Preadolescent internalizing and externalizing psychopathology : a developmental perspective

In the field of child psychopathology research, a growing number of longitudinal studies have investigated early developmental precursors of maladaptive outcomes (see for reviews: Campbell, 1995; Koot, 1995; Sameroff and Seifer, 1990). The multitude of theoretical assumptions and related risk factors and outcomes represented by these studies calls for a more integrated approach to the study of the development of psychopathology. In such an approach, the developmental psychopathology paradigm and the distinction between internalizing and externalizing psychopathology are especially useful. The developmental psychopathology paradigm is a promising theoretical framework which provides a structured approach to the development of maladaptation across the life-span. This approach centers around the identification of endogenous and environmental factors that are involved in the early origins, course, and detection of psychopathology (Cicchetti and Cohen, 1995a; Koot, 2000). Because of the emphasis on the developmental aspect of psychopathology in this approach, the distinction between internalizing and externalizing expressions of dysfunction is of special interest, since it is the only consistently empirically identified classification across ages (Cicchetti and Toth, 1991). Internalizing disorders are characterized by disordered mood or behavior such as withdrawal, anxiety, or depression, while externalizing disorders are characterized by disordered behavior such as aggression, or delinquency, and hyperactivity (Achenbach and McConaughy, 1997; Cicchetti and Toth, 1991). In the following section, the developmental psychopathology perspective on the early origins, course, and detection of psychopathology will be introduced. This framework and salient gaps in related empirical efforts regarding intemalizing and externalizing psychopathology provide the basis for this thesis

Tweetaligheid: 1+1=2?:Het TIC model

In de tweetalige ontwikkeling van kinderen met een niet-Nederlandse achtergrond is een belangrijke rol weggelegd voor contextuele factoren; niet alleen het gezin maar ook de buurt en de school maken onderdeel uit van de context waarbinnen tweetalige kinderen vaardigheden in zowel de thuistaal als de meerderheidstaal ontwikkelen. De factoren die hierbij een rol spelen worden samengevat in het Tweetaligheid-in-Context (TIC) model. Dit model is ontwikkeld op basis van resultaten uit eerder onderzoek naar tweetaligheid, met name het onderzoek beschreven in het proefschrift van Mariëlle Prevoo getiteld ‘Bilingualism is more than just the sum of two parts’. Het TIC model kan door logopedisten gebruikt worden om omgevingsinvloeden in kaart te brengen en op basis daarvan een passende benadering te kiezen voor de behandeling of begeleiding van een twee- of meertalig kind bij wie de taalontwikkeling moeizaam verloopt of van wie de ouders of de leerkracht vragen hebben over hoe beide talen een plek kunnen krijgen in de opvoeding. Door elke contextuele factor in kaart te brengen kan de logopedist inschatten in hoeverre er omgevingsinvloeden te verwachten zijn die bevorderlijk zijn voor de ontwikkeling van een of beide talen of deze ontwikkeling juist bemoeilijken. Het model kan zowel bij de anamnese als bij de behandeling worden ingezet (zie voor specifiek advies over diagnostiek en behandeling van meertalige kinderen: Blumenthal, 2013)

White prevalence and White preference in children’s books in China

The study of the ethnicity of authors, illustrators, and characters in children’s literature is important for understanding the ethnic normativity messages that children receive through books. However, ethnic representation in children’s books has rarely been studied in Asian countries. The present study examined the ethnic representation of authors, illustrators, and characters of books for young children that (1) won awards, or (2) were in the annual sales ranks in one of the most popular online book stores in China from 2011 to 2018. In total, 75 books and 1858 human characters were coded. Results suggest a dominant representation of East Asian authors, East Asian illustrators, and White characters. Male characters were overrepresented (especially East Asian males). East Asian characters (especially females) were more prominent according to some indicators, whereas White characters (especially males) were more prominent according to the other indicators. Gender differences in physical features in East Asian characters were found in terms of eye shapes and straight hair. Light skin color was overrepresented in East Asian characters (especially females). The results indicate overrepresentation of White authors, illustrators, and characters as compared to population statistics, as well as the preference for White skin color in East Asian characters in illustrations. The results suggest a form of current postcolonial globalization influencing Chinese children’s literature, and can help to explain potential early origins of preference for people and culture mostly identified as White (or Western) in China

What do we read to our children? Messages concerning ethnic diversity in popular children’s books in the Netherlands

