Perilaku Maladaptive Anak dan Pengukurannya

Tujuan dari artikel ini adalah berupaya memahami perilaku maladaptive anak dan pengukurannya. Perilaku maladaptive anak merupakan perilaku anak yang tidak mampu menyesuaikan diri atau beradaptasi dengan keadaan sekelilingnya secara wajar, dan tidak mampu beradaptasi sesuai dengan tahapan perkembangan usianya. Permasalahan-permasalahan yang ditimbulkan dari perilaku maladaptive anak dapat menghambat tercapainya perkembangan anak secara optimal. Memahami perilaku maladaptive anak sangat penting untuk meminimalisasi dampak dan tingkat keparahan perilaku. Tulisan ini merupakan reviu literatur. Hasil reviu dalam tulisan ini merupakan bahan rujukan untuk menambah pemahaman terkait konsep perilaku maladaptive anak dan pengukurannya. Perilaku maladaptive anak terbagi dua, yaitu: 1) perilaku maladaptive internalizing, digambarkan seperti ketergantungan, sikap acuh tak acuh, kesulitan makan dan tidur, cemas, perasaan penolakan, perubahan suasana hati, rendahnya kontak mata, kurangnya interaksi sosial; 2) perilaku maladaptive externalizing, dikarakteristikkan seperti perilaku impulsif, tantrum, ketidakpatuhan, tidak peka terhadap orang lain, agresif, keras kepala. Pengukuran untuk menguji perilaku maladaptive anak yang umum digunakan dalam penelitian, diantaranya: 1) Maladaptive Behavior Index-Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (MBI-VABS, Sparrow, et al.); 2) Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ, Goodman); dan 3) Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, Achenbach).

The Moderating Effect of Parenting on Adaptation of Children with Leukemia

Parents’ attitudes and practices may support the children’s reactions to treatments for leukaemia and their general adjustment. This study has two aims: to explore parenting depending on the child’s age and to develop and test a model on how family processes influence the psycho-social development of children with leukaemia. Patients were 118 leukemic children and their parents recruited at the Haematology–Oncologic Clinic of the Department of Paediatrics, University of Padua. All parents were Caucasian with a mean age of 37.39 years (SD = 6.03). Children’s mean age was 5.89 years (SD = 4.21). After the signature of the informed consent, the parents were interviewed using the EFI-C from which we derived Parenting dimension and three parental perceptions on the child’s factors. One year later, the clinical psychologist interviewed again parents using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). The analyses revealed the presence of a significant difference in parenting by the child’s age: Infants required a higher and more intensive parenting. The child’s coping with medical procedures at the second week after the diagnosis, controlled for parenting effect, impacted upon the child’s adaptation one-year post diagnosis. Specific intervention programmes are proposed in order to help children more at risk just after the diagnosis of developmental delays.

Identifying Childhood Expressive Language Features That Best Predict Adult Language and Communication Outcome in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose Several studies have reported that “useful speech” at 5 years of age predicts outcomes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but this skill has been vaguely defined. This study investigates which specific aspects of expressive language in children with ASD best predict adult language and communication outcomes. Method Language samples from 29 children (ages 47–72 months) enrolled in a longitudinal project (e.g., Lord et al., 2006 ) were transcribed and coded for spoken language features. Hierarchical linear regression was used to compare the following childhood variables as predictors of adult language and communication outcomes: noun diversity, verb diversity, mean length of utterance, and proportion of utterances that were socially motivated. Results Childhood verb diversity was a value-added predictor of all four adult outcome measures (i.e., verbal IQ, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Communication + Social Interaction Algorithm totals, Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test scores, and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Communication Domain scores), while noun diversity and proportion of utterances that were socially motivated were not value-added predictors of any adult outcome measures. In a second set of regression analyses, mean length of utterance was substituted for verb diversity and was a value-added predictor of two out of four adult outcome measures (i.e., verbal IQ and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales Communication Domain scores). The pattern of findings for the other predictors remained the same as in the previous analyses. Conclusion These results have implications for our understanding of early language in ASD and for clinical decision making in early childhood.

Parent training for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objective: The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effectiveness of behavior therapy training to mothers of autistic children on verbal and non-verbal improvement of their children. Materials and Methods: A total of 33 mothers of autistic children were selected for training based on non-probability purposive sampling procedure. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Knowledge Scale was used to assess mothers’ knowledge about autism and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale was used for assessment of the communication skill in autistic children. Results: This study revealed that behavior therapy training significantly improved communication skills of children with autism by training mothers. The results of paired t-test revealed that trained mothers developed improved communication skills. Conclusion: These results showed improvement in communication skills of autistic children whose mothers were trained in behavior therapy. Keywords: Behavior therapy, autism, training mothers. Continuous...

Social Communication and Structural Language of Girls With High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose The purpose of this study was to characterize social communication and structural language of school-age girls with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD) compared to a matched group of girls who are typically developing (TD). Method Participants were 37 girls between 7;5 and 15;2 (years;months)—18 HF-ASD and 19 TD. Children completed the Test of Pragmatic Language–Second Edition (TOPL-2) and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fifth Edition. Parents completed the Children's Communication Checklist–2 United States Edition (CCC-2) and Receptive and Expressive Communication subdomains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition. Results In the area of social communication, girls with HF-ASD earned significantly lower scores and were more often classified as having an impairment on the TOPL-2 and the CCC-2. However, 28% and 33% earned average scores on the TOPL-2 and the CCC-2, respectively. In the area of structural language, no significant differences were found between groups on Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals–Fifth Edition indexes. In contrast, girls with HF-ASD earned significantly lower scores and were more often classified as having an impairment on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition. Sixty-one percent and 83% scored below average on the Receptive and Expressive Communication subdomains, respectively. Conclusions It has been argued that girls with HF-ASD, when compared to boys with HF-ASD, may have advantages for social communication and structural language that mask their impairments. However, when compared to girls who are TD, girls with HF-ASD demonstrated impaired social communication and structural language. Clinicians should include and carefully examine multiple sources of information when assessing girls with HF-ASD.