Universal Screening in Positive School Mental Health Using the ASEBA Methodology for Teachers: A Pilot Epidemiological Study

School-based detection and intervention are critical components in ensuring positive mental health in children, with teachers playing an essential role in assessing students’ well-being. The current research aims to be a pilot epidemiological study on positive school mental health in Malaga, Spain, using the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA). Data were collected in the COVID-19 pre-pandemic setting, using the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) and the Teacher Report Form (TRF) in a sample of 420 children, who were between 5 and 8 years old at the time of the data collection. In 5-year-old children, the DSM-oriented scale with the highest clinical prevalence corresponds to attention deficit and hyperactivity problems (1.13%). In this same sub-sample, clinical levels of externalizing problems (4.52%) were non-significantly more common than internalizing conditions (1.69%). As for children between 6 and 8 years old, the DSM-oriented scale with the highest prevalence of clinical scores corresponds to anxiety problems (4.12%) and conduct problems (2.88%). Clinical levels of externalizing problems (9.47%) were non-significantly more prevalent than internalizing problems (6.58%). The results present 95% confidence intervals prevalence data in the general population and sex-differentiated descriptive statistics. The results are discussed according to their implication for school mental health.

Behavioral and Social Functioning of Children With and Without Positional Plagiocephaly: Late Infancy to School Age

Positional plagiocephaly and/or brachycephaly (PPB) is associated with cognition, motor, and other developmental outcomes, but little is known about the social-behavioral adjustment of children with PPB. The primary aim of this study was to compare the social-behavioral development of preschool and school-age children with and without PPB and to examine the potential moderating effects of PPB severity on group differences. Two hundred twenty children with a history of PPB and 164 controls participated in at least one behavioral assessment at 4-11 months, 18 months, 36 months, and 7 years. The frequencies of observed problem behaviors and social competence were estimated using the Child Behavior Checklist Ages 1.5-5 (CBCL/1.5-5), Caregiver-Teacher Report Form(C-TRF), CBCL/6-18, and Teacher Report Form. Children with PPB were similar to controls on the internalizing, externalizing, or total problems composites. At 7 years, CBCL/6-18 total competence scores were significantly lower in children with histories of PPB than controls. In analyses stratified by PPB severity, we found that children with moderate/severe PPB had slightly higher scores on the C-TRF internalizing scale at 36 months and lower total competence scores at age 7 years. Children who had a history of mild PPB were similar to controls on all outcomes. This study is the first to examine social and behavioral outcomes in a large cohort of children with and without a history of PPB. We found limited evidence of an association between PPB and parent and teacher-reported social-emotional and behavioral adjustment through early school-age.

A Comparison of Parent, Teacher, and Youth Ratings on the Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits

The current study compared the validity of self-, parent-, and teacher-report versions of the Inventory of Callous–Unemotional Traits (ICU), a widely used measure of callous–unemotional (CU) traits, at several different ages. Participants ( N = 236, 60.6% girls) were children in Grades 3, 6, and 8 ( Mage = 11.55, SD = 2.23) from a public school system in the southern United States. We tested the association of all three ICU versions with several validators: parent- and teacher-reported conduct problems, peer nominations of characteristics associated with CU traits, and sociometric peer nominations of social preference. Results revealed an interaction between the ICU version and grade in the overall level of CU traits reported, with teacher-report leading to the highest ratings in sixth grade and being higher than parent-report in third grade. Furthermore, the validity of the different versions of the ICU varied somewhat across grades. Specifically, findings support the validity of both teacher- and self-report in third grade, but self-report was the only version to show strong validity in the eighth grade.

Latent Profiles of Teacher-Reported Self-Regulation and Assessed Executive Function in Low-Income Community Preschools: Relations With Motor, Social, and School Readiness Outcomes

This study contributes to understandings of early childhood self-regulation and executive function, and their components, through taking a person-centered approach to investigating how these skills cluster together in children aged 4–5years. A sample of children (N=206) from preschools in low socioeconomic communities were assessed through teacher report of self-regulation and three executive function tasks at the commencement of the preschool year. Outcome variables included teacher report of social skills and behavioral problems, and children’s school readiness and visual motor integration skills were directly assessed. When the scores from this low-income sample were compared to available norms, over 70% of children scored below the 50th percentile in executive function measures, approximately 20% were below average in self-regulation skills, 48% were delayed in school readiness scores, 36% had above average levels of internalizing problems, and 25% were above average in externalizing problems. A series of four latent profile models each used different measurement approaches and combinations of self-regulation and executive function components. In three of the four models (two which combined self-regulation and executive function measures and one with teacher report of self-regulation only), a high skill and low skill profile were found with 31 to 42% of children in the low profile depending on the model. Children were very similarly classified across all three models. When three executive function scores were modeled alone, a more complex three-profile solution emerged (low, moderate, and high) with 52% in the low profile. Children identified in the low profiles across all models were at greater risk of poorer school readiness, visual motor integration and social skills, and increased behavioral problems. Taken together, the findings suggest that self-regulation and executive function skills tend to cluster together at this age and in this low-income sample. Composite scores of teacher report of self-regulation are somewhat sufficient in identifying children who also have poorer executive function skills and are at risk of poorer motor, social, and school readiness outcomes. These children are an important target group for additional supports prior to school entry.

Assessing Preschool Children’s Social Pretend Play Competence: An Empirical Comparison of Three Different Assessment Methods

Pretend play may be beneficial for young children’s social development. However, empirical results to date are inconsistent and limited, which is partly due to a lack of psychometrically sound measures for children’s social pretend play competence. The current study aimed to compare and validate different assessment methods for children’s social pretend play competence. In total, 64 3- to 4-year-old children participated in the study (age: M = 46.4, SD = 3.8). Assessments were conducted twice, three months apart. Social pretend play competence was assessed using a standardized role play test (Tools of the Play Scale), a social pretend play situation with a peer (Dyadic Pretend Play Assessment), and a teacher report. Children’s Theory of Mind, emotion understanding, and language comprehension were assessed. Educators reported on children’s social-emotional skills. Research Findings: All three instruments showed a good factorial validity, measurement invariance and sensitivity to intra-individual change. A second-order factor of all three methods was identified. The Tools of the Play Scale and the teacher report yielded good criterion validity. The second-order factor showed even better criterion validity: Children with higher social pretend play competence showed higher social-cognitive skills as well as social-emotional skills. Practice or Policy: Limitations and applications of the instruments are discussed.

The Relationship between Self Control Skills and Behavioral Problems among Special Education Primary Grades in Israel

Prior research has demonstrated that poor self-control skills in childhood and adolescence are associated with greater behavioral problems (e.g., anger, attention deficits). However, the current study was the first to investigate these associations among the unique sample of special educated Arab-Israeli children, and individual characteristics (e.g., gender, age) that may influence the relationship between self-control and behavioral problems were explored. Participants (n=125) were first or second graders, and both the child’s parent and teacher completed questionnaires assessing the children’s self-control skills and behavioral problems. Self-control skills (both parent and teacher report) were negatively associated with both parent- and teacher-reported behavioral problems (introversive problems (rs>-.50, p<.01), extroversive problems (rs>-.45, p<.01), and general problems (rs>-.52, p<.01)). Females exhibited higher self-control skills (both parent and teacher report) than males (ps<.05), and both females and first graders exhibited fewer behavioral problems (introversive, extroversive, and general problems) than second graders (ps<.05). Thus, the current study highlights the importance of strong self-control skills as a deterrent for developing behavioral problems, which may inform early intervention efforts in Arab-Israeli primary school students.