The aim of this research was to compare the mental health of families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or typically developing children, during the first and the second wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Slovakia. The study is mainly focused on the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among the parents and maladaptive…

Feeding/behavior problems are highly prevalent in autistic children. This study aimed to explore the interplay between autistic features, sensory processing patterns, emotional/behavioral difficulties, and feeding problems in children with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Ninety-nine children aged 1.5-5 years were assessed using…

Upon learning that their child has a neurodevelopmental disorder, families enter a different process and can experience problems related to their child's behavior management. This study was designed in response to a request from mothers with children diagnosed with various neurodevelopmental disorders. The study used a multi-level case study, one…

This paper focuses on outcomes for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) provided to early education teachers as part of a tiered statewide expulsion prevention initiative. In a sample of 360 children (83.3% male, 66.6% White, 88.1% with clinically elevated externalizing behavior at baseline) at risk for expulsion,…

Child maltreatment is a global phenomenon that affects the lives of millions of children. Worldwide, as many as one in three to six children encounter physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from their caregivers. Children who experience abuse often show alterations in stress reactivity. Although this alteration may reflect a physiological survival…

Developmental delays (DD) are missed early childhood developmental milestones in cognitive, motoric or linguistic domains. DD associated with behaviour problems may compound to impact parenting. This study investigated whether DD would moderate the relation between behaviour problems and parenting in families of toddlers. Data were drawn from an…

Parenting children with neurodevelopmental disabilities is often challenging. Biological mothers of children with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) may be susceptible to increased risk of mental health problems. This study examined the longitudinal relationships between maternal mental health, child challenging behaviors, and mother-child relationship…

Although previous research indicates that both parental attributions for child misbehavior and parenting discipline are associated with child problem behavior, there is a lack of research examining the relationship between these variables in parents of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study investigated the relations…

Although the link between self-esteem and psychopathology has been well established, studies on self-esteem in individuals with autism spectrum disorder are lacking. In this study, we aimed to (1) compare explicit and implicit self-esteem of youth with autism spectrum disorder to typically developing peers and to (2) explore relationships of…

Adolescents, particularly early adolescents, are vulnerable to stress created by negative peer interactions. Stress, in turn, can lead to increased mental health problems and reduced academic engagement, in addition to negative long-term consequences for cognitive development and physical health. Using four waves (2 years) of data from a cluster…

We report findings of two validation studies of the Student Risk Screening Scale for Early Childhood (SRSS-EC). Although previous exploratory inquiry suggested a two-factor solution, results of Study 1 conducted with 274 preschool-age youth suggested mixed support for a two-factor model, with only one fit index suggesting an adequate fit…

This study explored parents' ways of coping with their children's problem behaviors and their perceptions of causality. The study group was composed of 164 children aged 7-12 years (84 females and 80 males) and their parents (120 mothers and 44 fathers). In order to collect data, "General Information Form" for the demographical…

Objective: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is at the heart of preschool education. Although there are many SEL programmes to guide early childhood teachers' practice, seldom has empathy been a focus for teaching or assessment. Method: This study examined methods to teach empathy in the early years and investigated skills that promote its…

Adolescent marijuana use has become increasingly more problematic compared with the past; thus, understanding developmental processes that increase the liability of marijuana use is essential. Two developmental pathways to adolescent substance use have been proposed: an externalizing pathway that emphasizes the expression of aggressive and…

Conduct problems (CP) are common behaviour difficulties in young children. Poor parenting and caregiver-child attachment relationships are important risk factors of CP, but more research is required to understand their concurrent contribution to CP in the early childhood years. We examined the association of maternal-reported conduct problems (CP)…