New directions for research on the psychological maltreatment of children.

This article identifies several research directions for psychologists interested in studying the psychological maltreatment of children and youth. The field of child maltreatment in general has been criticized for its isolation from psychological theory and for compartmentalizing each of the various forms of maltreatment. In order to organize research on psychological maltreatment and on its relationship to other maltreatment forms, two conceptual perspectives are suggested: ecological and developmental. These perspectives are then used to discuss the following three research areas: definitional issues; ecological processes and child outcomes; and protective factors and child outcomes. Attention is also given to policy issues that emerge in our efforts to understand psychological maltreatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mothers' attitudes toward seeking help for their children from school and private psychologists.

What inhibits parents from seeking psychological help for their children? This study examined the attitudes of mothers of school-age children toward seeking psychological help from school psychological services and from private psychologists. Mothers express greater and more intense worries in relation to seeking help from school psychological services as compared to private psychologists. Hypothetical vignettes about a problematic child also showed that mothers prefer to refer both their own child and that of a friend to a private psychologist. Reducing the threat aroused by public sector psychologists should increase the utilization of psychological help for children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family experience and the child's development.

Discusses the evidence for 3 premises implicit in theories of human development: (a) the assumption that a particular set of conditions is inevitably associated with a fixed set of consequences for all children, (b) the continuation of psychological structures established early in life, and (c) the importance of the mother–infant bond. Data are presented that question the validity of these presuppositions. It is suggested that the form of early care that is best for the child—in the adaptive sense—is the one that leads to, or is productive of, the culture's favored qualities, and therefore, no regimen of early care is best for all psychological qualities. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Current trends in psychological testing of children.

The purpose of this article is twofold: (a) to summarize research on test use practices among child clinicians and (b) to identify some major trends that are likely to affect psychological assessment practices with children in the near future. Although child psychological assessment practices and choice of tests have remained relatively stable over the past decade or 2, some noteworthy changes have occurred. Child clinicians use a more diverse array of instruments, and behavior rating scales have supplanted the use of projective tests. Three trends that currently, and will continue to, affect child assessment practice are the preeminence of school as the assessment site for children, the growth of abbreviated measures of intelligence, and the extraordinary popularity of the behavior rating scale technology. Professional psychologists are advised to attend to the implications of these trends to ensure that they are continuing to provide needed and valued psychological assessment services. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parental bonding and current psychological functioning among childhood sexual abuse survivors.

The relation between perceived parental bonding to maternal and paternal primary caregivers and current psychological functioning was examined among an adult female sample (n?=?78) of child sexual abuse survivors (CSASs). Although CSASs revealed significantly poorer psychological adjustment than non-CSASs, high paternal care was significantly associated with better psychological functioning among CSASs. These data are discussed in the context of attachment theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the use and misuse of psychological testing in child custody evaluations.

Examined the use of psychological testing in child custody and visitation disputes. It is argued that although psychological testing can play an important role in custody and visitation evaluations, psychologists routinely misuse test data in this type of forensic case. Possible reasons for the misuse of test data are explored in terms of the assumptions and motives of both legal and mental health professionals. Alternatives to traditional psychological testing in custody and visitation cases are examined. Finally, guidelines for responsible and ethical use of psychological testing in custody evaluations are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parenting and child development in families with a child conceived through embryo donation.

Concerns have been raised regarding the potentially negative effects of conception using donated embryos on parenting and child development. Findings are presented of an exploratory study of families with a child conceived through embryo donation. Twenty-one embryo donation families were compared with 28 adoptive families and 30 in vitro fertilization families on standardized interview and questionnaire measures of the parents' marital and psychological state, the quality of parent-child relationships, and the child's development. In all 3 groups, the children were aged 2-5 years. The differences indicated higher emotional overinvolvement and defensive responding in the embryo donation families, along with greater secrecy about the child's origins. The children were not at increased risk of psychological problems. The study provides interesting but preliminary findings on parent-child relationships and child development in a new family form. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Guidelines for psychological evaluations in child protection matters.

Presents the American Psychological Association's (APA's) guidelines for desirable professional practice in child protection matters. The guidelines were developed primarily for psychologists conducting psychological evaluations in child protection matters. The guidelines build on the APA's Ethical Principals of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (APA, 1992) and are aspirational in intent. The term guidelines refers to pronouncements, statements, or declarations that suggest or recommend specific professional behavior, endeavor, or conduct for psychologists (APA, 1992). The guidelines are not intended to be either mandatory or exhaustive and may not always be applicable to legal matters. Their aspirational intent is to facilitate the continued systematic development of the profession and to help assure a high level of professional practice by psychologists. The specific goal of the guidelines is to promote proficiency in using psychological expertise in conducting psychological evaluations in child protection matters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The American child and other cultural inventions.

Child psychologists, over the last century, have chased the notion of a fixed psychological form for the child that underlies all the variety of children. The proposal is made here that the variety is essential and eternal; child psychology, like the nature of childhood itself, is a cultural invention—the product of historical, political, economic, and ideological biases that make the search for the True Child bootless. Several of American child psychologists' most widely shared beliefs are examined under the light of the governing ideas that were present at the birth of systematic child psychology. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Crisis in training pediatric psychologists.

Examines the shortage in the US of personnel who are trained in child mental health care that results in underservice to children, youth, and families. Doctoral programs offering specialty training are in short supply, as are pediatric psychology training programs. In addition, many clinical psychology programs are ill-equipped to offer curriculae for the development of skills and knowledge bases required by child psychologists. It is concluded that a training conference is needed to communicate the issues involved in this mental health provider crisis if children are to have access to psychological services. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child and adolescent psychological assessment: Current clinical practices and the impact of managed care.

