Loneliness and coherence among preschool children with learning disabilities

Modifiability in Emotional Understanding Among Children With Learning Disabilities

Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) exhibit specific difficulties in high-order components of emotional understanding that involve language (e.g., recognition of complex emotions from situations), or defining emotions and providing examples. The objectives of the current study were to study (a) modifiability of emotional understanding using a short-term mediation program aimed at enhancing emotional understanding among children with SLD as compared with typically developing (TD) children, (b) the correlation of language ability with emotional understanding. A sample of 64 boys with SLD and 33 TD boys (9–11 years old) were administered emotional understanding measures, and tests of language processing. The children were given the Language of Emotions Mediation Program and retested on the emotional understanding measures. Children with SLD revealed initial lower level of emotional understanding than TD children but higher pre- to postmediation improvement. The correlation between emotional understanding measures and verbal ability decreased from pre- to postmediation only in children with SLD. These findings indicate less cohesiveness between the two domains because of the mediation program.

“I’m Not the Only One!” Group Therapy with Older Children and Adolescents Who Have Learning Disabilities

Children and adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) are vulnerable to psychosocial difficulties. Both the detrimental impact of LD on social adjustment and the significance of peer relations for developmental needs make group therapy a natural intervention. Despite modifications that are required due to their cognitive deficits, many students with LD fit the criteria and can benefit from group psychotherapy. In this paper, a model of group therapy for older children and adolescents with LD is presented. The approach is informed by a combination of self psychology, mutual aid, and interpersonal group therapy. The leaders use special techniques to accommodate the LD and to foster the group process. Examples are presented to illustrate the approach.

Reliability of the detailed assessment of speed of handwriting on Flemish children

PURPOSE

This study evaluates the reliability of the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH) in a Dutch-speaking sample of children.

METHODS

The sample included 650 boys and 513 girls (age range = 9-16 years). Handwriting speed measurements were obtained using the DASH. Interrater agreement, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were calculated; gender and age effects were analyzed.

RESULTS

Interrater agreement shows excellent reliability with intraclass correlation coefficients of at least 0.94. Test-retest correlations ranged from r = 0.65 to r = 0.81. The internal consistency measures, calculated with Cronbach's alpha, were between 0.88 and 0.94. Both gender and age have a significant effect on handwriting speed, with F (7.1144) = 17.43 (P < .001) for gender and F (7.1144) = 21.8 (P < .001) for age.

CONCLUSION

The DASH is a reliable assessment tool to evaluate handwriting speed of Dutch-speaking children. There is a tendency of girls to write faster than boys.

Centrality in children's best friend networks: the role of social behaviour

Centrality is an indicator of an individual's relative importance within a social group. Predictors of centrality in best friendship networks were examined in 146 children (70 boys and 76 girls, Mage  = 9.95). Children completed measures of social confidence, social desirability, friendship quality, school liking, and loneliness and nominated their best friends from within their class at two time points, 3 months apart. Multigroup path analysis revealed gender differences in the antecedents of centrality. Social confidence, social desirability, and friendship quality predicted changes in the indicators of centrality in best friend networks over time. Boys' social behaviour positively predicted changes in centrality, whereas girls' social behaviour negatively predicted changes in centrality. Together, these findings suggest that some aspects of social behaviour are influential for centrality in best friend groups.

The profile of performance skills and emotional factors in the context of participation among young children with Developmental Coordination Disorder

Participation is a person's involvement in daily activities in a variety of environments, roles and life situations. Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) experience difficulties in gaining academic achievements or in their engagement in activity of daily living. Motor difficulties have a negative effect on the ability to participate, as well as on various affective components. Senses of coherence, effort and hope have not yet been assessed, within the context of participation, in children with DCD. The purpose of the present study is to look into the relations between participation and senses of coherence, effort and hope among children with DCD, in comparison to typically developed children. Fifty subjects aged 5-6 years participated in the study, 25 of whom are children diagnosed with DCD, the other 25 being typical children. The DCD diagnosis was established according to the DSM-IV criteria and the M-ABC test. All children completed the coherence questionnaire for children as well as the children's questionnaire on effort and hope. Parents completed the Children Participation Questionnaire (CPQ), and the Performance Skills Questionnaire (PSQ). Children with DCD had lower performance skills, lower sense of coherence, hope, and effort than their peers. They less enjoy their participation and their parents are less satisfied in comparison to control group. Significant correlations were found between sense of coherence and hope to participation. Process skills were found to be the main predictor for explaining child's participation. While treating children with DCD we have to consider also socio-psychological aspects that may be weakened.

An exploratory study of substance use and misuse among college students with and without ADHD and other disabilities

OBJECTIVE

The present study investigated potential differences between college students with and without disabilities (including ADHD, Asperger's syndrome, executive functioning disorder, and learning, mental health, vision, hearing, and physical/chronic disabilities) regarding self-reported substance use and misuse, perceived stress, and sensation seeking.

METHOD

Students responded to a Stimulant Survey Questionnaire (SSQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS), and items from the National College Health Assessment (NCHA).

RESULTS

The hypotheses were part supported as MANOVA results revealed that students with disabilities provided significantly lower ratings on the SSS and also reported lower alcohol and marijuana use. Students with ADHD were more likely to use or misuse prescription stimulant medication but were less likely to use alcohol than did students without ADHD.

CONCLUSION

Students with disabilities compared to those without disabilities differed on levels of sensation seeking and alcohol and marijuana use.

Loneliness: a concept analysis

TOPIC

Loneliness is a universal human experience recognized since the dawn of time, yet it is unique for every individual. Loneliness can lead to both depression and low self-esteem.

PURPOSE

This article explicates the concept of loneliness through the examination of its conceptual definition and uses, defining attributes, related concepts, and empirical referents.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Literature review using hand search and database were used as sources of information.

