Routines and warmth as protective factors on the relation between housing instability and child outcomes.

Housing instability is associated with numerous poor child outcomes in domains such as behavioral and emotional problems. The impacts of housing instability on child outcomes are typically investigated in the context of sociodemographic risk; however, exploring the role of protective factors (e.g., family routines, parental warmth) in these contexts allows for a more thorough understanding of the effect of housing instability and how potential negative outcomes might be mitigated. The present study further explored the relation between early housing instability and child behavioral and emotional outcomes in middle childhood in addition to the potential moderating role of family routines and parental warmth in early childhood. Longitudinal data of 4,898 families from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study were used to explore these associations. Using structural equation modeling, the present analyses indicated that when controlling for key sociodemographic covariates, housing instability in early childhood was not related to child outcomes at age 9. Greater parental warmth at age 5 was significantly associated with lower levels of behavioral and emotional problems at age 9. Categorical models using the product indicator approach indicated that greater parental warmth attenuates the relation between moving one to two times and later child behavioral problems. Parental warmth emerged as a significant promotive factor for later child emotional problems. Further implications are discussed below. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A cohort study examining the association between children's symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity, internalizing symptoms, and mindful parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: Increased mental health difficulties have been reported in Canadian children as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and emerging research suggests that children with high levels of symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity have been disproportionately impacted. Accordingly, the pandemic has impacted families as well. The purpose of this study was the following: (1) to examine whether children's symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity at the beginning of the 2020 and 2021 academic year were associated with mindful parenting at the end of the academic year and (2) to examine whether children's depressive and anxiety symptoms at the end of the year moderated this relationship. Methods: Parents of 114 young children in a large Canadian city participated in this study in the Winter of 2020 and the Spring of 2021. Parents completed several self-report scales used to measure children's mental health symptomatology and mindfulness in parenting. Results: Children's symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity were significantly, negatively associated with mindful parenting across the pandemic year, and children's depressive symptoms moderated this relationship. Specifically, when children's depressive symptoms were low or average it was found that higher symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity were associated with lower levels of mindful parenting. However, when children's depressive symptoms were high their symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity were not predictive of mindful parenting. Conclusions: Children's mental health, namely symptoms of inattention/hyperactivity and depression, are related to challenges in mindful parenting during COVID-19. These results may inform practitioners about which families require additional support during the pandemic.

Associations between local COVID-19 case rates, pandemic-related financial stress and parent and child functioning.

The COVID-19 global crisis led to unprecedented disruption of family routines and heightened family stress. This study examines the effects of local COVID-19 case rates and pandemic-related financial stress on family processes (e.g., caregiving behavior) and school-aged children's outcomes. The project was launched shortly after stay-at-home orders began in the U.S. Data were collected online using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk), which allowed for nationwide recruitment. Using four waves of data (N = 308), with initial data collected between 4/20/20 and 5/6/20 and 2-3 weeks between each wave, this study examined the influence of local rates of COVID-19 infection on pandemic-related financial stress and the association of these constructs on maternal psychological distress and negative parenting. We also examined the potential cascade linking COVID-19 case rates and pandemic-related financial stress with child behavior problems via maternal psychological distress and negative parenting behavior, while controlling for prior child behavior problems. In line with hypotheses, higher Wave 1 (W1) pandemic-related financial stress was significantly associated with higher Wave 2 (W2) maternal psychological distress, which was significantly associated with higher Wave 3 (W3) negative parenting, which, in turn, was significantly associated with higher Wave 4 (W4) child behavior problems. In addition, the indirect effect of W1 pandemic-related financial stress on W3 negative parenting through W2 maternal psychological distress was significant. Higher W1 local COVID-19 case rates were significantly related to higher W3 negative parenting. Results suggest local COVID-19 case rates and pandemic-related financial stressors are associated with poorer child and family functioning. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining daily parent involvement in caregivers of children with ADHD using electronic diaries.

