The informant matters: Differences in bullying victim categorization rates assessed with self- and peer-reports in children with developmental language disorder and reading difficulties.

BACKGROUND: Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Reading Difficulties (RD) can show more peer relation problems depending on the informant. AIMS: (1) To explore bullying victims' categorization, evaluated by self- and peer-reports, in children with DLD and RD; and (2) to assess agreement rates between informants. METHOD AND PROCEDURES: Victimization was assessed using a self-report (EBIP-Q) and a peer-report sociogram (CESC) in a sample of 83 participants (9-12 years; 10.5 ± 1.1 years), comprising of DLD (n = 19), RD (n = 32), and Control (n = 32) groups. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: We found a higher frequency of the rejected sociometric profile in the DLD and RD groups, a higher peer-reported victimization in the DLD group, and more severe self-reported victimization in the DLD and RD groups. Odds of being classified as victimized were higher for self-report except in the DLD group. Informants' agreement was high using the most restrictive EBIP-Q criterion (7 points) for both the Control and the RD groups, being non-significant for the DLD group regardless of the criteria used. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: We found a higher victimization risk in children with language difficulties, although self-assessment seems to under-detect children with DLD according to the agreement rates, pointing out the need to combine assessments and informants. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD?: Several studies have shown that children with DLD or RD obtain higher scores of victimization and score lower on several scales of social skills with continuous data. Although continuous analyses are usual in research, professional decisions are usually based on cut-off criteria more than how high or low a score is in contrast to another group. This is one of the first works that analyses victimization following the cut-off criteria of self and peer assessments that professionals used in the school settings in children with DLD and RD. Our results will raise awareness among school professionals based on the evidence about the high risk of victimization, especially in children with DLD, and the implications of selecting between several measures of victimization, in this group of children. We think that our results would help to better detect and prevent bullying in schools for children with DLD.

Trait anxiety slows speed of processing but does not affect specific components of executive control.

The present work aimed to establish the influence of self-reported trait anxiety on computerized and self-reported measures of executive control, and speed of processing in young adults using latent variable modeling. One hundred and six participants completed the State-trait anxiety questionnaire (STAI-t), the Attentional Control Scale (ACS), and a set of computerized tasks of executive control, tapping into the updating, inhibition, and shifting components. Higher scores in the latent variable of trait anxiety were negatively associated with the self-reported latent variable of attentional control. Notably, self-reported and performance-based indicators of executive control showed no associations at the latent level. Contrary to our hypotheses, higher trait anxiety did not affect any performance-based executive component but was associated with an increase in response times. We show that self-reported trait anxiety is related to a lower self-perceived sense of attentional control and does not affect executive functioning in non-clinical samples. In turn, trait anxiety is mainly associated with a slowed speed of processing. In conclusion, the tendency to experience a negative mood is related with cognitive processing by reducing its speed even in the absence of threatening stimuli.

Efectos agudos de los descansos activos sobre la atención selectiva en escolares / Acute effects of active breaks on selective attention in schoolchildren

Physical activity seems to show positive effects on selective attention. Active breaks seem to be a strategy to implement in schools to improve the selective attention of schoolchildren. The current literature does not conclude with which type, duration and intensity of physical activity the greatest effects on attention are achieved. The aim of this study was to analyse the acute effects of active breaks on selective attention. It was carried out using a quantitative methodology and pre-post design with no control group. Seventy-five schoolchildren between 10 and 12 years of age participated, distributed among three experimental conditions. The d2 test was used before and after the break to measure selective attention. The first experimental group took a passive break based on reading, the second an active break based on moderate-intensity intervallic physical activity and the third group an active break based on high-intensity intervallic physical activity. The breaks took place inside the classrooms. A significant improvement was shown for the group that performed the high-intensity intervalic active rest compared to the other two groups. In conclusion, high-intensity active breaks could be a viable strategy to favour the improvement of selective attention.(AU)

Associations Between Self, Peer, and Teacher Reports of Victimization and Social Skills in School in Children With Language Disorders.

Previous studies have shown that teachers and parents of children with language disorders report them to have higher victimization scores, a heightened risk of low-quality friendships and social difficulties, and may be more vulnerable to peer rejection than control peers. However, there are few studies of bullying in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and reading difficulties (RD), and none has considered the mutual relationships between teacher reports, the perceptions of classmates, and children's self-reports. We analyzed the experiences of bullying and peer relationships in primary school students with DLD and RD as compared to their age-matched peers using teacher reports, peer reports, and self-reports on victimization. Additionally, we explored how these three perspectives are associated. Results indicated lower levels of peer-rated prosocial skills in DLD and RD students compared to their peers, as well as higher levels of victimization as assessed by peers for students with DLD. In the same line, the teachers' ratings showed that students with DLD presented poorer social skills, less adaptability, and more withdrawal in social interaction. Contrastingly, self-reports informed of similar rates of interpersonal relationships, social stress, and peer victimization between the three groups. Consequently, we found significant correlations between measures of peer reports and teacher reports that contrasted with the lack of correlations between self and other agents' reports. These findings stress the importance of using self-reports, peer reports, and teacher reports at the same time to detect bullying situations that might go unnoticed.

