Elizabeth Nixon

The Social Competence of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Review of the Literature

This article reviews research conducted over the past 20 years on the social competence of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A substantial body of research suggests that children with ADHD experience significant interpersonal difficulties. The social competence of ADHD children is considered using three indices: typical social behaviours or social functioning, internal cognitive structures relating to the behaviours, and the products or outcomes of their social functioning. Possible mechanisms underlying their interpersonal difficulties are discussed. The article concludes by outlining the significance of these difficulties for later life outcomes, and emphasising the importance of uncovering the mechanisms by which these difficulties arise.

Weight, body image and bullying in 9-year-old children.

To explore the association between weight and bullying; considering victims and perpetrators as two aspects of bullying, and subjective perception and objective measurement as two aspects of weight.

Psychological health and well-being among young Irish adults.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine and describe levels of psychological health and well-being in a group of young people living in Dublin. METHOD A sample of 97 young people (50 males, 47 females) were assessed for psychological status, suicidal ideation, substance misuse, contact with the law, self-esteem and locus of control as well as various social indicators such as educational attainment and social connectedness. A screening version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis Diagnosis (SCID) was used to assess psychological functioning and the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation was employed to ascertain suicidal ideation. Self-esteem was measured using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and locus of control was measured using a scale devised by Pearlin, Menaghan, Lieberman and Mullan (1981). RESULTS Symptom levels were high and approximately one fifth of respondents had a probable psychiatric condition (most commonly depression or anxiety). Yet, only a small percentage was receiving treatment for psychiatric difficulties. Over half of the participants had used nonprescription drugs at some time. Alcohol consumption was high, especially amongst male respondents. Over half of those interviewed were categorised as misusing alcohol and/or drugs and participants greatly underestimated their level of alcohol use. Approximately one-quarter had had some contact with the law which was related to deficits in educational attainment and the latter variable was associated with childhood economic disadvantage. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that among a sample of 97 young Irish people, a high level of psychiatric symptomatology and excessive use of alcohol is evident. This remains largely untreated as only a small percentage of the group had sought help for psychological difficulties which suggests a need to address the issues of mental health awareness, alcohol use and the accessibility of services. The paper also underlines the association between economic disadvantage and lack of educational attainment with associated linkages to offending.

“It’s What’s Normal for Me” Children’s Experiences of Growing Up in a Continuously Single-Parent Household

Relative to research that has explored outcomes for children associated with living in a single parent family, less attention has been paid to how children interpret and make sense of their family situation. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 38 children and adolescents, aged 7 to 17 years in Ireland, this study explores children’s experiences of growing up in a continuously single-parent family, without experiencing separation and transitions usually associated with single-parent families. Children drew on societal discourses and comparisons with their peer group to evaluate their own family situation. Continuity and a sense of normality represented a salient aspect of their experiences since living in a one-parent family was all they had ever known. Children’s agency emerged in how they negotiated family between two homes and how they weighed up the costs and benefits of potential new parental partnerships.

Comparison of relationship dynamics within stepmother and stepfather families in Ireland

Although an increasing proportion of people in Ireland are living in stepfamilies, little research has explored the dynamics within these families. Drawing on data from the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study (9-year-old cohort), this paper aims to compare family processes within stepmother (n=89) and stepfather families (n=295). No stepfathers were primary caregivers to their stepchild(ren), whereas stepmothers tended to assume this role. Stepmothers were less romantically happy than either stepfathers or biological mothers in stepfather families and experienced more interparental conflict than stepfathers. They also had less close and more conflicted relationships with their stepchild(ren) than mothers in stepfather families. These findings are in line with previous research and point to the applicability of international research to stepfamilies in Ireland. The findings suggest that stepmother families may face particular challenges and may benefit from parenting and relationship support.