Limited research has examined the associations between child ADHD symptoms and parent involvement and has generally relied on the use of parents' retrospective reports of parent involvement and ADHD symptoms. Using daily reports, the current study explored the pathways between child ADHD symptoms and home-based parental involvement beliefs and behaviors. Data were collected daily from 26 parent participants over a 2-week period for a total of 315 time points. Daily surveys asked parents to report on child ADHD symptoms, parental self-efficacy, parental time/energy, and home-based involvement quality. Results indicated that parental self-efficacy mediated the association between children's inattentive symptoms and parental home-based involvement quality. Children's hyperactive/impulsive symptoms moderated the association between parental time/energy and parental home-based involvement quality. These results suggest that parental self-efficacy is an important factor in explaining how children's inattention is associated with parental quality of home-based involvement. In addition, the association between parental time/energy and home-based involvement quality was lower when parents perceived their child to have higher levels of symptoms.

Childhood Maltreatment and Risky Substance Use Behaviors: The Mediating Roles of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms & Callous Unemotional Traits.

Background: A robust relationship has been established between childhood maltreatment and risky substance use. Posttraumatic stress symptoms and callous-unemotional (CU) traits, both of which can be consequences of childhood maltreatment, have been implicated as potential mediators of this relationship, but despite phenotypic overlap have not been examined within the same model. Objective: The current cross-sectional study examined the indirect effect of childhood maltreatment severity on risky drug and alcohol use behaviors though PTSS and CU traits. Methods: Undergraduates (n = 355, 54.4% female) with childhood maltreatment histories completed questionnaires regarding childhood maltreatment, PTSS, substance use behaviors, and CU traits. Path modeling was utilized to examine indirect effects of childhood maltreatment on risky alcohol and drug use behaviors. Results: Overall the model demonstrated good fit. PTSS and CU traits were found to fully mediate the childhood maltreatment severity to risky alcohol use behaviors, with PTSS demonstrating a trending mediational effect to risky drug usage. Results support multiple pathways to risky alcohol use for individuals with childhood maltreatment histories through PTSS and CU traits, suggesting both PTSS as well as CU traits as potential targets of intervention for alcohol misuse among individuals with childhood maltreatment experiences.

Longitudinal Relationships Between Parent Involvement, Parental Warmth, ADHD Symptoms, and Reading Achievement.

Objective: This study examined potential bidirectional relationships between parental warmth, parent involvement in education, child symptoms of ADHD, and achievement between ages five and nine. Method: Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal study, associations between ADHD symptoms, parental warmth, parental involvement, and reading achievement in a cross-lagged panel model were analyzed with a sample of 3,386 children. Results: Parental warmth at the age of 5 years was a negative predictor of ADHD symptoms at the age of 9 years; ADHD symptoms at the age of 5 years negatively predicted parental warmth at the age of 9 years. ADHD symptoms at the age of 5 years negatively predicted later parental involvement, but involvement did not predict later ADHD symptoms. Conclusion: Findings provide support for bidirectional associations between parental warmth and ADHD symptoms across time but unidirectional effects from ADHD to parental involvement. These findings have implications for informing intervention efforts to consider both parenting and child-evocative effects.

Coping Strategies and Psychological Symptoms Among Children on St. Thomas in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Research has shown that experiencing a hurricane can lead to internalizing, externalizing, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms in children. However, the effects of experiencing two hurricanes within a short time frame have not been examined. Moreover, there is limited research examining how children's coping is linked to their psychological functioning and no research using the empirically supported conceptualization of coping that includes primary control coping (i.e., attempts to control the stressor) and secondary control coping (i.e., attempts to adapt to the stressor). This study examined the psychological functioning of 108 children and adolescents (69.7% Black, Non-Hispanic; 56.5% female; M age = 11.59 years, SD = 2.43) in Grades 3-12 as measured 3 months after experiencing Hurricanes Irma and Maria on the island of St. Thomas. Participants completed electronic questionnaires about their demographic characteristics, hurricane exposure (i.e., perceived life-threat, life-threatening events, loss/disruption after hurricanes), coping strategies utilized, and their psychological functioning (i.e., PTS, internalizing, and externalizing symptoms). A principal component analysis of the coping items determined four coping factors: primary control, secondary control, disengagement, and negative coping. Linear regressions, including children's age and aspects of hurricane exposure, found primary control coping was positively associated with PTS symptoms, ß = .18, whereas secondary control coping was negatively associated with PTS and externalizing symptoms, ßs = -.17 and -.19, respectively. Negative coping, but not disengagement coping, was positively associated with all three outcomes, ßs = .31-.42. These findings suggest positive ways children can cope after experiencing a hurricane, informing possible early intervention efforts.

