Longitudinal pathways between emotional difficulties and school absenteeism in middle childhood: Evidence from developmental cascades

Emotional difficulties are associated with both authorized and unauthorized school absence, but there has been little longitudinal research and the temporal nature of these associations remains unclear. This study presents three-wave random-intercepts panel models of longitudinal reciprocal relationships between teacher-reported emotional difficulties and authorized and unauthorized school absence in 2,542 English children aged 6 to 9 years old at baseline, who were followed-up annually. Minor differences in the stability effects were observed between genders but only for the authorized absence model. Across all time points, children with greater emotional difficulties had more absences, and vice versa (authorized: ρ = .23–.29, p < .01; unauthorized: ρ = .28, p < .01). At the within-person level, concurrent associations showed that emotional difficulties were associated with greater authorized (β = .15–.17, p < .01) absence at Time 3 only, but with less unauthorized (β = −.08–.13, p < .05) absence at Times 1 and 2. In cross-lagged pathways, neither authorized nor unauthorized absence predicted later emotional difficulties, and emotional difficulties did not predict later authorized absence at any time point. However, greater emotional difficulties were associated with fewer unauthorized absences across time (β = −13–.22, p < .001). The implications of these findings are discussed.

Family Composition and Stability for Orphans: A Longitudinal Study of Well-Being in 5 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Objectives: Many orphaned children in low- and middle-income countries live with family. Yet, their household composition and its stability are not well-characterized, nor is impact of stability on longer-term outcomes.Methods: We used the longitudinal, multi-country Positive Outcomes for Orphans cohort to describe adult family living with orphans. Stability was measured by changes in presence of six familial relations over time, and related to three outcomes: 1) incident abuse, 2) cognitive functioning, 3) emotional difficulties. Associations were estimated using generalized linear models fit with generalized estimating equations. For abuse, Poisson regression estimated risk ratios. For continuous scores of cognitive functioning and emotional difficulties, linear models estimated mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals.Results: Among 1,359 orphans, 53–61% reported living with their mother each year; 7–13% with father; nearly 60% reported ≥1 change in composition over follow-up. Compared to 0 changes, difficulties increased with 1 change [MD: 0.23 (−0.33, 0.79)], 2 changes [MD: 0.57 (0.00, 1.16)] and ≥3 changes [MD: 0.73 (0.18, 1.29)]. No associations were found with abuse or cognitive functioning.Conclusion: Orphan well-being may be improved through supports stabilizing household composition or targeting emotional resilience.

Risk and protective factors for mental health and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence

New ESRI research, based on Growing Up in Ireland, shows that strong relationships with parents, peers and teachers enhance child and adolescent wellbeing New ESRI research funded by HSE Health and Wellbeing, examines the risk and protective factors for mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Using data from the Growing Up in Ireland ’08 Cohort at 9 years of age and the ’98 Cohort at 17 years of age, the research examined both positive (life satisfaction) and negative (socio-emotional difficulties) aspects of mental health and wellbeing. Socio-emotional difficulties refer to difficulties of an emotional nature (e.g., feeling unhappy, downhearted or tearful) or with peers (e.g., picked on or bullied).

Dismissal, distrust, and dismay: A phenomenological exploration of young women’s diagnostic experiences with endometriosis and subsequent support

Endometriosis is associated with extensive physical and emotional difficulties, yet there is little research investigating the impact of the diagnostic journey particularly for younger women. Using semi structured on-line interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored nine young women’s experiences of the diagnostic process and the significance of support during this period. Three main themes emerged: ‘the pursuit of a diagnosis’, ‘adjusting to a new normality’ and ‘the importance of effective support’. These experiences revealed clinical shortcomings and potential improvements to current guidelines and practices to facilitate a more emboldening process for patients.

Confronting and Coping with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Life Experiences in Thailand

In this article, we aimed to understand the life experiences of Thai persons diagnosed with multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). A qualitative study using a face-to-face in-depth interview was conducted at a hospital in Thailand which has the highest prevalence of MDR-TB in the country between January and February 2019. Twenty persons living with MDR-TB in Thailand were purposively selected to represent a variety of experiences based on different gender, ages, and treatment phases. Qualitative data were transcribed and thematic analysis was applied to identify common themes and sub-themes. The results indicated that all participants faced emotional difficulties, such as fear of death, fear of stigmatization, confusion, and sadness when first knowing of their diagnosis. Family and social support were the main ways that the patients coped with difficult situations. Suicidal ideas were more prevalent among patients with poor family support. Screening for mental health problems should be routinely performed in MDR-TB patients. Proper health education should be provided to patients and families to reduce emotional difficulties and stigmatization.

