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Aim

There is limited research on the impact of preschool attendance on socio-emotional problems. This study aimed to investigate the association between not attending preschool and emotional and behavioural problems among children aged 3–5 years in Sweden.

Methods

We analysed cross-sectional data from 9395 children, rated by both parents or by one parent. The dependent variable, emotional and behavioural problems, was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Preschool attendance served as the independent variable. Single and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted.

Results

Only 1.2% of children did not attend preschool. Single logistic regression models, using SDQ subscales with scores at or above the cut-off point as outcomes, showed that not attending preschool was associated with peer relationship problems, rated by mothers, and with peer relationship problems and overall difficulties, rated by fathers. These associations remained significant when controlling for covariates. Children with parents born outside Sweden or with lower educational levels had higher odds of experiencing peer relationship problems and overall difficulties.

Conclusion

Children who do not attend preschool are at heightened risk of experiencing peer relationship problems. It is important to ensure that children who may benefit most from preschool education receive adequate support.

Aims:

The aim of this study was to explore the association between preschool-level socio-economic deprivation and emotional and behavioural problems among preschool children in Sweden using a multilevel approach.

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, we used data on 2267 children whose parents and preschool teachers had responded to items measuring individual-level socio-economic deprivation and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for assessment of emotional and behavioural problems. Further, the Socioeconomic Structure Compensation Index (SSCI), collected from Uppsala municipality, was used to assess preschool-level socio-economic deprivation. Unadjusted and adjusted multilevel logistic regression models were used to explore the relations between preschool-level socio-economic deprivation and emotional and behavioural problems.

Results:

In unadjusted models, children who attended preschools classified as highly deprived had elevated odds for emotional symptoms (odds ratio (OR) 1.71) as rated by parents. However, this association did not remain significant after adjusting for individual-level socio-economic deprivation factors. In both unadjusted and adjusted models, children who attended preschools classified as moderately deprived had elevated odds for peer-relationship problems as rated by parents (OR 1.63; adjusted OR 1.48). There were no significant associations between preschool deprivation and emotional and behavioural problems as rated by preschool teachers.

Conclusions:

Swedish preschools may have a compensatory capacity in addressing children’s emotional and behavioural problems, whereas preschool-level deprivation remained significantly associated with peer-relationship problems after controlling for individual-level socio-economic deprivation factors. This implies that peer-relationship problems in deprived preschools need to be addressed in a broader community context.

Aims: This study investigated which specific socio-demographic characteristics of the family and child health service centre are associated with parents receiving a video guide. The video guide, intended to be offered universally, aimed at promoting language and literacy development.

Methods: The video guide included language and literacy activities and was offered through child healthcare centres to all visiting families. Cross-sectional data were collected during three years through parental self-reported questionnaires when the children were three years old, and families of 2512 children were included.

Results: In 60% of the families, none of the parents reported receiving the video guide, and in 84%, none of the parents reported that they had watched the video guide. Most of the parents who watched the video guide reported having tried the presented activities. Socio-demographic characteristics associated with parents having received the video guide were: being married or cohabiting, having a university education, or if the mother was native-born. The child's age when the video guide was initially offered and the child's birth order were also factors associated with parents having received the video guide.

Conclusions: The results indicate that few parents overall received the video guide. Socio-economically advantaged parents seemed to have received the video guide to a higher extent.

Aim

To explore the influence of parents' socio-economic characteristics on child healthcare nurses' mental health referrals of 3- to 5-year-olds and also to test the association between mental health problems and referrals.

Methods

Repeated cross-sectional data including parents' Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) assessments and referral data (psychologist and speech and language pathologist). Hierarchical regression was used to analyse whether parents' country of birth, education level, marital status and mental health problem scores (SDQ; total difficulties and impact scores) were associated with nurses' referrals.

Results

About 9% of mothers and 12% of fathers rated high SDQ scores (total difficulties) in their children. Approximately, 1% of the children were referred. The influence of parents' socio-economic characteristics on referral rates was not observed. However, for children with Swedish-born mothers, referral rates were significantly lower. Scores for SDQ total difficulties and impact were associated with the child's referral to specialists.

Conclusion

In general, parental sociodemographic characteristics do not influence Swedish child healthcare nurses' mental health referrals. Although there was a significant association between problem behaviour and referral, a disproportion between children rated with high SDQ scores (9% and 12%) and children referred to specialists (1%) should be addressed.

Although emotional and behavioural problems among young children are common and, if unaddressed, can lead to multi-facetted problems later in life, there is little research investigating the implementation of parenting programs that target these problems. In this study, the RE-AIM framework was used to evaluate the implementation of the Triple P parenting program in a preschool setting at a medium-sized municipality in Sweden. Reach increased over time, showing an overall increase in participating fathers and parents with lower education. Effectiveness outcomes showed an improvement in emotional and behavioural problems in children and less mental health-related symptoms and higher self-efficacy in parents. Adoption rate was 93.3%. To ensure staff "buy-in", designated coordinators made changes in recruitment procedures, and provided supervision and training to all Triple P practitioners. Implementation adaptations were made, such as minor revisions of parenting strategies and other program content, as well as providing child care during seminars and groups, and setting up weekend-groups. Maintenance assessed through 12 month follow-up data suggested that several child and parent outcomes were maintained over time. Uppsala municipality continues to offer Triple P to parents. The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance of the program were all satisfactory and demonstrated the suitability of delivering evidence-based parenting support using preschools as an arena.

