Search

Education policies align with evolving needs and changes in education. Two years ago, the double reduction policy was widely welcomed. But new challenges have emerged now, it is necessary to examine whether it still meets parental expectations, and whether adjustments in details are needed. We investigated parents' perception of policy implementation intensity; and its relationship with parents' perception of educational involution; and parents' educational anxiety, as well as the roles played by gender. Findings highlight parents who perceive a stronger policy implementation intensity experience higher levels of educational anxiety and are more likely to feel educational involution; education anxiety acts as a mediator, while gender plays a moderating role. We highlighted policy's advantages while emphasizing the necessity to avoid policy rigidity and one‐size‐fits‐all. We recommend establishing a flexible, real‐time parental feedback mechanism and promoting continuous monitoring and evaluation. This approach would enable it to meet the changing demands of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the moderating effects of both parents' warmth in the relations between parental harsh discipline (psychological aggression and corporal punishment) and migrant children's anxiety and parent and child gender differences in the moderating mechanism in Chinese society. This study used a sample of 477 elementary school-age children and both their parents in Chinese migrant families. We constructed a Structural Equation Model to explore the relation between parental harsh discipline (psychological aggression and corporal punishment) and migrant children's anxiety and the moderating role of parental warmth. Our findings revealed that maternal but not paternal psychological aggression was found to significantly predict boys' anxiety. Moreover, maternal warmth exacerbated the relations between paternal corporal punishment and girls' anxiety. The findings provide partial support for the "healthy context paradox" and highlight the importance of considering how the broader family emotional context may interact with parental harsh discipline to influence child adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There remains a need for a disorder-specific inventory of children's depression and anxiety that can reliably screen anxious and depressive disorder symptomatology in Chinese children. The Revised Child and Anxiety Depression Scale (RCADS) is a self-report questionnaire assessing anxiety and depression in children (Chorpita et al., 2000; Piqueras et al., 2017). This study sought to evaluate its psychometric properties in a Mainland Chinese sample. Students from the 4th to 11th grades (N = 1001) participated in this study. Each of the RCADS subscales, by age and sex, possessed reliability coefficients ranging between.63 and.81. Means and standard deviations for RCADS subscales calculated for the age and sex sub-samples were reported. Participants reported slightly lower levels on five subscales than for Chorpita et al. (2000) normative sample. The scales were significantly and strongly correlated with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) subscales (somatic, withdrawal, anxiety) as well as CBCL internalizing scores. Fit statistics suggested marginal to adequate fit for the six-factor model for the Chinese youth. The present study provides foundational support for the psychometric properties of the RCADS in a large sample of Chinese youth yet indicates that factor structure might be improved through enhanced sampling of culturally relevant symptom expressions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the friendship quantity and quality of urban Chinese anxiously withdrawn children with those of typical children, and to examine the moderating role of friendship in the relation between anxious withdrawal and feelings of loneliness. Anxiously withdrawn (n = 66) and typical children (n = 170) were identified from a complete sample (N = 572) using classroom nominations collected in grades 3–6 (Mage = 10.51, SD = 1.13). At the group level, compared with typical children, anxiously withdrawn children received fewer friendship nominations from their classmates, and particularly from male classmates. Anxiously withdrawn boys nominated fewer male classmates as friends than typical boys and anxiously withdrawn girls had fewer mutual friendships with girls than typical girls. Anxiously withdrawn children reported more conflicts within their friendships than typical children; and anxiously withdrawn girls reported lower positive friendship quality than typical girls. Using a variable‐centred approach with the complete sample, a Bayesian multilevel regression analysis revealed that positive friendship quality moderated the association between anxious withdrawal and feelings of loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract China's unprecedented economic boom has led a massive number of children left-behind by their peasant parents who have immigrated to urban areas in search of work. In current study, we explored how being left behind is associated with children's positive emotions and negative psychological traits by examining the differences in levels of happiness, self-esteem and anxiety between left-behind children (LBC) and non-LBC. A total of 448 students (aged 7–16) from three schools in Sichuan Province in China responded to the questionnaire. Fourteen teachers of LBC were invited to one-to-one interviews for in depth responses to LBC's behaviors and psychological