Prosocial behaviours are a diverse group of actions that are integral to human social life. In this dissertation I propose and test a three-factor model of prosocial behaviour. Specifically, in a series of four studies I examined the ability of infants and toddlers to engage in helping, sharing, and comforting behaviour. Additionally, I examine the consistency with which children produce these behaviours longitudinally over time and the associations between these three subtypes of prosocial behaviour and social cognitive perspective taking, effortful control, affective perspective taking, and temperament. In Study 1, I found that 18-month-old infants were able to engage in helping and sharing, but not comforting behaviour. In Study 2, I found that between 18 and 30 months, there was no individual consistency in the production of prosocial behaviours, either across types (helping, sharing) or times (18, 24, or 30 months). Moreover, I found that even at 30 months of age, young children were not recognizing and responding to the emotional needs of others. In Study 3, I examined the relation between helping and sharing and three measures of social cognitive perspective taking and general cognitive development. I found unique relations between the behavioural correlates and the measures of prosocial behaviour. Specifically, I found that sharing was associated with imitation and that helping was associated with general cognitive development. Finally, Study 4 demonstrated that helping was the most frequent prosocial behaviour that the children engaged in, and it did not increase over time. I also observed a significant developmental increase in comforting behaviour from 2 to 3 years. Additionally, I found low rates of sharing behaviour that were stable over time. Importantly, I observed consistency in the production of prosocial behaviour within each subtype and defined a three-factor structure that differentiated between the helping, sharing, and comforting tasks. Further, I observed a significant association between effortful control and comforting behaviour, but no other significant associations between any of the subtypes of prosocial behaviour and the behavioural correlates (effortful control, affective perspective taking, and temperament). The implications for the construct of prosocial behaviour and the presence of a “prosocial disposition” are discussed. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-20 15:08:27.842

This report will illustrate the positive and negative aspects of the social nature of learning through a review of sociocultural related research. In consideration of the billion dollar issues associated with the current state of students’ mental health, and the poor educational experiences of low income students, it seems the current focus on academic achievement in isolation, isn’t working. Socioemotional elements underlie the cognitive processes involved in all higher levels of thinking and problems solving. From a sociocultural perspective, for optimal learning to occur, teachers and students must establish positive affective relationships. Through greater understanding of effective teaching practices that consider the socioemotional elements involved learning, and universal interventions promoting positive child and youth development, schools can promote children’s social and emotional wellbeing while simultaneously improving academic achievement. / text

This study investigated the nature and impact of the sexual abuse of children ages birth through 6 years. The purpose was to enhance knowledge about this understudied population through examination of: (1) characteristics of the abuse; (2) socioemotional developmental outcomes of young victims; and (3) potential moderating effects of family dynamics. An ecological-developmental theoretical framework was applied. Secondary data analysis was conducted using data collected from the consortium Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). A sample of 250 children was drawn from LONGSCAN data, including children who were sexually abused (n=125) and their nonabused counterparts (n=125), matched on demographic variables. Results revealed that young victims of sexual abuse were disproportionately female (91 girls; 73%). The sexual abuse committed against these youngsters was severe in nature, with 111 children (89%) experiencing contact offenses ranging from fondling to forcible rape. Sixty-two percent of child victims demonstrated borderline, clinical, or less than adequate functioning on normative, expected socioemotional outcomes. Child victims reported low degrees of perceived competence and satisfaction in the social environment. When compared with their nonabused counterparts, child victims demonstrated significantly poorer socioemotional functioning, as evidenced by aggressive behaviors, attention and thought problems. Sexually abused youngsters also reported lower self-perceptions of cognitive and physical competence and maternal acceptance. Family dynamic factors did not significantly moderate the relationships between abuse and socioemotional outcomes, with one exception. The caregivers’ degree of empathy for their children had a significant moderating effect on the children’s social problems. This study contributes to an otherwise scant body of literature on the sexual abuse of preschoolers. Findings provide implications for social work practice, especially in the development of assessment and prevention strategies.

