Voices of children,parents and teachers: how children cope with stress during school transition

This study explores how children's perceptions of stress factors and coping strategies are constructed over time. Children were interviewed before and after they made the transition from preschool to primary school. This study also explores teachers' and parental strategies in helping children to cope with stress at school. The sample included 53 six-year-old children, their parents and teachers. The findings show that children generally could make accurate predictions of unhappy things that might happen during the transition to primary school. Children reported being incompetent in fulfilling teachers' expectations regarding learning, self-help skills and conforming to rules. Children also reported peer conflicts and being nervous about authority. Children learned direct problem-solving skills, seeking social support and emotional regulation at preschool, but had only used the first two coping strategies at school. A majority of parents thought that transition problems affected children's emotions, whereas most teachers thought that transition problems affected children's learning.     

School-Based Mentoring as Selective Prevention for Bullied Children: A Preliminary Test

This preliminary study tested the benefits of school-based lunchtime mentoring as a form of selective prevention for bullied children. Participants were 36 elementary school children in grades 4 and 5 who had been identified as bullied (based on child and teacher reports). Children in the Lunch Buddy program (n = 12) were paired with a college student mentor who visited twice each week during the spring semester of an academic year. Also participating were 24 matched-control children; 12 were from the same school as Lunch Buddy children (“Same” controls) and 12 were from a school different from that of Lunch Buddy children (“Different” controls). Results indicated that compared to Different control children, Lunch Buddy children experienced significantly greater reductions in peer reports of peer victimization from fall to spring semesters. Lunch Buddy children and mentors viewed the relationship as positive, and parents and teachers were very satisfied with Lunch Buddy mentoring. We discuss the implications of our findings for both research and practice.     

Children''s return to school after treatment for solid tumours

Great advances have been made in recent years in the treatment of children's cancers. Consequently, increasing numbers are now returning to school. The pilot study described in this paper looks at the problems experienced by some of these children, their teachers and parents, and some of the solutions which have been found, with a view to eventually taking some action to help the situation. The results are based on detailed studies of 16 children who had all been off treatment for two or more years and had therefore returned to school on a normal full-time basis. Parents and teachers were interviewed. The preparation for the return to school, reintegration problems including general physical, academic, psychological and behavioural ones, schoolmates' reactions, siblings' reactions, and the teachers, and parents, suggestions for how these might be alleviated are considered. Five important factors emerged especially clearly: Children whose treatment absence was right at the start of their schooling had particularly severe problems in integrating into school. Children at secondary schools had special anxieties about their school-work, especially Mathematics, which leads to consideration of the whole problem of teaching during absence from school. Some children are having severe problems in obtaining efficient prostheses. Whilst classmates were usually welcoming or unconcerned, much teasing was experienced from children in other classes, particularly in secondary schools. Whilst attention is focused on the sick child, siblings are developing severe problems of their own which need special attention. Most teachers and parents would have welcomed advice on or help with these problems and it is hoped that, when a larger scale study has clarified the finer points, some systems for helping will be devised.     

The relationship between motor performance and peer relations in 9- to 12-year-old children

Background Poor motor skills have been associated with peer relationship difficulties, with lower peer preference and greater likelihood of suffering from withdrawal and low self‐worth. Most research into these relationships has focused upon children with motor problems and on activities involving physical skills (play/sport). The current study examined the link between motor performance and peer relations in 9‐ to 12‐year‐old children in both physical and non‐physical (schoolwork) settings using a community sample. Methods Participants were 192 school children whose motor performance was tested using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. Peer acceptance was assessed using the Peer Rating Scale and teachers completed the Peer Exclusion subscale of the Child Behaviour Scale to indicate each child's peer status. Children were also asked to indicate their level of physical activity and their perceived freedom in leisure using self‐report questionnaires. Results Children with poor motor performance had lower levels of physical activity, and freedom in leisure and were less preferred by their peers in both play and classroom settings. These effects were stronger for boys than for girls. Teacher indicated that children with poorer motor skills experienced higher levels of peer rejection in the classroom setting. When motor performance was separated into fine‐ and gross‐motor performance it was found that only the latter was significantly correlated with peer acceptance in the play context but that fine‐motor skills contributed significantly to variance in teacher ratings of peer exclusion in the classroom setting. Conclusions The results support and extend earlier findings that children with poor motor performance are less accepted by their peers in play settings and provide some support for this extending to settings involving low levels of physical activity (classroom settings). The results similarly support previous findings that motor performance is associated with perceived freedom in leisure and with the likelihood of participating in active pursuits.     

