Detrimental Associations of Cumulative Trauma, COVID-19 Infection Indicators, Avoidance, and Loneliness With Sleep and Negative Emotionality in Emerging Adulthood During the Pandemic

While effects of COVID-19 on physical health are the subject of much research, it is also important to understand risk factors for negative psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. Undergraduates ( N = 490, M age = 20.4) completed measures regarding prior trauma, COVID-19 infection indicators, stressors and trauma, coping, loneliness, social support, sleep behaviors, and negative emotionality. Results demonstrate that pre-existing trauma, COVID-19 stressors, loneliness, and avoidant coping exhibit independent and synergistic associations with poor sleep quality and negative emotionality. Associations between both COVID-19 stressors and avoidant coping with sleep quality were the strongest among those with higher levels of cumulative trauma. Avoidant coping was most strongly associated with higher levels of negative emotions among those reporting COVID infection indicators. Findings suggest a comprehensive set of specific pandemic and general life factors associated with worse outcomes, contributing to the development of a conceptual model of pandemic behavioral and emotional risk for emerging adults.

A Preliminary Investigation of the Reliability and Validity of the BESS-3 Teacher and Student Forms

Universal screening for behavioral and emotional risk is an important part of implementing multi-tiered behavioral supports in schools. The current study adds to our understanding of universal screening by examining teacher and student reports of behavioral and emotional risk. Participants included 73 fourth-grade students and 4 teachers in an urban school in the Midwestern United States. Correlations between the two informants ranged from moderate to large for the overall T-score, internalizing problems, and externalizing/self-regulation problems, but were not significant for personal adjustment/adaptive skills. Furthermore, the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS) Teacher Form (TF) showed concurrent and predictive validity with academic scores, whereas the BESS Student Form (SF) showed concurrent and predictive validity with measures of school climate. Results of this study indicate that teachers and students may provide unique information regarding student functioning.

Examining Subtypes of Behavioral/Emotional Risk Using Cluster Analysis

Behavioral and emotional problems among children and adolescents can lead to numerous negative outcomes without intervention. From a prevention standpoint, screening for behavioral and emotional risk is an important step toward identifying such problems before the point of diagnosis or referral. The present study conducted a k-means cluster analysis to determine the subtypes of risk captured by one such screening instrument, the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS). The final solution produced four clusters: Well-Adapted, Internalizing/Adjustment Problems, Mild Externalizing Problems, and General Problems-Severe; these results were similar to those found with the full Behavioral Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2), suggesting that the BESS assesses similar constructs. Predictive validity evidence suggested that cluster membership was associated with standard achievement scores and in-school disciplinary incidents.