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This research study investigated the effectiveness of a filial therapy training model as a method to train fifth grade students in child-centered play therapy skills and procedures. Filial therapy is an intervention that focuses on strengthening and enhancing adult-child relationships. The fifth grade students were trained to be a therapeutic change agent for kindergarten children identified as having adjustment difficulties, by utilizing basic child-centered play therapy skills in weekly play sessions with the kindergarten children. Specifically, this research determined the effectiveness of filial therapy in increasing the fifth grade students': 1) empathic responses with kindergarten children; 2) communication of acceptance with kindergarten children; 3) allowance of self-direction with kindergarten children, and 4) involvement in play activities of kindergarten children. The experimental group of fifth grade students (N=12) received thirty-five minutes of training twice a week for 5 weeks and then once a week for the duration of the 10 weeks of play sessions. The control group (N=11) received no training during the 15 weeks of the project. Fifth grade student participants were videotaped playing with a kindergarten child identified as having adjustment difficulties in 20-minute play sessions before and after the training to measure empathic behavior in adult-child interactions. Analysis of Covariance on adjusted post test means revealed that fifth grade children in the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant increases in empathic responses, acceptance, and behavioral willingness to follow the kindergarten children's lead, and involvement. A measure of communication of acceptance of kindergarten children's feelings and behaviors although not statistically significant indicated a positive trend. This study supports the use of filial therapy as an effective training model for increasing fifth grade students' empathic behavior with kindergarten children experiencing adjustment difficulties. Filial therapy offers significant possibilities for training fifth grade students in a developmentally appropriate model for working with kindergarten children, in order to prevent future problems. The observed power of the therapeutic relationship between the fifth grade students in the experimental group and the kindergarten children suggest the continued implementation of this innovative project.

"Theory of mind" refers to the competence to understand the mental states of oneself and others, such as perception, emotion, intention, belief, etc. (Baron-Cohen, 2001). Existing literature suggests that the abilities to understand mental states are associated with pretend play behaviors in children. However, the theory theory (Perner, 1991) and the simulation theory (Harris, 2000) have provided different interpretations about their relations because the two theories have different views concerning the cognitive mechanism underlying the development of theory of mind. / Results from the three studies were not in support of either theory fully and consistently. Specifically, the result of Study 1 showed that the children understood the false belief of others before they understood the false belief of oneself's. This result was inconsistent with both theories. Results of Study 2 indicated that children' understanding of false belief was associated only with social pretend play, but not with oneself's pretend play. However, considering the concept of multiple models of representations could be used to explain the relation between pretend play and false belief understanding abilities and has no theory inclination, it could not give evidence to the comparison between the two theories through these ways and results of the relation examination in this study. The results of the intervention study demonstrated that only the training method that involved the discussion of multiple identities of oneself produced significant and positive effect on children's false belief understanding. In brief, the theory theory was considered to obtain stronger support from the present research. / The present research compared the two theories by investigating the relations between children's pretend play and their false belief understanding abilities. Three studies were conducted, that involved preschool children from 3-years-old to 5-years-old from a remote area in the eastern part of China, to address three questions on that the two theories pose different predictions. The first question was concerned with whether or not there IS a developmental sequence between understanding the mental states of oneself and understanding others' (Study 1). The second question was about whether or not the abilities to understand mental states are associated with oneself's pretend playas well as with social pretend play (Study 2). The third question was related to whether or not two types of social pretend play interventions that were designed based on the two theories respectively would significantly affect children's competence to understand false belief by comparing the two intervention groups with a control group (Study 3). The intervention method towards the theory theory involved an explicit discussion of multiple identities of oneself whereas the intervention reflecting the simulation theory did not have the discussion. / 董及美. / Adviser: Yu-Jing Ni. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-04, Section: A, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 187-194). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Dong Jimei.