California Bullying Victimization Scale-Retrospective (CBVS-R): Validation of the Spanish Adaptation.

BACKGROUND: Bullying in childhood and adolescence is a worldwide problem. There is a general lack of validated retrospective measures of bullying, especially in Spanish-speaking populations. The present study aimed to adapt the retrospective version of the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS-R) to Spanish and examine its psychometric properties. METHOD: The CBVS-R was translated and adapted into Spanish, and school victimization was evaluated in a sample of 1,855 Spanish adults (69.3% women). Factor structure, test-retest reliability, and predictive validity were explored. The types of victimization by educational level and the total victimization score for each participant were analyzed. RESULTS: Factor analysis showed a one-factor structure. Values of internal consistency (α = .80) and test-retest reliability ( r = .87, k = .73) were satisfactory. Victimization was associated with self-reports of mental health. Victimization patterns peaked around adolescence, the most frequent victimizing behavior was being teased or called names. CONCLUSIONS: Results support the usefulness and suitability of the Spanish adaptation of the CBVS-R as a retrospective self-report measure of bullying victimization in adults.

The effects of a physical activity intervention based on a fatness and fitness smartphone app for University students.

Since the 2012 Lancet Series on physical activity, progress regarding this topic has been negligible at global level. Thus, improving physical activity levels in specific populations through new methodologies is positioned as a priority. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a physical activity intervention on body fatness composition, and measured and self-reported physical fitness components based on the use of a smartphone app. The investigation included 100 Spanish university students, cluster-randomized into the smartphone app intervention group or a control group (n = 35 and n = 31 respectively, after applying exclusion criteria). The physical activity intervention comprised a 9-week programme designed to promote a healthy physical activity pattern using a smartphone app. Specifically, an mHealth approach was taken containing five BCTs. The results showed that the intervention group improved their physical fitness (F = 8.1, p = .006) and reported better general scores in self-reported physical fitness (F = 7.4, p = .008) over time, in comparison to the control group. However, the intervention group did not show any changes to their fatness. Further research is needed to disentangle which BCTs are more effective to achieve physical health improvements when using physical activity apps.

California Bullying Victimization Scale-Retrospective (CBVS-R): Validation of the Spanish Adaptation / California Bullying Victimization Scale-Retrospective (CBVS-R): Validación de la Adaptación Española

Background: Bullying in childhood and adolescence is a worldwide problem. There is a general lack of validated retrospective measures of bullying, especially in Spanish-speaking populations. The present study aimed to adapt the retrospective version of the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS-R) to Spanish and examine its psychometric properties. Method: The CBVS-R was translated and adapted into Spanish, and school victimization was evaluated in a sample of 1,855 Spanish adults (69.3% women). Factor structure, test-retest reliability, and predictive validity were explored. The types of victimization by educational level and the total victimization score for each participant were analyzed. Results: Factor analysis showed a one-factor structure. Values of internal consistency (α = .80) and test-retest reliability (r = .87, κ = .73) were satisfactory. Victimization was associated with self-reports of mental health. Victimization patterns peaked around adolescence, themost frequent victimizing behavior was being teased or called names. Conclusions: Results support the usefulness and suitability of the Spanish adaptation of the CBVS-R as a retrospective self-report measure of bullying victimization in adults. (AU)

Antecedentes: el acoso escolar o bullying es un problema generalizado en la infancia y la adolescencia a nivel mundial. Existen pocas medidas retrospectivas de bullying validadas, especialmente en población de habla hispana. El objetivo del presente estudio fue adaptar al español la versión retrospectiva de la California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS-R) y examinar sus propiedades psicométricas. Método: se tradujo y adaptó al español la CBVS-R y se evaluó la victimización escolar en una muestra de 1.855 adultos españoles (69,3% mujeres). Se exploró la estructura factorial, la fi abilidad test-retest y su validez predictiva. Se analizaron los tipos de victimización por niveleducativo y la puntuación total de victimización para cada participante. Resultados: el análisis factorial mostró una estructura unifactorial.Los valores de consistencia interna (α = .80) y fiabilidad test-retest (r = .87, κ = .73) fueron satisfactorios. La victimización estuvo asociada con medidas autoinformadas de salud mental. Los patrones de victimización mostraron su valor más elevado en torno a la adolescencia, siendo la conducta más frecuente ser objeto de burla o insultos. Conclusiones: los resultados respaldan la utilidad y conveniencia de la adaptación española del CBVS-R como autoinforme retrospectivo de victimización por acoso escolar en adultos. (AU)

Behavioral, Emotional and School Adjustment in Adolescents with and without Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Is Related to Family Involvement.