AIM: To explore the relations between asthma, allergies and mental health problems in preschool children, aged 3-5-years.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional Swedish study, we used data on 4649 children in Uppsala municipality whose parents and preschool teachers had responded to questions measuring asthma and allergies, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for assessment of mental health problems. Logistic regression models were used to explore the relations between asthma and allergies and mental health problems.

RESULTS: Children with asthma (8.5%) had elevated odds of having emotional symptoms as rated by parents (OR: 1.34; 1.02-1.76) and teachers (OR: 1.44; 1.09-1.91). According to parents' ratings, these children also had elevated odds of showing mental health problems in general according to the SDQ total score (OR: 1.42; 1.05-1.94). Children with food allergies or intolerance (4.4%) only had elevated odds of having emotional symptoms (OR: 1.64; 1.16-2.33), as reported by parents. These results remained significant after adjustment for parental background factors.

CONCLUSION: Preschool children with asthma and food allergies or intolerance are at risk of having concurrent mental health problems. Mental health problems should be assessed in children with these disorders. Adequate support and/or referral to specialised services should be offered when needed.

Aim: At present there is no reliable method to screen for communication difficulties at age 18-months in the Swedish child health care. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile Infant-Toddler Checklist (ITC) when used at the 18-month visit in the child health care setting.

Method: Children aged 16 to 20 months (n=679) were screened. Children were referred for an assessment if they screened positive screen or if the parent or nurse was concerned about the child’s communicative development. Two groups of positive screens were used in the analysis (n=78 children), one based on the ITC result, and one combining the ITC with contradicting information from the nurses’ informal clinical assessment.

Result: The AUC ranged from 0.68 to 0.84. The sensitivity was 0.85, and the specificity was 0.59. When the ITC result was combined with the nurses’ information, sensitivity increased to 0.88 and specificity to 0.63. The internal consistency was moderate to high, and fit indices were satisfactory.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the ITC can be used to identify children in need of interventions to enhance communication at 18 months of age, especially in combination with the nurse’s assessment.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can enhance children's communication and is recommended to be introduced as soon as problems are identified. The aim of this interview study was to investigate how parents perceive the ComAlong Toddler intervention offered to parents of children with communication difficulties early in the diagnostic process. ComAlong Toddler consists of a 5-session, group-based, parental course, and two home visits that focus on responsive communication, enhanced milieu teaching, and multimodal AAC. Interviews were conducted 1 year after the intervention with 16 parents who had attended ComAlong Toddler. The data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis, resulting in four categories: (a) Development for us and the child, (b) acquiring useful tools, (c) useful learning strategies, and (d) benefits and challenges regarding intervention structure. Findings suggest that parents of toddlers with language or communication disorders learned and appreciated responsive communication and enhanced milieu teaching. All had used multimodal AAC and described its benefits. Parents emphasized the value of learning from other parents as well as from a speech-language pathologist who engaged with their child in the home environment. Parents suggest an enhanced family focus as a potential improvement.

Background: A number of instruments for identifying mental health problems in children are available, but there is limited knowledge about how to successfully implement their use in routine practice. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is an instrument with sound psychometric properties. Because using multi-informant SDQs when assessing young children has been emphasized, parent- and preschool teacher reports on the SDQ were introduced at Child Health Clinics in a Swedish municipality. This paper aimed to describe a facilitation programme developed to support the introduction of SDQ in clinical practice and evaluate how nurses perceived the facilitation strategies used. Moreover, the dose (delivery) and reach (response rate and population coverage) of the questionnaires were assessed.

Methods: The mixed-methods process evaluation was guided by Moore et al.'s framework. Process data were excerpted from monitoring data, the trial database, research group documents, study materials, group interviews with nurses, and a survey on nurses' opinions and experiences of the screening method and the implementation process. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.

Results: Facilitation strategies used included: educational meetings, educational outreach visits, newsletters, facilitative administrative support, and adaptations made in procedures and materials when required. Although nurses described a variety of barriers at the organisational and individual level, they were in favour of using the SDQ in clinical practice and emphasised the importance of the facilitation strategies used for its implementation. While dose levels (77-91%) indicated that nurses essentially delivered the intervention as intended, parental response rates remained between 54 and 63% and population coverage at around 50%, throughout the intervention period.

Conclusion: The facilitation program was perceived to support the implementation of the SDQ at the yearly check-ups in the child healthcare setting, but further efforts are required to reach all families.

AIMS: This study design article aims to describe a research study focused on evaluating the use of the Infant-Toddler Checklist to identify children at 18 months with early communication difficulties, and to study the ComAlong Toddler intervention for parents to support their child's communication development.

BACKGROUND: Communication disorders are a common public health problem affecting up to 20% of children. Evidence points to the importance of early detection and intervention to improve young children's communicative abilities and decrease developmental delay. Early identification of communication difficulties is possible with instruments such as Infant-Toddler Checklist. The ComAlong Toddler intervention is tailored to the needs of parents of young children with communication delay before definitive diagnosis. The parents are provided with guidance in communication enhancing strategies during home visit and five group sessions.

METHODS: The study uses a prospective cohort design. Children were consecutively recruited during 2015-2017, and data will be collected 2015-2023. The screening was performed at the child health centre through use of the Infant-Toddler Checklist. An assessment and first consultation were then performed by a speech and language therapist for children with suspected communication delay according to the screen as well as for children referred for other reasons before the age of 2.5 years. Children with confirmed communication delay were randomised between two interventions: the ComAlong Toddler parental course or a telephone follow-up. Outcome measures include child communication and language skills and use of augmentative and alternative communication. To gain insight into the participants' perspectives, surveys have been collected from parents.

CONCLUSION: The study will provide information regarding identification and intervention for 18-month old children with communication delay.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN13330627.