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(1) Problem: Research on internalizing problems in young children is scarce despite evidence that children can have problematic internalizing symptoms as early as preschool years 1-3. In preschoolers, it is difficult to observe internalizing problems directly. While they are not overtly socially disruptive behaviors4, they have negative consequences in their daily lives, can continue in adolescence, and potentially develop into disorders in later years 5-7. Studying internalizing problems in preschoolers is of particular importance in Low- and Middle- Income Countries (LIMC) since there may be a higher prevalence of common risk factors (such as parental psychopathology, violence, and neglect) than in High-Income Countries. According to the World Health Organization, in 2015, Brazil (a LMIC) ranked first in the past-year prevalence of anxiety (9.3%) and fifth in the prevalence of depression (5.8%) 8,9 in people aged 15 years or older. Preschoolers in São Paulo, Brazil, have an estimated six-month prevalence of internalizing problems of 25.4%. There are few estimates in other regions of Brazil, partly due to the lack of validated scales to measure them. In addition, it is unknown if the disparate rates by sex (females have at least twice the rates of males) seen in adolescence and adulthood could be detected at an early age. This dissertation's primary goal is to advance our understanding of internalizing problems in preschoolers in Brazil, a LMIC that is highly affected by psychopathology and associated disability. (2) Methods: First, a systematic literature review on the topic in LMIC was conducted. Second, data from the Preschool Mental Health Survey (the PreK Survey), with a representative sample (n=1,292) of preschoolers aged 4 to 5 years old and their caregivers in the city of Embu das Artes, São Paulo, was used to: (a) do Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the internalizing section of a worldwide known assessment tool for problem behaviors in preschoolers (the Child Behavioral Checklist CBCL 1.5-5); and (b) conduct multigroup CFA to examine differences by sex in the structure of internalizing problems. Finally, Generalized Linear Models for complex data were used to assess the risk of internalizing syndromes by parental depression, severe physical or verbal violence, and low-quality time with parents differentially by sex of the preschoolers. (3) Conclusions: From the literature review, a scarcity of research on internalizing problems of preschoolers was found in LMIC. Hence, (a) only a few risk factors, mainly parental psychopathology, have been explored in most LMIC; and (b) the large majority of studies in LMIC in the Americas use the CBCL 1.5-5 or other scales not validated for their study population. From the multigroup CFA, it was concluded that (a) the construct of internalizing problems in the CBCL 1.5-5 is valid in preschool boys and girls in São Paulo, Brazil, and in similar contexts, supporting previous and future studies on the topic; and (b) the main syndromes of internalization are "Anxiety/Depression" and "Emotionally Reactive." From the assessment of risk, it was concluded that (a) the main risk factor for internalizing problems in preschoolers in Brazil is parental depression; (b) externalizing problems are highly correlated with internalizing problems and are the main source of confounding; (c) there were no significant differences by sex in the prevalence of risky exposures, but they were all significantly associated with internalizing problems; (d) there were significant differences by sex in the mean scores of internalizing syndromes, and in the associations of risky exposures and internalizing problems, highlighting the need of a differential approach to primary prevention and treatment in preschool boys and girls.

Early childhood is a critical period during which children develop social-emotional competence that will affect future success. Developing social-emotional assets is of importance for kindergarten children because of their concurrent cognitive and social changes as well as the experience of transitioning from home to school environment. A growing number of schools have adopted social-emotional learning (SEL) programming to focus on fostering children’s prosocial behaviors through direct instruction and engaging activities in classroom settings. However, some researchers have proposed that learning should capitalize on children’s natural interests rather than adult-determined agendas. Based on theoretical assumptions regarding potential effectiveness of child-centered group play therapy (CCGPT) as a treatment modality, I sought to explore the effects of CCGPT on social-emotional assets of kindergarten children utilizing parent and teacher reports across pretest, posttest, and one-month follow-up. Additionally, given that group sizes have been inconsistent and rarely explored across previous studies, I investigated the therapeutic aspect of group sizes in CCGPT outcome by comparing 2-member and 3-member CCGPT groups. Forty-three participants with mean age of 5.14 were recruited from three elementary schools, including 19 Hispanic, 14 Caucasian, and 10 African American. Twenty-one participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group receiving a mean of 15.32 CCGPT sessions over 8 weeks, and 22 participants were assigned to the waitlist control group. Six mixed between-within ANOVAs were conducted applying an alpha level of .05 to interpret statistical significance and η2 calculation to assess practical significance. Results indicated a statistically significant interaction effect on SEARS-P Total score, F (2, 72) = 4.533, p = .014, with medium effect size of η2 = .101. Post Hoc analyses indicated a non-statistically significant interaction effect on SEARS-P Self-Regulation/Responsibility subscale with a small effect, F (1.868, 67.248) = 1.776, p = .179, η2 = .043; a statistically significant interaction effect on SEARS-P Social Competence subscale with a medium effect, F (1.696, 61.049) = 3.413, p < .05, η2 = .079; and a statistically significant interaction effect on SEARS-P Empathy subscale with a medium effect, F (1.439, 51.79) = 4.592, p < .05, η2 = .106. Thus, participants in the CCGPT group showed a non-significant increase in the ability to self-regulate emotions and to take responsibility for actions and a significant increase in competence to interact socially with others and in empathy for others. Teacher reports did not show statistically significant results with a small effect, F (2, 70) = .917, p = .404, η2 = .013. Results on group sizes indicated that no statistical differences were detected between two-member and three-member groups with no effect, F (1.493, 25.377) = .039, p = .942, η2 = .001. Moreover, the results on follow-up supported that a certain level of the effects of CCGPT lasted one month after the intervention. Overall, children seemed to benefit from CCGPT, and CCGPT may be considered a viable treatment for enhancing kindergarten children’s social-emotional development.

