Exposure to Interpersonal Violence and Socioemotional Adjustment in Economically Disadvantaged Preschoolers

Focusing specifically on the experiences of economically disadvantaged preschoolers, the relations between interpersonal violence exposure, behavior problems, and social skills were examined in both the home and school settings. In this racially and ethnically diverse sample of preschoolers from poor, urban households (N = 64; 3–6 years old; 56% female), many children (33%) had been exposed to at least 1 type of interpersonal violence, and even more (70%) had been exposed to any type of potentially traumatic event (PTE). Although exposure to interpersonal violence was not directly associated with parent- or teacher-reported behavior problems or social skills, a significant interaction effect was observed between exposure to interpersonal violence and teacher-reported internalizing problems in predicting teacher-reported social skills; specifically, for children with the highest levels of internalizing problems, a positive relation between interpersonal violence exposure and social skills was observed. This indirect effect was observed only in the school setting, whereas children in this high-risk sample appeared to demonstrate resilience in the home setting. Given these high rates of exposure, additional, clinically relevant research is needed to inform interventions for this vulnerable population.     

A Dynamical Systems Approach to Manual Tracking Performance

Manual tracking performance was investigated from the perspective of dynamical systems theory. The authors manipulated the type of visual display, the control system dynamics, and the frequency of the sinusoidal input signal to examine couplings with various phases between the visual signal and control movements. Analyses of the system output amplitude ratio and relative phase showed that participants (N = 24) performed poorly with 90° relative phase coupling. All the couplings became less stable as the movement frequency increased. The authors developed an adaptive oscillator model with linear damping to describe the coupled system consisting of the human performer, the visual display, and the control system dynamics. A geometric account of the stability of performance at different relative phases is also presented.     

Validation of the Brief Shame and Guilt Questionnaire for Children

While both shame and guilt are described as self-conscious emotions, they differ in many ways, including their contextual antecedents and their associations with mental health. A measure that distinguishes proneness to experience shame and guilt is crucial.In the present study we present a brief questionnaire to measure shame- and guilt-proneness in children using short concrete items. Specifically, we presented our 12-item Brief Shame and Guilt Questionnaire to Dutch (n = 219) 9–14 year-olds along with measures of internalizing problems (social anxiety, worry) and externalizing problems (aggression and conduct behavior). In addition to self-reports, teacher-reports on the externalizing problems were also collected. Results confirmed the two-factor structure, showed good psychometric properties of the two scales and a good concurrent validity. Specifically, shame-proneness contributed to the prediction of more internalizing problems and guilt-proneness contributed to the prediction of fewer externalizing problems. As such, the Brief Shame and Guilt Questionnaire for Children is a reliable and accessible instrument to administer in children.     

The Scientist and the Artist: adaptive dissociation within the HIV-positive population

This paper reports on the findings of two independent qualitative studies which were conducted with HIV-positive cohort over a period of 2010–2012. Although the original studies used different qualitative designs (IPA and Grounded Theory), the authors have nevertheless sought to explore the combined utility of their findings by using a broad stance of phenomenological enquiry. The authors argue that evidence of a particular dissociative pattern in their accounts of an HIV-related experience is present in the contributors' narrative. Dissociation in this context occurred not in personality but between different or discrete mental faculties such as memory, emotions, perceptions and thought. It was suggested that it serves adaptive function and therefore could be utilised in clinical work when appropriate.     

The mental health of children of migrant workers in Beijing: The protective role of public school attendance

The present study aims to understand the mental health status of an understudied group of migrant children – children of migrant workers in China. A total of 1,466 children from Beijing participated in the study that compared migrant children (n = 1,019) to their local peers (n = 447) in public and private school settings. Results showed that overall, migrant children reported more internalizing and externalizing mental health problems and lower life satisfaction than local peers. However, public school attendance served as a protective factor for migrant children's mental health. The mental health status of migrant children attending public schools, including externalizing problems as well as friend and school satisfaction, was not different from local children. In addition, our data indicates that the protective effect of public school attendance for migrant children may be even more salient among girls than boys, and for younger children than older children.     

The utility of written numerals for preschool children when solving additive problems / La utilidad de los numerales escritos en la resolución de problemas aditivos en niños preescolares

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact the presence conventional written numerals has on solving additives problems. We asked 45 children (aged four and five) to solve ten different 5 + 3 type problems by adding tokens that were placed into an opaque box in view of the children. The participants’ performance in counting, recognizing written numerals and solving a number conservation task were assessed. The results suggest that the presence of written numerals facilitated children’s ability to perform additive operations: they were able to use these numerals as a reference to calculate the amount of tokens added, even those who had not shown good quantitative judgement in the number conservation task. Identifying preschoolers’ possible reliance on written numerals could eventually influence formal teaching conditions.     

Mathematical Abilities in Elementary School Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Although clinical practitioners often express concerns about the mathematical functioning of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the field of mathematics remains a relatively unexplored topic in individuals with ASD. Moreover, research findings are fragmentary and hold inconclusive results. The present study aimed to examine whether grade 1 (aged 6–7 years) to 4 (aged 9–10 years) elementary school children with ASD scored significantly different from age‐adequate norms on mathematics. To this end, a multi‐componential approach of mathematics was used. Four domains of mathematics were assessed in 121 children with ASD: procedural calculation, number fact retrieval, word/language problems, and time‐related competences. All children attended general education classrooms, following the standard curriculum, and were coached by integrated educational services. Children with ASD showed a strength in word/language problems in second and fourth grade. There was evidence of a weakness for procedural calculation in first grade and for time‐related competences in first and third grade. In all other cases, average scores were shown. As such, results revealed a profile of strengths, average abilities, and weaknesses in mathematics and highlighted the importance of focusing on different domains of mathematics. Because a high variability in mathematical performance could be observed, we recommend an individual assessment when considering the mathematical trajectory of children with ASD. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.