What Affects Teacher Ratings of Student Behaviors? The Potential Influence of Teachers’ Perceptions of the School Environment and Experiences

Teachers serve as the natural raters of students within the school and classroom contexts. Yet teachers’ ratings of their students may vary based on these contextual factors. The current study explored the extent to which teacher perceptions of the school environment predict their longitudinal ratings of student behaviors. Data for this study come from 702 teachers in 42 elementary schools. Teachers self-reported their perceptions of the school context at a single time point, and provided ratings of their students’ behavior via the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaption-Checklist (TOCA-C) across three school years. Latent profile analysis identified three latent classes of teachers based on their ratings of school organizational health, burnout, and efficacy. A regression framework demonstrated an association between the baseline profiles in relation to TOCA-C ratings of student behavior across 3 years. Teachers with more favorable perceptions of the environment had lower initial ratings of concentration problems, disruptive behavior, and internalizing symptoms, and higher ratings of prosocial behaviors and family involvement. They also showed slower growth in their ratings of emotion dysregulation and greater increases of their ratings of family involvement over time. This work is particularly important for determining the extent to which teacher ratings may be biased by teacher and contextual factors, and may have implications for the identification of teachers who may rate students poorly over time.     

Children of Alcoholics in the Classroom: A Survey of Teacher Perceptions and Training Needs

Children of alcoholics (COAs) represent a population at risk for alcoholism as well as other physical, emotional, and social problems. This survey explored perceptions of North Carolina elementary and middle school teachers regarding roles and responsibilities in assisting COAs, their need for additional training specific to COAs, and their perceptions of school-based resources for helping COAs. Survey findings teachers generally are willing to assist COAs but need training regarding these children. Training is particularly appropriate for teachers who perceive a low incidence of COAs in their classrooms since these individuals' responses suggest the existence of barriers to effective COA assistance.     

幼年性类风湿性关节炎患儿的心理社会特征研究

目的 评估幼年性类风湿性关节炎(JRA)患儿的心理社会行为问题和家庭功能, 分析患儿行为问题的影响因素,为有针对性地进行以家庭为导向的干预治疗提供科学依据。 方法 以方便抽样的方法选择2013年6月-2014年6月在西安市第五医院骨科接受系统治疗并资料齐全的56例JRA患儿及其监护者为研究对象,52名健康儿童为对照组,采用儿童行为量表和Feetham 家庭功能量表对患儿及健康儿童父母进行问卷调查, 分析患儿心理问题及家庭功能并与正常儿童进行比较。 结果 JRA患儿的内向性因子、外向性因子和行为异常问题得分均较正常儿童偏高,心理行为问题发生率明显偏高,社会能力和学校表现普遍差于正常儿童,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与正常家庭比较,JRA患儿的FFFS三个分量表得分(1.30±0.79,1.21±0.68,2.20±1.10)均明显高于一般正常家庭(0.98±0.32,0.79±0.31,0.93±0.37),总d分(1.60±0.67)明显高于一般正常家庭(0.90±0.31),差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。家庭的功能、结构和经济状况对患儿行为问题均有明显影响。 结论 JRA患儿心理行为问题发生率较高,家庭功能与患儿的诊疗又相互影响,需要有针对性的、以家庭为导向的干预,促进JRA患儿的健康恢复。     

