A Systematic Review of the Consequences of Stigma and Stereotype Threat for Individuals With Specific Learning Disabilities.

Exposure to stigma and stereotype threat is detrimental for numerous marginalized groups. Research has demonstrated that individuals with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) are vulnerable to stigmatization. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the studies investigating associations between SLD-related stigma and stereotype threat and psychological and academic outcomes in individuals with SLDs, as well as examine the overall effect size of these associations across studies. A total of 16 studies met inclusion criteria-12 studies (52 effect sizes) examined SLD stigma with psychological adjustment or academic outcomes, and six studies (eight effect sizes) examined SLD stereotype threat. Greater SLD stigma scores had a medium-sized and significant correlation with less self-esteem across nine effect sizes (r = -.39, p = .002). Other outcomes were not powered enough for meta-analyses, although studies generally showed that greater SLD stigma and stereotype threat was related to less optimal psychological adjustment. These results suggest that these negative experiences should be a target of intervention and support efforts for individuals with SLDs. The associations between SLD stigma and stereotype threat and academic performance outcomes were comparatively more heterogeneous and less robust. These findings highlight the need for more research on SLD-related stigma and stereotype threat.

Concurrent predictors of word reading and reading comprehension for 9-year-olds with Williams syndrome.

We examined the cognitive, language, and instructional factors associated with reading ability in Williams syndrome (WS). Seventy 9-year-olds with WS completed standardized measures of real-word reading, pseudoword decoding, reading comprehension, phonological skills, listening comprehension, nonverbal reasoning, visual-spatial ability, verbal working memory, rapid naming, and vocabulary. Reading instruction method was determined from school records and interviews with parents and teachers. Similar to prior findings for individuals with WS, reading ability varied widely, ranging from inability to read any words to reading comprehension at age level. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the primary concurrent predictor of word reading ability was reading instruction method, with a systematic phonics approach associated with considerably better performance than other reading instruction approaches. Phonological processing skills-as assessed by a composite of phonological awareness and verbal short-term memory-also contributed significant unique variance to word reading ability, as did visual-spatial ability. The concurrent predictors of reading comprehension were single-word reading and listening comprehension. These findings indicate that the factors that predict concurrent early word reading and reading comprehension abilities for children with WS are consistent with previous findings for typically developing children and that the Simple View of Reading applies to children with WS. Children with WS benefit strongly from systematic phonics instruction regardless of IQ. Instruction focused on improving listening comprehension is likely to improve reading comprehension, especially as word reading skills increase. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11145-021-10163-4.

Executive function as measured by the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2: children and adolescents with Williams syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Difficulties with executive functions (EF) are very common among individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). To characterise the pattern of relative strengths and weaknesses in EF for children and adolescents with WS, we considered the performance of a large sample on the parent version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-2 (BRIEF-2). Associations between distinct components of EF and adaptive behaviour, behaviour problems and intellectual ability were investigated. The concurrent effects of components of behaviour regulation and emotion regulation on attention problems and anxiety problems also were evaluated. METHODS: Participants were 308 6-17-year-olds with genetically confirmed classic WS deletions. Parent report of EF was measured by the BRIEF-2 questionnaire. Most participants (223/308) completed the Differential Ability Scales-II as a measure of intellectual ability. The parents of these individuals also completed the Child Behavior Checklist and the interview form of the Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised. RESULTS: As a group, the participants evidenced considerable parent-reported EF difficulty. A profile of relative strength and weakness was found at the index level, with performance on both the Behavior Regulation Index and the Emotion Regulation Index significantly better than performance on the Cognitive Regulation Index. Within each index, a statistically significant pattern of relative strength and weakness also was identified. Difficulties with behaviour regulation and emotion regulation were related to both behaviour problems and adaptive behaviour limitations. Higher inflexibility and more difficulty with self-monitoring were associated with lower overall intellectual ability. Difficulty with inhibition was uniquely associated with attention problems, and inflexibility was uniquely associated with anxiety problems. CONCLUSIONS: Executive function difficulties are highly prevalent among children and adolescents with WS and are associated with adaptive behaviour limitations, both internalising and externalising behaviour problems and more limited intellectual ability. These results highlight the importance of designing and delivering research-based interventions to improve the EF of children and adolescents with WS.

Spelling abilities of school-aged children with Williams syndrome.

