First evaluation of Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory for foster children in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Behavioral problems of foster children are an important issue for the maintenance of the foster care system, but they have not been adequately studied in Japan. We used the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI) to investigate behavioral problems among foster children and to examine associated factors. METHODS: Twenty-nine foster children and their foster parents and 479 non-foster children and parents were recruited for the foster and control groups, respectively. Both groups underwent statistical comparative analyses using data from their ECBI assessments. The ECBI has two scales: the Intensity Scale quantifies the severity of child behavioral problems, and the Problem Scale captures the caregiver's perceived difficulties handling each behavior. We conducted a retrospective investigation of the background of the foster parent-child pairs to explore potential causal relationships with behavioral problems. RESULTS: The mean intensity score for the foster group was significantly higher than that for the control group (p = 0.001). The mean problem scores for the foster group and the control group were not significantly different (p = 0.79). In the foster group, the retrospective investigation revealed two children with neurological or neurodevelopmental disorders, 17 with histories of abuse, and 10 with other issues. CONCLUSION: Intensity scores showed severe behavioral problems among foster children, perhaps caused by neurological disorders, abuse, parental mental health, or economic hardship. Problem scores showed no significant differences between groups. It can therefore be posited that foster parents might exhibit a more lenient parenting style when dealing with children who have a history of abuse by their biological parents.

Prenatal maternal negative life events associated with child emotional and behavioral problems in the French EDEN cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Prenatal negative life events (NLEs) have been linked to adverse health outcomes in children. However, few studies examine this relationship during late childhood using trajectory analyses. Additionally, the impact of specific NLEs domains on child development remains unclear. This study aims to longitudinally explore the association between NLEs (cumulative score and specific NLEs domains) and child outcomes from birth to late childhood. METHODS: 1135 mother-child pairs from the French EDEN cohort were followed from 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy up to 11 years of age. Maternal self-reports of prenatal NLEs were collected immediately after birth, then analyzed as a cumulative score and by NLEs domain. Children's emotional and behavioral symptoms were assessed at 4 timepoints through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. RESULTS: Children of mothers exposed to ≥3 NLEs were more likely to follow trajectories of high levels of peer relationship problems (aOR [95 % CI] = 5.69 [1.74-18.69]), emotional symptoms (aOR [95 % CI] = 3.05 [1.08-8.63]), and conduct problems (aOR [95 %] = 3.53 [1.20-10.42]). Among the domains of NLEs, only events related to housing, finance, and living conditions were significantly associated with high emotional and behavioral difficulties trajectories (aOR [95%CI] = 2.71[1.26-5.81]). LIMITATIONS: Potential attrition bias due to a higher dropout rate for children experiencing early indications of emotional and behavioral difficulties. CONCLUSION: Findings support the relationship between prenatal NLEs and child outcomes, underscoring the importance of assessing prenatal stressors across life domains to identify mothers who might be in need of support.

Early childhood attachment stability to mothers, fathers, and both parents as a network: associations with parents' well-being, marital relationship, and child behavior problems.

This study examines the stability of child attachment to mothers and fathers separately, and to both parents as a network between the infancy and preschool periods using a sample of 143 biparental families and their children (73 boys) recruited from the general population. Attachment was assessed at 15 months with the Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) and at 45 months with the Preschool Attachment Classification Coding System (PACS). First, results show no stability in attachment to mothers, to fathers, or to both parents as a network. Second, parents' mental health, life satisfaction, marital satisfaction, and child externalizing behavior are associated with attachment stability. Taken altogether, group comparisons reveal that children with a stable secure attachment to both parents as a network have parents with higher levels of well-being and exhibit less problem behaviors than children with 1) a stable secure attachment to one parent and an unstable attachment to the other parent (from secure to insecure or from insecure to secure), or 2) who never had a stable secure attachment to either parent. This study highlights the significance of attachment to both parents as a network over time as it is associated with developmental outcomes.

