A Comparison of Parent and Teacher Ratings of Child Behaviours: the Pygmalion Effect Revisited

Early schooling experience is a reliable predictor of later school and professional adjustment. In the context of important investment made in the preschool curriculum to promote early academic achievement among children at risk of failure, the validity of screening and referring procedures is a rising issue. 384 children and their family participated in an 18 months longitudinal study from kindergarten to first grade. Results of the present study confirmed the value of screening protocol based on consensus between parents and teacher for greater attention to children needs. However, further results suggested that kindergarten’ teachers might be considered as a unique and valid informant to predict early academic achievement

Commentary : On the importance of looking at nonlinearity and developmental effects – a reflection on Flom et al. (2017)

By examining both linear and curvilinear associations between mental development and activity level, the study by Flom et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2017) highlights the importance of going beyond linear associations in psychological fields of research. Results from Flom et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2017) also raise interesting questions for future research. First, studies should look at variables that may explain the associations between activity level and mental development, such as self‐regulation and attention. Second, longitudinal changes in the strength of the association between activity level and mental development should be examined to determine when this association is at its strongest. Finally, longitudinal research looking at bidirectional effects is needed to confirm the direction of the associations between activity level and mental development. Answers to these questions will allow the identification of the best targets and developmental periods for interventions to take place

Exploration de la réalité des femmes non-monogames consensuelles au Québec : vécu relationnel et expérience des services de santé et services sociaux

La non-monogamie consensuelle (NMC) englobe l’ensemble des relations dans lesquelles les partenaires consentent à vivre des relations parallèles, de nature amoureuse et/ou sexuelle au-delà du modèle du couple dyadique (Conley, Moors, Matsick, et al., 2013). Dans les dernières années, un nombre croissant de recherches se sont effectuées à ce sujet, bien que l’on remarque que peu d’entre elles se soient intéressées aux femmes de diverses orientations sexuelles, ou aient été réalisées hors des États-Unis, puis que davantage de connaissances soient nécessaires à comprendre les effets de la mononormativité en intervention (Brewster et al., 2017). En cohérence avec ces constats, ce mémoire avait pour objectif d’explorer et comprendre la réalité des femmes NMC au Québec dans les services de santé et services sociaux en documentant leur expérience du mode relationnel et leur expérience des services reçus en santé et services sociaux. Pour y arriver, ce sont onze entretiens semi-dirigés qui ont été réalisés, puis dont les verbatims ont été analysés par le biais d’une analyse thématique. La plupart des résultats concordent avec la littérature existante concernant la NMC, et apportent des éclairages nouveaux concernant l’entrée dans ce mode relationnel, sa divulgation, puis les impacts des expériences antérieures dans le système de santé et services sociaux sur le dévoilement aux professionnel·le·s concerné·e·s. En discussion, la théorie du stress minoritaire et l’analyse féministe intersectionnelle permettent de mieux comprendre les résultats obtenus. Ce mémoire se conclut sur quelques recommandations pour la pratique du travail social auprès de personnes NMC.Abstract : Consensual non-monogamy (CNM) encompasses relationships in which partners agree to extradyadic romantic and/or sexual relationships. So far, few studies have focused on women of diverse sexual orientations or have been conducted outside of the United States. Moreover, more knowledge is needed to understand the effects of mononormativity in intervention. In line with these findings, this thesis aimed to understand the reality of CNM women in Quebec's health and social services by documenting their experience with CNM and with health care and social services. To achieve this, eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted, and verbatims were analyzed using thematic analysis. Most of the results validate previous findings and provide new insights regarding the entry into CNM, its disclosure, and the impacts of past experiences. In discussion, the minority stress theory and intersectional feminist analysis provide a better understanding of the results obtained. This thesis concludes with some recommendations for social work

Modelling vocabulary development among multilingual children prior to and following the transition to school entry

Differences between monolingual and multilingual vocabulary development have been observed but few studies provide a longitudinal perspective on vocabulary development before and following school entry. This study compares vocabulary growth profiles of 106 multilingual children to 211 monolingual peers before and after school entry to examine whether: (1) school entry coincides with different rates of vocabulary growth compared to prior to school entry, (2) compared to monolingual peers, multilingual children show different vocabulary sizes or rates of vocabulary growth, (3) the age of onset of second-language acquisition for multilingual children is associated with vocabulary size or rate of vocabulary growth, and (4) the sociolinguistic context of the languages spoken by multilingual children is associated with vocabulary size or rate of vocabulary growth. Results showed increases in vocabulary size across time for all children, with a steeper increase prior to school entry. A significant difference between monolingual and multilingual children who speak a minority language was observed with regards to vocabulary size at school entry and vocabulary growth prior to school entry, but growth rate differences were no longer present following school entry. Taken together, results suggest that which languages children speak may matter more than being multilingual per se

Les pratiques enseignantes pour soutenir le langage oral des enfants selon les contextes de classe à l'éducation préscolaire 5 ans

