The objective of this study was to examine symptomatology; stress responses for everyday academic and social stressors; and cognitive coping resources among 11-year-old children adopted from Romanian orphanages. Two groups were established by the amount of time spent within the institutional system. Early adoptees (EAs, n=25) spent less than 6 months while late adoptees (LAs, n=14) endured 6 months or more of institutionalization. A comparison group of non adopted, same-age peers (Canadian Born (CBs), n=25) was included. The first goal was to investigate whether there were differences between EAs and LAs in ratings of symptomatology and stress responses. The second goal was to compare all Romanian adoptees (RAs) to CBs on the same set of factors. The third goal was to identify predictors of symptomatology and predictors of stress responses for RAs only. The main findings were as follows. EAs and LAs did not differ in any symptom ratings or stress responses, showing a lack of evidence for duration of deprivation as a grouping factor. Significant differences were detected by adoption status. Ratings were higher for RAs than CBs in parent-rated symptomatology, including the rate of RAs who exceeded the borderline clinical cut-off. RAs reported less secondary control coping for social stressors than CBs. Models to predict symptoms from stress responses were not supported, with one exception. More disengagement coping for social stress and less involuntary disengagement for academic stress predicted less externalizing and generalized symptoms by teacher report. Models to predict stress responses from cognitive coping resources were significant except for disengagement coping. One of the main findings was that predictors of secondary control coping varied by stressor domain. In conclusion, the findings were important in demonstrating that duration of deprivation does not differentiate between post-institutionalized preadolescents in aspects of psychosocial adjustment. Adoption status is a significant factor. Stress responses do not contribute to models of symptoms. The cognitive coping resources of perceived academic competency and social-support contribute to models of stress responses, yet with room to improve the predictive power of the models. Implications of the findings are discussed along with limitations and directions for future research.

The objective of this study was to examine symptomatology; stress responses for everyday academic and social stressors; and cognitive coping resources among 11-year-old children adopted from Romanian orphanages. Two groups were established by the amount of time spent within the institutional system. Early adoptees (EAs, n=25) spent less than 6 months while late adoptees (LAs, n=14) endured 6 months or more of institutionalization. A comparison group of non adopted, same-age peers (Canadian Born (CBs), n=25) was included. The first goal was to investigate whether there were differences between EAs and LAs in ratings of symptomatology and stress responses. The second goal was to compare all Romanian adoptees (RAs) to CBs on the same set of factors. The third goal was to identify predictors of symptomatology and predictors of stress responses for RAs only. The main findings were as follows. EAs and LAs did not differ in any symptom ratings or stress responses, showing a lack of evidence for duration of deprivation as a grouping factor. Significant differences were detected by adoption status. Ratings were higher for RAs than CBs in parent-rated symptomatology, including the rate of RAs who exceeded the borderline clinical cut-off. RAs reported less secondary control coping for social stressors than CBs. Models to predict symptoms from stress responses were not supported, with one exception. More disengagement coping for social stress and less involuntary disengagement for academic stress predicted less externalizing and generalized symptoms by teacher report. Models to predict stress responses from cognitive coping resources were significant except for disengagement coping. One of the main findings was that predictors of secondary control coping varied by stressor domain. In conclusion, the findings were important in demonstrating that duration of deprivation does not differentiate between post-institutionalized preadolescents in aspects of psychosocial adjustment. Adoption status is a significant factor. Stress responses do not contribute to models of symptoms. The cognitive coping resources of perceived academic competency and social-support contribute to models of stress responses, yet with room to improve the predictive power of the models. Implications of the findings are discussed along with limitations and directions for future research.