Towards agreement amongst parents, teachers and children on perceived psychopathology in children in a Kenyan socio-cultural context: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to determine levels of agreement between parents, teachers and children on mental symptoms in the children. Teachers, children and parents constitute the TRIAD in the perception of psychopathology in children. Analyzing the perceptions of psychopathology from the perspectives of parents, teachers, and children is essential for a comprehensive understanding of a child's mental health. METHODS: We identified 195 participants across ten randomly sampled primary schools in South East Kenya. Potential participants were randomly selected and a sampling interval calculated to determine the study participants. The children (Class 5-8; aged 11-14) completed the Youth Self-Report (YSR) scale, the parents the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL) on their children and the teachers completed the Teachers Rating Form (TRF) on the children. Only parents and teachers who gave consent as well as children who gave assent were included in the study. Analysis was conducted using Stata 14.1 and Pearson correlation coefficients used to calculate the correlations between CBCL, YSR and TRF. RESULTS: The children agreed least with the parents and more with the teachers. There was a greater agreement between the children and their teachers in 5 (2 internalizing disorders and 3 externalizing disorders) out of the 8 conditions. Children and parents agreed only on somatic disorders and conduct disorders. YSR mean scores were significantly lower than those for CBCL for all problem scales. Mean scores of TRF and YSR were comparable in the majority of the problems measured. CONCLUSION: We suggest broad-based psychoeducation to include children, parents/guardians and teachers to enhance shared awareness of psychopathology and uptake of treatment and for the consideration of an integrated mental health system.

The effectiveness of a dialogical family guidance intervention regarding child treatment response in families with a child with neurodevelopmental disorders.

BACKGROUND: Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) can have emotional and behavioral symptoms affecting not only the child, but the whole family. Since family members have a strong impact on each other, studies highlight the need to offer effective family interventions to strengthen the wellbeing of the family. The aim of the current study is to clarify whether there is a difference between parents` opinions regarding their child`s emotional and behavioral condition immediately after Dialogical Family Guidance (DFG) has ended and after a three and six month follow-up. METHOD: Fifty families with a child with NDD were randomized into two groups. Group 1 received DFG with an immediate starting point, and Group 2 received DFG after a three-month waiting period. Parent experiences of treatment response regarding their children`s emotional and behavioral symptoms were estimated before and after DFG using the parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-p) at baseline, and after three and six months. Additionally, comparisons between boys and girls, and the age of the child were analyzed. RESULTS: The total difficulties score between Group 1 and Group 2 showed no difference immediately after DFG, or after three months. Regarding subdomains boys had more peer problems than girls, and at baseline, children between 3 and 6 years appeared to have more conduct problems than children between 7 and 13 years. Subdomain prosocial behavior increased statistically significantly during the study period in Group 1. Other SDQ-p subdomains remained constant in both groups between baseline and three and six month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The result does not show any differences between parents` opinions regarding their child immediately after or three months after DFG regarding SDQ-p total difficulties scores in either group. The difference between younger and older children regarding conduct problems at baseline, and the difference between boys and girls regarding peer problems is worth paying attention to in the clinical setting. Because of the small sample, it is not possible to draw relevant conclusions regarding the intervention`s effect regarding the child`s mental health dimensions, gender, or age. Nevertheless, Dialogical family Guidance represents one intervention that can be used. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04892992 (retrospectively registered May 18th 2021).

The assessment of preschool children with ESSENCE symptoms: concordance between parents, preschool teachers and child psychologists.

BACKGROUND: It is important to detect children with Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations (ESSENCE) in order to implement early intervention and support for the child and family. Standardized instruments for assessment in different contexts of behaviour problems, engagement and psychosocial health obtain an objective picture of the preschool child's mental health. AIM: To explore and compare parents', preschool teachers' and child health care psychologists' assessment of behaviour, everyday function, engagement, social interaction and psychosocial health in children with ESSENCE symptoms. METHOD: Parents of 152 children (114 boys and 38 girls, 4.5 ± 1 years) with ESSENCE symptoms, 155 preschool teachers and 8 child psychologists participated. Parents and preschool teachers assessed externalizing and internalizing behavioural problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), including the SDQ supplement for assessing the impact of behavioral problems on daily function. Preschool teachers also assessed engagement and social interaction using the Children's Engagement Questionnaire (CEQ), and the child psychologists assessed psychosocial health with the Child Psychosocial Health Assessment (LillaLAPS) and template in conversations with parents of children with neurodevelopmental problems. RESULTS: Parents', preschool teachers' and child psychologists' assessment of the child's ESSENCE symptoms overall agreed. Both parents and preschool teachers see a strength in the child's social abilities. Differences in mean values show that parents assess more conduct, emotional symptoms and problems in daily life and more social skills, compared to the preschool teachers rating more peer problems. CONCLUSION: It is important to consider different contexts to identify the child's need for support in everyday life. Expanded use of validated screening instruments in clinical practice would promote detection of children not already identified as exhibiting neurodevelopmental problems.