Children’s books can create opportunities for children to see themselves as well as others in different settings and stories, but cultural details and specificity within these stories can play an important role in the messages that children take away. Therefore, the present study aims to provide insight in the messages concerning ethnic diversity and various cultures in a subset of popular books that Dutch young children are likely to be exposed to. Books aimed at young children that were sold or borrowed most often or were awarded between 2009 and 2018 in the Netherlands are examined through the combined lens of critical race theory and critical multicultural analysis. Specifically, books including a protagonist or secondary character of color were selected. The study provides insight in the degree of cultural specificity and cultural authenticity, as well as prevailing power relations between characters and ideologies that are portrayed within the books. Results indicate that while cultural stereotypes and ideologies including White supremacy and eurocentrism are found only in a few books, cultural details are generally lacking and colorblindness is common in books aimed at young children. The study therefore underlines the particular need for books that are culturally specific and include authentic cultural details, to improve the reflection of various cultures and experiences of characters of color

Crisis and bias: Exploring ethnic prejudice among Chinese-Dutch children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Interethnic prejudice in children has been studied mostly among White and Black populations in the United States, but less among East Asian populations and Europe. Given that interethnic prejudice is sensitive to populations and contexts, research on previously neglected groups is needed. In the current study, interethnic prejudice is examined among Chinese-Dutch children aged 7–11 years (N = 80, 42 girls and 38 boys), focusing on their preference for and rejection of East Asian, White, Southwest Asian and North African, and Black peers. In addition, interethnic prejudice is examined in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, a global crisis that has led to anti-Asian racism. The results revealed that Chinese-Dutch children evaluated their ethnic ingroup and the White outgroup most positively, and the Black outgroup least positively. Moreover, stronger ingroup affinity (in terms of lower ingroup rejection) among Chinese-Dutch children was found during than before the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of situational influences on children's interethnic prejudice

Perceived discrimination, ethnic identity, and ethnic-racial socialization in Chinese immigrant families before and after the COVID-19 outbreak: An exploratory natural experiment

Emerging research from the United States indicates that people with an East Asian background experience COVID-19-related racial discrimination. There is some (although not consistent) evidence that these discrimination experiences can in turn have psychological and behavioral consequences, such as strengthening one’s ethnic identity and influencing parents’ ethnic-racial socialization practices. The current study presents a unique natural experiment examining self-reported perceived discrimination experiences, ethnic identity, and ethnic-racial socialization among 80 Chinese immigrant mothers in the Netherlands before and after the COVID-19 outbreak (39 mothers recruited before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and 41 during). The main findings from our exploratory analyses indicated an impact of the pandemic with higher (subtle) discrimination and stronger ethnic identity among Chinese immigrant mothers living in the Netherlands, highlighting how personal experiences related to intergroup processes have changed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis in the European context

Priming attachment and diversity ideologies: Effects on ethnic bias in children's altruistic sharing in a dictator game

Children often show a positive ingroup bias in altruistic behaviors such as sharing. Insight in factors related to ethnic bias in sharing can help towards understanding the origins of inequality in the distribution of resources in society. The present study examined the effect of priming secure attachment (versus positive affect) and multiculturalism (versus color-evasiveness) on ingroup bias in dominant ethnic group children's altruistic sharing. One hundred twenty-five White Dutch children (45 % boys, 55 % girls) between 7 and 11 years old (Mage = 8.47, SDage = 0.87) participated in a Dictator game after being primed. The Dictator game was played against three same-gender children with different ethnic backgrounds (White, Black, Middle Eastern). Results support the idea that priming secure attachment and multiculturalism can decrease ingroup bias in dominant ethnic group children's altruistic sharing, although the effects do not strengthen each other and are effective in situations with different trade-offs and interaction partners. Future research is needed to disentangle the effectiveness of secure attachment and multiculturalism messages in different sharing situations and with interaction partners with different ethnic backgrounds. Results from the present study provide starting points from which to further examine which messages potentially positively impact children's interethnic relations

Testosterone and fathers' parenting unraveled : links with the quantity and quality of father-child interactions

Objective Individual differences in quality of father involvement in caregiving might in part be explained by fathers' testosterone (T) levels. We examined the links between fathers' (n = 32) salivary T levels, amount of time spent with their child (12-30 months of age), type of father-child interaction, and fathers' sensitivity. Methods During two home visits, video observations of father-child interactions were conducted to measure fathers' sensitivity during a challenging and harmonious interaction. Fathers' saliva was collected several times throughout the day on a working day and on the home visit days, including right before and after each father-child interaction. Results Fathers' T secretion throughout the day was lower on home visit days (i.e., days with a higher amount of time spent with their child) than on a working day. For both challenging and harmonious father-child interactions, mean T levels did not differ before and after father-child interactions. However, individual changes in fathers' T levels during the father-child interactions did predict fathers' sensitivity. Specifically, the more T increased during the challenging interaction, or decreased during the harmonious interaction, the more sensitive the father was during that interaction as well as during a subsequent interaction. Conclusions Parenting quality is most optimal when fathers' T system reacts in the expected direction given the context of the father-child interaction, i.e., a T decrease during a harmonious interaction and a T increase during a challenging interaction. Our study underscores the importance of examining the interplay between biology, behavior, and caregiving context in fathers' parenting