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Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Adolescents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 36288

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Prof. Dr. Małgorzata Lipowska

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Guest Editor

Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, 80-309 Gdańsk, Poland
Interests: clinical child psychology and neuropsychology; developmental psychology; educational psychology; body image in developmental perspective; gender psychology
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Dr. Katarzyna Sitnik-Warchulska

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Assistant Guest Editor

Institute of Applied Psychology, Faculty of Management and Social Communication, Jagiellonian University, 30-348 Krakow, Poland
Interests: biopsychosocial and developmental approaches in psychological diagnosis and treatment; psychopathology; clinical child and adolescent psychology; therapeutic relations and mental problems in children and adolescents; family factors associated with children\'s mental health
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Dr. Urszula Sajewicz-Radtke

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Assistant Guest Editor

Psychological and Pedagogical Laboratory of Tests, 80-239 Gdańsk, Poland
Interests: clinical psychology; dynamic diagnosis, clinical diagnosis; developmental psychology; diagnosis of cognitive functioning; diagnosis of specific learning difficulties, diagnosis of cognitive functioning in genetic syndromes; creating diagnostic tools; diagnosis of intelligence; cognitive therapy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The psychological diagnosis of children and adolescents is a contemporary need, but also a big challenge. Most mental and neurodevelopmental illness has its onset in childhood and adolescence. 10% of children and adolescents have a clinically diagnosable mental problem, and 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14.

Today, most conditions co-occur among children and youth. Therefore, professionals need a complex construct for diagnosis, including a developmental approach that takes into account multiple needs, family, and the sociocultural context. Diagnosing this group of patients requires taking into account a very wide range of factors and requires specific procedures and the skills of psychologists.

We would like to encourage the publication of researchers who put emphasis on practical applications. We are looking for research, tools, procedures, and solutions that take into account the developmental, family, and environmental perspectives of children and adolescents. It is advisable that the presented work has practical implications or constitutes a starting point for improving the daily practice of a diagnostic psychologist.

We invite authors to submit original research and review articles that address the new approaches in children's clinical psychological diagnosis, including the aspects of:

diagnosis of mental and developmental disorders of children and adolescents
- neurodevelopmental disorders and dysfunctions
- emotional and behavioral disorders
- eating disorders
- trauma and stress related disorders
- personality disorder symptoms
trends in approach to psychological diagnosis

psychosocial context of diagnosis
developmental approach to diagnosis
psychological diagnosis in context of international classifications: ICD 11, DSM 5, DC: 0-5

challenges in clinical psychological diagnosis in children and adolescents
- remote diagnosis
- diagnosis with the use of modern technologies
- interdisciplinary diagnosis
- functional diagnosis
- dynamic assessment
diagnosis of cognitive, emotional, social and family functioning in children suffering from
- oncology
- neurology
- genetics
- chronic conditions

Both qualitative and quantitative studies and reviews will be considered.

Prof. Małgorzata Lipowska
Dr. Katarzyna Sitnik-Warchulska
Dr. Urszula Sajewicz-Radtke
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Developmental approach
Assessment of development
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Children’s mental disorders
Psychosocial diagnosis
Diagnosis as a process
Psychological assessment
Dynamic diagnosis
Functional diagnosis
Environmental and Family conditions

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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12 pages, 2143 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heterogeneity of Cognitive Profiles in Children and Adolescents with Mild Intellectual Disability (MID)

by Urszula Sajewicz-Radtke, Paweł Jurek, Michał Olech, Ariadna B. Łada-Maśko, Anna M. Jankowska and Bartosz M. Radtke

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7230; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127230 - 13 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2136

Abstract

Mild Intellectual Disability (MID) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood and is characterized by limitations in intellectual functioning (IQ = 55–69) and adaptive behavior that manifests in everyday living. In addition to these specific criteria, clinical practice shows that the population of children with MID has heterogeneous deficits in cognitive functioning. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify groups of homogenous cognitive profiles within a heterogeneous population of students with MID. The cognitive profiles of 16,411 participants with Mild Intellectual Disability were assessed based on their performance on the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Scales–Fifth Edition. Prior to the assessment, participants were divided into three age groups corresponding to the levels of the Polish education system: (1) 7;00–9;11, (2) 10;00–14;11, and (3) 15;00–18;11 years old. Using cluster analysis, we identified three distinct cognitive profiles (clusters) in each age group. These clusters differed from each other within and between each age group. Distinguishing cognitive profiles among children and adolescents with MID is important both in the context of diagnosis as well as the development of research-based interventions for these students. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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17 pages, 3295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heterogeneity of Dyscalculia Risk Dependent on the Type of Number Line Estimation Task and the Number Magnitude

by Małgorzata Gut, Katarzyna Mańkowska, Jakub Słupczewski and Jacek Matulewski

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6164; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106164 - 19 May 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1954

