Expulsion prevention: Framework for the role of infant and early childhood mental health consultation in addressing implicit biases.

Young children of color-especially boys-are at disproportionate risk for suspension and expulsion from early care and education settings. Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) is an approach associated with lower than expected expulsion rates, but the mechanisms through which it may influence preschool expulsion are unknown. This paper reflects on the parallels between IECMHC and interventions created to reduce implicit bias. Based on interviews with leaders in IECMHC practice, implementation, and evaluation, a theoretical framework was created to articulate how IECMHC is hypothesized to affect expulsion by first reducing the influence of implicit bias on disciplinary decisions. Implications for practice and research are provided.

Los pequeños niños de raza negra -especialmente los varones- están bajo un riesgo desproporcionado en cuanto a la suspensión y expulsión de lugares donde se les presta cuidado y educación tempranos. La Consulta de Salud Mental en la Infancia y la Temprana Niñez (IECMHC) es un acercamiento asociado con niveles más bajos de expulsión que los que se esperan, pero se desconocen los mecanismos a través de los cuales la misma pudiera influir en la expulsión prescolar. Este artículo reflexiona sobre los paralelos entre IECMHC y las intervenciones creadas para reducir los prejuicios implícitos. Con base en entrevistas con los líderes en la práctica, implementación y evaluación de IECMHC, se creó un marco de trabajo para articular cómo IECMHC se plantea como hipótesis para afectar la expulsión por medio de reducir primero la influencia de los implícitos prejuicios sobre las decisiones disciplinarias. Se aportan las implicaciones para la práctica y la investigación.

Les jeunes enfants de couleur - surtout les garçons - sont à risque disproportionné de suspension et d'expulsion d'établissements d'éducation et de crèches. La Consultation de Santé Mentale du Nourrisson et de la Petite Enfance (abrégé en anglais ECMHC) est une approche liée à des taux d'expulsion moins élevés que les taux d'expulsion auxquels on s'attend, mais les mécanismes au travers desquels elle pourrait influencer l'expulsion des crèches sont méconnus. Cet article porte sur les parallèles entre la IECHMH et les interventions créées afin de réduire les préjugés implicites. Basé sur des entretiens avec des praticiens de la pratique de l'IECMHC, sa mise en place et son évaluation, une structure théorique a été créée afin d'articuler la manière dont on suppose que l'IECHHC affecte l'expulsion en réduisant d'abord l'influence des préjugés implicites sur les décisions disciplinaires. Des implications pour la pratique et la recherche sont présentées.

Children's Moral Emotion Attribution in the Happy Victimizer Task: The Role of Response Format.

Previous research in the happy victimizer tradition indicated that preschool and early elementary school children attribute positive emotions to the violator of a moral norm, whereas older children attribute negative (moral) emotions. Cognitive and motivational processes have been suggested to underlie this developmental shift. The current research investigated whether making the happy victimizer task less cognitively demanding by providing children with alternative response formats would increase their attribution of moral emotions and moral motivation. In Study 1, 93 British children aged 4-7 years old responded to the happy victimizer questions either in a normal condition (where they spontaneously pointed with a finger), a wait condition (where they had to wait before giving their answers), or an arrow condition (where they had to point with a paper arrow). In Study 2, 40 Spanish children aged 4 years old responded to the happy victimizer task either in a normal or a wait condition. In both studies, participants' attribution of moral emotions and moral motivation was significantly higher in the conditions with alternative response formats (wait, arrow) than in the normal condition. The role of cognitive abilities for emotion attribution in the happy victimizer task is discussed.

An investigation of the sexist application of the morality concept of Tsika in the Shona culture of Zimbabwe.

