P036 Trajectories of emotional and behavioural problems in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children: Role of sleep and cultural attachment

Purpose This study explored the link between sleep and emotional and behavioural problems and assessed whether cultural attachment reduces the risk of emotional and behavioural problems in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) children. Methods The data from wave 5 to wave 10 of the Footprints in Time cohort were used. Multi-trajectory modelling was used to identify sleep trajectories using weekday sleep duration, weekday bedtimes, wake times, and sleep problems (waves 5, 7 & 10). Trajectories of emotional and behavioural problems were derived from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) data (waves 6, 8 & 10). Cultural attachment assessment included the knowledge of Indigenous language, clan, people, family stories/history and other cultural practice. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the link between sleep and emotional and behavioural problems. Results Analysis of sleep data from 1270 Indigenous children (50.6% females, mean age 6.3 years (±1.5)) identified four distinct trajectories: early sleepers/early risers (19.3%); early/long sleepers (22.1%), normative sleepers (47.8%), and late sleepers (10.8%). Three emotional and behavioural problem trajectories emerged: low stable (49.1%), high decreasing (40.5%), and high stable (10.4%). Early sleepers//early risers (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.28–0.82) and children with strong cultural attachment (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.27–0.82) had lower odds of being in the high emotional and behavioural problem trajectory group. Conclusions Early bedtime in children may reduce the risk of future emotional and behavioural problems. The protective effect of cultural attachment further highlights the need for strengths-based approaches to reduce mental health issues in Indigenous children.

Reducing Dog Relinquishment to Rescue Centres Due to Behaviour Problems: Identifying Cases to Target with an Advice Intervention at the Point of Relinquishment Request

Behaviour problems are a leading reason for dogs being relinquished to rescue centres across the world every year. The aim of this study was to investigate whether free behavioural advice would be accepted at the point of an owner requesting to relinquish their dog for behavioural reasons. The call records of 1131 relinquishment requests were reviewed and analysed to establish if the offer of free behaviour advice was accepted. The results showed that advice was accepted in 24.4% of relinquishment requests and behavioural problem was a significant predictor of whether advice was accepted (p < 0.001). The odds of advice being accepted were 5.755 times (95% CI: 2.835–11.681; p < 0.001) greater for a relinquishment request due to problems with general management behaviours compared to aggression between dogs in the home, representing 4.2% and 20.2% of overall relinquishment requests. These data suggest that owners are prepared to accept behaviour advice at the point of relinquishment request, so advice interventions could have potential to impact the levels of dog relinquishment to rescue centres. The impact of an intervention offering behaviour advice may be limited by overall levels of advice acceptance by owners and therefore complimentary proactive solutions to reduce behavioural relinquishments should also be considered.

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Token Economy for Behavior Problems among Mild and Moderate Mentally Challenged Children in Selected Special Homes

This study was conducted to evaluate the Effectiveness of Token Economy on Behavioural Problem among Mentally Challenged Children in a Selected Special homes, Chennai. In this study Pre Experimental (one group pre test- post test) design was adopted. Setting of the study was Matheraiee, special school, valluvargurukullam campus, Chennai. The sample size was 37 and they were selected through Non Probability Purposive Sampling Technique. Behaviour problem was assessed through Conner’s Abbreviated Rating Scale (CARS). After Token Economy Intervention the collected data were analysed by using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Of the study participants, 48.65% showed severe behavioral problem, 32.43% had moderate and 18.92% had mild behavioral problem. There was no significant similarity between the pre test score and behavirol problems but, the study showed significant relationship between the token economy and behavior of the participants. This study concluded that the Token Economy was effective, attractive, easy to carry, dispense and cost effective therapeutic intervention in reducing the Behavioral Problems among Mentally Challenged Children.