Effects of the Family Check-Up on reducing growth in conduct problems from toddlerhood through school age: An analysis of moderated mediation.

OBJECTIVE: The Family Check-Up (FCU) is a preventive intervention found to significantly reduce child conduct problems (CP). This study examined the extent to which parents reported that their child's CP were a problem for them at baseline (baseline CP) as a moderator of FCU effects into middle childhood and moderated mediation models to explore positive parent-child dyadic interaction and maternal depressive symptoms as mediators. METHOD: Participants included 731 mother-child dyads followed from child ages 2 to 9.5 (49% female; 28% African American, 50% European American, 13% biracial, and 9% other; 13% self-reported as Hispanic), with half assigned to the FCU. Maternal depressive symptoms, observed parent and child behavior (positive dyadic interaction), and CP were assessed annually. RESULTS: Support was found for baseline CP as a moderator of the FCU, with significant decreases in CP for children in the FCU demonstrating high baseline CP. The following associations did not differ between those with high versus low baseline CP. The FCU significantly increased positive dyadic interaction. Lower maternal depressive symptoms were associated with significantly lower CP. CONCLUSIONS: Findings add to existing evidence that preventive interventions are effective for high-risk families, and the FCU is especially beneficial for children whose parents report high levels of CP in early childhood. Further, the FCU significantly improved positive dyadic interaction for families of children with both high and low baseline CP. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Early Childhood Predictors of Severe Youth Violence in Low-Income Male Adolescents.

Using a cohort of 310 low-income male adolescents living in an urban community and followed prospectively from 18 months through adolescence (ages 15-18 years), the current study examined whether individual, family, and community risk factors from ages 18 to 42 months were associated with adolescents' violent behavior, as indexed by juvenile petitions. Results of multivariate analyses indicated that although family income was the only factor to discriminate those with no arrest record from those with nonviolent arrests, rejecting parenting, child oppositional behavior, emotion regulation, and minority status during the toddler period contributed unique variance in distinguishing male adolescents arrested for violent behavior compared to those never arrested and those arrested for nonviolent behavior. Implications for prevention efforts are discussed.

The Long-Term Effectiveness of the Family Check-up on Peer Preference: Parent-Child Interaction and Child Effortful Control as Sequential Mediators.

We examined the longitudinal effects of the Family Check-Up (FCU) intervention beginning in toddlerhood on children's peer preference at school-age. Specifically, a sequential mediational model was proposed in which the FCU was hypothesized to promote peer preference (i.e., higher acceptance and lower rejection by peers) in middle childhood through its positive effects on parent-child interaction and child effortful control in early childhood. Participants were 731 low-income families (49 % female). Qualities of parent-child interaction were observed during structured activities at 2 to 5 years, child effortful control was assessed using behavioral tasks at 5 years, and peer acceptance and rejection were rated by teachers at 7.5 to 10.5 years. Results indicated that the FCU indirectly predicted peer preference by sequentially improving parent-child interaction and child effortful control. The findings are discussed with respect to implications for understanding mechanisms by which early parenting-focused programs may enhance child functioning across time and context.

Predictors, Moderators, and Treatment Parameters of Community and Clinic-Based Treatment for Child Disruptive Behavior Disorders.

