalising problems affect 1 in 7 school aged children, impacting on peer relations, school engagement, and later mental health, relationships and employment. The development of early childhood prevention for internalising problems is in its infancy. The current study follows two successful 'efficacy' trials of a parenting group intervention to reduce internalising disorders in temperamentally inhibited preschool children. Cool Little Kids is a population-level randomised trial to determine the impacts of systematically screening preschoolers for inhibition then offering a parenting group intervention, on child internalising problems and economic costs at school entry. This randomised trial will be conducted within the preschool service system, attended by more than 95% of Australian children in the year before starting school. In early 2011, preschool services in four local government areas in Melbourne, Australia, will distribute the screening tool. The ≈16% (n≈500) with temperamental inhibition will enter the trial. Intervention parents will be offered Cool Little Kids, a 6-session group program in the local community, focusing on ways to develop their child's bravery skills by reducing overprotective parenting interactions. Outcomes one and two years post-baseline will comprise child internalising diagnoses and symptoms, parenting interactions, and parent wellbeing. An economic evaluation (cost-consequences framework) will compare incremental differences in costs of the intervention versus control children to incremental differences in outcomes, from a societal perspective. Analyses will use the intention-to-treat principle, using logistic and linear regression models (binary and continuous outcomes respectively) to compare outcomes between the trial arms. This trial addresses gaps for internalising problems identified in the 2004 World Health Organization Prevention of Mental Disorders report. If effective and cost-effective, the intervention could readily be applied at a population level. Governments consider mental health to be a priority, enhancing the likelihood that an effective early prevention program would be adopted in Australia and internationally. RCH HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS APPROVAL: 30105A.

Infant Attachment Moderates Paths From Early Negativity to Preadolescent Outcomes for Children and Parents.

PubMed

Boldt, Lea J; Kochanska, Grazyna; Jonas, Katherine

2017-03-01

Although infant attachment has been long seen as key for development, its long-term effects may be complex. Attachment may be a catalyst or moderator of future developmental sequelae rather than a source of main effects. In 102 mothers, fathers, and infants, attachment was assessed at 15 months; children's negativity (rejection of parental rules and modeling attempts) at 25, 38, 52, and 67 months; and developmental outcomes (the child's parent-rated externalizing problems and the parent-child observed relationship quality) at ages 10 and 12. In both mother-child and father-child relationships, children's higher negativity was associated with more detrimental outcomes but only in dyads with formerly insecure infants. Infant insecurity appears to amplify detrimental cascades, whereas infant security appears to defuse such risks. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Child outcomes and family characteristics 1 year after severe inflicted or noninflicted traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Keenan, Heather T; Runyan, Desmond K; Nocera, Maryalice

2006-02-01

To assess outcomes 1 year after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) among young children and to compare outcomes between children with inflicted versus noninflicted injuries. Prospective cohort study. All North Carolina-resident children who were hospitalized between January 2000 and December 2001 in any of the state's 9 PICUs and who survived a severe TBI that occurred on or before their second birthday were eligible to participate. Child health status, child use of ancillary medical resources, and family characteristics were determined through maternal caregiver interviews approximately 1 year after injury. Comparisons were made between family characteristics and child outcomes according to injury type. Seventy-two interviews of maternal caregivers were completed among 112 survivors (64.3%). Children with inflicted injuries (n = 41) had worse outcomes than did children with noninflicted injuries (n = 31), as measured with the Pediatric Outcome Performance Category and Stein-Jessup Functional Status II (Revised) tools. However, approximately 50% of children with inflicted injuries had only mild deficits or better. Children with inflicted injuries had a higher use of ancillary medical resources. Families caring for the children did not differ substantively, with a large proportion of single, working, minority mothers. Children with inflicted TBIs had worse outcomes than did children with other TBIs 1 year after injury. However, outcomes for these children were better than those reported previously. Many families caring for children after severe TBI are socially disadvantaged. Interventions to improve child outcomes may include enhanced family support.

Specific features of after-school program quality: associations with children's functioning in middle childhood.

PubMed

Pierce, Kim M; Bolt, Daniel M; Vandell, Deborah Lowe

2010-06-01

This longitudinal study examined associations between three after-school program quality features (positive staff-child relations, available activities, programming flexibility) and child developmental outcomes (reading and math grades, work habits, and social skills with peers) in Grade 2 and then Grade 3. Participants (n = 120 in Grade 2, n = 91 in Grade 3) attended after-school programs more than 4 days per week, on average. Controlling for child and family background factors and children's prior functioning on the developmental outcomes, positive staff-child relations in the programs were positively associated with children's reading grades in both Grades 2 and 3, and math grades in Grade 2. Positive staff-child relations also were positively associated with social skills in Grade 2, for boys only. The availability of a diverse array of age-appropriate activities at the programs was positively associated with children's math grades and classroom work habits in Grade 3. Programming flexibility (child choice of activities) was not associated with child outcomes.

Testing a theory of organizational culture, climate and youth outcomes in child welfare systems: a United States national study.

PubMed

Williams, Nathaniel J; Glisson, Charles

2014-04-01

Theories of organizational culture and climate (OCC) applied to child welfare systems hypothesize that strategic dimensions of organizational culture influence organizational climate and that OCC explains system variance in youth outcomes. This study provides the first structural test of the direct and indirect effects of culture and climate on youth outcomes in a national sample of child welfare systems and isolates specific culture and climate dimensions most associated with youth outcomes. The study applies multilevel path analysis (ML-PA) to a U.S. nationwide sample of 2,380 youth in 73 child welfare systems participating in the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being. Youths were selected in a national, two-stage, stratified random sample design. Youths' psychosocial functioning was assessed by caregivers' responses to the Child Behavior Checklist at intake and at 18-month follow-up. OCC was assessed by front-line caseworkers' (N=1,740) aggregated responses to the Organizational Social Context measure. Comparison of the a priori and subsequent trimmed models confirmed a reduced model that excluded rigid organizational culture and explained 70% of the system variance in youth outcomes. Controlling for youth- and system-level covariates, systems with more proficient and less resistant organizational cultures exhibited more functional, more engaged, and less stressful climates. Systems with more proficient cultures and more engaged, more functional, and more stressful climates exhibited superior youth outcomes. Findings suggest child welfare administrators can support service effectiveness with interventions that improve specific dimensions of culture and climate. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing a theory of organizational culture, climate and youth outcomes in child welfare systems: A United States national study

PubMed Central

Williams, Nathaniel J.; Glisson, Charles

2013-01-01

Theories of organizational culture and climate (OCC) applied to child welfare systems hypothesize that strategic dimensions of organizational culture influence organizational climate and that OCC explains system variance in youth outcomes. This study provides the first structural test of the direct and indirect effects of culture and climate on youth outcomes in a national sample of child welfare systems and isolates specific culture and climate dimensions most associated with youth outcomes. The study applies multilevel path analysis (ML-PA) to a U.S. nationwide sample of 2,380 youth in 73 child welfare systems participating in the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being. Youths were selected in a national, two-stage, stratified random sample design. Youths’ psychosocial functioning was assessed by caregivers’ responses to the Child Behavior Checklist at intake and at 18-month follow-up. OCC was assessed by front-line caseworkers’ (N=1,740) aggregated responses to the Organizational Social Context measure. Comparison of the a priori and subsequent trimmed models confirmed a reduced model that excluded rigid organizational culture and explained 70% of the system variance in youth outcomes. Controlling for youth- and system-level covariates, systems with more proficient and less resistant organizational cultures exhibited more functional, more engaged, and less stressful climates. Systems with more proficient cultures and more engaged, more functional, and more stressful climates exhibited superior youth outcomes. Findings suggest child welfare administrators can support service effectiveness with interventions that improve specific dimensions of culture and climate. PMID:24094999

[Formula: see text]Associations among parent-child relationships and cognitive and language outcomes in a clinical sample of preschool children.

PubMed

Leiser, Kara; Heffelfinger, Amy; Kaugars, Astrida

2017-02-01

To examine associations among parent-child relationship characteristics and child cognitive and language outcomes. Preschool children (n = 72) with early neurological insult completed assessments of cognitive and language functioning and participated in a parent-child semi-structured interaction. Quality of the parent-child relationship accounted for a significant amount of unique variance (12%) in predicting children's overall cognitive and language functioning. Impact of neurological insult was a significant predictor. Caregiver-child interactions that are harmonious and reciprocal as evidenced by affective and/or verbal exchanges support children's cognitive and language development. Observations of interactions can guide providers in facilitating child- and family-centered interventions.

Estimating the Size and Components of the U.S. Child Care Workforce and Caregiving Population. Key Findings from the Child Care Workforce Estimate. Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Alice; Whitebook, Marcy; Young, Marci; Bellm, Dan; Wayne, Claudia; Brandon, Richard N.; Maher, Erin

In response to rising demand for information on the child care workforce, the Center for the Child Care Workforce (CCW) and the Human Services Policy Center (HSPC) have initiated a 2-year project to develop a framework and methodology for quantifying the size and characteristics of the U.S. child care workforce, focusing on the workforce serving…

Quality evaluation in the management of child sponsorship programmes.

PubMed

McDonnell, W A; McDonnell, T P

1994-08-01

Programme evaluation tactics for child sponsorship programmes have historically concentrated on quantitative analysis of service units, amount of money invested, number of countries served, the number of projects, and number of children in each project. While these are valuable measures of programme variables, they do not assess the impact of programmes on the lives of the children sponsored. Outcome measures designed to assess programme impact add greatly to the information available to child welfare professionals. This study collected data about the impact of the programme on the lives of the children. The Child Welfare League's Child Well-Being Scales (CWBS) were used to assess programme impact. Twelve scales were chosen as directly related in type to the programmes administered by Children International, a traditional and well established child sponsorship organization located in Kansas City, Missouri. A thirteenth scale was suggested by field workers in India as particularly relevant to Third World populations. The scales were translated into languages appropriate to each population in the programme countries. Social workers in each country were trained to administer and score them. This analysis used the emerging data technology becoming available to programmes in Third World countries. The system enables administrators in the Third World to evaluate, enhance and summarize their programmes in a way understandable across borders. Epi Info (Dean et al., 1990) was customized to provide the framework for the analysis. The population for this study was selected by a 5% random sampling of children currently enrolled as sponsored children (180,000+ worldwide). These were compared with a waiting-list control group selected randomly from lists of children who have applied for sponsorship but have not yet been receiving services (n = 50 from each project).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Practitioner Review: The effectiveness of solution focused brief therapy with children and families: a systematic and critical evaluation of the literature from 1990-2010.

PubMed

Bond, Caroline; Woods, Kevin; Humphrey, Neil; Symes, Wendy; Green, Lorraine

2013-07-01

Solution focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a strengths-based therapeutic approach, emphasizing the resources that people possess and how these can be applied to a positive change process. The current study provides a systematic review of the SFBT evidence base and a critical evaluation of the use and application of SFBT in clinical practice with children and families. Between 21 December 2010 and 12 May 2011 forty-four database searches (including, PsychInfo, ISI Web of Knowledge, ASSIA, British Education Index, Medline and Scopus), web searches and consultation with experts in the field were used to identify reports of SFBT studies published between 1990 and 2010. Studies were then screened according to trialled qualitative and quantitative assessment frameworks and reported according to the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 38 studies were included in the review. Of these, 9 applied SFBT to internalizing child behaviour problems, 3 applied SFBT to both internalizing and externalizing child behaviour problems, 15 applied the approach to externalizing child behaviour problems and 9 evaluated the application of SFBT in relation to a range of other issues. Although much of the literature has methodological weaknesses, existing research does provide tentative support for the use of SFBT, particularly in relation to internalizing and externalizing child behaviour problems. SFBT appears particularly effective as an early intervention when presenting problems are not severe. Further well-controlled outcome studies are needed. Studies included in the review highlight promising avenues for further research. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Using risk adjustment approaches in child welfare performance measurement: Applications and insights from health and mental health settings

PubMed Central

Raghavan, Ramesh

2014-01-01

Federal policymaking in the last decade has dramatically expanded performance measurement within child welfare systems, and states are currently being fiscally penalized for poor performance on defined outcomes. However, in contrast to performance measurement in health settings, current policy holds child welfare systems solely responsible for meeting outcomes, largely without taking into account the effects of factors at the level of the child, and his or her social ecology, that might undermine the performance of child welfare agencies. Appropriate measurement of performance is predicated upon the ability to disentangle individual, as opposed to organizational, determinants of outcomes, which is the goal of risk adjustment methodologies. This review briefly conceptualizes and examines risk adjustment approaches in health and child welfare, suggests approaches to expanding its use to appropriately measure the performance of child welfare agencies, and highlights research gaps that diminish the appropriate use of risk adjustment approaches – and which consequently suggest the need for caution – in policymaking around performance measurement of child welfare agencies. PMID:25253917

Political violence and child adjustment in Northern Ireland: Testing pathways in a social-ecological model including single-and two-parent families.

PubMed

Cummings, E Mark; Schermerhorn, Alice C; Merrilees, Christine E; Goeke-Morey, Marcie C; Shirlow, Peter; Cairns, Ed

2010-07-01

Moving beyond simply documenting that political violence negatively impacts children, we tested a social-ecological hypothesis for relations between political violence and child outcomes. Participants were 700 mother-child (M = 12.1 years, SD = 1.8) dyads from 18 working-class, socially deprived areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland, including single- and two-parent families. Sectarian community violence was associated with elevated family conflict and children's reduced security about multiple aspects of their social environment (i.e., family, parent-child relations, and community), with links to child adjustment problems and reductions in prosocial behavior. By comparison, and consistent with expectations, links with negative family processes, child regulatory problems, and child outcomes were less consistent for nonsectarian community violence. Support was found for a social-ecological model for relations between political violence and child outcomes among both single- and two-parent families, with evidence that emotional security and adjustment problems were more negatively affected in single-parent families. The implications for understanding social ecologies of political violence and children's functioning are discussed.

Political violence and child adjustment in Northern Ireland: Testing pathways in a social ecological model including single and two-parent families

PubMed Central

Cummings, E. Mark; Schermerhorn, Alice C.; Merrilees, Christine E.; Goeke-Morey, Marcie C.; Shirlow, Peter; Cairns, Ed

2013-01-01

Moving beyond simply documenting that political violence negatively impacts children, a social ecological hypothesis for relations between political violence and child outcomes was tested. Participants were 700 mother-child (M=12.1years, SD=1.8) dyads from 18 working class, socially deprived areas in Belfast, Northern Ireland, including single- and two-parent families. Sectarian community violence was associated with elevated family conflict and children’s reduced security about multiple aspects of their social environment (i.e., family, parent-child relations, and community), with links to child adjustment problems and reductions in prosocial behavior. By comparison, and consistent with expectations, links with negative family processes, child regulatory problems and child outcomes were less consistent for nonsectarian community violence. Support was found for a social ecological model for relations between political violence and child outcomes among both single and two parent families, with evidence that emotional security and adjustment problems were more negatively affected in single-parent families. The implications for understanding social ecologies of political violence and children’s functioning are discussed. PMID:20604605

Fostering ecologic perspectives in child psychiatry.

PubMed

Storck, Michael G; Stoep, Ann Vander

2007-01-01

In this article, the authors seek to instill a readiness and enthusiasm for appreciating the many-faceted influences in the lives and struggles of developing children and their families. A framework for clinical investigation is proposed that draws from ecologic, ethnographic and attributional perspectives and therein augments and extends contemporary notions of culturally competent care. This framework can be used to help illuminate the culturally-relevant geography of the child's world such as: 1) health care and social welfare zones, 2) child activity zones, and 3) cultural and religious spheres of influence. Training tools and strategies are offered for building insightful, respectful and convivial co-investigator partnerships with patients and their families.

Thinking Broadly: Financing Strategies for Comprehensive Child and Family Initiatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Cheryl D.

In the current tight fiscal environment, it is critical for state and community leaders to think broadly and systematically about how to finance important education, family, and child services, and community development initiatives. This guide presents a conceptual framework for financing child and family services and community building and…

Child Abuse Intervention: Prescriptive Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuchter, Arnold

Written from a criminal justice perspective, the report on child abuse intervention provides a model system that emphasizes prompt medical treatment for the child and due process for both parents and children. The authors recommend that court action take the form of a civil proceeding whenever possible. Part I provides a framework for the…

Directive and non-directive food-related parenting practices: Associations between an expanded conceptualization of food-related parenting practices and child dietary intake and weight outcomes.

PubMed

Loth, K A; Friend, S; Horning, M L; Neumark-Sztainer, D; Fulkerson, J A

2016-12-01

This study examines associations between an expanded conceptualization of food-related parenting practices, specifically, directive and non-directive control, and child weight (BMI z-score) and dietary outcomes [Healthy Eating Index (HEI) 2010, daily servings fruits/vegetables] within a sample of parent-child dyads (8-12 years old; n = 160). Baseline data from the Healthy Home Offerings via the Mealtime Environment (HOME Plus) randomized controlled trial was used to test associations between directive and non-directive control and child dietary outcomes and weight using multiple regression analyses adjusted for parental education. Overall variance explained by directive and non-directive control constructs was also calculated. Markers of directive control included pressure-to-eat and food restriction, assessed using subscales from the Child Feeding Questionnaire; markers of non-directive control were assessed with a parental role modeling scale and a home food availability inventory in which an obesogenic home food environment score was assigned based on the types and number of unhealthful foods available within the child's home food environment. Food restriction and pressure-to-eat were positively and negatively associated with BMI z-scores, respectively, but not with dietary outcomes. An obesogenic home food environment was inversely associated with both dietary outcomes; parental role modeling of healthful eating was positively associated with both dietary outcomes. Neither non-directive behavioral construct was significantly associated with BMI z-scores. Greater total variance in BMI-z was explained by directive control; greater total variance in dietary outcomes was explained by non-directive control. Including a construct of food-related parenting practices with separate markers for directive and non-directive control should be considered for future research. These concepts address different forms of parental control and, in the present study, yielded unique associations with child dietary and weight outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parenting style impacts cognitive and behavioural outcomes of former preterm infants: A systematic review.

PubMed

Neel, M L M; Stark, A R; Maitre, N L

2018-03-25

We sought to evaluate published evidence in aggregate regarding the impact of parenting style on the cognitive and behavioural outcomes of former preterm infants. We searched 5 databases using germane MeSH terms. Parenting style was defined as any descriptor of parenting using ≥2 dimensions on published parenting axes. We evaluated studies for quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using standardized tools and categorized summative recommendations by parenting axis and child outcome. Twenty-seven articles met our inclusion criteria. Parental responsivity is the only parenting axis strongly associated with both improved child cognition and behaviour. Parental demandingness is associated only with improved child cognition, and parental warmth and rejection are associated only with child behaviour. Parental coercion is not associated with subsequent child outcomes. Parental responsivity may be essential in optimizing neurodevelopment in former preterm infants. More targeted studies are needed to inform this relationship and identify opportunities for intervention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Integrated Programs for Mothers with Substance Abuse Issues and Their Children: A Systematic Review of Studies Reporting on Child Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niccols, Alison; Milligan, Karen; Smith, Ainsley; Sword, Wendy; Thabane, Lehana; Henderson, Joanna

2012-01-01

Background: Integrated treatment programs (those that include on-site pregnancy-, parenting-, or child-related services with addiction services) were developed to break the intergenerational cycle of addiction, potential child maltreatment, and poor outcomes for children. Objectives: To examine the impact and effects of integrated programs for…

The Continued Effects of Home Intervention on Child Development Outcomes in the Kingdom of Bahrain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadeed, Julie

2011-01-01

This article presents the continued effects of a home-based intervention programme on child development outcomes and parenting practices in Bahrain. The intervention is the "Mother-Child Home Education Programme" (MOCEP) which was implemented in Arabic in the Kingdom of Bahrain beginning in 2001. One hundred and sixty-seven poor,…

Father Locus of Control and Child Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes: A Prospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tone, Erin B.; Goodfellow, Stephanie; Nowicki, Stephen, Jr.

2012-01-01

In a prospective longitudinal study the authors examined the associations between parent locus of control of reinforcement (LOCR), measured before the birth of a child, and behavioral-emotional outcomes in that child at age 7 years. A total of 307 couples completed questionnaires regarding their emotional status and LOCR at their first prenatal…

The Relationship among Internal Resilience, Smoking, Alcohol Use, and Depression Symptoms in Emerging Adults Transitioning out of Child Welfare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Abby L.; Faulkner, Breanne; Wekerle, Christine

2013-01-01

Objective: It is well established that child maltreatment reflects a context of risk for multiple negative outcomes. Identifying factors that protect against negative outcomes is important for the development of strengths-based approaches that emphasize resilience, particularly for youth transitioning out of the child welfare system. The current…

Measuring what matters to patients: Using goal content to inform measure choice and development.

PubMed

Jacob, Jenna; Edbrooke-Childs, Julian; Law, Duncan; Wolpert, Miranda

2017-04-01

Personalised care requires personalised outcomes and ways of feeding back clinically useful information to clinicians and practitioners, but it is not clear how to best personalise outcome measurement and feedback using existing standardised outcome measures. The constant comparison method of grounded theory was used to compare goal themes derived from goals set at the outset of therapy for 180 children aged between 4 and 17 years, visiting eight child and adolescent mental health services, to existing standardised outcome measures used as part of common national datasets. In all, 20 out of 27 goal themes corresponded to items on at least one commonly used outcome measure. Consideration of goal themes helped to identify potential relevant outcome measures. However, there were several goal themes that were not captured by items on standardised outcome measures. These seemed to be related to existential factors such as understanding, thinking about oneself and future planning. This presents a powerful framework for how clinicians can use goals to help select a standardised outcome measure (where this is helpful) in addition to the use of a goal-based outcome measure and personalise choices. There may be areas not captured by standardised outcome measures that may be important for children and young people and which may only be currently captured in goal measurement. There is an indication that we may not be measuring what is important to children and young people. We may need to develop or look for new measures that capture these areas.

Application of the Intervention Mapping protocol to develop Keys, a family child care home intervention to prevent early childhood obesity.

PubMed

Mann, Courtney M; Ward, Dianne S; Vaughn, Amber; Benjamin Neelon, Sara E; Long Vidal, Lenita J; Omar, Sakinah; Namenek Brouwer, Rebecca J; Østbye, Truls

2015-12-10

Many families rely on child care outside the home, making these settings important influences on child development. Nearly 1.5 million children in the U.S. spend time in family child care homes (FCCHs), where providers care for children in their own residences. There is some evidence that children in FCCHs are heavier than those cared for in centers. However, few interventions have targeted FCCHs for obesity prevention. This paper will describe the application of the Intervention Mapping (IM) framework to the development of a childhood obesity prevention intervention for FCCHs Following the IM protocol, six steps were completed in the planning and development of an intervention targeting FCCHs: needs assessment, formulation of change objectives matrices, selection of theory-based methods and strategies, creation of intervention components and materials, adoption and implementation planning, and evaluation planning Application of the IM process resulted in the creation of the Keys to Healthy Family Child Care Homes program (Keys), which includes three modules: Healthy You, Healthy Home, and Healthy Business. Delivery of each module includes a workshop, educational binder and tool-kit resources, and four coaching contacts. Social Cognitive Theory and Self-Determination Theory helped guide development of change objective matrices, selection of behavior change strategies, and identification of outcome measures. The Keys program is currently being evaluated through a cluster-randomized controlled trial The IM process, while time-consuming, enabled rigorous and systematic development of intervention components that are directly tied to behavior change theory and may increase the potential for behavior change within the FCCHs.

The association between child exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and perpetration of IPV in adulthood-A systematic review.

PubMed

Kimber, Melissa; Adham, Sami; Gill, Sana; McTavish, Jill; MacMillan, Harriet L

2018-02-01

Increasingly recognized as a distinct form of childhood maltreatment, children's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) has been shown to be associated with an array of negative psychosocial outcomes, including elevated risk for additional violence over the life course. Although studies have identified child exposure to IPV as a predictor of IPV perpetration in adulthood, no review has critically evaluated the methodology of this quantitative work. The present study examines the association between childhood exposure to IPV and the perpetration of IPV in adulthood based on a systematic review of the literature from inception to January 4, 2016. Databases searched included Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Sociological Abstracts and ERIC. Database searches were complemented with backward and forward citation chaining. Studies were critically appraised using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Of 5601 articles identified by the search, 19 studies were included for data extraction. Sixteen of these studies found that child exposure to IPV was significantly and positively associated with adult IPV perpetration; three studies reported null findings. The methodological quality of the studies was low. Work thus far has tended to focus on child exposure to physical IPV and the perpetration of physical IPV within heterosexual contexts. In addition, measures of child exposure to IPV vary in their classification of what exposure entails. We critically discuss the strengths and limitations of the existing evidence and the theoretical frameworks informing this work. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The supportive care needs of parents caring for a child with a rare disease: A scoping review.

PubMed

Pelentsov, Lemuel J; Laws, Thomas A; Esterman, Adrian J

2015-10-01

Parents caring for a child with a rare disease report unmet needs, the origins of which are varied and complex. Few studies have systematically attempted to identify the supportive care needs of parents with a child with a rare disease comprehensively. We have used the widely accepted Supportive Care Needs Framework (SCNF) as the structure for this review. The purpose of the current review was to identify the supportive care needs of parents with a child with a rare disease, irrespective of condition. We conducted a scoping study review comprising 29 studies (1990-2014) to identify and examine the research literature related to the supportive care needs of parents, and to compare these needs with the seven domains outlined in the SCNF. Most common needs cited were social needs (72% of papers), followed by informational needs (65% of papers) and emotional needs (62% of papers), with the most common parental needs overall being information about their child's disease, emotional stress, guilt and uncertainty about their child's future health care needs, parents own caring responsibilities and the need for more general support. A paucity of studies exists that explore the supportive care needs of parents of a child with a rare disease. The SCNF only partially reflects the breadth and type of needs of these parents, and a preliminary revised framework has been suggested. Further research is required in this area, particularly empirical research to amend or confirm the suggested new framework. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Child welfare organizations: Do specialization and service integration impact placement decisions?

PubMed

Smith, Carrie; Fluke, John; Fallon, Barbara; Mishna, Faye; Decker Pierce, Barbara

2018-02-01

The objective of this study was to contribute to the understanding of the child welfare organization by testing the hypothesis that the characteristics of organizations influence decisions made by child protection staff for vulnerable children. The influence of two aspects of organizational structure on the decision to place a child in out-of-home care were examined: service integration and worker specialization. A theoretical framework that integrated the Decision-Making Ecology Framework (Baumann et al., 2011) and Yoo et al. (2007) conceptual framework of organizational constructs as predictors of service effectiveness was tested. Secondary data analysis of the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect - 2013 (OIS-2013) was conducted. A subsample of 4949 investigations from 16 agencies was included in this study. Given the nested structure of the data, multi-level modelling was used to test the relative contribution of case and organizational factors to the decision to place. Despite the reported differences among child welfare organizations and research that has demonstrated variance in the placement decision as a result of organizational factors, the structure of the organization (i.e., worker specialization and service integration) showed no predictive power in the final models. The lack of variance may be explained by the relatively low frequency of placements during the investigation phase of service, the hierarchical impact of the factors of the DME and the limited information available regarding the structure of child welfare organizations in Ontario. Suggestions for future research are provided. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of early childhood education programmes in the promotion of child and adolescent mental health in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Baker-Henningham, Helen

2014-04-01

There is growing evidence that early childhood education (ECE) interventions can reduce the loss of developmental potential of disadvantaged children in low- and middle-income countries (LAMIC). Less attention has been paid to the potential of these programmes to prevent child mental health problems and promote child well-being. Peer-reviewed journal articles describing controlled evaluations of ECE interventions in LAMIC were reviewed to identify studies with child mental health outcomes. Studies with proximal outcomes for child mental health including caregiver practices and caregiver mental health were also reviewed. Of 63 studies identified, 21 (33.33%) included child mental health outcomes; 12 of 16 studies with short-term measures showed benefits; 6 studies included a longer-term follow-up and all found benefits; 25 studies included caregiver outcomes: consistent benefits were found for caregiver practices (21 studies) and 6 of 9 studies that measured caregiver mental health reported benefits. Gains to child mental health may be most likely when ECE interventions include three main elements: (i) activities to increase child skills including cognition, language, self-regulation and social-emotional competence; (ii) training caregivers in the skills required to provide a cognitively stimulating and emotionally supportive environment; and (iii) attention to the caregivers' mental health, motivation and self-efficacy. Recommendations for the design and implementation of programmes are provided. ECE interventions are an important component of mental health prevention and promotion in LAMIC, and promoting child and caregiver well-being is a fundamental aspect of interventions to improve child development.

A Dual-Process Approach to the Role of Mother's Implicit and Explicit Attitudes toward Their Child in Parenting Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturge-Apple, Melissa L.; Rogge, Ronald D.; Skibo, Michael A.; Peltz, Jack S.; Suor, Jennifer H.

2015-01-01

Extending dual process frameworks of cognition to a novel domain, the present study examined how mothers' explicit and implicit attitudes about her child may operate in models of parenting. To assess implicit attitudes, two separate studies were conducted using the same child-focused Go/No-go Association Task (GNAT-Child). In Study 1, model…

Impact of chronic illness timing and persistence at school entry on child and parent outcomes: Australian longitudinal study.

PubMed

Quach, Jon; Barnett, Tony

2015-01-01

To understand the prevalence and timing of child chronic illness at school entry; associations with child learning, behavior and health-related quality of life and parent mental health at ages 6 to 7, 8 to 9, and 10 to 11 years; and cumulative health care costs. Data were drawn from the first 4 waves of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Children were aged 4 to 5 years at wave 1, with data collection every 2 years. Parent-reported timing of child chronic illness at school entry was categorized into 4 chronic illness groups based on changes between waves 1 and 2: none, resolving, incident and persistent. Child outcomes included: parent-reported quality of life, parent- and teacher-reported behavior, teacher-reported child learning, teacher-reported child-teacher relationship, directly assessed nonverbal and verbal cognition and parent self-reported mental health. Linear regression, adjusted for gender and socioeconomic position, was used to quantify longitudinal associations between chronic illness timing at school entry with outcomes at age 6 to 7 years, 8 to 9 years and 10 to 11 years. Of the 4983 children enrolled in the study, chronic illness data was available for 4464 children (89.6%) at both waves 1 and 2. From wave 1, 6.1% had a condition that persisted until wave 2, while 14.1% had a condition that resolved. Furthermore, 4.7% had a newly emerging condition at wave 2. Compared with the no chronic illness group, children with persistent or emerging chronic illness during school entry had the poorest outcomes (except father's mental health) at all time points, while children with resolving conditions had smaller differences. Child chronic illness at school entry is associated with poorer longitudinal child and maternal outcomes. Therefore, future research should aim to determine the risk and protective factors that contribute to the poorer child and parent outcomes experienced in this growing population. Copyright © 2015 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does age of onset of risk behaviors mediate the relationship between child abuse and neglect and outcomes in middle adulthood?