Executive functions impact everyday functioning. An individual’s ability to adapt to and navigate their physical and social environments is largely determined by the ability to organize oneself, to plan and to coordinate activities. Despite the wide variety of cognitive tests that assess various aspects of executive function, there has been little work to validate the use of these measures in predicting real world functioning (Sbordone, Seyranian, & Ruff, 2000), particularly in children where characterization of executive function is less specified. Evaluating the ecological validity of neuropsychological tests has become an increasingly important topic over the past decade (Chaytor & Schmitter- Edgecombe, 2003). Ecologically valid assessments of executive function and attentional deficits provide insight into deficits related to the child’s everyday adaptive functioning, which can assist in identifying targets for interventions. Although many performance based measures and caregiver behavior checklists exist for assessing a wide range of behaviors and adaptive functioning skills in children, comprehensive measures of executive functions are relatively new and largely unexplored. The purpose of this study was to investigate and to define better the relationship between attention and corresponding behaviors that represent executive functions and social/adaptive functioning. More specifically, this study sought to explore the correlation between ratings of varying subcomponents of attention (e.g., selective attention, sustained attention, and attentional control/switching), executive function behaviors, and ratings of social/adaptive functioning. Additionally, gender considerations were examined with aims to determine how this factor may affect the degree of relationship between the proposed variables.  Results of multiple regression and correlational analyses revealed the ability of child attentional performance to predict executive function and social/adaptive functioning behaviors. As parent/caregiver and teacher ratings of executive function behaviors increased thus noting adept skills in these areas of functioning child performance on measures of selective attention, sustained attention, and attentional control/shifting were also reported to improve. Future research should continue to explore the construct validity, positive predictive power, negative predictive power, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch).

The object of this master research – social and psychopedagogical peculiarities of pre-school age children’s unsuccessful upbringing. The basis of research is Vilnius kindergarten “Pasakaitė”. The scientific problem is based on conditions and motion of pre-school age children’s unsuccessful upbringing. There were applied these methods of research: analytical generalization of social, psychological and pedagogical literature on the chosen theme; individual, selected conversations with parents and educators; inter-psychological method; pedagogical consultation – the method “Reevihiation Counsaling” by Harvey Jekins; observation of children’s behavior; mathematical and graphic edition of collected material. Analysing the object of research there was made analytic review of Lithuanian and foreign scientific literature, close to the subject of this master work. There were exposed concrete conditions of children’s upbringing in family and disclosed such capacities and specific features of upbringing as: parents from reserched families don’t have a discussion solving the problems of children’s upbringing; they often don’t come to the common conclusions on children’s behavior, don’t reconcile and don’t change consecutive actions of their children; reproach them for their characteristic features; seeking the right behavior of children, punish them too often and don’t chose the methods, applying which it could be possible to change their behavior; there is such an attitude in these... [to full text]

