Frühkindliche Prädiktoren externalisierender Verhaltensauffälligkeiten

COVID statt Kita

Zusammenfassung: Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die COVID-19 Pandemie führte im Frühjahr 2020 bei Vorschulkindern in Deutschland zu einer Zunahme von Verhaltensauffälligkeiten. Fragestellung: Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, die anhaltenden Auswirkungen der Pandemie auf die psychische Gesundheit von Vorschulkindern zu untersuchen und potentielle Einflussfaktoren zu identifizieren. Methode: In zwei unabhängigen Online-Erhebungen im März und November 2021 befragten wir die Eltern von N = 331 Vorschulkindern in Rheinland-Pfalz hinsichtlich der Verhaltensauffälligkeiten ihrer Kinder. Die Ergebnisse verglichen wir mit Daten einer bevölkerungsbezogenen Stichprobe aus der Zeit vor der Pandemie. Mithilfe von logistischen Regressionen untersuchten wir potenzielle Einflussfaktoren auf die psychische Gesundheit. Ergebnis: Im Verlauf der Pandemie zeigte sich ein erhöhtes Ausmaß an Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bei Vorschulkindern. Als potenzielle Einflussfaktoren identifizierten wir die psychische Belastung und emotionale Kompetenz der Eltern, sowie die Emotionsregulation der Kinder als möglichen Schutzfaktor. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Befunde verdeutlichen die Notwendigkeit von Präventionsprogrammen mit Fokus auf die sozio-emotionale Kompetenzen von Vorschulkindern und ihren Eltern.

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic as a catalyst? Development of emotional problems of preschool children of mothers with childhood maltreatment experiences in the course of the pandemic-a longitudinal analysis

Background

SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have posed great challenges for all families and children. Health risks and fears associated with SARS-CoV-2 negatively affect the parental mental health and perceived stress, which in turn influence parental coping and thereby impairs the mental health and well-being of their children. Additional risk factors within the parents, such as maternal childhood maltreatment (CM) experiences, may increase the risk of children to develop emotional problems during the pandemic.

Objective

The purpose of this longitudinal study is to determine whether preschool children of mothers with CM are at higher risk of developing emotional problems during the pandemic than preschool children of mothers without CM.

Method

74 mothers from a birth cohort examining pathways to resilience or vulnerability in the transgenerational transmission of CM, provided information on emotional problems of their children (aged 3-7 years) at two measurement time points (t1: May 2020, t2: March 2021) as part of an online "SARS-CoV-2 pandemic" survey. In addition, parents were asked for a retrospective assessment of their children's emotional problems before the pandemic at time t1. Children's emotional problems were assessed using the "emotional problems" scale of the German version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and linked to previously collected data on mothers' childhood maltreatment experiences, which were collected using the German short version of the Trauma in Childhood Questionnaire (CTQ).

Results

Our analyses showed that children's emotional problems increased significantly over the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic [F(1.86, 116.88) = 3.72, p = 0.030 η ² = 0.06] and were rated significantly higher in the group of children of mothers with CM, than in the group of mothers without CM [F(1, 63) = 126.06, p < 0.001 η ²= 0.67]. Furthermore children's emotional problems of mothers with CM increased significantly more and reached a clinically significant value during the pandemic than for children of mothers without CM [F(1.86, 116.88) = 8.89, p < 0.001, η ²= 0.12].

Conclusions

Children of mothers with CM appear to be at increased risk of developing emotional problems during the pandemic. CM therefore needs to be considered as an additional risk factor in the impact of the pandemic on children.

Ein halbes Leben lang Corona

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die COVID-19-Pandemie schränkte den Alltag von Vorschulkindern in den letzten zwei Jahren substanziell ein. Fragestellung: Die querschnittliche Studie untersucht, wie Vorschulkinder und ihre Eltern die COVID-19-Pandemie in dieser Zeit erlebten und welche Effekte die Pandemie auf die psychische Gesundheit der Kinder hatte. Methode: In zwei Online-Erhebungen im Mai 2020 und März 2021 wurden insgesamt 304 Eltern von Vorschulkindern (1 – 6 Jahre) befragt. Ergebnisse: Die Resilienz von Kindern und Eltern ist nach einem Jahr vermindert. Es zeigt sich eine hohe Punktprävalenz psychischer Auffälligkeiten (35.3 %), besonders in den Bereichen Verhaltensprobleme und Hyperaktivität. Hypothesenkonform konnten familiäre Spannungen und kindliche Stressbewältigung als Risiko- bzw. Schutzfaktor identifiziert werden. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Die Befunde weisen auf anhaltend negative Auswirkungen der Pandemie auf die psychische Gesundheit von Vorschulkindern hin und zeigen erste Schutzfaktoren auf.