well-being. The results revealed that non-LBC showed a higher level of happiness (t = −0.21, df = 258, p < 0.01) and a lower level of anxiety (t = 1.41, df = 406, p < 0.05) than LBC children. Among LBC, low grade children (primary school grades 3 and 4) reported a lower level of happiness (t = −0.73, df = 216, p <0.01) and self-esteem (t = −0.24, df = 191, p < 0.01) than their older counterparts (primary school grades 5 and 6). The teachers' accounts confirmed the statistical results that LBC suffered from the deprivation of parental care. According to the teachers, as LBC grew older, they developed an understanding of their own circumstances and came to appreciate their parents' decisions. With appropriate and adequate support provided to both LBC and the caretakers around them such as relatives and teachers, it may be possible to reduce the adverse impacts of parental deprivation on LBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood internalizing problems such as anxiety and depression can have serious personal, familial and societal repercussions, including drug and alcohol abuse, delinquency, unplanned pregnancy, and even suicide. There is little research on mindfulness interventions for children with clinical levels of internalizing problems, and school-based mindfulness research with children has focused on non-clinical groups. We employed a two-stage screening and intervention procedure to evaluate an in-school mindfulness-based cognitive intervention for Hong Kong children with subclinical internalizing difficulties. Ninety-three fourth to sixth graders were screened, and twenty students (age 9-13, median age 10) highest among their peers on internalizing problems, but lowest on externalizing problems, participated in a 9-week group mindfulness-based intervention. We employed a two-phase open trial design, with random assignment to an immediate intervention group or wait-list control group. In single-trial analysis, one-tailed dependent sample t-tests showed significant decreases in both worry and in symptoms of panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety and overall internalizing problems. In a randomized controlled trial analysis, the immediate intervention group evidenced larger but nonsignificant reductions on almost all measures. Eighty-five percent of the participants rated the program as helpful, and 65-80 % reported improvement in handling emotions and interpersonal relationships at post-treatment, with some treatment gains maintained at 3-month follow-up. These preliminary findings have encouraging implications for implementing time-limited school-based mindfulness interventions targeting elevated childhood internalizing difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale for Parents (SCAS-P) in 1943 father-mother dyads and 1785 students. Results of confirmatory factor analyses for SCAS-P were in favour of the original model with six correlated factors. The internal consistency of SCAS-P was acceptable (α = .63-.91), and the test-retest reliability was acceptable (r = .46-.72). The convergent and divergent validity of SCAS-P was supported by significant correlations with an internalizing subscale to a greater extent than with an externalizing subscale. Congruent validity was supported by significant correlations between father and mother reports (r = .60-.71) and child and parent reports (r = .25-.42). Significant differences between community and clinical samples supported the discriminant validity. Adolescents showed higher anxiety levels than children, and girls showed higher anxiety levels than boys. Our findings suggest that the SCAS-P is a suitable parent instrument to measure child anxiety symptoms in Mainland Chinese children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Preoperative anxiety in children is largely dependent on age and is influenced by anxiety level in parents. The current study compared the level of preoperative anxiety in preschool children versus school-aged children and its relationship with the state and trait anxiety of the parents.Methods: This study included 54 preschool children (2-5 years of age) and 48 school-age children (6-12 years) scheduled to receive ear, nose and throat, plastic or ophthalmologic surgeries. Preoperative anxiety of children was assessed in the holding area immediately prior to the surgery using a modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (m-YPAS). Compliance with anaesthesia induction was assessed using an Induction Compliance Checklist (ICC). The state and trait anxiety of the parent who accompanied the child was assessed using a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire.Results: Both m-YPAS and ICC scores were higher in preschool children than in school-age children with significant correlation between the two measures. The STAI-S score of parents was higher in the preschool group than in the school-age group. No significant difference was found in STAI-T score between the two age groups. Children's m-YPAS score correlated with parental STAI-T score in both groups (rho = 0.297, P = 0.029 and rho = 0.338, P = 0.019, respectively) but only with STAI-S score in the preschool group (rho = 0.400, P = 0.003).Conclusions: Both preschool children and their parents are more anxious than school-age dyads prior to surgery. The anxiety level of the children correlates with state anxiety of the parents in preschool children but not in school-age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated anxiety disorder symptoms in Chinese preschool children. A total of 1,854 mothers of children