Abstract

An ability that is impaired in developmental dyscalculia (DD) is related to number line estimation (NLE). However, due to variability in NLE task performance, group differences do not exemplify the real difficulty level observed in the DD population. Thirty-two of the fifty-two participants posing dyscalculia risk (DR) (mean age = 9.88) experienced difficulties in mathematics. All the children performed two number-to-position tasks and two tasks requiring a verbal estimation of a number indicated on a line, utilizing the ranges 0–100 and 0–1000. The results showed that the estimation error in the verbal task was greater in the DR group than in the typically developed (TD) group for the 0–1000 range. In the number-to-position task, group differences were found for both ranges and the variability within both groups was smaller than it was in the verbal tasks. Analyses of each of the 26 numerical magnitudes revealed a more comprehensive pattern. The majority of the group effects were related to the 0–1000 line. Therefore, considerable data variability, especially in the DD group, suggests this issue must be analyzed carefully in the case of other mathematical capacities. It also critically questions some well-established phenomena and norms in experimental and diagnostic practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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13 pages, 370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire—Polish Adaptation (WFRQ-PL)

by Natalia Nadrowska, Magdalena Błażek, Aleksandra Lewandowska-Walter, Wojciech Błażek and Agata Zdun-Ryżewska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 4197; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074197 - 1 Apr 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3409

Abstract

Family resilience is a construct based on interactive processes occurring in the family, enabling the family to effectively overcome everyday stressors, as well as developmental and unpredictable crises. By observing how the family deals with difficulties using family resilience processes, we are able to support both parents and protect children against the harmful effects of unfavourable conditions. The aim of our research was to carry out the procedure of adaptation to the Polish language and culture of the Walsh Family Resilience Questionnaire. In this study, 930 Poles participated (72.5% women), aged from 18 to 63 (M = 26.94, SD = 9.8). They filled in the questionnaire online. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the model with three factors: belief system, organisational processes, and communication processes. The model indicators were found to be well suited to the data: χ²/df = 1.12, RMSEA = 0.01, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.99, SRMR = 0.04. The reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) of the scales was also satisfactory (0.94 for the belief systems, 0.86 for the organisational processes, and 0.94 for the communication processes). Tool validation with FRAS-PL scales showed convergence. We named the Polish version of the WFRQ Questionnaire Kwestionariusz Prężności Rodzinnej Walsh (WFRQ-PL) and found it to be a good tool for assessing the processes of family resilience in our country. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

13 pages, 955 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders Measured by the Qualitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers in a Large Sample of Polish Toddlers

by Alicja Niedźwiecka and Ewa Pisula

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 3072; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19053072 - 5 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2373

Abstract

This study aimed to assess some early symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) measured by a screening tool developed for an early detection of ASD. We investigated if the early symptoms were associated with toddlers’ age, gender or ASD familial risk status. We used the Polish version of the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT) to assess 1024 children aged 16 to 36 months. The sample included four groups of participants: typically developing toddlers, toddlers with parent-reported ASD-specific concerns, toddlers at risk for autism due to having an older sibling with ASD, and toddlers with a developmental delay. We found that mean Q-CHAT scores were significantly higher in boys than in girls. We did not find any associations between Q-CHAT scores and age. We observed that toddlers with a familial risk for ASD and those with a developmental delay scored significantly higher than controls. We collated these results with previous studies that used the Q-CHAT and other instruments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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13 pages, 361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parent’s Stress Predictors during a Child’s Hospitalization

by Agata Zdun-Ryżewska, Natalia Nadrowska, Magdalena Błażek, Katarzyna Białek, Ewa Zach and Dagmara Krywda-Rybska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 12019; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212019 - 16 Nov 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5024

Abstract

A child’s illness and hospitalization are particularly difficult and most often an unpredictable situation in a family’s life cycle. The level of stress of a parent of a hospitalized child depends on many factors, such as the psychological characteristics of the child and the parent, the child’s health condition, and support from the family and medical staff. Our research aimed to search for interactions between the stress experienced by the parent and the temperamental variables of both the child and the parent, and the support received from the family and hospital staff. Using three pencil-paper questionnaires—PSS, EAS-D, EAS-C—and interview questionnaire, we tested 203 parent–child dyads at the time of children hospitalization. It was revealed that the most notable moderator of the relationship between temperamental traits and the characteristics of the hospital-related situation is the child’s age. When analyzing the situation of a family with a hospitalized child, particular attention should be paid to parental emotional distress, which, regardless of the child’s age, predicts a high level of parental stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