AIMS: We examined the relation between spelling ability and word-reading ability in children with Williams syndrome (WS). METHODS: Eighty 9-17-year-olds with genetically-confirmed WS completed standardized tests of spelling, word reading, and intellectual ability; 45 also completed tests of phonological awareness and vocabulary. Reading instruction method was classified as Phonics or Other. RESULTS: Spelling ability varied widely. Although at the group level, spelling standard scores (SSs) were significantly lower than word-reading SSs, at the individual level, this difference was significant for fewer than half the participants. Spelling and reading SSs were highly correlated, even after controlling for intellectual ability. Students taught to read using systematic phonics instruction had significantly higher spelling SSs than those taught to read using other approaches, even after controlling for intellectual ability. Spelling ability contributed significant unique variance to word-reading ability, beyond the effects of phonological awareness, vocabulary, and reading instruction method. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings are consistent with Ehri's Word Identity Amalgamation Theory. In combination with previous meta-analytic findings for typically developing children (Graham & Santangelo, 2014) our results suggest that children with WS are likely to benefit from the inclusion of systematic spelling instruction as part of a systematic phonics approach to teaching word reading.

All-cause mortality over a three-year period among community-dwelling older adults in Southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate all-cause mortality in approximately three years of follow-up and related sociodemographic, behavioral and health factors in community-dwelling older adults in Pelotas, RS. METHODS: This was a longitudinal observational study that included 1,451 older adults (≥ 60 years) who were interviewed in 2014. Information on mortality was collected from their households in 2016-2017 and confirmed with the Epidemiological Surveillance department of the city and by documents from family members. Associations between mortality and independent variables were assessed by crude and multiple Cox regression, with hazard ratio with respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: Almost 10% (n = 145) of the participants died during an average of 2.5 years of follow-up, with a higher frequency of deaths among males (12.9%), ?80 years (25.2%), widowhood (15.0%), no education (13.8%) and who did not work (10.5%). Factors associated with higher mortality were: being a male (HR = 2.8; 95%CI 1.9 - 4.2), age ?80 years (HR = 3.9; 95%CI 2.4 - 6.2), widowhood (HR = 2.2; 95%CI 1.4 - 3.7), physical inactivity (HR = 2.3; 95%CI 1.1 - 4..6), current smoking (HR = 2.1; 95%CI 1.2 - 3.6), hospitalizations in the previous year (HR = 2.0; 95%CI 1.2 - 3.2), depressive symptoms (HR = 2.0; 95%CI 1.2 - 3,4) and dependence for two or more daily life activities (HR = 3.1; 95%CI 1,7 - 5.7). CONCLUSION: The identification of factors that increased the risk of early death makes it possible to improve public policies aimed at controlling the modifiable risk factors that can lead to aging with a better quality of life.

All-cause mortality over a three-year period among community-dwelling older adults in Southern Brazil / Mortalidade por todas as causas em um período de três anos entre idosos não institucionalizados do Sul do Brasil

ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate all-cause mortality in approximately three years of follow-up and related sociodemographic, behavioral and health factors in community-dwelling older adults in Pelotas, RS. Methods: This was a longitudinal observational study that included 1,451 older adults (≥ 60 years) who were interviewed in 2014. Information on mortality was collected from their households in 2016-2017 and confirmed with the Epidemiological Surveillance department of the city and by documents from family members. Associations between mortality and independent variables were assessed by crude and multiple Cox regression, with hazard ratio with respective 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results: Almost 10% (n = 145) of the participants died during an average of 2.5 years of follow-up, with a higher frequency of deaths among males (12.9%), ?80 years (25.2%), widowhood (15.0%), no education (13.8%) and who did not work (10.5%). Factors associated with higher mortality were: being a male (HR = 2.8; 95%CI 1.9 - 4.2), age ?80 years (HR = 3.9; 95%CI 2.4 - 6.2), widowhood (HR = 2.2; 95%CI 1.4 - 3.7), physical inactivity (HR = 2.3; 95%CI 1.1 - 4..6), current smoking (HR = 2.1; 95%CI 1.2 - 3.6), hospitalizations in the previous year (HR = 2.0; 95%CI 1.2 - 3.2), depressive symptoms (HR = 2.0; 95%CI 1.2 - 3,4) and dependence for two or more daily life activities (HR = 3.1; 95%CI 1,7 - 5.7). Conclusion: The identification of factors that increased the risk of early death makes it possible to improve public policies aimed at controlling the modifiable risk factors that can lead to aging with a better quality of life.