PubMed

Horan, Jacqueline M; Widom, Cathy Spatz

2015-03-01

Child maltreatment has been linked with a number of risk behaviors that are associated with long-lasting maladaptive outcomes across multiple domains of functioning. This study examines whether the ages of onset of four risk behaviors-sexual intercourse, alcohol use, drug use, and criminal behavior-mediate the relationship between child maltreatment and outcomes in middle adulthood among a sample of court-documented victims of child abuse/neglect and matched controls (N = 1,196; 51.7% female; 66.2% White, 32.6% Black). Adult outcomes included employment status, welfare receipt, internalizing symptoms of anxiety and depressive symptoms, substance use problems, and criminal arrests. The results indicated gender differences in these relationships. For females, age of onset of sexual intercourse mediated the relationship between child abuse/neglect and both internalizing symptoms and substance use problems in middle adulthood. For males, age at first criminal arrest mediated the relationship between child abuse/neglect and extensive involvement in the justice system in middle adulthood. Age of onset of alcohol use and drug use did not mediate the relationship between child abuse/neglect and middle adult outcomes. This study expands current knowledge by identifying associations between early initiation of risk behavior in one domain and later, continuing problems in different domains. Thus, early initiation of specific risk behaviors may have more wide-ranging negative consequences than are typically considered during intervention or treatment and strategies may need to target multiple domains of functioning.

Does Age of Onset of Risk Behaviors Mediate the Relationship between Child Abuse and Neglect and Outcomes in Middle Adulthood?

PubMed Central

Horan, Jacqueline M.; Widom, Cathy Spatz

2014-01-01

Child maltreatment has been linked with a number of risk behaviors that are associated with long-lasting maladaptive outcomes across multiple domains of functioning. This study examines whether the ages of onset of four risk behaviors—sexual intercourse, alcohol use, drug use, and criminal behavior—mediate the relationship between child maltreatment and outcomes in middle adulthood among a sample of court-documented victims of child abuse/neglect and matched controls (N = 1,196; 51.7% female; 66.2% White, 32.6% Black). Adult outcomes included employment status, welfare receipt, internalizing symptoms of anxiety and depressive symptoms, substance use problems, and criminal arrests. The results indicated gender differences in these relationships. For females, age of onset of sexual intercourse mediated the relationship between child abuse/neglect and both internalizing symptoms and substance use problems in middle adulthood. For males, age at first criminal arrest mediated the relationship between child abuse/neglect and extensive involvement in the justice system in middle adulthood. Age of onset of alcohol use and drug use did not mediate the relationship between child abuse/neglect and middle adult outcomes. This study expands current knowledge by identifying associations between early initiation of risk behavior in one domain and later, continuing problems in different domains. Thus, early initiation of specific risk behaviors may have more wide-ranging negative consequences than are typically considered during intervention or treatment and strategies may need to target multiple domains of functioning. PMID:25104419

The Role of Motivation in Family-Based Guided Self-Help Treatment for Pediatric Obesity

PubMed Central

Norman, Gregory J.; Crow, Scott J.; Rock, Cheryl L.; Boutelle, Kerri N.

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Identifying factors associated with effective treatment for childhood obesity is important to improving weight loss outcomes. The current study investigated whether child or parent motivation throughout the course of treatment predicted reductions in BMI. Methods: Fifty 8- to 12-year-old children with overweight and obesity (BMI percentiles 85–98%) and their parents participated in a guided self-help weight loss program, which included 12 brief sessions across 5 months. Parents and interventionists reported on child and parent motivation level at each session. Multilevel slopes-as-outcome models were used to examine growth trajectories for both child and parent BMI across sessions. Results: Greater interventionist-rated child motivation predicted greater reductions in child BMI; parent motivation did not. However, interventionist-rated parent motivation predicted greater reductions in parent BMI, and its impact on BMI became more pronounced over the course of treatment, such that sustained motivation was more important than initial motivation. Children who were older, Latino, or who had lower initial BMIs had slower reductions in BMI. Conclusions: This study suggests that motivation may be an important predictor of reduced BMI in child obesity treatment, with sustained motivation being more important than initial motivation. In particular, interventionist-rated, but not parent-rated, motivation is a robust predictor of child and parent BMI outcomes. Future research may evaluate whether motivational interventions can enhance outcome, with particular attention to improving outcomes for Latino children. PMID:25181608

The Adolescent Mentalization-based Integrative Treatment (AMBIT) approach to outcome evaluation and manualization: adopting a learning organization approach.

PubMed

Fuggle, Peter; Bevington, Dickon; Cracknell, Liz; Hanley, James; Hare, Suzanne; Lincoln, John; Richardson, Garry; Stevens, Nina; Tovey, Heather; Zlotowitz, Sally

2015-07-01

AMBIT (Adolescent Mentalization-Based Integrative Treatment) is a developing team approach to working with hard-to-reach adolescents. The approach applies the principle of mentalization to relationships with clients, team relationships and working across agencies. It places a high priority on the need for locally developed evidence-based practice, and proposes that outcome evaluation needs to be explicitly linked with processes of team learning using a learning organization framework. A number of innovative methods of team learning are incorporated into the AMBIT approach, particularly a system of web-based wiki-formatted AMBIT manuals individualized for each participating team. The paper describes early development work of the model and illustrates ways of establishing explicit links between outcome evaluation, team learning and manualization by describing these methods as applied to two AMBIT-trained teams; one team working with young people on the edge of care (AMASS - the Adolescent Multi-Agency Support Service) and another working with substance use (CASUS - Child and Adolescent Substance Use Service in Cambridgeshire). Measurement of the primary outcomes for each team (which were generally very positive) facilitated team learning and adaptations of methods of practice that were consolidated through manualization. © The Author(s) 2014.

Child functional characteristics explain child and family outcomes better than diagnosis: Population-based study of children with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders/disabilities.

PubMed

Miller, Anton; Shen, Jane; Mâsse, Louise C

2016-06-15

Allocation of resources for services and supports for children with neurodevelopmental disorders/disabilities (NDD/D) is often based on the presence of specific health conditions. This study investigated the relative roles of a child's diagnosed health condition and neurodevelopmental and related functional characteristics in explaining child and family health and well-being. The data on children with NDD/D (ages 5 to 14; weighted n = 120,700) are from the 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS), a population-based Canadian survey of parents of children with functional limitations/disabilities. Direct and indirect effects of child diagnosis status-autism spectrum disorder (ASD)/not ASD-and functional characteristics (particularly, ASD-related impairments in speech, cognition, and emotion and behaviour) on child participation and family health and well-being were investigated in a series of structural equation models, while controlling for covariates. All models adequately fitted the data. Child ASD diagnosis was significantly associated with child participation and family health and well-being. When ASD-related child functional characteristics were added to the model, all direct effects from child diagnosis on child and family outcomes disappeared; the effect of child diagnosis on child and family outcomes was fully mediated via ASD-related child functional characteristics. Children's neurodevelopmental functional characteristics are integral to understanding the child and family health-related impact of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD. These findings have implications for the relative weighting given to functional versus diagnosis-specific factors in considering needs for services and supports.

The Impact of Disclosure on Health and Related Outcomes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Children: A Literature Review

PubMed Central

Odiachi, Angela

2017-01-01

This review explores the association between pediatric human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disclosure and health and related outcomes among children living with HIV. A multi-stage process was used to search for relevant articles on the ISI Web of Knowledge database. Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Five major outcomes emerged from children’s knowledge of their HIV-seropositive status: physical/physiological outcomes; adherence to antiretroviral therapy; psychosocial outcomes; sexual and reproductive health, including HIV prevention outcomes; and disclosure of status by the children. Disclosure of a child’s HIV status to the child has value in terms of positive health outcomes for the child, such as better adherence and slower disease progression—albeit the different studies did not always reach the same conclusions, and some suggest negative health outcomes, such as increased psychiatric hospitalization. Yet, there does not seem to be a systematic or coherent system for child disclosure. One recommendation from this review, therefore, is for government and program policies and guidelines that will promote child HIV disclosure in order to address the current low rates of disclosure in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). More rigorous and longitudinal studies on the outcomes of disclosure, with larger sample sizes, and in SSA, are also needed. PMID:28913332

Discrepancies in Autonomy and Relatedness Promoting Behaviors of Substance Using Mothers and Their Children: The Effects of a Family Systems Intervention.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Slesnick, Natasha

2017-03-01

Parents' and children's autonomy and relatedness behaviors are associated with a wide range of child outcomes. Yet, little is known about how parents and children's autonomy and relatedness behaviors jointly influence child outcomes. The current study captured this joint influence by exploring the longitudinal trajectory of mother-child discrepancies in autonomy and relatedness behaviors and its association with child problem behaviors. The effects of a family systems intervention on the trajectory of mother-child discrepancies were also examined. The sample included 183 substance using mothers and their children (M age = 11.54 years, SD = 2.55, range 8-16; 48 % females). Both the mother and child completed an assessment at baseline, 6- and 18-month post-baseline. A person-centered analysis identified subgroups varying in mother-child discrepancy patterns in their autonomy and relatedness behaviors. The results also showed that participation in the family systems therapy was associated with decreased mother-child discrepancies, and also a synchronous increase in mother's and child's autonomy and relatedness. Additionally, increased mother-child discrepancies and mother-child dyads showing no change in autonomy and relatedness was associated with higher levels of children's problem behaviors. The findings reveal a dynamic process of mother-child discrepancies in autonomy and relatedness behaviors related to child outcomes. The findings also support the effectiveness of the family systems therapy, and highlight the importance of understanding the complexities in family interactions when explaining children's problem behaviors.

Progresses and challenges of utilizing traditional birth attendants in maternal and child health in Nigeria

PubMed Central

Amutah-Onukagha, Ndidiamaka; Rodriguez, Monica; Opara, Ijeoma; Gardner, Michelle; Assan, Maame Araba; Hammond, Rodney; Plata, Jesus; Pierre, Kimberly; Farag, Ehsan

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives: Despite advances in modern healthcare, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) have continued to be heavily utilized in rural communities in Nigeria. Major disparities in maternal health care in Nigeria remain present despite the goal of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal mortality by 2015. The objective of this study is to review the contribution of TBAs in the birthing process in Nigeria, and to examine barriers and opportunities for utilizing TBAs in improving maternal and child health outcomes in Nigeria. Methods: A literature review of two major electronic databases was conducted using the PRISMA framework to identify English language studies conducted between 2006 and 2016. Inclusion criteria included articles that examined the role of traditional birth attendants as a factor influencing maternal health in Nigeria. Results: The value of TBAs has not been fully examined as few studies have aimed to examine its potential role in reducing maternal mortality with proper training. Eight manuscripts that were examined highlighted the role of TBAs in maternal health including outcomes of utilizing trained versus non-trained TBAs. Conclusion and Global Health Implications: Specific areas of training for TBAs that were identified and recommended in review including: recognizing delivery complications, community support for TBA practices through policy, evaluation of TBA training programs and increasing collaboration between healthcare facilities and TBAs. Policies focused on improving access to health services and importantly, formal health education training to TBAs, are required to improve maternal health outcomes and underserved communities. PMID:29367889

A systematic review of cross-cultural comparison studies of child, parent, and health professional outcomes associated with pediatric medical procedures.

PubMed

Kristjánsdóttir, Olöf; Unruh, Anita M; McAlpine, Linda; McGrath, Patrick J

2012-03-01

The purpose of this review was to evaluate systematically all published and unpublished research concerning culture and medical procedural pain in children. Databases, reference lists, and electronic list servers were searched as data sources. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (80%) were conducted solely in the United States comparing Caucasian American groups to other local subculture(s) (ie, African American, Hispanic, or Japanese). The studies compared, cross culturally, pediatric pain-related outcomes in children, parents and/or health professionals. The medical procedural experiences included surgery, immunization, spinal tap, bone marrow aspiration, needle procedures, orthopedic, and wound-related injuries. The evidence published to date suggests that cultural factors may be associated with children's pain experiences when elicited by medical procedural pain, specifically children's pain behavior. Nevertheless, research using more sophisticated research methods is needed to develop culturally sensitive behavioral pain measures. Measures that include physiological pain parameters in addition to other behavioral outcomes may be helpful. Culturally comparative research would benefit from the use of theoretical frameworks to advance our understanding of the cultural underpinnings of child pain development and guide future research. The current evidence supports that children and parents belonging to cultural minority groups, and in need of health care, are a vulnerable population. Together, researchers and clinicians are encouraged to explore this understudied area, and take advantage of sophisticated methods developed by disciplines like cross-cultural psychology. Copyright © 2012 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of marital conflict on children: recent advances and emerging themes in process-oriented research.

PubMed

Cummings, E Mark; Davies, Patrick T

2002-01-01

The effects of marital conflict on children's adjustment are well documented. For the past decade research has increasingly focused on advancing a process-level understanding of these effects, that is, accounting for the particular responses and patterns embedded within specific contexts, histories, and developmental periods that account for children's outcomes over time. As a vehicle for presenting an update, this review follows the framework for process-oriented research initially proposed by Cummings and Cummings (1988), concentrating on recent research developments, and also considering new and emerging themes in this area of research. In this regard, areas of advancement include (a) greater articulation of the effects of specific context/stimulus characteristics of marital conflict, (b) progress in identifying the psychological response processes in children (e.g., cognitive, emotional, social, physiological) that are affected and their possible role in accounting for relations between marital conflict and child outcomes, (c) greater understanding of the role of child characteristics, family history, and other contextual factors, including effects on children due to interrelations between marital conflict and parenting, and (d) advances in the conceptualization of children's outcomes, including that effects may be more productively viewed as dynamic processes of functioning rather than simply clinical diagnoses. Understanding of the impact of marital conflict on children as a function of time-related processes remains a gap in a process-oriented conceptualization of effects. Based on this review, a revised model for a process-oriented approach on the effects of marital discord on children is proposed and suggestions are made for future research directions.

Child Outcomes and Family Characteristics 1 Year After Severe Inflicted or Noninflicted Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Keenan, Heather T.; Runyan, Desmond K.; Nocera, Maryalice

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE To assess outcomes 1 year after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) among young children and to compare outcomes between children with inflicted versus noninflicted injuries. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. METHODS All North Carolina-resident children who were hospitalized between January 2000 and December 2001 in any of the state’s 9 PICUs and who survived a severe TBI that occurred on or before their second birthday were eligible to participate. Child health status, child use of ancillary medical resources, and family characteristics were determined through maternal caregiver interviews ~1 year after injury. Comparisons were made between family characteristics and child outcomes according to injury type. RESULTS Seventy-two interviews of maternal caregivers were completed among 112 survivors (64.3%). Children with inflicted injuries (n = 41) had worse outcomes than did children with noninflicted injuries (n = 31), as measured with the Pediatric Outcome Performance Category and Stein-Jessup Functional Status II (Revised) tools. However, ~50% of children with inflicted injuries had only mild deficits or better. Children with inflicted injuries had a higher use of ancillary medical resources. Families caring for the children did not differ substantively, with a large proportion of single, working, minority mothers. CONCLUSIONS Children with inflicted TBIs had worse outcomes than did children with other TBIs 1 year after injury. However, outcomes for these children were better than those reported previously. Many families caring for children after severe TBI are socially disadvantaged. Interventions to improve child outcomes may include enhanced family support. PMID:16452349

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of a Measure of Staff/Child Interaction Quality (the Classroom Assessment Scoring System) in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings and Child Outcomes.

PubMed

Perlman, Michal; Falenchuk, Olesya; Fletcher, Brooke; McMullen, Evelyn; Beyene, Joseph; Shah, Prakesh S

2016-01-01

The quality of staff/child interactions as measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs is thought to be important for children's outcomes. The CLASS is made of three domains that assess Emotional Support, Classroom Organization and Instructional Support. It is a relatively new measure that is being used increasingly for research, quality monitoring/accountability and other applied purposes. Our objective was to evaluate the association between the CLASS and child outcomes. Searches of Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, websites of large datasets and reference sections of all retrieved articles were conducted up to July 3, 2015. Studies that measured association between the CLASS and child outcomes for preschool-aged children who attended ECEC programs were included after screening by two independent reviewers. Searches and data extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers. Thirty-five studies were systematically reviewed of which 19 provided data for meta-analyses. Most studies had moderate to high risk of bias. Of the 14 meta-analyses we conducted, associations between Classroom Organization and Pencil Tapping and between Instructional Support and SSRS Social Skills were significant with pooled correlations of .06 and .09 respectively. All associations were in the expected direction. In the systematic review, significant correlations were reported mainly from one large dataset. Substantial heterogeneity in use of the CLASS, its dimensions, child outcomes and statistical measures was identified. Greater consistency in study methodology is urgently needed. Given the multitude of factors that impact child development it is encouraging that our analyses revealed some, although small, associations between the CLASS and children's outcomes.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of a Measure of Staff/Child Interaction Quality (the Classroom Assessment Scoring System) in Early Childhood Education and Care Settings and Child Outcomes

PubMed Central

Perlman, Michal; Falenchuk, Olesya; Fletcher, Brooke; McMullen, Evelyn; Beyene, Joseph; Shah, Prakesh S.

2016-01-01

The quality of staff/child interactions as measured by the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs is thought to be important for children’s outcomes. The CLASS is made of three domains that assess Emotional Support, Classroom Organization and Instructional Support. It is a relatively new measure that is being used increasingly for research, quality monitoring/accountability and other applied purposes. Our objective was to evaluate the association between the CLASS and child outcomes. Searches of Medline, PsycINFO, ERIC, websites of large datasets and reference sections of all retrieved articles were conducted up to July 3, 2015. Studies that measured association between the CLASS and child outcomes for preschool-aged children who attended ECEC programs were included after screening by two independent reviewers. Searches and data extraction were conducted by two independent reviewers. Thirty-five studies were systematically reviewed of which 19 provided data for meta-analyses. Most studies had moderate to high risk of bias. Of the 14 meta-analyses we conducted, associations between Classroom Organization and Pencil Tapping and between Instructional Support and SSRS Social Skills were significant with pooled correlations of .06 and .09 respectively. All associations were in the expected direction. In the systematic review, significant correlations were reported mainly from one large dataset. Substantial heterogeneity in use of the CLASS, its dimensions, child outcomes and statistical measures was identified. Greater consistency in study methodology is urgently needed. Given the multitude of factors that impact child development it is encouraging that our analyses revealed some, although small, associations between the CLASS and children’s outcomes. PMID:28036333

"If it's issues to do with nutrition…I can decide…": gendered decision-making in joining community-based child nutrition interventions within rural coastal Kenya.

PubMed

Muraya, Kelly W; Jones, Caroline; Berkley, James A; Molyneux, Sassy

2017-12-01

Gender roles and relations play an important role in child health and nutritional status. While there is increasing recognition of the need to incorporate gender analysis in health planning and programme development, there has been relatively little attention paid to the gendered nature of child nutrition interventions. This qualitative study undertaken in rural Coastal Kenya aimed to explore the interaction between household gender relations and a community-based child nutrition programme, with a focus on household decision-making dynamics related to joining the intervention. Fifteen households whose children were enrolled in the programme were followed up over a period of 12 months. Over a total of 60 household visits, group and individual in-depth interviews were conducted with a range of respondents, supplemented by non-participant observations. Data were analysed using a framework analysis approach. Engagement with the intervention was highly gendered with women being the primary decision-makers and engagers. Women were responsible for managing child feeding and minor child illnesses in households. As such, involvement in community-based nutrition interventions and particularly one that targeted a condition perceived as non-serious, fell within women's domain. Despite this, the nutrition programme of interest could be categorized as gender-blind. Gender was not explicitly considered in the design and implementation of the intervention, and the gender roles and norms in the community with regards to child nutrition were not critically examined or challenged. In fact, the intervention might have inadvertently reinforced existing gender divisions and practices in relation to child nutrition, by (unintentionally) excluding men from the nutrition discussions and activities, and thereby supporting the notion of child feeding and nutrition as "women's business". To improve outcomes, community-based nutrition interventions need to understand and take into account gendered household dynamics, and incorporate strategies that promote behaviour change and attitude shifts in relation to gendered norms and child nutrition. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Is child labor harmful? The impact of working earlier in life on adult earnings.

PubMed

Emerson, Patrick M; Souza, André Portela

2011-01-01

This paper explores the question: is working as a child harmful to an individual in terms of adult outcomes in earnings? Although this is an extremely important question, little is known about the effect of child labor on adult outcomes. Estimations of an instrumental variables earnings model on data from Brazil show that child labor has a large negative impact on adult earnings for male children even when controlling for schooling and that the negative impact of starting to work as a child reverses at around ages 12–14.

Child maltreatment and children's developmental trajectories in early to middle childhood.

PubMed

Font, Sarah A; Berger, Lawrence M

2015-01-01

Associations between experiencing child maltreatment and adverse developmental outcomes are widely studied, yet conclusions regarding the extent to which effects are bidirectional, and whether they are likely causal, remain elusive. This study uses the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort of 4,898 children followed from birth through age 9. Hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling are employed to estimate associations of maltreatment with cognitive and social-emotional well-being. Results suggest that effects of early childhood maltreatment emerge immediately, though developmental outcomes are also affected by newly occurring maltreatment over time. Additionally, findings indicate that children's early developmental scores predict their subsequent probability of experiencing maltreatment, though to a lesser extent than early maltreatment predicts subsequent developmental outcomes. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Direct and Indirect Psychosocial Outcomes for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their Parents Following a Parent-involved Social Skills Group Intervention.

PubMed

Weiss, Jonathan A; Viecili, Michelle A; Sloman, Leon; Lunsky, Yona

2013-11-01

This study examined the direct and indirect outcomes of a social skills group intervention for children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders and their parents. Thirty-five children and their parents participated in the program evaluation. Children and parents completed measures of child social skills and problem behaviors. Children reported on their self-concept, and parents reported on their psychological acceptance and empowerment. Results indicate significant increases in overall child social skills according to parent and child report, in child general self-worth, and in parent service empowerment and psychological acceptance. While past program evaluations of social skills groups highlight changes in social competence, taking a broader perspective on the types of positive outcomes suggests potential benefits for both child and parent.

From Policy to Practice: The Implementation and Negotiation of Technologies in Everyday Child Welfare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peckover, Sue; Hall, Christopher; White, Sue

2009-01-01

A central element of the Every Child Matters reforms in England are measures which aim at improving information sharing. Amongst these are the children's database and the Common Assessment Framework, both representing technological solutions to long-standing concerns about information sharing in child welfare. This article reports some findings…

Every Child Mattered in England: But What Matters to Children?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meehan, Catherine

2016-01-01

"Every Child Matters" under New Labour provided a framework for services for young children's care and education. It was pushed aside by the Conservative-led coalition and replaced by "More Great Childcare". The UK as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, therefore has obligations for…

VIEW OF LOCATION OF CHILDS POWER PLANT (SHOWING POWERHOUSE AND ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF LOCATION OF CHILDS POWER PLANT (SHOWING POWERHOUSE AND TRANSFORMER FRAMEWORK AT LEFT, BELOW POWER LINES AND THE MAINTENANCE AND RESIDENTIAL COMPOUND UPSTREAM TO RIGHT) ALONG VERDE RIVER FROM FS ROAD #502. LOOKING UPSTREAM (WEST-SOUTHWEST) - Childs-Irving Hydroelectric Project, Forest Service Road 708/502, Camp Verde, Yavapai County, AZ

Fostering Family-Centered Practices through a Family-Created Portfolio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregg, Katy; Rugg, Mary; Souto-Manning, Mariana

2011-01-01

When a child has disabilities, families and professionals must communicate their concerns and goals for the child. Often these concerns are expressed as weaknesses within a deficits-based framework. The use of a strengths-based, family-created portfolio is a communication strategy for reconceptualizing a child from the family's perspective in…

Practitioner review: maternal mood in pregnancy and child development--implications for child psychology and psychiatry.

PubMed

O'Connor, Thomas G; Monk, Catherine; Fitelson, Elizabeth M

2014-01-01

The empirical base suggesting a link between prenatal maternal anxiety, stress or depression and cognitive, behavioral, and biological outcomes in the infant and child has increased dramatically in the past 10 years. In this review, we consider the relevance of prenatal maternal mood for child mental health practitioners; the empirical base for a likely causal impact of the link between prenatal anxiety, depression, or stress and child outcomes; the degree to which the available evidence is sufficient for informing or altering clinical practice; and the possible role of prenatal interventions for promoting child health and development. A selective review of PubMed, Cochrane Library and other sources was undertaken. Clinically significant links between maternal prenatal distress and child behavioral and cognitive outcomes have been reported; predictions to stress physiology, immunology, and neurodevelopment have been reported but the effect sizes and clinical significance is less clear. Several candidate mechanisms have been proposed, with some supporting evidence. Many behavioral treatments for prenatal maternal distress exist, but their application to promoting child health is largely unknown. Research on maternal prenatal distress is a good example of translational research and offers a strong paradigm for promoting interdisciplinary clinical research on child health and development. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2013 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Parental Problem Drinking, Marital Aggression, and Child Emotional Insecurity: A Longitudinal Investigation*

PubMed Central

Keller, Peggy S.; Gilbert, Lauren R.; Koss, Kalsea J.; Cummings, E. Mark; Davies, Patrick T.

2011-01-01

Objective: Marital aggression plays an important role in relations between parental problem drinking and child maladjustment. The purpose of the current study was to apply emotional security theory as a framework for understanding the role of marital aggression. Method: A community sample of 235 children in kindergarten participated once a year for 3 years. Parents completed measures of parental problem drinking and marital aggression, and children were interviewed about their emotional security reactions to marital conflict vignettes. Results: Greater parental problem drinking was directly associated with children's more negative emotional reactions to conflict. Maternal problem drinking predicted increased sad reactions and negative expectations for the future. Paternal problem drinking predicted increases in child anger reactions and negative expectations for the future. Parental problem drinking was also indirectly associated with child reactions via marital aggression. Conclusions: Results confirmed hypotheses that parental problem drinking would be related to child emotional insecurity and that associations would be indirect via greater marital conflict. Findings are interpreted in terms of emotional security theory as a framework for understanding the effects of parental problem drinking on marital aggression and child development. PMID:21906498

Parental problem drinking, marital aggression, and child emotional insecurity: a longitudinal investigation.

PubMed

Keller, Peggy S; Gilbert, Lauren R; Koss, Kalsea J; Cummings, E Mark; Davies, Patrick T

2011-09-01

Marital aggression plays an important role in relations between parental problem drinking and child maladjustment. The purpose of the current study was to apply emotional security theory as a framework for understanding the role of marital aggression. A community sample of 235 children in kindergarten participated once a year for 3 years. Parents completed measures of parental problem drinking and marital aggression, and children were interviewed about their emotional security reactions to marital conflict vignettes. Greater parental problem drinking was directly associated with children's more negative emotional reactions to conflict. Maternal problem drinking predicted increased sad reactions and negative expectations for the future. Paternal problem drinking predicted increases in child anger reactions and negative expectations for the future. Parental problem drinking was also indirectly associated with child reactions via marital aggression. Results confirmed hypotheses that parental problem drinking would be related to child emotional insecurity and that associations would be indirect via greater marital conflict. Findings are interpreted in terms of emotional security theory as a framework for understanding the effects of parental problem drinking on marital aggression and child development.

Outcome Domains in Child Mental Health Research Since 1996: Have They Changed and Why Does It Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoagwood, Kimberly Eaton; Jensen, Peter S.; Acri, Mary C.; Olin, S. Serene; Lewandowski, R. Eric; Herman, Rachel J.

2012-01-01

Objective: Child mental health treatment and services research yields more immediate public health benefit when they focus on outcomes of relevance to a broader group of stakeholders. We reviewed all experimental studies of child and adolescent treatment and service effectiveness published in the last 15 years (1996-2011) and compared the…

A cluster-randomized, controlled trial of nutritional supplementation and promotion of responsive parenting in Madagascar: the MAHAY study design and rationale.

PubMed

Fernald, Lia C H; Galasso, Emanuela; Qamruddin, Jumana; Ranaivoson, Christian; Ratsifandrihamanana, Lisy; Stewart, Christine P; Weber, Ann M

2016-06-03

Over half of the world's children suffer from poor nutrition, and as a consequence they experience delays in physical and mental health, and cognitive development. There is little data evaluating the effects of delivery of lipid-based, nutrition supplementation on growth and development during pregnancy and early childhood within the context of a scaled-up program. Furthermore, there is limited evidence on effects of scaled-up, home-visiting programs that focus on the promotion of child development within the context of an existing, national nutrition program. The MAHAY ("smart" in Malagasy) study uses a multi-arm randomized-controlled trial (RCT) to test the effects and cost-effectiveness of combined interventions to address chronic malnutrition and poor child development. The arms of the trial are: (T0) existing program with monthly growth monitoring and nutritional/hygiene education; (T1) is T0 + home visits for intensive nutrition counseling within a behavior change framework; (T2) is T1 + lipid-based supplementation (LNS) for children 6-18 months old; (T3) is T2 + LNS supplementation of pregnant/lactating women; and (T4) is T1 + intensive home visiting program to support child development. There are anticipated to be n = 25 communities in each arm (n = 1250 pregnant women, n = 1250 children 0-6 months old, and n = 1250 children 6-18 months old). Primary outcomes include growth (length/height-for-age z-scores) and child development (mental, motor and social development). Secondary outcomes include care-giver reported child morbidity, household food security and diet diversity, micro-nutrient status, maternal knowledge of child care and feeding practices, and home stimulation practices. We will estimate unadjusted and adjusted intention-to-treat effects. Study protocols have been reviewed and approved by the Malagasy Ethics Committee at the Ministry of Health in Madagascar and by the institutional review board at the University of California, Davis. This study is funded by the Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund (SIEF), the World Bank Innovation Grant, the Early Learning Partnership Grant, the Japan Scaling-up for Nutrition Trustfund, and Grand Challenges Canada. The implementation of the study is financed by Madagascar's National Nutrition Office. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN14393738 . Registered June 23, 2015.

Where Lies the Risk? An Ecological Approach to Understanding Child Mental Health Risk and Vulnerabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Atilola, Olayinka

2014-01-01

Efforts at improving child-health and development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa had focused on the physical health of children due to the neglect of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policy initiatives. A thorough and broad-based understanding of the prevalent child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors is needed to successfully articulate CAMH policies. In this discourse, we present a narrative on the child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an ecological point of view, we identified widespread family poverty, poor availability and uptake of childcare resources, inadequate community and institutional childcare systems, and inadequate framework for social protection for vulnerable children as among the risk and vulnerability factors for CAMH in the region. Others are poor workplace policy/practice that does not support work-family life balance, poor legislative framework for child protection, and some harmful traditional practices. We conclude that an ecological approach shows that child mental-health risks are diverse and cut across different layers of the care environment. The approach also provides a broad and holistic template from which appropriate CAMH policy direction in sub-Saharan Africa can be understood. PMID:24834431

Where lies the risk? An ecological approach to understanding child mental health risk and vulnerabilities in sub-saharan Africa.