This study examines predictors, moderators, and treatment parameters associated with two key child outcomes in a recent clinical trial comparing the effects of a modular treatment that was applied by study clinicians in the community (COMM) or a clinic (CLINIC) for children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD). Based on a literature review, moderator and predictor variables across child, parent, and family domains were examined in relation to changes in parental ratings of the severity of externalizing behavior problems or the number of ODD and CD symptoms endorsed on psychiatric interview at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 36-month posttreatment follow-up. In addition, associations between parameters of treatment (e.g., hours of child, parent, and parent-child treatment received, treatment completion, referral for additional services at discharge) and child outcomes were explored. Path models identified few moderators (e.g., level of child impairment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis, level of family conflict) and several predictors (child trauma history, family income, parental employment, parental depression) of treatment response. Treatment response was also related to a few treatment parameters (e.g., hours of child and parent treatment received, treatment completion, referral for additional services at discharge). We discuss the implications of these findings for maximizing the benefits of modular treatment by optimizing or personalizing intervention approaches for children with behavior disorders.

Income and children's behavioral functioning: a sequential mediation analysis.

Children from low-income households tend to exhibit higher levels of conduct problems and emotional problems, yet the pathways linking economic disadvantage to children's behavioral functioning are not well understood. This study uses data from the Early Steps Multisite (ESM) project (N = 731) to investigate associations between family income in early childhood and children's conduct problems and emotional problems in middle childhood. The study explores whether the associations from income to child conduct problems and emotional problems operate through maternal depressive symptoms and 3 family risk factors in early childhood-harsh parenting, parenting hassles, and chaos in the home environment. Results of a sequential mediation model revealed significant indirect effects of family income on children's conduct problems operating through maternal depressive symptoms and parenting hassles and indirect effects of family income on children's emotional problems operating through maternal depressive symptoms, chaos in the home environment, and parenting hassles. Implications of these findings for understanding processes through which income influences child functioning are discussed.

Early-starting conduct problems: intersection of conduct problems and poverty.

The current article reviews extant literature on the intersection between poverty and the development of conduct problems (CP) in early childhood. Associations between exposure to poverty and disruptive behavior are reviewed through the framework of models emphasizing how the stressors associated with poverty indirectly influence child CP by compromising parent psychological resources, investments in children's welfare, and/or caregiving quality. We expand on the best-studied model, the family stress model, by emphasizing the mediating contribution of parent psychological resources on children's risk for early CP, in addition to the mediating effects of parenting. Specifically, we focus on the contribution of maternal depression, in terms of both compromising parenting quality and exposing children to higher levels of stressful events and contexts. Implications of the adapted family stress model are then discussed in terms of its implications for the prevention and treatment of young children's emerging CP.

Outcomes of parenting interventions for child conduct problems: a review of differential effectiveness.

This review integrates findings from studies formally testing moderators of parenting interventions targeting child conduct problems from ages 1 to 10 with a focus on baseline child problem behavior, sociodemographic risks, and family process risks as moderators. The review examines whether differential effectiveness has been found for individuals at higher versus lower risk across the body of moderator studies of parenting interventions. We conclude that greater problematic child behavior at baseline may, in some cases, be associated with greater benefit from parenting interventions. None of these studies reviewed found reduced effects for those with higher baseline child problem behavior. With regard to sociodemographic and family process risks as moderators, findings are less consistent; however, on the whole, the collection of studies suggests equal effectiveness across levels of risk, with reduced effects for those at higher risk rarely demonstrated. Implications of these conclusions for future research and intervention efforts are discussed.

Indirect Effects of the Family Check-Up on School-Age Academic Achievement Through Improvements in Parenting in Early Childhood.

This project examined the hypothesis that the impact of the Family Check-Up on parent use of positive behavior support would indirectly improve academic achievement scores at school age. The study included a sample of 731 high-risk families recruited from Women, Infant, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program settings in 3 geographically distinct areas. The results demonstrated that changes in positive parenting between the child ages of 2 and 3 were associated with higher scores on children's school-age academic achievement, as measured by the Woodcock-Johnson III (W-J) Academic Skills composite. Moreover, structural equation modeling revealed that random assignment to the intervention was associated with higher levels of children's academic achievement at age 5 and age 7.5 indirectly, through greater increases in parents' use of positive behavior support in intervention families than in control families. Results are discussed with respect to the potential of a brief parenting intervention for improving parenting practices that promote academic achievement up to 5 years later. The results have promising implications for efforts to promote child adaptation in the school environment.