RESUMO: Objetivo: Avaliar a mortalidade por todas as causas em aproximadamente três anos de acompanhamento e os fatores sociodemográficos, comportamentais e de saúde em idosos comunitários de Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. Métodos: Foi um estudo observacional longitudinal que incluiu 1.451 idosos (≥ 60 anos) entrevistados em 2014. As informações sobre mortalidade foram coletadas nos domicílios em 2016-2017, confirmadas com o setor de Vigilância Epidemiológica do município e por documentos de familiares. As associações entre mortalidade e as variáveis independentes, por regressão de Cox simples e múltipla, foram apresentadas pelos riscos relativos com os respectivos intervalos de confiança (95%). Resultados: Quase 10% (n = 145) dos participantes morreram durante uma média de 2,5 anos de acompanhamento, sendo a maior frequência de óbitos em homens (12,9%), indivíduos com ≥ 80 anos (25,2%) e viúvos (15,0%). Estiveram associadas ao maior risco de mortalidade: sexo masculino (RR = 2,8; IC95% 1,9 - 4,2), ≥ 80 anos (RR = 3,9; IC95% 2,4 - 6,2), viuvez (RR = 2,2; IC95% 1,4 - 3,7), inatividade física (RR = 2,3; IC95% 1,1 - 4,6), tabagismo atual (RR = 2,1; IC95% 1,2 - 3,8), hospitalização no último ano (RR = 2,0; IC95% 1,2 - 3,2), sintomas depressivos (RR = 2,1; IC95% 1,2 - 3,6) e dependência para duas ou mais atividades diárias (RR = 3,1; IC95% 1,7 - 5,7). Conclusão: A identificação dos fatores que aumentaram o risco de óbito precocemente possibilita melhorar políticas públicas que visem controlar os fatores de risco modificáveis para um envelhecimento com melhor qualidade de vida.

Sleep characteristics and problems of 2-year-olds with Williams syndrome: relations with language and behavior.

BACKGROUND: Sleep problems have been shown to have a negative impact on language development and behavior for both typically developing children and children with a range of neurodevelopmental disorders. The relation of sleep characteristics and problems to language and behavior for children with Williams syndrome (WS) is unclear. The goal of this study was to address these relations for 2-year-olds with WS. Associations of nonverbal reasoning ability, nighttime sleep duration, and excessive daytime sleepiness with language ability and behavior problems were considered. METHOD: Ninety-six 2-year-olds with genetically confirmed classic-length WS deletions participated. Parents completed the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, which includes a Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder (SRBD) scale with a subscale measuring excessive daytime sleepiness, to assess sleep characteristics and problems. Parents also completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Sentences to assess behavior problems and expressive vocabulary, respectively. Children completed the Mullen Scales of Early Learning to measure nonverbal reasoning and language abilities. RESULTS: Parents indicated that children slept an average of 10.36 h per night (SD = 1.09, range 7.3-13.3), not differing significantly from the mean reported by Bell and Zimmerman (2010) for typically developing toddlers (p = .787). Sixteen percent of participants screened positive for SRBD and 30% for excessive daytime sleepiness. Children who screened positive for SRBD had significantly more behavior problems on all CBCL scales than children who screened negative. Children with excessive daytime sleepiness had significantly more attention/hyperactivity, stress, and externalizing problems than those who did not have daytime sleepiness. Individual differences in parent-reported nighttime sleep duration and directly measured nonverbal reasoning abilities accounted for unique variance in expressive language, receptive language, and internalizing problems. Individual differences in parent-reported daytime sleepiness accounted for unique variance in externalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS: The relations of nighttime sleep duration, positive screens for SRBD, and excessive daytime sleepiness to language and behavior in toddlers with WS parallel prior findings for typically developing toddlers. These results highlight the importance of screening young children with WS for sleep problems. Studies investigating the efficacy of behavioral strategies for improving sleep in children with WS are warranted.

Treinamento de Pais e Autismo: Uma Revisão de Literatura / Training Parents and Autism: A Literature Review

O Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) é caracterizado por deficits persistentes na comunicação e na interação social em múltiplos contextos e por padrões restritos e repetitivos de comportamento, interesses ou atividades. Tais comprometimentos devem estar presentes no indivíduo precocemente no desenvolvimento e causar prejuízos significativos em áreas importantes da vida. Como forma de promover o desenvolvimento das crianças com autismo, pesquisas se dedicam a estudar os tipos de intervenção mais eficientes para diminuir os sintomas autísticos e aumentar comportamentos adaptativos. O objetivo deste estudo é realizar uma revisão da literatura especificamente sobre treinamento de pais de pessoas com autismo a fim de sintetizar as evidências atuais a respeito do impacto desta modalidade de intervenção tanto para a criança quanto para a sua família. Foram consultadas as bases de dados Academic Search Premier, Journals Ovid Full Text, PsycArticles (APA),ScienceDirect (Elservier), SpringerLink (MetaPress) e Wiley Online Library para a seleção dos artigos. Foram selecionados e lidos integralmente 15artigos. Os estudos revisados apontam para uma indeterminação quanto à eficácia do treinamento de pais como forma de facilitar o desenvolvimento de crianças com autismo. Não foi encontrado resultado conclusivo no que diz respeito ao aumento da qualidade de vida dos pais dessas crianças após a intervenção (AU)

