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Understanding risk factors for internalising and externalising symptoms in institution reared children in Saudi Arabia

Understanding risk factors for internalising and externalising symptoms in institution reared children in Saudi Arabia
Understanding risk factors for internalising and externalising symptoms in institution reared children in Saudi Arabia
This research utilised a multi-method approach to investigate risk factors that could lead to the development of psychopathology in institutionalised children in Saudi Arabia. Chapter 1 provided a cultural context for understanding reasons that lead to institutionalisation and attitudes towards these children. Chapter 2 outlined previous research that considered the negative impact of institutionalisation on development and Chapter 3 considered several frameworks that could explain adverse outcomes in this population. Chapter 4 presented a qualitative study that highlighted, following interviews with institutionalised children and their carers, that symptoms linked to externalising and internalising difficulties, as well as reports of behaviours to conceal their social status, were evident in children. The subsequent empirical chapters explored the presence of symptoms of psychopathology in institutionalised children compared to non-institutionalised peers, after having translated key questionnaires (linked to measurements of externalising and internalising symptoms, as well as self-concept, shame, stigma, and aggressive behaviours (Chapter 5). Chapter 6 found some evidence for perceptions of stigma in children, their carers, their teachers, and other teachers who had less familiarity of working with these groups of children. Chapters 7 and 8 used theoretical frameworks to demonstrate that children’s reported perceptions of stigma were associated with symptoms of depression and anger, and that this relationship was mediated for depression and anger by children’s reports of their feelings of shame (Chapter 7). In addition, it showed that social information processing models had some utility in understanding links between elevated reports of aggressive behaviours in children with endorsements of hostile behavioural response to hypothetical peers via increased interpretations of ambiguous (benign/hostile) hypothetical actions as hostile (Chapter 8). Chapter 9 summarised how these findings fit with and extend previous research. In addition, it suggested how the findings could be used to intervene to deliver educational interventions to reduce the negative attitudes towards the institutionalised children and to provide specialised training for individuals who work with children and adolescents in institutional care, and society more broadly.
Al-Kathiry, Afaf
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Al-Kathiry, Afaf
501b4c39-0b16-49c2-9de4-437ddc65809b
Hadwin, Julie
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Kreppner, Jana
6a5f447e-1cfe-4654-95b4-e6f89b0275d6
Stopa, Lusia
b52f29fc-d1c2-450d-b321-68f95fa22c40

Al-Kathiry, Afaf (2014) Understanding risk factors for internalising and externalising symptoms in institution reared children in Saudi Arabia. University of Southampton, Psychology, Doctoral Thesis, 228pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

This research utilised a multi-method approach to investigate risk factors that could lead to the development of psychopathology in institutionalised children in Saudi Arabia. Chapter 1 provided a cultural context for understanding reasons that lead to institutionalisation and attitudes towards these children. Chapter 2 outlined previous research that considered the negative impact of institutionalisation on development and Chapter 3 considered several frameworks that could explain adverse outcomes in this population. Chapter 4 presented a qualitative study that highlighted, following interviews with institutionalised children and their carers, that symptoms linked to externalising and internalising difficulties, as well as reports of behaviours to conceal their social status, were evident in children. The subsequent empirical chapters explored the presence of symptoms of psychopathology in institutionalised children compared to non-institutionalised peers, after having translated key questionnaires (linked to measurements of externalising and internalising symptoms, as well as self-concept, shame, stigma, and aggressive behaviours (Chapter 5). Chapter 6 found some evidence for perceptions of stigma in children, their carers, their teachers, and other teachers who had less familiarity of working with these groups of children. Chapters 7 and 8 used theoretical frameworks to demonstrate that children’s reported perceptions of stigma were associated with symptoms of depression and anger, and that this relationship was mediated for depression and anger by children’s reports of their feelings of shame (Chapter 7). In addition, it showed that social information processing models had some utility in understanding links between elevated reports of aggressive behaviours in children with endorsements of hostile behavioural response to hypothetical peers via increased interpretations of ambiguous (benign/hostile) hypothetical actions as hostile (Chapter 8). Chapter 9 summarised how these findings fit with and extend previous research. In addition, it suggested how the findings could be used to intervene to deliver educational interventions to reduce the negative attitudes towards the institutionalised children and to provide specialised training for individuals who work with children and adolescents in institutional care, and society more broadly.

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More information

Published date: June 2014
Organisations: University of Southampton, Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 370407
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/370407
PURE UUID: 6e468a85-7d18-4105-9bbc-9a80b691b298
ORCID for Jana Kreppner: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3527-9083

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Nov 2014 09:00
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:30

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Contributors

Author: Afaf Al-Kathiry
Thesis advisor: Julie Hadwin
Thesis advisor: Jana Kreppner ORCID iD
Thesis advisor: Lusia Stopa

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