This dissertation describes an emotion knowledge intervention which was designed and conducted with four year old children with behaviour problems. The children’s parents and preschool teachers kept daily records of the children’s noncompliances to determine if there was any change in behaviour throughout the duration of the study. The children’s emotion knowledge and vocabulary ability were assessed and their parents completed a child behaviour checklist both before and after the intervention. The emotion knowledge intervention consisted of six sessions over a three week period. During the sessions the emotions angry, happy, sad and scared were discussed with the use of storybooks and games were played that involved identifying the emotions on faces of emotion cards and the children also practiced making the faces themselves. Results indicated that the intervention did not result in an increase in the children’s level of emotion knowledge or result in a change the children’s behaviour. Possible reasons for this lack of effect may have included an insufficient number of sessions to result in a change of emotion knowledge or the intervention may have been ineffective at increasing the children’s level of emotion knowledge.

The growing number of young children exhibiting conduct problems is a cause of serious concern for many early childhood teachers. Past research has shown that child centred play therapy (CCPT) may be effective for addressing conduct problems. However, little research has been carried out to study the impact of CCPT on children exhibiting these problems, through training early childhood teachers in using CCPT strategies. Therefore, the goal of this pilot study was to explore whether young children who have persistent conduct problems in early childhood settings in New Zealand would show improved behaviour following their early childhood teachers learning some play-therapy strategies. It also aimed to gather information from teachers about the suitability of play therapy strategies within the context of the New Zealand early childhood system. Two early childhood teachers and two children, aged 4 years participated in the study. Following the teachers’ training, a decrease in problem behaviour and a notable increase in positive play behaviour were observed for the two child-participants. These positive changes corresponded with the improved Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) (Goodman, 1997) scores as measured by the teachers. The Total Difficulties scores gained for both children were in the clinical range at the beginning of the study and had improved to the normal range at the followup. The results also showed that the teachers appeared to have benefited from the training and were very satisfied with the intervention outcomes. They found the training acceptable and intended to continue using play therapy strategies in their centre. The findings of the current study extend previous research by demonstrating the teachers’ ability to deliver CCPT strategies. Some limitations of the current study included the limited number of observations during baseline, utilising teachers involved in the CCPT training as the source of data on children, and the absence of the parent report measures. The study findings have some important implications for early childhood centres and for further research.

The movement towards the provision of evidence-based services has become increasingly important to psychological practice (CPA Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice of Psychological Treatments, 2012; Levant, 2005). One of the key components of this movement is the summarizing and dissemination of important findings to key stakeholders for interventions using techniques such as meta-analysis. Meta-analyses are typically based on reviews of the published literature on a particular topic, but increasingly researchers are acknowledging the importance of examining and including unpublished, grey literature in their reviews in presenting an accurate picture of a body of literature (Hopewell, McDonald, Clarke, & Egger, 2008; McAuley, Pham, Tugwell, & Moher, 2000). However, the inclusion of grey literature in meta-analyses and reviews remains controversial (Coad, Hardicre, & Devitt, 2006; Martin, Perez, Sacristan, & Alvarez, 2005; Seymour, 2010). A number of reviews of behavioural parenting interventions have been conducted. The body of literature in this area continues to grow quickly, and recent meta-analyses in this area have examined only subsets of the literature, thus necessitating an overall examination of all available literature in this area: published and unpublished. The present meta-analysis synthesized the results of 42 published and 6 unpublished behavioural parenting intervention studies conducted between 1966 and 2011. In the first manuscript, treatment efficacy was examined with respect to three different outcomes (parent behaviour, child behaviour, and parent adjustment). I also examined the differential effects of six moderator variables in two categories: child characteristics (child formal diagnostic status and child age) and methodological characteristics (overall quality, comparison group, experimenter allegiance, and publication status). In the second manuscript, I examined both the advantages and challenges of including grey literature in meta-analyses, and explored the use of an innovative search program. I also explored the influence of the inclusion of grey literature on outcomes, including whether effect sizes, sample homogeneity, and publication bias indices are affected by the inclusion of grey literature. Results of the present study confirm the efficacy of behavioural parenting interventions on parent behaviour, child behaviour, and parent adjustment outcomes. Further, I extend the knowledge base through the inclusion of recent reports, grey literature, searches of basic search engines such as Google and Yahoo, and the examination of previously unexplored moderator variables. My results underline the importance of consistent reporting practices in the field and their impact on the availability of evidence for policy-makers, administrators, researchers, clinicians and consumers. I also discuss the implications of these findings for the provision of evidence-based services for parents, knowledge translation, and grey literature.