[Resilience: A Longitudinal Study of Children with Risk Factors]

Resilience: A Longitudinal Study of Children with Risk Factors This study examines the development of children who have grown up with severe early childhood stress. A distinction was made between resilient and maladapted child developments. On the one hand, the aim was to identify longitudinal protective factors that can contribute to the development of resilience. On the other hand, we cross-sectionally examined in which psychological areas resilience manifests itself. The sample consists of 343 children who were examined first in early childhood (M = 4 years) and then ten years later in adolescence. 24 % of the children belonged to the risk group of which 14 % showed a resilient and 9 % a maladapted development. An active temperament, higher intelligence, and more self-control in early childhood proved to be protective factors with medium effect sizes. The proportion of resilience was increased among migrants. Cross-sectionally we found differences with small and medium effect sizes in addictive behavior (alcohol, tobacco and drug use), internet dependency, overweight, and school grades.

[The impact of adolecent motherhood on child development in preschool children- identification of maternal risk factors]

The impact of adolecent motherhood on child development in preschool children- identification of maternal risk factors Abstract. Objective: This longitudinal study aims to identify relevant risk factors in adolescent mothers which might impact their child's cognitive and speech development as well as behavior problems at preschool age. Based on earlier findings, maternal sensitivity (EA), socioeconomic status (SES) and psychological stress were identified as potentially influencing factors. Method: N = 31 adolescent and N = 47 adult mothers with their children aged 3;0 to 5;9 (M = 3;55) participated in this study. Child variables included cognitive development (WPPSI-III), language development (SSV), and behavioral problems (SDQ). Maternal factors were EA, SES, and mental health problems (BSI-18). Results: Children of adolescent mothers performed worse on cognitive and speech development and are described by their mothers as exhibiting more behavioral problems compared to children of adult mothers. Mediation analyses revealed that the effect of maternal age on children's cognitive development is occurs through reduced maternal sensitivity of adolescent mothers. Further, higher psychological stress of adolescent mothers mediated the effect of maternal age on children's behavior problems. Conclusion: Preschool children of adolescent mothers showed poorer developmental outcomes compared to children of adult mothers. This is partly explained by lower maternal sensitivity and higher rates of psychological stress among adolescent mothers.

Statistical analysis of childhood and early adolescent externalizing behaviors in a middle low income country

The article show the pattern of externalizing behavior across age, gender, school type, and school level, with reference to aggression, delinquency, and hyperactivity. The study samples were primary school pupils and secondary school students from three selected Local Government Areas (LGA) in Ogun State, Nigeria [Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, and Yewa South]. Their ages ranged from 10 to 20 years. The student/pupil sample was 1770 in all. The instrument used was an adapted version of Achenbach's child behavior checklist and youth self-report. Basic descriptive statistics like frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, as well as non-parametric statistics like Phi-coefficient, Chi-square, Goodman and Kruskal's gamma, Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis H test were utilized. Inferential parametric statistics like Pearson r, analysis of variance and simple regression were also utilized. Four major findings were reported. Firstly, the private schools irrespective of age, gender and level, scored higher than the public school in aggression, delinquency, and hyperactivity. Secondly, aggression is higher in secondary schools, while delinquency and hyperactivity are more prevalent in primary schools. Thirdly, school level and school type are the strongest predictors of externalizing behavior. Lastly, correspondence analysis showed a similar behavioral pattern for the three behaviors and three distinct behavioral patterns. i). Respondents aged 10 and below and those in primary schools (ii). Male, public and between 16 and 20. iii). Private, secondary, female and between 11 and 15. Implications of the study are discussed.

Risikofamilien

Zusammenfassung. Risikofamilien weisen häufig eine Vielzahl an Problemen, wie etwa Armut, einen geringen Bildungsstand, Paarkonflikte oder die Erkrankung eines Elternteils, auf, die in ihrer Kumulation und ihrer Wechselbeziehung eine hohe Belastung für alle Familienmitglieder darstellen. Kinder, die unter diesen schwierigen Lebensumständen aufwachsen, haben ein erhöhtes Risiko für Entwicklungs- und Verhaltensauffälligkeiten bzw. psychische Störungen. Entsprechend gilt es, Risiken innerhalb einer Familie frühzeitig zu erkennen. Die Kenntnis von familiären Ressourcen und ihre gezielte Stärkung sollten dabei ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil der Intervention sein, um Familien bei der Bewältigung von Problemlagen zu unterstützen.

Kleinkind- und Kindergartenalter

Zusammenfassung. Die Kenntnis früher Entwicklungsrisiken und Schutzfaktoren tragen dazu bei, abweichende Entwicklungen in der Kindheit rechtzeitig zu erkennen und Therapieschritte einleiten zu können. Die Ursachen einer abweichenden Entwicklung umfassen sowohl Schwangerschaftsrisiken, frühe Umwelteinflüsse und ungünstige biologische Faktoren als auch sozioökonomische, familiäre und partnerschaftsbezogene Einflüsse. Gut geplante Längsschnittstudien tragen dazu bei, die Startbedingungen von Kleinkindern und ihrer Entwicklung in den ersten Lebensjahren systematisch zu dokumentieren. Längsschnittstudien bilden auch das entscheidende Fundament, um Präventionsmaßnahmen zu begründen und in ihrer Wirksamkeit zu überprüfen.