18 pages, 1957 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Symptoms of Autism, Comorbid Mental Health Conditions and Challenging Behaviors among Toddlers with Down Syndrome at Low Risk for ASD—Characterization Using the BISCUIT—Parts 1–3

by Ewa Pisula and Alicja Niedźwiecka

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010684 - 12 Oct 2021

Viewed by 2022

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may coexist with Down syndrome (DS). Most studies on this topic involve school-age children, adolescents, or adults with DS. This study looked at ASD symptoms, other mental health problems, and challenging behaviors in toddlers with DS at low risk of ASD. Methods: We used screening tools for autism in toddlers; BISCUIT–Parts 1–3 and Q-CHAT. We compared four groups of children aged 17–37 months: DS, ASD, Atypical Development (AD), and Typically Developing (TD). Results: Children with DS showed lower symptoms of ASD than children with ASD (without DS) and higher than TD children, except for repetitive behaviors/restricted interests. For comorbid mental health problems and difficult behaviors, children with DS scored lower than children with ASD. There were no differences between children with DS and TD children in this regard. Conclusions: The study results indicate that BISCUIT–Parts 1–3 are valid instruments to differentiate toddlers with DS from toddlers with ASD. However, they also show that toddlers with DS at low ASD risk are a very heterogeneous group when the ASD symptoms are considered. Autistic characteristics should be taken into account in supporting young children with this genetic condition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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11 pages, 355 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Significance of the Diagnosis of Executive Functions in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

by Aneta R. Borkowska, Beata Daniluk and Katarzyna Adamczyk

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10527; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910527 - 7 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2199

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive chronic disease of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Cognitive decline occurs rather rarely in relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) compared to other types. The present study aimed to assess executive functions (EF) in relation to clinical and demographic variables in patients with RRMS. The study involved 22 individuals with RRMS (aged 23 to 49 years) and 22 matching controls. All the individuals with RRMS were in the remission phase. The assessments were carried out using MoCA, BDI-II, Halstead Category Test, Porteus Maze Test, verbal fluency tasks and Stroop Colour-Word Interference Test. The findings show that the two groups differed significantly in all the tests. All patients with RRMS in the remission phase presented at least one cognitive deficit, observed in general cognitive functioning, abstract reasoning or other executive functions, i.e., fluency, interference suppression, planning, or ability to modify activity in response to feedback. The deficits in most cases (except for those measured with the MoCA, Category Tests and phonemic fluency), are not related to intensity of depression and duration of the disease. Findings suggest that the diagnostic process in the case of patients with RRMS may include psychological assessment focusing on potentially existing cognitive, mainly executive, deficits and their severity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

12 pages, 737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trait and State: Interoceptive Accuracy during Anticipation of Public Speaking in Junior Secondary Shy Students from an Eastern Province of China

by Jianfen Wu, Hui Li and Yunpeng Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4951; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094951 - 6 May 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3017

Abstract

This study investigated the interoceptive accuracy (IAc) of shy adolescents during anticipation of public speaking with a 2 × 2 factorial design. Altogether, 637 junior secondary students in an eastern province of China were sampled and screened with the Chinese version of Cheek and Buss shyness scale. The top 27% of students were considered the shy group (n = 30, 16 girls, M_age = 13.03, SD = 0.67), whereas the bottom 27% were labelled the non-shy group (n = 31, 16 girls, M_age = 13.16, SD = 0.86). The two groups of participants estimated their heart rates during specified intervals using a mental tracking paradigm in two conditions (baseline vs. anticipation), while their actual heart rates were simultaneously measured. The results indicated that: (1) the shy adolescents were more accurate in estimating their actual heart rate than non-shy adolescents; and (2) both shy and non-shy adolescents exhibit enhanced IAc in anticipation conditions when compared with baseline conditions. Implications of the higher IAc of shy adolescents and the state feature of IAc are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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11 pages, 672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Communication Abilities of Children with DoC after Severe Brain Injury in ICF Frames

