Screening e valutazione su base empirica dei problemi emotivo-comportamentali in un campione di bambini in età prescolare

LUCARELLI, LOREDANA;TODINI G;VISMARA, LAURA;CIMINO S;PETROCCHI M;MAGNO B;AMMANITI M.

2006-01-01

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Abstract

Background: The present work arose from a developmental and relational perspective that considers the sensitive periods of re-organization of the child’s cognitive and affective abilities as a privileged window through which observe the developmental risk and detect early behavioral and emotional problems. Objective: The main aim was to carry out an evaluation of the developmental profiles of a pre-school aged sample by means of instruments shown to be applicable to the Italian context. Method: N=571 mothers of children aged 1½ to 5 years attending infant school in the Local Health Service of Rome (ASL RM B) participated to the screening enabled by the teachers collaboration. Critical discussion and results: The assessment of a wide spectrum of behavioral-emotional difficulties, based upon both a quantitative-empirical perspective (normal, borderline and clinical scorings), and a clinical approach (DSM-oriented scales) has shown normative developmental profiles, but also difficulties perceived by parents as regards the emotional-behavioral adaptation of the child and their own parental role orienting the evaluation of risk in order to distinguish between developmental, temporary conditions and clinically relevant situations. Results offer implication to set up interventions of primary and secondary prevention and support interventions to parents and children.