scholarly journals The Focal Play Therapy: An Empirical Study on the Parent–Therapist Alliance, Parent–Child Interactions and Parenting Stress in a Clinical Sample of Children and Their Parents

Author(s):  
Ilaria Chirico ◽  
Federica Andrei ◽  
Paola Salvatori ◽  
Irene Malaguti ◽  
Elena Trombini

The present study aims to investigate the outcomes of the Focal Play Therapy with Children and Parents (FPT-CP) in terms of parent–therapist alliance, parent–child interactions, and parenting stress. Thirty parental couples (N = 60; 30 mothers and 30 fathers) and their children presenting behavioral, evacuation and eating disorders took part to the study. Through a multi-method longitudinal approach, data were collected at two time points (first and seventh sessions) marking the first phase of the intervention specifically aimed to build the alliance with parents, a crucial variable for the remission of the child’s symptoms (and to the assessment of the child’s symptoms within family dynamics.) Therapeutic alliance was assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory by therapists and parents. Parent–child interactions and parenting stress were evaluated using the Emotional Availability Scales and the Parenting Stress Index, respectively. Results showed that a positive parent–therapist alliance was developed and maintained during the first seven sessions. Furthermore, parent–child interactions significantly improved on both parents’ and child’s dimensions. However, parenting stress levels remained unchanged between the two time points. The findings should enrich scientific knowledge about the role of parental engagement in preschool child-focused treatments as to better inform practice and improve the quality of care for children and their families.

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Spigner ◽  
Stephen R. Boggs ◽  
Regina Bussing ◽  
Sheila M. Eyberg