aged 3-6 years completed the 28-item Chinese version of Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS). Results demonstrated that the structure of anxiety in Chinese preschool children included five factors, and this five-factor structure applied to different age and gender groups. Inconsistent with the study by Edwards et al. (J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 39:400-409, ) suggesting that obsessive-compulsive disorder did not comprise an independent factor in Australian preschoolers, this symptom can be viewed as an independent factor in Chinese preschoolers. Younger children displayed higher anxiety levels than older children. Anxiety symptoms of Chinese preschoolers were found at a high level compared to other studies. Substantial differences were found with regard to the content of prevalent anxiety symptoms among Chinese and Australian preschool children. The applicability of the five-factor structure of PAS and research implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We explore the prevalence and risk factors of anxiety symptoms among child survivors after an earthquake. Methods: This study was conducted among children aged 7-15 years in Qingchuan County 1 year after the Wenchuan earthquake. Trauma experiences and anxiety symptoms were assessed with a modified earthquake exposure scale and the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. A total of 21,652 children participated in the survey. Results: The prevalence rate of anxiety symptoms was 18.9% among all participants. In a multivariate analysis, anxiety symptoms were significantly associated with gender, age, cultural differences and earthquake exposure. Anxiety symptoms were common among children in the Wenchuan earthquake area 1 year after the earthquake. Gender, age, culture and traumatic experiences from the earthquake may significantly influence anxiety symptoms among children. Discussion: This study provides baseline data about psychological outcomes among child survivors following an earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a widely used self-report anxiety scale—the Spence Children''s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the associated parent-report version (PSCAS)—in a Hong Kong Chinese community sample. While good psychometric properties of SCAS and PSCAS had been documented in Western cultural contexts (e.g., Australia), no systematic psychometric evaluation of the Chinese-translated SCAS and PSCAS has been published. In this study, psychometric properties of SCAS and PSCAS were examined with respect to four criteria: (a) factor structure, (b) descriptive statistics, (c) convergent validity with an anxiety cognition measure, and (d) internal consistency. Psychometric properties of SCAS and PSCAS for a Chinese community sample were found to be highly comparable with those published on Australian samples, thus providing a solid conceptual foundation for use of the Chinese version of SCAS and PSCAS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives. We examined the effect of age at separation from parents on symptoms of anxiety and depression among children in rural communities in China whose parents migrated to cities in search of employment opportunities during the country's rapid economic development. Methods. Students in 3 rural areas, Anhui, Chongqing, and Guizhou (N=592; age=10-17 years), completed questionnaires that asked about symptoms of state and trait anxiety, as well as depression and age at separation from parents. Results. Children who were separated from parents at a younger age had more symptoms of anxiety and depression. This effect was especially pronounced for children who were separated from their mothers or from both parents. Conclusions. China's explosive economic growth appears to exact a significant toll on left-behind children's mental health, particularly on children whose parents left early in their lives. The unintended consequences of the economic boom on child development need to be further examined in prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To review the demographic profiles of new psychiatric referrals to the Comprehensive Child Development Service of a regional hospital in Hong Kong and study their psychiatric diagnostic profiles. Participants and Methods: Consecutive patients referred to the Comprehensive Child Development Service from October 2006 to July 2008 were enrolled. Psychiatric diagnosis was made by a specialist psychiatrist, according to the International Classification of Diseases - 10th Revision. Antenatal and postnatal patients were studied separately. With regard to the 2 major diagnostic groups (depressive and anxiety disorders), risk factors - including marital status, unplanned pregnancy, maternal psychiatric history, personal psychiatric history, and complications in previous pregnancies - were analysed and compared. Results: A total of 181 cases referred to psychiatry were included; 24 (13%) were antenatal, while 157 (87%) were postnatal. There were 2 main diagnostic groups, namely patients with depressive spectrum disorder and anxiety spectrum disorder. Among the 24 antenatal patients, 17 (71%) had anxiety, and 4 (17%) had depressive spectrum disorder. Among the 157 postnatal patients, 67 (43%) had depressive spectrum symptoms and 76 (48%) had anxiety spectrum symptoms. Conclusions: The impression that depressive disorder was the only significant mental disorder of pregnancy in the perinatal period needs further evaluation. A high percentage of patients suffered anxiety spectrum disorders