Use of the children's attributions and perceptions scale in an underprivileged Spanish sample

The psychometric properties and exploratory factor analysis of the Children's Attributions and Perceptions Scale in two Spanish samples of children were examined (n = 48 from an after-school social care center in a deprived neighborhood, and n = 120 from a school mainly enrolling families of medium socioeconomic status; 49% boys and 51% girls; M age = 10.5 yr., SD = 18.7). A cross-cultural comparative analysis of the Spanish samples and the normative sample was also carried out. Factor analysis supported a 4-factor solution for Spanish populations. Significant differences were found between the Spanish groups in school and the social care centers. The cross-cultural analysis showed that stressful conditions (sexual abuse vs deprivation) produced greater differences than cultural group (Spanish vs American).     

Reliability and concurrent validity of the movement assessment battery for children.

Reliability and concurrent validity of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children were evaluated with a sample of 106 boys and girls, distributed into four age groups: 5-6 yr. (n = 20), 7-8 yr. (n = 20), 9-10 yr. (n = 46), and 11-12 yr. (n = 20). Test-retest reliability of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, estimated using intraclass correlation coefficients, was high across all age groups, and concurrent validity yielded moderate Pearson correlation coefficients between the Move ment battery and long and short forms of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. These results support the use of the Movement battery as a measure of motor ability in children, ages 5 to 12 years.     

Factor structure of the Spanish version of the Spence Children Anxiety Scale (SCAS)

This paper presents the Spanish version of the Spence Children Anxiety Scale (SCAS), a rating scale for children and adolescents assessing anxiety disorders as they appear in the DSM-IV. SCAS scores were subjected to confirmatory factor analyses in a sample of 1671 children 10 to 17 years old. Results supported the proposed structure of six interrelated scales. This structure is completely invariant (except for means) in boys and girls and across age groups. Overall, girls scored slightly higher than boys. The relationship of SCAS scores with the child's age was nonexistent or very low and negative. The least frequent anxiety problems among children and adolescents were panic attacks and agoraphobia. Problems that most frequently presented extreme high scores were obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia. It is concluded that the Spanish version of the SCAS can confidently be used in the assessment of anxiety disorders in children.     

Comparing children with and without dyslexia on the Movement Assessment Battery for Children and the Test of Gross Motor Development

Dyslexia is the most commonly occurring learning disability in the United States, characterized by difficulties with word recognition, spelling, and decoding. A growing body of literature suggests that deficits in motor skill performance exist in the dyslexic population. This study compared the performance of children with and without dyslexia on different subtests of the Test of Gross Motor Development and Movement Assessment Battery for Children and assessed whether there were developmental changes in the scores of the dyslexic group. Participants included 26 dyslexic children (19 boys and 7 girls; 9.5 yr. old, SD = 1.7) and 23 age- and sex-matched typically developing (17 boys and 6 girls; 9.9 yr. old, SD = 1.3) children as a control group. Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that the dyslexic group performed significantly lower than the control group only on the Total Balance subtest of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Additionally, the young dyslexic group performed significantly better on the Total Balance subtest, compared to the older dyslexic group. These results suggest that cerebellar dysfunction may account for differences in performance.     

A Comparative Study of Intercultural Insight and Empathy

Abstract

The relationship between sports camp participation and changes in self-perception was assessed. The participants were 42 boys and 32 girls participating in a 5-week summer sports camp for economically disadvantaged children in the United States. Self-concept was measured at the beginning and end of the camp with Harter's (1985) Self-Perception Profile (SPP) for Children. At the beginning of the camp the girls scored higher than the boys on overall SPP scores and three of six subscales. After 5 weeks, the girls' scores were higher on only one subscale and on adult group leaders' ratings. The decline in the girls' scores was attributed to the stress of competition or to initial overly positive self-perceptions.     

Depression, suicide ideation, and aggression among high school students whose parents are divorced and use alcohol at home.

