Intraindividual variability in parental acceptance-rejection predicts externalizing and internalizing symptoms across childhood/adolescence in nine countries.

Parenting that is high in rejection and low in acceptance is associated with higher levels of internalizing (INT) and externalizing (EXT) problems in children and adolescents. These symptoms develop and can increase in severity to negatively impact adolescents' social, academic, and emotional functioning. However, there are two major gaps in the extant literature: (a) nearly all prior research has focused on between-person differences in acceptance/rejection at the expense of examining intraindividual variability (IIV) across time in acceptance/rejection; and (b) no prior studies examine IIV in acceptance/rejection in diverse international samples. The present study utilized six waves of data with 1,199 adolescents' families living in nine countries from the Parenting Across Cultures study to test the hypotheses that (1) higher amounts of youth IIV in mother acceptance/rejection predict higher internalizing and (2) externalizing symptoms, and (3) that higher youth IIV in father acceptance/rejection predict higher internalizing, and (4) externalizing symptoms. Meta-analytic techniques indicated a significant, positive effect of IIV in child-reported mother and father acceptance/rejection on adolescent externalizing symptoms, and a significant positive effect of IIV in father acceptance/rejection on internalizing symptoms. The weighted effect for mother acceptance/rejection on internalizing symptoms was not statistically significant. Additionally, there was significant heterogeneity in all meta-analytic estimates. More variability over time in experiences of parental acceptance/rejection predicts internalizing and externalizing symptoms as children transition into adolescence, and this effect is present across multiple diverse samples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Disparities Affect Developmental Risk for Head Start Preschoolers.

PURPOSE: This paper presents an analysis of Head Start (HStart) preschooler data by severity of developmental concern, while considering socio-demographic and other factors that highlight racial and ethnic disparities in the early identification of developmental delay or disability (DD). DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted an analysis of 2014-2015 academic year data for preschool-aged children in HStart in both urban and suburban centers in a large Midwestern city. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of developmental concerns and compare characteristics of children with mild-to-moderate versus severe developmental concerns; differences between groups were compared using t-tests and chi-square tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the independent effect of each predictor of concern severity. RESULTS: Nearly one-third of HStart preschoolers were identified with developmental concern; 70% were mild-to-moderate risk for DD and the remaining severe risk. Neither group was routinely referred to healthcare for evaluation or treatment, and most of the severe risk group did not qualify nor receive treatment for DD with an Individualized Education Plan. Suburban and urban preschoolers with severe concern were less likely to be African American or Latinx, suggesting that racially and ethnically diverse preschoolers in HStart may be under-identified and under-treated. CONCLUSIONS: Lags in the educational diagnosis of DD may mirror the disparities in diagnosis and treatment of DD among minority groups. Primary care is the first line for detection and treatment of DD, and offers a unique opportunity to act for racially and ethnically diverse HStart preschoolers disproportionately at-risk for DD.