Anne I. H. Borge

Adolescent coping with everyday stressors: A seven-nation study of youth from central, eastern, southern, and northern Europe

The present study compares problem-specific coping strategies and coping styles of European adolescents from seven nations. The sample consisted of 3031 adolescent participants, aged 11 to 20, from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Switzerland. The adolescents completed the Coping Across Situations Questionnaire (CASQ) by indicating which coping strategies (from 20 alternatives) they usually employed in dealing with age-specific problems (covering 8 different domains). The strategies can be collapsed to three coping styles: active coping, internal coping, and withdrawal. Results show that adolescents from all seven nations predominantly employed functional forms of coping, i.e., active coping and internal coping. In addition, the pattern of frequently and rarely applied coping strategies was similar across cultures. Differences in coping style were revealed for some, but not all problem domains, suggesting that cross-cultural similarity in coping exists for specific stressors. Problem-specific analyses helped to clarify where cultural influence is most distinct. Whereas cultural diversity was highest for coping with job-related problems, coping with self- and future-related problems was highly similar among adolescents from all the nations. Despite the considerable traditional, educational, and economic differences among the cultures investigated, the similarities in coping behaviour were impressive. Explanations for cultural universals and differences in adolescent coping are discussed.

Nonmaternal care in infancy and emotional/behavioral difficulties at 4 years old: Moderation by family risk characteristics.

The authors examined the role of familial risk and child characteristics in the association between the type of child care in infancy (maternal care [MC]) versus nonmaternal care [NMC]) and emotional/behavioral difficulties at 4 years old. Canadian families (N=1,358) with children between 1 and 12 months old were followed over 4 years. Family risks were found to moderate the association between type of child care and physical aggression. MC in infancy was associated with lower levels of physical aggression among children from a low-risk family background but not among those from a high-risk family background. The effect size was small (d=-0.16; confidence interval [CI]=-0.3, -0.01). Family risk and the sex of the child moderated the association between child care and emotional problems. MC in infancy was associated with a lower level of emotional difficulties among girls from low-risk families but not among boys or among children from high-risk families. The effect size was moderate (d=-0.44; CI=-0.65, -0.23). The study indicates that the effect of child care type in infancy varies by family and child characteristics.

Prevalence and persistence of stomach ache and headache among children. Follow-up of a cohort of Norwegian children from 4 to 10 years of age

Results from a prospective cohort of 136 children, from 4 to 10 years of age, indicated that stomach ache was almost as prevalent among preschool children as children of school age. Headache was almost absent among 4‐year‐olds but prevalent at 10 years of age. Generally, early pain complaints were persistent. The co‐occurrence of stomach ache and headache increased from 4% of children at 4 years of age to 20% when they reached 10 years of age.

Adolescents with and without a facial difference: The role of friendships and social acceptance in perceptions of appearance and emotional resilience

This study investigated the role of friendships and social acceptance in self-perceptions of appearance and depressive symptoms, comparing adolescents with and without a facial difference. Adolescents with a visible cleft (n=196) were compared with adolescents with a non-visible cleft (n=93), and with a comparison group (n=1832). Boys with a visible difference reported significantly more positive perceptions of friendships and less depressive symptoms than the comparison group. These results were interpreted in the context of indicators of emotional resilience. The objective measure of facial difference did not explain levels of depressive symptoms, while subjective measures did. Subjective ratings of appearance mediated the association between social acceptance and depressive symptoms in all samples. Gender did not contribute in explaining the paths between friendships, appearance, and depressive symptoms. The associations between perceptions of social acceptance, appearance, and emotional distress, support the possible utility of strengthening social experiences in preventing and treating appearance-concerns.

Maternal Smoking in Pregnancy and Externalizing Behavior in 18-Month-Old Children : Results From a Population-Based Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE The relation between prenatal smoking and child behavioral problems has been investigated in children of school age and older, but prospective studies in younger children are lacking. Using the population-based prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study, we examined the risk for externalizing behaviors among 18-month-old children after exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy. METHOD Participants were 22,545 mothers and their 18-month-old children. Mothers reported their smoking habits at the 17th week of gestation and their childs externalizing behavior at 18 months of age by means of standardized questionnaires. Data were analyzed using logistic regression, with scores of externalizing behavior above the 88.6th percentile as the dependent variable and self-reported smoking as the independent variable. We examined the childs sex as a possible moderator. RESULTS We documented a threshold effect of smoking 10 cigarettes or more per day during pregnancy on subsequent externalizing behaviors among 18-month-old children, even after adjusting for relevant confounders (odds ratio 1.32, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.70). The childs sex did not moderate these effects (odds ratio 0.98, 95% confidence interval 0.83-1.16). CONCLUSIONS Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases offsprings subsequent risk for externalizing behavior problems at 18 months of age. The pattern of risk does not differ between boys and girls. Our findings suggest a population attributable risk of 1.75% [corrected] (i.e., the proportion of externalizing cases that could potentially be avoided if prenatal smoking was eliminated or reduced to fewer than 10 cigarettes per day).