106 high school students from a small rural high school completed the Children of Alcoholics Scale, Zaks and Walters' Aggression Scale, Beck Depression Scale, and a modified version of the Beck Scale of Suicide Ideation. Analyses of variance showed boys were not experiencing suicide ideation any more than girls; suicide ideation was similar across the four grades, but on aggression alcohol-dependent boys scored significantly higher than girls, and in Grade 9 boys' scores were significantly higher than those in Grade 10. The sophomores' scores on alcohol dependency were significantly lower than the freshmen's scores. Boys and children from divorced homes had higher scores on aggression than girls and children from nondivorced homes. Children from homes in which alcohol was used had higher depression scores than children from nonalcoholic homes. Freshman girls and sophomore boys had higher depression scores than senior boys and girls. A Pearson r of 0.28 between scores on alcohol dependency and suicide ideation was significant, but research is needed to understand better the associations of thoughts of suicide and drug-alcohol dependency among these high school students so strategies for prevention and intervention can be focused.     

Reliability and validity of the kiddie mach scale in Chinese children

The present study examined the psychometric properties of a translated Chinese version of the Kiddie Mach Scale in a sample of Chinese students (N=787) ages 9 to 13 years (416 boys, 371 girls; M age= 11.3 yr., SD = 1.3). Results of confirmatory factor analysis showed a three-factor structure to be the most adequate model: Distrust, Lack of faith in human nature, and Dishonesty. These results are similar to the English version, but not the Greek version. The Chinese version exhibited weak internal consistency, but acceptable 4-week test-retest reliability. The Chinese version of the Kiddie Mach Scale was significantly associated with the Basic Empathy Scale. There was a sex effect on Kiddie Mach Scale scores with boys scoring higher on the Total scale and the Distrust subscale. Some items did not seem to function well in Chinese culture. More research will be needed to find items that represent, especially, distrust in Chinese settings.     

Factor analysis of the impact of event scale with children in war

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Impact of Event Scale (IES scale) in children a study was conducted on 1787 children exposed to the warfare in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The study group comprised 877 girls and 910 boys ranging in age from 6 to 15 years attending 28 arbitrary selected schools in Zagreb. High levels of posttraumatic reactions were found in the group of children. The pattern of endorsement and the factor structure of the IES scale were similar to that found in other samples. This supports the use of the IES in the assessment of posttraumatic stress reactions in children. Two factors emerged from a Principal Component Analysis, labeled intrusion (9 items), and avoidance (4 items). As in other studies, this study documented problems with several items (items 2, 12 and 15), items that should be considered omitted from the IES. Girls reported significantly more distress on 13 out of the 15 items. Both the overall IES score as well as the intrusion and avoidance score were significantly higher in girls than boys. The factor structure for boys and girls were very similar, and the reliability of the scale was adequate across different age groups and for subgroups of displaced and refugee children.     

Morningness–Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC): Spanish normative data and factorial invariance according to sex and age

The purpose of the current study was to test the psychometric properties of the Morningness–Eveningness Scale for Children (MESC) to establish normative data, determine cut-off scores for differentiating between morning, intermediate and evening types, and test factorial invariance according to sex and age in a Spanish adolescent population. Additionally, self-reported sleep habits were related to morningness–eveningness (M–E) to study their convergent validity. A sample of 5387 Spanish youth aged 10–16 years old (50% girls) were included in this study. The results revealed that the MESC has acceptable reliability (α = .70), good fit to empirical data with a one-dimensional factorial structure, and metric invariance according to sex and age. M–E scores decreased with age, and boys scored higher in M–E compared to girls. Age and sex size effects were moderate and slight, respectively. The relationship between M–E and sleep habits indicated a delayed pattern of sleep–wake habits in evening types compared to morning types. The Spanish version of the MESC possesses good psychometric properties regarding reliability, metric factorial invariance and convergent validity with self-reported sleep habits.     

Transfer of training for two ball-throwing tasks

The effects of training overhand ball throws to enhance underhand ball-throwing accuracy were studied with 921 Italian high school pupils (575 girls, M age = 16.5 yr., SD = 1.3; 346 boys, M = 16.5 yr., SD = 1.2) ages 14 to 18 years. A standardized test (10 underhand tennis-ball throws into the floor area delimited by an 80-cm radius wooden hoop lying on the floor 9 m from the standing pupil) was performed and scored. An Experimental group (435 girls, M age = 16.5 yr., SD = 1.3; 204 boys, M age = 16.5 yr., SD = 1.2) was randomly selected to participate in 10 weekly training periods. The set included 10 overhand throws of a rubber bouncing ball (14.5 cm diameter, weight 240 g) into a basketball hoop from 5 standardized positions (in front of the basketball hoop; at 45 degrees, 90 degrees on the right and on the left of the basketball hoop) at a distance of 4.40 m. The underhand test was repeated for both groups. On the average, boys obtained higher test scores than girls of the same age. Older adolescents had higher mean scores than younger adolescents. After 10 weeks, boys and girls of all ages improved. Mean differences between sessions were significant for the Experimental group (Student t test, p < .01). In Session 2, consistent differences between Experimental and Control groups were also found (Student t test, p < .05).     

