Volume 14, numéro 4, 2024

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This paper examines the dynamics of agency and power as revealed in young girls’ fictional narratives about child–parent conflicts that are caused by incompatibility between the goals of children and parents in everyday family life. The data were collected from 26 girls aged 4 to 6 using the Story Magician’s Play Time method. Narrative analysis yielded five types: mediation and compromise stories, surrender stories, persistence stories, solidarity stories, and standoff stories. In the girls’ stories, agency and power were multifaceted and variable phenomena that were negotiated in a relational context in which the gender of the child and parent characters played an important role. Power relations tended to be narrated as more hierarchical and immutable in child–father conflicts, and more often as negotiated in child–mother conflicts. However, when narrated as deploying unyielding and tactical actions, the child characters were only able to exert power over the parent in girl–mother conflicts. Thus, some stories conveyed a clear, hierarchical generational order while others demonstrated children’s agentic power to reshape adult dominance in child–adult conflicts in diverse ways. The practical implications of the findings are also discussed.

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This study explored gender variations in the prevalence and correlates of depression and anxiety among Nigerian adolescents. Using a cross-section of 836 students aged 10 to 18 years (39.5% males and 60.5% females), the study determined gender differences in the prevalence of and the demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors associated with, depression and anxiety among the respondents. Data were collected using a prevalidated questionnaire and the 25-item Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale. Analyses were carried out with the SPSS statistical software (version 21); frequencies and percentages, chi-squared statistics, and point-biserial correlations were examined. Results showed a high(35.4%) prevalence of general anxiety and depression among adolescents. Male respondents had a higher proportion of anxiety (32.1%), depression (31.5%), and general anxiety and depression (44.8%) compared to females who had 20.9% symptomatic depression, 21.9% anxiety, and 29.2% general anxiety and depression. Correlates of mental health symptoms in boys were mothers’ education and living with guardians. Having unemployed fathers correlated with anxiety symptoms in girls. Age, class, perceived family socioeconomic status, and emotional connection with parents/guardians were significantly correlated with mental health in both male and female adolescents; however, the pattern of these interactions varied between the genders. Since this study has shown that gender variations exist in the prevalence and correlates of poor mental health among Nigerian adolescents, programs targeting them should reflect gender considerations.

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Youth refugees and asylum seekers are vulnerable to mental health conditions. Although their mental health needs are well documented, evidence reveals that they are underutilizing mental health services. This integrative literature review aims to examine the evidence on barriers to mental health access experienced by youth refugees and asylum seekers, determine the literature gaps, and identify the future direction of research in the field. Academic databases, such as CINAHL, OVID MEDLINE (R), PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Web of Science, as well as grey literature, were used to identify eligible articles. A total of 29 articles were included in this review. Our findings revealed 5 major themes: (a) approachability and ability to perceive; (b) acceptability and ability to seek; (c) availability, accommodation, and ability to reach; (d) affordability and ability to pay; and (e) appropriateness and ability to engage. These findings can assist multiple stakeholders in improving mental health access, quality, and provision.

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This study investigated circumstances surrounding the impact of COVID-19 on child protection investigations, particularly those affecting newcomer parents in Ontario, Canada. Recognizing that the pandemic inflicted substantial socioeconomic disadvantage on some people, the purpose of the study was to use an intersectional lens to examine challenges and solutions found by child welfare agencies when working with families. Insights for policy and practice are drawn from 11 virtual interviews with child welfare workers and managers in Ontario. Our findings reveal that some newcomer families encountered unique challenges: ineligibility for the available pandemic public assistance; inaccessibility to faith-based supports, which had often been their first key contact for mental wellness in the past; technological inequities; and language barriers. These intersecting conditions impacted newcomer families and led to innovative child protection interventions. Analysis of the interview data shows a gradual shift in Ontario from risk-focused approaches to supportive and preventative child welfare interventions in families. Furthermore, supervisors faced the dilemma of how stringently to enforce ongoing safety policies when some social workers were questioning the benefits of these rules for families with intersecting identities who were experiencing added burdens because of the pandemic.

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This study offers an understanding of interactional resilience processes between young adults raised by caregivers who misused alcohol and people in their social-ecology who initiated supportive interactions that enabled them to achieve better-than-expected outcomes. Multiple in-depth face-to-face interviews and a draw-and-write methodology were used with 15 National University of Lesotho undergraduate students raised by caregivers who misused alcohol. An interactional resilience approach, building on person-in-environment and social-ecology perspectives on resilience, informed this study. Using constructivist grounded theory methods of data analysis, three themes were formulated: (a) other-initiated material support that elicits a response of resolve or obligation towards the other; (b) other-initiated sustained emotional support that elicits a response of hope for the future; and (c) other-initiated challenging support that elicits a change in behaviour. Given these findings, the study recommends that child and youth workers and social workers cultivate enabling and support-initiating social environments in key contexts such as schools, churches, and clubs, and develop children and young people’s skills to respond to and receive such support.

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This study examined whether an educational television show would affect young Haitian children’s gender perceptions. We first collected data on children’s beliefs about male and female characteristics and roles. Among 862 participating 6- and 7-year-olds from urban, peri-urban, and rural settings, we saw gender stereotypical beliefs about activities, traits, and occupations. We conducted a school-based intervention over a 10-week period, in which children were randomly assigned to watch a children’s television program in either of two groups: one that watched Lakou Kajou or one that watched Dora the Explorer. Each group saw 21 episodes of its assigned show, spread over 3 screenings of 7 episodes each. Lakou Kajou is an educational television show created in Haiti that purposely incorporates overt counter-stereotypical gender messaging. Among those children who watched Lakou Kajou and recalled more characters from the show, beliefs around gender became less stereotypical. In countries like Haiti, where pronounced gender disparities and biases exist, it is encouraging to see that a locally produced educational television show can change beliefs.

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Parental stress in parents of a child with an intellectual disability may have an impact on their marital relationship. Achievement of marital projects is considered an important factor that sustains marital satisfaction and fulfils the need for relatedness essential to well-being. In this study, which explores marital relationship projects (MRPs) of these parents, 34 couples participated individually in semi-structured interviews using the personal projects analysis grid. In their 5 most important projects, 17 mothers and 17 fathers prioritized at least 1 MRP: mothers in particular reported that they wanted to spend more time with their partners, while fathers wished for opportunities to travel as a couple. The thematic analysis of parents’ appraisals of their MRPs gave rise to 4 categories: “determined optimists”, “determined sceptics”, “postponing optimists”, and “postponing sceptics”. Furthermore, 4 types of conjugal dynamic emerged: “continuity”, “when the time is right”, “it’s getting necessary”, and “it’s complicated”. Gaining knowledge about these parents’ MRPs and how they are appraised will make it possible to offer support and resources that will allow them to pursue their MRPs, leading to more fulfilled relationships.