Cultural Roots of Well-Being and Resilience in Child Mental Health

BackgroundParental separation has been associated with adverse child mental health outcomes in the literature. For school-aged children, joint physical custody (JPC), that is, spending equal time in both parents’ homes after a divorce, has been associated with better health and well-being than single care arrangements. Preschool children’s well-being in JPC is less studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of living arrangements and coparenting quality with mental health in preschool children after parental separation.MethodsThis cross-sectional population-based study includes 12 845 three-year-old children in Sweden. Mental health was measured by parental reports of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and coparenting quality with a four-item scale. The living arrangements of the 642 children in non-intact families were categorised into JPC, living mostly with one parent and living only with one parent.ResultsLinear regression models, adjusted for sociodemographic confounders, showed an association between increased mental health problems and living mostly and only with one parent (B=1.18; 95% CI 0.37 to 2.00, and B=1.20; 95% CI 0.40 to 2.00, respectively), while children in intact families vs JPC did not differ significantly (B=−0.11; 95% CI −0.58 to 0.36). After adjusting the analyses for coparenting quality, differences in child mental health between the post divorce living arrangements were, however, minimal while children in intact families had more mental health problems compared with JPC (B=0.70; 95% CI 0.24 to 1.15). Factorial analysis of covariance revealed that low coparenting quality was more strongly related to mental health problems for children in intact families and JPC compared with children living mostly or only with one parent.ConclusionsThis study suggests that coparenting quality is a key determinant of mental health in preschool children and thus should be targeted in preventive interventions.

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Mental health and wellbeing coordinators in primary schools to support student mental health: protocol for a quasi-experimental cluster study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11467-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

S. Darling ◽

G. Dawson ◽

J. Quach ◽

R. Smith ◽

A. Perkins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

School Engagement ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Primary Schools ◽

Well Being ◽

Student Mental Health ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

State Education ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Business As Usual

Abstract Background Half of mental health disorders begin before the age of 14, highlighting the importance of prevention and early-intervention in childhood. Schools have been identified globally by policymakers as a platform to support good child mental health; however, the majority of the research is focused on secondary schools, with primary schools receiving very little attention by comparison. The limited available evidence on mental health initiatives in primary schools is hindered by a lack of rigorous evaluation. This quasi-experimental cluster study aims to examine the implementation and effectiveness of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator role designed to build mental health capacity within primary schools. Methods This is a primary (ages 5–12) school-based cluster quasi-experimental study in Victoria, Australia. Before baseline data collection, 16 schools selected by the state education department will be allocated to intervention, and another 16 matched schools will continue as ‘Business as Usual’. In intervention schools, a mental health and well-being coordinator will be recruited and trained, and three additional school staff will also be selected to receive components of the mental health training. Surveys will be completed by consenting staff (at 2-, 5-, 10- and 17-months post allocation) and by consenting parents/carers (at 3-, 10- and 17-months post allocation) in both intervention and business as usual schools. The primary objective is to assess the change in teacher’s confidence to support student mental health and wellbeing using the School Mental Health Self-Efficacy Teacher Survey. Secondary objectives are to assess the indirect impact on systemic factors (level of support, prioritisation of child mental health), parent and teachers’ mental health literacy (stigma, knowledge), care access (school engagement with community-based services), and student mental health outcomes. Implementation outcomes (feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity) and costs will also be evaluated. Discussion The current study will examine the implementation and effectiveness of having a trained Mental Health and Wellbeing Coordinator within primary schools. If the intervention increases teachers’ confidence to support student mental health and wellbeing and builds the capacity of primary schools it will improve student mental health provision and inform large-scale mental health service reform. Trial registration The trial was retrospectively registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) on July 6, 2021. The registration number is ACTRN12621000873820.

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Mental Health of Parents and Preschool-Aged Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Harsh Parenting and Child Sleep Disturbances

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.746330 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Peiyao Wang ◽

Xiaoning Sun ◽

Wen Li ◽

Zijing Wang ◽

Shan He ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Sleep Disturbances ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Problems ◽

Harsh Parenting ◽

Child Sleep ◽

Mediating Role

In the context of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, mental health problems of parents and children have become a public issue. Herein, we explored the association between parental well-being index and child mental health problems during the pandemic and the mediating role of harsh parenting and child sleep disturbances. An online survey was conducted among 16,398 parents of children aged 3–6 years (48.1% girls, Mage = 4.69 years, SDage = 0.75 years) from March 15 to 29, 2020. Child mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ), sleep problems (Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire, CSHQ), and parental well-being index (World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index, WHO-5), and harsh parenting were reported by parents. The results revealed that a higher parental well-being index was associated with lower child mental health problems. Harsh parenting and child sleep problems were significant mediators within the association. This study indicates the association between parental well-being index and child mental health during the pandemic and underlying mechanism, and has important implications for reducing parental and child mental health problems.

