How my life is unique: Sibling perspectives of autism.

The impact of autism on the family is an important area of study. Much of the existing literature has focused on the parent perspective, with less emphasis on the experiences of other family members, especially non-autistic siblings. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of a sample of nine 8- to 17-year-old non-autistic siblings of children and youth on the autism spectrum.

Theory of mind in middle childhood: Longitudinal associations with executive function and social competence.

The vast majority of studies on theory of mind (ToM) have focused on the preschool years. Extending the developmental scope of ToM research presents opportunities to both reassess theoretical accounts of ToM and test its predictive utility. The twin aims of this longitudinal study were to examine developmental relations between ToM, executive function (EF), and teacher-rated social competence in middle childhood.

Does executive function mediate the path from mothers' depressive symptoms to young children's problem behaviors?

This study investigated the mediation role played by children's executive function in the relationship between exposure to mild maternal depressive symptoms and problem behaviors. At ages 2, 3, and 6years, 143 children completed executive function tasks and a verbal ability test. Mothers completed the Beck Depression Inventory at each time-point, and teachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at child age 6.

Mothers' cognitive references to 2-year-olds predict theory of mind at ages 6 and 10.

Mothers' mental-state references predict individual differences in preschoolers' false-belief (FB) understanding; less is known about the origins of corresponding variation in school-age children. To address this gap, 105 children completed observations with their mothers at child ages 2 and 6, three FB tasks and a verbal comprehension test at age 3, and five FB tasks at age 6. Seventy-seven of these children completed five Strange Stories at age 10.

Does maternal depression predict young children's executive function? - a 4-year longitudinal study.

Background: Building on reports that parental maltreatment and neglect adversely affect young children's executive function (EF), this longitudinal study examined whether exposure to a more common risk factor, mothers' depressive symptoms, predicted individual differences in EF at school-age.

Methods: We followed up at age 6 a socially diverse sample of 126 children (78 boys, 48 girls) for whom direct observations of mother-child interactions have been shown to predict gains in EF between the ages of 2 and 4. We used an EF latent factor based on scores from three tasks (Beads, Day/Night, Tower of London) that tapped working memory, inhibitory control and planning, as well as a latent growth model of mothers' Beck Depression Inventory factor scores at four time-points, and included age 6 verbal ability as a covariate in all analyses.

Gender differences in children's problem behaviours in competitive play with friends.

Disruptive behaviour disorders are much more common in boys than girls (Office of National Statistics, 1999); in contrast, gender differences in normative problem behaviours are poorly understood. To address this issue, 228 6-year-olds (134 boys, 94 girls) were each observed playing a board game with a same-gender friend. Ratings of aggression, disruption, arousal and negativity were used to index problem behaviours.

Individual differences in false belief understanding are stable from 3 to 6 years of age and predict children's mental state talk with school friends.

Despite a wealth of studies in the field, longitudinal assessments of both the stability and predictive utility of individual differences in preschoolers' understanding of the mind remain scarce. To address these gaps, we applied latent variable analyses to (a) experimental data gathered from a socially diverse sample (N=101, 60 boys and 41 girls) at 3 and 6 years of age and (b) transcript-based coding of children's dyadic interactions with a best friend at age 6. Our results showed significant stability between latent factors of false belief understanding at ages 3 and 6 even with effects of verbal ability and inhibitory control controlled at both time points.

Individual differences in growth in executive function across the transition to school predict externalizing and internalizing behaviors and self-perceived academic success at 6 years of age.

Building on an existing latent variable analysis of executive function (EF) in children (N=191, 57% boys and 43% girls) making the transition to school (Hughes et al. (2010), Developmental Neuropsychology, vol. 35, pp.

Trajectories of antisocial behaviour towards siblings predict antisocial behaviour towards peers.

Background: Young siblings' antisocial behaviour is common yet its impact has received relatively little research attention.

Methods: We examined trajectories of antisocial behaviour for a socially diverse sample (n = 99, 58 boys and 41 girls) who were filmed with their older siblings (52 boys and 47 girls) at ages 3 and 6 and with unfamiliar peers at age 6. Latent growth models were used to analyse three indicators of antisocial behaviour (refusal to share/interact, bullying and harming).

Tracking executive function across the transition to school: a latent variable approach.

This longitudinal study of executive function (EF) addressed three questions. These concerned: (i) the validity of EF as a latent construct underpinning performance at ages 4 and 6 on tests of planning, inhibitory control, and working memory; (ii) developmental change in EF across these time-points, which straddled children's transition to school; and (iii) verbal ability and family income as predictors of base-line individual differences and variation in the slopes of EF development. Confirmatory factor analyses of data from a socially diverse sample of 191 children supported the validity of a single EF construct at both time-points; a MIMIC (multiple indicators, multiple causes) model showed equally good fit for boys and girls.

How do families help or hinder the emergence of early executive function?

