Child scribbling: a sensory motor activity and representational ability

Los niños por lo general comienzan a producir garabatos alrededor de su segundo año de vida. Como la actividad representativa ya se adquiere a esta edad, el acto gráfico puede ser correctamente considerado más que una mera actividad motora: es, sin duda, uno de los factores más relevantes que intervienen en el proceso gráfico, pero es deber del educador discernir su aspecto intencional, por lo tanto representativo. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es un examen detallado de los garabatos producidos por niños de entre dos y tres años de edad, cuyos temas dados son el niño él / ella, el niño involucrado en cualquier actividad lúdica o deportiva dada, y las figuras de la madre y el padre: cualquier posible diferencia que surja de tales caminos gráficos será investigada y analizada. Este estudio es parte de un proyecto mucho más amplio, que quiere acentuar los rasgos emotivos que se encuentran en la actividad gráfica de un niño, rasgos que podrían ser utilizados como medio de exploración del niño, de su propia interioridad, de un mundo interior en pleno desarrollo.Children usually begin producing scribbles around their second year of life. As representative activity is already acquired at this age, the graphic act can be rightly considered more than a mere motor activity: it is, without a doubt, one of the most relevant factors involved in the graphic process, but it is the educator’s duty to discern its intentional-therefore representative- aspect. Our study’s goal is a detailed examination of the scribbles produced by children between two and three years of age, whose given subjects are the child him/herself, the child engaged in any given playful or sportive activity, and the figures of the mother and the father: any possible difference emerging from such graphic paths, will be investigated and analyzed. This study is part of a much wider project, which would like to emphasize the emotive traits found in a child’s graphic activity, traits which could be used as means of exploration of the child’s own interiority, an inner world in full development.peerReviewe

Abuses, resilience, behavioural problems and post-traumatic stress symptoms among unaccompanied migrant minors: An Italian cross-sectional exploratory study

The aims of this study were to explore the type and prevalence of pre-/peri-migratory trauma experiences in unaccompanied minors and the prevalence of mental health problems and resilience. The study included 19 unaccompanied migrant minors aged 16–17 years coming from Egypt, Albania, Senegal, Bangladesh, Gambia, Morocco and Mali. The participants completed self-report questionnaires on emotional and behavioural problems, post-traumatic stress symptoms, abuse and resilience. All the unaccompanied migrant minors in our study were physically and psychologically abused at least once in their life and more than half were sexually abused before or during their migration. The most frequent abuses were: being hit with an object, being punished at school and at home with torture and infliction of pain, being forced to do something dangerous, being insulted, undergoing theft or damage of personal objects, being forced to look at sexual photos or videos and being sexually abused. The scores on post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety and dissociation are above the clinical cut-off point. Mean scores in the scales of resilience are generally in line with normative data. These scores show that despite their traumatic pre-migratory and peri-migratory experiences of abuse and the clinical psychopathological effects, the minors interviewed proved to have good sources of resilience. Immigration policies however should be based not only on admittance to emergency refuge centres but also on assessing the subjects and providing them with psychological support for the traumas experienced in order to achieve a successful integration process in the host societ

Examining cross-cultural validity, in a European Educational setting, of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale

El siguiente estudio propone un análisis comparativo de la labor llevada a cabo en Grecia, España e Italia en relación al proceso de adaptación y validación de la escala relación estudiante-profesor (Pianta, 2001). El cuestionario, que se originó en un contexto estadounidense, pretende evaluar la relación profesor-alumno, sobre la base de las tres dimensiones distintas, cercanía, conflictos y dependencia. Cada estudio ha sido visto teniendo en cuenta la metodología, análisis y conclusiones: aunque se han registrado diferencias en cada sección, nuestra labor ha puesto de manifiesto una fuerte uniformidad dentro de la propia estructura del instrumento de estudio. Todos los estudios han mostrado índices de consistencia similar, aunque se tuvo que hacer algunos cambios en el cuestionario con el fin de adaptarlo a cada realidad; tales cambios están en gran parte relacionadas con la magnitud de la Dependencia. No obstante, la eficiencia del propio cuestionario ha demostrado que la escala STRS ofrece válidas y confiables características psicométricas y parece ser adecuada para el estudio en profundidad de la relación entre el profesor y sus alumnos.The following study proposes a comparative analysis of the work carried out in Greece, Spain and Italy in relation to the process of adaptability and validation of the Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (Pianta, 2001). The questionnaire, originated within a US context, aims to evaluate the relationship teacher-pupil on the basis of the three, distinct dimensions of Closeness, Conflict and Dependency. Each study has been viewed taking into account methodology, analysis and conclusions: although differences have been registered in each section, our work has highlighted a strong uniformity within the structure itself of the instrument of study. All studies have shown similar consistency indexes, even though some changes had to be made to the questionnaire in order to adapt it to each given reality; such changes are in great part related to the scale of Dependency. Nevertheless, the efficiency of the questionnaire itself has been proved: the STRS scale offers valid and trustworthy psychometric characteristics and appears to be adequate for the in depth study of the relationship between a teacher and his/her pupils.peerReviewe

Student-teacher relationships as a protective factor for school adjustment during the transition from middle to high school

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict with teachers significantly predicted an increase in conduct problems and hyperactive behaviors. This study supports the significance of student-teacher relationships as a protective factor during students' transition to high-school. Our findings also highlight the importance of relationship quality in preventing students' risk of school failure