INVESTIGATION OF STUDENTS' BEHAVIOR IN MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING

This study is a qualitative research by using the descriptive method that aims to examine the behaviour of eighteen students in Bandung, Indonesia. Six issues related to geometry were given to eighteen of second-grade junior high school students with heterogeneous abilities. The problems given to the students contained all of the problem-solving strategies such as guessing and checking, make a picture, make a list, make a table, working backwards, looking patterns, and using a logical reason, solving simple problems and making questions. Data collection was conducted through mathematical problem-solving tests, recording students’ presentations, and interviewing among researchers and students after doing the problems. The result of recording was a video during the presentation process, and the interview would explore their understanding of the given problems to see the behaviour used by subjects of the research. The data in this research showed that many students’ behaviour identified; in the relevant literature, there are terms of the behaviour of problem-solving naive, routine, and sophisticated. However, the category "naïve," "routine," and "sophisticated" did not fully draw various behaviours observed, it was obtained additional category termed behavioural problem solver "naïve," "routine," "semi-sophisticated" and "sophisticated". It was due to the category of regular students can be divided into two, some students can be directed, and some of them cannot be directed to sophisticated behaviour. Thus, the routine category can be classified into two categories: routine and semi-sophisticated.

Assessment of the Behavioural Problems among Adolescents of a Selected School in New Delhi

Introduction: Behavioural problems among school-going children are a matter of concern as they have serious consequences on the child, family, and society at large. Despite the high prevalence, there are very few studies related to behavioural issues among school children. The main objectives of the study were to assess and compare the behavioural problems among boys and girls. Method: A quantitative research approach and comparative research design were used. A total of 100 adolescent boys and girls were chosen from the selected school of Delhi by convenient sampling techniques. A structured rating scale was used to assess the behavioural problems among adolescent boys and girls. Result: The study showed that the majority of the participants (91%) had mild behavioural problems, 8% had moderate behavioural problems, and only 1% was found with severe behavioural problems. Conclusion: The study concluded that adolescents studying in school were having behavioural problems. The scores for eating disorders were more in boys than in girls whereas violent behaviour was equally common. Substance abuse was found to be the least common behavioural problem among both adolescent boys and girls.

Understanding and preventing tail biting in pigs

Tail biting is a behavioural problem of pigs which is associated with welfare detriment for both the perpetrator and victim. It is seen to some extent on most farms worldwide and causes considerable economic loss, leading to widespread adoption of tail docking for risk reduction. Its occurrence is often sporadic and unpredictable, as a result of the many different combinations of chronic and acute risk factors which can be present on individual farms. Understanding of the underlying (neuro)physiological mechanisms which lead an individual pig to initiate tail biting is still incomplete, but stress, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, changes in amino acid metabolism and serotonergic brain pathways have been implicated. Rearing pigs with undocked tails and without tail biting is still challenging in commercial practice and requires a high quality of management and stockmanship to minimise risk, detect early warning signs of biting and intervene appropriately.

Early Life Predictors of Suspensions from Primary School: Cross-Agency Indicators of Risk for School Exclusion in An NSW Population Cohort

IntroductionExcluding students from school via out-of-school suspensions and expulsions is a controversial practice in Australia and internationally, yet forms a key component of school welfare and discipline policies. There is growing concern that increasing exclusion at earlier grades and an over-representation of particular groups of disadvantaged students may intensify inequalities in educational, justice, health and welfare outcomes for excluded students relative to their non-excluded peers. Previous studies have focused predominantly on secondary school exclusions and on sociodemographic predictors. Objectives and ApproachThis study aimed to identify early life predictors of primary school suspensions using multi-agency data from the New South Wales (NSW) Child Development Study. Participants were 34,855 NSW children and their parents with linked records from education, health, child protection, and criminal justice spanning birth to the 6 th - grade (~12 years). Multinormal logistic regression examined the associations of sociodemographic, pre/perinatal, early developmental vulnerability, and parent factors with any later suspension during the 3 rd - to 6 th -grades. ResultsIn a multivariable model, many factors had significant independent associations with any suspension. The largest effects (odds ratios ≥4.0) were observed for male gender and child maltreatment reports, with moderate effects (odds ratios 1.5 to <4.0) for Indigenous ethnicity, socio-economic disadvantage, exposure to smoking in utero, any parental criminal offending, aggressive behaviour, school-based responsibility and respect, and sub-threshold notifications to child protection services. Small effects (odds ratios >1.0 to <1.5) were revealed for young maternal age at birth (<26 years), any parental mental illness, language and cognitive skills, any emotional or behavioural problem, hyperactivity-inattention, and any emergency department presentation for physical injury. Conclusion / ImplicationsBy facilitating the identification of students at risk of early (primary school) exclusion using multi-sector information available at the time of entry to school, these findings may assist educators to deliver targeted preventative interventions for at-risk students