This study identifies developmental processes underlying the relationship between school bullying and physical aggression in emergent adulthood. The data are drawn from the �Life at School� project, a longitudinal study of schooling, socio-emotional functioning, and bullying in a sample of young people living in the Australian Capital Territory. This study consists of three waves of self-report data collected from 88 females and 63 males (N=151) during primary school (Time 1), high school (Time 2) and emerging adulthood (Time 3). The study extends earlier analyses to consider the relative significance of distal functioning and the proximal effects of heavy drinking and work/study roles during the transition to emerging adulthood in shaping pathways from school bullying to adult aggression. Results showed that bullying in either primary school or high school, and being male, increased the risk of adult aggression. Once bullying and sex were controlled, socio-emotional functioning (including emotion/behaviour regulation and school adjustment) did not make unique contributions to the prediction of adult aggression. To further investigate the effects of bullying, four bully trajectory groups were identified from children�s reports: a non-bully group, a child-limited group (bullying during primary school only), an adolescent-onset group (taking up bullying during high school), and a persistent group (bullying during both primary and high school). Moderated regression showed that a) frequent drinking at Time 3 significantly increased aggression only for the persistent bully group, and b) participation in university study, in comparison with being in the workforce, was significantly associated with lower levels of aggression only for persistent and adolescent-onset bullies. That is, both the past and present were important, but their effects only became apparent when considered in combination. Given the pivotal significance of drinking and university participation for continuity of aggression, the second analysis stage used path analyses were used to explore the chains of events leading to these adult variables, and subsequent aggression. First, adaptive emotion regulation during high school directly predicted less frequent adult drinking, while continuity in such adaptive regulation between primary and high school was mediated by continuity in positive school connectedness. Second, greater parental education increased the likelihood that young people would attend university, both directly, and indirectly by increasing academic functioning during high school. In contrast, childhood impulsivity was directly related to a decreased likelihood of university participation and, in turn, to more frequent adult aggression. The final issue examined was the extent to which these mediated pathways from childhood were the same or different across the four bully trajectory groups. Descriptive comparisons indicated that pathways to drinking and work/study role were consistent across the four groups, with the partial exception of the adolescent-onset bullies. The analyses show that the expression of bullying and adult physical aggression is flexible, open at each stage of development to influence from personal resources (e.g., capacity for adaptive shame management), social resources (e.g., parental education), and changing institutional settings, through for example the cultural and behavioural norms that characterise the university, workplace, and drinking environments and which constrain aggressive behaviour or promote a sense of future orientation. Patterns of adult aggressive behaviours are thus shaped not just by past bullying, but by the subtle interplay of emergent adult settings and experiences, socio-emotional functioning in school contexts, and family social capital.

