| 1. |
- Baraldi, Erika, 1982-
(författare)
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An Interaction-Based Early Intervention During the First Year of Life : Targeting Infants Born Extremely Preterm and Their Parents
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The first thousand days from conception are crucial for future learning and development throughout life. During the infant year, several sensitive periods for sensorimotor, cognitive and social development coincide, making the period particularly suitable for early intervention (EI). From a special educational perspective, the social and physical environment of a child may either support or hinder future growth. Optimal early learning environments include environmental enrichment, reduced toxic stress and strengths-based support of parent-child interaction.Being born extremely preterm (EPT <28 gestational weeks) is a biological risk factor, increasing the risk for future disability, academic difficulties and social challenges. The parents are also negatively affected by prematurity. Sweden offers highly specialized neonatal care from 22 GW, resulting in a new population of surviving children.The aim of this thesis is to evaluate an interaction-based and strengths-based EI for infants born EPT and their parents in a Swedish context. The Stockholm Preterm Interaction-Based Intervention (SPIBI) consists of 10 home visits led by a trained interventionist during the first year at home, focusing on parent-child interaction, family strengths and reduction of toxic stress. The control group received an extended treatment as usual follow-up program (TAU+). The thesis has a mixed methods design and includes three studies.Study I presents the protocol, including a description of the planning, formulation, theoretical background, theory of change, interventionist training, recruitment, randomization and implementation of the SPIBI. Study II reports the primary outcome of the RCT (N=130, intervention=66 vs. controls=64) and their parents regarding parent-child interaction as measured with the Emotional Availability Scale (EAS) at 12 months corrected age (CA). The EAS consists of the six dimensions: sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness, non-hostility, child responsiveness and child involvement. No significant effect of the EAS at 12 months CA related to the SPIBI was found. In the secondary analysis, analysis of covariances for all EAS dimensions were tested with predefined medical, social, and psychological moderators. The model with the best fit was one for the EAS dimension child involvement (adj R2=.463). A significant effect modifier shows that the SPIBI enhances child involvement in families where the mothers rate themselves as depressed at discharge (F(1, 65)=5.499, p=.023).The parental experience during the first year at home with or without the SPIBI was qualitatively analyzed and reported in Study III (n=17). The results showed that child-related medical concerns were still present a year post-discharge, and that the premature birth experience still affected the parental inner state and family dynamics. Parents in the intervention group (n=8) also pointed out the security the knowledgeable interventionists gave them, while some parents described the SPIBI as important but not necessary.Overall, this thesis adds to the understanding of the first year at home with a child born EPT. An interaction-based intervention in the home environment is feasible in Sweden. It is possible to unite different professions in an EI in a special educational context. The tested intervention does not affect the emotional availability at 1 year CA, but findings from secondary analyses prompt further research on specific subgroups, particularly families with depressed mothers.
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| 2. |
- Riad, Rasmus, 1989-
(författare)
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Exploring language skills and well-being in inclusive preschools : The impact of a dialogic reading intervention
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Language skills during the preschool years are important for cognitive and social development, learning, and well-being, especially for children that are less proficient in the language that peers and teachers use for communication and teaching, known as the majority language. The overall aim of this thesis is to explore the effect of a practice-embedded introduction of dialogic reading in preschool, a method that engages children in conversation, using language-promoting strategies. Teachers performed dialogic reading for 85 five-year-old children in preschools. Children's linguistic progress was observed, while also recording their self-reported state of well-being. Based on the theme of language and well-being in early education, three studies were conducted. In Study I, a British well-being measure for young students, “How I Feel About My School (HIFAMS),” was translated, validated, and assessed for psychometric properties. In total, N = 228 children self-reported their well-being in early education. Study I included a combined sample of school-aged children (n = 143) and a preschool sample (n = 85), where the latter also participated in Study II and Study III. Study I confirmed a one-factor structure of HIFMAS in a confirmatory factor analysis with good model fit. The results showed that the HIFAMS can be used in Sweden to measure child well-being in preschool and early school years.In Study II, structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between language skills and self-reported well-being among preschoolers (N = 85). The assessment of language skills comprised both narrative and vocabulary abilities, while well-being was measured by HIFAMS. Language background (home language exposure) and gender were examined in relation to language abilities and well-being. Study II discovered no association between language skills and well-being. Children with a non-Swedish language use at home (additional language learners) displayed similar narrative skills but had less vocabulary. The results of Study II align with previous research, highlighting the significance of extensive language exposure for children whose home language differs from the language encountered in preschool.In Study III, language development and child well-being were analyzed after a dialogic reading intervention. Ten preschool teachers delivered the intervention in small groups (four to eight children). The teachers performed the dialogic reading during two periods, and the children at each preschool were randomized to attend direct (group A) or delayed intervention (group B). The outcome measures were the same as in Study II and assessed pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. Study III showed that children improved their language skills after engaging in a dialogic reading intervention, with improvements regardless of language background. The well-being remained steady during the course of the trial. Taken together, the results of these three studies indicate that language development in terms of vocabulary can be promoted by dialogic reading, and children that are additional language learners show a similar progression as their peers. Furthermore, these studies show that self-reported well-being can be measured in the early education context and that children’s self-perceived well-being in preschool was not associated with early language skills. The implications of these studies and the significance of the results for educational practice are addressed.
