Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

This study explored the reliability and discriminant validity of a new narrative measure, the Teddy Bear's Picnic (Mueller, 1996), in a small non-clinical community sample of 5 year olds (n=35). The measure is designed for use with young children, and reveals internally represented psychosocial themes through the use of a story telling technique. The Teddy Bear's Picnic measure consists of nine incomplete story stems which are administered to children individually, using a range of age appropriate toys and props. Each story is based on an imaginative scenario involving a family of toy bears. Children are presented with the stories in a specific order, each of which poses an unresolved hypothetical conflict; following which they are asked to complete the unfinished story in response to the prompt "what happens next? " Concurrent parent and teacher measures were gathered as part of a larger ongoing study in the same community. Parents and teachers were asked to complete a brief 25 item rating scale, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ: Goodman, 1997), and one categorical question asking them to rate level of concern about the child's behaviour (based on the work of Stallard, 1995). The study aimed to examine the associations between coded thematic material generated from the Teddy Bear's Picnic, and parent and teacher rated behaviour problems and global concern about behaviour. Associations were all in the expected direction, but not statistically significant. Inter-rater reliability was acceptable for total positive theme scores (r = . 91, p < . 001), and approached acceptability for negative total theme scores(r = . 58, p < . 05). Problems were particularly apparent in the use of TBP composite total scores. Internal consistency of total theme scores and factor based subscale scores (derived from Mueller, 1996), revealed low alpha coefficients (alpha = . 42 -. 59). Discriminant function analysis demonstrated that in this study, the TBP was unable to correctly classify children into parent and teacher rated groupings, based on both measures. Further studies would benefit from larger samples than were available to Mueller (1996) and the present study. However, the measure appears promising as a method for eliciting psychologically relevant themes from young children, but findings suggest that further work is required in developing its psychometric properties.

BACKGROUND: In Ontario, school closures due to the pandemic lasted 20 weeks at various times throughout March 2020 to June 2021; longer than any Canadian province or territory. School closures may have had a detrimental impact on school-aged children’s academic and psychological functioning. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to examine the variability in child mental/emotional mental health in association with family factors (caregiver depression, caregiver anxiety, overreactive parenting, partner conflict, work-family conflict) and COVID-19 experiences (health-related stressors, resource-related stressors, positive experiences) among children from two-caregiver working households in Ontario METHODS: Data came from the second iteration of the Ontario Parent Survey. The cross-sectional analysis (n=5787) was restricted to working adults, part of a two-caregiver household, with a child aged 4 to 17 years. Sample selection reflected the focus on work-family conflict and partner-conflict as important predictors of interest. Parent-reported, child negative affect and the negative impact on child functioning since the pandemic started, were the main outcomes of interest. Hierarchal linear regression models were constructed, and each group of predictors (covariates, family factors and COVID-19 experiences) were added in a step-wise fashion. Findings were also stratified by child age and child gender. Missing data were handled via multiple imputations. RESULTS: The final model accounted for 38.7% of the variability in negative affect scores, and 24.1% of the variability in COVID-19 negative impact scores. Negative affect was significantly associated with all family factors, resource-related COVID-19 stressors and positive COVID-19 experiences. The negative impact of COVID-19 on child functioning was significantly associated with all COVID-19 experiences and all family factors except overreactive parenting. Caregiver depression was the strongest predictor of worsening child mental/emotional health in all models. Upon stratifying the analyses by child gender and age, partner-conflict was only a predictor of child mental/emotional health for females and child adolescents. Additionally, health-related COVID-19 stress was a significant predictor for males/other only and caregiver anxiety, overreactive parenting and health-related COVID-19 stressors were significant predictors for children, but not for adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic recovery period in Ontario should consist of significant efforts to provide preventative family-based programming and interventions to address the growing mental health crisis in children. Future research efforts should aim to explore the mechanisms by which family factors and COVID-19 specific experiences interact to produce various family dynamics and psychological presentations in children. Further research should also replicate the present study in marginalized and culturally diverse populations. / Thesis / Master of Public Health (MPH) / School closures in Ontario due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted child development and wellbeing. The objective of this study was to examine the variability in child mental/emotional mental health scores, in association with family factors (caregiver depression, caregiver anxiety, overreactive parenting, partner conflict, work-family conflict) and COVID-19 experiences (health-related stressors, resource-related stressors, positive experiences). A cross-sectional study was conducted using the second iteration of the Ontario Parent Survey (n=5787). Parent-reported child negative affect and negative impact of COVID-19 on child functioning, as indicators of their mental health, were the outcomes of interest. The final model accounted for about 40% of the variability in negative affect scores, and about one-quarter of the variability in child functioning scores. Poor child mental/emotional health were associated with all family factors and COVID-19 experiences. Caregiver depression was the strongest predictor of worsening child mental/emotional health in all models. Consistent with other findings, this research can be used to support the provision of family-centered community mental health services.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1975. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Elizabeth M. Maloney. Dissertation Committee: David E. Wilder. Includes tables. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 114-117).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1984. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 328-331).