We investigated the sexist application of a morality concept of Tsika, characterized by communal traits, in the Shona culture of Zimbabwe. Tsika has been defined as "politeness, civility and circumlocution" (Samkange & Samkange, 1980, p. 74), thus generally falling under communal traits. Theoretical literature suggests that although Tsika is a cultural ideal for all Shona people, it is especially expected of women and children, and that women can be punished like children if they lack Tsika. This research tested whether Tsika would be expected more of women (and children) than men. In line with ambivalent sexism theory, it was predicted that, because Tsika is constituted of communal traits, a bias in its expectation of women over men would be predicted by benevolent sexism. Furthermore, the research tested whether women (and children) would be judged more negatively than men if they defaulted on Tsika. It was hypothesized that a more negative evaluation of women than men if they defaulted on Tsika would be predicted by hostile sexism. Results confirmed that Tsika is expected more of women than of men. Benevolent sexism and its interaction with hostile sexism predicted the bias in expectation of Tsika of women over men. Results also confirmed that women who default on Tsika are evaluated more negatively than men. Hostile sexism predicted the bias in negative evaluations of women over men who default on Tsika.

Preschoolers' social dominance, moral cognition, and moral behavior: an evolutionary perspective.

Various aspects of moral functioning, aggression, and positive peer regard were assessed in 153 preschool children. Our hypotheses were inspired by an evolutionary approach to morality that construes moral norms as tools of the social elite. Accordingly, children were also rated for social dominance and strategies for its attainment. We predicted that aspects of moral functioning would be only loosely related to each other and that moral cognitions about rules (unlike emotion attributions and moral internalization) would demonstrate patterns suggestive of instrumentality. Results showed that cognitions about moral rules and internalized conscience were unrelated and that sociomoral behavior was more strongly related to the latter than to the former. In addition, promoting group norms (Selective Moral Engagement) positively predicted social dominance, whereas internalized conscience negatively predicted social dominance. Children who controlled resources via both prosocial and coercive means (i.e., bistrategic) showed enhanced moral cognitions about rules (despite high levels of aggression) but had deficits in emotional aspects of moral functioning in the eyes of teachers. Patterns of Selective Moral Engagement invite comparisons to tattling and impression management. The findings are contrasted with alternative hypotheses that are advanced from traditional yet prevailing approaches.

[Child psychiatry, the question of a kiss]. / Pédopsychiatrie, le bisou en questions.

What should child psychiatry care workers do when a child spontaneously embraces or kisses them? This questioning goes far beyond the fact of kissing and raises the question of the nature of the healthcare relationship and environment. While theoretical knowledge is necessary, it is not sufficient for achieving phronesis or "practical wisdom".

Children's moral emotions and moral cognition: towards an integrative perspective.

This chapter presents a brief introduction to the developmental and educational literature linking children's moral emotions to cognitive moral development. A central premise of the chapter is that an integrative developmental perspective on moral emotions and moral cognition provides an important conceptual framework for understanding children's emerging morality and designing developmentally sensitive moral intervention strategies. The subsequent chapters present promising conceptual approaches and empirical evidence linking children's moral emotions to moral cognition. Examples of integrated educational interventions intended to enhance children's moral development are presented and discussed.

The psychosocial consequences for children of mass violence, terrorism and disasters.

Children and families are now in the front line of war, conflict and terrorism as a consequence of the paradigm shift in the nature of warfare and the growth of terror as a weapon. They are as vulnerable as are adults to the traumatizing effects of violence and mass violence. Furthermore, employing children as soldiers is not new, but it is continuing and young people are also perpetrators of other forms of violence. This paper summarizes a selection of the literature showing the direct and indirect psychosocial impacts on minors of their exposure to single incident (event) and recurrent or repetitive (process) violence. Additionally, children's psychosocial and physical development may be affected by their engagement with violence as victims or perpetrators. Several studies point to positive learning from certain experiences in particular communities while many others show the potential for lasting negative effects that may result in children being more vulnerable as adults. The spectrum of response is very wide. This paper focuses on resilience but also provides access to several frameworks for planning, delivering and assuring the quality of community and family-orientated and culture-sensitive responses to people's psychosocial needs in the aftermath of disasters of all kinds including those in which children and young people have been involved in mass violence.