Competent kids: children and adolescents with a chronic illness

The social and personal competence of children and adolescents with a seizure disorder or an orthopaedic condition was assessed by parents and teachers. The contributions to these assessments of characteristics of the child, the intensity of the illness, and the child's temperament were explored using a hierarchical regression model. Parents and teachers rated all children as functioning fairly well. Children with a seizure disorder were perceived as significantly less competent than were their healthy peers (P less than 0.05). Across health status groups, children received higher competence scores from their parents than they did from their teachers (P less than 0.05). Competence scores did not differ according to the age of the child. The patterns of variables that predicted ratings of competence differed according to illness type and rater. Indicators of illness intensity explained a larger share of the variance in competence ratings for children with a seizure disorder (25%) than for children with an orthopaedic condition (5%). For children in this latter group, temperament explained a much larger proportion of the variance in both parents' (29%) and teachers' (42%) ratings of competence than did the illness intensity variables.     

The relationship of achievement and peer status to teacher attitudes toward young children

The relationships between teacher attitudes about children, children's peer relations, and achievement orientation were investigated. Eighteen preschool children were administered the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and a standard sociometric nomination procedure as measures of achievement and peer status, respectively. Fourteen student teachers involved in a practicum experience responded to an attitude measurement procedure designed to assess attitudes of Attachment, Rejection, Concern, and Indifference (ARCI). Kendall correlation coefficients indicated a significant relationship between teacher attitudes toward children and children's peer relations. Children who were popular in their peer group were nominated as highly attached by their teachers. Inversely, children's peer rejection correlated positively with teacher concern and rejection, while correlating negatively with teacher attachment. Teachers also were attached to high achieving children and rejected or were concerned about low achieving children. The implications for student-teacher relationships and educational environments are discussed.     

School experiences after treatment for a brain tumour

BACKGROUND: Children surviving a brain tumour face major difficulties including learning problems, lengthy school absences and psychosocial problems, all of which can impact on school functioning. Our aims were to provide information for parents and teachers about the skills and resources of this group. Specifically, we aimed to: describe the special educational needs of these children; document the impact of diagnosis and treatment on school attendance; compare parent and teacher assessments of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. METHODS: Forty families agreed to participate (response rate = 58.82%). The children (19 males and 21 females) were aged from 6 to 16 years and had completed treatment at least 2 years previously (range = 2 years-12 years 5 months). Questionnaires (Strengths and Difficulties and school experience) were completed by mothers and teachers. RESULTS: Survivors were experiencing a wide range of physical, learning and interpersonal difficulties, according to parent and teacher reports. Almost half the children (n = 19) had ongoing neurological problems that were significant enough to require special help at school. Literacy and numeracy were the most common learning difficulties. Parents also rated brain tumour survivors as having more behavioural and emotional problems than would be expected from population norms. For example, survivors were rated as having more Total Difficulties (t = 6.86, P < 0.001), Emotional Symptoms (t = 8.82, P < 0.001), Hyperactivity (t = 2.25, P = 0.03), Peer Relationship Problems (t = 7.58, P < 0.001) and poorer Pro-social Behaviour (t = -3.34, P = 0.002) than would be expected from population norms. These problems were also seen to be having a significant impact on the child's functioning (t = 3.95, P < 0.001). Teachers rated these problems as less serious than parents. CONCLUSION: These children experience significant problems in school some time after diagnosis and when they are considered medically cured. Closer school-hospital liaison is essential to maximize integration and achievement in these children.     

Association of language spoken at home with health and school issues among Asian American adolescents

The study examined the association of language spoken at home with the school and health risks and behaviors of Asian American adolescents. Using the United States component of the 1997-1998 World Health Organization Study of Health Behavior in School Children, bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted of records for Asian children to explore the relationship between language spoken at home and outcome variables regarding health behaviors, psychosocial and school risk factors, and parental factors. Compared to those who usually speak English at home, adolescents who usually speak another language, or who speak two languages equally, face a greater risk for health risk factors, psychosocial and school risk factors, and parental risk factors. Not speaking English at home was associated with higher health risks, including not wearing seat belts and bicycle helmets; higher psychosocial and school risk factors, including feeling that they do not belong at school, difficulty making new friends, and lacking confidence; and higher parental risks, including reporting that parents were not ready to help them or willing to talk to teachers. Adolescents less acculturated to the United States experience a variety of physical and psychosocial risks. School-based interventions such as early identification and outreach, needs assessment, and counseling and support services should be provided to immigrant students and their families.     