Contexte. En France, les Troubles du Spectre de l'Autisme (TSA) sont encore rarement identifiés chez des enfants présentant une Trisomie 21 (T21), malgré la disponibilité d'outils de dépistage et de diagnostic. La T21 est une maladie génétique associée à une déficience intellectuelle ainsi qu'à des difficultés sociales, communicatives et comportementales qui rendent le diagnostic additionnel de TSA délicat à poser. Pourtant de nombreux enfants avec T21 présentent aussi un autisme. L'errance diagnostique prive les jeunes enfants d'une prise en charge comportementale et développementale précoce et adaptée. Objectif. Le but de l'étude est (1) de mieux comprendre les caractéristiques du développement cognitif et socio-émotionnel et du fonctionnement de la régulation des activités de ces enfants au double diagnostic et (2) d'en identifier les spécificités comparativement à des enfants atteints de trisomie 21 d'une part et des enfants avec autisme d'autre part. Cette recherche a aussi pour objectif finalisé de sensibiliser les professionnels et les institutions à la reconnaissance de cette psychopathologie du développement (double diagnostic) afin notamment d'encourager un meilleur repérage de l'autisme dès le plus jeune âge chez les enfants atteints de T21 et pour déterminer le plus tôt possible les prises en charge répondant à leurs besoins spécifiques, centrées sur le développement cognitif et socio-émotionnel et la régulation des activités. Méthode. Participants : Les participants sont des volontaires recrutés dans des institutions d'accueil et des associations de familles. Trois groupes d'enfants, appariés en âge de développement, sont comparés : (1) 18 enfants au double diagnostic T21 et TSA, (2) 25 enfants porteurs de T21 et (3) 21 enfants avec TSA. Leur niveau de développement se situe dans la période d'âge de 4 à 24 mois. Matériel : Le diagnostic d'autisme est réalisé à l'aide du Manuel Diagnostique et Statistique des troubles mentaux -5ème édition- (DSM-5, APA, 2013) et la Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS, Schopler, Reichler & Daly, 1980). Le développement cognitif et socio-émotionnel est évalué à l'aide de La Batterie d'Évaluation Cognitive et Socio-émotionnelle (BECS, Adrien, ECPA, 2007) et la régulation des activités cognitives et émotionnelles à l'aide de la Grille Régulation Adaptation Modulation (GRAM, Adrien,1996), de la Grille d'analyse des stratégies autorégulatrices et hétérorégulatrices en situation d'apprentissage ou de résolution de problème (Nader-Grosbois, 2000) et de Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields & Cicchetti,1997). Procédure : Un formulaire d'information et de consentement a été proposé aux familles avant de participer à une évaluation unique du développement et du comportement de l'enfant. Résultats. On note l'existence de profils développementaux spécifiques chez les enfants atteints conjointement de trisomie 21 et d'autisme, et de grandes variabilités inter et intra-individuelles dans le développement et la régulation émotionnelle des enfants atteints de troubles du développement : trisomie 21 avec autisme / trisomie 21 sans autisme / autisme. Conclusion : La meilleure connaissance des caractéristiques du développement et du fonctionnement régulateur des enfants au double diagnostic de T21 et de TSA permet d'envisager des interventions personnalisées et une plus grande sensibilisation des professionnels et des institutions à l'importance de la reconnaissance précoce de ce double diagnostic. Diagnostiquer les TSA chez de jeunes enfants avec T21 et les considérer comme trouble primaire semble justifié, afin de leur proposer une intervention plus adaptée. / Context. In France, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is still rarely identified in children with Down's syndrome (DS). However, specific autism diagnostic instruments have shown good sensitivity for detecting ASD in this population. DS is a genetic disease associated with mental retardation and with social, communicative and behavioural impairment making difficult the dual diagnosis. However, a lot of children with DS also present TSA. The lack of diagnosis deprives young children of an early and appropriate behavioural and developmental support. Objective. This study aimed (1) to provide evidence of specific features in the cognitive and socio-emotional development and activity regulation functioning of young children with a dual diagnosis and (2) to identify specificities compared to children with DS and children with TSA. This research also aimed to sensitize professionals to the recognition of this developmental psychopathology (dual diagnosis). This included encourage better identification of autism at an early age in children with DS, and to determine an appropriate support to their specific needs, focusing on cognitive and social development and activity regulation. Method. Participants: They were volunteers recruited in institutions and family associations. Three groups of children, matched in their developmental age, were compared: (i) 18 children with a dual diagnosis, (ii) 25 children with DS and (iii) 21 children with ASD. Their developmental level is included in the 4 to 24 months' age period. Tools: To diagnose autism, we used Dianostic and Statiscal Manual of mental disorders -fifth edition- (DSM-5, APA, 2013) and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS, Schopler, Reichler & Daly, 1980). Cognitive and socio-emotional development assessed by means of the Socio-emotional and Cognitive Evaluation Battery (SCEB). Cognitive and emotional activities regulation assessed by Regulation Disorders Evaluation Grid (RDEG, Adrien,1996), the Coding and scoring grid for other-regulation and self-regulation (Nader-Grosbois, 2000) and the Emotion Regulation Checklist (Shields & Cicchetti,1997). Procedure: Parents were signed informed consent forms before the developmental and behavioural assessment of children. Results. We revealed the existence of specific developmental profiles among children with dual diagnosis of DS and ASD, and large variability inter- and intra-individual in the development and emotional regulation of children with developmental disorders: DS with TSA / DS without TSA / TSA. Conclusion. A better knowledge of the developmental and regulation functioning characteristics of children with dual diagnosis of DS and ASD allows to propose personalized support and to increase awareness among professionals to to the importance of early recognition this dual diagnosis. It seems justified to diagnose ASD in young children with DS and consider it a primary disorder, in order to offer them a more adapted intervention.

