PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E L Cowen

Publications and source records attributed to E L Cowen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Interviews with children who experienced major life stress: family and child attributes that predict resilient outcomes.

Demographically comparable groups of children exposed to major life-stress, with stress resilient (SR) and stress affected (SA) outcomes at ages 10 to 12, were interviewed to assess perceptions of their caregiving environments, peer relationships, and themselves. SR children compared with SA children reported more: (1) positive relationships with primary caregivers, (2) stable family environments, (3) inductive and consistent family discipline practices, and (4) positive expectations for their futures. SR girls viewed their mothers as more nurturing than did SA girls. Perceptions of fathers, quality of peer relationships, and global self-concept did not differentiate the groups. A discriminant function analysis identified four variables that correctly classified 74% of the subjects as SR or SA. Findings support the view that caregiver-child relationships play a key role in moderating children's developmental outcomes under conditions of high stress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Similarity of parent and child self-views in stress-affected and stress-resilient urban families.

This study was conducted with a sample of highly stressed 4th-6th grade urban children consisting of matched subsamples previously classified as stress affected (SA) or stress resilient (SR). Separate in-depth interviews with parents and children provided objective self-ratings of a number of personal characteristics and expressive motor behavioral styles. Based on subsets of identical items from the two interviews, discrepancy (D)-scores were computed between parents' and children's self-ratings of ten personal descriptors, seven expressive motor behaviors, and their sum. Significantly lower D-scores were found for SR, compared to SA, parent-child dyads on all three of these measures. For the total sample, small parent-child D-scores also related significantly to indicators of fewer child problem behaviors and more competencies, assessed across multiple rater sources (i.e., parents, former teachers, and current teachers).

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Developmental and family milieu correlates of resilience in urban children who have experienced major life stress.

Reports findings from interviews with parents of demographically-comparable groups of highly-stressed urban children with stress-resilient (SR) and stress-affected (SA) outcomes at ages 10-12. SR and SA children were compared on family milieu and child development variables assessed within a developmental framework. Compared to SAs, parents of SRs scored higher on variables reflecting parent perceptions of a nurturant caregiver-child relationship and self-views as effective caregivers, in the context of positive discipline practices, a child's positive early temperament, and support for primary caregivers. A discriminant function analysis identified seven variables that optimally differentiated the groups and correctly classified 86% of the Ss as SR or SA.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Relationships between support and adjustment among children of divorce.

In a sample of 102 4th-6th grade urban children of divorce, low to moderate relationships were found between perceived support and child adjustment. This relationship held for several sources of support and across several types of adjustment measures. It was strongest when adjustment was assessed through child self-ratings. Thus, children of divorce who perceived themselves as having more overall support had lower scores on measures of post-divorce difficulties, anxiety, and worry, and higher scores on measures of openness about the divorce and positive resources. The relationships found between support and adjustment among children of divorce suggest a potentially useful role for support in developing preventive interventions for such youngsters.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

The search for effective prevention programs: what we learned along the way.

Efforts by an American Psychological Association task force to identify model prevention programs for high-risk groups throughout the life span are summarized. Criteria for selection and program content are described, and implications for the construction, implementation, and evaluation of effective programs are discussed.

Community Mental Health Services↗
PubMed1988

Children's judgments of event upsettingness and personal experiencing of stressful events.

Five-hundred and three urban and suburban 4th- to 6th-grade schoolchildren judged event upsettingness and reported the occurrence of 22 life events. Judgments of event upsettingness ranged considerably, some corresponding to, others differing from, adult judgments. Children reported experiencing an average of seven events during their lifetimes. Girls judged events to be more upsetting than boys, and fourth and fifth graders judged events to be more upsetting than sixth graders. Urban children reported having experienced more stressful events than suburban children, and sixth graders experienced more events than fourth graders.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Resilient children, psychological wellness, and primary prevention.

The concept of heightened resilience or invulnerability in young profoundly stressed children is developed in terms of its implications for a psychology of wellness and for primary prevention in mental health. Relevant literature is reviewed, a skeletal model for studying resilience is outlined, and needed research directions are considered. The latter include expansion of the construct's nomological definitional net, inquiry into the antecedents and determinants of resilience, and the application of such generative information to frame preventive interventions for young, profoundly stressed children.

Child↗
PubMed1987

Teacher ratings of children's problem and competence behaviors: normative and parametric characteristics.

Teacher-rated adjustment differences among young elementary school children from (a) a recent sample and a 1974 cohort, and (b) urban/suburban, male/female, and grade-level subgroups were examined. A problem behavior checklist (Classroom Adjustment Rating Scale) and a school competence measure (Health Resources Inventory) for 974 children from 5 urban and 5 suburban schools were completed by 101 first- to fourth-grade teachers. Children from the more current cohort were rated as significantly more maladjusted than those from the earlier sample on 8 of 10 adjustment variables. In the recent sample, girls and suburban children evidenced a greater number of school competencies and fewer problem behaviors than boys and urban children, respectively. The implications of these findings for the future use of the teacher rating scales are discussed.

Achievement↗
PubMed1986

The development and implementation of a rural consortium program to provide early, preventive school mental health services.

This article describes the development and implementation of a rural consortium of school-based programs for early detection and prevention of maladjustment. The program expanded considerably the reach of early services to young children. It also stimulated communication, interaction and support among professionals in participating districts. Program evaluation data provided evidence of its efficacy. Extensions of the consortium model to other rural districts are reported and the utility of the approach for addressing the mental health problems of children in under-resourced rural school districts is considered.

Acting Out↗
PubMed1986

Preventive intervention with latency-aged children of divorce: a replication study.

