scholarly journals A Pilot Study of Universal Teacher–Child Interaction Training at a Therapeutic Preschool for Young Maltreated Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Kanine ◽  
Yo Jackson ◽  
Lindsay Huffhines ◽  
Alexandra Barnett ◽  
Katie J. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Emotional Skills ◽  
Maltreated Children ◽  
Therapeutic Preschool ◽  
Child Interaction ◽  
Teacher Child Interaction Training ◽  
Parent Child

Young children are disproportionately exposed to maltreatment but are underrepresented in research on effective treatments. Universal Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT-U), developed from Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, may be especially appropriate for maltreated children as they often experience caregiver disruptions which pose challenges to traditional parent-child treatment. Furthermore, research suggests that teachers can play an important role for children who lack positive caregiving experiences. The current study examined the effectiveness of TCIT-U versus treatment-as-usual (TAU) at a therapeutic preschool for youth exposed to maltreatment. Thirty-eight children (2–5 years old) and eight teachers from four classrooms participated in the study. Teacher behaviors were observed and coded at baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. Teachers reported on children’s behavior and social-emotional skills at baseline, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up. TCIT-U teachers demonstrated substantial increases in positive attending skills (PRIDE [Praise, Reflection, Imitation, Description, and Enjoyment] skills) and decreases in negative talk and questions during intervention phases, and these skills were maintained at follow-up. In addition, children in the TCIT-U classrooms demonstrated a significantly greater increase in overall social-emotional skills by post-treatment than children in the TAU classrooms, and effect sizes were moderate for all child outcomes. Findings provide preliminary support for TCIT-U’s effectiveness in a therapeutic setting for children exposed to maltreatment.

scholarly journals Associations of media use and early childhood development: cross-sectional findings from the LIFE Child study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarissa Schwarzer ◽  
Nico Grafe ◽  
Andreas Hiemisch ◽  
Wieland Kiess ◽  
Tanja Poulain
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Emotional Skills ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Parent Child Interactions ◽  
Development Outcomes ◽  
Public Health Strategies ◽  
Parent Child

Abstract Background Excessive media usage affects children’s health. This study investigated associations between children’s and mother’s media use, parent–child interactions, and early-childhood development outcomes. Methods Two hundred and ninety-six healthy 2–5-year-old preschoolers (52.4% male, mean age = 3.5 years) and 224 mothers from the LIFE Child cohort study were analyzed. Screen times and parent–child interactions were assessed using standardized parental questionnaires. Developmental skills were investigated using the standardized development test ET 6-6-R. Results High screen times in children (>1 h/day) were significantly associated with lower percentile ranks in cognition (b = −10.96, p < 0.01), language (b = −12.88, p < 0.01), and social–emotional skills (b = −7.80, p = 0.05). High screen times in mothers (>5 h/day) were significantly associated with high media use by children (OR = 3.86, p < 0.01). Higher parent–child interaction scores were significantly associated with better body motor (b = 0.41, p = 0.05), cognition (b = 0.57, p < 0.01), language (b = 0.48, p = 0.02), and social–emotional outcomes (b = 0.80, p < 0.01) in children. Conclusions Public health strategies should seek to educate caregivers as competent mediators for their children’s media habits, with focus on the need for children to have frequent parent–child interactions. Impact High media usage in children is related to poorer cognition, language, and social–emotional skills. More frequent parent–child interactions are associated with better body motor, cognition, language, and social–emotional skills in children. High level of media use in mothers is not directly related to children’s development outcomes but is directly related to high media usage of children. Public health strategies should seek to raise media awareness and management in both parents and children.

scholarly journals Development and pilot evaluation of a mobile app on parent-child exercises to improve physical activity and psychosocial outcomes of Hong Kong Chinese children

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Sze Man Wong ◽  
Esther Yee Tak Yu ◽  
Thomson Wai-Lung Wong ◽  
Colman Siu Cheung Fung ◽  
Cynthia Sin Yi Choi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Psychosocial Problems ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Psychosocial Wellbeing ◽  
Children And Parents ◽  
The Family ◽  
Parent Child

Abstract Background Parent-child exercises involve children and parents to do workout together and have positive effects on physical and mental health. We developed a mobile app on parent-child exercises called Family Move, which combines coaching videos with game features such as points and level system to enhance the health and wellbeing of both children and parents through parent-child exercises. This pilot pre-post study investigated whether the Family Move app-based intervention had a positive effect on children’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL), psychosocial wellbeing, and physical activity (PA) level. Methods We recruited 67 parent-child pairs. During the 8-week intervention, these pairs were invited to perform parent-child exercises using the Family Move app. Points were automatically added to the user account after viewing a coaching video. In-game ranking was available to enhance user engagement. Parent proxy-report questionnaires on children’s HRQOL, psychosocial wellbeing, and PA were administered at baseline and 1- and 6-month follow-up. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate post-intervention changes in child outcomes (HRQOL, psychosocial wellbeing, and PA). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine these changes as a function of in-game ranking. Results 52 (78%) viewed at least one coaching video in the Family Move app. Children’s PA level significantly increased at 1-month (d = 0.32, p = 0.030) and 6-month (d = 0.30, p = 0.042) follow-up, whereas their psychosocial problems declined at 6-month follow-up (d = 0.35, p = 0.005). Higher in-game ranking was significantly associated with fewer psychosocial problems at 1-month follow-up (β = − 0.15, p = 0.030). Conclusions Our findings suggest that the Family Move app could be a possible intervention to increase children’s PA level and psychosocial wellbeing through parent-child exercise. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03279354, registered September 11, 2017 (Prospectively registered).

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