The relationship of achievement and peer status to teacher attitudes toward young children

The relationships between teacher attitudes about children, children's peer relations, and achievement orientation were investigated. Eighteen preschool children were administered the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) and a standard sociometric nomination procedure as measures of achievement and peer status, respectively. Fourteen student teachers involved in a practicum experience responded to an attitude measurement procedure designed to assess attitudes of Attachment, Rejection, Concern, and Indifference (ARCI). Kendall correlation coefficients indicated a significant relationship between teacher attitudes toward children and children's peer relations. Children who were popular in their peer group were nominated as highly attached by their teachers. Inversely, children's peer rejection correlated positively with teacher concern and rejection, while correlating negatively with teacher attachment. Teachers also were attached to high achieving children and rejected or were concerned about low achieving children. The implications for student‐teacher relationships and educational environments are discussed.     

Parents,teachers and peer relations as predictors of risk behaviors and mental well-being among immigrant and Israeli born adolescents

This study examines the roles of parents (monitoring, involvement and support at school), teachers (support) and peers (excess time spent with friends, peer rejection at school) in predicting risk behaviors (smoking and drinking) and mental well-being among 3499 Israeli-born and 434 immigrant adolescents ages 11, 13 and 15, in the 2006 WHO Health Behavior in School-Aged Children cross-national survey. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) showed that for native Israeli youth, in line with previous developmental literature, all three relationships – parents, teachers and peers – have a significant impact on both mental well-being and risk behaviors. However, for immigrant adolescents, it was the school environment (parental support at school, teacher support and peer relationships) that proved to be the significant predictor of risk behaviors and mental health outcomes. These findings suggest that the school is an important social support in the health and mental well-being of immigrant schoolchildren.     

Children’s beliefs concerning school transition

This study examines preschoolers’ beliefs concerning their transfer into primary education. Data from 1386 Finnish preschoolers were obtained using interviews with parents at the end of the children’s preschool year. The qualitative content analysis revealed categories, which encompassed peer relationships, relationship with teacher, learning, formal schoolwork, informal activities, comfortable school entry and no concerns. The results indicated that children’s beliefs concerning their prospective school entry centred on maintaining and making friendships, and that children possessed both negative and positive expectations about their relationship with their future teacher. Both girls and boys expressed concerns about managing school life. One-third of the children did not express any concerns. Children anticipated new learning experiences and were eager to meet more challenging tasks. The anticipation of positive learning encounters emphasizes the gradual, proactive construction of children’s self-conceptions as learners. Some differences were found between genders, as well as the type of preschool context.     

The influence of Korean preschool teachers’ work environments and self-efficacy on children’s peer play interactions: the mediating effect of teacher–child interactions

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the structural relationships between Korean preschool teachers’ work environments, self-efficacy, and children’s peer play interactions; it also examined the mediating influence of teacher–child interactions on these relationships. This study performed SEM analysis on 1193 teachers’ survey responses from the 2014 Panel Study on Korean Children. The results showed that, first, teachers’ self-efficacy not only directly influenced teacher–child interactions but also influenced children’s peer play interactions through teacher–child interactions. Second, teachers’ work environments not only directly influenced teacher–child interactions, but also influenced children’s peer play interactions (mediated by teacher–child interactions). Third, teacher–child interactions had a direct effect on children’s peer play interactions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of the influence of Korean preschool teachers’ work environments and self-efficacy on children’s peer play interactions, mediated by teacher–child interactions.     

