Child & Youth Care Forum最新文献

Background

Among the different modalities of family support, home visiting programs have proved to be one of the most effective secondary prevention models for families involved in child welfare services. Despite the promising outcomes and the extensive available literature, further research is needed to investigate target population characteristics and implementation factors that may explain the heterogeneity in the outcomes of these programs for families receiving child welfare services.

Objective

This longitudinal study explored the role of dosage and family characteristics related to the effectiveness of the Family Intervention Program (FIP), which is a home-based Spanish child welfare service for supporting families at psychosocial risk.

Method

To this end, a quasi-experimental design was followed, including a time-series evaluation of the 289 families receiving the FIP. In order to examine the impact of the FIP, the evolution of child well-being (CWB) was evaluated with Child Well-Being Scales every 6 months.

Results

The results showed that the highest average CWB score was observed after 39 months of intervention, observing no improvements in CWB from that point. Similarly, the results showed that the FIP was more effective for single parent families at higher socioeconomic levels.

Conclusions

This article provides new knowledge for the understanding of home visiting programs success, concluding that the programs are not equally effective for all family profiles, and that it is necessary to adjust each program to the specific characteristics of the target population.

Background

Global research has found that prevalence rates of child sexual abuse suggest that this is a significant ongoing public health concern. A recent Australian study, for example, revealed that more than three girls and almost one in five boys reported experiencing sexual abuse before the age of 18. Self-reported rates of abuse, however, far exceed official figures, suggesting that large numbers of children who experience sexual abuse do not come to the attention of relevant authorities. Whether and how those children have tried to tell their stories remains unclear.

Objective

The goal of the review was to explore scholarly literature to determine what was known about what enables or constrains children to disclose their experience of sexual abuse.

Method

A systematic scoping review was undertaken to better understand the current state of knowledge in the scholarly literature on child sexual abuse disclosure. Thirty-two scholarly publications were included for analysis following a rigorous process of sourcing articles from five databases and systematically screening them based on transparent inclusion and exclusion criteria. Ecological systems and trauma-informed theoretical paradigms underpinned an inductive thematic analysis of the included manuscripts.

Results

Three multi-dimensional themes were identified from the thirty-two publications. These themes were: factors enabling disclosure are multifaceted; barriers to disclosure include a complex interplay of individual, familial, contextual and cultural issues; and Indigenous victims and survivors, male survivors, and survivors with a minoritised cultural background may face additional barriers to disclosing their experiences of abuse.

Conclusions

The literature suggests that a greater understanding of the barriers to disclosures exists. Further research that supports a deeper understanding of the complex interplay of enablers and the barriers to disclosure across diverse populations is needed. In particular, future research should privilege the voices of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, mobilising their lived experiences to co-create improved practice and policy.

Background

Mental health is a priority for high schools, but extant programs often focus on symptom reduction rather than promoting adolescents’ developmental assets.

Objective

The goal of this study is to examine whether Art in Mind (AIM), a strengths-based after-school organized art activity tailored to fit the needs of adolescents with internalizing problems, can promote young people’s psychosocial adjustment and support their positive development.

Methods

Using a quasi-experimental pre-program, post-program, and 5-month follow-up design, 50 students (mean age = 15.60; 68% female) from four Canadian high schools were assigned to AIM (n = 23) or to a waitlist condition (n = 27).

Results

Results from 2 × 2 mixed ANCOVAs revealed significant time by condition interactions reflecting greater improvement in the AIM group with regards to depressive mood at post-program, and to general self-efficacy, social functioning, and positive self-esteem at follow-up. Planned comparisons revealed several significant improvements between pre- and post-program or post-program and follow-up in the AIM group (effect sizes ranging between d = 0.27 and 0.61), while none were observed in the waitlist group.

Conclusions

This study supports the potential of after-school organized activities as a strategy to effectively foster positive youth development in adolescents with internalizing symptoms. Further studies are needed to understand the essential implementation parameters and mechanisms of action in these programs.