Which psychological testing measures are clinical child and adolescent psychologists most commonly using? How has managed care influenced the practice of assessment for these professionals? This study provides survey data from 162 child practitioners employed in independent practice and in hospital, outpatient, and school-based settings throughout the United States. The results demonstrate marked consistency with recent surveys of clinicians working with adults, and a list of the 30 most frequently utilized measures is provided. Over 40% of the sample reported significant limitations in psychological testing due to managed-care policies. Strategies for maintaining an assessment practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Legislation, advocacy, and the rights of children and youth.

The forces that have markedly slowed progress in mental health services for children and youth in the US are listed. Recent years have seen an increase in the use of psychological information by all branches of the US Government (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial). Nevertheless, marked ambivalence has been shown in the struggle to define and develop the rights of children and youth. These center around developmental issues related to the protection of the helpless and around the struggle with the rights of parents. The need to develop an organized, effective system of different types of advocacy based on sound child-development knowledge is stressed. Hopefully, this will lead to child and youth impact studies of all relevant legislation and eventually to a comprehensive national child, youth, and family policy. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between attachment, psychopathology, and childhood disability.

Analyzes the literature on 3 aspects of attachment—neurobiological influences, interpersonal and intrapersonal factors, and societal factors—in the psychological development of chronically disabled children. Evidence suggests that neurochemical substances such as cortisol and brain biogenic amine systems reciprocally interact with psychological and psychosocial factors to influence attachment. Interpersonal and intrapersonal factors such as temperamental characteristics of children, severity and type of disability, and family influences interact in the process of attachment. Social perceptions and prejudices about the disabled individual increase parental stress, and diminish parental involvement and resources, which are necessary for attachment. These 3 processes are powerful and interrelated forces in child development, with potential to modify social competence, neurological development, and psychosocial adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Boys will be girls, girls will be boys: Children affect parents as parents affect children in gender nonconformity.

There are transformational possibilities in the family when presented with a child who is transgender or gender nonconforming. Challenging orthodox psychoanalytic thinking that these children's gender presentations are a consequence of poor parental rearing, trauma, or attachment disruptions, it is proposed that gender nonconformity is healthy rather than pathological and that typically these children initially just show up in their families, rather than being shaped by them. Looking at the metabolism of transphobia and the transformational possibilities within the family when boys will be girls and girls will be boys, 3 family types that either support or impede their children's creative gender development are presented: the transformers, the transphobic, and the transporting, with case material to illustrate each of the family types. A psychological construct is developed to explain the feedback loop between family and child: The transgender or gender nonconforming child who transgresses binary gender norms may face culturally imbued transphobia and psychological trauma within the family while simultaneously facilitating the family's transcendence of transphobia through transformative experiences with the child as he or she transitions from the gender assigned at birth to his or her authentic and affirmed gender identity or expression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A schizophrenic child and his mother.

The case of a five-year-old schizophrenic child is presented together with his background. "The mother's lack of psychological sophistication, her cooperative attitude, and the relative youth of the child permit a rather clear view of some of the dynamics which might have entered into the genesis of the disorder." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Course of psychological symptoms in sexually abused young children.

Assessed 8 sexually abused (SA) children (aged 3–7 yrs) repeatedly with the Child Behavior Checklist during a 10–18 mo period to explore the course of psychological symptoms that emerged in response to the abuse. Their individual courses were linked to whether treatment was provided and pathology in the parents. In some Ss, symptoms reflected a similar pattern of resolution. Symptomatology included depression and somatic complaints, aggressiveness, and the emergence of sexualized behavior. Parent–child interactions and the impact of therapy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Critique of Miller's "Chance, choice, and the future of reproduction."

Discusses W. B. Miller's (see record 1984-17604-001) argument that the decision of whether to have a child involves a psychological process in which an individual freely chooses from among many alternatives. It is asserted that the political context of today, in which women's reproductive rights are an issue of great controversy, constrains such ideologically based freedom. Political, legal, and social conditions that limit women's reproductive control are described. Miller's support of progenics, which favors a particular type of offspring in evolutionary terms, is questioned. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Foreword: Hearsay testimony in trials involving child witnesses.

Allowing hearsay testimony in child abuse cases represents a dramatic and controversial change to the legal system, yet little scholarly and empirical work has been devoted to the topic. This special theme issue contains 12 articles written by psycholegal scholars from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. It is organized to address 3 basic issues that should be of interest to psycholegal. researchers, as well as police officers, judges, lawyers, and other members of the legal community. (a) How often is hearsay testimony used? How is it used in comparison to other innovations designed to protect the psychological welfare of the child witness? (b) How accurate is hearsay testimony? Is it as accurate as the child's own account? (c) Do jurors believe hearsay testimony? How much weight do or should jurors give to hearsay testimony? Two critical commentaries, one legal and one psychological, follow these articles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychology and social policy for children: Introduction to the section.

The relationship between developmental psychology and social policy has led to work on topics such as the lack of a national policy on children's welfare and research on children, consideration of how judicial and psychological interests may complement each other in the area of children's rights, child advocacy, and the interface between psychology and education. (0 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Investing in children: Government and workplace policies for parents.

Changes in the structure and needs of the American family are requiring changes in government and workplace policies. Current policies related to day care, parental leave, work schedules, income support, and child support enforcement are discussed. Consideration is given to psychological research needed to develop effective policies that do not supplant the role of parents, but rather support them and strengthen families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)