Experiences of living with postural tachycardia syndrome

Objective Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system which involves a range of symptoms, worsened when adopting an orthostatic (upright) position. Symptoms can include tachycardia, dizziness, fainting, nausea as well as many others which, as is typical of a syndrome, vary from person to person. Although research is increasing into this condition, the unifying experiences of managing it on a daily basis have not been extensively investigated. This study aimed to capture participants’ experiences of living with PoTS. Method A longitudinal digital ethnographic approach was employed. Eight participants recorded daily video diaries discussing their experiences of PoTS and its impact for 17 days. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilised to analyse the data and identify connections across participants’ accounts. Results Four superordinate themes emerged: ‘loss of control and lack of agency over body’, ‘identity changes’, ‘lack of understanding from others’ and ‘adapting to cope with PoTS’. Discussion The findings demonstrated the complex and widespread impact these participants experience from their PoTS symptoms, including the consequent emotional difficulties that result from managing this condition. An overall lack of understanding about PoTS by others was emphasised, suggesting the requirement for better education and support services for this condition.

Validation of the French ADNM-20 in the assessment of emotional difficulties resulting from COVID-19 quarantine and outbreak

Background Multiple psychological consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine have been described. However, there is a lack of global conceptualization. We argue that the stressful aspects of the situation, the multiple environmental consequences of the outbreak, and the diversity of symptoms observed in such a situation, suggest that Adjustment disorder (AD) is a promising way to conceptualize the psychological consequences of the outbreak and quarantine. The first aim of the study was to validate the French version of the ADNM. The second aim was to set out adjustment difficulties resulting from COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine. Method We recruited 1010 (840 women, 170 men) who consented online to participate. They filled out the French ADNM, visual analogic scales, HADS, IES, and the COPE, to evaluate coping strategies. Results We confirmed the factor structure of the ADNM and we found good psychometric properties. We found that 61.3% of participants presented an adjustment disorder related to COVID-19 outbreak. We found multiple risk factors and protective factors to AD due to quarantine and outbreak. We also identified the coping strategies negatively and positively associated with AD. Conclusion Adjustment disorder is a relevant concept to understand psychological manifestations caused by quarantine and outbreak. The French ANDM has good psychometric properties to evaluate such manifestations. The association between coping strategies and AD symptoms suggest that CBT may be the best intervention to help people suffering from AD.

Alexithymia and Autistic Traits: Associations With Social and Emotional Challenges Among College Students

Background: Alexithymia is a multifaceted personality construct defined by marked difficulties in identifying and describing feelings and in externally oriented thinking. Given its intrinsic role in social-emotional processing, alexithymia is now recognized as a trans-diagnostic trait in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. Research has pinpointed to the co-occurrence of autism with characteristics typical of alexithymic normative samples, such as social-communication difficulties and decreased emotion regulation abilities. Nonetheless, the role of individual facets of alexithymia in predicting challenges in social communication functioning is still understudied.Methods: In total, 275 young adults completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Autism Spectrum Quotient (short form), the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale self-reported questionnaires for assessing alexithymic and autistic traits, social-communication abilities, and emotion regulation difficulties. We used regression models to establish cross-sectional associations between autism, alexithymia, and social-emotional difficulties. Also, we ran a parallel mediation analysis to determine whether the relationship between autistic traits and emotion regulations challenges are mediated by Alexithymia facets.Results: Analysis showed a significant positive association between autistic traits and alexithymic traits and between autistic traits and emotion regulation difficulties while, as expected, autistic traits were negatively correlated with social skills. A significant relationship was found among the participants’ levels of alexithymia and their interpersonal skills with two of three alexithymic subscales significantly contributing to the model. Similarly, a significant relationship was found among alexithymia subscales and emotion regulation difficulties with all three alexithymia subscales being statistically significant. Finally, analysis on two mediator models indicated a significant effect of autistic traits on social skills mediated by alexithymic traits as well as a significant indirect effect of autistic traits on emotion regulation difficulties mediated by alexithymic traits.Conclusion: The results of this study provide evidence of the influence of different alexithymic facets on the relationship between autistic traits and social-emotional challenges in young adults. Longitudinal studies may explore further alexithymia and its associations with social-emotional difficulties in autism as well as the potential implications of these findings in intervention and treatment programs.

Confinement et continuité pédagogique

Provoked in March 2020 by the global Covid 19 pandemic, the migration of education to virtual has not been without challenges. Like many other countries, India has been forced to implement virtual modalities in education as a response to the crisis. This study highlights the complex nature of EFL teaching and learning, the pedagogical and emotional difficulties caused by digital technology. It also sets out some recommendations for making better use of the virtual. Semi-directed interviews with teachers help us to identify the new situation, their perception of this change, and their strategies. They also allow us to identify the specificities of online teaching and learning of French as a foreign language.