Practicum focusing on the history of the planning and development of children's mental health services in Oregon, with special emphasis on the training of pediatricians and how pediatricians address children's mental health issues. Offers a detailed look at the legislative processes surrounding mental health program development, as the heightened role that referrals play in how treatment is identified and administered.

"The purpose of this study by a teacher of the fourth grade was to peruse some of the literature in the fields of child growth, child development, and mental health in order to learn some characteristics of nine-year-olds--physical, mental, social, emotional, moral, and aesthetic; to consider educational implications emerging from the study; to become familiar with some of the techniques of learning about children; and to give suggestions for applying this information to a specific group of nine-year-olds for the purpose of fostering their mental health"--Introduction. / Typescript. / "August, 1952." / "Submitted to the Graduate Council of Florida State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts." / Advisor: Fay Kirtland, Professor Directing Paper. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47).

Background and Objectives The prevalence of child and adolescents mental health problems has been increasing in Hong Kong and is comparable to that of the world. It is estimated that the mental health problems of the future generations would account for 15% to 30% of their disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and become a healthcare burden on societies in the near future. Therefore, it is necessary to address their mental healthcare needs now. The objective of the project is to review how the mental health services for children and adolescents have been changing in Hong Kong throughout the past few decades and to assess whether the local services have improved. While the service advancement in adult and old age (for example dementia) psychiatry has been significant, the children and adolescent mental health services would be reviewed by using the Donabedian framework. Based on some local and western models, the project will also address what the local healthcare providers can do for the children and adolescents with the capacity of developing multi-disciplinary and community-based integrated care as well as primary care and prevention. Service gap and areas of improvement on addressing the healthcare needs would be identified for the consideration of policymakers. Methods This project is a literature review. Archives of the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists and Paediatricians, PubMed, PsycInfo, World Psychiatry, Lancet, etc have been searched with keywords including “children”, “adolescents”, “mental health services”, “child psychiatry” and “Hong Kong”. Journals from 1991 to 2011 have been retrieved. Publications and official sites of Hospital Authority and government organizations have also been searched. 52 journals, articles and online sources have been searched. 38 papers are identified and 19 are providing relevant materials. Studies with aggregated population level data rather than clinical studies which focus on symptoms and treatment of individuals are much more useful and providing more relevant information to this project. Results Secondary and tertiary care, in terms of screening, detection, in-patient and out-patient setting and rehabilitation services have been developed in Hong Kong since the 1980s whilst there are rooms for further development on primary care and prevention. An integrated approach, which emphasizes early identification and treatment by specialists-led multi-disciplinary professionals, has been more prominent. The stigmatization, which would result in reluctance of treatment, should also be addressed by enhancing the public understanding and awareness on the mental healthcare needs of children and teenagers. Conclusions It is necessary to work on the improvement of child and adolescent mental health in the primary, secondary and tertiary care in Hong Kong at present. Policymakers shall consider strengthening the support for child and adolescent psychiatry services in addition to the adults’. / published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health