during the perinatal period. Screening, early detection, and effective intervention for anxiety disorders should also be an important component of the Comprehensive Child Development Service programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is a growing literature base on child and adolescent anxiety. Cross-cultural research on child and adolescent anxiety, however, has been relatively limited. This study examined whether there were similarities and differences in the self reported anxieties in Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents (12–17 years of age), and whether these similarities or differences were related to gender and/or grade. This study also compared anxiety levels of Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese adolescents with the American normative sample (12–17 years of age). The results indicate that the levels of anxieties did not differ based on country (China and Singapore). Gender differences were evident. Gender and grade interaction effects were found on the anxiety scales. Mixed results were found when comparing Mainland Chinese and Singapore Chinese with the American normative sample on the different anxiety scales. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The objective of the current study was to develop a Chinese translation of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) [March (1997) Multidimensional anxiety scale for children: Technical manual, Multi health systems, Toronto, ON], and to evaluate its reliability and validity. The original version of the MASC was translated into Chinese (MASC-C) and administered to 1,538 Chinese adolescents between the ages of 14 and 19. In comparison to the American normative sample [March (1997) Multidimensional anxiety scale for children: Technical manual, Multi health systems, Toronto, ON], Chinese adolescents reported significantly higher scores on the subscales of social anxiety and separation anxiety. Girls reported higher levels of anxiety on all subscales than males. Participants between the ages of 16 and 19 reported higher scores on the physical symptoms and harm avoidance subscales. The MASC-C exhibited strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.91 and the mean inter-item correlation coefficient was 0.20) and moderate test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.84 over a one-month interval). MASC scores inter-correlated a small to moderate degree with measures assessing negative life events and depressive symptoms indicating acceptable convergent validity. The results of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the four-factor structure of the MASC was suitable for the Chinese sample. The four factor structure was also invariant across sex and age. As the Chinese translation of the MASC indicated high levels of reliability and validity, the MASC-C is appropriate for assessing anxiety in Chinese adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: There is a lack of a simplified instrument for use in busy clinical settings to measure and differentiate anxiety levels of children. Objectives: To develop a short form of the Chinese version of the State Anxiety Scale for Children (CSAS-C) and test psychometric properties of the new form. Design: The study was divided into two phases with phase one aimed at developing a short form of the CSAS-C, while phase two aimed at testing psychometric properties of the new form. A test–retest, within-subjects design was employed. Children (7–12 years of age) admitted for surgery in a day surgery unit during two consecutive years’ summer holiday were invited to participate in the study. In phase one, selected participants () were asked to respond to the CSAS-C. In phase two, selected participants () were asked to respond to the short form of the CSAS-C. Results: Using exploratory factor analysis, a subset of 10 items, which was highly correlated with scores obtained from the full form () and, which had acceptable internal consistency () was developed. The psychometric properties of this short form have been empirically tested, showing adequate internal consistency reliability, good concurrent validity, and excellent construct validity. Conclusion: This study addresses a gap in the literature by developing a 10-item short form of the CSAS-C. Results indicate that this short form is an appropriate and objective assessment tool for measuring anxiety levels of Chinese children in a busy clinical setting where time constraints make unfeasible the use of the full form. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The goal was to assess rates of anxiety and depression in adolescents in two areas of Zhejiang Province, China. A cross-sectional survey was carried-out using a self-report questionnaire developed for this study. Participants were middle school students (age range 13-16 years) in an urban and a rural setting. There were 1576 completed questionnaires. Symptoms of anxiety sufficient to interfere with enjoyment of life, relaxation, and sleep were common (48%, 40%, and 27%, respectively). School-related problems were the predominant sources of worry. One third reported a history of depression, 16% had at times felt life was not worth living, and 9% reported that they had attempted suicide. Girls were more likely to report symptoms of depression. Patterns of help-seeking showed reliance on friends and parents; only 1% had sought professional help. There were no significant differences in anxiety and depression between one-child and multisibling families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]