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in communication and social interaction in multiple contexts and by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. These commitments must be present in person early in development and must cause significant damage in important areas of life. As a way to promote the development of children with autism, research devoted to study the most effective types of intervention to reduce autistic symptoms and increase adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to review the literature specifically on parent training with autism to synthesize current evidence on the impact of this type of intervention for both the child and the family.Databases Academic Search Premier, Journals Ovid Full Text, PsycARTICLES (APA), ScienceDirect (Elservier), SpringerLink (MetaPress) and Wiley Online Library for selecting articles were consulted. Were selected and read 17 articles. The reviewed studies suggest a vagueness idea about the effectiveness of parent management training in order to facilitate the development of children with autism. No conclusive results were found in regard to enhancing the quality of life of parents of these children after the intervention (AU)

Treinamento de pais e autismo: uma revisão de literatura / Training parents and autism: a literature review

O Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) é caracterizado por deficits persistentes na comunicação e na interação social em múltiplos contextos e por padrões restritos e repetitivos de comportamento, interesses ou atividades. Tais comprometimentos devem estar presentes no indivíduo precocemente no desenvolvimento e causar prejuízos significativos em áreas importantes da vida. Como forma de promover o desenvolvimento das crianças com autismo, pesquisas se dedicam a estudar os tipos de intervenção mais eficientes para diminuir os sintomas autísticos e aumentar comportamentos adaptativos. O objetivo deste estudo é realizar uma revisão da literatura especificamente sobre treinamento de pais de pessoas com autismo a fim de sintetizar as evidências atuais a respeito do impacto desta modalidade de intervenção tanto para a criança quanto para a sua família. Foram consultadas as bases de dados Academic Search Premier, Journals Ovid Full Text, PsycArticles (APA),ScienceDirect (Elservier), SpringerLink (MetaPress) e Wiley Online Library para a seleção dos artigos. Foram selecionados e lidos integralmente 15 artigos. Os estudos revisados apontam para uma indeterminação quanto à eficácia do treinamento de pais como forma de facilitar o desenvolvimento de crianças com autismo. Não foi encontrado resultado conclusivo no que diz respeito ao aumento da qualidade de vida dos pais dessas crianças após a intervenção

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent deficits in communication and social interaction in multiple contexts and by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities. These commitments must be present in person early in development and must cause significant damage in important areas of life. As a way to promote the development of children with autism, research devoted to study the most effective types of intervention to reduce autistic symptoms and increase adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to review the literature specifically on parent training with autism to synthesize current evidence on the impact of this type of intervention for both the child and the family.Databases Academic Search Premier, Journals Ovid Full Text, PsycARTICLES (APA), ScienceDirect (Elservier), SpringerLink (MetaPress) and Wiley Online Library for selecting articles were consulted. Were selected and read 17 articles. The reviewed studies suggest a vagueness idea about the effectiveness of parent management training in order to facilitate the development of children with autism. No conclusive results were found in regard to enhancing the quality of life of parents of these children after the intervention

Processos de intervenção para crianças e adolescentes com Síndrome de Asperger: uma revisão de literatura / Intervention procedures for children and adolescents with Asperger Syndrome: a literature review

A Síndrome de Asperger (SA) se enquadra dentro dos Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) e é caracterizada, segundo o DSM-IV, por um prejuízo severo e persistente na interação social e pelo desenvolvimento de padrões restritos e repetitivos de comportamento, interesses e atividades. O objetivo desse estudo foi realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre a eficácia da intervenção de treinamento de habilidades sociais em crianças e adolescentes com SA. Foram consultadas as bases de dados: ME-DLINE, PsyInfo, Psyarticles, Academic Search Premier e Web of Science. Foram selecionados oito artigos e os resultados indicaram que as intervenções propostas surtiram efeito positivo nas habilidades das crianças portadoras de SA em comparação com o grupo controle, sendo eficazes na promoção do desenvolvimento social. Desta forma, são sugeridos possíveis estudos futuros com medidas mais acuradas e com amostras maiores para a melhor compreensão dos programas de intervenção em crianças e adolescentes com SA(AU)

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is characterized, according to DSM-IV, by a severe and persistent impairment in social interaction and by the development of restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effeectiveness of the intervention of social skills training in children or adolescents with AS. We used as databases: MEDLINE, Psyinfo, Psyarticles, Academic Search Premier and Web of Science. Eight articles were selected and the results indicated that the proposed interventions produced positive effeects on the skills of children with SA compared with the control group, being effeective in promoting social development. Thus, possible future studies are suggested with more accurate measures and larger samples for a better understanding of intervention programs in children and adolescents with AS(AU)