This study focuses on investigating the dynamics of language brokering as Korean immigrant families experience environmental challenges associated with immigration. This study was conducted with qualitative research design with purposive sampling of Korean immigrant families. Six parent-child dyads were recruited and participating children were between 12 to 16 years old. Semi-structured interviews were conducted separately with parents and children in either English or Korean. Thematic analysis was employed for analyzing the transcribed interviews. The Dedoose software program was applied to assist the coding process. 12 subthemes were revealed under four main themes, which were aligned to the study's research questions. The twelve subthemes included parents' dependence on children, vulnerability and resilience of Korean immigrant families, children's socioemotional development through language brokering, and the role of first-born daughter in the family. Parent and child responses indicated how language brokering affects can be a risk in relation to children's development (i.e., with responsibility of language brokering leading the child to experience stress or experience the responsibility of translation as a burden. Positively, respondents indicated that the parent and child experienced a greater sense of empathy for each other's roles. The results derived from this study were aligned with the results of previous research conducted in the field in that language brokering affects parent-child relationship and the socioemotional development of children. The study adds to the literature with the interviewing both parents and children, thereby hearing both perspectives and experiences of parents and children on language brokering and parent-child relationships could be obtained. This study targeted Korean immigrant families since there is a lack in literature that have studied this population in relation to language brokering.

The thesis deals with the divorce process, whose problem course has a negative influence on the development of children. The aim of the thesis is to clarify whether the divorce process influences the socioemotional development of children, to describe the issue of divorce in contemporary society, and persue source of undesirable phenomena that bring long-term conflicts between parents. Complicated cases of children who find themselves in the middle of relationship between parents are still increasing.

Perfectionism has been investigated related to the consequences to mental health it might entail for gifted students and their socioemotional development. However, findings have been inconclusive. This exploratory study aims to discover the main characteristics of adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism in gifted Chilean secondary students. For this purpose,  extreme cases were found using Frost´s Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale to subsequently conduct semi-structured interviews with a sample of four students. Results pointed to parental and societal expectations as the main aspects involved in the development of perfectionism, which sheds light on how to support the manifestation of perfectionism both in educational and clinical realms. / El perfeccionismo ha sido investigado en torno a las consecuencias que este podría significar para la salud mental de alumnos talentosos y su desarrollo socioemocional. Sin embargo, los hallazgos han sido poco concluyentes. Este estudio exploratorio apunta a descubrir las principales características del perfeccionismo adaptativo y desadaptativo en estudiantes chilenos académicamente talentosos de educación media. Para ello se detectaron casos extremos con la aplicación de la Escala Multidimensional de Perfeccionismo de Frost, para luego realizar entrevistas en profundidad semiestructuradas en una muestra de cuatro casos. Los resultados apuntan a las expectativas parentales y sociales como los principales aspectos involucrados en el desarrollo del perfeccionismo, entregando así luces de cómo apoyar la manifestación del perfeccionismo en el ámbito educativo y clínico. / Apesar dos estudos sobre a cognição dos alunos com Altas Habilidades ser abrangente, investigar as questões sócioemocionais desse grupo se faz necessário. Uma das vertentes que vem sendo estudada é o perfeccionismo, pois apresenta significado para saúde mental e desenvolvimento desse grupo de pessoas. Contudo, as descobertas ainda são pouco conclusivas. Este estudo exploratório visa descobrir as principais características do perfeccionismo adaptativo e mal adaptativo em estudantes chilenos academicamente talentosos do Ensino Médio – 1º a 3º / Ensino Fundamental – 5º-9º através da Escala Multidimensional de Frost. Para isso, detectou-se casos extremos com a aplicação desse modelo e na sequência do trabalho foram realizadas entrevistas com profundidade em uma amostra de quatro casos. Os resultados apontam para as expectativas sociais e familiares como os principais aspectos envolvidos no desenvolvimento do perfeccionismo, tanto no âmbito educativo quanto no clínico.

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