Use of ICTs by Farmers: A Study in Odisha

Harnessing advantages of Information and Communication Technology (hereafter to be mentioned as ICTs) for changing the face of agriculture, in terms of production and productivity and farmers’ wellbeing; calls for a separate set of knowledge, skill, ability and higher (if possible fullest) extent of use by the farming communities. There are physical, economic, logistic, perceptual as well as behavioural problem, experienced by the farmers in harnessing the advantages of ICTs. In this context the present study has been conducted in Khurda district of Odisha with the broad objective to enumerate the level of knowledge, skill and extent of use and perception of different ICTs among farmers those are actively engaged in agriculture and having access to at least one ICT. In the present study, being an original empirical research work, data were collected from 120 farmers of two Blocks of Khurda district of Odisha by pretested structured interview schedule. Blocks were selected randomly and respondents were selected by following the criteria of being engaged in agriculture actively as well as using at least one ICT tool. Statistical tools like, percentage, ranking, index value calculation, ranking, correlation, regression and step wise regression were used for fruitful analysis of collected data. The results of the study revealed that socio-economic orientation of the respondents was centring on semi-medium to poor level. The study also revealed that radio was ranked first by the respondents for getting market information while TV was ranked second. The study also revealed that respondents were having high perception about appropriateness of different ICTS, usefulness of different ICTs and also, they have perceived high level of constraints in using different ICTs. The study also revealed that independent variables like, age, education, family education, social participation, cosmopoliteness, land holding, visit outside own village, level of knowledge of devices, knowledge of service providers, extent of use of devices and extent of use of ICTs for different purposes had significant and positive correlation with many of the dependent variables like, level of knowledge of devices, level of knowledge of service providers, extent of use of devices, extent of use for different purposes, appropriateness and usefulness. Further, results of multiple regression showed that, education, visit outside own village, level of knowledge of devices and extent of use of ICTs for different purposes had significant and positive association with the extent of use of ICT devices. Results of step-wise regression showed that, level of knowledge of devices, education, level of knowledge about service providers and extent of use of ICTs for different purposes had significant and positive association with the extents of use of ICT devices by the respondents and the model explained 68% of the total variance (Adjusted r2).

The relationship among children’s learning disabilities, working memory, and problem behaviours in a classroom setting: Three case studies

Over 2.4 million children in the public school system are diagnosed with a learning disability, including dyslexia and developmental dyscalculia. Previous research has shown that some teachers are unaware of the importance of working memory in a student’s academic and social realm and what working memory deficits may look like in the classroom. The relationship between learning disabilities, working memory, and behaviour problems were examined with tailored recommendations for improvement to provide insight for classroom educators. Three children from the United Kingdom, all of whom were 8 years old and presented with symptoms of learning disorders and low working memory profiles, were selected for case studies. Measures of working memory, behaviour, and academic attainment were included. Results from their standardised assessments indicated that each child had below average working memory, as well as low scores in arithmetic, writing and spelling skills. Each child also exhibited some type of behavioural problem, such as inattention or hyperactivity. Implications of the impact of their working memory profile on their academic outcomes and behaviour are discussed. Recommendations, such as Response to Intervention (RTI), are included for classroom educators to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Children with Behavioural Problems Misinterpret the Emotions and Intentions of Others

Research indicates that the misinterpretation of other’s emotions or intentions may lead to antisocial behaviour. This study investigated emotion and intention recognition in children with behavioural problems and examined their relationship and relations with behaviour problem severity. Participants were 7–11 year old children with behavioural problems (n = 93, mean age: 8.78, 82.8% male) who were taking part in an early intervention program and typically developing controls (n = 44, mean age: 9.82, 79.5% male). Participants completed emotion recognition and Theory of Mind tasks. Teachers and parents rated children’s emotional and behavioural problems. Children with behavioural problems showed impaired emotion and intention recognition. Emotion recognition and intention recognition were positively related and inversely associated with behavioural problem severity and, independently of one another, predicted behavioural problems. This study is the first to show that children with behavioural problems are impaired in identifying others’ emotions as well as intentions. These social cognitive processes were found to be related and inversely associated with severity of behavioural problems. This has important implications for intervention and prevention programmes for children with behavioural difficulties.