Background

The scientific literature addresses the portrayal of unaccompanied migrant children and young people from different perspectives. Some works suggest that this population face challenges and risks upon arrival, such as problems communicating in a new language, a lack of cultural competence, economic stress, and other contingent, legal, and social problems. Other studies focus on resilience, including coping strategies, effective trauma symptom management, the preservation of a sense of personal pride, a capacity to prevent self-isolation, and societal openness to diversity.

Objectives

The objective of this study is to identify, systematize, and expose these factors through a socio-ecological model.

Methods

The present study has conducted a systematic literature review on unaccompanied foreign minors’ protective and risk factors for integration.

Results

A final sample of 36 papers has been selected according to the inclusion criteria. The published evidence suggests a bidirectional effect of risk and protective factors in their integration into the reception society. Unaccompanied minors are not seen only from the perspective of their vulnerability but also as resilient children in inclusive contexts as a continuum in the integration model.

Conclusions

Addressing the issue of unaccompanied migrant minors from a socio-ecological perspective allows us to analyze the migratory phenomenon not only as a problem to solve but also as an opportunity. When unaccompanied children’s vulnerability and resilience factors are considered together in a holistic approach, the picture of how intervention should be focused on the interconnectivity of risk and protective factors for social integration.

Background

Public preschool can provide opportunities for earlier detection of child health problems and receipt of special needs services. This is especially important for children from low-income households who disproportionately face cost barriers to obtaining health screenings and services.

Objective

This study explores the possibility that entering public preschool at age 3 instead of age 4 could contribute to earlier detection of health problems and receipt of special needs services for low-income children.

Method

We analyzed data on 757 low-income children in Tulsa, Oklahoma who attended Head Start or public pre-k. We compared rates of parent-reported health conditions and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) at age 4 according to children’s pattern of preschool attendance across their 3- and 4-year-old years, using propensity score-weighted logistic regressions.

Results

At the spring of their 4-year-old year, children who had entered preschool at age 3 were more likely than those who entered at age 4 to have eczema (OR = 3.25, p < .05) and vision problems (OR = 2.26, p < .05). Among children who entered preschool at age 3, those who stayed in Head Start at age 4 were marginally more likely than those who transitioned to school based pre-k at age 4 to have asthma (OR = 3.81, p = .055) and allergies (OR = 2.16, p = .088). There were no differences in rates of IEPs by children’s preschool experience.

Conclusions

If replicated, results underscore the potentially unrealized public health benefits of expanding public preschool access to 3-year-olds.

Background

The transmission of attachment from parent to child is a well-known phenomenon. Previous research documented evidence supporting the transmission of attachment from parents to their children, with parental sensitivity serving a mediating role. Nevertheless, a "transmission gap" exists.

Objective

In the current pre-registered study, we investigated whether parents’ secure base script knowledge predicted their children’s secure base script knowledge and whether this association was mediated by parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline. Furthermore, we examined whether these associations were moderated by the child’s differential susceptibility.

Method

We measured the Attachment Script Assessment (ASA) in parents at the second wave and in their 9-year-old children at the sixth wave, in one cohort (N = 239 families) of the longitudinal, six wave L-CID study. We observed parental sensitivity and sensitive discipline at the third wave. We used a polygenic score and child discomfort as differential susceptibility factors in the multilevel structural equation model investigating the intergenerational transmission of attachment.

Results

Parental sensitivity, but not parental secure base script knowledge or parental sensitive discipline, predicted children’s attachment. This association was moderated by child temperamental discomfort: lower levels of parental sensitivity predicted less secure child attachment in children with higher discomfort but not in children with lower discomfort.

Conclusions

If replicated, we may conclude that the intergenerational transmission of secure base script knowledge is moderated by temperament in a way consistent with the diathesis-stress model.

Background

There is growing interest in research understanding the individual-specific predictors of child callous-unemotional (CU) traits, particularly in early childhood.

Objective

This study reviewed evidence from studies that investigated the relationship between early child temperament factors (between 0 and 3 years) and CU traits in children aged 3 to 13 years.

Methods

A systematic search conducted according to PRISMA guidelines yielded 8 peer-reviewed articles.

