Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

This study utilized longitudinal correlational and regression analyses to examine children’s internalizing behaviour problems, while focusing on the predictive function of peer victimization, the quality of the teacher-child relationship and child gender in early school years. Given the relationship between peer victimization and internalizing problems, the teacher-child relationship and gender was hypothesized to influence the strength and/or direction of this relationship. Participants included children in pre-kindergarten (n = 258) to grade one (n = 272) from twelve schools in an Australian city. Parent reports were used to assess child internalizing problems and peer victimization, and teachers reported on the teacher-child relationship and peer victimization. A significant main effect was found for child gender and kindergarten teacher-child conflict on internalizing behaviours in grade one, whereas no main effect was found for grade one internalizing behaviours for parent-rated peer victimization and teacher-child warmth. The quality of the teacher-child relationship was not found to moderate the relationship between peer victimization and internalizing problems, while child gender did moderate the influence of teacher-child relationship conflict on internalizing problems a year later. The results of the present study indicated that the relationship between teacher-child conflict and internalizing problems a year later differs for boys and girls. The importance of specific microsystems (i.e., teacher-child relationships) over time on children’s behavioural development is discussed, and implications for future research and teacher-child interventions are presented. / Graduate / 0518 / 0525 / 0530 / zerffm@gmail.com

This study utilized longitudinal correlational and regression analyses to examine children’s internalizing behaviour problems, while focusing on the predictive function of peer victimization, the quality of the teacher-child relationship and child gender in early school years. Given the relationship between peer victimization and internalizing problems, the teacher-child relationship and gender was hypothesized to influence the strength and/or direction of this relationship. Participants included children in pre-kindergarten (n = 258) to grade one (n = 272) from twelve schools in an Australian city. Parent reports were used to assess child internalizing problems and peer victimization, and teachers reported on the teacher-child relationship and peer victimization. A significant main effect was found for child gender and kindergarten teacher-child conflict on internalizing behaviours in grade one, whereas no main effect was found for grade one internalizing behaviours for parent-rated peer victimization and teacher-child warmth. The quality of the teacher-child relationship was not found to moderate the relationship between peer victimization and internalizing problems, while child gender did moderate the influence of teacher-child relationship conflict on internalizing problems a year later. The results of the present study indicated that the relationship between teacher-child conflict and internalizing problems a year later differs for boys and girls. The importance of specific microsystems (i.e., teacher-child relationships) over time on children’s behavioural development is discussed, and implications for future research and teacher-child interventions are presented. / Graduate / 0518 / 0525 / 0530 / zerffm@gmail.com

This study aimed at revealing the mediational role of mothers&rsquo / psychological adjustment between mothers&rsquo / parental attitudes and their preschool children&rsquo / s behavioral problems relationship. The participants were 204 married mothers, 64 fathers, 195 chief teachers and 25 assistant teachers of preschool children aged between 1&frac12 / - 5 years-old, who are attending nurseries in different neighborhoods of Ankara. Prior to the main analyses, the reliability analyses of Child Behavior Check List - 1&frac12 / - 5 (CBCL &ndash / 1&frac12 / - 5), and Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) were conducted. These analyses yielded many significant coefficients, though the strength of the correlations varied from low to high. Following the reliability analyses, Hierarchical Regression Analyses were performed to test the mediational role of mothers&rsquo / psychological adjustment between their parental attitudes and children&rsquo / s internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems relationships. For these analyses, the variances accounted for by children&rsquo / s and mothers&rsquo / demographic characteristics were controlled. Results revealed that, &lsquo / Rejection of the Home Making Role&rsquo / measure of PARI and Trait Anxiety measure explained the largest amount of variances while predicting the children&rsquo / s behavioral problems. According to hierarchical regression analyses, rejecting attitudes of mothers significantly associated with children&rsquo / s internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems. Moreover, mothers&rsquo / rejecting attitudes significantly associated with their trait anxiety which is in turn associated with children&rsquo / s behavior problems. However, after controlling for the effect of trait anxiety, the relationship between mothers&rsquo / rejecting attitudes and their children&rsquo / s behavior problems was disappeared. Therefore, mothers&rsquo / trait anxiety was found to mediate their rejecting attitudes and preschool children&rsquo / s internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems. Results were discussed by referring the relevant literature.

