Sibling relationship and behavioral adjustment in families of disabled children: Cross-lagged associations

Cross-lagged panel designs were used to examine longitudinal and potential (bi)directional relationships between primary caregiver reported sibling relationship quality and the behaviors of children with intellectual disabilities (n=297) and their closest in age siblings. The behavioral and emotional problems of the child with intellectual disabilities positively predicted sibling conflict over time. When accounting for control variables this relationship was no longer present. Sibling warmth positively predicted the prosocial behaviors of the child with intellectual disabilities over time. When accounting for control variables, both sibling warmth and sibling conflict positively predicted the prosocial behaviors of the child with intellectual disabilities over time. Future research directions and clinical implications are discussed

Cross-lagged associations between inter-parental relationship satisfaction and sibling relationship quality in families of children with intellectual disabilities

BACKGROUND: A family systems perspective hypothesises that the well-being of all family members is interconnected. However, limited research has examined the association between inter-parental conflict and sibling relationship quality in the context of intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to build on existing literature using longitudinal data, exploring potential (bi)directional associations between sibling relationship quality and inter-parental relationship satisfaction in families of children with intellectual disabilities. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Primary caregivers (n = 223) of children with intellectual disabilities (M age at Wave 1 = 8.36 years, SD = 2.33) with at least one sibling (M age at Wave 1 = 8.45 years, SD = 2.47) completed the same online survey, 2 years 9 months apart. The survey measured inter-parental relationship quality and sibling relationship quality. A cross-lagged panel design was used to determine the directional associations between both subsystems. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The final autoregressive and cross-lagged models had good model fit. However, we found no evidence of any directional associations between sibling relationship quality and inter-parental relationship satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results from the current study contrast with previous literature, exhibiting the need for further research exploring factors associated with subsystem relationships in families of children with intellectual disabilities

Toward an ontology of identity-related constructs in addiction, with examples from nicotine and tobacco research

Background and aims We aimed to create a basic set of definitions and relationships for identity-related constructs, as part of the Addiction Ontology and E-Cigarette Ontology projects, that could be used by researchers with diverse theoretical positions and so facilitate evidence synthesis and interoperability. Methods We reviewed the use of identity-related constructs in psychological and social sciences and how these have been applied to addiction with a focus on nicotine and tobacco research. We, then, used an iterative process of adaptation and review to arrive at a basic set of identity-related classes with labels, definitions and relationships that could provide a common framework for research. Results We propose that ‘identity’ be used to refer to ‘a cognitive representation by a person or group of themselves’, with ‘self-identity’ referring to an individual's identity and ‘group identity’ referring to an identity held by a social group. Identities can then be classified at any level of granularity based on the content of the representations (e.g. ‘tobacco smoker identity’, ‘cigarette smoker identity’ and ‘vaper identity’). We propose distinguishing identity from ‘self-appraisal’ to capture the distinction between the representation of oneself (e.g. as an ‘ex-smoker’) and (i) the importance and (ii) the positive or negative evaluation that we attach to what is represented. We label an identity that is appraised as enduring as a ‘core identity’, related to ‘strong identity’ because of the appraisal as important. Identities that are appraised positively or negatively involve ‘positive self-appraisal’ and ‘negative self-appraisal’ respectively. This allows us to create ‘logically defined classes’ of identity by combining them (e.g. ‘positive core cigarette smoker identity’ to refer to a cigarette smoker self-identity that is both positive and important). We refer to the totality of self-identities of a person as a ‘composite self-identity’. Conclusions An ontology of identity constructs may assist in improving clarity when discussing theories and evidence relating to this construct in addiction research

Toward an ontology of tobacco, nicotine and vaping products

Background and aims Ontologies are ways of representing information that improve clarity and the ability to connect different data sources. This paper proposes an initial version of an ontology of tobacco, nicotine and vaping products with the aim of reducing ambiguity and confusion in the field. Methods Terms related to tobacco, nicotine and vaping products were identified in the research literature and their usage characterised. Basic Formal Ontology was used as a unifying upper-level ontology to describe the domain, and classes with definitions and labels were developed linking them to this ontology. Labels, definitions and properties were reviewed and revised in an iterative manner until a coherent set of classes was agreed by the authors. Results Overlapping, but distinct classes were developed: ‘tobacco-containing product’, ‘nicotine-containing product’ and ‘vaping device’. Subclasses of tobacco-containing products are ‘combustible tobacco-containing product’, ‘heated tobacco product’ and ‘smokeless tobacco-containing product’. Subclasses of combustible tobacco-containing product include ‘cigar’, ‘cigarillo’, ‘bidi’ and ‘cigarette’ with further subclasses including ‘manufactured cigarette’. Manufactured cigarettes have properties that include ‘machine-smoked nicotine yield’ and ‘machine-smoked tar yield’. Subclasses of smokeless tobacco product include ‘nasal snuff’, ‘chewing tobacco product’, and ‘oral snuff’ with its subclass ‘snus’. Subclasses of nicotine-containing product include ‘nicotine lozenge’ and ‘nicotine transdermal patch’. Subclasses of vaping device included ‘electronic vaping device’ with a further subclass, ‘e-cigarette’. E-cigarettes have evolved with a complex range of properties including atomiser resistance, battery power, properties of consumables including e-liquid nicotine concentration and flavourings, and the ontology characterises classes of product accordingly. Conclusions Use of an ontology of tobacco, nicotine and vaping products should help reduce ambiguity and confusion in tobacco control research and practice

