The Developmental Trajectory of Empathy and Its Association with Early Symptoms of Psychopathology in Children with and without Hearing Loss

Empathy enables people to share, understand, and show concern for others’ emotions. However, this capacity may be more difficult to acquire for children with hearing loss, due to limited social access, and the effect of hearing on empathic maturation has been unexplored. This four-wave longitudinal study investigated the development of empathy in children with and without hearing loss, and how this development is associated with early symptoms of psychopathology. Seventy-one children with hearing loss and cochlear implants (CI), and 272 typically-hearing (TH) children, participated (aged 1–5 years at Time 1). Parents rated their children’s empathic skills (affective empathy, attention to others’ emotions, prosocial actions, and emotion acknowledgment) and psychopathological symptoms (internalizing and externalizing behaviors). Children with CI and TH children were rated similarly on most of the empathic skills. Yet, fewer prosocial actions were reported in children with CI than in TH children. In both groups, affective empathy decreased with age, while prosocial actions and emotion acknowledgment increased with age and stabilized when children entered primary schools. Attention to emotions increased with age in children with CI, yet remained stable in TH children. Moreover, higher levels of affective empathy, lower levels of emotion acknowledgment, and a larger increase in attention to emotions over time were associated with more psychopathological symptoms in both groups. These findings highlight the importance of social access from which children with CI can learn to process others’ emotions more adaptively. Notably, interventions for psychopathology that tackle empathic responses may be beneficial for both groups, alike

Continuous admission to primary school and mental health problems

Background: Younger children in a school class have higher rates of mental health problems if admission to primary school occurs once a year. This study examines whether this relative age effect also occurs if children are admitted to school continuously throughout the year. Methods: We assessed mental health problems based on parent-reports (using the Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL) and on professional assessments, among two Dutch national samples of in total 12,221 children aged 5-15 years (response rate: 86.9%). Results: At ages 5-6, we found a higher occurrence of mental health problems in relatively young children, both for mean CBCL scores (p = 0.017) and for problems assessed by child health professionals (p <0.0001). At ages 7-15, differences by relative age did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Continuous admission to primary school does not prevent mental health problems among young children, but may do so at older ages. Its potential for the prevention of mental problems deserves further study

The developmental trajectory of empathy and its association with early symptoms of psychopathology in children with and without hearing loss

Empathy enables people to share, understand, and show concern for others' emotions. However, this capacity may be more difficult to acquire for children with hearing loss, due to limited social access, and the effect of hearing on empathic maturation has been unexplored. This four-wave longitudinal study investigated the development of empathy in children with and without hearing loss, and how this development is associated with early symptoms of psychopathology. Seventy-one children with hearing loss and cochlear implants (CI), and 272 typically-hearing (TH) children, participated (aged 1-5 years at Time 1). Parents rated their children's empathic skills (affective empathy, attention to others' emotions, prosocial actions, and emotion acknowledgment) and psychopathological symptoms (internalizing and externalizing behaviors). Children with CI and TH children were rated similarly on most of the empathic skills. Yet, fewer prosocial actions were reported in children with CI than in TH children. In both groups, affective empathy decreased with age, while prosocial actions and emotion acknowledgment increased with age and stabilized when children entered primary schools. Attention to emotions increased with age in children with CI, yet remained stable in TH children. Moreover, higher levels of affective empathy, lower levels of emotion acknowledgment, and a larger increase in attention to emotions over time were associated with more psychopathological symptoms in both groups. These findings highlight the importance of social access from which children with CI can learn to process others' emotions more adaptively. Notably, interventions for psychopathology that tackle empathic responses may be beneficial for both groups, alike.Otorhinolaryngolog

Clustering of health and risk behaviour in immigrant and indigenous Dutch residents aged 19–40 years

Objectives\ud Studies on the co-occurrence, ‘clustering’ of health and other risk behaviours among immigrants from non-industrialised countries lack until now. The aim of this study was to compare this clustering in immigrant and indigenous adults.\ud \ud Methods\ud A representative sample (N = 2,982; response 71%) of the Dutch population aged 19–40, with 247 respondents from non-industrialized countries (Turkey, Morocco, Surinam, Netherlands Antilles), was asked about health behaviours (alcohol, smoking, drugs, unsafe sex, exercise, nutrition, sleep behaviour, traffic behaviour), and about rule-breaking behaviour and aggression. Data were collected using internet questionnaires, which excluded respondents unable to read Dutch.\ud \ud Results\ud Among indigenous adults, health and risk behaviours co-occur in three clusters (alcohol, health-enhancing behaviour, and rule-breaking behaviour), whereas among immigrant groups two clusters were found (alcohol and rule-breaking behaviour/smoking). Differences mostly concerned health-enhancing behaviours such as nutrition, which was not part of any cluster, and physical activity.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud This supports an integrated promotion of healthier lifestyles to immigrants who are able to read Dutch. Regarding potentially risky behaviours like alcohol use and rule-breaking behaviours, this could be similar to that for indigenous people\u

A school-based resilience intervention to decrease tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use in high school students

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite schools theoretically being an ideal setting for accessing adolescents and preventing initiation of substance use, there is limited evidence of effective interventions in this setting. Resilience theory provides one approach to achieving such an outcome through improving adolescent mental well-being and resilience. A study was undertaken to examine the potential effectiveness of such an intervention approach in improving adolescent resilience and protective factor scores; and reducing the prevalence of adolescent tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use in three high schools.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A non-controlled before and after study was undertaken. Data regarding student resilience and protective factors, and measures of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use were collected from grade 7 to 10 students at baseline (n = 1449) and one year following a three year intervention (n = 1205).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significantly higher resilience and protective factors scores, and significantly lower prevalence of substance use were evident at follow up.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results suggest that the intervention has the potential to increase resilience and protective factors, and to decrease the use of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana by adolescents. Further more rigorous research is required to confirm this potential.</p

School-Based Programs to Reduce Bullying and Victimization

School bullying has serious short-term and long-term effects on children’s physical and mental health. Various anti-bullying programs have been implemented world wide and, more rarely, evaluated. Previous narrative reviews, summarizing the work done on bullying prevention, as well as previous meta-analyses of anti-bullying programs, are limited. The definition of school bullying includes several key elements: physical, verbal, or psychological attack or intimidation that is intended to cause fear, distress, or harm to the victim; an imbalance of power (psychological or physical), with a more powerful child (or children) oppressing less powerful ones; and repeated incidents between the same children over a prolonged period. School bullying can occur in school or on the way to or from school. It is not bullying when two persons of the same strength (physical, psychological, or verbal) victimize each other. This report presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of programs designed to reduce school bullying perpetration and victimization (i.e. being bullied). The authors indicate the pitfalls of previous reviews and explain in detail how the present systematic review and meta-analysis addresses the gaps in the existing literature on bullying prevention

Does Hearing Lead to Understanding? Theory of Mind in Toddlers and Preschoolers With Cochlear Implants

Disorders of the head and nec

Parent-implemented early language intervention programme for late talkers: Parental communicative behaviour change and child language outcomes at 3 and 4 years of age

Pathways through Adolescenc

Predicting social functioning in children with a cochlear implant and in normal-hearing children: The role of emotion regulation

Disorders of the head and nec