This study examined interpersonal predictors of early therapeutic alliance in a cognitive-behavioral treatment study for adolescents with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Client, therapist, and observer rated measures of alliance were obtained from the third session of treatment in a sample of twenty-seven adolescents. Results indicate that alliance ratings across the three perspectives are significantly associated with one another, but that pretreatment interpersonal variables were differentially associated with varying informant perspectives. Adolescents’ perceptions of their relationships to their caregivers positively related to their perceptions of the therapeutic alliance, such that adolescents with more positive representations of relationships with their attachment figures were more likely to endorse stronger working alliances early in treatment. Adolescent-reported symptom severity at pretreatment predicted observer ratings of alliance, such that adolescents who indicated greater symptoms at pretreatment were rated as having stronger early alliances with their therapists by independent observers. Adolescent perceptions of social support also predicted observer ratings of alliance. Therapists perceived having weaker alliances with adolescents showing clinically significant depression, as compared to adolescents diagnosed with anxiety disorders alone. Future research is needed to examine whether identification of relevant interpersonal factors can help improve therapeutic engagement and outcomes for the psychosocial treatment of adolescents with anxiety and depressive disorders.

Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-01-21T18:11:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Taiane Lins.pdf: 1221507 bytes, checksum: 3da7afa2c7a51540ad72a1fbbad55011 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2014-02-03T13:41:14Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Taiane Lins.pdf: 1221507 bytes, checksum: 3da7afa2c7a51540ad72a1fbbad55011 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-03T13:41:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação Taiane Lins.pdf: 1221507 bytes, checksum: 3da7afa2c7a51540ad72a1fbbad55011 (MD5) / CAPES / O controle psicológico envolve o uso de práticas educativas parentais como a superproteção, o envolvimento excessivo e o uso constante de críticas e insultos. Esse tipo controle tem sido destacado na literatura internacional como um dos preditores dos problemas internalizantes, por restringir as possibilidades de desenvolvimento da autonomia e de um repertório socialmente adequado na criança, que, em consequência desse tipo de prática, percebe-se como menos competente para a exploração do seu ambiente e para enfrentar situações novas. O presente estudo verificou as relações entre o controle psicológico (controle crítico e superproteção) e os problemas internalizantes em pré-escolares, assim como as relações entre o suporte apropriado e os problemas internalizantes em pré-escolares. Participaram deste estudo 103 mães cujos filhos, de ambos os sexos, tinham idade entre três e cinco anos. As mães foram convidadas a participar do estudo em sete escolas particulares de Salvador, nas quais as mensalidades variaram entre R$ 75,00 e R$ 220,00. Durante as entrevistas, previamente agendadas nas escolas dos filhos, as mães responderam a uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos, ao Inventário dos Comportamentos de Crianças entre 1½ e 5 anos (CBCL-1½-5) e à Entrevista Estruturada sobre Práticas Educativas Parentais e Socialização Infantil. O escore total de problemas internalizantes não foi predito pelas práticas educativas maternas investigadas. Porém, foram verificadas correlações significativas e positivas, mas de fraca intensidade, entre as síndromes ansiedade/depressão e retraimento, que compõem o agrupamento de problemas internalizantes, e o controle crítico. Contudo, as análises de regressão realizadas indicaram que apenas o retraimento foi predito significativamente pelo controle crítico. Discutem-se as formas pelas quais o controle crítico pode estar associado às duas síndromes, assim como a relevância das dimensões afetivas e de aspectos culturais para a compreensão das relações entre as práticas educativas maternas e os problemas internalizantes. Além disso, discute-se a influência de variáveis sociodemográficas sobre as práticas e sobre os problemas internalizantes, assim como as características do instrumento utilizado para a investigação das práticas educativas maternas. Psychological control involves the use of parental childrearing practices such as overprotection, excessive involvement, constant criticism, and verbal abuse. The international literature has regarded this type of control as one of the predictors of internalizing problems since it restricts children’s possibilities of developing autonomy and a socially appropriate behavior repertoire. Consequently, these children tend to see themselves as less competent to explore their environment and deal with new situations. The present study examined relations between psychological control (critical control and overprotection) and internalizing problems in preschool children and relations between appropriate support and internalizing behavior problems in preschool children. Participants in the study were 103 mothers whose children of both sexes were between the ages of three and five. Mothers were invited to participate in the study at seven private schools from Salvador. The monthly school fees ranged from R$ 75 to R$ 200 in these schools. During the interviews, which had been previously scheduled at the school meetings with the mothers, the participants completed a sociodemographic data form, the Child Behavior Checklist 1½-5, and the Child Socialization and Parental Childrearing Practices Structured Interview. The total score of internalizing problems was not predicted by the maternal childrearing practices. However, significant but weak positive correlations were found between anxiety/depression syndromes and withdrawal, making up the internalizing problems cluster, and critical control. Nonetheless, regression analysis revealed that only withdrawal was significantly predicted by critical control. The ways through which critical control may be associated with these two syndromes, as well as the relevance of the affective dimensions and cultural aspects to the understanding of the relationships between maternal childrearing practices and internalizing problems, are discussed. Furthermore, the influence of sociodemographic variables over these practices and over the internalizing problems, as well as the characteristics of the instrument used to investigate the maternal childrearing practices, is discussed.