Background. The experience of parenting children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is generally understood to encompass higher levels of parenting stress relative to families of typically developing children and, in many instances, when viewed in comparison to children with other disabilities. Emerging evidence suggests that when children with ASD present with elevated attention problems, parents may be more likely to engage in harsh parenting during dyadic interactions (Donnelly, 2015). Despite this, few studies have examined the relationship between attention problems and observed parenting in families of children with ASD, which has been well-described in the literature as a particularly challenging context for parents. This dissertation investigated the relationship between child attention and observed parenting behaviors in a community sample of mothers of children with ASD in early childhood. The extent and nature of this relationship was further explored by observing whether parenting stress and depression played a role in mediating this relationship, and by investigating whether the relationship varied by child behavior and level of functioning. Parenting behaviors were directly observed across three dyadic tasks selected to approximate naturalistic situations in which parents and their children interact. It was hypothesized that increased attention problems would be linked to greater parenting stress, decreased positive parenting, and increased harsh parenting. Increased understanding of how attention problems relate to parenting within an ASD population will inform the selection and design of interventions uniquely suited to meet the needs of children and their families. Methods. This sample of 42 mother-child dyads included children with ASD attending a specialized preschool, where they received Applied Behavior Analysis educational programming. Child participants ranged in age from two years, six months to five years, six months, and all diagnostic classifications were corroborated through the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (Lord et al., 2012). Parent and child behaviors during dyadic interactions were video recorded and then coded using the Psychological Multifactor Care Scale — ASD Adapted Preschool Version (Brassard, Donnelly, Hart, & Johnson, 2016). These direct observations of parent and child behavior were used to examine quality of parenting, child negativity toward the mother, and child engagement in tasks during parent-child interactions. Following the interaction, mothers completed a number of self-report measures assessing demographic characteristics, Parenting Stress Index, Fourth Edition, Short Form (PSI-4: SF; Abidin, 2012, maternal depressive symptoms on the PHQ9 (Kroenke, Spitzer, & Williams, 2001), and the Attention Problems scale on the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001). Classroom teachers completed the Communication domain of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales –Third Edition (Vineland-3; Sparrow, Cicchetti, & Saulnier, 2016). Results. Children with ASD and clinically elevated attention problems (n = 19) had signifiantly lower verbal ability, more CBCL aggression, and their mothers reported signficantly more stress than children with ASD only (n = 23). Observed child engagement was significntly correlated with CBCL attention problems in the overall sample (r = -.42, p<.01), although the groups (ASD only v. ASD plus elevated attention problems) did not differ significantly (p < .06). Increased attention problems were significantly negatively related to positive parenting in this sample, even when ASD severity and verbal ability were controlled. Although a mediation model failed to support a model where attention problems predicted differences in observed parenting through parenting stress, reverse models showed increased positive parenting predicted decreased child attention problems through its effect on parenting stress. The role of maternal depressive symptoms as a mediator of this relationship was unsupported. Perhaps unsurprisingly, observed child behavior was found to be an important factor in understanding parenting behavior; however, the nature of its role was multifaceted. While observed child negativity was directly linked to lower levels of positive parenting, it moderated the relationship between child attention problems and harsh parenting, as mediated by parenting stress. In particular, attention problems were positively linked to greater stress, but this stress was more likely to be accompanied by a greater increase in harsh parenting behavior when children demonstrated negativity toward their mothers. The relationship between child attention problems and positive parenting varied by child verbal ability. For children with higher verbal ability, attention problems were linked to a drop in positive parenting, while this relationship was unsupported in children with underdeveloped communication skills. Conclusions. Child attention