PubMed

Atilola, Olayinka

2014-01-01

Efforts at improving child-health and development initiatives in sub-Saharan Africa had focused on the physical health of children due to the neglect of child and adolescent mental health (CAMH) policy initiatives. A thorough and broad-based understanding of the prevalent child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors is needed to successfully articulate CAMH policies. In this discourse, we present a narrative on the child mental-health risk and vulnerability factors in sub-Saharan Africa. Through an ecological point of view, we identified widespread family poverty, poor availability and uptake of childcare resources, inadequate community and institutional childcare systems, and inadequate framework for social protection for vulnerable children as among the risk and vulnerability factors for CAMH in the region. Others are poor workplace policy/practice that does not support work-family life balance, poor legislative framework for child protection, and some harmful traditional practices. We conclude that an ecological approach shows that child mental-health risks are diverse and cut across different layers of the care environment. The approach also provides a broad and holistic template from which appropriate CAMH policy direction in sub-Saharan Africa can be understood.

Organizational Climate, Services, and Outcomes in Child Welfare Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glisson, Charles; Green, Philip

2011-01-01

Objective: This study examines the association of organizational climate, casework services, and youth outcomes in child welfare systems. Building on preliminary findings linking organizational climate to youth outcomes over a 3-year follow-up period, the current study extends the follow-up period to 7 years and tests main, moderating and…

Early years interventions to improve child health and wellbeing: what works, for whom and in what circumstances? Protocol for a realist review.

PubMed

Coles, Emma; Cheyne, Helen; Daniel, Brigid

2015-06-06

Child health and wellbeing is influenced by multiple factors, all of which can impact on early childhood development. Adverse early life experiences can have lasting effects across the life course, sustaining inequalities and resulting in negative consequences for the health and wellbeing of individuals and society. The potential to influence future outcomes via early intervention is widely accepted; there are numerous policy initiatives, programmes and interventions clustered around the early years theme, resulting in a broad and disparate evidence base. Existing reviews have addressed the effectiveness of early years interventions, yet there is a knowledge gap regarding the mechanisms underlying why interventions work in given contexts. This realist review seeks to address the question 'what works, for whom and in what circumstances?' in terms of early years interventions to improve child health and wellbeing. The review will be conducted following Pawson's five-stage iterative realist methodology: (1) clarify scope, (2) search for evidence, (3) appraise primary studies and extract data, (4) synthesise evidence and draw conclusions and (5) disseminate findings. The reviewers will work with stakeholders in the early stages to refine the focus of the review, create a review framework and build programme theory. Searches for primary evidence will be conducted iteratively. Data will be extracted and tested against the programme theory. A review collaboration group will oversee the review process. The review will demonstrate how early years interventions do or do not work in different contexts and with what outcomes and effects. Review findings will be written up following the RAMESES guidelines and will be disseminated via a report, presentations and peer-reviewed publications. PROSPERO CRD42015017832.

Family quality of life of Chinese families of children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Hu, X; Wang, M; Fei, X

2012-01-01

The concepts of quality of life and family quality of life (FQOL) are increasingly being studied in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID) in China as important frameworks for: (1) assessing families' need for supports and services; (2) guiding organisational and service delivery system changes; and (3) evaluating quality family outcomes. The present study focused on exploring the perceptions of Chinese families who have a child with an ID regarding FQOL as well as examining the factor structure of FQOL concept from Chinese families. The Chinese version of the Family Quality of Life Scale was used to survey Chinese families living in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing who have a child with ID. A total of 442 families participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the factor structure of FQOL. Multivariate analysis was also used to examine group differences among families in terms of family demographic variables. A five-factor structure of the FQOL construct was found in the Chinese sample, suggesting a similar factor structure found from US families in the literature. Different living conditions (e.g. housing and transportation) tended to affect significantly families' satisfaction ratings of their FQOL. It is also found that family income and severity of disability of the child are predictors of families' satisfaction ratings of FQOL. The preliminary findings of this study suggest a cross-cultural factor structure comparability of FQOL between samples in the USA and China. Results call for further examination of the family-centred service and support as a mediator on the interactive relationship between family characteristics, family needs and FQOL outcomes. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Parenting behavior at 2 years predicts school-age performance at 7 years in very preterm children.

PubMed

Treyvaud, Karli; Doyle, Lex W; Lee, Katherine J; Ure, Alexandra; Inder, Terrie E; Hunt, Rod W; Anderson, Peter J

2016-07-01

Parenting influences child development, but it is unclear whether early parenting behavior can influence school-age outcomes in very preterm (VPT) children, and/or if certain groups of VPT children may be more affected by early parenting behavior. These research questions were examined. Participants were 147 children born <30 weeks' gestation or birth weight <1250 g and their primary caregiver. At term corrected age (CA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to determine presence and severity of brain abnormality and medical data collected. High medical risk was defined as the presence of at least one of sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, moderate to severe white matter abnormality on MRI, or postnatal corticosteroids. At 2 years CA, parent-child interaction was assessed, and at 7 years CA, general intelligence (IQ), language, executive function, academic skills, and social-emotional functioning were assessed. Higher levels of parent-child synchrony, and parent facilitation, sensitivity and positive affect at 2 years were associated with better child outcomes at 7 years, while higher levels of intrusiveness and negative affect were associated with poorer outcomes. Many of these relationships remained after controlling for early child cognitive development. Interactions between child medical risk (higher/lower) and parenting were limited to child reading, math, and executive functioning outcomes, with stronger relationships for lower medical risk children. The contribution of early parenting to VPT children's school-age performance is significant, with stronger effects for lower medical risk children in some outcomes. These findings support the premise that parenting strategies should be included in the NICU and early interventions programs for VPT infants. © 2015 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Does parental sexual orientation matter? A longitudinal follow-up of adoptive families with school-age children.

PubMed

Farr, Rachel H

2017-02-01

Controversy continues to surround parenting by lesbian and gay (LG) adults and outcomes for their children. As sexual minority parents increasingly adopt children, longitudinal research about child development, parenting, and family relationships is crucial for informing such debates. In the psychological literature, family systems theory contends that children's healthy development depends upon healthy family functioning more so than family structure. From the framework of family stress theory, it was expected that longitudinal outcomes for school-age children adopted in infancy could be distinct among those with same-sex versus other-sex parents (N = 96 families). Similar findings were hypothesized in terms of parent adjustment, couple relationships, and family functioning in comparing same-sex and other-sex parent families. Results indicated that adjustment among children, parents, and couples, as well as family functioning, were not different on the basis of parental sexual orientation (lesbian, gay, or heterosexual) when children were school-age. Rather, children's behavior problems and family functioning during middle childhood were predicted by earlier child adjustment issues and parenting stress. These findings are consistent with and extend previous literature about families headed by LG parents, particularly those that have adopted children. The results have implications for advancing supportive policies, practices, and laws related to adoption and parenting by sexual minority adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Connections Project: a relational approach to engaging birth parents in visitation.

PubMed

Gerring, Charyl E; Kemp, Susan P; Marcenko, Maureen O

2008-01-01

This paper presents a practical framework for relational practice with birth families, organized around parental visitation. The approach was developed in the Birth Family-Foster Family Connections Project, a three-year collaborative research demonstration project between a large private agency and the Washington State Department of Child and Family Services. The overall goal of the Connections Project, which served young children from infancy to age 6, was to create supportive connections among birth families, foster families, children, and the child welfare system. Although engaging parents in child welfare services is a challenging task for social workers, the Connections Project resulted in strong parent-worker relationships, very high participation in weekly visitation by birth parents, and quite extensive contact between birth and foster families. The paper describes relational strategies used by Connections social workers before and during visits, with the goal of providing child welfare social workers with a practical and effective framework for engaging parents through this core child welfare service.

Specific Features of After-School Program Quality: Associations with Children’s Functioning in Middle Childhood

PubMed Central

Bolt, Daniel M.; Vandell, Deborah Lowe

2010-01-01

This longitudinal study examined associations between three after-school program quality features (positive staff–child relations, available activities, programming flexibility) and child developmental outcomes (reading and math grades, work habits, and social skills with peers) in Grade 2 and then Grade 3. Participants (n = 120 in Grade 2, n = 91 in Grade 3) attended after-school programs more than 4 days per week, on average. Controlling for child and family background factors and children’s prior functioning on the developmental outcomes, positive staff–child relations in the programs were positively associated with children’s reading grades in both Grades 2 and 3, and math grades in Grade 2. Positive staff–child relations also were positively associated with social skills in Grade 2, for boys only. The availability of a diverse array of age-appropriate activities at the programs was positively associated with children’s math grades and classroom work habits in Grade 3. Programming flexibility (child choice of activities) was not associated with child outcomes. PMID:20336364

Social disorganization and the profile of child welfare: Explaining child welfare activity by the community-level factors.

PubMed

Harrikari, Timo

2014-10-01

This article addresses the question of the structure of local child welfare activities in light of community-level factors. It poses the following research questions: how are different community-level factors related to child welfare client structures in communities and what is the extent to which these factors explain structural differences? The applied theoretical framework is based on social disorganization and strain theories as well as human developmental approach. The data has been collected from two Finnish national databases and it consists of variables containing 257 Finnish municipalities. The method of analysis is multinomial logistic regression. The results suggest that the local child welfare structures are tied to social disorganization, policing and culture as well as to the intensity of control in the communities. In general, the more fragile the communal structures, the more last-resort child welfare there is in the community. Combining fragile communal structures with weak dependency ratio and high proportion of social workers, the more intense the level of child welfare statistics indicated. The results indicate that the theoretical framework for the application of child welfare activity analysis is justified, but they also suggest that it requires further development through both context-bound reflection and application. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toward a more comprehensive analysis of the role of organizational culture in child sexual abuse in institutional contexts.

PubMed

Palmer, Donald; Feldman, Valerie

2017-12-01

This article draws on a report prepared for the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Palmer et al., 2016) to develop a more comprehensive analysis of the role that organizational culture plays in child sexual abuse in institutional contexts, where institutional contexts are taken to be formal organizations that include children among their members (referred to here as "youth-serving organizations"). We begin by integrating five strains of theory and research on organizational culture from organizational sociology and management theory into a unified framework for analysis. We then elaborate the main paths through which organizational culture can influence child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations. We then use our unified analytic framework and our understanding of the main paths through which organizational culture can influence child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations to analyze the role that organizational culture plays in the perpetration, detection, and response to child sexual abuse in youth-serving organizations. We selectively illustrate our analysis with case materials compiled by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and reports of child sexual abuse published in a variety of other sources. We conclude with a brief discussion of the policy implications of our analysis. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Culture and context in understanding child maltreatment: Contributions of intersectionality and neighborhood-based research.

PubMed

Nadan, Yochay; Spilsbury, James C; Korbin, Jill E

2015-03-01

In the early 1990s, the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect commissioned a series of reviews that appeared as the edited volume, Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect (Melton & Barry, 1994). Using the 1994 review "Sociocultural Factors in Child Maltreatment" (Korbin, 1994) as a background, this article reconsiders culture and context in child maltreatment work. Since 1994, conditions promoting research and practice attention in this area include immigration-driven global increases in diverse, multicultural societies where different beliefs and practices meet (and clash); expanding purview of the human rights discourse to children; and the disproportionate and disparate representation of cultural, ethnic, and racial groups in child-welfare systems. Although research on child maltreatment has advanced in many ways over 20 years, the complexity of child maltreatment leaves many critical questions demanding further attention, culture and context among them. To help address these questions, we propose two approaches for future maltreatment research: intersectionality - the simultaneous examination of multiple identities (such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status) - as a framework for understanding the complexity of cultural factors; and neighborhood-based research as a means for understanding the context of child maltreatment from the perspective of an ecological framework. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Societal interventions to prevent child abuse and neglect.

PubMed

Hay, T; Jones, L

1994-01-01

A framework for understanding child maltreatment in terms of complex and interacting factors from the individual to the societal level can aid in conceptualizing and implementing prevention efforts. Research on interventions at the societal level can guide a broad range of activities, increasing their effectiveness and viability. Fundamental approaches include evaluation of specific interventions and systems-level research on implementation and development of best practice in prevention activities for different portions of society. Research can indicate the roles that each individual, agency, organization, community, and level of government can play. The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a useful framework for societal level change to improve the welfare of children and families.

Factors associated with multidisciplinary case conference outcomes in children admitted to a regional hospital in Hong Kong with suspected child abuse: a retrospective case series with internal comparison.

PubMed

Lo, W C; Fung, G Pg; Cheung, P Ch

2017-10-01

In all cases of suspected child abuse, accurate risk assessment is vital to guide further management. This study examined the relationship between risk factors in a risk assessment matrix and child abuse case conference outcomes. Records of all children hospitalised at United Christian Hospital in Hong Kong for suspected child abuse from January 2012 to December 2014 were reviewed. Outcomes of the hospital abuse work-up as concluded in the Multi-Disciplinary Case Conference were categorised as 'established', 'high risk', or 'not established'. All cases of 'established' and 'high risk' were included in the positive case conference outcome group and all cases of 'not established' formed the comparison group. On the other hand, using the Risk Assessment Matrix developed by the California State University, Fresno in 1990, each case was allotted a matrix score of low, intermediate, or high risk in each of 15 matrix domains, and an aggregate matrix score was derived. The effect of individual matrix domain on case conference outcome was analysed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to examine the relationship between case conference outcome and aggregate matrix score. In this study, 265 children suspected of being abused were included, with 198 in the positive case conference outcome group and 67 in the comparison group. Three matrix domains (severity and frequency of abuse, location of injuries, and strength of family support systems) were significantly associated with case conference outcome. An aggregate cut-off score of 23 yielded a sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 38.2% in relation to outcome of abuse categorisation. Risk assessment should be performed when handling suspected child abuse cases. A high aggregate score should arouse suspicion in all disciplines managing child abuse cases.

Health literacy and child health outcomes: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

DeWalt, Darren A; Hink, Ashley

2009-11-01

To review the relationship between parent and child literacy and child health outcomes and interventions designed to improve child health outcomes for children or parents with low literacy skills. We searched Medline and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) for articles published from 1980 through 2008 and included studies that reported original data, measured literacy and >or=1 health outcome, and assessed the relationship between literacy and health outcomes. Health outcomes included health knowledge, health behaviors, use of health care resources, intermediate markers of disease status, and measures of morbidity. Two abstractors reviewed each study for inclusion. Included studies were abstracted into evidence tables and were assessed by using an 11-item quality scale. We reviewed 4182 new titles and abstracts published since 2003. Fifty-eight articles were retained for full review, and 13 met the inclusion criteria. Eleven articles from the systematic review from 1980 to 2003 met the inclusion criteria, giving us a total of 24 articles. Children with low literacy generally had worse health behaviors. Parents with low literacy had less health knowledge and had behaviors that were less advantageous for their children's health compared with parents with higher literacy. Children whose parents had low literacy often had worse health outcomes, but we found mixed results for the relationship of literacy to the use of health care services. Interventions found that improving written materials can increase health knowledge, and combining good written materials with brief counseling can improve behaviors including adherence. The average quality of the studies was fair to good. Child and parent literacy seems associated with important health outcomes. Future research can help us understand under what circumstances this relationship is causal, how literacy and health outcomes are related in noncausal pathways, the relative importance of parent and child literacy, and what interventions effectively reduce health literacy-related disparities.

A friend request from dear old dad: associations between parent-child social networking and adolescent outcomes.

PubMed

Coyne, Sarah M; Padilla-Walker, Laura M; Day, Randal D; Harper, James; Stockdale, Laura

2014-01-01

This study examined the relationship between parent-child social networking, connection, and outcomes for adolescents. Participants (491 adolescents and their parents) completed a number of questionnaires on social networking use, feelings of connection, and behavioral outcomes. Social networking with parents was associated with increased connection between parents and adolescents. Feelings of connection then mediated the relationship between social networking with parents and behavioral outcomes, including higher prosocial behavior and lower relational aggression and internalizing behavior. Conversely, adolescent social networking use without parents was associated with negative outcomes, such as increased relational aggression, internalizing behaviors, delinquency, and decreased feelings of connection. These results indicate that although high levels of social networking use may be problematic for some individuals, social networking with parents may potentially strengthen parent-child relationships and then lead to positive outcomes for adolescents.

Child Health Partnerships: a review of program characteristics, outcomes and their relationship.

PubMed

Jayaratne, Kapila; Kelaher, Margaret; Dunt, David

2010-06-17

Novel approaches are increasingly employed to address the social determinants of health of children world-wide. Such approaches have included complex social programs involving multiple stakeholders from different sectors jointly working together (hereafter Child Health Partnerships). Previous reviews have questioned whether these programs have led to significant improvements in child health and related outcomes. We aim to provide definitive answers to this question as well as identifying the characteristics of successful partnerships. A comprehensive literature search identified 11 major Child Health Partnerships in four comparable developed countries. A critical review is focused on various aspects of these including their target groups, program mechanics and outcomes. There was evidence of success in several major areas from the formation of effective joint operations of partners in different partnership models to improvement in both child wellbeing and parenting. There is emerging evidence that Child Health Partnerships are cost-effective. Population characteristics and local contexts need to be taken into account in the introduction and implementation of these programs.

Beyond symptom control for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): what can parents do to improve outcomes?

PubMed

Tarver, J; Daley, D; Sayal, K

2015-01-01

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its associated behavioural manifestations develop and progress as the result of complex gene-environment interactions. Parents exert a substantial influence and play a major role in their child's social environment. Despite this, recent evidence has suggested that adapting the child's environment via parenting interventions has minimal effects on child ADHD symptoms when analysing data from informants who are probably blind to treatment allocation. However, adverse parenting and family environments may act as a source of environmental risk for a number of child outcomes beyond ADHD symptoms. This is a narrative review that critically discusses whether parenting interventions are beneficial for alternative functioning outcomes in ADHD including neuropsychological, academic and social functioning and disruptive behaviour and how parenting and familial environments may be associated with these outcomes. In addition, the review explores how parental depression and parenting efficacy impact on capacity for optimal parenting and whether parenting interventions benefit parents too. A review of the evidence suggests that with modification, parenting interventions are beneficial for a number of outcomes other than ADHD symptom reduction. Improving the parent-child relationship may have indirect benefits for disruptive behaviour. Furthermore, parenting behaviours may directly benefit child neuropsychological, academic and social functioning. Parenting interventions can have therapeutic benefits for parents as well as children, which is important as parent and child well-being is likely to have a transactional relationship. Evaluation of the clinical success of parenting interventions should focus on a wider range of outcomes in order to aid understanding of the multifaceted benefits that they may be able to offer. Parenting interventions should not be seen as a redundant adjunct to medication in multi-modal treatment approaches for ADHD; they have the potential to target outcomes that, at present, medication seems less able to improve. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Depression and suicide ideation in late adolescence and early adulthood are an outcome of child hunger.

PubMed

McIntyre, Lynn; Williams, Jeanne V A; Lavorato, Dina H; Patten, Scott

2013-08-15

Child hunger represents an adverse experience that could contribute to mental health problems in later life. The objectives of this study were to: (1) examine the long-term effects of the reported experience of child hunger on late adolescence and young adult mental health outcomes; and (2) model the independent contribution of the child hunger experience to these long-term mental health outcomes in consideration of other experiences of child disadvantage. Using logistic regression, we analyzed data from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth covering 1994 through 2008/2009, with data on hunger and other exposures drawn from NLSCY Cycle 1 (1994) through Cycle 7 (2006/2007) and mental health data drawn from Cycle 8 (2008/2009). Our main mental health outcome was a composite measure of depression and suicidal ideation. The prevalence of child hunger was 5.7% (95% CI 5.0-6.4). Child hunger was a robust predictor of depression and suicidal ideation [crude OR=2.9 (95% CI 1.4-5.8)] even after adjustment for potential confounding variables, OR=2.3 (95% CI 1.2-4.3). A single question was used to assess child hunger, which itself is a rare extreme manifestation of food insecurity; thus, the spectrum of child food insecurity was not examined, and the rarity of hunger constrained statistical power. Child hunger appears to be a modifiable risk factor for depression and related suicide ideation in late adolescence and early adulthood, therefore prevention through the detection of such children and remedy of their circumstances may be an avenue to improve adult mental health. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive mediators of treatment outcomes in pediatric functional abdominal pain.

PubMed

Levy, Rona L; Langer, Shelby L; Romano, Joan M; Labus, Jennifer; Walker, Lynn S; Murphy, Tasha B; Tilburg, Miranda A L van; Feld, Lauren D; Christie, Dennis L; Whitehead, William E

2014-12-01

Cognitive-behavioral (CB) interventions improve outcomes for many pediatric health conditions, but little is known about which mechanisms mediate these outcomes. The goal of this study was to identify whether changes in targeted process variables from baseline to 1 week posttreatment mediate improvement in outcomes in a randomized controlled trial of a brief CB intervention for idiopathic childhood abdominal pain. Two hundred children with persistent functional abdominal pain and their parents were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 conditions: a 3-session social learning and CB treatment (N=100), or a 3-session educational intervention controlling for time and attention (N=100). Outcomes were assessed at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. The intervention focused on altering parental responses to pain and on increasing adaptive cognitions and coping strategies related to pain in both parents and children. Multiple mediation analyses were applied to examine the extent to which the effects of the social learning and CB treatment condition on child gastrointestinal (GI) symptom severity and pain as reported by children and their parents were mediated by changes in targeted cognitive process variables and parents' solicitous responses to their child's pain symptoms. Reductions in parents' perceived threat regarding their child's pain mediated reductions in both parent-reported and child-reported GI symptom severity and pain. Reductions in children's catastrophic cognitions mediated reductions in child-reported GI symptom severity but no other outcomes. Reductions in parental solicitousness did not mediate outcomes. Results suggest that reductions in reports of children's pain and GI symptoms after a social learning and CB intervention were mediated at least in part by decreasing maladaptive parent and child cognitions.

A multidimensional model of optimal participation of children with physical disabilities.

PubMed

Kang, Lin-Ju; Palisano, Robert J; King, Gillian A; Chiarello, Lisa A

2014-01-01

To present a conceptual model of optimal participation in recreational and leisure activities for children with physical disabilities. The conceptualization of the model was based on review of contemporary theories and frameworks, empirical research and the authors' practice knowledge. A case scenario is used to illustrate application to practice. The model proposes that optimal participation in recreational and leisure activities involves the dynamic interaction of multiple dimensions and determinants of participation. The three dimensions of participation are physical, social and self-engagement. Determinants of participation encompass attributes of the child, family and environment. Experiences of optimal participation are hypothesized to result in long-term benefits including better quality of life, a healthier lifestyle and emotional and psychosocial well-being. Consideration of relevant child, family and environment determinants of dimensions of optimal participation should assist children, families and health care professionals to identify meaningful goals and outcomes and guide the selection and implementation of innovative therapy approaches and methods of service delivery. Implications for Rehabilitation Optimal participation is proposed to involve the dynamic interaction of physical, social and self-engagement and attributes of the child, family and environment. The model emphasizes the importance of self-perceptions and participation experiences of children with physical disabilities. Optimal participation may have a positive influence on quality of life, a healthy lifestyle and emotional and psychosocial well-being. Knowledge of child, family, and environment determinants of physical, social and self-engagement should assist children, families and professionals in identifying meaningful goals and guiding innovative therapy approaches.

Community-based approaches to address childhood undernutrition and obesity in developing countries.

PubMed

Shetty, Prakash

2009-01-01

Community-based approaches have been the mainstay of interventions to address the problem of child malnutrition in developing societies. Many programs have been in operation in several countries for decades and originated largely as social welfare, food security and poverty eradication programs. Increasingly conceptual frameworks to guide this activity have been developed as our understanding of the complex nature of the determinants of undernutrition improves. Alongside this evolution, is the accumulation of evidence on the types of interventions in the community that are effective, practical and sustainable. The changing environment is probably determining the altering scenario of child nutrition in developing societies, with rapid developmental transition and urbanization being responsible for the emerging problems of obesity and other metabolic disorders that are largely the result of the now well-recognized linkages between child undernutrition and early onset adult chronic diseases. This dramatic change is contributing to the double burden of malnutrition in developing countries. Community interventions hence need to be integrated and joined up to reduce both aspects of malnutrition in societies. The evidence that community-based nutrition interventions can have a positive impact on pregnancy outcomes and child undernutrition needs to be evaluated to enable programs to prioritize and incorporate the interventions that work in the community. Programs that are operational and successful also need to be evaluated and disseminated in order to enable countries to generate their own programs tailored to tackling the changing nutritional problems of the children in their society. Copyright (c) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Parenting Behavior Mediates the Intergenerational Association of Parent and Child Offspring ADHD Symptoms.

PubMed

Tung, Irene; Brammer, Whitney A; Li, James J; Lee, Steve S

2015-01-01

Although there are likely to be multiple mechanisms underlying parent attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms as a key risk factor for offspring ADHD, potential explanatory factors have yet to be reliably identified. Given that parent ADHD symptoms independently predict parenting behavior and child ADHD symptoms, we tested whether individual differences in multiple dimensions of positive and negative parenting behavior (i.e., corporal punishment, inconsistent discipline, positive parenting behavior, observed negative talk, and observed praise) mediated the association between parental and offspring ADHD. We used a prospective design that featured predictors (i.e., parent ADHD symptoms) and mediators (i.e., parenting behavior) that temporally preceded the outcome (i.e., offspring ADHD symptoms). Using a well-characterized sample of 120 children with and without ADHD (ages 5-10 at Wave 1, 7-12 at Wave 2) and their biological parents, we examined multimethod (i.e., observed, self-report) measures of positive and negative parenting behavior as simultaneous mediators of the association of Wave 1 parent and Wave 2 offspring ADHD symptoms. Using a multiple mediation framework, consisting of rigorous bootstrapping procedures and controlling for parent depression, child's baseline ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder, and child's age, corporal punishment significantly and uniquely mediated the association of Wave 1 parent ADHD symptoms and Wave 2 offspring ADHD. We consider the role of parenting behavior in the intergenerational transmission of ADHD as well as implications of these findings for the intervention and prevention of childhood ADHD.

Neurobehaviour between birth and 40 weeks' gestation in infants born <30 weeks' gestation and parental psychological wellbeing: predictors of brain development and child outcomes.

PubMed

Spittle, Alicia J; Thompson, Deanne K; Brown, Nisha C; Treyvaud, Karli; Cheong, Jeanie L Y; Lee, Katherine J; Pace, Carmen C; Olsen, Joy; Allinson, Leesa G; Morgan, Angela T; Seal, Marc; Eeles, Abbey; Judd, Fiona; Doyle, Lex W; Anderson, Peter J

2014-04-24

Infants born <30 weeks' gestation are at increased risk of long term neurodevelopmental problems compared with term born peers. The predictive value of neurobehavioural examinations at term equivalent age in very preterm infants has been reported for subsequent impairment. Yet there is little knowledge surrounding earlier neurobehavioural development in preterm infants prior to term equivalent age, and how it relates to perinatal factors, cerebral structure, and later developmental outcomes. In addition, maternal psychological wellbeing has been associated with child development. Given the high rate of psychological distress reported by parents of preterm children, it is vital we understand maternal and paternal wellbeing in the early weeks and months after preterm birth and how this influences the parent-child relationship and children's outcomes. Therefore this study aims to examine how 1) early neurobehaviour and 2) parental mental health relate to developmental outcomes for infants born preterm compared with infants born at term. This prospective cohort study will describe the neurobehaviour of 150 infants born at <30 weeks' gestational age from birth to term equivalent age, and explore how early neurobehavioural deficits relate to brain growth or injury determined by magnetic resonance imaging, perinatal factors, parental mental health and later developmental outcomes measured using standardised assessment tools at term, one and two years' corrected age. A control group of 150 healthy term-born infants will also be recruited for comparison of outcomes. To examine the effects of parental mental health on developmental outcomes, both parents of preterm and term-born infants will complete standardised questionnaires related to symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress at regular intervals from the first week of their child's birth until their child's second birthday. The parent-child relationship will be assessed at one and two years' corrected age. Detailing the trajectory of infant neurobehaviour and parental psychological distress following very preterm birth is important not only to identify infants most at risk, further understand the parental experience and highlight potential times for intervention for the infant and/or parent, but also to gain insight into the effect this has on parent-child interaction and child development.

CReaTE Excellence: Using a Teacher Framework to Maximize STEM Learning with Your Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tassell, Janet; Maxwell, Margaret; Stobaugh, Rebecca

2013-01-01

Gifted children crave meaning through learning experiences, and they are naturally inquisitive. This article provides a teaching framework that parents can adapt for use with gifted children to help facilitate STEM knowledge and skills. The CReaTE Framework, adapted from an evolving lesson plan framework, can promote learning in a nontraditional,…

Defining health-related quality of life for young wheelchair users: A qualitative health economics study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Wheelchairs for children with impaired mobility provide health, developmental and psychosocial benefits, however there is limited understanding of how mobility aids affect the health-related quality of life of children with impaired mobility. Preference-based health-related quality of life outcome measures are used to calculate quality-adjusted life years; an important concept in health economics. The aim of this research was to understand how young wheelchair users and their parents define health-related quality of life in relation to mobility impairment and wheelchair use. Methods The sampling frame was children with impaired mobility (≤18 years) who use a wheelchair and their parents. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted in participants’ homes. Qualitative framework analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts. An a priori thematic coding framework was developed. Emerging codes were grouped into categories, and refined into analytical themes. The data were used to build an understanding of how children with impaired mobility define health-related quality of life in relation to mobility impairment, and to assess the applicability of two standard measures of health-related quality of life. Results Eleven children with impaired mobility and 24 parents were interviewed across 27 interviews. Participants defined mobility-related quality of life through three distinct but interrelated concepts: 1) participation and positive experiences; 2) self-worth and feeling fulfilled; 3) health and functioning. A good degree of consensus was found between child and parent responses, although there was some evidence to suggest a shift in perception of mobility-related quality of life with child age. Conclusions Young wheelchair users define health-related quality of life in a distinct way as a result of their mobility impairment and adaptation use. Generic, preference-based measures of health-related quality of life lack sensitivity in this population. Development of a mobility-related quality of life outcome measure for children is recommended. PMID:28617820

Parent Training for Children With or at Risk for Developmental Delay: The Role of Parental Homework Completion

PubMed Central

Ros, Rosmary; Hernandez, Jennifer; Graziano, Paulo A.; Bagner, Daniel M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which parental homework completion during behavioral parent training (BPT) for children with or at risk for developmental delay contributed to parenting and child outcomes. Parents of 48 children (Mage = 44.17 months, SD = 14.29; 73% male; 72% White) with developmental delay (IQ < 75) or at risk for developmental delay (due to premature birth) with co-occurring clinically elevated externalizing behavior problems received Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as part of two previously completed randomized controlled trials. Parental homework completion was measured using parental report of home practice of treatment skills collected weekly by therapists. Parents also reported on child externalizing behavior problems and levels of parenting stress, while parenting skills were observed during a 5-min child directed play and child compliance was observed during a 5-min cleanup situation. Results indicated that higher rates of parental homework completion predicted parenting outcomes (i.e., increased positive parenting skills and decreased levels of parenting stress) and child outcomes (i.e., lower levels of externalizing behavior problems). Additionally, although limited by temporal precedence, there was an indirect effect of reductions in parenting stress on the negative association between parental homework completion and child externalizing behavior problems. These findings highlight the importance of parents practicing skills learned during BPT for optimizing treatment outcome. Parenting stress was also identified as a potential mechanism by which high levels of parental homework completion contributed to reductions in child externalizing behavior problems. PMID:26763493

A successful approach to minimizing attrition in racial/ethnic minority, low-income populations.