Social Experience in 10-Year-Old Children Born With a Cleft: Exploring Psychosocial Resilience

Objective: The purposes of this study were to investigate self-reported social experience in 10-year-old children born with a cleft lip and/or palate and to gain a better understanding of variables implicated in psychosocial resilience. Design: Cross-sectional study of 10-year-old children from five consecutive birth cohorts, born from 1992 to 1997. Participants: A total of 268 children treated by the Oslo cleft team (Norway) participated in the study. The childrens cleft conditions included cleft lip and palate, cleft lip alveolus, cleft palate, and submucous cleft palate. Outcome Measures: Psychosocial resilience was measured with the Child Experience Questionnaire (CEQ). Other variables were obtained during a clinical interview with the child. Cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial functioning was measured with the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC). Satisfaction with appearance was assessed through the use of the Satisfaction with Appearance Scales (SWA). Informants were both children and parents. Results: Cleft types differed significantly with respect to subtype and frequency of additional difficulties. Psychosocial resilience was associated with adequate emotional functioning, high satisfaction with appearance, and a lower frequency of reported teasing. Child characteristics such as visibility of cleft, gender, and additional diagnosis did not contribute to explain psychosocial resilience. Conclusions: Results reported here emphasise the importance of assessing the childs subjective report of satisfaction with appearance and psychosocial experience.

Peer harassment and satisfaction with appearance in children with and without a facial difference

This study investigated associations between perceived peer harassment and satisfaction with appearance in the presence or absence of a facial difference. A cross-sectional sample of 661 children aged 10 or 16, with a cleft lip and/or palate, completed measures of satisfaction with appearance and peer harassment. Results indicated that the presence of a visible versus a nonvisible cleft was not associated with appearance dissatisfaction or higher levels of peer harassment for children aged 10 or for adolescent boys. Peer harassment was related to dissatisfaction with appearance in both age groups. In the adolescent group, there was an interaction between cleft visibility and gender, girls with a visible cleft being least satisfied with appearance. However, the association between cleft visibility and satisfaction with appearance was fully mediated by experiences of peer harassment. The results highlight the need to further explore the role of social interactions for subjective perceptions of appearance.

How Can Young People’s Resilience be Enhanced? Experiences from a Clinical Intervention Project

The aim of this project was to explore how resilience factors could be utilized in a clinical intervention for young people with stressful background experiences. Four resilience factors constituted the basis for the intervention: positive peer relations, self-efficacy, creativity, and coherence. Four main therapeutic principles were derived and elaborated with technical operationalizations: (i) focus on group work with same-age peers, and foster prosocial, supportive and accepting interactions; (ii) organize group work around activities the participants are motivated to learn more about, and assist them in reaching specified group and individual goals; (iii) facilitate playful exploration and individual symbolic expression within the chosen activity; and (iv) encourage and assist participants’ attempts to make meaningful and beneficial connections between different aspects of their past, present and future lives. Nine groups underwent the intervention. As the case illustration shows, this approach gave inspiration to thinking and practice that was perceived as clinically meaningful. However, more knowledge of the interplay between positive and negative chain reactions is needed to develop adequate interventions.

Intrauterine exposure to caffeine and inattention/overactivity in children

Aim:  To determine the association between intrauterine exposure to timing and sources of caffeine and inattention/overactivity, suggesting ADHD in the child.

Stability and Change in Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior across the Transition to School: Teacher and Peer Perspectives.

Research Findings: The transition to school is a major developmental milestone, and behavior tendencies already evident at the point of school entry can impact upon a childs subsequent social and academic adjustment. The current study aimed to investigate stability and change in the social behavior of girls and boys across the transition from day care to 1st grade. Teacher ratings and peer nominations for prosocial and antisocial behavior were obtained for 248 children belonging to 2 cohorts: school transitioning (n = 118) and day care remaining (n = 130). Data were gathered again from all children 1 year later, following the older groups entry into school. Teacher ratings of prosocial and antisocial behavior significantly predicted teacher ratings of the same behavior at Time 2 for both cohorts. Peer reports of antisocial behavior also showed significant stability, whereas stability of peer-reported prosocial behavior varied as a function of behavior type. Practice or Policy: The results contribute to understanding of trends in early childhood social behavior that potentially influence long-term developmental trajectories. Identification of some behaviors as more stable in early childhood than others, regardless of school entry, provides useful information for both the type and timing of early interventions.