Comorbidity and WISC-III profiles of Greek children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and language disorders

The aim of the present study was to (a) examine the prevalence of ADHD and the comorbid difficulties in a sample of 114 children, 3.6 to 17.6 yr. of age (89 boys, 25 girls) referred to our Unit and (b) evaluate the discriminative ability of the WISC-III scores for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (n = 22), Learning Disability (n = 50), and Language Disorder (n = 42). Analysis showed only 18% of 114 children had an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis. Multivariate analysis of variance and stepwise discriminant function analysis were applied. Vocabulary and similarities were the best predictors for distinguishing between language disorders and the other two groups. Moreover, the Language Disorder group scored significantly lower on all the subtests while the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disability groups scored lower on coding and information, respectively. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Learning Disability could not be accurately identified from the WISC-III test or their ACID profile.     

Psychometric Properties of the French Version of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children (PMSC)

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a French version of the pictorial scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence for Young Children (PMSC), which is aligned with the third version of the Test of Gross Motor Development.MethodA sample of 219 French-speaking Canadian children (5 to 12 years old) participated in this study.ResultsResults supported the factor validity and reliability of a 13-item version of the PMSC encompassing two factors (i.e., ball skills and locomotor skills). Subsequent analyses supported the weak, partial strong, and partial strict invariance of responses to the PMSC as a function of sex. Additionally, analyses revealed that boys displayed significantly higher perceived ball skill competence than girls. Results also supported a lack of differential item functioning (DIF) and latent mean differences as a function of body mass index and physical activity/sport involvement, but revealed evidence of DIF and latent mean differences as a function of age. More precisely, these results show that older children displayed significantly: (a) higher scores on the sliding item and lower scores on the kicking item relative to younger children; and (b) lower scores on perceived locomotor skills competence than younger children.ConclusionOverall, results suggest that the French version of the PMSC has acceptable psychometric properties and can be confidently used in research or practice to assess children's perceived movement skill competence.     

Psychometric properties of the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory with rural middle school and high school children

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory (SESBI) in a rural sample of children and adolescents. Thirty-eight 5th- through 12th-grade teachers completed the SESBI on 726 children in their classrooms. High Cronbach's alphas supported the reliability of the SESBI scales in this population. Higher SESBI scores were obtained by boys than girls and by African American students than Caucasian students, more so at lower grades. Teacher's race did not affect SESBI scores. In contrast to children with developmental delay, children with learning disabilities obtained higher scores than others on the SESBI Intensity scale but not on the Problem scale. This suggests that teachers of children with learning disabilities recognize the higher frequency of problem behaviors in their students but do not consider these behaviors to be problems for themselves. On both SESBI scales, children with developmental delay were not distinguishable from peers without developmental delays.     

Individual differences in empathizing and systemizing in Japanese children: Psychometric properties of the children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ)

In the present study, children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ‐C) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ‐C) were administered to 626 Japanese children (313 boys, 313 girls) aged 6–15 years. The psychometric properties of both quotients were found to be satisfactory. Sex differences were found in the scores for both quotients. The girls scored higher than the boys on the EQ‐C, while the boys scored higher than the girls on the SQ‐C. Proportions of cognitive styles, which were determined by differences between the standardized scores of the EQ‐C and SQ‐C, showed clear sex differences. The proportion of participants whose cognitive style was classified as empathizing‐dominant was greater for the girls, while the proportion of participants classified as systemizing‐dominant was greater for the boys. No developmental changes were found in either the scores for the EQ‐C and SQ‐C or the proportions of the cognitive styles.     