CONCLUSION

Because loneliness is commonly encountered in nursing situations, the information provided will serve as a framework for assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation of clients.

Maternal personal resources and children's socioemotional and behavioral adjustment

The study examined the role of three maternal personal resources [sense of coherence (SOC), attachment style, and social/emotional feelings of loneliness] in explaining children's socioemotional adjustment (self-rated loneliness and SOC, and mother-rated child behavior) and children's (self-rated) secure attachment. The sample included 58 mother-child dyads (27 boys and 31 girls) aged 8-11 years. Preliminary analyses indicated significant group differences between mothers with high or low scores on the two subscales of the attachment scale (i.e., avoidance and anxiety), on their SOC, and their social/emotional loneliness. Findings revealed that maternal SOC significantly contributed to all child socioemotional adjustment measures and attachment scores. In addition, the current findings demonstrated the role of maternal anxious attachment in explaining children's externalizing behaviors. Discussion focused on the unique value of maternal characteristics for understanding social and emotional adjustment among school-age children.

Psychosocial impact and personality predictors of coherence feeling among girls with acne

OBJECTIVE

The extent to which acne influences the emotional life of adolescents is a matter of discussion; but people with acne are prone to emotional and psychological disturbances.

METHODS

54 adolescent girls with acne were studied for their personality variables that are related to high coherence. Sense of coherence, e.g. meaningfulness of life, is crucial to cope successfully with stressors of living: it expresses the belief that a high probability exists that things will work out as well as can reasonably be expected. 58 adolescent girls without acne were in the control group.

RESULTS

Neuroticism (anxiety level) was the first predictor of the sense of coherence measure for girls with acne, explaining 19% of the variance. Extraversion was the next predictor, explaining an additional 2 3% of the variance and psychoticism was the third predictor, explaining together 27% of the variance. There was a lack of difference between groups with respect to other personality variables.

CONCLUSION

These predictors have to be taken into consideration while treating adolescents acne. Dermatologists, pediatricians and other physicians treating adolescents' acne should be familiar with emotional and psychosocial disturbances that accompany acne in order to effectively assist these patients.

Quality of life and health in children following allogeneic SCT

A total of 52 children, age 9 or over and at least 3 years (median=8) beyond SCT for leukaemia (n=32) or nonmalignant diseases, participated in a single-centre study of health and quality of life (QoL). QoL and self-esteem were assessed with SCHQ-CF87, a generic multidimensional self-report instrument, and with 'I think I am'. As a group, the children had good QoL, but were below norm in the bodily pain (P<0.05), general health and self-esteem dimensions (P<0.01). Lansky or Karnofsky function levels were at a median of 90. Sense of coherence (SOC-13) was normal and correlated with SCHQ-CF87. Most children were subjectively and objectively in good health according to a self-assessment symptom inventory or by a medical record-based scoring of late effects, although pain was commonly reported. A total of 25% of the patients were rated as having moderate to severe late effects, without considering cataracts or infertility. Neither age at SCT, gender, malignant vs nonmalignant disease, nor stature influenced QoL significantly. Children with moderate to severe chronic graft-versus-host disease or cognitive deficits had lower QoL in some dimensions. No correlation was, however, found between the physician-rated total late effects score and overall QoL. Contrarily, QoL was clearly related to the degree of self-rated symptoms.

Emotional adjustment and school functioning of young adolescents with multiple versus single learning disabilities

Early adolescents (Grades 6-8) with multiple learning disabilities (LD; reading and math) in inclusive settings were compared to adolescents with single LD (reading or math) and typically achieving (TA) peers regarding their psychosocial functioning in two areas of adolescent well-being: emotional adjustment and school functioning. The Behavior Assessment System for Children (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1998) Self-Report of Personality for adolescents was used to determine well-being. One hundred twenty middle school students-15 boys and 15 girls in each group-were included in the current study. The results confirmed that adolescents with multiple LD (reading and math) reported poorer functioning (i.e., higher T scores) on school maladjustment, clinical maladjustment, emotional symptoms index, attitude to school, atypicality, and depression when compared to TA peers but not when compared to peers with a single LD (reading or math). All three groups differed from the TA group (but not from each other) on sense of inadequacy, with the multiple LD group reporting the highest T scores. Additional analyses indicated significant differences between girls and boys, regardless of disability status. Girls reported higher T scores on the emotional symptoms index, social stress, and depression, but boys reported greater school maladjustment and sensation seeking. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Learning disabilities and bullying: double jeopardy

Independently, learning disabilities (LD) and involvement in bullying each pose a risk for social, emotional, and behavioral problems. Based on the research to date and on the characteristics common to children with LD and children who are bullied, there is reason to believe that children with LD are at increased risk of victimization. However, there is little research on the relationship between LD and bullying. This article presents factors and characteristics that make children and youth with LD vulnerable to bullying. Risk factors and effects of bullying are reviewed. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Students with learning disabilities in higher education: academic strategies profile

This study compared 191 college students with learning disabilities (LD) and 190 students without LD in four main areas: academic difficulties, learning strategies, functioning during examinations, and students' perception of factors that help or impede their academic success. Analysis of the personal data of students with and without LD revealed no significant differences between groups on grade point average, number of courses taken, and family status, but students with LD reported having more difficulties in humanities, social sciences, and foreign language than students without LD. Regarding academic strategies, students with LD devised unusual strategies and preferred additional oral explanations or visual explanations, whereas nondisabled students preferred more written examples. These differences indicated that students without LD used more written techniques than did students with LD. During examinations, the students with LD had difficulty concentrating and were concerned about lack of time. They experienced stress, were nervous, and felt more frustrated, helpless, or uncertain during examinations than students without LD. The implications for college students with LD are discussed.