Ce mémoire par insertion d’un article consiste à étudier les pratiques enseignantes pour soutenir le langage oral de l’enfant en fonction des différents contextes de classe à l’éducation préscolaire 5 ans. Pour ce faire, les pratiques de neuf enseignantes et un enseignant ont été observées à l’aide d’une grille d’observation par intervalle, la Grille d’observation des pratiques éducatives pour le soutien de la Communication, du Langage et de l’Émergence de l’Écrit (CLÉÉ) (Bergeron-Morin et al., 2019). Puis, ces pratiques ont été étudiées en fonction de cinq contextes de classe (p. ex. activité en grand groupe initiée par l’adulte ou collation) identifiés à partir des définitions de l’outil Emerging Academic Snapshot (EAS ; Ritchie et al., 2001). Les résultats montrent que les enseignantes et l’enseignant utilisent plus de pratiques pour se centrer sur l’enfant, de pratiques pour promouvoir les interactions verbales en classe et de pratiques de modelage langagier dans les activités initiées par l’enfant que dans tous les autres contextes de classe à l’ÉP 5 ans. Toutefois, ce contexte de classe ne représente que 24 % du temps observé dans une matinée, une proportion moins importante que d’autres contextes de classe, comme l’activité en grand groupe initiée par l’adulte (28 %). Ces résultats sont discutés au regard des objectifs de recherche poursuivis. Ils soulèvent notamment le besoin de recherche sur le développement professionnel des enseignantes et des enseignants1 quant au soutien qu’ils offrent relativement au langage oral des enfants lors des activités initiées par eux

The interaction between temperament and the family environment in adolescent substance use and externalizing behaviors : support for diathesis–stress or differential susceptibility?

Both individual and environmental factors predict externalizing behaviors and substance use (EB-SU); however, different patterns of interaction among these factors may have different implications. This review first examines how temperament and the family environment interact in the prediction of adolescent EB-SU. Second, studies are reviewed according to two theoretical models: (1) diathesis–stress, i.e., certain individual characteristics are linked to vulnerability and later problems in adverse environments; (2) differential susceptibility, i.e., these characteristics are linked to susceptibility, predicting problems in adverse environments, but also better than average outcomes in good environments. Fourteen studies focusing on the prediction of EB-SU at ages 12–18 were selected through a literature search. Results showed that certain temperament traits (high levels of impulsivity and disinhibition; low levels of effortful control, negative affect, fearfulness and shyness), hereby designated as “adventurous” disposition, were associated with higher levels of EB-SU in adverse family environments. Some studies also showed that children with “adventurous” temperament traits in positive environments had the lowest levels of EB-SU. This suggests that prevention of EB-SU might target family factors such as parenting and focus on children with “adventurous” temperament traits. Further, studies that supported the differential susceptibility model were those assessing temperament and the family environment in childhood and studies that supported the diathesis–stress model assessed these variables in adolescence. It is thus possible that some of these “adventurous” temperament traits, with regard to EB-SU, would be indicators of susceptibility to both enriched and adverse environments in childhood but no longer in adolescence, when they would only be indicators of vulnerability to adverse environments

Adolescent cannabis use, change in neurocognitive function, and High-School Graduation : a longitudinal study from early adolescence to young adulthood

The main objective of this prospective longitudinal study was to investigate bidirectional associations between adolescent cannabis use (CU) and neurocognitive performance in a community sample of 294 young men from ages 13 to 20 years. The results showed that in early adolescence, and prior to initiation to CU, poor short-term and working memory, but high verbal IQ, were associated with earlier age of onset of CU. In turn, age of CU onset and CU frequency across adolescence were associated with (a) specific neurocognitive decline in verbal IQ and executive function tasks tapping trial and error learning and reward processing by early adulthood and (b) lower rates of high-school graduation. The association between CU onset and change in neurocognitive function, however, was found to be accounted for by CU frequency. Whereas the link between CU frequency across adolescence and change in verbal IQ was explained (mediated) by high school graduation, the link between CU frequency and tasks tapping trial and error learning were independent from high school graduation, concurrent cannabis and other substance use, adolescent alcohol use, and externalizing behaviors. Findings support prevention efforts aimed at delaying onset and reducing frequency of CU

Regulation of COX-2 protein expression by Akt in endometrial cancer cells is mediated through NF-κB/IκB pathway

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) has been shown to be highly expressed in a broad series of primary endometrial tumors and its expression may be closely associated with parameters of tumor aggressiveness. In human endometrial cancer, tumor suppressor phosphatase tensin homologue (PTEN) is frequently mutated. In the presence of a mutated PTEN protein, Akt phosphorylation levels increase leading to the activation of this survival pathway. The nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) is a well establish regulator of genes encoding cytokines, cytokine receptors, and cell adhesion molecules that drive immune and inflammatory responses. More recently, NF-κB activation has been connected with multiple aspects of oncogenesis, including the control of apoptosis, cell cycle, differentiation, and cell migration. It is known that Akt may act through NF-κB pathway and that COX-2 gene has been shown to be regulated at the promoter level by NF-κB. Recently, we showed that Akt regulates COX-2 gene and protein expressions in phospho-Akt expressing endometrial cancer cells. The present study was undertaken to determine the involvement of NF-κB pathway and IκB (an inhibitor of NF-κB) in the regulation of COX-2 expression and to determine more precisely the downstream targets of Akt involved in this process. RESULTS: Three different human endometrial cancer cell lines known to have wild type PTEN (HEC 1-A) or a mutated inactive PTEN protein (RL 95-2 and Ishikawa) were used for these studies. Expression IκB and Phospho-IκB were evaluated by Western analysis. The presence of IκB phosphorylation was found in all cell lines studied. There was no difference between cell lines in term of NF-κB abundance. Inhibition of PI 3-K with Wortmannin and LY294002 blocked IκB phosphorylation, reduced NF-κB nuclear activity, reduced COX-2 expression and induced apoptosis. Transfection studies with a dominant negative Akt vector blocked IκB phosphorylation and reduced COX-2 expression. On the opposite, constitutively active Akt transfections resulted in the induction of IκB phosphorylation and up-regulation of COX-2. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that Akt signals through NF-κB/IκB pathway to induce COX-2 expression in mutated PTEN endometrial cancer cells