Addiction Ontology: Applying basic formal ontology in the addiction domain

Ontologies are being used in many areas of science to improve clarity and communication of research methods, findings and theories. Many of these ontologies use an upper level ontology called Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) as their frame of reference. This article summarises Basic Formal Ontology and shows how it can provide a basis for development of an Addiction Ontology that encompasses all the things that addiction researchers, practitioners and policy makers want to refer to. BFO makes a fundamental distinction between what it calls continuants (e.g. objects and their characteristics) and occurrents (e.g. processes). Classifying addiction-related entities using this system enables important distinctions to be made that are frequently overlooked or confused in the literature due to inherent ambiguities in natural language expressions. The Addiction Ontology uses this framework to convey information about: people and populations and their characteristics (e.g. substance use disorder), products (e.g. heroin, tobacco-containing products), behaviours (e.g. cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption), interventions (e.g. detoxification, rehabilitation, legislation), research (e.g. measurement, theories, study designs), organisations (e.g. pharmaceutical industry, tobacco companies), and settings (e.g. hospital outpatient clinic, country)

Cross-lagged associations between inter-parental relationship satisfaction and sibling relationship quality in families of children with intellectual disabilities

Background: A family systems perspective hypothesises that the well-being of all family members is interconnected. However, limited research has examined the association between inter-parental conflict and sibling relationship quality in the context of intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to build on existing literature using longitudinal data, exploring potential (bi)directional associations between sibling relationship quality and inter-parental relationship satisfaction in families of children with intellectual disabilities. Methods and procedures: Primary caregivers (n=223) of children with intellectual disabilities (M age at Wave 1=8.36 years, SD=2.33) with at least one sibling (M age at Wave 1=8.45 years, SD=2.47) completed the same online survey, 2 years 9 months apart. The survey measured inter-parental relationship quality and sibling relationship quality. A cross-lagged panel design was used to determine the directional associations between both subsystems. Outcomes and results: The final autoregressive and cross-lagged models had good model fit. However, we found no evidence of any directional associations between sibling relationship quality and inter-parental relationship satisfaction. Conclusions and implications: The results from the current study contrast with previous literature, exhibiting the need for further research exploring factors associated with subsystem relationships in families of children with intellectual disabilities

Sibling relationship and behavioral adjustment in families of disabled children : cross-lagged associations

Cross-lagged panel designs were used to examine longitudinal and potential (bi)directional relationships between primary caregiver reported sibling relationship quality and the behaviors of children with intellectual disabilities (n=297) and their closest in age siblings. The behavioral and emotional problems of the child with intellectual disabilities positively predicted sibling conflict over time. When accounting for control variables this relationship was no longer present. Sibling warmth positively predicted the prosocial behaviors of the child with intellectual disabilities over time. When accounting for control variables, both sibling warmth and sibling conflict positively predicted the prosocial behaviors of the child with intellectual disabilities over time. Future research directions and clinical implications are discussed

Ontologies for the Behavioural and Social Sciences: Opportunities and Challenges

This report summarises the presentations and discussions that took place during the first Ontologies for Research in the Behavioural and Social Sciences (OntoBess) workshop, held in Bozen-Bolzano and virtually on the 18th September 2021. The workshop highlighted the relevance of ontologies to address overarching challenges in the behavioural and social sciences, including evidence synthesis in the face of conflicting findings, challenging definitions for key entities, and the need to incorporate and advance theory. It also highlighted the perspectives and resources that the behavioural and social sciences can bring to the ontology development communit

Achieving consensus, coherence, clarity and consistency when talking about addiction

Progress in addiction science is hampered by disagreements and ambiguity around its core construct: addiction. Addiction Ontology (AddictO) offers a path to a solution of the kind that has addressed similar problems in other areas of science: a set of clearly and uniquely defined entities to which terms such as ‘addiction’, addictive disorder’ and ‘substance dependence ’can be applied for ease of reference while recognizing that it is the construct definitions and their unique IDs that are central, not the terms

Neighbourhood deprivation and access to early intervention and support for families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Ensuring families of children with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (e.g., developmental delay, intellectual disability, autism) can access early intervention and support is important. Current research indicates there are family‐level socioeconomic disparities of access to early intervention and support, however, there is limited evidence on the relationship between neighbourhood‐level socioeconomic deprivation and access to support. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and families' access to and unmet need for early intervention and support. We collected cross‐sectional data using a survey of 673 parental caregivers of young children with suspected or diagnosed intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the UK. Multiple regression models were fitted for three early intervention and support outcome variables: access to early intervention; access to services across education, health, social care, and other sectors; and unmet need for services. Each regression model included a neighbourhood deprivation variable based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation and five control variables: family‐level economic deprivation, country, caregivers' educational level, developmental disability diagnosis, and informal support sources. Neighbourhood deprivation was a significant independent predictor of access to services, but neighbourhood deprivation was not a significant predictor of access to early intervention or unmet need for services. Families living in the most deprived neighbourhoods accessed fewer services than other families. Socioeconomic disparities of access to early intervention and support, at both a neighbourhood and family level, exist for families of young children with suspected or diagnosed intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in the UK. Future research should focus on policy and other interventions aimed at addressing socioeconomic disparities at the neighbourhood and family level, to ensure equitable access to early intervention and support