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Τερψιχόρη Κόρπα

Εισαγωγή: Τα τελευταία χρόνια έχει αυξηθεί η επιστημονική διερεύνηση των λειτουργιών του άξονα Υποθάλαμου-Υπόφυσης-Επινεφριδίιων (ΗΡΑ Axis) στα παιδιά και τους ενήλικους με Διαταραχής Ελλειμματικής Προσοχής-Υπερκινητικότητας (ΔΕΠΥ), καθώς τα ευρήματα υποστηρίζουν την συσχέτιση της δυσλειτουργίας του άξονα HPA με παράγοντες συνοσηρότητας και βαρύτητας. Η δραστηριότητα του άξονα HPA έχει παρατηρηθεί ότι επηρεάζεται από ψυχοκοινωνικoύς στρεσογόνους παράγοντες, όπως το γονεϊκό στρες, που φαίνεται να παρατηρείται σε υψηλότερα επίπεδα σε μητέρες παιδιών με ΔΕΠΥ σε συγκριση με μητέρες παιδιών τυπικής αναπτυξης. Σκοπός: Στην παρούσα έρευνα μελετήθηκε η πιθανή συσχέτιση ανάμεσα στα επίπεδα γονεϊκου στρες που βιώνουν μητέρες παιδιών με ΔΕΠΥ και μητέρες υγιών παιδιών, με το ημερήσιο μοτίβο έκλυσης κορτιζόλης στα παιδιά τους. Επιπλέον, διερευνήθηκε η ύπαρξη συμπτωματολογίας ΔΕΠΥ στις μητέρες και η πιθανή επιρροή της μέσω του στρες του γονεϊκού ρόλου τους στο μοτίβο έκλυσης κορτιζόλης των παιδών τους. Μέθοδος: Στη μελέτη συμμετείχαν 120 παιδιά ηλικίας 6-11 ετών με τις μητέρες τους, τα οποία αξιολογήθηκαν και ταξινομήθηκαν σε τρεις ομάδες (Ν= 26 ως ΔΕΠΥ-Απρόσεκτου Υπότυπου/ ADHD-I, Ν= 49 ως ΔΕΠΥ-Συνδυασμένου Υπότυπου/ADHD-C και ΔΕΠΥ Υπερκινητικού-Παρορμητικού Υπότυπου/ADHD-ΗΙ και Ν=45 ως υγιείς ομάδας Eλέγχου). Συμπληρώθηκαν επίσης τα απαραίτητα ψυχομετρικά εργαλεία αξιολόγησης του Γονεικού Στρες των μητέρων (Parenting Stress Index – Short Form, PSI–SF), ανίχνευσης συμπτωματολογίας ΔΕΠΥ και γενικής ψυχοπαθολογίας τους, ενώ ελήφθησαν καταγραφές για την κοινωνική υποστήριξη και την κοινωνικο-οικονομική κατάσταση αυτών. Ελήφθησαν επίσης και έξι (6) δείγματα κορτιζόλης σιέλου των παιδιών κάθε ομάδας σε τακτά διαφορετικά χρονικά σημεία στη διάρκεια μιας τυπικής ημέρας. Αποτελέσματα: Οι μητέρες των παιδιών ADHD-C/HI κατέγραψαν υψηλότερα επίπεδα γονεϊκού στρες από τις μητέρες των παιδιών με ADHD–I. Όλες οι υποκλίμακες του PSI–SF κατέδειξαν σημαντικές συσχετίσεις με την Ανταπόκριση Κορτιζόλης Αφύπνιση (CAR) των παιδιών στις δύο ομάδες ADHD-C/HI και ADHD–I, με εξαίρεση την υποκλίμακα Γονεϊκή Δυσφορία (Parental Distress) του PSI–SF στην ομάδα ADHD–I. Και στις δύο ομάδες ADHD-C/HI και ADHD–I, κατεδείχθησαν υψηλές τιμές στις υποκλίμακες Δυσλειτουργική Αλληλεπίδραση Μητέρας – Παιδιού (Parent–Child Dysfunctional Interaction) και Δύσκολου Παιδιού (Difficult Child) καθώς επίσης και στη συνολική βαθμολογία του PSI, που είχαν σημαντικά αποτελέσματα αλληλεπίδρασης με την CAR. Επίσης, για τα παιδιά με ΔΕΠΥ που είχαν μητέρα με συμπτωματολογία ΔΕΠΥ καταγράφηκαν σημαντικά υψηλότερες βαθμολογίες σε όλες τις διαστάσεις του PSI των μητέρων τους, σε σύγκριση με τα παιδιά με ΔΕΠΥ με μητέρα χωρίς συμπτωματολογία ΔΕΠΥ. Στις μητέρες με συμπτώματα ΔΕΠΥ καταγράφηκαν αυξημένα επίπεδα στρες και συσχετίσεις με την Ανταπόκριση Κορτιζόλης Αφύπνισης (CAR) των παιδιών τους. Οι τιμές CAR των παιδιών με μητέρα χωρίς συμπτώματα ΔΕΠΥ και χαμηλές βαθμολογίες τόσο σε όλες τις διαστάσεις του PSI όσο και στη συνολική βαθμολογία, ήταν σημαντικά υψηλότερες σε σύγκριση με τις τιμές CAR των παιδιών που επίσης είχαν μητέρα χωρίς συμπτώματα ΔΕΠΥ αλλά με υψηλά επίπεδα στις αντίστοιχες βαθμολογίες του PSI. Συμπεράσματα: Διαπιστώθηκε συσχέτιση ανάμεσα στα υψηλά επίπεδα γονεϊκού στρες της μητέρας και στη λειτουργία του Άξονα ΗΡΑ στα παιδιά με ΔΕΠΥ, όπου η CAR επισημάνθηκε ως ένα ευαίσθητο περιφερειακό μέτρο λειτουργίας του Άξονα των παιδιών αυτών. Η ύπαρξη συμπτωματολογίας ΔΕΠΥ στη μητέρα του παιδιού φαίνεται να παίζει σημαντικό ρόλο στην αύξηση των επιπέδων γονεϊκού στρες και να αυξάνει την πιθανότητα επιβάρυνσης της λειτουργίας του Άξονα ΗΡΑ. Μέσω των ευρημάτων της μελέτης αποπειράθηκε ένα μοντέλο απεικόνισης της σχέσης του γονεϊκού στρες των μητέρων και της λειτουργίας του Άξονα HPA των παιδιών τους με ΔΕΠΥ, παρουσιάζοντας τη σημαντικότητα της πρώιμης κλινικής παρέμβασης στον κύκλο των αρνητικών αλληλεπιδράσεων που βιώνουν οι οικογένειες των παιδιών με ΔΕΠΥ.


2020 ◽  
pp. 146879841989604
Author(s):  
Christina Davidson ◽  
Susan Danby ◽  
Stuart Ekberg ◽  
Karen Thorpe

Many studies that examine parent–child interactions while reading digital texts focus on the reading of e-books. Rather less is known about parent–child interactions and reading aloud of other screen texts that occur during young children’s everyday use of digital technologies at home. This article presents the findings from a conversation analytic study of a collection of 36 sequences of interaction between young children and their parents where the words ‘says’ or ‘say’ were used to refer to print on the screen. The collection involved interactions between seven parent–child dyads. Sequences were identified through repeated viewing of 29 hours of video-recordings made by parents. Analysis enabled systematic identification and description of two distinctive practices in talk that led to reading aloud from the screen. Reading aloud of the text was provided by either a speaker using a preface, such as ‘it says’, or solicited using a question. Discussion establishes how young children and their parents orient to and produce reading aloud practices, how reading aloud meets the instrumental purposes of children and the ways that young children competently enable reading aloud. It is concluded that reading aloud from the screen is an important information source for young children, enabled through parent–child interactions.