PubMed

Flores, Glenn; Portillo, Alberto; Lin, Hua; Walker, Candy; Fierro, Marco; Henry, Monica; Massey, Kenneth

2017-03-01

Recruiting and retaining minority participants in clinical trials continue to be major challenges. Although multiple studies document lower minority trial enrollment, much less is known about effective minority retention strategies. Our objectives were to evaluate an innovative approach to high RCT retention of minority children, and identify child/caregiver characteristics predicting attrition. The Kids' HELP trial examined the effects of Parent Mentors on insuring uninsured minority children. We tested a retention strategic framework consisting of: 1) optimizing cultural/linguistic competency; 2) staff training on participant relationships and trust; 3) comprehensive participant contact information; 4) an electronic tracking database; 5) reminders for upcoming outcomes-assessment appointments; 6) frequent, sustained contact attempts for non-respondents; 7) financial incentives; 8) individualized rapid-cycle quality-improvement approaches to non-respondents; 9) reinforcing study importance; and 10) home assessment visits. We compared attrition in Kids' HELP vs. two previous RCTs in similar populations, and conducted bivariate and multivariable analyses of factors associated with Kids' HELP attrition. Attrition in Kids' HELP was lower than in two similar RCTs, at 10.9% vs. 37% and 40% ( P <0.001). After multivariable adjustment, missing the first outcomes follow-up assessment was the only factor significantly associated with attrition (relative risk=1.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.0). A retention strategic framework was successful in minimizing attrition in minority, low-income children. Participants missing first assessment appointments were at highest risk of subsequent attrition. These findings suggest that deploying this framework may help RCT retention of low-income minority children, particularly those at the highest risk of subsequent attrition.

A Critical Appraisal of the 1998 Meta-Analytic Review of Child Sexual Abuse Outcomes Reported by Rind, Tromovitch, and Bauserman.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittenburg, John A.; Tice, Pamela Paradis; Baker, Gail L.; Lemmey, Dorothy E.

2001-01-01

Presents a methodological critique of the 1998 meta-analysis of child sexual abuse outcomes by Rind et al. By restricting a supposedly broad meta-analysis to only some of the population in question, the conclusions they drew regarding this complex topic, primarily that adult-child sex is not necessarily harmful, are invalid. (Contains 33…

Child and Parental Outcomes Following Involvement in a Preventive Intervention: Efficacy of the PACE Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begle, Angela Moreland; Dumas, Jean E.

2011-01-01

This study evaluated whether engagement (i.e., attendance and quality of participation) in the Parenting our Children to Excellence (PACE) program predicted positive child and parent outcomes. PACE in an 8-week preventive intervention aimed at parents of preschool children. The study investigated the relation of engagement to outcomes in an…

Outcomes of Child Sexual Abuse as Predictors of Later Sexual Victimization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese-Weber, Marla; Smith, Dana M.

2011-01-01

The association between a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) and specific negative outcomes (attachment, feelings of power, and self-esteem) was explored as was the relationship between those negative outcomes and sexual victimization during the first semester of college. Two groups of freshman college women (67 who had experienced CSA and 55 who…

Birth Order and Child Cognitive Outcomes: An Exploration of the Parental Time Mechanism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monfardini, Chiara; See, Sarah Grace

2016-01-01

Higher birth order positions are associated with poorer outcomes due to smaller shares of resources received within the household. Using a sample of Panel Study of Income Dynamics-Child Development Supplement children, we investigate if the negative birth order effect we find in cognitive outcomes is due to unequal allocation of mother and father…

Child development in rural China: children left behind by their migrant parents and children of nonmigrant families.

PubMed

Wen, Ming; Lin, Danhua

2012-01-01

Using recent cross-sectional data of rural children aged from 8 to 18 in Hunan Province of China, this article examines psychological, behavioral, and educational outcomes and the psychosocial contexts of these outcomes among children left behind by one or both of their rural-to-urban migrant parents compared to those living in nonmigrant families. The results showed that left-behind children were disadvantaged in health behavior and school engagement but not in perceived satisfaction. The child's psychosocial environment, captured by family socioeconomic status, socializing processes, peer and school support, and psychological traits, were associated with, to varying extent, child developmental outcomes in rural China. These influences largely remain constant for the sampled children regardless of their parents' migrant status. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Impact of parent-child communication interventions on sex behaviors and cognitive outcomes for black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino youth: a systematic review, 1988-2012.

PubMed

Sutton, Madeline Y; Lasswell, Sarah M; Lanier, Yzette; Miller, Kim S

2014-04-01

We reviewed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infection (STI)- behavioral interventions implemented with disproportionately affected black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino youth and designed to improve parent-child communications about sex. We compared their effectiveness in improving sex-related behavior or cognitive outcomes. A search of electronic databases identified peer-reviewed studies published between 1988 and 2012. Eligible studies were U.S.-based parent-child communication interventions with active parent components, experimental and quasiexperimental designs, measurement of youth sexual health outcomes, and enrollment of ≥ 50% black/African-American or Hispanic/Latino youth. We conducted systematic, primary reviews of eligible papers to abstract data on study characteristics and youth outcomes. Fifteen studies evaluating 14 interventions were eligible. Although youth outcome measures and follow-up times varied, 13 of 15 studies (87%) showed at least one significantly improved youth sexual health outcome compared with controls (p < .05). Common components of effective interventions included joint parent and child session attendance, promotion of parent/family involvement, sexuality education for parents, developmental and/or cultural tailoring, and opportunities for parents to practice new communication skills with their youth. Parent-child communication interventions that include parents of youth disproportionately affected by HIV/STIs can effectively reduce sexual risk for youth. These interventions may help reduce HIV/STI-related health disparities and improve sexual health outcomes. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Why Are Child Poverty Rates Higher in Britain than in Germany? A Longitudinal Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Stephen P.; Schluter, Christian

2003-01-01

We analyze why child poverty rates were much higher in Britain than in Western Germany during the 1990s, using a framework focusing on poverty transition rates. Child poverty exit rates were significantly lower, and poverty entry rates significantly higher, in Britain. We decompose these cross-national differences into differences in the…

Legal and Social Service Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: A Primer and Discussion of Relevant Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Tisha R. A.

2009-01-01

This paper provides a broad overview of legal and social service responses to child sexual abuse, the overarching legal framework provided by federal legislation, and funding mandates and the unique and shared investigative concerns of law enforcement and child protective service entities. Relevant psychological research is highlighted throughout,…

Child Rights. The Convention: Child Rights and UNICEF Experience at the Country Level. Innocenti Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madinger, Edward; And Others

The most revolutionary element of UNICEF's approach to the implementation of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child is the integration of the principles of the Convention into individual countries' programs for children. The convention has impacted UNICEF by broadening it's framework for analyzing the situation of children. This…

Transformative Role of Epigenetics in Child Development Research: Commentary on the Special Section

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keating, Daniel P.

2016-01-01

Lester, Conradt, and Marsit (2016) have assembled a set of articles that bring to readers of "Child Development" the scope and impact of the exponentially growing research on epigenetics and child development. This commentary aims to place this work in a broader context of theory and research by (a) providing a conceptual framework for…

Predicting Child Abuse Potential: An Empirical Investigation of Two Theoretical Frameworks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begle, Angela Moreland; Dumas, Jean E.; Hanson, Rochelle F.

2010-01-01

This study investigated two theoretical risk models predicting child maltreatment potential: (a) Belsky's (1993) developmental-ecological model and (b) the cumulative risk model in a sample of 610 caregivers (49% African American, 46% European American; 53% single) with a child between 3 and 6 years old. Results extend the literature by using a…

Applying the Recovery Approach to the Interface between Mental Health and Child Protection Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffy, Joe; Davidson, Gavin; Kavanagh, Damien

2016-01-01

There is a range of theoretical approaches which may inform the interface between child protection and adult mental health services. These theoretical perspectives tend to be focused on either child protection or mental health with no agreed integrating framework. The interface continues to be identified, in research, case management reviews and…

Daily actions, challenges, and needs among Dutch parents while supporting the participation of their child with a physical disability at home, at school, and in the community: a qualitative diary study.

PubMed

Piškur, Barbara; Beurskens, Anna J H M; Ketelaar, Marjolijn; Jongmans, Marian J; Casparie, Barbara M; Smeets, Rob J E M

2017-01-11

Parents have a vital influence on the participation of their child with a physical disability. The aim of this study is to gain insight into parents' own daily actions, challenges, and needs while supporting their child with a physical disability at home, at school, and in the community. An additional objective of this study is to refine the preliminary thematic framework previously identified in a scoping review. A qualitative research inquiry was performed based on using a diary over a 7-day period to gather data. To systematically organise data into a structured format, content analysis has been applied using both inductive and deductive reasoning guided by the existing preliminary thematic framework. Analysis of the eligible diaries shows that the actions mentioned by the 47 parents describe several efforts to enhance participation of their children with a physical disability by using, enabling, or changing the social and physical environment, or by supporting their child to perform or engage in meaningful activities. Those parents' actions are primarily a result of challenges caused by restrictions in social and physical environments. Parental responses highlighted, above all, the need for environments designed for all people. Based on the findings a redefined thematic framework is presented. Parents' actions, challenges, and needs are mainly directed towards the social or/and physical environment. The presented thematic framework can offer practitioners knowledge to support parents. More work is necessary to provide tailored approaches. Paediatric rehabilitation may need to address the importance of the environment on the participation of a child with a physical disability.

Child physical punishment, injury and abuse (part two).

PubMed

Watkins, Dianne; Cousins, Judy

2005-09-01

This is the second paper in a series of two that focus on causational factors that contribute to child physical punishment, injury and child physical abuse. Paper one concentrated on the extent of child physical punishment, injuries sustained and the relationship between macrotheoretical factors. It highlighted a continuum between child physical discipline, injuries and child physical abuse. Paper two introduces the reader to microtheoretical factors that contribute to child physical punishment and its relationship with child physical injuries and abuse. The focus is on parental and child influences, lifestyle factors and socialisation of parents. It will integrate macrotheroretical factors highlighted in paper one and microtheroretical factors presented in this paper into a framework for the prevention of child physical injury and abuse based on an ecological model.

An empirical generative framework for computational modeling of language acquisition.

PubMed

Waterfall, Heidi R; Sandbank, Ben; Onnis, Luca; Edelman, Shimon

2010-06-01

This paper reports progress in developing a computer model of language acquisition in the form of (1) a generative grammar that is (2) algorithmically learnable from realistic corpus data, (3) viable in its large-scale quantitative performance and (4) psychologically real. First, we describe new algorithmic methods for unsupervised learning of generative grammars from raw CHILDES data and give an account of the generative performance of the acquired grammars. Next, we summarize findings from recent longitudinal and experimental work that suggests how certain statistically prominent structural properties of child-directed speech may facilitate language acquisition. We then present a series of new analyses of CHILDES data indicating that the desired properties are indeed present in realistic child-directed speech corpora. Finally, we suggest how our computational results, behavioral findings, and corpus-based insights can be integrated into a next-generation model aimed at meeting the four requirements of our modeling framework.

Key health outcomes for children and young people with neurodisability: qualitative research with young people and parents

PubMed Central

Allard, Amanda; Fellowes, Andrew; Shilling, Valerie; Janssens, Astrid; Beresford, Bryony; Morris, Christopher

2014-01-01

Objectives To identify key health outcomes, beyond morbidity and mortality, regarded as important in children and young people with neurodisability, and their parents. Design Qualitative research incorporating a thematic analysis of the data supported by the Framework Approach; the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provided a theoretical foundation. Setting The study was conducted in community settings. Participants Participants were 54 children and young people with neurodisability: 50 participated in focus groups, and 4 in interviews; 53 parents participated: 47 in focus groups and 6 in interviews. Children/young people and parents were recruited through different networks, and were not related. Results Children/young people and parents viewed health outcomes as inter-related. Achievement in some outcomes appeared valued to the extent that it enabled or supported more valued domains of health. Health outcomes prioritised by both young people and parents were: communication, mobility, pain, self-care, temperament, interpersonal relationships and interactions, community and social life, emotional well-being and gaining independence/future aspirations. Parents also highlighted their child's sleep, behaviour and/or safety. Conclusions Those responsible for health services for children/young people with neurodisability should take account of the aspects of health identified by families. The aspects of health identified in this study provide a basis for selecting appropriate health indicators and outcome measures. PMID:24747792

Treatment of childhood anxiety disorder in the context of maternal anxiety disorder: a randomised controlled trial and economic analysis.

PubMed

Creswell, Cathy; Cruddace, Susan; Gerry, Stephen; Gitau, Rachel; McIntosh, Emma; Mollison, Jill; Murray, Lynne; Shafran, Rosamund; Stein, Alan; Violato, Mara; Voysey, Merryn; Willetts, Lucy; Williams, Nicola; Yu, Ly-Mee; Cooper, Peter J

2015-05-01

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for childhood anxiety disorders is associated with modest outcomes in the context of parental anxiety disorder. This study evaluated whether or not the outcome of CBT for children with anxiety disorders in the context of maternal anxiety disorders is improved by the addition of (i) treatment of maternal anxiety disorders, or (ii) treatment focused on maternal responses. The incremental cost-effectiveness of the additional treatments was also evaluated. Participants were randomised to receive (i) child cognitive-behavioural therapy (CCBT); (ii) CCBT with CBT to target maternal anxiety disorders [CCBT + maternal cognitive-behavioural therapy (MCBT)]; or (iii) CCBT with an intervention to target mother-child interactions (MCIs) (CCBT + MCI). A NHS university clinic in Berkshire, UK. Two hundred and eleven children with a primary anxiety disorder, whose mothers also had an anxiety disorder. All families received eight sessions of individual CCBT. Mothers in the CCBT + MCBT arm also received eight sessions of CBT targeting their own anxiety disorders. Mothers in the MCI arm received 10 sessions targeting maternal parenting cognitions and behaviours. Non-specific interventions were delivered to balance groups for therapist contact. Primary clinical outcomes were the child's primary anxiety disorder status and degree of improvement at the end of treatment. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 6 and 12 months. Outcomes in the economic analyses were identified and measured using estimated quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). QALYS were combined with treatment, health and social care costs and presented within an incremental cost-utility analysis framework with associated uncertainty. MCBT was associated with significant short-term improvement in maternal anxiety; however, after children had received CCBT, group differences were no longer apparent. CCBT + MCI was associated with a reduction in maternal overinvolvement and more confident expectations of the child. However, neither CCBT + MCBT nor CCBT + MCI conferred a significant post-treatment benefit over CCBT in terms of child anxiety disorder diagnoses [adjusted risk ratio (RR) 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87 to 1.62, p = 0.29; adjusted RR CCBT + MCI vs. control: adjusted RR 1.22, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.67, p = 0.20, respectively] or global improvement ratings (adjusted RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.59, p = 0.05; adjusted RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.53, p = 0.13). CCBT + MCI outperformed CCBT on some secondary outcome measures. Furthermore, primary economic analyses suggested that, at commonly accepted thresholds of cost-effectiveness, the probability that CCBT + MCI will be cost-effective in comparison with CCBT (plus non-specific interventions) is about 75%. Good outcomes were achieved for children and their mothers across treatment conditions. There was no evidence of a benefit to child outcome of supplementing CCBT with either intervention focusing on maternal anxiety disorder or maternal cognitions and behaviours. However, supplementing CCBT with treatment that targeted maternal cognitions and behaviours represented a cost-effective use of resources, although the high percentage of missing data on some economic variables is a shortcoming. Future work should consider whether or not effects of the adjunct interventions are enhanced in particular contexts. The economic findings highlight the utility of considering the use of a broad range of services when evaluating interventions with this client group. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN19762288. This trial was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and managed by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) on behalf of the MRC-NIHR partnership (09/800/17) and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 19, No. 38.

Relationship-Focused Child Care Practices: Quality of Care and Child Outcomes for Children in Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Margaret Tresch; Klausli, Julia F.; Mata-Otero, Ana-Maria; Caughy, Margaret O'Brien

2008-01-01

Research Findings: Child care delivery practices promoting continuous, primary caregiver-child relationships (relationship-focused child care) were evaluated for 223 preschool-age children (45% African American, 55% Latino) attending child care centers serving low-income children. Both relationship-focused and non-relationship-focused centers were…

The Longitudinal Impact of Parent Distress and Behavior on Functional Outcomes Among Youth With Chronic Pain.

PubMed

Chow, Erika T; Otis, John D; Simons, Laura E

2016-06-01

Accumulating evidence supports the concurrent association between parent distress and behavior and child functioning in the context of chronic pain, with existing longitudinal studies limited to a pediatric surgical context that identify parent catastrophizing as influential. In this study, we examined how parent factors assessed at a multidisciplinary pediatric pain clinic evaluation affect child psychological and functional outcomes over time. A cohort of 195 patients with chronic pain (ages 8-17 years) and their parents who presented for a multidisciplinary evaluation completed measures at baseline and at 4-month follow-up. Patients completed measures of pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear and avoidance, generalized anxiety, depressive symptoms, and functional disability. Parents completed measures of pain catastrophizing, pain-related fear and avoidance, and protective responses to child pain. Parent-reported child school functioning was also collected. Parent distress and behavior was concurrently associated with child distress and functioning at evaluation. After controlling for baseline child functioning, baseline parent avoidance and protective behavior emerged as significant predictors of child functioning at 4-month follow-up. Parent distress and behavior influence child distress and functioning over time and these findings identify key parent domains to target in the context of a child's pain treatment. Parent behavior, specifically avoidance and protective responses, influence child distress and functioning over time. Child pain treatment interventions should include influential parent factors to ensure successful outcomes. Copyright © 2016 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Outcomes for youth residential treatment programs using administrative data from the child welfare system: a risk-adjustment application.

PubMed

McMillen, J Curtis; Lee, Bethany R; Jonson-Reid, Melissa

2008-05-01

This study assessed whether administrative data from the public child welfare system could be used to develop risk-adjusted performance reports for residential mental health programs for adolescents. Regression methods were used with 3,759 residential treatment spells for 2,784 children and youth to determine which outcomes could be adequately risk adjusted for case mix. Expected outcomes were created for each residential program given its case mix; then, expected and achieved outcomes were compared. For most programs, achieved results did not differ significantly from expected results for individual outcomes. Overall, outcomes achieved were not impressive. Only one quarter of spells resulted in a youth being maintained in a single less restrictive setting in the year following discharge. Methodological implications of this study suggest further refinements are needed for child welfare administrative data in order to develop risk-adjusted report cards of program performance.

Food consumption by young children: a function of parental feeding goals and practices.

PubMed

Kiefner-Burmeister, Allison E; Hoffmann, Debra A; Meers, Molly R; Koball, Afton M; Musher-Eizenman, Dara R

2014-03-01

Staggering health implications are associated with poor child diet. Given the importance of parents in impacting children's eating outcomes, the current study examined a theoretical framework in which both parental feeding goals and practices impact specific healthy and unhealthy child eating behaviors. Participants were 171 mothers of 3-6year old children who were diverse both socioeconomically and with regard to BMI. Mothers completed questionnaires via Mechanical Turk, an online workforce through Amazon.com. Structural Equation Modeling showed an adequate model fit in which Negative Feeding Practices (e.g., using food as a reward) mediated the relationship between Health-Related Feeding Goals (i.e., feeding children with health-oriented goals in mind) and Negative Eating Behaviors (e.g., consumption of candy and snacks). However, Negative Feeding Practices did not mediate the relationship between Health-Related Feeding Goals and Positive Eating Behaviors (i.e., fruits and vegetables). These findings suggest the important role of habitual food parenting practices in children's eating and have implications for parental health education programs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Care Coordination for Youth With Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care.

PubMed

Hobbs Knutson, Katherine; Meyer, Mark J; Thakrar, Nisha; Stein, Bradley D

2018-01-01

Many children are treated for mental health disorders in primary care settings. The system of care (SOC) provides a framework for collaboration among pediatric mental health providers, but it is unclear if youth treated for mental health disorders in primary care receive such coordination. At the South Boston Community Health Center from September /2012 to August 2013 for 74 individuals ≤18 years, the odds of contact with SOC agencies (mental health, education, child protective services, juvenile justice and developmental disabilities) were compared for mental health treatment in primary versus specialty care. The odds of SOC contact within primary care were lower compared to specialty care (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.29-0.66), specifically for mental health (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.25-1.2), education (OR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.050-0.28), and child protective services (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.22-1.9). As care coordination may improve health outcomes, increased support and education for care coordination specific to youth treated for mental health disorders in primary care settings may be warranted.

Divorced fathers' proximity and children's long-run outcomes: evidence from Norwegian registry data.

PubMed

Kalil, Ariel; Mogstad, Magne; Rege, Mari; Votruba, Mark

2011-08-01

This study examines the link between divorced nonresident fathers' proximity and children's long-run outcomes, using high-quality data from Norwegian population registers. We follow (from birth to young adulthood) each of 15,992 children born into married households in Norway in the years 1975-1979 whose parents divorced during his or her childhood. We observe the proximity of the child to his or her father in each year following the divorce and link proximity to educational and economic outcomes for the child in young adulthood, controlling for a wide range of observable characteristics of the parents and the child. Our results show that closer proximity to the father following a divorce has, on average, a modest negative association with offspring's outcomes in young adulthood. The negative associations are stronger among children of highly educated fathers. Complementary Norwegian survey data show that highly educated fathers report more post-divorce conflict with their ex-wives as well as more contact with their children (measured in terms of the number of nights that the child spends at the father's house). Consequently, the father's relocation to a more distant location following the divorce may shelter the child from disruptions in the structure of the child's life as they split time between households and/or from post-divorce interparental conflict.

Effect of number, order, and spacing of siblings on child and adult outcomes: an overview of current research.

PubMed

Heer, D M

1986-01-01

The impact of the number, order, and spacing of siblings on child and adult outcomes has been the topic of research by scholars in 4 separate fields (human biology, psychology, sociology, and economics), and the barriers to communication between academic disciplines are strong. Also most researchers have had to work with data sets gathered for other purposes. This has resulted in a relative inadequacy of research. Social scientists have 3 theories concerning the relationship between the number, order, and spacing of siblings and child and adult outcomes: that an increase in the number of siblings or a decrease in the spacing between them dilutes the time and material resources that parents can give to each child and that these resource dilutions hinder the outcome for each child; that account must be taken not only of parental resources but also of the resources given to each child by his/her siblings; and that there is no causal relationship between number, order and spacing of siblings and child outcomes and that any apparent relationships are spurious. In light of these theories, the question arises as to how should the sibling variables be measured. The most important aspect of sibling number is that it is a variable over time. Yet, the proper measurement of sibling number has an additional complication. According to all existing theories, the ages of the other siblings are relevant for the outcome for the given child. All of the relevant information is now available only when it is possible to construct a matrix in which the rows present the age of the given child and the columns the age grouping of the siblings for whom a count of sibling number will be made. Many such matrices could be developed, some much more elaborate than others. For illustrative purposes, Table 1 presents the matrix of the number of siblings for a child who is the first-born among 5 children, all of whom are spaced exactly 3 years apart and all of whom are financially dependent only up to exact age 21. Table 2 presents the matrix for the last-born child among 5 children with characteristics identical to those in Table 1. It can be inferred from these tables that the oldest child in the family, as compared to the youngest child, probably will suffer from a diminution of parental resources, most likely financial resources, in adolescence. The youngest will suffer from a reduction of parental resources, probably time resources, in infancy and early childhood. Research concerned with the consequences of the number and spacing of children should be based on data sets for which some version of this matrix can be constructed.

Development of FOCUS-GC: Framework for Outcomes of Clinical Communication Services in Genetic Counseling.

PubMed

Cragun, Deborah; Zierhut, Heather

2018-02-01

Conceptual frameworks bring together existing theories and models in order to identify, consolidate, and fill in gaps between theory, practice, and evidence. Given the vast number of possible outcomes that could be studied in genetic counseling, a framework for organizing outcomes and postulating relationships between communication services and genetic counseling outcomes was sought. Through an iterative approach involving literature review, thematic analysis, and consolidation, outcomes and processes were categorized to create and define components of a conceptual framework. The final product, "Framework for Outcomes of Clinical commUnication Services" (FOCUS) contains the following domains: communication strategy; communication process measures; patient care experience, patient changes, patient health; and family changes. A website was created to allow easier access and ongoing modifications to the framework. In addition, a step-by-step guide and two examples were created to show flexibility in how the framework can be used. FOCUS may help in conceptualizing, organizing and summarizing outcomes research related to risk communication and counseling in genetic service delivery as well as other healthcare settings.

Discrepancies in Autonomy and Relatedness Promoting Behaviors of Substance Using Mothers and Their Children: The Effects of a Family Systems Intervention

PubMed Central

Slesnick, Natasha

2016-01-01

Parents’ and children’s autonomy and relatedness behaviors are associated with a wide range of child outcomes. Yet, little is known about how parents and children’s autonomy and relatedness behaviors jointly influence child outcomes. The current study captured this joint influence by exploring the longitudinal trajectory of mother–child discrepancies in autonomy and relatedness behaviors and its association with child problem behaviors. The effects of a family systems intervention on the trajectory of mother–child discrepancies were also examined. The sample included 183 substance using mothers and their children (M age = 11.54 years, SD = 2.55, range 8–16; 48 % females). Both the mother and child completed an assessment at baseline, 6- and 18-month post-baseline. A person-centered analysis identified subgroups varying in mother–child discrepancy patterns in their autonomy and relatedness behaviors. The results also showed that participation in the family systems therapy was associated with decreased mother–child discrepancies, and also a synchronous increase in mother’s and child’s autonomy and relatedness. Additionally, increased mother–child discrepancies and mother–child dyads showing no change in autonomy and relatedness was associated with higher levels of children’s problem behaviors. The findings reveal a dynamic process of mother–child discrepancies in autonomy and relatedness behaviors related to child outcomes. The findings also support the effectiveness of the family systems therapy, and highlight the importance of understanding the complexities in family interactions when explaining children’s problem behaviors. PMID:27480271

Resource factors for mental health resilience in early childhood: An analysis with multiple methodologies.

PubMed

Miller-Lewis, Lauren R; Searle, Amelia K; Sawyer, Michael G; Baghurst, Peter A; Hedley, Darren

2013-02-22

Given that relatively little is known about the development of resilience in early childhood, this longitudinal study aimed to identify preschool resource factors associated with young children's mental health resilience to family adversity. A community sample of 474 young Australian children was assessed in preschool (mean age 4.59 years, 49% male), and again two years later after their transition into formal schooling. At each assessment, standard questionnaires were used to obtain ratings from both parents and teachers about the quality of children's relationships with parents and teachers, children's self-concept and self-control, mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and family adversities (including stressful life events and socioeconomic disadvantage). Greater exposure to cumulative family adversities was associated with both greater teacher- and parent-reported child mental health difficulties two years later. Multiple methodologies for operationalizing resilience were used to identify resources associated with resilient mental health outcomes. Higher quality child-parent and child-teacher relationships, and greater child self-concept and self-control were associated with resilient mental health outcomes. With the exception of child-teacher relationships, these resources were also prospective antecedents of subsequent resilient mental health outcomes in children with no pre-existing mental health difficulties. Child-parent relationships and child self-concept generally had promotive effects, being equally beneficial for children facing both low- and high-adversity. Child self-control demonstrated a small protective effect on teacher-reported outcomes, with greater self-control conferring greater protection to children under conditions of high-adversity. Findings suggest that early intervention and prevention strategies that focus on fostering child-adult relationship quality, self-concept, and self-control in young children may help build children's mental health and their resilience to family adversities.

Do paternal arrest and imprisonment lead to child behaviour problems and substance use? A longitudinal analysis.

PubMed

Kinner, Stuart A; Alati, Rosa; Najman, Jake M; Williams, Gail M

2007-11-01

Children of prisoners are at increased risk of impaired health, behavioural problems and substance misuse; however, the causal pathways to these problems are unclear. Under some circumstances, parental imprisonment may result in improved outcomes for the child. This study investigates the impact of paternal arrest and imprisonment on child behaviour and substance use, as a function of child gender, and in the context of known social and familial risk factors. Longitudinal analysis of an Australian birth cohort (N = 2,399) recruited 1981-83, with child outcomes measured at age 14. Participants were recruited prenatally from a large, public hospital in Brisbane, Australia and followed up in the community. History of paternal arrest and imprisonment were based on maternal self-report, at age 14. Outcome measures included mother- and child-reported internalising and externalising behaviour (CBCL and YSR), and child self-reported alcohol and tobacco use. In univariate analyses, paternal imprisonment was associated with maternal reports of increased child internalising (OR = 1.82, 95%CI 1.08-3.06) and externalising (OR = 2.24, 95%CI 1.41-3.57), and alcohol use (OR = 1.68, 95%CI 1.11-2.53) at age 14. However, controlling for socio-economic status, maternal mental health and substance use, parenting style and family adjustment, these associations became non-significant. For boys only, in the multivariate model paternal arrest but not imprisonment predicted alcohol (OR = 1.79, 95%CI 1.09-2.95) and tobacco (OR = 1.83, 95%CI 1.03-3.25) use at age 14. The association between paternal arrest and imprisonment and adverse outcomes in adolescence is accounted for by well-established social and familial risk factors. Paternal imprisonment may not, in itself, increase the risk for child behaviour and substance use problems.

Analysis of the liver functional reserve of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing sorafenib treatment: Prospects for regorafenib therapy.