Children with behaviour problems tend to be more unengaged and low-achieving at school than children without behaviour difficulties. This systematic literature review is highlighting the meaning of intervention to support children towards the school engagement.  The interventions for decreasing behaviour problems, is seen as a facilitator to be engaged. The school engagement will lead to an academic achievement at school. Early engagement has impact for longer in future in child’s life. The engagement in kindergarten has influence in primary school engagement and achievement. Therefore, intervening in early age to support children at-risk, will lead to better possibilities in learning. The risk factors can be child’s socioeconomical status, race, disability and parent’s low involvement in the school settings. Behaviour problem has pointed out to be hindering factor for the school engagement and this means missed opportunities in learning. This might lead even more disruptive behaviour. That kind of behaviour is challenging for the whole classroom, since it affects on everyone’s learning. Teacher’s attitudes manifest the self-worthiness in students. Supportive and friendly environment at school embraces the participation to the school settings. Especially, children from low socioeconomical families tend to score lower at school. These children need more intervening from the teacher to cultivate the school engagement. This systematic review analysed the data from 14 different articles from Europe, USA and Australia.

The movement towards the provision of evidence-based services has become increasingly important to psychological practice (CPA Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice of Psychological Treatments, 2012; Levant, 2005). One of the key components of this movement is the summarizing and dissemination of important findings to key stakeholders for interventions using techniques such as meta-analysis. Meta-analyses are typically based on reviews of the published literature on a particular topic, but increasingly researchers are acknowledging the importance of examining and including unpublished, grey literature in their reviews in presenting an accurate picture of a body of literature (Hopewell, McDonald, Clarke, & Egger, 2008; McAuley, Pham, Tugwell, & Moher, 2000). However, the inclusion of grey literature in meta-analyses and reviews remains controversial (Coad, Hardicre, & Devitt, 2006; Martin, Perez, Sacristan, & Alvarez, 2005; Seymour, 2010). A number of reviews of behavioural parenting interventions have been conducted. The body of literature in this area continues to grow quickly, and recent meta-analyses in this area have examined only subsets of the literature, thus necessitating an overall examination of all available literature in this area: published and unpublished. The present meta-analysis synthesized the results of 42 published and 6 unpublished behavioural parenting intervention studies conducted between 1966 and 2011. In the first manuscript, treatment efficacy was examined with respect to three different outcomes (parent behaviour, child behaviour, and parent adjustment). I also examined the differential effects of six moderator variables in two categories: child characteristics (child formal diagnostic status and child age) and methodological characteristics (overall quality, comparison group, experimenter allegiance, and publication status). In the second manuscript, I examined both the advantages and challenges of including grey literature in meta-analyses, and explored the use of an innovative search program. I also explored the influence of the inclusion of grey literature on outcomes, including whether effect sizes, sample homogeneity, and publication bias indices are affected by the inclusion of grey literature. Results of the present study confirm the efficacy of behavioural parenting interventions on parent behaviour, child behaviour, and parent adjustment outcomes. Further, I extend the knowledge base through the inclusion of recent reports, grey literature, searches of basic search engines such as Google and Yahoo, and the examination of previously unexplored moderator variables. My results underline the importance of consistent reporting practices in the field and their impact on the availability of evidence for policy-makers, administrators, researchers, clinicians and consumers. I also discuss the implications of these findings for the provision of evidence-based services for parents, knowledge translation, and grey literature.