Neighborhood features moderate genetic and environmental influences on children's social information processing.

Neighborhood is a key context where children learn to process social information; however, the field has largely overlooked the ways children's individual characteristics might be moderated by neighborhood effects. We examined 1,030 six- to 11-year-olds (48.7% female; 82% White) twin pairs oversampled for neighborhood disadvantage from the Twin Study of Behavioral and Emotional Development in Children. We evaluated neighbor reports (N = 1,880) of neighborhood structural and social characteristics as moderators of genetic and environmental influences on children's social processing. Although there was no evidence of moderation for children's hostile attributions, there was robust evidence that the social and structural characteristics of the neighborhood moderated the genetic and environmental origins of children's positive expectations of aggressive behavior. Specifically, we found that genetic influences on aggressive expectations increased in the presence of neighborhood deprivation and decreased in the presence of protective social processes and availability of resources. Such findings suggest that protective neighborhood social processes may buffer against the development of aggressive expectations during middle childhood by suppressing the expression of genetic influences on those outcomes. In doing so, they suggest that neighborhood social processes may be able to promote youth resilience to neighborhood deprivation "under the skin." (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Moment-to-moment within-person associations between maternal autonomy support and child defeat predicting child behavioral adjustment.

This study examines mother-child mutual regulation processes during a challenging puzzle task as predictors of preschoolers' behavioral adjustment 6 months later in a Chinese sample (N = 101, 46 boys, Mage = 57.41 months, SD = 6.58). Mother-child mutual regulation was measured by the moment-to-moment bidirectional within-person associations between maternal autonomy support and child defeat (i.e., expression of frustration, incapacity to complete the task, or giving up). Children whose mother provided more autonomy support after increases of child defeat showed lower levels of externalizing problems 6 months later, and children who showed less defeat after increases of maternal autonomy support showed higher levels of prosocial behaviors 6 months later. These predictive effects were significant after controlling for child behavioral adjustment at the initial time point, and mean levels of mother's autonomy support and child's defeat throughout the task. The mutual regulation processes did not significantly predict child internalizing problems. The findings suggest that the coordinated mother-child mutual regulation patterns in real time may have positive implications for preschoolers' behavioral adjustment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Maternal social isolation and behavioral problems in preschool children: the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study.

It is essential to clarify factors associated with mental health and behavioral problems in early childhood, because children are critical stages of life for mental health. We aimed to prospectively examine the associations between maternal social isolation and behavioral problems in preschool children. We analyzed data from 5842 mother-child pairs who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study. The Lubben Social Network Scale-abbreviated version was used to assess social isolation (defined as scores < 12) one year after delivery. The Child Behavior Checklist 1½-5 was used to assess behavioral problems, and its subscales were used to assess internalizing and externalizing problems in children at 4 years of age. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between social isolation and behavioral problems, after adjustment for age, education, income, work status, marital status, extraversion, neuroticism, depressive symptoms, child sex, and number of siblings. Multiple logistic regression analyses were also conducted for internalizing problems and externalizing problems. The prevalence of maternal social isolation was 25.4%. Maternal social isolation was associated with an increased risk of behavioral problems in children: the odds ratio (OR) was 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.64). Maternal social isolation was also associated with increased risks of internalizing problems and externalizing problems in children: the ORs were 1.33 (95% CI, 1.12-1.59) and 1.40 (95% CI, 1.18-1.66), respectively. In conclusion, maternal social isolation one year after delivery was associated with behavioral problems in children at 4 years of age.

Bidirectional associations between mental health problems and language ability across 8 years of childhood.

Research examining the development of behavior, emotions and language, and their intertwining is limited as only few studies had a longitudinal design, mostly with a short follow-up period. Moreover, most studies did not evaluate whether internalizing symptoms and externalizing symptoms are independently associated with language ability. This study examines bidirectional associations between internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms and language ability in childhood in a large, population-based cohort. Longitudinal data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a cohort of children in the United Kingdom followed from birth to 11 years (n = 10,878; 50.7% boys), were analyzed. Internalizing and externalizing symptoms were based on parent reports. Language ability (higher scores reflecting poorer ability) was assessed by trained interviewers at ages 3, 5, 7 and 11 years. Structural Equation Models (SEM) were performed, including random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) and cross-lagged panel models (CLPM). Internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms and language ability were stable over time and co-occur with each other from early life onwards. Over time, externalizing symptoms in early childhood were associated with less growth in language skills and with increases in internalizing symptoms. In late childhood, language ability was negatively associated with later internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The early start, co-occurrence and persistent nature of internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms and (poorer) language ability highlights the importance of comprehensive assessments in young children who present problems in one of these domains. Specifically, among children in the early grades of elementary school, those with language difficulties may benefit from careful monitoring as they are more likely to develop difficulties in behavior and emotions.