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| 3. |
- Ekesryd Nordström, Malin, 1971-
(författare)
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Särskild begåvning i en förskola och skola för alla
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Based on four articles, this compilation thesis analyses different actors’ constructions of giftedness and ideas about meeting gifted children’s needs in preschool and early childhood educational settings. Previous research has highlighted gifted children’s need for early educational adaptations and support for their continued development and maintained desire for learning. Because children’s early educational experiences influence their continued cognitive, social and emotional development, constructions of giftedness at different societal levels surrounding the child were important to explore. Questions addressed included how pre- school personnel, principals and parents of gifted children talk about giftedness, how the construction of giftedness changes over time in Swedish daily press, and what meanings talk about giftedness have for gifted children’s provided education in preschool and school. The theoretical framework underpinning the entire thesis is social constructivism. In addition, special educational perspectives, Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory model, and discourse analysis were used to analyse the respondents’ understandings. Empirically, the thesis is based on material collected in four studies conducted between 2019-2021. These include an on-line questionnaire to preschool personnel (n=78), interviews with preschool teachers (10) and principals (5), interviews with parents (16), and an overview of Swedish newspaper articles about giftedness (n=72). Results show that constructions of giftedness create tensions by generating diverse ideas about the offered teaching in practice, alongside different views of hindering factors for providing an adequate education, organizational thresholds or lack of education about giftedness. Dilemmas included planning an education that meet the needs of all – as well as individual children’s needs. Another dilemma was naming someone gifted in a strong tradition of an egalitarian education. How preschool staff, principals, parents and newspaper debates construct giftedness is vital for making conscious choices and treatment of giftedness in a preschool and school for all.
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| 4. |
- Herkner, Birgitta, 1951-
(författare)
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Studier av läsrelaterade språkliga förmågor i förskola och läsutveckling i grundskola
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of this doctoral thesis was to explore relationships that impact language development, and how reading ability develops during the compulsory school years. The thesis includes four studies, study I (licentiate thesis), with students from grades 2–5, from 24 classrooms (N = 428), study II examined whether the National test (NP) was able to identify students with word decoding problems from a sample of third graders from study I (n= 112). In study III a small number of students (n = 8) from Study II were followed-up to the ninth grade. The students’ and their parents’ perception of special education support is described.In Study IV the correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and language development was examined in preschool children (N= 231) from three municipalities in the middle of Sweden. Furthermore, the language ability among these preschool boys and girls is described. Students’ language abilities are examined in these four studies, where the participants are students in preschool (N= 231), and compulsory school (N=428).The results indicated that the student’s reading profiles (the correlation between phonological decoding and reading ability) based on Simple View of Reading showed difficulties in reading ability for students in the fourth grade to a larger extent than in the third grade. National tests (NP) in Swedish for the third grade do not identify students with decoding difficulties.The students that had difficulties with decoding in the third grade also had difficulties with decoding in the ninth grade and scored low on all reading and writing tests. In interviews with parents and students, the respondents described that the students did not engage in leisure reading in their free time and that when they did, they read using their computer or their mobile phone. The respondents also described school experiences where special education support had been provided too late, and to an unsatisfactory extent. Between the fourth and sixth grade, special support was provided as reading in a small group, and between the seventh and ninth grade, special support was provided from a paraprofessional; receiving support from a special educational needs teacher was uncommon. Study IV does not indicate differences between preschool boys’ and girls’ results on tests in language abilities, letter knowledge, and rapid automatized naming. Children from areas with lower SES performed worse on the language tests than children from areas with higher SES. The results from these studies indicate the importance of early language interventions for preschool children in areas with low SES. Taken together, the studies indicate that the early identification of children with delays in language abilities is feasible in preschool, as well as the early identification of children with difficulties with decoding in primary school. The follow-up suggests that without early and effective interventions the difficulties may last for the following school years, and may affect negatively the students’ educational achievement.