The early onset of externalizing behaviour problems (EBP) is associated with negative outcomes later in life, such as poor mental health, substance use, crime, and unemployment. Some children also develop conduct disorder (CD), entailing a high disease and economic burden for both individuals and society. Most studies on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of parenting interventions targeting EBP among children have evaluated selective or indicated preventive interventions, or treatment strategies. Evidence on the effectiveness of universally delivered parenting programmes is controversial, partly due to methodological difficulties. The overall aim of this thesis was to 1) address the methodological challenges of evaluating universal parenting programmes, and to 2) employ different health economic methods to evaluate parenting interventions for EBP and CD in children. Study I indicated that offering low intensity levels of Triple P universally, with limited intervention attendance, does not result in improved outcomes, and may not be a worthwhile use of public resources. Study II showed that using the distribution of an outcome variable makes it possible to estimate the impact of public health interventions at the population level. Study III supports offering bibliotherapy to initially target CP in children, whereas Comet could be offered to achieve greater effects based on decision-makers’ willingness to make larger investments. Cope could be offered when targeting symptom improvement, rather than clinical caseness. The economic decision model in Study IV demonstrated that Triple P for the treatment of CD appears to represent good value for money, when delivered in a Group format, but less likely, when delivered in an Individual format. To reduce the burden of mental health problems in childhood, cost-effective and evidence-based interventions should be provided on a continuum from prevention through early intervention to treatment. We believe our results can assist decision-makers in resource allocation to this field.

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mso-style-parent:"" / mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt / mso-para-margin-top:0cm / mso-para-margin-right:0cm / mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt / mso-para-margin-left:0cm / line-height:115% / mso-pagination:widow-orphan / font-size:11.0pt / font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif" / mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri / mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin / mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri / mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin / mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman" / mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi / mso-fareast-language:EN-US / } </style> <![endif]--> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">Behaviour problems have been on the rise in Kenyan schools for some time now. Various maladaptive behaviours found among school children include bullying, vandalism, stealing, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, not completing homework assignments and other forms of problem behaviours. These problem behaviours impact negatively on the teaching and learning enterprises of schools as well as on the safety and security of the school environment. As consequence, schools have to develop student behaviour management practices aimed at addressing student problem behaviours. Corporal punishment was a major means by which schools dealt with students&rsquo / problem behaviours. However, because of the human rights abuses associated with corporal punishment, the Kenyan Ministry of Education had to abolish corporal punishment in 2001 and instructed schools to evolve more effective student behaviour management practices with strong emphasis on positive student behaviour development. Schools&rsquo / student behaviour management practices including policies on student behaviour expectations, school rules and regulations as well as counselling services are all to be coordinated by each School Disciplinary Panel. A School Disciplinary Panel is to be composed of small group of teachers as a way of emphasizing the latter&rsquo / s roles in student behaviour development and not just student academic or educational development. The central concern of this study was to investigate the Kenyan schools&rsquo / behaviour management practices as being implemented by School Disciplinary Panels especially in the latter&rsquo / s responses to students&rsquo / problem behaviours. The study investigated processes of decision making by Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels for the management of student behaviours and the contribution of this to student behaviour development. Mixed methods research design was adopted for the study. The adoption of both quantitative and qualitative approaches was to ensure the collection of comprehensive information for better understanding of the behaviour management practices of Kenyan schools. The population for the study comprised all Kenyan schools with behaviour management practices and School Disciplinary Panels. Rongo District, one of the largest education districts in Kenya was chosen for the study. Ten of the schools in this district were actually involved in the study. The selection of the schools took into consideration the three different types of schools in Kenya (Girls&rsquo / Only, Boys&rsquo / Only and Co-educational schools) as well as other variables of particular interest to the study. Seventy-eight (78) disciplinary panel members from the ten selected schools were the participants of the study. Data collection was by use of questionnaire method (the Modified Choice Dilemma Questionnaire, MCDQ) and interview protocol.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">&nbsp / </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:0cm / margin-bottom:.0001pt / line-height: normal / mso-layout-grid-align:none / text-autospace:none" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">The findings of the study revealed the existence of the phenomenon of group polarization in decision making processes of disciplinary hearings conducted by the School Disciplinary Panels. Study findings also revealed that the nature of information shared during disciplinary hearings, group members&rsquo / motivation for approval of others and their concern for their status in the group as well as the personality characteristics of the members of the disciplinary panels (including gender, age, teaching experiences and school affiliation) were the major influences responsible for the existence of group polarization in the disciplinary processes of the Kenyan secondary school disciplinary panels. Since group polarization is about consensus decisions with characteristics of being collective decisions as well as greater support and acceptance for the decisions the conclusion of the study is that good quality decisions of Kenyan secondary school </span><span style="font-size: 11.5pt / font-family:&quot / TimesNewRomanPSMT&quot / ,&quot / serif&quot / mso-bidi-font-family:TimesNewRomanPSMT">disciplinary panels have great potentials for effective management of student behaviours and for positive behavioural development of students as an important objective of education and or the schools.</span></p> </p>