PubMed

Terashima, Takeshi; Yamashita, Tatsuya; Sunagozaka, Hajime; Arai, Kuniaki; Kawaguchi, Kazunori; Kitamura, Kazuya; Yamashita, Taro; Sakai, Yoshio; Mizukoshi, Eishiro; Honda, Masao; Kaneko, Shuichi

2018-05-29

This study aimed to investigate liver functional reserves during sorafenib treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), to identify predictive factors for maintaining them, and to analyze the proportion of candidates for regorafenib, which has been proven to improve patients' outcomes in the RESORCE trial. We retrospectively investigated Child-Pugh scores during and after sorafenib treatment and evaluated their effects on second-line treatment and outcomes of 125 patients with advanced HCC. Pretreatment Child-Pugh A was maintained in 59/90 (65.6%) patients and pretreatment Child-Pugh B was improved to Child-Pugh A in 10/35 (28.6%) patients when sorafenib ceased. A Child-Pugh score = 5 and aspartate amino transferase <40 IU/L before treatment were contributing factors; vascular invasion and cessation of sorafenib due to gastrointestinal or liver-related adverse effects were reverse predictive factors for Child-Pugh A when sorafenib treatment ceased. Significantly more patients with Child-Pugh A when sorafenib treatment ceased received subsequent therapy and achieved better outcomes compared with patients with Child-Pugh B. When sorafenib treatment failed, 45/125 patients (36.0%) fulfilled key inclusion criteria of the RESORCE trial as follows: Child-Pugh A, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1, tumor progression revealed by imaging, and treatment with ≥400 mg sorafenib for at least 20 of the last 28 days before treatment failure in 56.8%, 84.8%, 73.6%, and 68.0% of patients, respectively. A comprehensive understanding and management of dynamic changes in liver functional reserve during sorafenib treatment contributed to the efficacy of subsequent therapy (e.g. regorafenib) and to better outcomes for patients with advanced HCC. © 2018 The Japan Society of Hepatology.

Improving outcomes for babies and toddlers in child welfare: A model for infant mental health intervention and collaboration.

PubMed

Chinitz, Susan; Guzman, Hazel; Amstutz, Ellen; Kohchi, Joaniko; Alkon, Miriam

2017-08-01

Children under three comprise a sizable and growing proportion of foster care placements. Very young children who enter the child welfare system experience disruptions of critical attachments that are essential to this formative stage of brain development, as well as other traumatic events, leaving them at great risk for lifelong impairments. To reverse these concerning outcomes, babies who have been removed from their homes require intensive, relationship-based interventions that promote secure attachment to a primary caregiver and holistic attention the child's developmental needs. Child welfare decision-makers must be informed of infant brain development and knowledgeable about the particular needs and circumstances of each child. This article describes a model with these features that has been developed and tested in the Bronx, New York, one of the nation's poorest urban counties with high rates of foster care. The Project utilizes evidence-based Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) as its core intervention, and emphasizes collaboration and information sharing- driven by the CPP clinician- with judges, child welfare workers, attorneys and other social service and mental health providers, thereby encouraging developmentally and relationally informed case planning and permanency decisions. The model is evaluated using pre and post treatment psychosocial measures and program outcome data. Results indicate improvement in parenting interactions, positive child welfare outcomes (including increased rates of reunification, fewer returns to foster care), and improved safety and wellbeing. Results highlight the need for child welfare practices to be more closely aligned with the current science of infant brain development, and to incorporate a specialized approach to address the unique needs of infants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Recommendations for the management of the child with allergic diseases at school].

PubMed

Saranz, Ricardo J; Lozano, Alejandro; Mariño, Andrea; Boudet, Raúl V; Sarraquigne, María Paula; Cáceres, María Elena; Bandín, Gloria; Lukin, Alicia; Skrie, Víctor; Cassaniti, María Cristina; Agüero, Claudio; Chorny, Marta; Reichbach, Débora S; Arnolt, Roque Gustavo; Cavallo, Aldo

2015-06-01

Allergic diseases cause great impact on the health related quality of life in children and adolescents, resulting in increased school absenteeism and deficiencies in school performance. Although the bibliographic framework on allergic diseases is wide, in our country, there are no guidelines for proper management of the allergic child at school. It is necessary to establish guidelines for coordinated action among the educational community, the families, the pediatrician, the health team and governmental and non-governmental authorities. This position paper aims to provide information about the impact of allergic diseases on school activities, establish standards of competence of the various stakeholders at school and consider the legal framework for the intervention of the school staff about the child with allergies at school.

Parental coping in the context of having a child who is facing death: A theoretical framework.

PubMed

Darlington, Anne-Sophie E; Korones, David N; Norton, Sally A

2017-07-13

While improvements in healthcare have resulted in children with complex and life-threatening conditions living longer, a proportion of them still die. The death of a child puts parents at increased risk for anxiety, depression, and complicated grief. Increasing our understanding of the coping strategies that parents use under such extreme circumstances will enable us to best provide support to families, before and after a child's death. Our aim herein was to develop a theoretical framework of parental coping. Evidence from the literature was employed to develop a theoretical framework to describe parental coping in the context of having a child with a life-limiting illness who is declining and facing eventual death. The reasoning and argument consists of three guiding elements: (1) the importance of approach as well as avoidance (as coping strategies) in the context of managing the extreme emotions; (2) the importance of the social aspect of coping within a family, whereby parents cope for others as well as for themselves; and (3) the importance of a flexible and balanced coping profile, with parents using different coping strategies simultaneously. Central to the proposed framework is that effective coping, in terms of adjustment, is achieved by balancing coping strategies: accessing different coping strategies simultaneously or in parallel with a specific focus on (1) approach and avoidance and (2) coping aimed at self and others. Understanding of parental coping strategies is essential for health professionals in order to support parents effectively.

Different priorities: a comparison of parents' and health professionals' perceptions of quality of life in quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Morrow, A M; Quine, S; Loughlin, E V O; Craig, J C

2008-02-01

Almost all children with quadriplegic cerebral palsy (CP) have feeding difficulties. Our aim was to identify the major determinants of feeding-related quality of life (QoL) in children with quadriplegic CP from the perspective of parents and to compare findings with the perceptions of health professionals. Qualitative cross-sectional study. A trained facilitator conducted four semi-structured focus groups with parents (n = 21) of children with quadriplegic CP attending a multi-disciplinary feeding clinic at a paediatric teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, between November 2003 and February 2005. All sessions were audio- and video-taped. NVivo software was used to facilitate thematic analysis of the transcribed audiotapes and to compare them with data from focus groups conducted by the same research team with health professional participants. Parental perceptions clustered into the same five themes described by health professionals (parent-child interaction; delivery of health services; the child's emotional well-being; the child's physical well-being, and socialisation), but the content of the subthemes and the values attached differed, for example health professionals valued weight gain, whereas parents valued their child feeling loved. Health professionals did not consider the full range of issues important to families. The differences in priorities for treatment outcomes negatively affected the parent-health professional relationship. Disparities between parents' and health professionals' perceptions provide useful insight into communication between the two, identify the range of issues important to families, and highlight the parents' expert role in assessing the child's emotional and social well-being. The five themes identified provide a framework for a comprehensive evaluation of the health status of children with quadriplegic CP and feeding difficulties.

Determinant of factors associated with child health outcomes and service utilization in Ghana: multiple indicator cluster survey conducted in 2011.

PubMed

Dwumoh, Duah; Essuman, Edward Eyipe; Afagbedzi, Seth Kwaku

2014-01-01

The effects of National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana and its impact on child health outcome and service utilization cannot be underestimated. Despite the tremendous improvement in child health care in Ghana, there are still some challenges in relation to how National health insurance membership, socioeconomic status and other demographic factors impacts on child health outcomes. The study seeks to determine the association between NHIS membership, socio-economic status, geographic location and other relevant background factors, on child health service utilization and outcomes. Secondary data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2011 was used. Multivariate analysis based on Binary Logistic Regression Models and Multiple linear regression techniques was applied to determine factors associated with child health outcomes and service utilization. Collection of best models was based on Hosmer-Lemeshow Goodness-Of-Fit as one criterion of fit and the Akaike Information Criterion. Controlling for confounding effect of socioeconomic status, age of the child, mothers education level and geographic location, the odds of a child developing anemia for children with National Health Insurance Scheme Membership is 65.2% [95% CI: 52.9-80.2] times less than children without National Health Insurance Scheme Membership. The odds of being fully immunized against common childhood illnesses for children with NHIS membership is 2.3[95% CI: 1.4-3.7] times higher than children without National Health Insurance Scheme Membership. There was no association between National Health Insurance Scheme Membership and stunted growth in children. National Health Insurance Scheme Membership was found to be related to child health service utilization (full immunization) of children under five a child's anemia status. Children with NHIS are more likely to be fully immunized against common childhood diseases and are less likely to develop anemia. Stunted growth of children was not associated with National Health Insurance Scheme Membership. Health Education on the registration and the use of the National Health Insurance should be made a national priority to enable the Ministry of Health achieve routine Immunization targets and to reduce to the bearers minimum prevalence of anemia.

Promoting Parent Academic Expectations Predicts Improved School Outcomes for Low-income Children Entering Kindergarten

PubMed Central

Loughlin-Presnal, John E.; Bierman, Karen L.

2017-01-01

This study explored patterns of change in the REDI (Research-based Developmentally Informed) Parent program (REDI-P), designed to help parents support child learning at the transition into kindergarten. Participants were 200 prekindergarten children attending Head Start (55% European-American, 26% African American, 19% Latino, 56% male, Mage = 4.45 years, SD = .29) and their primary caregivers, who were randomized to a 16-session home-visiting intervention (REDI-P) or a control group. Extending beyond a prior study documenting intervention effects on parenting behaviors and child kindergarten outcomes, this study assessed the impact of REDI-P on parent academic expectations, and then explored the degree to which intervention gains in three areas of parenting (parent-child interactive reading, parent-child conversations, parent academic expectations) predicted child outcomes in kindergarten (controlling for baseline values and a set of child and family characteristics). Results showed that REDI-P promoted significant gains in parent academic expectations, which in turn mediated intervention gains in child emergent literacy skills and self-directed learning. Results suggest a need to attend to the beliefs parents hold about their child’s academic potential, as well as their behavioral support for child learning, when designing interventions to enhance the school success of children in low-income families. PMID:28646976

IEP goals for school-age children with speech sound disorders.

PubMed

Farquharson, Kelly; Tambyraja, Sherine R; Justice, Laura M; Redle, Erin E

2014-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to describe the current state of practice for writing Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for children with speech sound disorders (SSDs). IEP goals for 146 children receiving services for SSDs within public school systems across two states were coded for their dominant theoretical framework and overall quality. A dichotomous scheme was used for theoretical framework coding: cognitive-linguistic or sensory-motor. Goal quality was determined by examining 7 specific indicators outlined by an empirically tested rating tool. In total, 147 long-term and 490 short-term goals were coded. The results revealed no dominant theoretical framework for long-term goals, whereas short-term goals largely reflected a sensory-motor framework. In terms of quality, the majority of speech production goals were functional and generalizable in nature, but were not able to be easily targeted during common daily tasks or by other members of the IEP team. Short-term goals were consistently rated higher in quality domains when compared to long-term goals. The current state of practice for writing IEP goals for children with SSDs indicates that theoretical framework may be eclectic in nature and likely written to support the individual needs of children with speech sound disorders. Further investigation is warranted to determine the relations between goal quality and child outcomes. (1) Identify two predominant theoretical frameworks and discuss how they apply to IEP goal writing. (2) Discuss quality indicators as they relate to IEP goals for children with speech sound disorders. (3) Discuss the relationship between long-term goals level of quality and related theoretical frameworks. (4) Identify the areas in which business-as-usual IEP goals exhibit strong quality.

Sexual minority status, peer harassment, and adolescent depression.

PubMed

Martin-Storey, Alexa; Crosnoe, Robert

2012-08-01

The well-documented higher rates of depression among sexual minority youth are increasingly viewed by developmentalists as a byproduct of the stigmatization of sexual minority status in American society and of the negative impact this stigma has on the processes associated with depression. This study attempted to spur future research by testing Hatzenbuehler's (2009) psychological mediation framework to investigate the ways in which peer harassment related to sexuality puts young people at risk by influencing the cognitive, social, and regulatory factors associated with depression. Analyses of 15 year olds in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development revealed that sexual minority status was largely associated with depressive outcomes via harassment, which was subsequently associated with depression via cognitive and social factors. Results point to various avenues for exploring the importance of the social world and self-concept for the outcomes of sexual minority adolescents in the future. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Children With Medical Complexity: An Emerging Population for Clinical and Research Initiatives

PubMed Central

Kuo, Dennis Z.; Agrawal, Rishi; Berry, Jay G.; Bhagat, Santi K. M.; Simon, Tamara D.; Srivastava, Rajendu

2011-01-01

Children with medical complexity (CMC) have medical fragility and intensive care needs that are not easily met by existing health care models. CMC may have a congenital or acquired multisystem disease, a severe neurologic condition with marked functional impairment, and/or technology dependence for activities of daily living. Although these children are at risk of poor health and family outcomes, there are few well-characterized clinical initiatives and research efforts devoted to improving their care. In this article, we present a definitional framework of CMC that consists of substantial family-identified service needs, characteristic chronic and severe conditions, functional limitations, and high health care use. We explore the diversity of existing care models and apply the principles of the chronic care model to address the clinical needs of CMC. Finally, we suggest a research agenda that uses a uniform definition to accurately describe the population and to evaluate outcomes from the perspectives of the child, the family, and the broader health care system. PMID:21339266

Applying signal-detection theory to the study of observer accuracy and bias in behavioral assessment.

PubMed

Lerman, Dorothea C; Tetreault, Allison; Hovanetz, Alyson; Bellaci, Emily; Miller, Jonathan; Karp, Hilary; Mahmood, Angela; Strobel, Maggie; Mullen, Shelley; Keyl, Alice; Toupard, Alexis

2010-01-01

We evaluated the feasibility and utility of a laboratory model for examining observer accuracy within the framework of signal-detection theory (SDT). Sixty-one individuals collected data on aggression while viewing videotaped segments of simulated teacher-child interactions. The purpose of Experiment 1 was to determine if brief feedback and contingencies for scoring accurately would bias responding reliably. Experiment 2 focused on one variable (specificity of the operational definition) that we hypothesized might decrease the likelihood of bias. The effects of social consequences and information about expected behavior change were examined in Experiment 3. Results indicated that feedback and contingencies reliably biased responding and that the clarity of the definition only moderately affected this outcome.

Longitudinal effects of student mobility on three dimensions of elementary school engagement.

PubMed

Gruman, Diana H; Harachi, Tracy W; Abbott, Robert D; Catalano, Richard F; Fleming, Charles B

2008-01-01

Working within the developmental science research framework, this study sought to capture a dynamic and complex view of student mobility. Second- through fifth-grade data (N = 1,003, predominantly Caucasian) were drawn from a longitudinal study, and growth curve analyses allowed for the examination of mobility effects within the context of other factors that put children at risk, including behavior problems and family stress. School changes predicted declines in academic performance and classroom participation but not positive attitude toward school. Time-varying factors such as peer acceptance and teacher support had a positive influence on the growth trajectories of child outcomes. Additionally, teacher support had a particularly strong influence on positive attitudes toward school among children who had more school changes.

Longitudinal Effects of Student Mobility on Three Dimensions of Elementary School Engagement

PubMed Central

Gruman, Diana H.; Harachi, Tracy W.; Abbott, Robert D.; Catalano, Richard F.; Fleming, Charles B.

2013-01-01

Working within the developmental science research framework, this study sought to capture a dynamic and complex view of student mobility. Second- through fifth-grade data (N = 1,003, predominantly Caucasian) were drawn from a longitudinal study, and growth curve analyses allowed for the examination of mobility effects within the context of other factors that put children at risk, including behavior problems and family stress. School changes predicted declines in academic performance and classroom participation but not positive attitude toward school. Time-varying factors such as peer acceptance and teacher support had a positive influence on the growth trajectories of child outcomes. Additionally, teacher support had a particularly strong influence on positive attitudes toward school among children who had more school changes. PMID:19037953

Predicting success in an online parenting intervention: the role of child, parent, and family factors.

PubMed

Dittman, Cassandra K; Farruggia, Susan P; Palmer, Melanie L; Sanders, Matthew R; Keown, Louise J

2014-04-01

The present study involved an examination of the extent to which a wide range of child, parent, family, and program-related factors predicted child behavior and parenting outcomes after participation in an 8-session online version of the Triple P-Positive Parenting Program. Participants were mothers and fathers of 97 children aged between 3 and 8 years displaying elevated levels of disruptive behavior problems. For both mothers and fathers, poorer child behavior outcomes at postintervention were predicted by the number of sessions of the intervention completed by the family. For mothers, postintervention child behavior was also predicted by the quality of the mother-child relationship at baseline; for fathers, baseline child behavior severity was an additional predictor. Mothers' postintervention ineffective parenting was predicted by session completion and preintervention levels of ineffective parenting, whereas the only predictor of fathers' ineffective parenting at postintervention was preintervention levels of ineffective parenting. Socioeconomic risk, parental adjustment, and father participation in the intervention were not significant predictors of mother- or father-reported treatment outcomes. The implications of the findings for the provision of online parenting support are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation for children with motor disabilities: a scoping review.

PubMed

Pritchard-Wiart, Lesley; Phelan, Shanon K

2018-02-01

The three objectives of this scoping review were to (1) identify key conceptual/theoretical frameworks and the extent to which they are used to inform goal setting related to rehabilitation goal setting with children with motor disabilities, (2) describe research that has evaluated goal setting processes and outcomes, and (3) summarize the purposes of goal setting described in paediatric rehabilitation literature. The scoping review process described by Arksey and O'Malley was used to guide article selection and data extraction. A total of 62 articles were included in the final review. While the concept of family-centered care was well represented, theoretical frameworks specific to goal setting (i.e. goal setting theory described by Locke and Latham, mastery motivation, social cognitive, personal construct, and self-determination theories) were rarely addressed. No articles reviewed addressed prominent behavior change theory. With the exception of the description of tools specifically designed for use with children, the role of the child in the goal setting process was generally absent or not well described. Few studies ( n = 6) discussed the linkage between goals and intervention strategies explicitly. Only two studies in the review evaluated outcomes associated with goal setting. The primary purpose for goal setting identified in the literature was to develop goals that are meaningful to families ( n = 49). The results highlight significant gaps in the literature explicating a sound theoretical basis for goal setting in paediatric rehabilitation and research evaluating the effects of goal qualities and goal setting processes on the achievement of meaningful outcomes.

Parent Training for Children With or at Risk for Developmental Delay: The Role of Parental Homework Completion.

PubMed

Ros, Rosmary; Hernandez, Jennifer; Graziano, Paulo A; Bagner, Daniel M

2016-01-01

This study investigated the extent to which parental homework completion during behavioral parent training (BPT) for children with or at risk for developmental delay contributed to parenting and child outcomes. Parents of 48 children (Mage=44.17 months, SD=14.29; 73% male; 72% White) with developmental delay (IQ<75) or at risk for developmental delay (due to premature birth) with co-occurring clinically elevated externalizing behavior problems received Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) as part of two previously completed randomized controlled trials. Parental homework completion was measured using parental report of home practice of treatment skills collected weekly by therapists. Parents also reported on child externalizing behavior problems and levels of parenting stress, while parenting skills were observed during a 5-min child directed play and child compliance was observed during a 5-min cleanup situation. Results indicated that higher rates of parental homework completion predicted parenting outcomes (i.e., increased positive parenting skills and decreased levels of parenting stress) and child outcomes (i.e., lower levels of externalizing behavior problems). Additionally, although limited by temporal precedence, there was an indirect effect of reductions in parenting stress on the negative association between parental homework completion and child externalizing behavior problems. These findings highlight the importance of parents practicing skills learned during BPT for optimizing treatment outcome. Parenting stress was also identified as a potential mechanism by which high levels of parental homework completion contributed to reductions in child externalizing behavior problems. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Child Care and Guidance Management and Services (Program CIP: 20.0201--Child Care & Guidance Workers and Managers). Secondary Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

This document, which reflects Mississippi's statutory requirement that instructional programs be based on core curricula and performance-based assessment, contains outlines of the instructional units required in local instructional management plans and daily lesson plans for child care and guidance management and services I and II. Presented first…

Promoting parent academic expectations predicts improved school outcomes for low-income children entering kindergarten.

PubMed

Loughlin-Presnal, John E; Bierman, Karen L

2017-06-01

This study explored patterns of change in the REDI (Research-based Developmentally Informed) Parent program (REDI-P), designed to help parents support child learning at the transition into kindergarten. Participants were 200 prekindergarten children attending Head Start (55% European-American, 26% African American, 19% Latino, 56% male, M age =4.45years, SD=0.29) and their primary caregivers, who were randomized to a 16-session home-visiting intervention (REDI-P) or a control group. Extending beyond a prior study documenting intervention effects on parenting behaviors and child kindergarten outcomes, this study assessed the impact of REDI-P on parent academic expectations, and then explored the degree to which intervention gains in three areas of parenting (parent-child interactive reading, parent-child conversations, parent academic expectations) predicted child outcomes in kindergarten (controlling for baseline values and a set of child and family characteristics). Results showed that REDI-P promoted significant gains in parent academic expectations, which in turn mediated intervention gains in child emergent literacy skills and self-directed learning. Results suggest a need to attend to the beliefs parents hold about their child's academic potential, as well as their behavioral support for child learning, when designing interventions to enhance the school success of children in low-income families. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preschool and Children's Outcomes in Elementary School: Have Patterns Changed Nationwide Between 1998 and 2010?

PubMed

Bassok, Daphna; Gibbs, Chloe R; Latham, Scott

2018-04-17

This study employs data from both kindergarten cohorts of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (n ~ 12,450 in 1998; n ~ 11,000 in 2010) to assess whether associations between preschool participation and children's academic and behavioral outcomes-both at school entry (M age  = 5.6 years in both cohorts) and through third grade-have changed over time. Findings are strikingly similar across these two, nationally representative, U.S. cohorts: preschool is positively associated with academic outcomes and negatively associated with behavioral outcomes both at school entry and as children progress through school. Heterogeneity is documented with respect to child and preschool characteristics. However, there is no evidence that associations between preschool and medium-term child outcomes differ by elementary school characteristics. © 2018 Society for Research in Child Development.

Beyond Bioethics: A Child Rights-Based Approach to Complex Medical Decision-Making.

PubMed

Wade, Katherine; Melamed, Irene; Goldhagen, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

This analysis adopts a child rights approach-based on the principles, standards, and norms of child rights and the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)-to explore how decisions could be made with regard to treatment of a severely impaired infant (Baby G). While a child rights approach does not provide neat answers to ethically complex issues, it does provide a framework for decision-making in which the infant is viewed as an independent rights-holder. The state has obligations to develop the capacity of those who make decisions for infants in such situations to meet their obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill their rights as delineated in the CRC. Furthermore, a child rights approach requires procedural clarity and transparency in decision-making processes. As all rights in the CRC are interdependent and indivisible, all must be considered in the process of ethical decision-making, and the reasons for decisions must be delineated by reference to how these rights were considered. It is also important that decisions that are made in this context be monitored and reviewed to ensure consistency. A rights-based framework ensures decision-making is child-centered and that there are transparent criteria and legitimate procedures for making decisions regarding the child's most basic human right: the right to life, survival, and development.

An Analysis of Avoidant and Approach Coping as Mediators of the Relationship Between Paternal and Maternal Attachment Security and Outcomes in Child Victims of Sexual Abuse.

PubMed

Hébert, Martine; Daspe, Marie-Ève; Cyr, Mireille

2017-10-05

Prior studies have documented the potential role of nonoffending parent support in promoting recovery of adult survivors following sexual abuse (SA). However, few studies have distinguished the maternal and paternal role and the mechanisms by which quality of the parent-child relationship might foster more positive outcomes in child victims. The purpose of this study was to examine coping strategies as mediators of the link between mother-child and father-child relationship and outcomes following child SA. A sample of 505 children (339 girls and 166 boys) ages 6-13 years completed measures evaluating perceived attachment security to mother and father (Kerns Security Scale; Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), as well as coping strategies related to the SA experienced (Self-Reported Coping Scale; Causey & Dubow, 1992). Outcomes evaluated were posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS; Children's Impact of Traumatic Events Scale-II [CITES-II]; Wolfe, 2002) and self-esteem (Harter, 1985). Results indicated that, in girls, both attachment security to the mother and to the father are associated with lower PSS symptoms and higher self-esteem through a lesser use of avoidant coping. Avoidance coping mediated the link between attachment security to the mother and outcomes in boys. In addition, security in the relationship with the same-sex parent was associated with approach coping, which in turn was associated with both outcomes for girls and with PSS for boys. Findings highlight the importance of involving both parents in interventions for sexually abused children as mothers and fathers appear to play different, yet complementary roles in sustaining children's recovery. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Paid staff or volunteers – does it make a difference? The impact of staffing on child outcomes for children attending community-based programmes in South Africa and Malawi

PubMed Central

Tomlinson, Mark; Sherr, Lorraine; Macedo, Ana; Hunt, Xanthe; Skeen, Sarah

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Globally, and in low and middle income countries (LMIC) specifically, there is a critical shortage of workers. The use of volunteers to support such care delivery systems has been examined, there is scant literature on the impact of volunteers on child outcome in high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-affected communities. Objectives: To examine the differential impact of paid versus volunteer workforce in Community Based Organisations (CBOs) providing care to children and families affected by the HIV epidemic in South Africa and Malawi on child outcomes over time. Methods: This study compared child outcomes for 989 consecutive children attending CBOs (0.7% refusal) at baseline and 854 at follow-up (86.3% response rate). Results: Children attending CBOs with paid staff had higher self-esteem, fewer emotional/behavioural problems and less perceived stigma. Likewise, children attending CBOs with paid staff had fewer educational risks, and 20 heightened cognitive performance, and the digit-span memory test. After controlling for outcome at baseline, gender, age, HIV status, and disability, attending a CBO with paid staff remained a significant independent predictor of higher self-esteem scores, less perceived stigma, as well as fewer educational risks and better performance on the drawing test. We found no associations between CBO attendance – paid or volunteer – and children’s depressive and trauma symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings show that in order to most optimally impact on child outcome 30 community-based workers (CBWs) should ideally be paid with trained staff. Specialised input for more severe child difficulties is needed. PMID:29214899

The association between child maltreatment and adult poverty - A systematic review of longitudinal research.

PubMed

Bunting, Lisa; Davidson, Gavin; McCartan, Claire; Hanratty, Jennifer; Bywaters, Paul; Mason, Will; Steils, Nicole

2018-03-01

Child maltreatment is a global problem affecting millions of children and is associated with an array of cumulative negative outcomes later in life, including unemployment and financial difficulties. Although establishing child maltreatment as a causal mechanism for adult economic outcomes is fraught with difficulty, understanding the relationship between the two is essential to reducing such inequality. This paper presents findings from a systematic review of longitudinal research examining experiences of child maltreatment and economic outcomes in adulthood. A systematic search of seven databases found twelve eligible retrospective and prospective cohort studies. From the available evidence, there was a relatively clear relationship between 'child maltreatment' and poorer economic outcomes such as reduced income, unemployment, lower level of job skill and fewer assets, over and above the influence of family of origin socio-economic status. Despite an extremely limited evidence base, neglect had a consistent relationship with a number of long-term economic outcomes, while physical abuse has a more consistent relationship with income and employment. Studies examining sexual abuse found less of an association with income and employment, although they did find a relationship other outcomes such as sickness absence, assets, welfare receipt and financial insecurity. Nonetheless, all twelve studies showed some association between at least one maltreatment type and at least one economic measure. The task for future research is to clarify the relationship between specific maltreatment types and specific economic outcomes, taking account of how this may be influenced by gender and life course stage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of child support enforcement on abortion in the United States.

PubMed

Crowley, Jocelyn E; Jagannathan, Radha; Falchettore, Galo

2012-01-01

This project aims to answer a critically important question of public policy: Does effective child support enforcement lead to a change in the incidence of abortion across the United States? Using state-level data collected from 1978–2003 from a variety of sources, we employ fixed effects regression analysis to examine whether financial security as measured by five types of child support enforcement effectiveness impacts abortion outcomes. We find that child support enforcement effectiveness decreases the incidence of abortion as measured by the abortion rate, but not the abortion ratio. Income transfer policies such as child support enforcement can affect certain fertility outcomes such as abortion rates across the states.

Resilience in highly stressed urban children: concepts and findings.

PubMed Central

Cowen, E. L.; Wyman, P. A.; Work, W. C.