Family Policy in Ireland

The state in Ireland in the early decades of national independence sought to promote the stable, large, two-parent, father-centred family, particularly one founded on the owner-occupied family farm. Property distribution and normative regulation were the main policy instruments used, though some antipoverty income supports were also introduced. Economic modernisation and cultural change after the 1960s caused families to become less patriarchal, smaller, less tied to marriage and more oriented to education and wage/salary labour. A period of normative conflict over contraception, divorce and abortion ensued, and gender equality and the rights of children emerged as policy issues. Family benefits expanded to encompass a wider range of family circumstances and poverty risks, though child poverty remained high. Policy choices between incentivising women’s work outside the home and supporting stay-at-home motherhood were resolved in mixed and sometimes conflicting ways but with a continuing strong focus on cash payments rather than provision of services. These choices remain contentious and, along with poverty alleviation, are key concerns in the current debates on family income support policies. Fiscal pressures arising from the current financial crisis also now exert an influence.

Including those that exclude themselves: Comparisons of self-identifying and non-self-identifying stepfamilies

Abstract Previous research has tended to classify stepfamilies based on self-report of their familial relationships. However, some stepfamily members do not identify as being part of a stepfamily, leading to the exclusion of certain stepfamilies from stepfamily research. Using data from the first national cohort study of children in Ireland, the aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of self-identifying stepfamilies with those of non-self-identifying stepfamilies, a group about which little is known. The analysis revealed that in approximately 10% of stepfamilies, neither parent declared their stepfamily status (n = 34, N = 288 stepfamilies). No differences emerged between self-identifying and non-self-identifying stepfamilies in the quality of the parent–child or spousal relationships. Non-self-identifying stepfamilies were less likely to be complex, and were more likely to be stepmother and simple stepfamilies than self-identifying stepfamilies. These findings suggest that non-self-identifying stepfamilies constitute a significant minority of stepfamilies who may exhibit unique structural characteristics.

Children's Recovery after Early Adversity: Lessons from Intercountry Adoption

Research on children who have been internationally adopted provides many strong examples of resilience. This paper discusses what counts as resilience in intercountry adoption and includes new data from the first study in this area conducted in Ireland. As with studies conducted in other jurisdictions, the Irish data indicate a remarkable capacity for recovery from adversity in most, but not all, children after adoption and exposure to pervasive and permanent environmental change.

Mental Health Literacy and Help-Giving Responses in Irish Adolescents

This study assessed mental health literacy in Irish adolescents (N = 187), and explored participants’ help-giving responses toward hypothetical depressed peers. Participants read five vignettes, each describing an adolescent experiencing a life difficulty; two of the characters met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., DSM-IV) criteria for depression. The majority of participants could not identify depression or potential suicidality, but felt concerned for the depressed characters’ well-being. Most participants stated they would provide help if they were the depressed characters’ friends. Correct identification of depression did not influence the type of help offered. A significant proportion of participants did not mention engaging an adult’s assistance, and assessing for suicidality was not mentioned by any participant. Gender differences were found in mental health literacy and the type of responses offered. Education that emphasizes the importance of informing an adult and assessing for suicidal risk is recommended.

Concepts of Family among Children and Young People in Ireland

In recent years the demography of the family in Ireland has undergone structural transformation and single-parent and step-parent families are now a common feature of our social landscape. Given the increasing diversity in children’s family experiences, it is important to explore how they construct their own ideas about their family lives. In this paper, findings are presented from a cross-sectional study of 99 children and adolescents living in Ireland (age range 9 to 16 years). The study adopted a focus group methodology to examine children’s and young people’s ideas about what constitutes a family, exploring the salience of concepts such as family structure, relationships, marriage, children, co-residence and biological relatedness for children’s developing concept of family. The findings suggest that children are accepting of a variety of diverse family forms and view supportive family relationships as the basis for defining ‘family’. For a small number of children, however, the traditional nuclear family remains a salient image. Children’s perspectives on roles within the family indicated the pivotal role that they themselves play in family life. These findings may have implications for how researchers and policymakers conceptualise contemporary family life and relationships.