Multiple determinants of externalizing behavior in 5-year-olds: a longitudinal model.
(1/5)
In a community sample of 116 children, assessments of parent-child interaction, parent-child attachment, and various parental, child, and contextual characteristics at 15 and 28 months and at age 5 were used to predict externalizing behavior at age 5, as rated by parents and teachers. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis and path analysis yielded a significant longitudinal model for the prediction of age 5 externalizing behavior, with independent contributions from the following predictors: child sex, partner support reported by the caregiver, disorganized infant-parent attachment at 15 months, child anger proneness at 28 months, and one of the two parent-child interaction factors observed at 28 months, namely negative parent-child interactions. The other, i.e., a lack of effective guidance, predicted externalizing problems only in highly anger-prone children. Furthermore, mediated pathways of influence were found for the parent-child interaction at 15 months (via disorganized attachment) and parental ego-resiliency (via negative parent-child interaction at 28 months). (+info)
Language, culture, and adaptation in immigrant children.
(2/5)
Discussions with every general practice, health visitor, and clinical medical officer in Northumberland Health Authority led to agreement about the content of preschool health surveillance, the ages at which it should be done, and referral pathways after a failed screening test. Each primary health care team now undertakes to do a basic minimum set of screening tests, and each team decides who in the team will do each test. The screening system agreed on should enable time to become available for the equally important aspects of surveillance--namely, developmental guidance, health education, and assessment and follow up of problems. The discussions also led to agreement about how the health authority should evaluate the effect of the surveillance programme on the health of children. (+info)
Symptom evaluation and treatment selection in the latency-aged child.
(5/5)
Most latency children referred to the non-psychiatric physician with behaviour disorders do not suffer from classical neuroses, brain syndrome, retardation or psychoses. In evaluating the significance of disturbance two questions must be answered. I. Does the child have significant symptoms? This requires assessment of parental objectivity, knowledge of normal development, familiarity with developmental tasks of the period and ability to draw conclusions from observations of the child. II. How disturbed is the child? Here the basic questions are: 1. To what extent are the difficulties reactive to current stress rather than internalized? 2. How serious are the symptoms themselves? Criteria for answering these questions are provided. Comments are made on history-taking and a guide to the clinical examination is presented, together with findings indicating whether the disturbance is mild or serious. Principles for rational intervention are discussed and various treatment options are examined. Methods relatively economical of the physician's time are indicated unless clear reasons for more intensive treatment are present. If very definite improvement has not taken place within six months, psychiatric consultation should be sought. (+info)