ABSTRACT
Preliminary data examined the relationships between mothers, their sons with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and younger siblings. We hypothesized that the conflict between the mother and the son with ADHD would also occur in the relationship between the child with ADHD and the younger sibling. Significant associations were found among ADHD behaviors, family conflict variables, conflict in the relationship between mother and child with ADHD, conflict in the relationship between mother and younger sibling, and conflict in the relationship between the child with ADHD and the younger sibling. Further, significant associations were found between behavior symptoms associated with ADHD and more problematic family relationships. Of particular interest was the finding of an unexpected inverse association between siblings' peer competence and mother-ADHD conflict; specifically, that conflict occurring at home from ADHD accounted for a greater percentage of the variance in peer competence as rated by teachers. Recommendations are made for future research with larger samples, alternative designs, older siblings, and fathers.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Cognition , Nuclear Family , Peer Group , Social Adjustment , Adolescent , Attitude to Health , Child , Female , Humans , MaleSubject(s)
Aggression/psychology , Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders/diagnosis , Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders/therapy , Temperament/physiology , Administration, Oral , Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital/complications , Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital/diagnosis , Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital/drug therapy , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use , Behavior Therapy , Child, Preschool , Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders/etiology , Humans , Hydrocortisone/administration & dosage , Hydrocortisone/therapeutic use , MaleSubject(s)
Toilet Training , Child Behavior , Child Day Care Centers , Child Rearing , Child, Preschool , Conditioning, Psychological , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Methods , Sex FactorsSubject(s)
Encopresis , Child , Child, Preschool , Encopresis/epidemiology , Encopresis/etiology , Encopresis/therapy , Female , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
Behavioral and medical treatments for toileting refusal (TR) were investigated using two additive treatments in a multiple-baseline design with 11 preschool-aged children. After Pretreatment A, Treatment B increased high-fiber foods and liquids, initiated mineral-oil therapy, and added positive reinforcement for appropriate toileting. After bowel clean-out, Treatment C induced daily bowel movements with suppositories and applied negative behavioral consequences for inappropriate toileting. Behaviors measured were appropriate and inappropriate bowel movements. Treatment B alone eliminated TR in three boys in 27 to 36 days and reduced the TR of one girl in 40 days. When indicated, Treatment B + C eliminated TR in two boys and four girls in 37 to 79 days and reduced the TR of one boy in 92 days. All 11 of the children were accident free and having at least one bowel movement every 2 days during 5 consecutive days of follow-up conducted 3 to 4 months after treatment. Parents reported general satisfaction with the treatment.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Toilet Training , Child, Preschool , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Pediatricians are often asked to advise parents who are having difficulty managing the oppositional behaviors of their toddlers and preschool-age children. A large number of articles provide advice to pediatricians and parents on effective disciplinary strategies. However, despite the fact that verbal explanations, reasoning, and instructions are commonly used by parents, few articles directly address the use of these strategies to affect children's behavior. In this paper, we review studies that explicitly investigate the ability of adults' verbal explanations or instructions to alter the behavior of young children. These studies suggest that under most circumstances, verbal explanations and instructions are not effective in changing young children's problem behaviors. We then discuss how theories in developmental and behavioral psychology help explain the limitations of using verbal reasoning and instructions to change young children's problem behaviors. Finally, we provide some recommendations for parents on the use of verbal explanations and instructions in disciplining young children.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy , Child Behavior Disorders/prevention & control , Child Behavior , Communication , Thinking , Adult , Child , Child Development , Child Language , Child, Preschool , Humans , InfantABSTRACT
The process of toilet training children has received surprisingly little attention in the medical research literature, and many parents may welcome guidance from their physician on how best to carry out this important parental duty. Theory and prescription for toilet training in the United States since 1900 has traced a pendulum's path between the polar opposites of passive permissiveness and systematic control. Since midcentury, the trend in the United States has been toward delayed toilet-training, typically between the child's second and third year. Like all trends, however, this one may reverse. Given children's developmental differences, a new trend toward early toilet training, if it emerges, may be accompanied by an increase in toilet-training problems. If so, physicians who advise parents and treat pediatric populations may wish to become more familiar with data-based behavioral management of toilet training and the implications of this approach for early toilet training and the treatment of toileting-refusal behavior.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy , Personality Development , Toilet Training , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , MaleABSTRACT
Injuries are the major causes of death for children. Pediatric psychology offers significant contributions to the multidisciplinary efforts necessary to prevent injuries and reduce harm to children. This Task Force Report reviews epidemiological data, characteristics of children's injuries, passive and active interventions for reducing injuries, and research, policy, and evaluation issues for individual and community injury control efforts. Directions for future pediatric psychology efforts are identified and placed in a context of collaborative efforts required to advance the control of children's injuries.