problems are a powerful predictor of parenting stress and less positive parenting. While it was expected that variation in attention problems would predict differences in parenting, reverse models showed more promise in identifying and defining the relationship between these variables, where mothers who exhibited more harsh parenting and less positive parenting experienced higher levels of parenting stress and their children demonstrated increased attentional problems and decreased engagement during dyadic interactions. The strength of this relationship varied according to observed child negativity and level of functioning. Clinical implications for practitioners and future directions for research investigating parenting children with ASD are discussed.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As a grade R teacher in South Africa, the researcher was disturbed by the extent of aggressive behaviour amongst children (aged 4 years to 6 years). Other teachers involved with the same class were of the opinion that the aggressive behaviour had a detrimental effect on their instructional time and motivation. Schools, teachers and other support personnel of staff have developed many cognitive and social support programmes to encourage positive behaviour, including reducing aggressiveness. Some programmes are in individual format and others in group format. However, the problem with these types of support programmes is that they are hard to come by due to cost and lack of knowledge among personnel. A child's full development is influenced negatively when in a negative atmosphere or situation (which includes abuse, aggression or discouragement). During 2011, the researcher took her dog to visit her class informally. It started when the class was having a discussion on pets and the researcher wanted to show the class how to groom and take care of a pet dog. The school’s staff and the researcher noticed a calmer and friendlier atmosphere amongst the children after the visits. This positive experience led to reading related literature and the researcher found substantial recent literature that increased her interest in the subject. The literature review suggested that the positive effects of animals in classrooms and on children should be explored and shared with teachers and schools, hence this study. The question arose whether this method could possibly provide the type of support South African children need to become caring, empathic and understanding of the world around them and each other. This research study was undertaken to explore the influence of the visits of a dog on the learners’ aggressive behaviour and teachers' opinions, which were of great value. This qualitative study took place within an interpretive paradigm. A case study design was used, as the focus was on an in-depth explanation of how a dog influenced the aggressive behaviour in the grade R class as a single bounded system. The study took place over a period of eight successive weeks. The data collection methods employed were questionnaires to gather biographical data, individual semi-structured interviews and observation during free play. Data were analysed by means of content analysis. Research findings indicated a positive influence on the learners' aggressive behaviour after eight weeks of the P.A.T. (Pet Assisted Therapy) dog visits. Positive behaviour in general was also witnessed and, most importantly, the participating teachers were of the opinion that the class was easier to manage and more time could be spent on instruction. The participating teachers provided different perspectives as they were involved in the class in different ways. However, the conclusion was that the positive influence of PAA on the learners' aggressive behaviour was mainly due to how some individual learners were influenced, which changed the interaction among all the learners. It is recommended that further studies be done on the time available to teachers to address aggressive behaviour to achieve a long-term result compared to just solving the problem at the occurrence of aggressive behaviour, and how PAA influences the learners in their other microsystems as well. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorser, 'n graad R opvoeder, vind die intensiteit en die hoeveelheid van aggressiewe gedrag onder graad R leerders kommerwekkend. Ander onderwysers betrokke by dieselfde klas se opinie was dat die aggressiewe gedrag onder die leerders 'n uiters negatiewe impak op die opvoeding van die leerders het. Verskeie kognitiewe en sosiale ondersteunings- programme vir die aanmoediging van positiewe gedrag in die klaskamer is reeds deur opvoeders, skole en ondersteunende personeel ontwikkel. Die navorser is egter van mening dat die finansiële omstandighede van verskeie skole en die kennis van die onderwysers wat moontlik die strategieë moet implementeer, die gebruik van sulke programme beperk . Leerders wat in negatiewe opvoedingsomstandighede (wat misbruik, aggressiwiteit of ontmoediging