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Child Mental Health, Psychosocial Well-Being and Resilience in Afghanistan: A Review and Future Directions

Handbook of Resilience in Children of War ◽

10.1007/978-1-4614-6375-7_5 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 51-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Peter Ventevogel ◽

Mark J. D. Jordans ◽

Mark Eggerman ◽

Bibiane van Mierlo ◽

Catherine Panter-Brick

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Directions

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Child and family factors associated with child mental health and well-being during COVID-19

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry ◽

10.1007/s00787-021-01849-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Brae Anne McArthur ◽

Nicole Racine ◽

Sheila McDonald ◽

Suzanne Tough ◽

Sheri Madigan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Family Factors ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Health And Well Being

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Can standardized diagnostic assessment be a useful adjunct to clinical assessment in child mental health services? A randomized controlled trial of disclosure of the Development and Well-Being Assessment to practitioners

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology ◽

10.1007/s00127-012-0564-z ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 583-593 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Tamsin Ford ◽

Anna Last ◽

William Henley ◽

Shelley Norman ◽

Sacha Guglani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Clinical Assessment ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Well Being ◽

Diagnostic Assessment ◽

Child Mental Health Services ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Standardized Diagnostic

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Infant sleep and child mental health: a longitudinal investigation

Archives of Disease in Childhood ◽

10.1136/archdischild-2019-318014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 105 (7) ◽

pp. 655-660 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Fallon Cook ◽

Laura J Conway ◽

Rebecca Giallo ◽

Deirdre Gartland ◽

Emma Sciberras ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Diagnostic Criteria ◽

Emotional Disorders ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Sleep Problems ◽

Post Partum ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Study ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Prospective Longitudinal

ObjectiveTo determine whether infants with severe persistent sleep problems are at increased risk of (1) meeting diagnostic criteria for a psychiatric disorder (age 10 years), and (2) having elevated symptoms of mental health difficulties (ages 4 and 10 years), in comparison with infants with settled sleep.Design and settingProspective longitudinal community cohort study—the Maternal Health Study. Mothers completed questionnaires/interviews at 15 weeks' gestation; 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post partum; and when their child turned 4 and 10 years old. Measures included parental report of infant night waking and sleep problems and child mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale; Development and Well-being Assessment).Participants1460 mother-infant dyads.Results283 (19.4%) infants had persistent severe sleep problems, 817 (56.0%) had moderate/fluctuating sleep problems and 360 (24.7%) infants were settled. Infants with persistent severe sleep problems were more likely to report emotional symptoms at age 4 (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.70, 95% CI 1.21 to 6.05, p=0.02), and meet diagnostic criteria for an emotional disorder at age 10 (AOR=2.37, 95% CI 1.05 to 5.36, p=0.04). Infants with persistent severe sleep problems also had elevated symptoms of separation anxiety (AOR=2.44, 95% CI 1.35 to 4.41, p<0.01), fear of physical injury (AOR=2.14, 95% CI 1.09 to 4.18, p=0.03) and overall elevated anxiety (AOR=2.20, 95% CI 1.13 to 4.29, p=0.02) at age 10.ConclusionsInfants with persistent severe sleep problems during the first postnatal year have an increased risk of anxiety problems and emotional disorders at age 10.

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Effects of Mindfulness-Based Parallel-Group Interventions on Family Functioning and Child and Parent Mental Health: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Mindfulness ◽

10.1007/s12671-021-01728-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Qian-Wen Xie ◽

Xiaolu Dai ◽

Renhui Lyu ◽

Shuang Lu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Family Functioning ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Well Being ◽

Child Gender ◽

Parent Group ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Parents And Children ◽

Parallel Group

Abstract Objectives Involving parents and children in mindfulness-based interventions may holistically benefit family well-being. This meta-analysis systematically reviews and synthesizes the effects of mindfulness-based parallel-group (MBPG) interventions, which simultaneously involve parent and child, on family functioning, and the mental health of parents and children. Methods A total of 20 relevant studies were identified from 14 databases. The overall intervention effect size was estimated by pooled standardized mean difference. Moderator analyses were performed to explain the variability in intervention effects. Risk of bias and publication bias were also assessed. Results MBPG interventions showed minor-to-small positive effects on family functioning (d = 0.182, 95% CI [0.045, 0.319]), parental mental health (d = 0.238, 95% CI [0.110, 0.365]), and child mental health (d = 0.325, 95% CI [0.137, 0.513]). The effects of MBPG interventions on child mental health varied significantly by child age, child gender, recruitment setting, type of parent group, other activities in child group, other activities in parent group, and study design. Conclusions MBPG interventions show promising effects in improving mental health of both parents and children as well as in improving overall family functioning. However, significant variations exist in characteristics of participants, interventions, and study designs. Given the limited evidence currently available, more studies are needed to assess the determinants of effectiveness in MBPG interventions. Protocol Registration: PROSPERO #CRD42020164927

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