1996-01-01

The Rochester Child Resilience Project is a coordinated set of studies of the correlates and antecedents of outcomes relating to resilience among profoundly stressed urban children. The studies have been conducted over the course of the past decade. Based on child test data, parent, teacher, and self ratings of child adjustment, and in-depth individual interviews with parents and children, a cohesive picture has developed of child and family milieu variables that consistently differentiate children with resilient versus stress-affected outcomes within this highly stressed sample. Resilient children are characterized by an easy temperament and higher IQ; sound parent/child relationships; a parent's sense of efficacy; the parent's own wellness, especially mental health; and the child's perceived competence, realistic control, empathy, and social problem-solving. PMID:8982521

“A child’s nightmare. Mum comes and comforts her child.” Attachment evaluation as a guide in the assessment and treatment in a clinical case study

PubMed Central

Salcuni, Silvia; Di Riso, Daniela; Lis, Adriana

2014-01-01

There is a gap between proposed theoretical attachment theory frameworks, measures of attachment in the assessment phase and their relationship with changes in outcome after a psychodynamic oriented psychotherapy. Based on a clinical case study of a young woman with Panic Attack Disorder, this paper examined psychotherapy outcome findings comparing initial and post-treatment assessments, according to the mental functioning in S and M-axis of the psychodynamic diagnostic manual. Treatment planning and post-treatment changes were described with the main aim to illustrate from a clinical point of view why a psycho-dynamic approach, with specific attention to an “attachment theory stance,” was considered the treatment of choice for this patient. The Symptom Check List 90 Revised (SCL-90-R) and the Shedler–Westen Assessment Procedure (SWAP–200) were administered to detect patient’s symptomatic perception and clinician’s diagnostic points of view, respectively; the Adult Attachment Interview and the Adult Attachment Projective Picture System (AAP) were also administered as to pay attention to patient’s unconscious internal organization and changes in defense processes. A qualitative description of how the treatment unfolded was included. Findings highlight the important contribution of attachment theory in a 22-month psychodynamic psychotherapy framework, promoting resolution of patient’s symptoms and adjustment. PMID:25191293

The Integration of a Family Systems Approach for Understanding Youth Obesity, Physical Activity, and Dietary Programs

PubMed Central

Wilson, Dawn K.; St. George, Sara M.; Lawman, Hannah; Segal, Michelle; Fairchild, Amanda

2012-01-01

Rates of overweight in youth have reached epidemic proportions and are associated with adverse health outcomes. Family-based programs have been widely used to treat overweight in youth. However, few programs incorporate a theoretical framework for studying a family systems approach in relation to youth health behavior change. Therefore, this review provides a family systems theory framework for evaluating family-level variables in weight loss, physical activity, and dietary approaches in youth. Studies were reviewed and effect sizes were calculated for interventions that manipulated the family system, including components that targeted parenting styles, parenting skills, or family functioning, or which had novel approaches for including the family. Twenty-one weight loss interventions were identified, and 25 interventions related to physical activity and/or diet were identified. Overall, family-based treatment programs that incorporated training for authoritative parenting styles, parenting skills, or child management, and family functioning had positive effects on youth weight loss. Programs to improve physical activity and dietary behaviors that targeted the family system also demonstrated improvements in youth health behaviors; however, direct effects of parent-targeted programming is not clear. Both treatment and prevention programs would benefit from evaluating family functioning and parenting styles as possible mediators of intervention outcomes. Recommendations are provided to guide the development of future family-based obesity prevention and treatment programs for youth. PMID:20689989

Effect of Attendance of the Child on Body Weight, Energy Intake, and Physical Activity in Childhood Obesity Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Boutelle, Kerri N; Rhee, Kyung E; Liang, June; Braden, Abby; Douglas, Jennifer; Strong, David; Rock, Cheryl L; Wilfley, Denise E; Epstein, Leonard H; Crow, Scott J

2017-07-01

Family-based weight loss treatment (FBT) is considered the gold-standard treatment for childhood obesity and is provided to the parent and child. However, parent-based treatment (PBT), which is provided to the parent without the child, could be similarly effective and easier to disseminate. To determine whether PBT is similarly effective as FBT on child weight loss over 24 months. Secondary aims evaluated the effect of these 2 treatments on parent weight loss, child and parent dietary intake, child and parent physical activity, parenting style, and parent feeding behaviors. Randomized 2-arm noninferiority trial conducted at an academic medical center, University of California, San Diego, between July 2011 and July 2015. Participants included 150 overweight and obese 8- to 12-year-old children and their parents. Both PBT and FBT were delivered in 20 one-hour group meetings with 30-minute individualized behavioral coaching sessions over 6 months. Treatments were similar in content; the only difference was the attendance of the child. The primary outcome measure was child weight loss (body mass index [BMI] and BMI z score) at 6, 12, and 18 months post treatment. Secondary outcomes were parent weight loss (BMI), child and parent energy intake, child and parent physical activity (moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes), parenting style, and parent feeding behaviors. One hundred fifty children (mean BMI, 26.4; mean BMI z score, 2.0; mean age, 10.4 years; 66.4% girls) and their parent (mean BMI, 31.9; mean age, 42.9 years; 87.3% women; and 31% Hispanic, 49% non-Hispanic white, and 20% other race/ethnicity) were randomly assigned to either FBT or PBT. Child weight loss after 6 months was -0.25 BMI z scores in both PBT and FBT. Intention-to-treat analysis using mixed linear models showed that PBT was noninferior to FBT on all outcomes at 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-up with a mean difference in child weight loss of 0.001 (95% CI, -0.06 to 0.06). Parent-based treatment was as effective on child weight loss and several secondary outcomes (parent weight loss, parent and child energy intake, and parent and child physical activity). Parent-based treatment is a viable model to provide weight loss treatment to children. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01197443.

Outcomes-focused knowledge translation: a framework for knowledge translation and patient outcomes improvement.

PubMed

Doran, Diane M; Sidani, Souraya

2007-01-01

Regularly accessing information that is current and reliable continues to be a challenge for front-line staff nurses. Reconceptualizing how nurses access information and designing appropriate decision support systems to facilitate timely access to information may be important for increasing research utilization. An outcomes-focused knowledge translation framework was developed to guide the continuous improvement of patient care through the uptake of research evidence and feedback data about patient outcomes. The framework operationalizes the three elements of the PARIHS framework at the point of care. Outcomes-focused knowledge translation involves four components: (a) patient outcomes measurement and real-time feedback about outcomes achievement; (b) best-practice guidelines, embedded in decision support tools that deliver key messages in response to patient assessment data; (c) clarification of patients' preferences for care; and (d) facilitation by advanced practice nurses and practice leaders. In this paper the framework is described and evidence is provided to support theorized relationships among the concepts in the framework. The framework guided the design of a knowledge translation intervention aimed at continuous improvement of patient care and evidence-based practice, which are fostered through real-time feedback data about patient outcomes, electronic access to evidence-based resources at the point of care, and facilitation by advanced practice nurses. The propositions in the framework need to be empirically tested through future research.

Therapist-Reported Features of Exposure Tasks That Predict Differential Treatment Outcomes for Youth With Anxiety.

PubMed

Peris, Tara S; Caporino, Nicole E; O'Rourke, Sarah; Kendall, Philip C; Walkup, John T; Albano, Anne Marie; Bergman, R Lindsey; McCracken, James T; Birmaher, Boris; Ginsburg, Golda S; Sakolsky, Dara; Piacentini, John; Compton, Scott N

2017-12-01

Exposure tasks are recognized widely as a key component of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for child and adolescent anxiety. However, little research has examined specific exposure characteristics that predict outcomes for youth with anxiety and that may guide its application in therapy. This study draws on a sample of 279 children and adolescents (48.4% male; 79.6% white) with a principal anxiety disorder who received 14 sessions of CBT, either alone or in combination with medication, through the Child/adolescent Anxiety Multimodal treatment Study (CAMS). The present study examines therapist-reported quantity, difficulty level, compliance, and mastery of exposure tasks as they related to CBT response (i.e., Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement ratings). Secondary treatment outcomes included reduction in anxiety symptom severity on the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale, global impairment measured via the Children's Global Assessment Scale, and parent-report of anxiety-specific functional impairment on the Child Anxiety Impairment Scale. Regression analyses indicated a dose-response relationship between therapist-reported quantity of exposure and independent evaluations of treatment outcome, with more time devoted to exposure linked to better outcomes. Similarly, greater time spent on more difficult (rather than mild or moderate) exposure tasks predicted better outcomes, as did therapist ratings of child compliance and mastery. The present findings highlight the importance of challenging children and adolescents with difficult exposure tasks and of collaborating to ensure compliance and mastery. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Caregiver Insightfulness and Young Children’s Violence Exposure: Testing a Relational Model of Risk and Resilience

PubMed Central

Gray, Sarah A. O.; Forbes, Danielle; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret; Carter, Alice S.

2016-01-01

This study employed a relational post-traumatic stress frame to explore the co-contribution of young children’s exposure to violence and caregiver insightfulness on child behavioral outcomes in a high-risk, non-referred sample of caregivers and preschoolers (n = 64; mean age 3.83 years, SD = .77). Caregiver insightfulness did not have a main effect on child outcomes but did moderate the relation between violence exposure and child behavior across all observed outcomes. Violence-exposed children with non-insightful caregivers demonstrated higher caregiver-rated internalizing and externalizing behaviors and observer-rated negative affect than all other groups. Among children not exposed to violence, insightfulness was not related to children’s behavior problems or negative affect, suggesting violence-specific processes. Though cross-sectional, results suggest that the effects of violence and caregiver insightfulness on child outcomes are contingent on one another and that caregiver insightfulness may play a protective role in contexts of violence. PMID:26503175

The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems.

PubMed

Moylan, Carrie A; Herrenkohl, Todd I; Sousa, Cindy; Tajima, Emiko A; Herrenkohl, Roy C; Russo, M Jean

2010-01-01

This study examines the effects of child abuse and domestic violence exposure in childhood on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Data for this analysis are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study of 457 youth addressing outcomes of family violence and resilience in individuals and families. Results show that child abuse, domestic violence, and both in combination (i.e., dual exposure) increase a child's risk for internalizing and externalizing outcomes in adolescence. When accounting for risk factors associated with additional stressors in the family and surrounding environment, only those children with dual exposure had an elevated risk of the tested outcomes compared to non-exposed youth. However, while there were some observable differences in the prediction of outcomes for children with dual exposure compared to those with single exposure (i.e., abuse only or exposure to domestic violence only), these difference were not statistically significant. Analyses showed that the effects of exposure for boys and girls are statistically comparable.

Mother-child conversations about safety: implications for socializing safety values in children.

PubMed

O'Neal, Elizabeth E; Plumert, Jodie M

2014-05-01

This study examined how mothers socialize their children about safety through conversations about potentially unsafe activities. Mothers and their 8- and 10-year-old children discussed and rated the safety of 12 photographs depicting another same-gender child engaged in potentially dangerous activities. Conversations usually unfolded with children giving the first rating or rationale, followed by additional discussion between the mother and child. Mothers and children relied on 2 main types of rationales to justify their ratings: potential outcomes of the activity and specific features of the situation (dangerous and nondangerous). Mothers (but not children) used dangerous feature rationales more often than dangerous outcome rationales. When disagreements arose, mothers typically guided children to adopt their own rating rather than the child's rating. Additionally, children who used more nondangerous feature and outcome rationales had experienced more injuries requiring medical attention. Mothers' focus on dangerous features appears to reflect their efforts to help children make causal connections between dangerous elements of the situation and adverse outcomes that might result.

Should we get married? The effect of parents' marriage on out-of-wedlock children.

PubMed

Liu, Shirley H; Heiland, Frank

2012-01-01

Using a representative sample of children all born to unwed parents drawn from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and a potential outcome approach to account for self-selection into marriage, we investigate whether marriage after childbearing has a causal effect on early child development. Comparing children with similar background characteristics and parental mate-selection patterns who differ only in terms of whether their parents marry after childbirth, we find that marriage after childbirth significantly increases a child's early cognitive performance but there is no evidence that it affects child asthma risk or behavioral outcomes.

Treating Unresolved Grief and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in Orphaned Children in Tanzania: Group-based Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

PubMed Central

O’Donnell, Karen; Dorsey, Shannon; Gong, Wenfeng; Ostermann, Jan; Whetten, Rachel; Cohen, Judith A.; Itemba, Dafrosa; Manongi, Rachel; Whetten, Kathryn

2015-01-01

The study was designed to test the feasibility and child clinical outcomes for a group-based application of Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT) for orphaned children with unresolved grief in Moshi, Tanzania. Sixty-four orphaned children with at least mild symptoms of unresolved grief and/or traumatic stress and their guardians participated in the open trial. The evidence-based TF-CBT protocol was adapted for group delivery, resulting in 12 weekly sessions for child and guardians separately with conjoint activities and three individual visits. Using a task-sharing approach, the intervention was delivered by lay counselors with no prior mental health experience. Primary outcomes assessed were symptoms of unresolved grief and posttraumatic stress (PTS); secondary outcomes included symptoms of depression and overall behavioral adjustment. All assessments were conducted pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 3- and 12-months after the end of treatment. Results showed improved scores on all outcomes post-treatment, sustained at 3 and 12 months. Effect sizes (Cohen’s d) for baseline to post-treatment were 1.36 for child reported grief symptoms; 1.87 for child-reported PTS, and 1.15 for caregiver report of child PTS. PMID:25418514

Framework of outcome measures recommended for use in the evaluation of childhood obesity treatment interventions: the CoOR framework.

PubMed

Bryant, M; Ashton, L; Nixon, J; Jebb, S; Wright, J; Roberts, K; Brown, J

2014-12-01

Consensus is lacking in determining appropriate outcome measures for assessment of childhood obesity treatments. Inconsistency in the use and reporting of such measures impedes comparisons between treatments and limits consideration of effectiveness. This study aimed to produce a framework of recommended outcome measures: the Childhood obesity treatment evaluation Outcomes Review (CoOR) framework. A systematic review including two searches was conducted to identify (1) existing trial outcome measures and (2) manuscripts describing development/evaluation of outcome measures. Outcomes included anthropometry, diet, eating behaviours, physical activity, sedentary time/behaviour, fitness, physiology, environment, psychological well-being and health-related quality of life. Eligible measures were appraised by the internal team using a system developed from international guidelines, followed by appraisal from national external expert collaborators. A total of 25,486 papers were identified through both searches. Eligible search 1 trial papers cited 417 additional papers linked to outcome measures, of which 56 were eligible. A further 297 outcome development/evaluation papers met eligibility criteria from search 2. Combined, these described 191 outcome measures. After internal and external appraisal, 52 measures across 10 outcomes were recommended for inclusion in the CoOR framework. Application of the CoOR framework will ensure greater consistency in choosing robust outcome measures that are appropriate to population characteristics. © 2014 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2014 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

A Profile Approach to Child Care Quality, Quantity, and Type of Setting: Parent Selection of Infant Child Care Arrangements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosinsky, Laura Stout; Kim, Se-Kang

2013-01-01

Building on prior variable-oriented research which demonstrates the independence of the associations of child care quality, quantity, and type of setting with family factors and child outcomes, the current study identifies four profiles of child care dimensions from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Profiles accounted for…

Outcomes of early parent-child adrenocortical attunement in the high-risk offspring of depressed parents.

PubMed

Merwin, Stephanie M; Barrios, Chelsey; Smith, Victoria C; Lemay, Edward P; Dougherty, Lea R

2018-03-12

This study examined the impact of parent-child attunement of morning cortisol on parenting and child outcomes in dyads with and without parental depression. Participants included 142 parent-child dyads (3-5 years-old) who provided morning cortisol samples at Wave 1, and 98 dyads returned for the 3-year follow-up at Wave 2. Results indicated that for parents with a history of depression and for female children, stronger attunement predicted increases in parental hostility from Wave 1 to Wave 2. For females only, stronger attunement was related to children's depressive symptoms at Wave 1 and Wave 2. Stronger attunement was also associated with increases in children's depressive symptoms from Wave 1 to Wave 2, poorer psychosocial functioning at Wave 1, and ADHD symptoms at Wave 2. Findings highlight attunement as an important biological process related to parenting and child outcomes and suggest it may play a role in the intergenerational transmission of depression risk. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Parenting education for parents with intellectual disabilities: a review of outcome studies.

PubMed

Feldman, M A

1994-01-01

Parents with intellectual disabilities (i.e., IQ < 80; mental retardation) are overrepresented in child maltreatment cases and have a variety of parenting skill deficits. Their children are at risk for neglect, developmental delay, and behavioral disorders. This review of parenting education interventions for such parents identified 20 published studies with adequate outcome data. A total of 190 such parents (188 mothers, 2 fathers), with IQs ranging from 50 to 79 were involved. Parenting skills trained included basic child-care, safety, nutrition, problem solving, positive parent-child interactions, and child behavior management. The most common instructional approach was behavioral (e.g., task analysis, modeling, feedback, reinforcement). Overall, initial training, follow-up, and social validity results are encouraging. Generalization and child outcome data are weak. Further research is needed to (a) identify variables associated with responsiveness to intervention, and (b) develop and compare innovative programs that teach parents with cognitive disabilities the necessary generalized skills to demonstrate long-term beneficial effects on their children.

Breastfeeding and maternal alcohol use: Prevalence and effects on child outcomes and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

PubMed

May, Philip A; Hasken, Julie M; Blankenship, Jason; Marais, Anna-Susan; Joubert, Belinda; Cloete, Marise; de Vries, Marlene M; Barnard, Ronel; Botha, Isobel; Roux, Sumien; Doms, Cate; Gossage, J Phillip; Kalberg, Wendy O; Buckley, David; Robinson, Luther K; Adnams, Colleen M; Manning, Melanie A; Parry, Charles D H; Hoyme, H Eugene; Tabachnick, Barbara; Seedat, Soraya

2016-08-01

Determine any effects that maternal alcohol consumption during the breastfeeding period has on child outcomes. Population-based samples of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), normally-developing children, and their mothers were analyzed for differences in child outcomes. Ninety percent (90%) of mothers breastfed for an average of 19.9 months. Of mothers who drank postpartum and breastfed (MDPB), 47% breastfed for 12 months or more. In case control analyses, children of MDPB were significantly lighter, had lower verbal IQ scores, and more anomalies in comparisons controlling for prenatal alcohol exposure and final FASD diagnosis. Utilizing a stepwise logistic regression model adjusting for nine confounders of prenatal drinking and other maternal risks, MDPB were 6.4 times more likely to have a child with FASD than breastfeeding mothers who abstained from alcohol while breastfeeding. Alcohol use during the period of breastfeeding was found to significantly compromise a child's development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A methodological approach and framework for sustainability assessment in NGO-implemented primary health care programs.

PubMed

Sarriot, Eric G; Winch, Peter J; Ryan, Leo J; Bowie, Janice; Kouletio, Michelle; Swedberg, Eric; LeBan, Karen; Edison, Jay; Welch, Rikki; Pacqué, Michel C

2004-01-01

An estimated 10.8 million children under 5 continue to die each year in developing countries from causes easily treatable or preventable. Non governmental organizations (NGOs) are frontline implementers of low-cost and effective child health interventions, but their progress toward sustainable child health gains is a challenge to evaluate. This paper presents the Child Survival Sustainability Assessment (CSSA) methodology--a framework and process--to map progress towards sustainable child health from the community level and upward. The CSSA was developed with NGOs through a participatory process of research and dialogue. Commitment to sustainability requires a systematic and systemic consideration of human, social and organizational processes beyond a purely biomedical perspective. The CSSA is organized around three interrelated dimensions of evaluation: (1) health and health services; (2) capacity and viability of local organizations; (3) capacity of the community in its social ecological context. The CSSA uses a participatory, action-planning process, engaging a 'local system' of stakeholders in the contextual definition of objectives and indicators. Improved conditions measured in the three dimensions correspond to progress toward a sustainable health situation for the population. This framework opens new opportunities for evaluation and research design and places sustainability at the center of primary health care programming.

Assessing levels and trends of child health inequality in 88 developing countries: from 2000 to 2014

PubMed Central

Li, Zhihui; Li, Mingqiang; Subramanian, S. V.; Lu, Chunling

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Reducing child mortality was one of the Millennium Development Goals. In the current Sustainable Development Goals era, achieving equity is prioritized as a major aim. Objective: This study aims to provide a comprehensive and updated picture of inequalities in child health intervention coverage and child health outcomes by wealth status, as well as their trends between 2000 and 2014. Methods: Using data from Demographic Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, we adopted three measures of inequality, including one absolute inequality indicator and two relative inequality indicators, to estimate the level and trends of inequalities in three child health outcome variables and 17 intervention coverages in 88 developing countries. Results: While improvements in child health outcomes and coverage of interventions have been observed between 2000 and 2014, large inequalities remain. There was a high level of variation between countries’ progress toward reducing child health inequalities, with some countries significantly improving, some deteriorating, and some remaining statistically unchanged. Among child health interventions, the least equitable one was access to improved sanitation (The absolute difference in coverages between the richest quintile and the poorest quintile reached 49.5% [42.7, 56.2]), followed by access to improved water (34.1% [29.5, 38.6]), and skilled birth attendant (SBA) (34.1% [28.8, 39.4]). The most equitable intervention coverage was insecticide-treated bed net for children (1.0% [−3.9, 5.9]), followed by oral rehydration therapy for diarrhea ((8.0% [5.2, 10.8]), and vitamin A supplement (8.4% [5.1, 11.7]). These findings were robust to various inequality measurements. Conclusions: Although child health outcomes and coverage of interventions have improved largely over the study period for almost all wealth quintiles, insufficient progress was made in reducing child health inequalities between the poorest and richest wealth quintiles. Future efforts should focus on reaching the poorest children by increasing investments toward expanding the coverage of interventions in resource-limited settings. PMID:29228888

Parental physical and psychological aggression: psychological symptoms in young adults.

PubMed

Miller-Perrin, Cindy L; Perrin, Robin D; Kocur, Jodie L

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between various levels of parent-child physical violence and psychological symptoms reported by college students, while controlling for demographic variables, severity and frequency of violence, and co-occurrence of parental psychological aggression. Participants included 298 college students ranging in age from 18 to 27 years. Participants completed a demographic information form, the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC). Results of analysis of variance and multivariate analysis of variance indicated that individuals in the child physical abuse group obtained higher BSI scores compared to individuals in the corporal punishment and no violence groups. Few differences were observed between mild and severe corporal punishment groups. Multiple regression analyses indicated that when frequency of corporal punishment, child physical abuse, and psychological aggression, along with demographic variables, were considered simultaneously, psychological aggression was the most unique predictor of BSI scores. The findings suggest that severe forms of physical violence were associated with long-term psychological symptoms. When demographic variables and the frequency of several parent aggression variables were considered simultaneously, however, psychological aggression was most predictive of psychological outcome. These findings suggest that messages communicated to a child via psychological aggression may be more important in contributing to psychological outcome than the actual occurrence of physical violence toward the child. The current study supports the premise that severe physical aggression experienced in childhood is associated with serious psychological consequences in adulthood. In contrast, individuals who experienced less severe forms of parent-child violence, such as corporal aggression, exhibited similar symptom levels to those reporting no parent-child violence. When severe physical aggression, corporal aggression, and psychological aggression were considered simultaneously, however, psychological aggression emerged as the most unique predictor of psychological outcome. Researchers and clinicians who work with adults reporting childhood histories of severe parent-child violence should be aware of the importance of parent-child psychological aggression in contributing to psychological outcome.

Childhood Medical and Behavioral Consequences of Maternal Cocaine Use1

PubMed Central

Singer, Lynn; Farkas, Kathleen; Kliegman, Robert

2014-01-01

Reviewed available studies of the impact of fetal cocaine exposure on child medical and developmental outcome, as well as the current status of clinical psychological interventions and research strategies. Current studies are inconclusive but suggest that prenatal exposure to crack-cocaine can have significant effects on the growth and neurological development of the infant, with the potential of later learning and behavioral disabilities. Social-environmental correlates of maternal cocaine use are confounding factors with known negative effects on child outcome. Large, population-based studies using multivariate analyses are needed to determine the independent effects of cocaine on child outcome relative to other confounding variables. PMID:1382125

Using stakeholder engagement to develop a patient-centered pediatric asthma intervention.

PubMed

Shelef, Deborah Q; Rand, Cynthia; Streisand, Randi; Horn, Ivor B; Yadav, Kabir; Stewart, Lisa; Fousheé, Naja; Waters, Damian; Teach, Stephen J

2016-12-01

Stakeholder engagement has the potential to develop research interventions that are responsive to patient and provider preferences. This approach contrasts with traditional models of clinical research in which researchers determine the study's design. This article describes the effect of stakeholder engagement on the design of a randomized trial of an intervention designed to improve child asthma outcomes by reducing parental stress. The study team developed and implemented a stakeholder engagement process that provided iterative feedback regarding the study design, patient-centered outcomes, and intervention. Stakeholder engagement incorporated the perspectives of parents of children with asthma; local providers of community-based medical, legal, and social services; and national experts in asthma research methodology and implementation. Through a year-long process of multidimensional stakeholder engagement, the research team successfully refined and implemented a patient-centered study protocol. Key stakeholder contributions included selection of patient-centered outcome measures, refinement of intervention content and format, and language framing the study in a culturally appropriate manner. Stakeholder engagement was a useful framework for developing an intervention that was acceptable and relevant to our target population. This approach might have unique benefits in underserved populations, leading to sustainable improvement in health outcomes and reduced disparities. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parenting acceptance and commitment therapy: a randomised controlled trial of an innovative online course for families of children with cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Whittingham, Koa; Sheffield, Jeanie; Boyd, Roslyn N

2016-10-19

Cerebral palsy (CP) impacts on the entire family in a manner that is long-term, complex and multifactorial. In addition, the quality of the parent-child relationship impacts on many and varied child outcomes, making the provision of easily accessible and evidence-based support to parents of children with CP a priority. This paper reports the protocol of a randomised controlled trial of an innovative and translatable online intervention, parenting acceptance and commitment therapy (PACT), for families of children with CP. We predict that participating in the PACT programme will be associated with improvements in the parent-child relationship, in child functioning and in adjustment and quality of life for both parent and child. We aim to recruit 66 parents of children (2-10 years old) diagnosed with CP to this study. Families will be randomly assigned to two groups: wait-list control and PACT. PACT is a parenting intervention grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and developed into an online course 'PARENT101 Parenting with Purpose' using the edX platform. All participants will be offered PACT before completion of the study. Assessments will take place at baseline, following completion of PACT and at 6-month follow-up (retention) and will focus on the parent-child relationship, parent and child adjustment and parent and child quality of life. Analysis will follow standard methods for randomised controlled trials using general linear models, specifically analysis of variance or analysis of covariance. Ethics approvals have been obtained through the Children's Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/15/QRCH/115) and The University of Queensland (2015001743). If efficacy is demonstrated, then the PARENT101 course has the potential to be disseminated widely in an accessible manner and at minimal cost. Further, the PACT framework may provide a blueprint for similar online courses with parents in a full range of contexts. ACTRN12616000351415; Pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Cognitive Rehabilitation and the Head-Injured Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Kevin

1983-01-01

Discusses development of cognitive rehabilitation therapy (which attempts to address intervention needs of traumatically brain-injured child), particular concerns at various stages of patients' recovery, some fundamental principles of treatment, and framework for viewing cognition functionally. Considers questions clinicians ask and strategies for…

Taxonomy for Child Well-Being Indicators: A Framework for the Analysis of the Well-Being of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ben-Arieh, Asher; Frones, Ivar

2011-01-01

Recent years have brought a dramatic rise in the number of efforts to measure and monitor the status of children. Yet, despite numerous efforts and reports with "Child indicators" in the title, the field of social child indication is fragmented and lacking a unifying taxonomy. The more ambitious the analysis and the more elaborate the statistics,…

Family Instability and Child Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fomby, Paula; Cherlin, Andrew J.

2007-01-01

Children who experience multiple transitions in family structure may face worse developmental outcomes than children raised in stable, two-parent families, and perhaps even worse than children raised in stable, single-parent families--a point denoted in much prior research. Multiple transitions and negative child outcomes, however, may be…

Theory! The Missing Link in Understanding the Performance of Neonate/Infant Home-Visiting Programs to Prevent Child Maltreatment: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Segal, Leonie; Sara Opie, Rachelle; Dalziel, Kim

2012-01-01

Context Home-visiting programs have been offered for more than sixty years to at-risk families of newborns and infants. But despite decades of experience with program delivery, more than sixty published controlled trials, and more than thirty published literature reviews, there is still uncertainty surrounding the performance of these programs. Our particular interest was the performance of home visiting in reducing child maltreatment. Methods We developed a program logic framework to assist in understanding the neonate/infant home-visiting literature, identified through a systematic literature review. We tested whether success could be explained by the logic model using descriptive synthesis and statistical analysis. Findings Having a stated objective of reducing child maltreatment—a theory or mechanism of change underpinning the home-visiting program consistent with the target population and their needs and program components that can deliver against the nominated theory of change—considerably increased the chance of success. We found that only seven of fifty-three programs demonstrated such consistency, all of which had a statistically significant positive outcome, whereas of the fifteen that had no match, none was successful. Programs with a partial match had an intermediate success rate. The relationship between program success and full, partial or no match was statistically significant. Conclusions Employing a theory-driven approach provides a new way of understanding the disparate performance of neonate/infant home-visiting programs. Employing a similar theory-driven approach could also prove useful in the review of other programs that embody a diverse set of characteristics and may apply to diverse populations and settings. A program logic framework provides a rigorous approach to deriving policy-relevant meaning from effectiveness evidence of complex programs. For neonate/infant home-visiting programs, it means that in developing these programs, attention to consistency of objectives, theory of change, target population, and program components is critical. PMID:22428693

[Nonnative guidelines for allocating human resources in child and adolescent psychiatry using average values under convergence conditions instead of price determination - analysis of the data of university hospitals in Germany concerning the costs of calculating day and minute values according to Psych-PV and PEPP-System].

PubMed

Barufka, Steffi; Heller, Michael; Prayon, Valeria; Fegert, Jörg M

2015-11-01

Despite substantial opposition in the practical field, based on an amendment to the Hospital Financing Act (KHG). the so-called PEPP-System was introduced in child and adolescent psychiatry as a new calculation model. The 2-year moratorium, combined with the rescheduling of the repeal of the psychiatry personnel regulation (Psych-PV) and a convergence phase, provided the German Federal Ministry of Health with additional time to enter a structured dialogue with professional associations. Especially the perspective concerning the regulatory framework is presently unclear. In light of this debate, this article provides calculations to illustrate the transformation of the previous personnel regulation into the PEPP-System by means of the data of §21 KHEntgG stemming from the 22 university hospitals of child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy in Germany. In 2013 there was a total of 7,712 cases and 263,694 calculation days. In order to identify a necessary basic reimbursement value th1\\t would guarantee a constant quality of patient care, the authors utilize outcomes, cost structures, calculation days, and minute values for individual professional groups according to both systems (Psych-PV and PEPP) based on data from 2013 and the InEK' s analysis of the calculation datasets. The authors propose a normative agreement on the basic reimbursement value between 270 and 285 EUR. This takes into account the concentration phenomenon and the expansion of services that has occurred since the introduction of the Psych-PV system. Such a normative agreement on structural quality could provide a verifiable framework for the allocation of human resources corresponding to the previous regulations of Psych-PV.

Theory! The missing link in understanding the performance of neonate/infant home-visiting programs to prevent child maltreatment: a systematic review.

PubMed

Segal, Leonie; Sara Opie, Rachelle; Dalziel, Kim

2012-03-01

Home-visiting programs have been offered for more than sixty years to at-risk families of newborns and infants. But despite decades of experience with program delivery, more than sixty published controlled trials, and more than thirty published literature reviews, there is still uncertainty surrounding the performance of these programs. Our particular interest was the performance of home visiting in reducing child maltreatment. We developed a program logic framework to assist in understanding the neonate/infant home-visiting literature, identified through a systematic literature review. We tested whether success could be explained by the logic model using descriptive synthesis and statistical analysis. Having a stated objective of reducing child maltreatment-a theory or mechanism of change underpinning the home-visiting program consistent with the target population and their needs and program components that can deliver against the nominated theory of change-considerably increased the chance of success. We found that only seven of fifty-three programs demonstrated such consistency, all of which had a statistically significant positive outcome, whereas of the fifteen that had no match, none was successful. Programs with a partial match had an intermediate success rate. The relationship between program success and full, partial or no match was statistically significant. Employing a theory-driven approach provides a new way of understanding the disparate performance of neonate/infant home-visiting programs. Employing a similar theory-driven approach could also prove useful in the review of other programs that embody a diverse set of characteristics and may apply to diverse populations and settings. A program logic framework provides a rigorous approach to deriving policy-relevant meaning from effectiveness evidence of complex programs. For neonate/infant home-visiting programs, it means that in developing these programs, attention to consistency of objectives, theory of change, target population, and program components is critical. © 2012 Milbank Memorial Fund.

Association between child marriage and reproductive health outcomes and service utilization: a multi-country study from South Asia.