Family Rules and Routines During the Early Phases of Pediatric Cancer Treatment: Associations With Child Emotional and Behavioral Health.

OBJECTIVE: Consistent family rules and routines promote positive adaptation to stress and may be protective to child emotional and behavioral functioning. Few studies have quantified family engagement in these behaviors during pediatric cancer treatment or examined associations with child emotional and behavioral health. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational study, 86 primary caregivers of youth ages 2-14 years (M = 7.9) with an initial diagnosis of cancer within 16 weeks reported on their frequency of engagement in family rules and routines (e.g., sleep, schoolwork, and meal routines) before their child's cancer diagnosis and their current frequency of engagement in the same routines. Caregivers also reported demographics, psychosocial distress, and child emotional and behavioral health outcomes. Analyses examined demographic and psychosocial factors associated with engagement in rules and routines during cancer treatment, and associations with child emotional and behavioral health. RESULTS: Families reported a lower frequency of engagement in rules and routines during cancer treatment, compared to before treatment (mean difference 0.8 SDs [95% confidence interval 0.7-1.1 SDs]). Caregiver factors associated with lower engagement in rules and routines during treatment included being married, having lower educational attainment, and higher levels of psychosocial distress. Families who engaged in higher levels of rules and routines during treatment reported fewer child externalizing and behavioral challenges. There was limited evidence of association between family rules and routines and child internalizing outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Results found that engaging in family rules and routines during cancer treatment was associated with fewer child behavioral challenges during treatment. Future directions include longitudinal examinations of family rules, routines, and child emotional/behavioral outcomes to examine directional impact over time.

Physiological Dysregulation in Children With and Without Externalizing Difficulties: Novel Insights From Intensive Longitudinal Data.

Extant research on physiological dysregulation in children has focused on point-in-time measures and absolute mean levels of physiology. However, these methods do not capture dynamic fluctuations in physiology that characterize dysregulation. In the present work, we aimed to assess whether physiological dysregulation as captured by fluctuations rather than mean levels would differentiate between children with and without clinically elevated levels of externalizing behavior. As an exploratory approach, we examined fluctuations in children's physiological responses (i.e., root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD] in beat-to-beat heart rate intervals) to social transgression scenarios across 15 short-term measurement occasions (5-second bins). Controlling for mean RMSSD, as well as emotional and cognitive correlates of externalizing behavior (i.e., sympathy and inhibitory control), children with externalizing difficulties exhibited greater within-person fluctuations in RMSSD (i.e., physiological dysregulation) compared to children without externalizing difficulties. The present findings provide preliminary support for using intensive longitudinal data comprised of short-term physiological measurements and point to the centrality of within-child physiological variability as a marker of dysregulation, particularly amongst children with externalizing disorders for whom self-regulation is a core challenge.

Revisiting implications of early family economic conditions for adolescent adaptations: An integrative cascade model.

Implications of family economic conditions (FECs) for child development have been extensively examined. What remains sparse is research spanning multiple life stages to delineate the far-reaching influences of early FECs for child subsequent development in different domains and how various family stress and investment processes jointly account for such association. To address these gaps, using data from 929 families in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD Early Child Care Research Network, 2001, 2005), this study examined how family income-to-needs ratio (FITNR) when children were 1-36 months old was associated with child language skills, social competence, externalizing, and internalizing problems at 6th grade. Parental investment and maternal/paternal depressive symptoms and sensitivity when children were 54 months old and in 3rd grade were tested as potential mediators. Results indicated that early FITNR shaped child cognitive, social, and behavioral adaptation in early adolescence indirectly through parental investment, depressive symptoms, and sensitive parenting in the preschool period and middle childhood. Parental investment, depressive symptoms, and sensitive parenting played such mediating roles above and beyond each other. Parental investment primarily accounted for the association between early FITNR and child later language skills, whereas parental depressive symptoms and sensitive parenting uniquely explained the associations between early FITNR and child subsequent internalizing symptoms, externalizing problems, social competence, and language skills. Theoretical/practical implications of such findings were discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Is internet-based parent training for everyone? Predictors and moderators of outcomes in group vs. internet-based parent training for children with disruptive behavior problems.