Submitted by Oliveira Santos Dilzaná (dilznana@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-01-21T18:54:09Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Portela (anapoli@ufba.br) on 2014-02-03T15:14:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-02-03T15:14:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação de João Marcos de Oliveira.pdf: 1378288 bytes, checksum: 12e88a6c38a32ea10e7a6fa33b03d2df (MD5) / CNPq / Crianças com problemas internalizantes tendem a apresentar maior dificuldade de solucionar ou solicitar auxílio para situações de difícil resolução, além de possuírem um repertório restrito para as interações sociais e sofrerem com sintomas emocionais, como a ansiedade e a depressão. As práticas parentais intrusivas estão relacionadas ao desenvolvimento de problemas internalizantes e se caracterizam por restringir, invalidar ou manipular a experiência e as expressões emocionais e comportamentais da criança, ou criticá-la e humilhá-la. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito de uma intervenção grupal, direcionada às práticas educativas parentais, sobre os problemas internalizantes na infância por meio de um delineamento quase-experimental com grupos não-equivalentes, com pré e pós-teste. A hipótese principal foi a de que, no grupo intervenção, os escores de problemas internalizantes e de suas respectivas síndromes no pós-teste seriam inferiores quando comparados aos escores de problemas internalizantes no pré-teste. Esperava-se também que os escores de problemas internalizantes e das síndromes internalizantes fossem mais altos no grupo comparação do que no grupo intervenção no pós-teste. Participaram 13 mães e um pai de crianças entre três e seis anos divididos em dois grupos: intervenção e comparação. A intervenção teve oito sessões grupais com frequência semanal. Os instrumentos utilizados foram uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos, e os Inventários dos Comportamentos de Crianças nas versões para 1½ a 5 anos (CBCL/1½-5 anos) e de Crianças e Adolescentes de 6 a 18 anos (CBCL/6-18 anos). A análise de dados foi conduzida por meio de procedimentos de estatística descritiva e dos Testes Wilcoxon e Mann-Whitney. Os resultados revelaram redução nos escores do grupo intervenção, do pré para o pós-teste, na síndrome queixas somáticas. O impacto da intervenção sobre as queixas somáticas pode ter sido consequência dos seguintes processos induzidos ou iniciados pelo programa de intervenção: a) substituição de práticas superprotetoras e coercitivas por práticas facilitadoras do desenvolvimento social, levando à extinção respondente de componentes relacionados às dimensões fisiológicas de emoções eliciadas por práticas intrusivas e, especialmente, por aquelas de caráter coercitivo, como por exemplo, dores de barriga ou enjoos; b) aumento do controle da criança sobre o contexto das relações pais-filhos, diminuindo seu caráter aversivo e imprevisível e levando à extinção respondente dos sintomas somáticos. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos para problemas internalizantes, nem para as síndromes. Discutem-se as implicações da duração e da amplitude da intervenção, da não equivalência dos grupos, da idade e da escolaridade dos participantes. Children with internalizing problems tend to have greater difficulty in solving or request assistance for resolution of difficult situations, besides having a restricted repertoire to social interactions and suffer with emotional symptoms such as anxiety and depression. Intrusive parenting practices are related to the development of internalizing problems and are characterized by actions that restrict, manipulate or invalidate the experience and the behavioral and emotional expressions of the child. This study evaluated the effect of a group intervention, targeted to parenting practices, on internalizing problems in childhood through a quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent groups with pre-and post-test. The initial hypothesis was that, in the intervention group, scores for internalizing problems and their respective syndromes at posttest were lower when compared to the scores of internalizing problems at pretest. It was also expected that the scores for internalizing problems and internalizing syndromes were higher in the comparison group than in the intervention group at posttest. Participants in the study were 13 mothers and one father of children between three and six years old divided into two groups: intervention and comparison. The intervention had eight weekly group sessions. The instruments used were a sociodemographic data form, and the Child Behavior Checklist in versions for 1 ½ - 5 years (CBCL / 1 ½ -5 years) and 6-18 years (CBCL/6-18 years). Data analysis was conducted using procedures of descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. The results indicated a decline in scores in the intervention group, from pre to post-test in somatic complaints. The impact of the intervention on somatic complaints could have been the result of the following processes inducted or initiated by the intervention program: a) replacement of overprotective and coercive practices by parenting practices that facilitate social development, leading to the extinction of respondent components related to physiological dimensions of emotions elicited by intrusive practices and especially for those coercive character, such as stomach aches or nausea; b) increase of the child's control over the context of parent-child relationships, diminishing his aversive and unpredictable character and leading to the respondent extinction of somatic symptoms. There were no significant differences between groups for internalizing problems, or for syndromes. The implications of the length and period of the intervention, the non-equivalence of groups, age and educational level of the participants are discussed.