PubMed

Godha, Deepali; Hotchkiss, David R; Gage, Anastasia J

2013-05-01

Despite the pervasiveness of child marriage and its potentially adverse consequences on reproductive health outcomes, there is relatively little empirical evidence available on this issue, which has hindered efforts to improve the targeting of adolescent health programs. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of child marriage with fertility, fertility control, and maternal health care use outcomes in four South Asian countries: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. Data for the study come from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in the study countries; we used a subsample of women aged 20-24 years. Child marriage, defined as first marriage before 18 years of age, is categorized into two groups: first married at ages 15-17 years and first married at age ≤14 years. We used multivariate logistic regression models. The results of the study suggest that child marriage is significantly associated with a history of rapid repeat childbirth, current modern contraceptive use, female sterilization, not using contraception before first childbirth, pregnancy termination, unintended pregnancy, and inadequate use of maternal health services, although the associations are not always consistent across countries. Furthermore, women who married in early adolescence or childhood show a higher propensity toward most of the negative outcomes, compared with women who married in middle adolescence. Child marriage adds a layer of vulnerability to women that leads to poor fertility control and fertility-related outcomes, and low maternal health care use. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Associations between prenatal arsenic exposure with adverse pregnancy outcome and child mortality.

PubMed

Shih, Yu-Hsuan; Islam, Tariqul; Hore, Samar Kumar; Sarwar, Golam; Shahriar, Mohammad Hasan; Yunus, Mohammad; Graziano, Joseph H; Harjes, Judith; Baron, John A; Parvez, Faruque; Ahsan, Habibul; Argos, Maria

2017-10-01

Chronic arsenic exposure is a public health concern in many parts of the world, with elevated concentrations in groundwater posing a threat to millions of people. Arsenic is associated with various cancers and an array of chronic diseases; however, the relationship with adverse pregnancy outcomes and child mortality is less established. We evaluated associations between individual-level prenatal arsenic exposure with adverse pregnancy outcomes and child mortality in a pregnancy study among 498 women nested in a larger population-based cohort in rural Bangladesh. Creatinine-adjusted urinary total arsenic concentration, a comprehensive measure of exposure from water, food, and air sources, reflective of the prenatal period was available for participants. Self-reported pregnancy outcomes (livebirth, stillbirth, spontaneous/elective abortion) were ascertained. Generalized estimating equations, accounting for multiple pregnancies of participants, were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals in relation to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Vital status of livebirths was subsequently ascertained through November 2015. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals in relation to child mortality. We observed a significant association between prenatal arsenic exposure and the risk of stillbirth (greater than median; adjusted OR = 2.50; 95% CI = 1.04, 6.01). We also observed elevated risk of child mortality (greater than median; adjusted HR = 1.92; 95% CI = 0.78, 4.68) in relation to prenatal arsenic exposure. Prospective studies should continue to evaluate prenatal and early life health effects of arsenic exposure and arsenic remediation strategies for women of child-bearing age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Can teacher-child relationships support human rights to freedom of opinion and expression, education and participation?

PubMed

Wang, Cen; Harrison, Linda J; McLeod, Sharynne; Walker, Sue; Spilt, Jantine L

2018-02-01

This study explored how teacher-child relationships change over the early school years, in terms of closeness and conflict, whether these trajectories differ in type and frequency for children with typical development and children with speech and language concern (SLC), and whether the trajectories are associated with school outcomes at 12-13 years. Participants were children, parents and teachers in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Parents identified 2890 children with typical communication and 1442 children with SLC. Teacher-rated teacher-child closeness and conflict were collected biennially over six years. Academic and social-emotional outcomes were reported by teachers and children. Growth mixture modelling was conducted to generate teacher-child relationship trajectories and Wald's chi-square analyses were used to test the association between trajectories and school outcomes at 12-13 years, after controlling for a range of covariates including child's sex, language background, Indigenous status, age and socio-economic position. In both groups, the majority of children had teacher-child relationship trajectories with sustained high closeness and low conflict that predicted positive outcomes at age 12-13, but the SLC group was more at risk of less positive trajectories and poorer school outcomes. Close, less conflicted relationships with teachers may provide a supportive context for later language, literacy and social-emotional development. This study highlights the role of teachers in supporting children in their development of communication and academic skills that will optimise their capacity for freedom of opinions and expression, education and participation, as enshrined in Articles 19, 26 and 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Child incarceration and long-term adult health outcomes: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Barnert, Elizabeth S; Abrams, Laura S; Tesema, Lello; Dudovitz, Rebecca; Nelson, Bergen B; Coker, Tumaini; Bath, Eraka; Biely, Christopher; Li, Ning; Chung, Paul J

2018-03-12

Purpose Although incarceration may have life-long negative health effects, little is known about associations between child incarceration and subsequent adult health outcomes. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyzed data from 14,689 adult participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to compare adult health outcomes among those first incarcerated between 7 and 13 years of age (child incarceration); first incarcerated at>or=14 years of age; and never incarcerated. Findings Compared to the other two groups, those with a history of child incarceration were disproportionately black or Hispanic, male, and from lower socio-economic strata. Additionally, individuals incarcerated as children had worse adult health outcomes, including general health, functional limitations (climbing stairs), depressive symptoms, and suicidality, than those first incarcerated at older ages or never incarcerated. Research limitations/implications Despite the limitations of the secondary database analysis, these findings suggest that incarcerated children are an especially medically vulnerable population. Practical implications Programs and policies that address these medically vulnerable children's health needs through comprehensive health and social services in place of, during, and/or after incarceration are needed. Social implications Meeting these unmet health and social service needs offers an important opportunity to achieve necessary health care and justice reform for children. Originality/value No prior studies have examined the longitudinal relationship between child incarceration and adult health outcomes.

Children, parents, and pets exercising together (CPET) randomised controlled trial: study rationale, design, and methods.

PubMed

Yam, Philippa S; Morrison, Ryan; Penpraze, Viki; Westgarth, Carri; Ward, Dianne S; Mutrie, Nanette; Hutchison, Pippa; Young, David; Reilly, John J

2012-03-19

Objectively measured physical activity is low in British children, and declines as childhood progresses. Observational studies suggest that dog-walking might be a useful approach to physical activity promotion in children and adults, but there are no published public health interventions based on dog-walking with children. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study aims to develop and evaluate a theory driven, generalisable, family-based, dog walking intervention for 9-11 year olds. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study is an exploratory, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial as defined in the UK MRC Framework on the development and evaluation of complex interventions in public health. The trial will follow CONSORT guidance. Approximately 40 dog-owning families will be allocated randomly in a ratio of 1.5:1 to receive a simple behavioural intervention lasting for 10 weeks or to a 'waiting list' control group. The primary outcome is change in objectively measured child physical activity using Actigraph accelerometry. Secondary outcomes in the child, included in part to shape a future more definitive randomised controlled trial, are: total time spent sedentary and patterning of sedentary behaviour (Actigraph accelerometry); body composition and bone health from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; body weight, height and BMI; and finally, health-related quality of life using the PedsQL. Secondary outcomes in parents and dogs are: changes in body weight; changes in Actigraph accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Process evaluation will consist of assessment of simultaneous child, parent, and dog accelerometry data and brief interviews with participating families. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together trial should be the first randomised controlled study to establish and evaluate an intervention aimed at dog-based physical activity promotion in families. It should advance our understanding of whether and how to use pet dogs to promote physical activity and/or to reduce sedentary behaviour in children and adults. The trial is intended to lead to a subsequent more definitive randomised controlled trial, and the work should inform future dog-based public health interventions such as secondary prevention interventions in children or adults. ISRCTN85939423.

Children, parents, and pets exercising together (CPET) randomised controlled trial: study rationale, design, and methods

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Objectively measured physical activity is low in British children, and declines as childhood progresses. Observational studies suggest that dog-walking might be a useful approach to physical activity promotion in children and adults, but there are no published public health interventions based on dog-walking with children. The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study aims to develop and evaluate a theory driven, generalisable, family-based, dog walking intervention for 9-11 year olds. Methods/design The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together Study is an exploratory, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial as defined in the UK MRC Framework on the development and evaluation of complex interventions in public health. The trial will follow CONSORT guidance. Approximately 40 dog-owning families will be allocated randomly in a ratio of 1.5:1 to receive a simple behavioural intervention lasting for 10 weeks or to a 'waiting list' control group. The primary outcome is change in objectively measured child physical activity using Actigraph accelerometry. Secondary outcomes in the child, included in part to shape a future more definitive randomised controlled trial, are: total time spent sedentary and patterning of sedentary behaviour (Actigraph accelerometry); body composition and bone health from dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; body weight, height and BMI; and finally, health-related quality of life using the PedsQL. Secondary outcomes in parents and dogs are: changes in body weight; changes in Actigraph accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Process evaluation will consist of assessment of simultaneous child, parent, and dog accelerometry data and brief interviews with participating families. Discussion The Children, Parents, and Pets Exercising Together trial should be the first randomised controlled study to establish and evaluate an intervention aimed at dog-based physical activity promotion in families. It should advance our understanding of whether and how to use pet dogs to promote physical activity and/or to reduce sedentary behaviour in children and adults. The trial is intended to lead to a subsequent more definitive randomised controlled trial, and the work should inform future dog-based public health interventions such as secondary prevention interventions in children or adults. Trial registration number ISRCTN85939423 PMID:22429665

Family income, parenting styles and child behavioural-emotional outcomes.

PubMed

Dooley, Martin; Stewart, Jennifer

2007-02-01

A positive relationship between income and child outcomes has been observed in data from numerous countries. A key question concerns the extent to which this association represents a causal relationship as opposed to unobserved heterogeneity. We use data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth to implement a series of empirical strategies for estimating the existence and size of the effect of income on behavioural-emotional outcomes. We also examine the role of parenting style. Our results indicate that there is little evidence of an effect of income on behavioural-emotional scores. The exclusion of parenting style from the models was found to not bias the estimated income effect, but parenting style was found to have a consistent impact on child outcomes. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Observed positive parenting behaviors and youth genotype: evidence for gene-environment correlations and moderation by parent personality traits.

PubMed

Oppenheimer, Caroline W; Hankin, Benjamin L; Jenness, Jessica L; Young, Jami F; Smolen, Andrew

2013-02-01

Gene-environment correlations (rGE) have been demonstrated in behavioral genetic studies, but rGE have proven elusive in molecular genetic research. Significant gene-environment correlations may be difficult to detect because potential moderators could reduce correlations between measured genetic variants and the environment. Molecular genetic studies investigating moderated rGE are lacking. This study examined associations between child catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and aspects of positive parenting (responsiveness and warmth), and whether these associations were moderated by parental personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) among a general community sample of third, sixth, and ninth graders (N = 263) and their parents. Results showed that parent personality traits moderated the rGE association between youths' genotype and coded observations of positive parenting. Parents with low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion exhibited greater sensitive responsiveness and warmth, respectively, to youth with the valine/valine genotype. Moreover, youth with this genotype exhibited lower levels of observed anger. There was no association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and parenting behaviors for parents high on neuroticism and low on extraversion. Findings highlight the importance of considering moderating variables that may influence child genetic effects on the rearing environment. Implications for developmental models of maladaptive and adaptive child outcomes, and interventions for psychopathology, are discussed within a developmental psychopathology framework.

Establishing the boundaries and building bridges: a literature review on ecological theory: implications for research into the refugee parenting experience.

PubMed

Williams, Nombasa

2010-03-01

Currently an ecological model for conceptualizing and capturing the refugee parenting experience is lacking. After an extensive review of the literature related to the usages of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of child development, a gap was found in knowledge and research centred on describing the environment of pre-resettlement (i.e. pre-flight, flight, migration, camp) contexts and their impact on refugee parents and carer experiences. The culture of the refugee parenting experience may be characterized by disruptions in and alterations to family structure and organization; values and norms; and gender roles. This paper begins by examining the definition and usages of existing ecological frameworks in the 20th and 21st century. Particular attention is drawn to the gaps in the existing literature and an ecological model is offered. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice. The outcomes of this paper suggest the need for practitioners, policymakers and researchers to engage and develop culturally competent, relevant and appropriate interventions (i.e. reconciling differing beliefs and behaviours concerning child-rearing practices; affirming positive parenting practices of these families during engagement protocols and processes; adopting a strengths-based orientation) in the area of child protection whilst at the same time safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children within pre- and post-resettlement contexts.

Comparison of Stepped Care Delivery Against a Single, Empirically Validated Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program for Youth With Anxiety: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Rapee, Ronald M; Lyneham, Heidi J; Wuthrich, Viviana; Chatterton, Mary Lou; Hudson, Jennifer L; Kangas, Maria; Mihalopoulos, Cathrine

2017-10-01

Stepped care is embraced as an ideal model of service delivery but is minimally evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for child anxiety delivered via a stepped-care framework compared against a single, empirically validated program. A total of 281 youth with anxiety disorders (6-17 years of age) were randomly allocated to receive either empirically validated treatment or stepped care involving the following: (1) low intensity; (2) standard CBT; and (3) individually tailored treatment. Therapist qualifications increased at each step. Interventions did not differ significantly on any outcome measures. Total therapist time per child was significantly shorter to deliver stepped care (774 minutes) compared with best practice (897 minutes). Within stepped care, the first 2 steps returned the strongest treatment gains. Stepped care and a single empirically validated program for youth with anxiety produced similar efficacy, but stepped care required slightly less therapist time. Restricting stepped care to only steps 1 and 2 would have led to considerable time saving with modest loss in efficacy. Clinical trial registration information-A Randomised Controlled Trial of Standard Care Versus Stepped Care for Children and Adolescents With Anxiety Disorders; http://anzctr.org.au/; ACTRN12612000351819. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Observed positive parenting behaviors and youth genotype: Evidence for gene–environment correlations and moderation by parent personality traits

PubMed Central

OPPENHEIMER, CAROLINE W.; HANKIN, BENJAMIN L.; JENNESS, JESSICA L.; YOUNG, JAMI F.; SMOLEN, ANDREW

2013-01-01

Gene–environment correlations (rGE) have been demonstrated in behavioral genetic studies, but rGE have proven elusive in molecular genetic research. Significant gene–environment correlations may be difficult to detect because potential moderators could reduce correlations between measured genetic variants and the environment. Molecular genetic studies investigating moderated rGE are lacking. This study examined associations between child catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and aspects of positive parenting (responsiveness and warmth), and whether these associations were moderated by parental personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) among a general community sample of third, sixth, and ninth graders (N = 263) and their parents. Results showed that parent personality traits moderated the rGE association between youths’ genotype and coded observations of positive parenting. Parents with low levels of neuroticism and high levels of extraversion exhibited greater sensitive responsiveness and warmth, respectively, to youth with the valine/valine genotype. Moreover, youth with this genotype exhibited lower levels of observed anger. There was no association between the catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and parenting behaviors for parents high on neuroticism and low on extraversion. Findings highlight the importance of considering moderating variables that may influence child genetic effects on the rearing environment. Implications for developmental models of maladaptive and adaptive child outcomes, and interventions for psychopathology, are discussed within a developmental psychopathology framework. PMID:23398761

Mothers, Fathers, and Parental Systems: A Conceptual Model of Parental Engagement in Programmes for Child Mental Health-Connect, Attend, Participate, Enact (CAPE).

PubMed

Piotrowska, Patrycja J; Tully, L A; Lenroot, R; Kimonis, E; Hawes, D; Moul, C; Frick, P J; Anderson, V; Dadds, M R

2017-06-01

Parenting programmes are one of the best researched and most effective interventions for reducing child mental health problems. The success of such programmes, however, is largely dependent on their reach and parental engagement. Rates of parental enrolment and attendance are highly variable, and in many cases very low; this is especially true of father involvement in parenting programmes. This paper proposes a conceptual model of parental engagement in parenting programmes-the CAPE model (Connect, Attend, Participate, Enact) that builds on recent models by elaborating on the interdependent stages of engagement, and its interparental or systemic context. That is, we argue that a comprehensive model of parental engagement will best entail a process from connection to enactment of learned strategies in the child's environment, and involve consideration of individual parents (both mothers and fathers) as well as the dynamics of the parenting team. The model provides a framework for considering parent engagement as well as associated facilitators and mechanisms of parenting change such as parenting skills, self-efficacy, attributions, and the implementation context. Empirical investigation of the CAPE model could be used to further our understanding of parental engagement, its importance for programme outcomes, and mechanisms of change. This will guide future intervention refinement and developments as well as change in clinical practice.

Rethinking Compassion Fatigue Through the Lens of Professional Identity: The Case of Child-Protection Workers.

PubMed

Geoffrion, Steve; Morselli, Carlo; Guay, Stéphane

2016-07-01

Compassion fatigue is currently the dominant model in work-related stress studies that explain the consequences of caring for others on child-protection workers. Based on a deterministic approach, this model excludes the role of cognition a priori and a posteriori in the understanding of the impact of caregiving or providing social support. By integrating the notion of professional identity, this article adds a subjective perspective to the compassion fatigue model allowing for the consideration of positive outcomes and takes into account the influence of stress caused by accountability. Mainly, it is argued that meanings derived from identity and given to situations may protect or accelerate the development of compassion fatigue or compassion satisfaction. To arrive at this proposition, the notions of compassion fatigue and identity theory are first reviewed. These concepts are then articulated around four work-related stressors specific to child-protection work. In light of this exercise, it is argued that professional identity serves as a subjective interpretative framework that guides the understanding of work-related situations. Therefore, compassion fatigue is not only a simple reaction to external stimuli. It is influenced by meanings given to the situation. Furthermore, professional identity modulates the impact of compassion fatigue on psychological well-being. Practice, policy, and research implications in light of these findings are also discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Can Performance-Related Learning Outcomes Have Standards?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brockmann, Michaela; Clarke, Linda; Winch, Christopher

2008-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explain the distinction between educational standards and learning outcomes and to indicate the problems that potentially arise when a learning outcomes approach is applied to a qualification meta-framework like the European Qualification Framework, or indeed to national qualification frameworks.…

Life History theory hypotheses on child growth: Potential implications for short and long-term child growth, development and health.

PubMed

Said-Mohamed, Rihlat; Pettifor, John M; Norris, Shane A

2018-01-01

Life history theory integrates ecological, physiological, and molecular layers within an evolutionary framework to understand organisms' strategies to optimize survival and reproduction. Two life history hypotheses and their implications for child growth, development, and health (illustrated in the South African context) are reviewed here. One hypothesis suggests that there is an energy trade-off between linear growth and brain growth. Undernutrition in infancy and childhood may trigger adaptive physiological mechanisms prioritizing the brain at the expense of body growth. Another hypothesis is that the period from conception to infancy is a critical window of developmental plasticity of linear growth, the duration of which may vary between and within populations. The transition from infancy to childhood may mark the end of a critical window of opportunity for improving child growth. Both hypotheses emphasize the developmental plasticity of linear growth and the potential determinants of growth variability (including the role of parent-offspring conflict in maternal resources allocation). Implications of these hypotheses in populations with high burdens of undernutrition and infections are discussed. In South Africa, HIV/AIDS during pregnancy (associated with adverse birth outcomes, short duration of breastfeeding, and social consequences) may lead to a shortened window of developmental plasticity of growth. Furthermore, undernutrition and infectious diseases in children living in South Africa, a country undergoing a rapid nutrition transition, may have adverse consequences on individuals' cognitive abilities and risks of cardio-metabolic diseases. Studies are needed to identify physiological mechanisms underlying energy allocation between biological functions and their potential impacts on health. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Introduction to the special issue: toward implementing physiological measures in clinical child and adolescent assessments.

PubMed

De Los Reyes, Andres; Aldao, Amelia

2015-01-01

The National Institute of Mental Health recently launched the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC). The RDoC is an initiative to improve classification of mental health concerns by promoting research on the brain mechanisms underlying these concerns, with the ultimate goal of developing interventions that target these brain mechanisms. A key focus of RDoC involves opening new lines of research examining patients' responses on biological measures. The RDoC presents unique challenges to mental health professionals who work with children and adolescents. Indeed, mental health professionals rarely integrate biological measures into clinical assessments. Thus, RDoC's ability to improve patient care rests, in part, on the development of strategies for implementing biological measures within mental health assessments. Further, mental health professionals already carry out comprehensive assessments that frequently yield inconsistent findings. These inconsistencies have historically posed challenges to interpreting research findings as well as assessment outcomes in practice settings. In this introductory article, we review key issues that informed the development of a special issue of articles demonstrating methods for implementing low-cost measures of physiological functioning in clinical child and adolescent assessments. We also outline a conceptual framework, informed by theoretical work on using and interpreting multiple informants' clinical reports (De Los Reyes, Thomas, Goodman, & Kundey, 2013 ), to guide hypothesis testing when using physiological measures within clinical child and adolescent assessments. This special issue and the conceptual model described in this article may open up new lines of research testing paradigms for implementing clinically feasible physiological measures in clinical child and adolescent assessments.

Children's Environmental Health Indicators in Australia.

PubMed

Sly, J Leith; Moore, Sophie E; Gore, Fiona; Brune, Marie Noel; Neira, Maria; Jagals, Paul; Sly, Peter D

2016-01-01

Adverse environmental exposures in early life increase the risk of chronic disease but do not attract the attention nor receive the public health priority warranted. A safe and healthy environment is essential for children's health and development, yet absent in many countries. A framework that aids in understanding the link between environmental exposures and adverse health outcomes are environmental health indicators-numerical estimates of hazards and outcomes that can be applied at a population level. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a set of children's environmental health indicators (CEHI) for physical injuries, insect-borne disease, diarrheal diseases, perinatal diseases, and respiratory diseases; however, uptake of steps necessary to apply these indicators across the WHO regions has been incomplete. A first indication of such uptake is the management of data required to measure CEHI. The present study was undertaken to determine whether Australia has accurate up-to-date, publicly available, and readily accessible data on each CEHI for indigenous and nonindigenous Australian children. Data were not readily accessible for many of the exposure indicators, and much of the available data were not child specific or were only available for Australia's indigenous population. Readily accessible data were available for all but one of the outcome indicators and generally for both indigenous and nonindigenous children. Although Australia regularly collects data on key national indicators of child health, development, and well-being in several domains mostly thought to be of more relevance to Australians and Australian policy makers, these differ substantially from the WHO CEHI. The present study suggests that the majority of these WHO exposure and outcome indicators are relevant and important for monitoring Australian children's environmental health and establishing public health interventions at a local and national level and collection of appropriate data would inform public health policy in Australia. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of approach and services under differential response on long term child safety and welfare.

PubMed

Loman, L Anthony; Siegel, Gary L

2015-01-01

An outcome analysis was conducted based on an extended follow-up of the implementation of differential response program reforms in Child Protective Services offices in 10 counties in a Midwestern U.S. State. Random assignment was conducted of families that were first determined to be appropriate for family assessments. Experimental families (n=2,382) were each assigned to a non-forensic family assessment, and control families (n=2,247) each received a forensic investigation. Families were assigned continuously over a 15-month period and then tracked from 45 to 60 months from the date of assignment. Detailed information on services provided and family responses was obtained via two subsamples of experimental and control families. Measures of family engagement and service reception and utilization were utilized to determine instrumental outcomes introduced through family assessments. Improved family engagement and increased and broadened services were found to have occurred, and it was theorized that these changes mediated extended outcomes. Extended outcomes included reductions of rates of subsequent screened-in reports of child maltreatment, proportions of families that experienced child removals, and instances of new safety threats and problems in parenting. Differences in outcomes were found among the participating counties with 4 counties accounting for most outcome differences. The relationships between instrumental and extended outcomes were discussed with suggestions for further research. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A longitudinal investigation of parenting stress in caregivers of children with retinoblastoma.

PubMed

Willard, Victoria W; Qaddoumi, Ibrahim; Zhang, Hui; Huang, Lu; Russell, Kathryn M; Brennan, Rachel; Wilson, Matthew W; Rodriguez-Galindo, Carlos; Phipps, Sean

2017-04-01

Retinoblastoma is typically diagnosed in young children and may present unique parenting challenges. Qualitative research suggests that parents experience distress related to the initial diagnosis and treatment that subsequently resolves. The objectives were to systematically assess parenting stress over time in parents of young children with retinoblastoma and to examine associations between parenting stress and child outcomes. Parents of children with retinoblastoma completed the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) during serial psychological assessments scheduled based on the child's age (6 months to 5 years). Caregivers of 92 patients (85.9% mothers) completed the assessments. Child outcomes included developmental functioning and parent-reported adaptive functioning. At baseline and age 5, all subscales on the PSI were within normal limits, and most were significantly below normative means (i.e., demonstrating low levels of stress). All domains remained relatively stable over time. Associations between parenting stress and child outcomes were much stronger at age 5 than at baseline. Child-directed parenting stress was a small but significant contributor to declines in child functioning over time. Parents of children with retinoblastoma report normal levels of parenting stress while their children are young. However, baseline parenting stress appears to contribute to changes in child functioning over time. Future studies should assess illness-related aspects of adjustment to further understand the parenting experience of young children with cancer and/or having a visually impaired child. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long-Term Perspectives of Family Quality of Life Following Music Therapy With Young Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Phenomenological Study.

PubMed

Thompson, Grace A

2018-01-13

Parents of children on the autism spectrum have consistently reported feeling uncertain in their parenting role, and desire more practical advice from service providers about how to support their child in the home. There is growing recognition of the need for interventions to provide support to the family as well as fostering child development outcomes. This study explores mothers' follow-up perspectives of family-centered music therapy (FCMT) four years after participating in a 16-week home-based program, and therefore provides a unique long-term viewpoint on FCMT outcomes. Eight mothers who previously participated in FCMT sessions with their young children on the autism spectrum were interviewed to explore their perception of any long-term outcomes. A descriptive phenomenological analysis revealed five global themes, including: improvement in mothers' confidence to engage their child; rare opportunities for mutual mother-child enjoyment; improved child social communication and quality of life; mothers' new understanding of the child's interests and strengths; and more opportunities for continuing the child's interest in music. Mothers perceived long-term benefits to social relationships within the family, leading to perceived enrichment in child and family quality of life following music therapy sessions. © American Music Therapy Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Child Schooling in Ethiopia: The Role of Maternal Autonomy.

PubMed

Gebremedhin, Tesfaye Alemayehu; Mohanty, Itismita

2016-01-01

This paper examines the effects of maternal autonomy on child schooling outcomes in Ethiopia using a nationally representative Ethiopian Demographic and Health survey for 2011. The empirical strategy uses a Hurdle Negative Binomial Regression model to estimate years of schooling. An ordered probit model is also estimated to examine age grade distortion using a trichotomous dependent variable that captures three states of child schooling. The large sample size and the range of questions available in this dataset allow us to explore the influence of individual and household level social, economic and cultural factors on child schooling. The analysis finds statistically significant effects of maternal autonomy variables on child schooling in Ethiopia. The roles of maternal autonomy and other household-level factors on child schooling are important issues in Ethiopia, where health and education outcomes are poor for large segments of the population.

Country-level economic disparity and child mortality related to housing and injuries: a study in 26 European countries.

PubMed

Sengoelge, Mathilde; Elling, Berty; Laflamme, Lucie; Hasselberg, Marie

2013-10-01

Adverse living standards are associated with poorer child health and safety. This study investigates whether adverse housing and neighbourhood conditions contribute to explain country-level associations between a country's economic level and income inequality and child mortality, specifically injury mortality. Ecological, cross-sectional study. Twenty-six European countries were grouped according to two country-level economic measures from Eurostat: gross domestic product (GDP) and income inequality. Adverse country-level housing and neighbourhood conditions were assessed using data from the 2006 European Union Income Social Inclusion and Living Conditions Database (n=203 000). Child mortality incidence rates were derived for children aged 1-14 years for all causes, all injuries, road traffic injuries and unintentional injuries excluding road traffic. Linear regression analysis was applied to measure whether housing or neighbourhood conditions have a significant association with child mortality and whether a strain modified the association between GDP/income inequality and mortality. Country-level income inequality and GDP demonstrated a significant association with child mortality for all outcomes. A significant association was also found between housing strain and all child mortality outcomes, but not for neighbourhood strain. Housing strain partially modified the relationship between income inequality and GDP and all child mortality outcomes, with the exception of income inequality and road traffic injury mortality showing full mediation by housing strain. Adverse housing conditions are a likely pathway in the country-level association between income inequality and economic GDP and child injury mortality.

A state survey of Child Advocacy Center therapists' attitudes toward treatment manuals and evidence-based practice.

PubMed

Staudt, Marlys; Williams-Hayes, Mona

2011-01-01

The objective of this descriptive study was to examine Child Advocacy Center therapists' attitudes toward treatment manuals and evidence-based practices and to gather information about the treatments they use most frequently. An online survey was sent to 30 therapists employed by 15 Child Advocacy Centers in a southeastern state. The response rate was 70%. The respondents generally had positive attitudes toward the use of treatment manuals and the implementation of evidence-based practices. The treatment utilized most frequently was trauma focused cognitive-behavioral therapy. More outcome research of Child Advocacy Center services is needed, and information about how children and parents perceive the acceptability and outcomes of Child Advocacy Center services can be used to enhance services.

A multilevel simultaneous equations model for within-cluster dynamic effects, with an application to reciprocal parent-child and sibling effects.

PubMed

Steele, Fiona; Rasbash, Jon; Jenkins, Jennifer

2013-03-01

There has been substantial interest in the social and health sciences in the reciprocal causal influences that people in close relationships have on one another. Most research has considered reciprocal processes involving only 2 units, although many social relationships of interest occur within a larger group (e.g., families, work groups, peer groups, classrooms). This article presents a general longitudinal multilevel modeling framework for the simultaneous estimation of reciprocal relationships among individuals with unique roles operating in a social group. We use family data for illustrative purposes, but the model is generalizable to any social group in which measurements of individuals in the social group occur over time, individuals have unique roles, and clustering of the data is evident. We allow for the possibility that the outcomes of family members are influenced by a common set of unmeasured family characteristics. The multilevel model we propose allows for residual variation in the outcomes of parents and children at the occasion, individual, and family levels and residual correlation between parents and children due to the unmeasured shared environment, genetic factors, and shared measurement. Another advantage of this method over approaches used in previous family research is it can handle mixed family sizes. The method is illustrated in an analysis of maternal depression and child delinquency using data from the Avon Brothers and Sisters Study. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Comparing Child Outcomes of Physical Punishment and Alternative Disciplinary Tactics: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larzelere, Robert E.; Kuhn, Brett R.