This replication study assessed the efficacy of a school-based preventive intervention for latency-aged children of divorce. The Children of Divorce Intervention Program (CODIP) emphasizes support, identifying and expressing divorce-related feelings, training situationally relevant communication, problem solving, and anger control skills, and enhancing self-esteem. Fifty-four children of divorce participated in the 11-session program conducted in small groups. Their adjustment was contrasted at pre and post with that of demographically matched peers (N = 78) from intact families on teacher, parent, self-report, and group leader measures. Children of divorce were less well adjusted than their peers before the intervention. They improved significantly after the intervention, approaching youngsters from intact families in adjustment status. The replication data support CODIP's efficacy as a preventive alternative for children of divorce. Needed future development and research steps are considered.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

Social environmental predictors of children's adjustment in elementary school classrooms.

Relationships between qualities of the perceived social environment and children's adjustment were examined in 30 second- to fourth-grade classrooms. Based on Moos' conceptual framework, social environment was assessed from both teachers' and children's perspectives. There was little agreement between the two views. Nine teacher- and peer-rated adjustment variables were used as criterion measures in multiple regression analyses which controlled for the potential confounding influence of grade level and family income. The main substantive findings were that peer sociometric ratings were more positive at lower grade levels and in classes rated by children as high in Order and Organization; teachers rated less acting-out behavior in classes seen by children as high in Affiliation, Teacher Control, and Task Orientation; and teachers rated children as more likeable in classes seen by Children as high in Teacher Control and Competition. Implications of the study's findings for future primary preventive efforts to engineer health-promoting classroom environments are discussed.

Child↗
PubMed1985

The effects of peer-teaching on student perceptions of class environment, adjustment, and academic performance.

This study explored the effects of a social studies peer-teaching intervention on student perceptions of class environment, adjustment, and academic performance. There were 45 students in the experimental group (E) and 46 controls (C) from four fifth-grade classes in a suburban, predominantly white, middle-class school. The Classroom Environment Scale (CES) and a School Opinion Survey were used to assess student views of the classroom. Students completed self-esteem and peer sociometric rating measures and teachers submitted adjustment ratings for all pupils. Report card and average monthly grades were recorded in social studies. After the intervention, Es compared to Cs came to see their classes as more Involved, Orderly and Organized, and Competitive, and reported being happier in class and enjoying aspects of their school work more. The groups did not differ in change in self-esteem. Both groups improved directionally in peer liking, though Cs did so more than Es. Teachers rated Es as having increased competence and decreased in problems after the program. Es did significantly better than Cs both on report cards and monthly social studies grades due primarily to the substantial improvement of Es with initially low academic status.

Achievement↗
PubMed1985

Person-centered approaches to primary prevention in mental health: situation-focused and competence-enhancement.

This article considers two families of person-centered approaches to primary prevention in mental health, i.e., situation-focused and competence-enhancement. Rationales and examples of effective programs are presented for both clusters. Similarities and differences between the two approaches are considered as are their special advantages and limitations. Although the approaches differ somewhat in terms of their conceptual footings, prime methodologies, natural target groups, and in the timing of their applications, they share the same ultimate goal, i.e., strengthening the psychological wellness of the population at large. In that sense, they complement system-level primary prevention approaches based on social change.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

Recent stressful life events and young children's school adjustment.

A group of 211 first-to fourth-grade children who had experienced one or more recent stressful life events were compared to a demographically matched sample of 211 children who had not experienced such events on measures of school adjustment problems and competencies. Stressful life events were found to be associated with the presence of more serious school adjustment problems and fewer competencies. Those associations were strongest for children who had experienced multiple recent stressful events. The importance of preventive interventions for this at-risk group was emphasized and future research steps in the area were considered.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1979

The Primary Mental Health Project (PMHP): evaluation of current program effectiveness.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Primary Mental Project (PMHP), a program for early detection and prevention of school adjustment problems. Pre- and postprogram assessments were done with 215 primary-grade children seen in PMHP, usig teacher ratings of problem behaviors and competencies, and child-aide ratings of problems. School mental health professionals judged educational and behavioral changes in project children during the year. Significant across-the board improvements were found on all criterion measures. Modest intercorrelations among criterion change estimates suggested that the observed changes were due to program, rather than halo, effects. PMHP children also improved significantly more than matched, retrospective controls.

Child↗
PubMed1979

Hairdressers as caregivers. I. A descriptive profile of interpersonal help-giving involvements.

The interpersonal help-giving behaviors of 90 hairdressers were explored in depth in an interview study. On the average, hairdressers saw 55 customers a week, and talked 25 minutes with each. About one-third of the talking time concerned clients' moderate to serious personal problems--particularly problems with children, physical health, marriage, depression, and anxiety. Hairdressers reported that offering sympathy and support, being lighthearted, just listening, and presenting alternatives were among their most frequent response strategies. Although they often enjoyed fielding clients' personal problems, at times they felt perplexed by them. Hairdressers perceived listening to customers' interpersonal problems to be an important part of their everyday function and expressed a need for professional inputs in that domain.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

The evaluation of an intervention program for young schoolchildren with acting-out problems.

The rationale and nature of a program to train nonprofessional child-aides for helping interactions with young acting-out school children are described. Pre/post teacher measures of children's problems and competencies, aide measures of problem behavior, and school mental health professionals' change in behavior estimates were used to evaluate the program's effectiveness. Children seen by trained aides showed significantly greater reductions both in acting-out problems and in overall maladjustment than did similar children seen by comparable aides who did not have additional training, or by themselves before training. Implications were considered for optimizing outcomes both in the specific school intervention project in question and in other, broader types of clinical interventions.

Acting Out↗