Social-Emotional Difficulties in Very Preterm and Term 2 Year Olds Predict Specific Social-Emotional Problems at the Age of 5 Years

Background: Researchers have linked parent experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) to engagement in more negative and less positive parenting behaviors with their own children. This parenting behavior is associated with more negative child social-emotional outcomes. There is little research examining the impact of exposure to IPV during childhood on subsequent parenting and child outcomes in the next generation. This study aimed to better understand the complex relationship between IPV, parenting, and child social-emotional development among mothers of toddler-aged children, using both mothers’ self-reported and observed parenting. Method: This study utilized longitudinal data from an economically disadvantaged, racially diverse sample of 120 women who participated in data collection across the perinatal period, until children were 2 years of age. Measures included self-reported and observed parenting, mother-reported IPV history, and mother-report of toddler social-emotional difficulties. Results: Childhood exposure to IPV predicted observed parenting problems, which in turn predicted greater toddler social-emotional problems. Conversely, adult experiences of IPV predicted self-reported parenting difficulties, which predicted greater toddler social-emotional problems. Summary: Findings suggest that exposure to IPV at different time points may influence parenting in different ways, representing unique pathways between maternal IPV experiences and child social-emotional difficulties

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Building a Predictive Model of Social-Emotional Adjustment: Exploring the Relationship between Parenting Self-Efficacy, Parenting Behaviour and Psychological Distress in Mothers of Young Children in Ireland

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18062861 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2861

Author(s):

Sabrina Coyle ◽

Kiran M. Sarma ◽

Catherine Maguire ◽

Leora De Flumere

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Young Children ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Clinical Sample ◽

Emotional Adjustment ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Emotional Difficulties ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Emotional Competencies ◽

Parenting Behaviour

The purpose of this study was to generate greater understanding of social-emotional difficulties in infants and toddlers in an Irish context. This study compared rates of reported social-emotional difficulties in young children in clinical and non-clinical samples and probed a predictive model of social-emotional adjustment. Data were collected from a cross-sectional sample of 72 mothers of young children aged between 12 and 48 months. Mothers were recruited from waiting lists for child Early Intervention services (clinical sample) and community mother-toddler groups (non-clinical sample). Mothers completed a questionnaire battery which assessed parenting self-efficacy, parenting behaviour, psychological distress and child social-emotional adjustment. The results indicated that 55.5% of young children in the clinical sample and 15% in the non-clinical sample had significant social-emotional problems. Similarly, 55.5% of young children in the clinical sample and 30% in the non-clinical sample had significant delays in the acquisition of social-emotional competencies. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were carried out with social-emotional problems and social-emotional competencies as the respective criterion variables. Clinical or non-clinical group membership, parenting satisfaction and maternal psychological distress were found to be significant predictors of child social-emotional problems in a model which explained 59% of the variance. Task-specific self-efficacy was the only significant predictor of child social-emotional competencies in a model which explained 21% of the variance. The significant rates of social-emotional problems in young children in the current study and the potential negative impact on child health and wellbeing, suggest that the early assessment of social-emotional adjustment should be incorporated into routine clinical assessment for young children. For services to effectively meet the needs of children with social-emotional difficulties and their families, consideration of maternal factors is also necessary.

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What Works to Prevent or Reduce Internalizing Problems or Social-Emotional Difficulties in Adolescents: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Social Interventions

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e542492012-001 ◽

2011 ◽

Keyword(s):

Internalizing Problems ◽

Emotional Difficulties ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Social Interventions ◽

What Works

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Social-Emotional Problems in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children from an Executive and Theory-of-Mind Perspective

10.1093/oso/9780190880545.003.0020 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Constance Th. W. M. Vissers ◽

Daan Hermans

Keyword(s):

Theory Of Mind ◽

Executive Functioning ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Hard Of Hearing ◽

Cognitive Model ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Inner Speech ◽

Social Emotional Development ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Hearing Children

The implications of a hearing loss can go far beyond the linguistic domain. Several studies have revealed that deaf and hard-of-hearing children are at risk in their social-emotional development. This chapter argues that executive functions and theory of mind are two central underlying cognitive factors in people’s social-emotional functioning. We briefly review what is currently known about executive functioning and theory-of-mind development in deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents and then present a cognitive model with a central role for inner speech in relation to executive functioning and theory of mind. We hypothesize that inner speech both enables and urges the regulation of oneself (executive function) and also the mentalization of one’s own and others’ inner worlds (theory of mind). We discuss the implications for assessing and treating social-emotional problems in deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents.

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Pathways Into Psychosocial Adjustment in Children: Modeling the Effects of Trait Emotional Intelligence, Social-Emotional Problems, and Gender

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00507 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Jose A. Piqueras ◽

Ornela Mateu-Martínez ◽

Javier Cejudo ◽

Juan-Carlos Pérez-González

Keyword(s):

Emotional Intelligence ◽

Psychosocial Adjustment ◽

Emotional Problems ◽

Trait Emotional Intelligence ◽

Social Emotional ◽

And Gender

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Social-Emotional Difficulties in Irish Children Aged Five and Nine Years: A National, Longitudinal Study

Children ◽

10.3390/children8080656 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (8) ◽

pp. 656

Author(s):

Ann Swift ◽

Roy McConkey ◽

Philip Curry ◽

Edurne Garcia Iriarte

Keyword(s):

Social Services ◽

Family Relations ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Primary Caregivers ◽

Emotional Difficulties ◽

Children And Families ◽

Social Emotional ◽

Early Intervention Services ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

The Impact

A small proportion of children experience social-emotional difficulties from early childhood onwards. Longitudinal studies with nationally representative samples are needed to identify the prevalence and the characteristics of children and families persistently experiencing these difficulties. Secondary analysis of data collected on over 7500 Irish children and with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire as the primary indicator, found that 6% of children when they were five year olds and 8% when they were nine-years, had above threshold scores that warranted further investigation. A smaller proportion—2.9% had elevated scores at both ages. Logistic regression analyses found that children with one or more developmental disabilities were up to six times more likely to have sustained difficulties. There were also significant associations with the lower education attainment of primary caregivers and the socio-economic deprivation of families. Primary caregivers and teachers reported higher conflict in their relationships with these children. Although the number of Irish children presenting with continuing social-emotional difficulties is small, they can present an ongoing and future societal cost in terms of the impact on family relations and demands placed on educational, health and social services. This study identified the children and families who are at greatest risk and for whom targeted early intervention services could be provided.

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