abstract: Internalizing symptoms are prevalent among adolescents, especially among Latinos, and can have negative consequences on health and development. Understanding the risk and protective factors leading to internalizing difficulties among Latino youth is critical. The current study sought to assess the effects of family risk and peer social rejection in the seventh grade on internalizing symptoms in the tenth grade, and the potential buffering effects of social support from family and from friends, among a sample of 749 Mexican American youth. Structural equation modeling was used to examine pathways from seventh grade family risk and peer social rejection to internalizing symptoms in the tenth grade. Perceived social support from family and perceived social support from friends were tested as moderators of these relations. Gender differences in these pathways were also assessed. Results showed that family risk did not predict tenth grade internalizing symptoms, but that peer social rejection predicted increased internalizing symptoms for girls. Furthermore, buffering effects were not confirmed; rather social support from both friends and family had no effect on the relation between family risk and internalizing symptoms, and high levels of social support from both sources amplified the effect of peer social rejection on internalizing symptoms. Secondary analyses suggested that at low levels of social support from both sources, peer social rejection predicted decreased internalizing symptoms for males. Limitations and implications for prevention and future research are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2015

abstract: Clinically meaningful emotional and behavioral problems are thought to be present beginning in infancy, and may be reliably assessed in children as young as 12 months old. However, few studies have investigated early correlates of emotional and behavioral problems assessed in infancy. The current study investigates the direct and interactive contributions of early infant and caregiver characteristics thought to play an important role in the ontogeny of behavior problems. Specifically, the study examines: (1) the links between temperamental reactivity across the first year of life and behavior problems at 18 months, (2) whether children high in temperamental reactivity are differentially susceptible to variations in maternal sensitivity, (3) the extent to which child temperamental risk or susceptibility may further be explained by mothers’ experiences of stressful life events (SLEs) during and before pregnancy. Data were collected from 322 Mexican American families during prenatal, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-week home interviews, as well as during 12- and 18-month lab interviews. Mother reports of SLEs were obtained between 23-40 weeks gestation; temperamental negativity and surgency at 6 weeks and 12 months; and internalizing and externalizing behaviors at 18 months. Maternal sensitivity during structured mother-infant interaction tasks at the 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-week visits was assessed by objective observer ratings. Study findings indicated that maternal SLEs before birth were associated with more infant negativity across the first year of life, and that negativity in turn was associated with more internalizing problems at 18 months. Ecological stressors thought to be associated with sociodemographic risk factors such as low-income and ethnic minority status may begin to exert cascades of influence on children’s developmental outcomes even before birth. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Psychology 2016

abstract: The current study delineated the developmental trajectories of early childhood externalizing and internalizing symptoms reported by mothers and fathers, and examined the role of the 18-month observed parenting quality × Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) interaction in predicting these trajectories. Child sex was tested as a covariate and moderator. It was found that children's low baseline RSA or high RSA reactivity , in comparison to high baseline RSA or low RSA reactivity , was more reactive as a function of early parenting quality when predicting the development of early childhood problem symptoms. Differential patterns of the interaction between parenting quality and RSA were detected for mothers' and fathers' reports. Mother-reported models showed a diathesis-stress pattern, whereas the father-reported model showed a vantage-sensitivity pattern, especially for internalizing symptoms. This may imply the potential benefit of fathers' active engagement in children's early development. In addition, the effect of the parenting quality × RSA interaction in predicting the mother-reported models was found to be further moderated by child sex. Specifically, the parenting quality × baseline RSA interaction was significantly predictive of girls' 54-month internalizing, and the parenting quality × RSA reactivity interaction significantly predicted boys' internalizing slope. Girls with low baseline RSA or boys with high RSA reactivity were vulnerable to the less positive parenting, exhibiting high levels of 54-month internalizing symptoms or slow decline in internalizing over time, respectively. Future research directions were discussed in terms of integrating the measures of SNS and PNS in psychopathology study, exploring the mechanisms underlying the sex difference in parenting quality × RSA interaction, and comparing the findings of children's typical and atypical development. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2014