insluit) geplaas is, word negatief beïnvloed. Die navorser het gedurende 2011 haar eie hond skool toe geneem om by die weeklikse tema oor 'diere' aan te sluit. Die doel was om aspekte van hoe 'n mens na jou hond omsien met die leerders te bespreek. Die skoolpersoneel en die navorser (as opvoeder) het opgelet dat 'n kalmer atmosfeer onder die leerders geheers het nadat die navorser se troeteldier die klas besoek het. Dit het daartoe gelei dat die navorser leeswerk oor die onderwerp onderneem het. Vele onlangse bevindinge wat die onderwerp nog meer interessant gemaak het, is opgespoor. Een van die klasse in die betrokke skool het aggressiewe gedrag onder die leerders ervaar wat die onderwyser se motivering om te onderrig negatief beïnvloed het. Dit het gelei tot die gevallestudie wat die gebruik van 'n hond in die klaskamer as 'n moontlike metode om Suid-Afrikaanse kinders te motiveer om ‘n gevoel van omgee, empatie en begrip van die wêreld om hulle en ander te ontwikkel. Die navorsing het die moontlike invloed van gestruktureerde besoeke deur 'n hond op die gevallestudieklas ondersoek. Omdat die aggressiewe gedrag ook deur die onderwysers ondervind word en dit hul opvoedingstaak affekteer, was hulle opinies van groot belang. Die kwalitatiewe studie is onder die interpretatiewe paradigma onderneem. 'n Gevallestudieformaat is gebruik en was daarop gerig om die invloed van die hond op die leerders se aggressiewe gedrag grondig te verstaan. Die studie het oor 'n tydperk van agt opeenvolgende weke plaasgevind. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gebruik. Dit het ’n doelbewuste streekproef van deelnemers, vraelyste vir biografiese data, individuele semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, observasies om die informasie wat uit die onderhoude verkry is, te ondersteun en inhoudsanalise vir die ontleding van die data (veldwerknotas) omvat. Die navorsingsbevindinge het ‘n afname in aggressiewe gedrag onder die leerders na die agt weke van die intervensie (hond se besoeke) getoon. Algemene positiewe gedrag is waargeneem en die belangrikste bevinding was dat die deelnemende onderwysers van mening was dat die klas meer hanteerbaar was en meer tyd tot hul beskikking vir die opvoeding van leerders toegelaat het. Die onderwysers kon verskeie perspektiewe uitlig aangesien elk op 'n ander manier by die klas betrokke was. Daar was 'n duidelike kommentaar dat PAA 'n invloed op individuele leerders uitgeoefen het en dit het die interaksie onder die leerders in die klas beïnvloed. Die navorser stel voor dat verdere studies onderneem word om te bepaal hoeveel tyd onderwysers benodig om 'n langdurige positiewe effek op leerders se aggressiewe gedrag te bewerkstellig, eerder as om telkens wanneer ‘n probleem opduik ‘n oplossing te vind wat moontlik nie op die lang duur effektief sal wees nie. Verder kan ondersoek ingestel word na hoe PAA die leerders se gedrag buite die klas beïnvloed.

The problem of this study was to discover the relationship between field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles and social behaviors during free-play of preschool children in a school setting. This study also compared the field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles and social behaviors during free-play between age-groups and sex-groups. Thirty-six children from a university child development laboratory were subjects. They were selected from a 3-year-old classroom and a 4-year-old classroom. The research instrument, the Preschool Embedded Figures Test, was utilized to measure field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles. The children's social behaviors were observed during free-play for four consecutive weeks. The nine categories of social behavior were solitary, parallel, and group play; .unoccupied, onlooker, transitional, and aggressive behaviors; and conversations with teachers and conversations with peers. Correlations between field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles and social behaviors indicated that field-independence/field-dependence was related to social orientations in preschool children and also related to the choice of play activity. Field-dependent children tended to engage in conversations with teachers more often than field-independent children. Four-year-old children who were field-independent tended to spend more time in solitary play than 4-year-old children who were field-dependent. Four-year-old boys who were field-independent tended to play more often in the manipulative learning center than 4-year-old boys who were field-dependent. There were significant differences between age-groups but not significant differences between sex-groups in field-independence/field-dependence. Some social behaviors were significantly different between age-groups and sex-groups. Three-year-old children participated significantly more in physically aggressive behavior and less in conversations with peers than 4-year-old children. Boys engaged significantly more in aggressive behavior than girls.