The Aftercare and School Observation System (ASOS): Reliability and Component Structure.

This study examines the psychometric properties and component structure of a newly developed observational system, the Aftercare and School Observation System (ASOS). Participants included 468 children drawn from a larger longitudinal intervention study. The system was utilized to assess participant children in school lunchrooms and recess and various afterschool environments. Exploratory factor analyses examined whether a core set of component constructs assessing qualities of children's relationships, caregiver involvement and monitoring, and experiences in school and aftercare contexts that have been linked to children's behavior problems would emerge. Construct validity was assessed by examining associations between ASOS constructs and questionnaire measures assessing children's behavior problems and relationship qualities in school and aftercare settings. Across both settings, two factors showed very similar empirical structures and item loadings, reflecting the constructs of a negative/aggressive context and caregiver positive involvement, with one additional unique factor from the school setting reflecting the extent to which caregiver methods used resulted in less negative behavior and two additional unique factors from the aftercare setting reflecting positivity in the child's interactions and general environment and negativity in the child's interactions and setting. Modest correlations between ASOS factors and aftercare provider and teacher ratings of behavior problems, adult-child relationships, and a rating of school climate contributed to our interpretation that the ASOS scores capture meaningful features of children's experiences in these settings. This study represents the first step of establishing that the ASOS reliably and validly captures risk and protective relationships and experiences in extra-familial settings.

Behavioral control in at-risk toddlers: the influence of the family check-up.

This study examines the role of one component of emotion regulation, behavioral control, in the growth of children's early behavior problems by examining whether increases in parental positive behavior support brought about by a family-centered intervention were associated with greater child behavioral control, and whether greater behavioral control at age 3 mediated the association between improvements in aspects of positive behavior support from ages 2 to 3 and decreases in growth of behavior problems from ages 2 to 4. The sample included 713 at-risk children (50% female) and their primary caregivers (50% European American, 28% African American, 13% biracial, 9% other) who were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. Children had a mean age of 29.91 months at the initial assessment. Data were collected through home visits at child ages 2 to 4, which involved questionnaires for primary caregivers and structured and unstructured play activities for children with primary and alternative caregivers and siblings. Results indicated that the intervention improved parental positive behavior support and reduced growth of child behavior problems. One dimension of positive behavior support, proactive parenting, was modestly associated with behavioral control at age 3, which in turn was significantly associated with growth in behavior problems from ages 2 to 4, with greater behavioral control related to lower levels of growth in behavior problems. Results provide support for the notion that proactive parenting is an important factor in the development of children's behavioral control and that behavioral control plays an important role in the growth of behavior problems.

Severe versus Moderate criteria for the new pediatric case definition for ME/CFS.

The new diagnostic criteria for pediatric ME/CFS are structurally based on the Canadian Clinical Adult case definition, and have more required specific symptoms than the (Fukuda et al. Ann Intern Med 121:953-959, 1994) adult case definition. Physicians specializing in pediatric ME/CFS referred thirty-three pediatric patients with ME/CFS and 21 youth without the illness. Those who met ME/CFS criteria were separated into Severe and Moderate categories. Significant differences were found for symptoms within each of the six major categories: fatigue, post-exertional malaise, sleep, pain, neurocognitive difficulties, and autonomic/neuroendocrine/immune manifestations. In general, the results showed participants who met the Severe ME/CFS criteria reported the highest scores, the Moderate ME/CFS group show scores that were a little lower, and the control group evidenced the lowest scores. Findings indicate that the Pediatric Case Definition for ME/CFS can distinguish between those with this illness and controls, and between those with Severe versus Moderate manifestations of the illness.