Subject(s)
Wounds and Injuries/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child Development , Child, Preschool , Cognition , Female , Health Promotion , Humans , Male , Psychology, Child , Wounds and Injuries/mortality , Wounds and Injuries/psychologyABSTRACT
Child health-care appointments that are not kept are an important pediatric problem. Previous research has shown that reducing effort (with a parking pass) and reminding patients (with mailed and telephone reminders) significantly improved appointment keeping for first-time and patient-scheduled appointments. This study, using a posttest-only group design, evaluated the effects of various combinations of that intervention applied to clinic-scheduled follow-up appointments. All combinations of the intervention significantly increased cancellations, but none increased appointments kept or decreased appointments not kept significantly. Log linear analyses showed that the lag time between scheduling and the appointment significantly influenced appointment keeping. The results suggest that if clinics want to increase cancellations, a mailed reminder and effort reduction are sufficient. To increase appointment keeping, other interventions, such as reduced lag time, may be necessary.
Subject(s)
Appointments and Schedules , Child Health Services , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Attitude of Health Personnel , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Patient Care Team , Patient Compliance/psychologyABSTRACT
We evaluated the accuracy of primary health care providers' predictions of parents' adherence to their children's short-term antibiotic regimen and a scheduled follow-up appointment. Adherence predictions were compared with objective measures of the parents' adherence. Providers were poor predictors of nonadherence, greatly overestimating the percentage of parents who would be adherent. Nonadherence is typically addressed by applying adherence improvement strategies to all patients. Recent pediatric research, however, suggests that applying contingency-based interventions for adherent patients can result in later nonadherence if the strategies are withdrawn. Inaccurate predictions of adherence will result in many nonadherent patients not receiving a needed intervention. The results indicate the need for strong behavioral predictors that result in more accurate identification of patient nonadherence to guide further applications of adherence improvement strategies.
Subject(s)
Child Care/statistics & numerical data , Parenting , Patient Compliance , Self Administration/statistics & numerical data , Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage , Appointments and Schedules , Child, Preschool , Ethnicity , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Female , Forecasting , Humans , Infant , Male , Otitis Media/drug therapy , Pediatrics/statistics & numerical data , Socioeconomic Factors , United StatesABSTRACT
Discipline is one topic that virtually every ambulatory care pediatrician is frequently asked about. Although there is a tendency to provide parents with short, glib answers to questions about discipline, the literature on time-in, self-quieting skills, and independent play skills has rarely been addressed in the pediatric literature. It is, rather, covered in the research literature--a literature that is not exactly easily accessed by the pediatrician.
Subject(s)
Child Rearing , Pediatrics/methods , Adaptation, Psychological , Adolescent , Ambulatory Care/methods , Child , Child Behavior , Child, Preschool , Communication , Humans , Learning , Parenting , Parents/psychology , Play and Playthings , Social Values , TeachingABSTRACT
Feeding problems occur in children who have normal development, who have failure to thrive, and who have developmental disabilities. This article focuses on the latter two groups. The characteristics and developmental concerns include family characteristics, parent-child interactions, cognitive development, and oral-motor development. The evaluation process for children with feeding problems should include an interdisciplinary approach with a medical, nutritional, occupational therapy, and behavioral evaluation. The behavioral treatments include the Premack principle, time-out plus reinforcement, and negative reinforcement. Future research should focus on the parent-child interaction process in both mealtime and nonmealtime situations, along with demonstrating parents' and teachers' ability to implement mealtime treatment protocols.
Subject(s)
Behavior Therapy/methods , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/therapy , Child , Child Development , Child, Preschool , Feeding and Eating Disorders/etiology , Humans , Infant , Parent-Child Relations , Risk Factors , Social EnvironmentABSTRACT
Early intervention for children's oppositional behaviors is likely to be more effective than later treatment. The term oppositional includes a variety of noncompliant and aggressive behaviors that can be assessed with clinical interviews, rating scales, direct observation, and self-report measures. Treatment of children's oppositional behaviors is best approached from a parent training perspective. Parent training approaches have produced significant improvements in children's behavior, although far more research has been devoted to discipline than to identifying the more salient features of time-in. Recent advances in assessment and treatment are notable, but continued efforts are needed to determine the optimal treatments that produce the best social and psychological outcomes for children and adolescents.
Subject(s)
Mental Disorders/therapy , Adaptation, Psychological , Adolescent , Behavior Therapy , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Mental Disorders/etiology , Parents/psychology , Physicians, Family , Play and Playthings , Psychological TestsABSTRACT
We evaluated the effectiveness of SleepTight in the management of infant colic. SleepTight is a device that vibrates the infant's crib to simulate the action of a car traveling at 55 mph. A multiple baseline design across 6 infants was used. Data were collected on infant crying, parental use of SleepTight, and parental satisfaction. The application of SleepTight was associated with reduction in crying in 4 of the 6 infants. These outcome data notwithstanding, consideration of reported nonrecording of severe episodes and mixed reports of satisfaction suggests that SleepTight may not be a viable means of managing infant colic.