Factors associated with eating behavior in pre-adolescents

The goals of this study are the preliminary Spanish adaptation and validation of the following questionnaires: the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT), the Lawrence Self-Esteem Questionnaire (LAWSEQ) and the Body Esteem Scale (BES). In addition, we studied bodily self-esteem in pre-adolescent children, and their possible relation to certain eating attitudes and general self-esteem. This study is cross-sectional, analytical and observational. The sample was made up of 457 participants, 55.14% boys and 44.86% girls aged between 8 and 12 (M = 10.14, SD = 1.30). A multivariate analysis of variance (Age x Sex) was carried out with the total scores of LAWSEQ, ChEAT, BES, BIA and BMI. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was .76, .80, and .67 for ChEAT, BES, and LAWSEQ, respectively. The boys presented significantly higher total scores in the ChEAT than the girls. Of the sample, 10.4% (n = 45) scored over the cut-off point of the ChEAT: These subjects presented lower general and bodily self-esteem, a slimmer ideal image and a greater discrepancy between their real self and their social self.     

Gender and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers’ Group Effort: Evidence for Timing Differences Behind Children’s Earliest Social Loafing

This study explored mental state reasoning within the context of group effort and possible differences in development between boys and girls. Preschool children (59 girls, 47 boys) were assessed for theory of mind (ToM) ability using classic false belief tests. Children participated in group effort conditions that alternated from one condition, where individual effort was transparent and obvious, to one where individual effort remained anonymous. The aim was to investigate if emergent mental state reasoning, after controlling for age, was associated with the well-known phenomenon of reduced effort in group tasks (“social loafing”). Girls had slightly higher ToM scores and social loafing than boys. Hierarchical regression, controlling for age, indicated that understanding of others’ false beliefs uniquely predicted social loafing and interacted weakly with gender status.     

Psychometric properties of the Children's Depression Inventory in community and clinical sample

The psychometric characteristics of the Children's Depression Inventory, CDI (Kovacs, 1992) in a sample of 1705 participants (792 boys and 913 girls) and a clinical sample of 102 participants (42 boys and 60 girls) between 10 and 18 years old are presented. Reliability coefficients range, for both samples, from .82 (test) to .84 (retest) in the community sample, and .85 (test, clinical sample); test-retest reliability is .81 in the community sample. The mean scores are similar to other Spanish and English ones. Girls score higher than boys. The cut-off point that best differentiates between depressive and community participants is 19, with a sensitivity of 94.7%, a specificity of 95.6%, a positive predictive value of .90, and a negative predictive value of .98.     

Relationship between upper extremity kinesthetic sense and writing performance by students with low vision

Kinesthetic sense plays an important role in writing. Children with low vision lack sensory input from the environment given their loss of vision. This study assessed the effect of upper extremity kinesthetic sense on writing function in two groups, one of students with low vision (9 girls and 11 boys, 9.4 +/- 1.9 yr. of age) and one of sighted students (10 girls and 10 boys, 10.1 +/- 1.3 yr. of age). All participants were given the Kinesthesia Test and Jebsen Hand Function Test-Writing subtest. Students with low vision scored lower on kinesthetic perception and writing performance than sighted peers. The correlation between scores for writing performance and upper extremity kinesthetic sense in the two groups was significant (r = -.34). The probability of deficiencies in kinesthetic information in students with low vision must be remembered.     

Development of behavioural problems in children adopted from Romania to the Netherlands,after a period of deprivation

A longitudinal study was conducted among 72 Romanian adoptive children (41 boys, 31 girls) in the Netherlands, who, according to the parents and medical records, had all experienced a period of some degree of deprivation before their adoption. The children were on average 2 years and 9 months old at adoption. Parents filled out the Child Behavioural Checklist twice. On average there was little change in scores between the two measurements, and correlations were high. Some children displayed a marked improvement, or worsening of problems. The change in CBCL scores was not related to age or health on arrival into the adoptive family. Children who received special education at the first measurement (31%) improved significantly more on Total Problems than children who didn't. The same applied to professional help, the 46 children (64%) for whom professional help was engaged improved significantly more than the other 26 children. It appears to be effective to engage educational and psychological help for these (severely) deprived children at an early stage.     

Application of nasometry to speech samples of hearing-impaired children.

Nasalance measurements from speech samples of 19 hearing-impaired children (12 boys, 7 girls, of M age 8.0 yr.) were computed via a Nasometer 6200 for three speaking conditions: unaided, aided, and FM amplification. The nasalance scores for each condition were compared with the device norms. Scores for each condition were correlated and then ranked by age for additional comparisons.