A Safe Home? A Qualitative Study into the Experiences of Adolescents Growing Up in the Dutch Area Impacted by Earthquakes Induced by Gas Extraction

For decades, the Netherlands has experienced minor earthquakes due to gas extraction. This study aims to obtain insight into the experiences of adolescents and the impact of these earthquakes on their well-being and living environment. Focus groups were held with 24 adolescents, and interviews were held with 3 adolescents (N = 27; M = 15 years). Through qualitative analysis, we identified six themes. The adolescents shared experiences of anxiety related to the earthquakes and their consequences and considered these to be a normal part of their life. Anxiety and feelings of endangerment not only related to their own experiences but were also connected to the impact of earthquakes on their social environment, such as the restoration of buildings. Several sources of support (e.g., talking, social cohesion) were mentioned to deal with the negative consequences of the earthquakes. A lack of trust in the government was an additional main theme, with adolescents mentioning several needs, potentially relevant to policymakers in the Netherlands. Growing up in the gas extraction area of Groningen had many consequences on the adolescents in the study, who felt inhibited from expressing feelings of anxiety and fear. To support their needs, interventions at the individual, family, educational, societal, and policy levels are recommended. View Full-Tex

Could the BIC-Q be a decision-support tool to predict the development of asylum-seeking children?

The Best Interest of the Child Questionnaire (BIC-Q) is an instrument to measure the quality of the childrearing environment. We used a sample of asylum-seeking children (N = 79) in the Netherlands to determine the relationship between the quality of the childrearing environment and the child's internalizing behavioural problems. In decisions as to whether asylum-seeking children may remain in the Netherlands or must return to their country of origin, those in favour of the child's positive development are in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The aim of the present study is to determine the criterion-related validity of the BIC-Q using internalizing behavioural problems as criteria. In the case of good predictive validity, this instrument might be a suitable tool in judicial decision-making with respect to a possible change in an asylum-seeking child's place of residence.We investigated the criterion-related validity of the BIC-Q using logistical regression analysis and an ROC-curve to determine the relation between the quality of the childrearing environment and the child's internalizing behavioural problems. Logistic regression analysis showed that the current quality of the childrearing environment is negatively related to the risk of internalizing behavioural problems in children. The ROC shows that 81% of the children are correctly predicted whether they have internalizing behavioural problems or not. For seven conditions, the sum of the sensitivity and specificity was at a maximum (.75 and .71, respectively). (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Space between the borders? Perceptions of professionals on the participation in decision-making of young people in coercive care

The participation of young people in care and treatment decisions is regarded as an essential element in effective decision-making and care. Although care and treatment in juvenile justice facilities is, in the first instance, based on a coercive placement (i.e. nonparticipatory decision-making), it is likely that participation is also essential for young offenders during their stay in care. In our study, we interviewed 24 care professionals working in two different juvenile justice facilities in the Netherlands. Professionals understand what participation entails (e.g. informing, listening to, taking views into account), and how and why they can use participation in everyday practice. Typically, they link issues such as safety and existing boundaries when talking about participation in a coercive context. Based on our findings, we present a conceptual model of factors that seem to influence a young person’s participation process. These findings indicate that there is a need for the structural incorporation of youth participation into juvenile justice facilities in such a way as to consider the needs and perspectives of both young people and professionals

The Quality of the Childrearing Environment of Refugee or Asylum-Seeking Children and the Best Interests of the Child:Reliability and Validity of the BIC-Q

The Best Interest of the Child Questionnaire (BIC-Q) has been designed as an instrument for screening the quality of the rearing situation of asylum-seeking or refugee children. It is intended to aid legal decisions in asylum procedures. The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and the construct validity of the BIC-Q. Based on a study sample of refugee or asylum-seeking children in the Netherlands (N?=?74), the psychometric quality of the BIC-Q was investigated using Cohen's kappa for the inter- and intrarater reliability and a nonparametric item response model for the construct validity. The interrater and intrarater reliabilities of the BIC-Q were good (kappa?=?.65 and .74 respectively). The results of the item response model revealed that the 14 pedagogical environmental conditions formed a strong and valid measurement scale for the quality of the childrearing environment (H?=?.55; rho?=?.94). Preliminary results indicate that the BIC-Q may be applied to support decisions on where the asylum-seeking or refugee child has the best opportunities for development. Copyright (C) 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Perceived living conditions of young people staying in secure residential care

The Best Interest of the Child − Self-report questionnaire (BIC-S) is designed as a tool to ensure young people in secure residential care have a voice about their living environment. The primary aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the BIC-S. Second, we wanted to map the experiences of young people with their current residential living environment. Therefore, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to assess the experiences of young people with the BIC-S instrument. In 2015, based on a sample of 74 young people staying in secure residential care in the Netherlands, we explored the construct validity and reliability of the BIC-S through a Mokken Scale Analysis. The sample consisted of 38 boys and 36 girls (mean age 15.5). After exploring the psychometric properties of the instrument, we used descriptive statistics and analysed the open-ended BIC-S questions to map the experiences of young people with their current residential living environment.The results show that eleven out of the fourteen BIC-S conditions form a moderate scale to measure how young people perceive the quality of their living environment (H=.40; Rho=.86). With regard to the residential environment, the participants often raise issues which relate to personal safety, to activities within the institute, or to the relationship they have with care professionals. The results indicate that the BIC-S has the potential to serve as an instrument for young people to voice opinions on their living environment while in residential care

Perceived living conditions of young people staying in secure residential care: Psychometric properties of the Best Interest of the Child − Self-report questionnaire (BIC-S)

The Best Interest of the Child − Self-report questionnaire (BIC-S) is designed as a tool to ensure young people in secure residential care have a voice about their living environment. The primary aim of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of the BIC-S. Second, we wanted to map the experiences of young people with their current residential living environment. Therefore, both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to assess the experiences of young people with the BIC-S instrument. In 2015, based on a sample of 74 young people staying in secure residential care in the Netherlands, we explored the construct validity and reliability of the BIC-S through a Mokken Scale Analysis. The sample consisted of 38 boys and 36 girls (mean age 15.5). After exploring the psychometric properties of the instrument, we used descriptive statistics and analysed the open-ended BIC-S questions to map the experiences of young people with their current residential living environment. The results show that eleven out of the fourteen BIC-S conditions form a moderate scale to measure how young people perceive the quality of their living environment (H=.40; Rho=.86). With regard to the residential environment, the participants often raise issues which relate to personal safety, to activities within the institute, or to the relationship they have with care professionals. The results indicate that the BIC-S has the potential to serve as an instrument for young people to voice opinions on their living environment while in residential care