<p>Läroplanen är föränderlig över tid och har kunnat återspegla sin samtid samhällets rådande grundintentioner. Piaget, Dewey och Vygotskij har alla påverkat den svenska läroplanens utformning på olika sätt och skapat olika förutsättningar och svårigheter för individen och dennes utveckling. En undersökning som byggde på 15 lärares upplevelser fokuserade på huruvida den senaste läroplanen skapade problem för eleverna och hur de i så fall uttrycktes. Resultaten visade att läroplanen i sig inte var den avgörande, utan att yttre faktorer såsom media, samhällets struktur och föräldrar hade en större betydelse för hur eleverna fungerade i skolan. Flera lärare kommenterade nya fenomen som råare attityder mellan flickor, lustbarn och starkt präglad individualism vilka alla kan ses som vidare underlag för framtida forskning.</p>

Läroplanen är föränderlig över tid och har kunnat återspegla sin samtid samhällets rådande grundintentioner. Piaget, Dewey och Vygotskij har alla påverkat den svenska läroplanens utformning på olika sätt och skapat olika förutsättningar och svårigheter för individen och dennes utveckling. En undersökning som byggde på 15 lärares upplevelser fokuserade på huruvida den senaste läroplanen skapade problem för eleverna och hur de i så fall uttrycktes. Resultaten visade att läroplanen i sig inte var den avgörande, utan att yttre faktorer såsom media, samhällets struktur och föräldrar hade en större betydelse för hur eleverna fungerade i skolan. Flera lärare kommenterade nya fenomen som råare attityder mellan flickor, lustbarn och starkt präglad individualism vilka alla kan ses som vidare underlag för framtida forskning.

Darbe analizuojama socialinio pedagogo veiklos specifika, poreikis bei pagalbos teikimo ir įtakos darymo galimybės, elgesio problemų turintiems paaugliams, dirbant prevencinio darbo grupėje. Gilinamasi į pagrindines, su paaugliais susijusias problemas ir stengiamasi nustatyti elgesio problemų turinčius paauglius charakterizuojančius požymius, bei probleminį elgesį skatinančius veiksnius. Aptariami elgesio problemų turinčių paauglių bruožai ir netinkamo elgesio atsiradimo priežastys. Tyrimo rezultatai mokykloje rodo, kad elgesio problemų turintys paaugliai sudaro didelę dalį mokykloje besimokančiųjų paauglių. Būtina plėsti socialinės pedagoginės pagalbos, kurios pagrindas – pedagoginės ir psichologinės pagalbos sąveika, galimybes, pasitelkiant prevencinio darbo grupę mokykloje. Siekiant bendradarbiavimo, apklausiami mokyklos pedagogai, kad paaiškėtų jų požiūris į socialinio pedagogo galimybes ir perspektyvas dirbant kolektyve. Platesnių galimybių tyrimui organizuojamas interviu, prevencinio darbo grupės nariams, kurio metu paaiškėja grupės veiklos nauda, galimybės ir perspektyvos dirbant su elgesio problemų turinčiais paaugliais. / The thesis analyses the peculiarities of work of a social educator in problem behaviour preventing group, providing help and suggesting practical ways of improving the difficult behaviour in youth. The thesis also covers the main questions in development of behaviour problems, uncover the factors that can influence conduct disorder in youth, deals with the traits of demeanor and the possible causes of misbehaviour. The study shows that youth with behaviour problems make the majority of school students. Social educators have to face the problems by early intervention with help based on educational and psychological interaction in accordance with the work of preventive group at school. The school teachers were inquired on their attitude towards the work of social educators and possibilities of mutual cooperation were discussed. To widen the possibilities of a broader research, interviews were hold for the members of the preventive group. Evidence suggests that interventions can reduce the chances that children will develop serious behaviour problems.