Ao trabalhar com indivíduos e suas famílias, as enfermeiras têm a oportunidade de incentivar e testemunhar algumas histórias de sofrimento. Assim sendo, é importante que identifiquemos o sofrimento para conseguirmos aliviá-lo. O sofrimento é uma experiência particular que freqüentemente traz consigo isolamento e alienação dos outros; pode, ainda, significar experienciar, passar ou tolerar a angústia, tristeza, perda e/ou modificações não-desejadas ou não-previstas. Dentro do contexto de doença, é necessário que se fale sobre o sofrimento. A hospitalização pode trazer inúmeras fontes de sofrimento. O presente estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a experiência de sofrimento da criança em idade escolar na situação de hospitalização e doença. Foi utilizada a pesquisa de narrativa como estratégia metodológica e a análise dos dados foi baseada no Modelo de Sofrimento, de Morse e Carter. As autoras descrevem o Modelo como dois largos e divergentes estados de comportamento: enduring/tolerância e sofrimento. A partir das narrativas de 14 crianças que vivenciavam a hospitalização ou a doença, aprendeu-se sobre os eventos cotidianos do hospital, que compõem a experiência de sofrimento da criança. Estes eventos são considerados novos e marcantes, chegando com muitas restrições à vida da criança, marcando suas perdas e, assim, determinando o contexto da experiência. A experiência da criança é representada por cinco categorias: CONHECENDO O SOFRIMENTO CAUSADO PELA DOENÇA evidencia a chegada da própria doença, onde começa um novo processo de sua vida, tendo de mudar algumas atividades do dia-a-dia, já que a doença é evidente e lhe causa desconforto, mal-estar e leva à hospitalização. TOLERANDO PARA SOBREVIVER A EXPERIÊNCIA DE DOENÇA é quando a criança, ao ser hospitalizada, se percebe ameaçada em sua integridade e logo no momento da internação reage, tolerando a experiência, sem demonstrar suas emoções. RELAXANDO DA TOLERÂNCIA PARA LIBERAR SUAS EMOÇÕES, quando a energia da criança se esgota, representando os momentos em que ela chora compulsivamente, tendo atitudes de indignação, protestando, expressando seu descontentamento. VIVENDO O SOFRIMENTO é quando a criança entende a doença e percebe que depende do tratamento para sair da situação de hospitalização, no entanto, não significando que ela aceita ser ou estar doente. FLUTUANDO ENTRE A TOLERÂNCIA E O SOFRIMENTO é quando a criança não passa pela experiência de forma linear, mas sim vive momentos de tolerância e outros de profundo sofrimento. Assim, o sofrimento ou tolerância da criança é determinado pelo contexto da experiência e pelo suporte ou interações que se depara. Oferecer oportunidades para que a criança possa se expressar a fim de tornar o sofrimento suportável é obrigação da enfermagem / While working with individuals and their families, nurses have the oportunity to stimulate them and testify to some stories of suffering. Therefore, it is important to identify the suffering in order to relieve it. Suffering is a singular experience that frequentily brings isolation and alienation from others; it also represents a life experience where anguish, sadness, loss and unwanted and unpredictable changes must be endured. Within the context of sickness it is necessary to speak of suffering. Hospitalization is responsible for numerous sources of suffering. The aim of this study is to understand the experience of suffering of school-age children while sick and hospitalized. The study used the Narrative inquiry as a methodological approach and is based on the Model of Suffering, from Morse and Carter, as a theoretical reference. The authors describe the Model in terms of two diferent states of behavior: enduring and suffering. Using 14 narratives of sick and hospitalized children, it was possible to learn about the events of the hospital, that compose the experience of suffering of the child. These events are considered new and significant, bringing many restrictions to their lives, causing loss and then determining the context of their experience. The experience of the child is represented by five categories: KNOWING THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY THE DESEASE, is the evidence of becoming aware of the sickness, how to start this new process in theirs lives, adjust to the changes of day-to-day activities, as the disease is evidently the cause of discomfort, and hospitalization. ENDURING IN ORDER TO SURVIVE THE EXPERIENCE OF SICKNESS, is when the child is hospitalized and realises that their integrity is threatened and resist the experience without showing their feelings. RELAXING FROM ENDURING IN ORDER TO FREE THEIR EMOTIONS, is when the child’s energy is depleted, representing the moments in which the child cries uncontrollably, acting with protest, expressing their frustration. LIVING THE SUFFERING, is when the child understands the disease and the fact that the treatment is the means of which the child may leave the hospital, but it does not mean that they accept being sick. FLOATING BETWEEN ENDURING AND SUFFERING, is when the child do not go through the experience without living moments of enduring and others of deep suffering. Therefore, the suffering or enduring of the child is determined by the context of the experience and by the support or interaction that surrounds them. To offer the child oportunities to express themselves in order to make the suffering bearable is an obligation of nursing

Abstract COVID-19, as named by the World Health Organization, is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome, coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). This study is a spatiotemporal analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in school-age children (5-18 years) in Washington and Johnson County, Tennessee and the possible relationship between public policies and the rate of infection. The first cases in Tennessee were documented in March 2020, with data being collected since that time. Daily data are accessible on the Tennessee Health Department COVID-19 dashboard with the number of new cases, hospitalizations, and deaths grouped by county in ages 5-11 years and 12-18 years. As this disease spread, government officials mandated different policies: mask mandates, stay at home, restrictions of public gatherings, and school closure, but many schools eventually allowed physical attendance. Emerging spatiotemporal hotspots are analyzed to identify the spatial clustering patterns of hot and cold spots with statistical significance using the Moran I statistical model in ArcGIS. The Change point detection tool in ArcGIS makes inferences about significant changes in trends over time; it was used to identify when significant changes occur. This is an ongoing project that will inform the approach I will adopt for my thesis, statistical tools will be used to determine the correlation between the time the change occurred and the implementation of policies, with an estimated 14-day lag time. Finally, the findings from both age groups will be compared. This study aims to help policymakers make better-informed decisions when responding to future pandemics.