Parent training is an effective treatment for disruptive behavior problems in children. However, as there is limited access to traditional face-to-face treatment, other delivery formats have been evaluated. This study aims to evaluate possible predictors and moderators of outcome, completion and engagement in parent training when delivered in group or through the internet. A recent randomized controlled non-inferiority trial (N = 161) demonstrated equal effectiveness of the parent training program Comet when delivered in group (gComet) and through the internet (iComet). Demographic, clinical and theory-driven variables were studied to find predictors and moderators of treatment effect, completion and engagement. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine predictors and moderators of change in disruptive behavior from baseline to the 3- and 12-month follow-up. Most variables did not have significant predictive or moderating effects. However, there were some variables that predicted or moderated outcomes that may have implications for practice (e.g., comorbid emotional problems, preferred treatment format, and ADHD). This trial can contribute to guiding clinical work with children with disruptive behavior and results indicate that parent training in both treatment formats can be offered regardless of a range of demographic and clinical factors. Taking patients' treatment preferences into account can increase treatment completion.

Longitudinal predictions between executive function and general and specific psychiatric problems in school-age children.

This study examined the longitudinal associations of various executive function components with subsequent psychiatric problems in Chinese school-age children. Data from 1,639 children (44.36% girls) ages 6-13 years were drawn from the Children School Functions and Brain Development project. Executive function components were assessed by the cancellation test, the Corsi test, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Psychiatric problems were determined by parent report. All assessments were administered twice, separated by a 1-year interval. Cross-lagged panel models showed that cognitive flexibility and general psychiatric problems (general p) mutually predicted each other. Worse inhibitory control at baseline significantly predicted more externalizing problems 1 year later, regardless of age, while externalizing problems did not significantly predict inhibitory control 1 year later. Working memory at baseline did not significantly predict internalizing problems and vice versa. These findings demonstrate that better inhibitory control may help to prevent or reduce externalizing problems in Chinese school-age children and that higher cognitive flexibility may help to mitigate general psychiatric problems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Child Neuropsychological Functioning and Interpersonal Callousness as Predictors of Externalising Behaviour in Early Adolescence: A Prospective Population-based Study.

Externalizing problems are a key predictor of individual functioning in adulthood. Therefore, identifying possible risk factors for externalising problems is valuable for optimising prevention and treatment programmes. Previous research has shown that (domains of) neuropsychological functioning predict externalising problems later in life. However, the influence of callous traits, and sex as potential moderators in this relation remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine associations between neuropsychological functioning in children (at age 8 years) and later externalising behaviour in adolescence (at age 14 years), as well as to test the role of callous traits (at age 10 years) and sex as moderating factors. The analyses were conducted using data from 661 Dutch children from the population-based Generation R Study (47.2% female). We found no association between neuropsychological functioning and later externalising behaviour. However, callous traits predicted externalising problems at age 14 years. Further, callous traits moderated the association between neuropsychological functioning and externalising behaviour, though this association dropped below the statistical significance level when adjusted for confounders. Specifically, while higher neuropsychological functioning was associated with more externalising behaviour in children with high callous traits, lower neuropsychological functioning was not associated with externalising behaviour in children with low callous traits. Although boys showed significantly higher externalising behaviours compared to girls, no moderating effect of sex was found on the association between neuropsychological functioning and externalising behaviour. These results add to a growing body of evidence supporting a distinct neurocognitive profile in children with high vs low callousness.

Una psicoterapia centrada en la parentalidad para tratar la psicopatología perinatal, sostener el vínculo madre-bebé y prevenir los trastornos en el niño / A psychotherapy focused on parenting to treat perinatal psychopathology, to support the mother-baby bond and to prevent disorders in the child

El embarazo y el año que sigue al parto son los períodos de la vida más propiciospara la emergencia de trastornos psicológicos en la mujer. Las consecuencias pueden convertirse en dramáticas paraella, para el vínculo con su hijo y para el desarrollo somático, social y psíquico de este último. Este artículo muestrapor qué es importante cuidar la dimensión psíquica de la parentalidad para un tratamiento eficaz de estos trastornos,a fin de que los efectos terapéuticos beneficien a la vez a la mujer, al vínculo madre-bebé y al niño. Se propone unmodelo de psicoterapia breve centrada en la parentalidad que permite intervenir desde el embarazo y luego incluir elniño en el posparto.(AU)