1986 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dafna Lemish ◽  
Mabel L. Rice

ABSTRACTThis study provides longitudinal observations of young children's behaviours while viewing television in their own homes, over a time when the children were actively involved in the process of language acquisition. Sixteen children were observed for a period ranging from 0; 6 to 0;8. At the beginning, their ages ranged from 0; 6.15 to 5.15; at the end, from 1; 2.15 to 3;0. The observations yielded documentation of an overwhelming and consistent occurrence of language-related behaviours among children and parents in the viewing situation. The categories of child and adult talk are reported, with description and examples of each category. The categories are compared with those reported for parent–child interactions outside the viewing experience, – in particular joint book-reading. A model of television as a talking picture book is proposed. It is argued that television has the potential to serve as a facilitator of children's language acquisition.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (40) ◽  
pp. 14-34
Author(s):  
Ali Çekiç ◽  
Kader Karageyik

The goal of this study is to investigate the relationship between parenting stress, parental self-efficacy, and parent-child communication. 492 parents participated in the study. 200 of the participants are fathers and 292 are mothers. For data collection, the Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI-SF) Perceived Parental Self-Efficacy Scale, Parent-Child Communication Scale, and Demographic Information Form were used. The differences among parenting stress, parental self-efficacy, and parent-child communication across demographic variables were analyzed with SPSS 17.0 program. At the same time, the effects of demographic variables on parenting stress and parent-adolescence communication were examined. To the findings, it is found that mothers and low-income level parents had higher parenting stress and no significant difference for other demographic variables was observed. A medium-level negative correlation was found between parenting stress and parent self-efficacy and parent-child communication variable. Additionally, self-efficacy and communication predicted 15.5% of parenting stress. According to the standardized regression coefficient, and when the relative significance level of predictive variables on parenting stress was analyzed, it can be seen that the most predictive variable was self-efficacy (β=-.255) and followed by communication (β=-.174).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Ding ◽  
Yanling Ren ◽  
Jiying Jiang ◽  
Mengyao Zhai ◽  
Huan Shao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at risk of developing internalizing and externalizing problems. However, information on the early development of behavioural problems and the contributing role of parent-child interactions among infants at high risk for ASD is lacking. We tested whether parent-child interactions and parenting characteristics were associated with behavioural problems during the infant and toddler periods and examined the effects of the intervention on behavioural problems.Methods: This study collected data from 91 infants at high for risk ASD and 68 matched typically developing (TD) infants. At baseline, behavioural observation was performed during free play with all the enrolled families, and in the ASD group, a second behavioural observation was performed after 12 weeks of the Play-based Communication and Behavior Intervention (PCBI). The coding of parent-child interactions was based on the behaviour of parents and children during free play. These data included the child’s engagement with each parent and behavioural problems.Results: During free play, infants in the ASD group showed more internalizing behaviours (p<0.001) and externalizing behaviours (p<0.05) and less positive engagement (p<0.01) than TD infants. After 12 weeks of intervention, we found that infants at high for risk ASD had reduced internalizing behaviours (p<0.001), increased parent positive engagement (p<0.001), and improved parent-child interactions (p<0.001). In the regression analysis, we found that parenting stress had an impact on infants’ externalizing behaviours (△R2 = 0.215). Parent negative engagement had an impact on infants’ internalizing behaviours (△R2 = 0.451).Conclusions: The findings on the contribution of both parent negative engagement and parent-child interactions to behavioural problems suggests that the amelioration of parent negative engagement is an important factor for the mitigation of behavioural problems. The amelioration of parenting stress is associated with externalizing behaviours. Early intervention and parental factors are important for preventing behavioural problems and possible comorbidity problems in the future.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Ding ◽  
Huiyun Gao ◽  
Jiying Jiang ◽  
Mengyao Zhai ◽  
Huan Shao ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The behavioral characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not only affected by their disease, but also by their parenting environment. HR-ASD has the risk of developing internalization and externalization problems. How the early development of these behavioral problems is affected by parent-child interaction is worth exploring. We tested whether parent-child interactions and parenting characteristics were associated with behavioural problems during the infant periods. Methods This study collected data from 91 infants at high risk for ASD and 68 matched typically developing (TD) infants, about their internalizing and externalizing behavioural problems and engagement states (i.e. positive, negative, and parent-child interactions), using free play paradigm. Parent measures were assessed using the Broad Autism Phenotypic Questionnaire (BAPQ) and Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI-SF) questionnaire. The core symptoms of ASD were assessed using the the Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule (ADOS). Results During free play, infants in the HR-ASD group showed more internalizing (P < 0.001) and externalizing (P < 0.05) behaviours and less positive engagement (P < 0.01) than the TD group. In the regression analysis, we found that parenting stress had an impact on the infants’ externalizing behaviours (△R2 = 0.215). Parent negative engagement had an impact on the infants’ internalizing behaviours (△R2 = 0.451). Conclusions The present study revealed that children at high risk for ASD exhibited more severe internalizing and externalizing behavioural problems than TD group. The parent negative engagement is associated with behavioural problems. The findings on the contribution of parents’ factors to behavioural problems suggests that the parenting stress and parent-child interactions are important factors for mitigating behavioural problems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 1428-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessa Reed ◽  
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek ◽  
Roberta Michnick Golinkoff

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