Children with language impairment (LI) often demonstrate difficulties in social communication. Although a number of general social communication interventions have been suggested, there is relatively little work done to examine the efficacy of these interventions for school-age children with LI, and none reported to target general emotional competence. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects on teacher perception of an intervention designed to improve emotion understanding. The intervention was centered on the presentation and use of children's stories to introduce and practice aspects of emotion understanding. The withdrawn and sociable subscales of the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS) were selected as variables on which to measure teacher perception. Following treatment five of the six participants scored higher ratings of prosocial behavior, with two demonstrating overall reductions in withdrawn behavior and increases in sociable behavior. For one of these participants, the reported progress was notable. The most positive indicator of change following treatment was the reduction in solitary-active withdrawal behavior reported for three of the participants. A reduction in this type of behavior would most likely have an important impact on the quality of social interactions experienced by these individuals.

Recent research indicates that many children with Language Impairment (LI) have difficulty with social communication skills. This study assessed the impact of a social communication intervention on teacher perceptions of social withdrawal in children who received the treatment. The intervention targeted emotion understanding using the presentation of children's stories, facial picture cards, and journaling. Teacher perception was measured using the three withdrawal subscales of the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS): Solitary-Active withdrawal, Solitary-Passive withdrawal, and Reticence. Following treatment all five participants received lower ratings of withdrawn behavior on some of the subscales. Only one participant received a rating indicting increased withdrawn behavior (on a single subscale). The most positive indicators of change following treatment were the reduction in Solitary-Active withdrawal for three of the participants and the reduction of Reticent withdrawal for three participants. This study reveals promising results for social communication intervention in children with LI in the area of withdrawn behaviors.

Research has shown that children with Language Impairment (LI) struggle with social communication skills in addition to their characteristic syntactic difficulties. This pilot study analyzed the potential change in grammatical complexity in narratives of five children with LI when enrolled in a social communication intervention. The intervention itself focused on teaching emotion understanding by reading and reenacting children’s stories and journaling. Grammatical limitations were indirectly addressed by clinician modeling of complex forms during the intervention sessions. Each child’s productions were assessed and analyzed for grammatical complexity during retelling a book in the Mercer Mayer “a boy, a dog, and a frog” series. The children performed this task once a week during the course of the intervention. Specific measures used included the average length of terminable unit (T-unit) and the number of subordinate clauses used in each narrative. Three students’ productions remained steady throughout the course of the interventions; their grammatical complexity neither increased nor decreased. One student’s production showed a clear decrease in complexity but was explained by an obvious and arguably more creative change in her language output. One student’s grammatical complexity increased throughout the sessions as indicated by a steady increase in the average length of T-unit. Thus, the results of this study were equivocal. There were several limitations, however, that might be addressed in future intervention studies.

The purpose of the present study is to test the feasibility of implementing a video-game based intervention protocol as a means to improve therapy compliance in school age children with hyperfunctional voice disorders. Three levels of modification were made to an existing entertainment software program in order to implement the therapeutic protocol and test compatibility. The third level of modification included a two-phase quasi-experimental single subject design with a school age participant receiving the video game therapy protocol and traditional therapy for equal time. The independent variables for this study included the mode of voice therapy delivery (traditional vs. video game). The dependent variables included therapy compliance, perceptual evaluations and acoustic measures. This study found that a purely entertainment video game can be implemented as a therapeutic protocol for a school age child diagnosed with a vocal pathology. Results illustrated no change in compliance with non-traditional therapy versus traditional therapy. However, perceptual measures improved post treatment for breathiness, strain and overall severity, as well as significant differences for mean amplitude. Discussion will focus on implications of employing video game based therapy and design of future studies.