Results

Analysis of the included articles suggested that there was emerging evidence to support links between early temperament factors (particularly, fearlessness and social affiliation) and child CU traits.

Conclusions

The results of this review demonstrate the ongoing need for further research to clarify the temperamental profiles of children with CU traits, particularly across fearlessness, social affiliation, and general temperament dimensions.

Background

Around 800 million young children worldwide have cognitive-developmental limitations due to issues related to biological, environmental, and psychosocial factors. These problems lead to educational challenges, limited skill development, and higher unemployment rates. Therefore, timely interventions addressing the underlying problems in institutional settings are critically important.

Objective

The authors created the “Sensorimotor Training Program” (STP) as a critical intervention to develop skills essential for starting school. This experimental study aimed to investigate the impact of the STP in an institutional setting, targeting the specific auditory and visual skills crucial for kindergarten and primary school learning.

Methods

The STP comprises 120 training sessions focused on sensorimotor maturation. Seven hundred and seventy-two children aged 5–8 participated in the study, with 704 in the experimental and 68 in the control group, each containing a relatively balanced ratio of boys to girls. The study spanned six to eight months, with three to five weekly sessions.

Results

The intervention resulted in significant improvements in sensorimotor development in the experimental compared to the control group [p < .001, effect size (d) = .483; auditory skills r = .605 p < .001, d = .366; visual skills r = .542, p < .001, d = .294]. The intervention group also improved compared to its baseline measurements.

Conclusion

These results show that implementing the STP in school settings can improve sensorimotor development, impacting auditory and visual skills in children aged 5–8. These intervention-based improvements are above and beyond biological maturation.

Background

The Global Resilience Oral Workshops (GROW) Free and Strong programs take a strengths-based, positive youth development (PYD) approach to promoting thriving. Through both prevention (GROW Strong) and intervention (GROW Free) exercises, these programs aim to build character and emotional resilience while also lowering unhealthy alcohol use.

Objective

To meaningfully assess the impact of the GROW programs on health and PYD, ecologically and psychometrically valid measures of character strengths were needed, with a focus on the strengths of hope, forgiveness, spirituality, prudence, and self-control (self-regulation) promoted by GROW.

Method

We tested a series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of these five key constructs using two samples: a school-based youth sample enrolled in GROW Strong (n = 460; M_age = 15.04 years, SD_age = 1.21; 53.0% female); and a community-based adult sample enrolled in GROW Free (n = 457; M_age = 20.60 years, SD_age = 1.88; 49.7% female); both enrolled using a waitlist-control design.

Results

Measures demonstrated strong invariance across specific subgroups present in the data sets, with differences emerging across ages, urban/rural locations, and baseline study conditions.

Conclusions

To meaningfully document PYD programs and character development in the majority world, measurement models must be theory-predicated, robust, and empirically validated for the specific context. The results provide evidence for such a measure that will be useful in future intervention studies promoting character strengths to address unhealthy alcohol use in Zambia.

Background

Despite the increased use of social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, empirical research is hindered by lengthy assessment options, difficult to fit into educational contexts. To cover these needs, the Social Skills Improvement System SEL Brief Scales – Student Form (SSIS SELb-S) was developed. Although it has been translated into several languages, a Portuguese version with sound psychometric properties is still missing.

Objective

This study aimed to develop the Portuguese version (SSIS SELb-Spt) and to examine its psychometric properties. METHODS: After translating the original SSIS SELb-S to Portuguese, the instrument was administered to 200 5th graders, along with self- and hetero-report measures of school well-being and involvement, peer acceptance, and academic achievement. We examined the SSIS SELb-Spt factorial validity and reliability, tested its correlations with external correlates, and examined the instruments’ predictive validity.

Results

Results supported a three-factor structure of the scale, which included the dimensions of intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and responsible decision-making. Correlations with external correlates were in the expected direction. Moreover, the scale predicted school involvement and later academic achievement.

Conclusion

This study seems to corroborate and extend previous knowledge about the validity of SSIS SELb-S, offering validity and reliability evidence on the scale’s three-factor structure.