Developmental language disorder (DLD) refers to a language delay in the absence of other underlying causes. Individuals with DLD can also present other problems related to behavioral, scholarly, and emotional aspects of their daily lives because of their language difficulties. Moreover, these difficulties could be influenced by family and socioeconomic characteristics. Twenty-eight bilingual adolescents with and without DLD in typical schools were followed from childhood to adolescence. At age five, language and cognitive variables were assessed. In addition, language, behavior, emotional and school adjustment, and socioeconomic and family aspects were evaluated at age 12. Results reveal that adolescents with DLD show poorer school adjustment and less adaptive skills when evaluated by their tutors, and a larger index of emotional problems when self-assessed. Moreover, family involvement, but not socioeconomic status (SES), emerged as a protective factor since it was related to behavioral, emotional, and school adjustment, a result that was further confirmed by structural equation modeling. Therefore, a more global approach involving individuals, schools and families is needed to provide adolescents with DLD adequate support. It is important to stimulate their social skills and emotional adjustment so they can cope with social difficulties more easily, especially at school.

Speech profiles of Spanish-Catalan children with developmental language disorder.

Children with developmental language disorders (DLD) are especially characterised by morphosyntactic difficulties. Nevertheless, previous studies have also shown that children with DLD have phonological difficulties. This paper aims to describe the productive and perceptive phonological speech profile of Spanish-Catalan children with DLD at the age of six in order to characterise the underlying nature of their difficulties. Fourteen Spanish-Catalan six-year-old children with DLD and 14 control children without language difficulties who attended the same class were assessed with the screening and discrimination tasks of the A-RE-HA: Análisis del Retraso del Habla (Speech Delay Analysis - Catalan and Spanish version). We analysed the production of words, syllables and phonemes, phoneme discrimination and phonological simplification processes used by these children. The results showed that children with DLD have a lower percentile in correct word structures, syllabic structures and phonemes, and have more difficulty discriminating phonemes. Detailed analyses revealed more difficulties with the most complex word and syllabic templates, and with almost all phonemes. Furthermore, children with DLD applied more phonological simplification processes than the control group. An individual analysis showed that only ten of the children with DLD also had a speech delay (percentile < 25), while four had scores in line with their age. These results show that most of the six-year-old children with DLD maintain speech difficulties, which are mainly phonological and not (or not only) articulatory. Therefore, individual differences with respect to speech delay in DLD must be taken into consideration to better detect these children.

Academic Outcomes in Bilingual Children With Developmental Language Disorder: A Longitudinal Study.

Previous studies have shown that most English-speaking children with language difficulties show academic difficulties during their schooling. The present study aimed to describe the academic achievement of children speaking Spanish and Catalan with developmental language disorder (DLD) during their primary education and to predict their academic outcomes using several processing skills assessed at the beginning of their schooling. To this end, we followed 28 children during their schooling (6-12 years of age). Participants were divided into two groups, one with DLD (n = 14) and a control group (n = 14) paired by age, gender, socio-economic status (SES), family language (L1), and classroom. All participants were assessed through different processing skills with the Spanish version of the NEPSY at the beginning of their schooling (age 6): attention (visual attention, auditory attention, and response set), phonological awareness, verbal short-term memory (sentence repetition, and narrative memory), access to language (semantic verbal fluency and rapid naming), and language comprehension (comprehension of verbal commands). At the end of primary education, schools reported the official academic marks at the 1st cycle (6-8 years), 2nd cycle (8-10 years) and 3rd cycle (10-12 years). Direct scores of the processing skills and academic results were used for statistical analyses. Results showed that children with DLD had more frequent grade retention, and their academic marks were significantly lower than those of their peers in all the cycles and for all academic subjects with a high language dependency (all except physical education and mathematics). Those subjects with lower language dependence did not show significant differences (physical education and mathematics). Rapid naming accounted for most of the variance of academic outcomes, followed by phonological awareness, and language comprehension when both groups were taken together. Only rapid naming accounted for academic results in the DLD group and phonological awareness did so for the control group. In sum, children with DLD experienced more academic difficulties during their primary education. Those children (with and without DLD) who experienced difficulties not only with rapid naming but also with phonological awareness and oral language comprehension at the beginning of their schooling showed a higher probability of academic failure.

Is bilingualism losing its advantage? A bibliometric approach.

This study uses several bibliometric indices to explore the temporal course of publication trends regarding the bilingual advantage in executive control over a ten-year window. These indices include the number of published papers, numbers of citations, and the journal impact factor. According to the information available in their abstracts, studies were classified into one of four categories: supporting, ambiguous towards, not mentioning, or challenging the bilingual advantage. Results show that the number of papers challenging the bilingual advantage increased notably in 2014 and 2015. Both the average impact factor and the accumulated citations as of June 2016 were equivalent between categories. However, of the studies published in 2014, those that challenge the bilingual advantage accumulated more citations in June 2016 than those supporting it. Our findings offer evidence-based bibliometric information about the current state of the literature and suggest a change in publication trends regarding the literature on the bilingual advantage.