2005-01-01

This meta-analysis investigates differences between the effect sizes of physical punishment and alternative disciplinary tactics for child outcomes in 26 qualifying studies. Analyzing differences in effect sizes reduces systematic biases and emphasizes direct comparisons between the disciplinary tactics that parents have to select among. The…

Psychological Empowerment and Child Welfare Worker Outcomes: A Path Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Joohee; Weaver, Cynthia; Hrostowski, Susan

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how work environment and psychological empowerment related to worker outcomes in public child welfare. These relationships were examined by testing a conceptual model in which psychological empowerment mediated the relationships between work environment variables (quality of supervision and role…

Outpatient Treatment of Child Molesters: Motivational Factors and Outcome.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins-Hall, Katurah

1994-01-01

Four motivational factors were examined as predictors of treatment effectiveness for 48 male child molesters seen in outpatient therapy using multimodal cognitive behavior therapy for 1 year. Motivation was related to successful outcome. Acceptance of responsibility for sexual deviancy consistently proved to be an effective predictor of favorable…

Innovative Training in Pediatrics, General Psychiatry, and Child Psychiatry: Background, Outcomes, and Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gleason, Mary Margaret; Fritz, Gregory K.

2009-01-01

Objectives: The authors describe the history, rationale, and outcomes of combined training programs in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child psychiatry ("triple board"), including narrative feedback from graduates and reflections upon the important components of the program. Methods: This article reviews the background and experiences of triple board…

Investigating the Relation between Kindergarten Preparation and Child Socio-Behavioral School Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wildenger, Leah K.; McIntyre, Laura Lee

2012-01-01

Research suggests that many typically developing children in the United States experience problems during the transition from preschool to kindergarten. Despite the fact that early school experiences impact educational trajectories, few empirical studies investigate the effect of kindergarten preparation variables on child outcomes. The primary…

Child Custody: Legal Decisions and Family Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everett, Craig A., Ed.

This collection addresses child custody decisions and the resultant outcomes for children and their families. The first section of the book examines aspects of the legal decision-making process as well as legislative guidelines affecting custody and post-divorce issues. The second section focuses on post-divorce family patterns for fathers,…

Outcomes of parental use of psychological aggression on children: a structural model from Sri Lanka.

PubMed

de Zoysa, Piyanjali; Newcombe, Peter A; Rajapakse, Lalini

2010-08-01

The objective of this study was to explore the existence and, if so, the nature of the association between parental use of psychological aggression and psychological maladjustment in a 12-year-old Sri Lankan school population. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 1,226 children from Colombo district schools. Three instruments, validated in the Sri Lankan context, were used to collect data on children's experience of psychological aggression, its psychological outcomes, and psychosocial correlates. The annual prevalence of psychological aggression reported by the study sample was 75%. A predictive model for psychological outcomes was examined. The experience of psychological aggression was shown to be moderately, but directly and significantly, associated with psychological maladjustment in children. This association was mediated by non-parentto-child violence-the child's knowledge of violence between the parents, experience of teacher violence, exposure to peer violence, and violence in the child's community. However, the child's report of a nurturant parent-child relationship did not impact on the association between psychological aggression and psychological maladjustment. The study also indicated that greater the child's experience of non-parent-to-child violence, the greater is his/her own level of hostility and aggression. These findings show that although many Sri Lankan parents use psychological aggression it has negative consequences for their children.

Knowledge and attitude towards child marriage practice among women married as children-a qualitative study in urban slums of Lahore, Pakistan.

PubMed

Nasrullah, Muazzam; Zakar, Rubeena; Zakar, Muhammad Zakria; Abbas, Safdar; Safdar, Rabia; Shaukat, Mahwish; Krämer, Alexander

2014-11-06

Child marriage (<18 years) is prevalent in Pakistan which is associated with negative health outcomes. Our aim is to describe women's knowledge and attitude towards child marriage practice who themselves were married as children. Women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who were married prior to 18 years, for at least 5 years and had at least one child birth were recruited from most populous slum areas of Lahore, Pakistan. Themes for the interview were developed using published literature and everyday observations of the researchers. Interviews were conducted by trained interviewers in Urdu language and were translated into English. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed, analyzed and categorized into themes. Nineteen of 20 participants who agreed to participate were married between 11-17 years. Most respondents were uneducated, poor and were working as housemaids. The majority participants were unaware of the negative health outcomes of child marriages. They appeared satisfied by the decision of their parents of marrying them before 18 years, and even condemned banning child marriages in Pakistan. Strong influence of culture and community perceptions, varying interpretation of religion, and protecting family honor are some of the reasons that were narrated by the participants, which seems playing a role in continuation of child marriage practice in Pakistan. Raising awareness of the negative health outcomes of child marriage, implementing and enforcing strict laws against child marriage practice, promoting civil, sexual and reproductive health rights for women, can help eliminate child marriages in Pakistan.

Non-replication of the association between 5HTTLPR and response to psychological therapy for child anxiety disorders

PubMed Central

Lester, Kathryn J.; Roberts, Susanna; Keers, Robert; Coleman, Jonathan R. I.; Breen, Gerome; Wong, Chloe C. Y.; Xu, Xiaohui; Arendt, Kristian; Blatter-Meunier, Judith; Bögels, Susan; Cooper, Peter; Creswell, Cathy; Heiervang, Einar R.; Herren, Chantal; Hogendoorn, Sanne M.; Hudson, Jennifer L.; Krause, Karen; Lyneham, Heidi J.; McKinnon, Anna; Morris, Talia; Nauta, Maaike H.; Rapee, Ronald M.; Rey, Yasmin; Schneider, Silvia; Schneider, Sophie C.; Silverman, Wendy K.; Smith, Patrick; Thastum, Mikael; Thirlwall, Kerstin; Waite, Polly; Wergeland, Gro Janne; Eley, Thalia C.

2016-01-01

Background We previously reported an association between 5HTTLPR genotype and outcome following cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) in child anxiety (Cohort 1). Children homozygous for the low-expression short-allele showed more positive outcomes. Other similar studies have produced mixed results, with most reporting no association between genotype and CBT outcome. Aims To replicate the association between 5HTTLPR and CBT outcome in child anxiety from the Genes for Treatment study (GxT Cohort 2, n = 829). Method Logistic and linear mixed effects models were used to examine the relationship between 5HTTLPR and CBT outcomes. Mega-analyses using both cohorts were performed. Results There was no significant effect of 5HTTLPR on CBT outcomes in Cohort 2. Mega-analyses identified a significant association between 5HTTLPR and remission from all anxiety disorders at follow-up (odds ratio 0.45, P = 0.014), but not primary anxiety disorder outcomes. Conclusions The association between 5HTTLPR genotype and CBT outcome did not replicate. Short-allele homozygotes showed more positive treatment outcomes, but with small, non-significant effects. Future studies would benefit from utilising whole genome approaches and large, homogenous samples. PMID:26294368

A framework for conducting follow-up meetings with parents after a child's death in the pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Eggly, Susan; Meert, Kathleen L; Berger, John; Zimmerman, Jerry; Anand, Kanwaljeet J S; Newth, Christopher J L; Harrison, Rick; Carcillo, Joseph; Dean, J Michael; Willson, Douglas F; Nicholson, Carol

2011-03-01

To describe a framework to assist pediatric intensive care unit physicians in conducting follow-up meetings with parents after their child's death. Many childhood deaths occur in pediatric intensive care units. Parents of children who die in pediatric intensive care units often desire a follow-up meeting with the physician(s) who cared for their child. Prior research conducted by the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network on the experiences and perspectives of bereaved parents and pediatric intensive care unit physicians regarding the desirability, content, and conditions of follow-up meetings. The framework includes suggestions for inviting families to follow-up meetings (i.e., developing an institutional system, invitation timing, and format); preparing for the meeting (i.e., assessing family preferences; determining location, attendees, and discussion topics; reviewing medical and psychosocial history); structure of the meeting (i.e., opening, closing, and developing a meeting agenda); communicating effectively during the meeting; and follow-up for both parents and physicians. This framework is based on the experience and perspectives of bereaved parents and pediatric intensive care unit physicians. Future research should be conducted to determine the extent to which physician-parent follow-up meetings provide a benefit to parents, families, physicians, and other healthcare providers participating in these encounters.

A framework for outcome-level evaluation of in-service training of health care workers.

PubMed

O'Malley, Gabrielle; Perdue, Thomas; Petracca, Frances

2013-10-01

In-service training is a key strategic approach to addressing the severe shortage of health care workers in many countries. However, there is a lack of evidence linking these health care worker trainings to improved health outcomes. In response, the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief's Human Resources for Health Technical Working Group initiated a project to develop an outcome-focused training evaluation framework. This paper presents the methods and results of that project. A general inductive methodology was used for the conceptualization and development of the framework. Fifteen key informant interviews were conducted to explore contextual factors, perceived needs, barriers and facilitators affecting the evaluation of training outcomes. In addition, a thematic analysis of 70 published articles reporting health care worker training outcomes identified key themes and categories. These were integrated, synthesized and compared to several existing training evaluation models. This formed an overall typology which was used to draft a new framework. Finally, the framework was refined and validated through an iterative process of feedback, pilot testing and revision. The inductive process resulted in identification of themes and categories, as well as relationships among several levels and types of outcomes. The resulting framework includes nine distinct types of outcomes that can be evaluated, which are organized within three nested levels: individual, organizational and health system/population. The outcome types are: (1) individual knowledge, attitudes and skills; (2) individual performance; (3) individual patient health; (4) organizational systems; (5) organizational performance; (6) organizational-level patient health; (7) health systems; (8) population-level performance; and (9) population-level health. The framework also addresses contextual factors which may influence the outcomes of training, as well as the ability of evaluators to determine training outcomes. In addition, a group of user-friendly resources, the Training Evaluation Framework and Tools (TEFT) were created to help evaluators and stakeholders understand and apply the framework. Feedback from pilot users suggests that using the framework and accompanying tools may support outcome evaluation planning. Further assessment will assist in strengthening guidelines and tools for operationalization.

A framework for outcome-level evaluation of in-service training of health care workers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In-service training is a key strategic approach to addressing the severe shortage of health care workers in many countries. However, there is a lack of evidence linking these health care worker trainings to improved health outcomes. In response, the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief’s Human Resources for Health Technical Working Group initiated a project to develop an outcome-focused training evaluation framework. This paper presents the methods and results of that project. Methods A general inductive methodology was used for the conceptualization and development of the framework. Fifteen key informant interviews were conducted to explore contextual factors, perceived needs, barriers and facilitators affecting the evaluation of training outcomes. In addition, a thematic analysis of 70 published articles reporting health care worker training outcomes identified key themes and categories. These were integrated, synthesized and compared to several existing training evaluation models. This formed an overall typology which was used to draft a new framework. Finally, the framework was refined and validated through an iterative process of feedback, pilot testing and revision. Results The inductive process resulted in identification of themes and categories, as well as relationships among several levels and types of outcomes. The resulting framework includes nine distinct types of outcomes that can be evaluated, which are organized within three nested levels: individual, organizational and health system/population. The outcome types are: (1) individual knowledge, attitudes and skills; (2) individual performance; (3) individual patient health; (4) organizational systems; (5) organizational performance; (6) organizational-level patient health; (7) health systems; (8) population-level performance; and (9) population-level health. The framework also addresses contextual factors which may influence the outcomes of training, as well as the ability of evaluators to determine training outcomes. In addition, a group of user-friendly resources, the Training Evaluation Framework and Tools (TEFT) were created to help evaluators and stakeholders understand and apply the framework. Conclusions Feedback from pilot users suggests that using the framework and accompanying tools may support outcome evaluation planning. Further assessment will assist in strengthening guidelines and tools for operationalization. PMID:24083635

Developmental Issues in Child Health Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maddux, James E.; And Others

1986-01-01

Examines three major aspects of child development--motor, cognitive, and psychological--and their influence on physical health. Suggests a beginning framework for examining the relationship between development and health, and proposes that a developmental perspective be added as a fourth dimension to the commonly employed three-dimensional…

Mathematics. Exceptional Child Education Curriculum K-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordon, Thelma; And Others

The mathematics curriculum provides a framework of instruction for exceptional child education in grades K-12. Content areas include: numeration, whole numbers, rational numbers, real/complex numbers, calculator literacy, measurement, geometry, statistics, functions/relations, computer literacy, and pre-algebra. The guide is organized by content…

Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Donald L.; Willis, Sherry L.

This book summarizes theory and discusses major issues pertaining to child development in the early childhood years. Chapter I provides an introduction to the conceptual framework and major theories of child development. Chapter II deals with motor, sensory, and perceptual development. Chapter III focuses on the cognitive-developmental theory of…

Virtue ethics and the selection of children with impairments: a reply to Rosalind McDougall.

PubMed

Saenz, Carla

2010-11-01

In 'Parental Virtues: A New Way of Thinking about the Morality of Reproductive Actions' Rosalind McDougall proposes a virtue-based framework to assess the morality of child selection. Applying the virtue-based account to the selection of children with impairments does not lead, according to McDougall, to an unequivocal answer to the morality of selecting impaired children. In 'Impairment, Flourishing, and the Moral Nature of Parenthood,' she also applies the virtue-based account to the discussion of child selection, and claims that couples with an impairment are morally justified in selecting a child with the same impairment. This claim, she maintains, reveals that the flourishing of a child should be understood as requiring environment-specific characteristics. I argue that McDougall's argument begs the question. More importantly, it does not do justice to virtue ethics. I also question to what extent a virtue ethics framework can be successfully applied to discussions about the moral permissibility of reproductive actions. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Virtue Ethics and the Selection of Children with Impairments A Reply to Rosalind McDougall

PubMed Central

Saenz, Carla

2009-01-01

In “Parental Virtues: A New Way of Thinking about the Morality of Reproductive Actions” Rosalind McDougall proposes a virtue-based framework to assess the morality of child selection. Applying the virtue-based account to the selection of children with impairments does not lead, according to McDougall, to an unequivocal answer to the morality of selecting impaired children. In “Impairment, Flourishing, and the Moral Nature of Parenthood,” she also applies the virtue-based account to the discussion of child selection, and claims that couples with an impairment are morally justified in selecting a child with the same impairment. This claim, she maintains, reveals that the flourishing of a child should be understood as requiring environment-specific characteristics. I argue that McDougall’s argument begs the question. More importantly, it does not do justice to virtue ethics. I also question to what extent a virtue ethics framework can be successfully applied to discussions about the moral permissibility of reproductive actions. PMID:19508307

Pilot Trial of a Parenting and Self-Care Intervention for HIV-Positive Mothers: The IMAGE Program

PubMed Central

Murphy, Debra A.; Armistead, Lisa; Payne, Diana L.; Marelich, William D.; Herbeck, Diane M.

2016-01-01

A pilot study was conducted to assess the effects of the IMAGE pilot intervention (Improving Mothers’ parenting Abilities, Growth, and Effectiveness) on mothers living with HIV (MLH). Based on Fisher and Fisher's IMB model (1992), the intervention focused on self-care and parenting behavior skills of MLH that affect maternal, child, and family outcomes. A randomized pretest-posttest two-group design with repeated assessments was used. MLH (n = 62) and their children ages 6 - 14 (n = 62; total N = 124) were recruited for the trial and randomized to the theory-based skills training condition or a standard care control condition. Assessments were conducted at baseline with follow-ups at 3, 6, and 12 months. Maternal, child, and family outcomes were assessed. Results show significant effects of the intervention for improving parenting practices for mothers. The intervention also improved family outcomes, and showed improvements in the parent-child relationship. IMAGE had a positive impact on parenting behaviors, and on maternal, child, and family outcomes. Given MLH can be challenged by their illness and also live in under-resourced environments, IMAGE may be viewed as a viable way to improve quality of life and family outcomes. PMID:27377577

Application and Adaptation of an Institutional Learning Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foutz, Susan; Emmons, Claire Thoma

2017-01-01

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis has used a mission-aligned learning framework for more than a decade. Designed to foster and support adult-child interaction in exhibitions and programs, the central tool of the family learning framework is the Assessment of Learning Families in Exhibits (ALFIE) Inventory. ALFIE is used as a tool to plan for…

Investigating Adult Language Input and Young Children's Responses in Naturalistic Environments: An Observational Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marinac, Julie V.; Woodyatt, Gail C.; Ozanne, Anne E.

2008-01-01

This paper reports the design and trial of an original Observational Framework for quantitative investigation of young children's responses to adult language in their typical language learning environments. The Framework permits recording of both the response expectation of the adult utterances, and the degree of compliance in the child's…

Prologue: Toward Accurate Identification of Developmental Language Disorder Within Linguistically Diverse Schools.

PubMed

Oetting, Janna B

2018-04-05

Although the 5 studies presented within this clinical forum include children who differ widely in locality, language learning profile, and age, all were motivated by a desire to improve the accuracy at which developmental language disorder is identified within linguistically diverse schools. The purpose of this prologue is to introduce the readers to a conceptual framework that unites the studies while also highlighting the approaches and methods each research team is pursuing to improve assessment outcomes within their respective linguistically diverse community. A disorder within diversity framework is presented to replace previous difference vs. disorder approaches. Then, the 5 studies within the forum are reviewed by clinical question, type of tool(s), and analytical approach. Across studies of different linguistically diverse groups, research teams are seeking answers to similar questions about child language screening and diagnostic practices, using similar analytical approaches to answer their questions, and finding promising results with tools focused on morphosyntax. More studies that are modeled after or designed to extend those in this forum are needed to improve the accuracy at which developmental language disorder is identified.

Incorporating the Cultural Value of Respeto Into a Framework of Latino Parenting

PubMed Central

Calzada, Esther J.; Fernandez, Yenny; Cortes, Dharma E.

2015-01-01

Latino families face multiple stressors associated with adjusting to United States mainstream culture that, along with poverty and residence in inner-city communities, may further predispose their children to risk for negative developmental outcomes. Evidence-based mental health treatments may require culturally informed modifications to best address the unique needs of the Latino population, yet few empirical studies have assessed these cultural elements. The current study examined cultural values of 48 Dominican and Mexican mothers of preschoolers through focus groups in which they described their core values as related to their parenting role. Results showed that respeto, family and religion were the most important values that mothers sought to transmit to their children. Respeto is manifested in several domains, including obedience to authority, deference, decorum, and public behavior. The authors describe the socialization messages that Latina mothers use to teach their children respeto and present a culturally derived framework of how these messages may relate to child development. The authors discuss how findings may inform the cultural adaptation of evidence-based mental health treatments such as parent training programs. PMID:20099967

Incorporating the cultural value of respeto into a framework of Latino parenting.

PubMed

Calzada, Esther J; Fernandez, Yenny; Cortes, Dharma E

2010-01-01

Latino families face multiple stressors associated with adjusting to United States mainstream culture that, along with poverty and residence in inner-city communities, may further predispose their children to risk for negative developmental outcomes. Evidence-based mental health treatments may require culturally informed modifications to best address the unique needs of the Latino population, yet few empirical studies have assessed these cultural elements. The current study examined cultural values of 48 Dominican and Mexican mothers of preschoolers through focus groups in which they described their core values as related to their parenting role. Results showed that respeto, family and religion were the most important values that mothers sought to transmit to their children. Respeto is manifested in several domains, including obedience to authority, deference, decorum, and public behavior. The authors describe the socialization messages that Latina mothers use to teach their children respeto and present a culturally derived framework of how these messages may relate to child development. The authors discuss how findings may inform the cultural adaptation of evidence-based mental health treatments such as parent training programs. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Toward a new understanding of legacy of early attachments for future antisocial trajectories: Evidence from two longitudinal studies

PubMed Central

KOCHANSKA, GRAZYNA; KIM, SANGHAG

2013-01-01

Early parent–child attachment has been extensively explored as a contributor to children’s future adaptive or antisocial outcomes, but the specific developmental mechanisms remain to be fully understood. We examined long-term indirect developmental sequelae of early security in two longitudinal community samples followed from infancy to early school age: the Family Study (102 mothers, fathers, and infants) and the Parent–Child Study (112 mothers and infants). Constructs at multiple levels (child characteristics, parent–child security, parental discipline, and child antisocial outcomes) were assessed using a range of methods (extensive behavioral observations in a variety of settings, informants’ ratings). Both studies supported the proposed model of infant attachment as a potent catalyst that moderates future developmental socialization trajectories, despite having few long-term main effects. In insecure dyads, a pattern of coercion emerged between children who were anger prone as toddlers and their parents, resulting in parents’ increased power-assertive discipline. Power assertion in turn predicted children’s rule-breaking conduct and a compromised capacity to delay in laboratory paradigms, as well as oppositional, disruptive, callous, and aggressive behavior rated by parents and teachers at early school age. This causal chain was absent in secure dyads, where child anger proneness was unrelated to power assertion, and power assertion was unrelated to antisocial outcomes. Early insecurity appeared to act as a catalyst for the parent–child dyad embarking on a mutually adversarial path toward antisocial outcomes, whereas security defused such a maladaptive dynamic. The possible mechanisms of those effects were proposed. PMID:22781855

Early family-based intervention in the path to alcohol problems: rationale and relationship between treatment process characteristics and child and parenting outcomes.

PubMed

Nye, C L; Zucker, R A; Fitzgerald, H E

1999-03-01

Risk for subsequent development of alcohol problems is not uniform across the population of alcoholic families, but varies with parental comorbidity and family history. Recent studies have also identified disruptive child behavior problems in the preschool years as predictive of alcoholism in adulthood. Given the quality of risk structure in highest risk families, prevention programming is more appropriately family based rather than individual. A family-based intervention program for the prevention of conduct problems among preschool-age sons of alcoholic fathers was implemented to change this potential mediating risk structure. A population-based recruitment strategy enrolled 52 alcoholic families in a 10-month intervention involving parent training and marital problem solving. The study examined the interplay between parent treatment investment and parent and therapist expectations and satisfaction in predicting change in child behavior and authoritative parenting style during the program, and for 6 months afterward among the 29 families whose sustained involvement allowed these effects to be evaluated. Parent expectations at pretreatment influenced their early investment in the program, which in turn predicted child and parenting outcomes. Parent and therapist satisfaction ratings during treatment were associated with one another and with expectations that the program would continue to promote changes in their child. Parent investment was a particularly salient influence on outcome, as higher investment throughout the program was associated with improvement in child behavior and authoritative parenting at termination. Findings indicate that treatment process characteristics mediate the influence of baseline parent functioning on treatment success and that treatment changes themselves predict later child outcomes.

The development of family alliance from pregnancy to toddlerhood and child outcomes at 5 years.

PubMed

Favez, Nicolas; Lopes, Francesco; Bernard, Mathieu; Frascarolo, France; Lavanchy Scaiola, Chloe; Corboz-Warnery, Antoinette; Fivaz-Depeursinge, Elisabeth

2012-12-01

This article presents a longitudinal study of the development of "family alliance" from pregnancy to toddlerhood in a community sample, as well as its links with the emotional and cognitive development of the child at age 5 years. Family alliance is defined as the quality of the interactive coordination between family members. We consider that the alliance constitutes a context for the child to learn emotion regulation and to develop an understanding of inner states. Family interactions (N = 38) were observed at the 5th month of pregnancy and at 3, 9, and 18 months after birth in a standardized situation of observation (Lausanne Trilogue Play). Marital satisfaction and child temperament were assessed through self-reported questionnaires. Several outcomes of the child at age 5 years were measured: theory of mind performances, predominant emotional themes in pretend play, internalized and externalized symptoms. Results show that (a) three patterns of evolution of family alliance occur: "high stable" (n = 19), "high to low" (n = 10), and "low stable" (n = 9); (b) a high stable alliance is predictive of better outcomes in children at age 5 years, especially regarding theory of mind; (c) the temperament of the child is predictive of child outcomes; and (d) an interaction effect occurs between family alliance and temperament. These results highlight the importance of both family-level and individual-level variables for understanding individual differences in the social and cognitive development of children. © FPI, Inc.

Evaluation of child and parent outcomes after a pediatric cardiac camp experience.

PubMed

Bultas, Margaret W; Budhathoki, Chakra; Balakas, Karen

2013-10-01

This study evaluated the effects of a cardiac camp experience on children with heart disease and their parents. A repeated measures design was used with 49 parent-child dyads. Repeated measures evaluated the effects of camp on anxiety, attitude toward illness, and psychosocial functioning of the children. Parental anxiety was also evaluated. Results demonstrated decreases in parent anxiety, decreases in child trait anxiety, and positive psychosocial outcomes in the areas of self-esteem, social, physical, and emotional functioning. Findings can be used to support decisions for those contemplating a camping experience for the child with heart disease. © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Economic Evaluation Research in the Context of Child Welfare Policy: A Structured Literature Review and Recommendations

PubMed Central

Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy D.; Snowden, Lonnie R.; Wulczyn, Fred; Landsverk, John; Horwitz, Sarah M.

2011-01-01

Objectives With over 1 million children served by the U.S. Child Welfare system at a cost of $20 billion annually, this study examines the economic evaluation literature on interventions to improve outcomes for children at risk for and currently involved with the system, identifies areas where additional research is needed, and discusses the use of decision-analytic modeling to advance Child Welfare policy and practice. Methods The review included 19 repositories of peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed “gray” literatures, including items in English published before November, 2009. Original research articles were included if they evaluated interventions based on costs and outcomes. Review articles were included to assess the relevance of these techniques over time and to highlight the increasing discussion of methods needed to undertake such research. Items were categorized by their focus on: interventions for the U.S. Child Welfare system; primary prevention of entry into the system; and use of models to make long-term projections of costs and outcomes. Results Searches identified 2,640 articles, with 49 ultimately included (19 reviews and 30 original research articles). Between 1988 and 2009, reviews consistently advocated economic evaluation and increasingly provided methodological guidance. 21 of the original research articles focused on Child Welfare, while 9 focused on child mental health. Of the 21 Child Welfare articles, 81% (17) focused on the U.S. system. 47% (8/17) focused exclusively on primary prevention, though 83% of the U.S. system, peer-reviewed articles focused exclusively on prevention (5/6). 9 of the 17 articles included empirical follow-up (mean sample size: 264 individuals; mean follow-up: 3.8 years). 10 of the 17 articles used modeling to project longer-term outcomes, but 80% of the articles using modeling were not peer-reviewed. Although 60% of modeling studies included interventions for children in the system, all peer-reviewed modeling articles focused on prevention. Conclusions Methodological guidance for economic evaluations in Child Welfare is increasingly available. Such analyses are feasible given the availability of nationally-representative data on children involved with Child Welfare and evidence-based interventions. Practice Implications Policy analyses considering the long-term costs and effects of interventions to improve Child Welfare outcomes are scarce, feasible, and urgently needed. PMID:21944552

The Development of Louis MACRO (Mother and Child Risk Observation) Forms: Assessing Parent-Infant-Child Risk in the Presence of Maternal Mental Illness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louis, Andrea; And Others

1997-01-01

An Australian study of 110 mother-infant dyads and 85 mother-toddler dyads in which the mothers were mentally ill evaluated the effectiveness of the Mother and Child Risk Observation (MACRO). Results found that MACRO offers a convenient framework for assessing risk and interpreting the impact of maternal mental illness upon children. (Author/CR)

Children's understanding of treatment in the A&E department.

PubMed

Williams, C

This article focuses on the abilities of a child to understand the treatment given to him/her in an accident and emergency department. Piaget's theory of cognitive development is used as a framework to suggest ways of altering the approach to the child, thus helping to remove possible misunderstandings. This will lead to a reduction in stress and improved care, both for the child and his/her parents.

Otitis Media, the Quality of Child Care, and the Social/Communicative Behavior of Toddlers: A Replication and Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Manlove, Elizabeth E.

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of otitis media (OM) and the quality of child care on the social and communicative behaviors of toddlers, using a cumulative risk framework that included moderation. The study followed 72 children who began child care in infancy. Both process and structural aspects of the quality of 11 child…

Frameworks for organizing exposure and toxicity data - the Aggregate Exposure Pathway (AEP) and the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP)

EPA Science Inventory

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework organizes existing knowledge regarding a series of biological events, starting with a molecular initiating event (MIE) and ending at an adverse outcome. The AOP framework provides a biological context to interpret in vitro toxicity dat...

Parent-Child Relationships and the Management of Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller-Johnson, Shari; And Others

1994-01-01

Examined dimensions of parent-child relationships as predictors of adherence to treatment and metabolic control in study of 88 children/adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Ratings of parent-child discipline, warmth, and behavioral support were not significantly associated with diabetes outcome, but parent-child conflict was…

Social Dialectics and Language: Mother and Child Construct the Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Adrienne E.

1975-01-01

The child's development of productive control over the adults language system is seen as an outcome of the dynamic social discourse of parent and child. Traditional approaches to child language are reviewed and a dialectical analysis is developed using concepts from information theory and a general systems approach. (JMB)

Parenting, Child Behavior, and Academic and Social Functioning: Does Ethnicity Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bae, Hyo; Hopkins, Joyce; Gouze, Karen R.; Lavigne, John V.

2014-01-01

Background: Most research on the relation between parenting behaviors and child outcomes has not focused on cross-ethnic variation in these relations. Objective: This study examined if ethnicity moderates associations between parenting, child agency/persistence, and child academic achievement and social competence. Design: Participants included…

Integrating Maternal Mental Health Care in the Pediatric Medical Home: Treatment Engagement and Child Outcomes.

PubMed

Kimmel, Mary C; Platt, Rheanna E; Steinberg, Danielle N; Cluxton-Keller, Fallon; Osborne, Lauren M; Carter, Tracy; Payne, Jennifer L; Solomon, Barry S

2017-10-01

Maternal depression is associated with an array of poor child health outcomes, and low-income women face many barriers to accessing treatment. In this pilot study, we assessed treatment engagement in a maternal mental health clinic staffed by a case manager and psychiatrist in an urban pediatric practice. We also examined factors associated with engagement as well as child health outcomes and health care use. Nearly half of the women enrolled attended at least 4 sessions with a psychiatrist in 6 months. Text messaging with the case manager was associated with a greater compliance with psychiatrist sessions. Comparing index children with their siblings prior to enrollment, a higher percentage had immunizations up to date at 1 year of age (82% vs 43%, P = .01), and well-child visit compliance trended toward significance (65% vs 35%, P = .06). The pediatric setting holds promise as an innovative venue to deliver maternal mental health care.

Child Sexual Abuse and Persistence of Risky Sexual Behaviors and Negative Sexual Outcomes over Adulthood: Findings from a Birth Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Roode, Thea; Dickson, Nigel; Herbison, Peter; Paul, Charlotte

2009-01-01

Objectives: To determine the impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) on adult sexual behaviors and outcomes over three age periods. Methods: A longitudinal study of a birth cohort born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1972/1973 was used. Information on CSA was sought at age 26, and on sexual behaviors and outcomes at ages 21, 26, and 32. Comparisons were…

Supporting the Whole Child through Coordinated Policies, Processes, and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Sharon D.; Hurley, James; Ahmed, Shannon R.

2015-01-01

Background: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model provides a framework for promoting greater alignment, integration, and collaboration between health and education across the school setting and improving students' cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. By providing a learning environment that ensures each…