The pregnancy and first year following childbirth are the most conduciveperiods of life for the emergence of psychological disorders in women. The consequences can be dramatic forthem, for the bond with their child and for the child’s somatic, social and psychological development. This articleshows why it is important to take care of the psychic dimension of parenthood for an effective treatment ofthese disorders, so that the therapeutic effects benefit at the same time the woman, the mother-baby bondand the child. A model of brief psychotherapy focused on parentality is proposed, which allows to intervenefrom pregnancy and then to include the child in the postpartum period.(AU)

L’embaràs i l’any que segueix al part són els períodes de la vida més propicisper a l’emergència de trastorns psicològics en la dona. Les conseqüències poden esdevenir dramàtiques per aella, per al vincle amb el seu fill i per al desenvolupament somàtic, social i psíquic d’aquest. Aquest article mostraper què és important tenir cura de la dimensió psíquica de la parentalitat per a un tractament eficaç d’aqueststrastorns, per tal que els efectes terapèutics beneficiïn al mateix temps la dona, el vincle mare-nadó i el nen. Esproposa un model de psicoteràpia breu centrada en la parentalitat que permet intervenir des de l’embaràs idesprés incloure el nen al postpart.(AU)

Estimation and linkage between behavioral problems and social emotional competence among Pakistani young school children.

Behavioral problems are commonly occurring concerns in school children and if left unidentified can result in worse outcomes in any society. The research aims to explore the prevalence of behavioral problems and its association with social emotional competence in young school children from a community sample of Islamabad, Pakistan. The cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2021 in four public primary schools in Islamabad, Pakistan. Two stage cluster sampling was used to select study sites. The sample comprised 426 school children (males = 182, females = 195) aged 4-8 years (Mean age = 6.5, SD = 1.09), from three different grades kindergarten, 1, and 2, respectively. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Social Emotional Development Assessment (SEDA) were used to screen behavioral problems and social emotional competences of children. Data were analyzed using Stata 17. Prevalence for overall behavioral problems accounted for 65.4% (4-6 years) and 36.2% (6-8 years) in the abnormal (borderline and clinical) ranges of total problems. Social emotional competence scores were found significantly negatively associated with behavioral problems of children. The high prevalence necessitates the provision of mental health care to school-aged children. The findings should be taken as a call to Pakistan's policymakers, clinicians, and researchers to develop proper screening and management protocols for early intervention.

Mejorando la efectividad de la Terapia de Interacción Padres-Hijos (PCIT) con terapias contextuales: un estudio de caso único / Enhancing the Effectiveness of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) With Contextual Therapies: A Single Case Study

La Terapia de Interacción Padres-Hijos (PCIT) es una terapia bien establecida y de elección para trabajar los problemas de conducta en la infancia. En este trabajo se presenta el caso de un niño de siete años con conductas disruptivas. El tratamiento de elección fue PCIT en combinación con otras terapias contextuales como la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) y la Psicoterapia Analítica Funcional (FAP). Se utilizó un diseño de caso único AB con medidas repetidas de seguimiento. La intervención se llevó a cabo a lo largo de diez sesiones con dos medidas de seguimiento posteriores, al mes y al año de finalizar el tratamiento. Los resultados muestran que el tratamiento fue efectivo para reducir los problemas de conducta del niño, incrementar las conductas pro-sociales y mejorar el clima familiar, y se mantienen en el seguimiento a los 12 meses. Este trabajo aporta evidencia sobre la eficacia de PCIT para trabajar con los problemas de conducta en la infancia y destaca la importancia de la conceptualización contextual del caso y de la combinación de dichas terapias contextuales para mejorar los resultados de la intervención (AU)

in childhood. In this paper we present a 7-year-old boy case with disruptive behaviors. The treatment of choice was PCIT in combination with other contextual therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP). A single case AB design with repeated measures follow-up was used. The intervention was conducted over 10 sessions with 2 subsequent follow-up measures, at 1 month and 1 year after the end of treatment. The results show that the treatment was effective in reducing the child’s behavioral problems, increasing pro-social behaviors, and improving the family climate. Also, the results are maintained at 12-month follow-up. This paper provides evidence for the efficacy of PCIT in working with childhood behavior problems and it designates the importance of contextual case conceptualization and the combination of such contextual therapies in improving intervention outcomes (AU)