This chapter describes longitudinal findings from a socially diverse sample of 125 British children seen at ages two and four. Four models of social influence on executive function are tested, using multiple measures of family life as well as comprehensive assessments of children's executive functions. Our results confirm the importance of maternal scaffolding for young children's executive functions, but they also suggest positive effects of observational learning and adverse effects of disorganized and unpredictable family life; however, no support was found for an association between executive function and general positive characteristics of family interactions.

Content or connectedness? Mother-child talk and early social understanding.

Despite much research into individual differences in social understanding among preschoolers, little is known about corresponding individual differences within younger children. Likewise, although studies of preschoolers highlight the importance of mental-state references, other aspects of talk have received less attention. The current study involved 120 families with 2-year-olds; video-based transcripts of observations of family interaction were coded for quantity, connectedness, and content of mothers' and children's talk.

Executive function and theory of mind: Predictive relations from ages 2 to 4.

Despite robust associations between children's theory of mind (ToM) and executive function (EF) skills, longitudinal studies examining this association remain scarce. In a socially diverse sample of 122 children (seen at ages 2, 3, and 4), this study examined (a) developmental stability of associations between ToM, EF, verbal ability, and social disadvantage; (b) continuity and change in ToM and EF; and (c) predictive relations between ToM and EF. Verbal ability and social disadvantage independently predicted changes in EF (but not ToM).

Positive and protective: effects of early theory of mind on problem behaviors in at-risk preschoolers.

Background: Exposure to harsh parenting and children's skills in 'Theory of Mind' (ToM) show independent and interacting associations with problem behaviors at age 2 (Hughes & Ensor, 2006). This study examined whether these age-2 measures also predict age-4 problem behaviors.

Method: In a socially diverse sample (N = 120), multi-informant, multi-measure, multi-setting ratings indexed problem behaviors at ages 2, 3 and 4; children completed both ToM and verbal-ability tasks at age 2, while video-based ratings of maternal negative affect and control within dyadic mother-child play indexed harsh parenting.

Does executive function matter for preschoolers' problem behaviors?

Early problem behaviors are associated with a variety of cognitive deficits: in verbal ability, executive function (EF) and theory of mind (ToM). Previous studies with different age-groups yield contrasting results: for 2-year-olds, ToM skills appear particularly salient (Hughes & Ensor, 2006), but for 4-year-olds EF appears more important (Hughes, White, Sharpen, & Dunn, 2000). To examine this apparent developmental change in the relative salience of cognitive deficits we followed 122 children from Hughes and Ensor's (2006) sample at ages 3 and 4.

Behavioural problems in 2-year-olds: links with individual differences in theory of mind, executive function and harsh parenting.

Background: Cognitive and family factors are implicated in the origins of behavioural problems, but little is known about their independence or interplay.

Methods: We present data from 127 two-year-olds from predominantly disadvantaged families who completed tests of 'theory of mind' (ToM), executive function (EF) and verbal ability. Researchers' home-visit ratings and detailed video-based coding of mother-child interactions were combined to give an aggregate measure of harsh parenting, while behavioural problems were indexed by a multi-informant, multi-setting, multi-measure aggregate.

Executive function and theory of mind in 2 year olds: a family affair?

Although numerous studies of preschoolers report robust associations between performance on tests of executive function (EF) and theory of mind (ToM), a lack of developmentally appropriate tasks so far has limited research on these cognitive skills in younger children. Here, we present new batteries of EF and ToM tasks that were administered to 140 two-year-olds from predominantly disadvantaged families, with analyses based on 129 children. Our results showed a strong association between EF and ToM, which remained significant when effects of verbal ability were controlled.

Safety of neonatal hepatitis B vaccine administration.

Objective: To determine whether hepatitis B vaccination of newborns increases the incidence of fever and/or suspected sepsis.

Methods: A prospective clinical study was undertaken at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center involving normal full term newborns born between November 1, 1991, and April 30, 1994. During this time 3302 infants were vaccinated within 21 days of birth with hepatitis B vaccine, and 2353 were not.

Sonographic findings in adenomyosis of the uterus.

In an attempt to define better the sonographic findings of adenomyosis of the uterus, we reviewed sonograms in seven cases of pathologically proven extensive adenomyosis without associated uterine diseases. In all cases, the uterus was enlarged. In five cases, the posterior wall of the uterus was thickened, and echoes in the endometrial cavity were eccentric.

Primary Wegener's granulomatosis of the trachea: radiologic manifestations.

This is the third reported case of Wegener's granulomatosis of the trachea occurring as the primary initial event in a young patient. Roentgenographic findings consisted of a 3 cm intraluminal mass with extensive tracheal narrowing. In a young patient with inspiratory stridor, a mass causing narrowing of the trachea, and a course complicated by symptoms of vasculitis, the possibility of Wegener's granulomatosis should be considered.

Longitudinal chest x-ray changes in normal men.

To determine the changes on chest x-ray attributable to the aging process, we evaluated cardiovascular and pulmonary structures on two standard postero-anterior chest x-rays taken at least 10 years apart (M = 16.9 years) in 67 carefully screened healthy men initially aged 23 to 76 years. The aortic knob diameter increased in 79% of subjects.