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| 5. |
- Rosendahl, Jenny, 1973-
(författare)
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Inflytande och delaktighet för unga vuxna som har intellektuell funktionsnedsättning : - i lokalsamhällets sociala arenor och demokratiska processer
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- To achieve citizenship, all citizens need to be able to make their voices heard. Policy and practice in the welfare society stress that all citizens should be included, but in reality, young adults who have intellectual disabilities (ID) are often excluded. The overall aim of the thesis was to study how young adults who have ID acquired citizenship. The specific aims were also to study how young adults who have ID experienced influence and participation in a municipality's leisure activities, cultural activities, and democratic processes. The theories used were theories of citizenship, participation, and situated learning. The study was conducted as participatory action research by seven co-researchers and staff. The action Influence Café was organized as a meeting place on three occasions. To support dialogues with the co-researchers, the method Talking Mats was used during the individual interviews, while during the focus group interviews, photographs were used. The co-researchers were seven young adults aged between 16 to 30 years of age who have ID. Five staff from the municipal organization constituted a project group. The co-researchers took part in two single interviews each, three focus group interviews, and three actions. The staff from the municipality took part in a focus group interview and a survey. Field notes were taken during the action process. The results showed that young adults who have ID experienced exclusion in leisure, culture, and democracy activities and had difficulties gaining influence as citizens. When staff from the municipality were given a method and the opportunity to reflect on involving young adults who have ID in decision making, a change in their attitudes towards a more inclusive direction could be achieved. Conversely, when young adults who have ID were allowed to express their thoughts, they experienced a sense of impact on the organization in the municipality. The results indicate that a shift needs to take place, away from the lack of knowledge and abilities of young adults who have ID, towards the knowledge deficits and normative beliefs of those around them. A conclusion that can be drawn from the study is that empowerment and the ability to influence society can be created if young adults who have ID are made visible and begin to be seen as a resource; and thereby they can be allowed to take their place as citizens.Young adults who have ID can participate as co-researchers if the right adaptations are made. To enable influence and participation for young adults who have ID in leisure, cultural, and democracy activities, staff need to have knowledge about prevailing norms, ID, and how an adaptation of activities can take place. The Influence Café method can contribute to increased influence and increased participation in municipal activities for young adults who have ID. The Talking Mats can be used as a method for interviews, but adaptations of the method need to be made based on the design of the study. In future research, more studies need to be based on the theory of situated learning where young adults who have an ID get the opportunity to cooperate with staff in focus on adaptation and knowledge building.
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| 6. |
- Wikman, Carina, 1970-
(författare)
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Social Climate and the Student in the Learning Environment : Advances in Assessment, Observation, and Coaching
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Relationships and what is taking place socio-emotionally in the classroom may support or hinder students´ learning and development. All students benefit from a positive, supportive classroom climate, especially children with special educational needs. Improving the quality of the learning environment does not mean disregarding academic achievement. Because research on how to improve the classroom climate is limited, this thesis aimed to develop an intervention with the potential to influence the social climate and benefit student outcomes. Furthermore, the three studies in this thesis have connected aims. The first and the second study provided insight into constructs at the student level. The first study examined the psychometric properties of an instrument used to measure students’ prosocial behavior. The second study examined the associations between students´ self-concept, prosocial skills, well-being in school, and academic achievement. Gender differences were also investigated. The third study tested the effects of an intervention involving specific activities (e.g., self-assessment, observation, and coaching). The three studies were empirical investigations of a sample of 143 students in elementary schools in a Swedish metropolitan area. The data sources were students´ self-reports and tests, including teachers´ reports on students’ prosocial skills, teachers’ social climate assessments, and video-recorded classroom climate observations. Study I and II had a cross-sectional design, and study III had an experimental design with cluster randomization at the school level. There were four intervention classes and four control classes. Data were primarily analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques in Mplus to examine the hypotheses and research questions.Study I examined students’ prosocial behavior using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). A two-factor measurement model was clearly supported, but a single-factor and a three-factor model cannot be excluded as possibilities for future research in the Swedish school context. Study II examined the constructs at baseline with CFA, demonstrating significant associations between self-concept and prosocial behavior, indicators of social-emotional learning (SEL), and well-being. The findings support the association between SEL and academic achievement indicators, confirming previous research. In study III, pre- to post-test changes resulting from a coaching intervention were examined with an autoregressive model. The coaching intervention was considered feasible, but there were no intervention effects from the pre- to post-test on the observed variables: self-concept, prosocial behavior, well-being, academic achievement, or classroom climate.Overall, this thesis contributes to the research on the whole child approach. Self-concept and prosocial behavior, indicators of SEL and well-being, contribute to understanding academic achievement. Teachers can use these assessment instruments to understand children´s social-emotional and academic development levels and the correlations between them so that appropriate support can be provided.
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