Children's Ways of Experiencing Peer Interaction

Educational practice in age integrated child groups rests on the assumption that children learn from their peers. The benefits of age integrated teaching is to enhance the value of heterogeneity in child groups. The fact that children are different from each other with different experiences is seen as an asset, which both children and teachers can benefit from. 22 children in a school class with children of mixed age; ranging from 7-9 years, were interviewed about their conceptions of peer interaction. How do children conceive peer collaboration, and what does it mean to children to teach someone something? A phenomenographic research approach is being used to discern the variation in ways of thinking about how children do when they teach someone something, and how they conceive peer collaboration at school. Children are conscious about the fact that they are able to teach their peers, and they can express this in different ways. Children also shift in their roles as “teacher” and “learner”. In some examples it is the “teacher” who plays the active role, in others it is the “learner” who has to be active by imitating the model/teacher.     

Cambio En Las Escuelas: Mexican-American Parent Attitudes Toward School Health Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of Mexican-American (MA) parents of children toward school health education programs in South Texas. The Parent Attitude Scale (PAS) was developed and validated by American Cancer Society (ACS) staff and volunteer health educators. The validated survey was used to question randomly selected parents in the McAllen, Texas, school district regarding their attitudes toward school health education. Of 253 parents contacted, 235 (92.9%) parents were interviewed. Mann-Whitney U-Tests indicated that Mexican-American (MA) parents consider school health education to be more important than non-Mexican-American parents do. MA parents, overall, felt that it was more important that their child has good health habits and more important that their child's teacher provide support to them by teaching good health habits than non-MA parents. MA parents also felt that health was more important relative to other subjects at school than non-MA parents. The data indicate strong support for school health education efforts among MA parents in southern Texas. Such support may grow stronger with appropriate parent-recruitment efforts, including those by the ACS. Mexican-American parents may also represent an untapped resource for social and political support for school health programming.     

Psychosocial health and life-events – dynamical development in the short term. A follow-up study of children at four and six years of age

In this paper, (1) the psychosocial health in relation to (2) life-events was assessed among 156 children attending 20 schools by parents and teachers with the Child Behavior Checklist and the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form at the ages of four and six. Life-events were reported by parents. (1) According to the report, 93–96% children had no psychosocial problems. Parents and teachers report significant improvement of externalising (behavioural) problems and total problems in children with psychosocial problems at point of time 1. Teachers also report improvement of internalising (emotional) problems. Parents and teachers agree in 8–25% of the cases. (2) Of the children 46% experienced life events, no correlation was found with changes in psychosocial health. Findings may be explained by regular school attendance, resilience of the children and variability in the normative development. Remarkable dynamic is observed in change of psychosocial problems. Psychosocial development in early childhood is rather liable to change and life-events do not strongly influence psychosocial health.     

Bullying: A preliminary investigation of its nature and the effects of social cognition

The nature of peer group bullying among 631 Australian primary school children in years 5, 6 and 7 was surveyed in STUDY ONE to further understand the nature and effects of bullying. Over 6% of the sample reported being bullied 1-2 days/ week and nearly 1/3 of the sample felt unsafe from bullying. For 16% of the children who are bullied the experience lasts six months or more. Approximately one quarter of the students felt that teachers did little to stop bullying while children gave as their reason for not helping a victim “it is none of my business” and “fear”. Bullying affected self perception with 65% feeling worse about themselves after the incident. In STUDY TWO 76 children were individually interviewed regarding their social problem solving capacities. Bullies, victims and “normals” differed in relation to their attribution for control for explanations of aggressive behaviour. Bullies were more “external” than victims or other children. Bullies chose more aggressive second best solutions to aggressive behaviour by other children than victims while victims feared retaliation for aggressive behaviour on their part. The findings were discussed in terms of social cognition.     

Gender Differences in Middle School Adjustment, Physical Fighting, and Social Skills: Evaluation of a Social Competency Program

This study was designed to explore the effects of previous exposure to the Reach Out to Schools: Social Competency Program (SCP) on the middle school adjustment of sixth grade students. SCP is designed to teach children social skills to help them to communicate better, solve problems and build stronger relationships. Students (n = 277), parents (n = 166), and teachers (n = 13) were surveyed. Results show associations between program exposure and the middle school adjustment of girls, according to teacher and student ratings, and on physical fighting among boys, according to their self-reports. Differences were also found for teacher-rated levels of girls' assertiveness and boys' self-rating of self-control.