by Anna Rasmus and Edyta Orłowska

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084267 - 17 Apr 2021

Viewed by 2022

Abstract

Introduction: The ability to communicate is one of the fundamental factors underlying human relationships. Severe brain damage and disorders of consciousness may indispose a person to participate in everyday social and family life. In spite of this fact, however, the issue of holistic approach to communication in the context of severe traumatic brain injury is still not well explained and described. The goal of this article is to introduce a profile of nonverbal behavior of children with disorders of consciousness. Materials and methods: The study included 30 children with minimal conscious state after severe brain trauma, aged between 7 and 16 years old. Research was conducted using the Coma Recovery Scale—Revised and the Bykova–Lukyanov Scale of Communication Activity. Results: Significant differences in communication level between investigated groups were demonstrated, both in Body Function (F = 9.184; p < 0.001) and Activity and Participation (F = 13.100; p < 0.001). Conclusions: It is possible to map and classify communication ability of children with minimal conscious state by using International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) protocol and the Bykova–Lukyanov Scale of Communication Activity, with specific consideration of Activities and Participation factors. This approach reveals differences in communication and disability level between children with minimal conscious state plus (MSC+) and minimal conscious state minus (MSC−). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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9 pages, 1673 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Metacognitive Strategies on the Improvement of Reaction Inhibition Processes in Children with ADHD

by Natalia Kajka and Agnieszka Kulik

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(3), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030878 - 20 Jan 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4430

Abstract

Background: Low response inhibition underlies attention disorders and hyperactivity. The aim of this study is to check whether these processes will be strengthened by three months of training with metacognitive strategies. Methodology: Forty-five schoolchildren took part in an experimental study (M = 10.41; SD = 1.42). Each child had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The participants were randomly assigned into three groups: the first group was tested for the effect of Mind Maps; the second group, for the effect of Sketchnoting, while the third group was assigned the role of a Control group. All of the groups were examined with the Loud Subtraction 7 test (LS7T) with a distractor before and after the training. Results: Analysis with the Wilcoxon test showed that children with ADHD made significantly fewer errors in the LS7 Test in the second measurement in the Mind Maps group (M1 = 7.45; SD1 = 4.07; M2 = 5.76; SD2 = 4.68; p = 0.02). In the remaining groups, there were no statistically significant differences in the average number of errors made. Conclusions: Mind Maps are an effective metacognitive strategy. Regular use of this method strengthens the inhibition of children with ADHD in this study. It can complement the existing forms of support for the child. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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22 pages, 786 KiB

Open AccessCase Report

Sibling Separation Due to Parental Divorce: Diagnostic Aspects

by Aleksandra Lewandowska-Walter and Magdalena Błażek

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6232; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106232 - 20 May 2022

Viewed by 3089

Abstract

Separation of siblings is one of the most difficult diagnostic problems faced by psychologists. Such situations are happening more often in the face of the increasing number of divorces and breakdown of relationships. Therefore, a diagnostic task becomes an in-depth assessment of intra-family relationships, ties connecting family members, the preferences of individual people and predicting the long-term consequences of the proposed solutions. The article is dedicated to this problem, and the issue is addressed through the theoretical perspective and the analysis of two cases, i.e., the situation of separated siblings. In the study of children, we present a relatively new method, based on the authors’ clinical experience, which could be used to diagnose the family situation of children. The first goal was to analyze the reasons for the separation of siblings whose parents were in conflict during the separation (first case study) and after the separation (second case study), as well as to assess the functioning of the children resulting from the family breakdown, and the decision to separate them from siblings. The analysis allowed identifying the areas of sibling functioning, which should become the subject of diagnosis when working on expert opinions in divorce cases, or cases establishing contact between parents and children. The second aim of the report was to assess the effectiveness of using play as a diagnostic method in a situation that is a source of stress for the child (family breakdown) and causes tension (the diagnostic process in which this topic is discussed). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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16 pages, 770 KiB

Open AccessStudy Protocol

Empathy and Hormonal Changes as Predictors of Sensitive Responsiveness towards Infant Crying: A Study Protocol

by Maria Kaźmierczak, Paulina Pawlicka, Paulina Anikiej-Wiczenbach, Ariadna B. Łada-Maśko, Bogumiła Kiełbratowska, Magda Rybicka, Alicja Kotłowska, Marian J. Bakermans-Kranenburg and Marinus H. van IJzendoorn

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 4815; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094815 - 30 Apr 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3088

Abstract

Sensitive responsiveness refers to parents’ ability to recognize and respond to infants’ cues and has been linked to parental empathy. Additionally, oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hormones important for sensitivity and empathy. The aim of this study is to test the links between dispositional empathy along with changing OT and AVP levels and responsiveness to a life-like doll in couples and to verify whether these factors are predictors of responsiveness to a child’s cues. Exploratory analyses include predictors of sensitive responsiveness: polymorphisms of OXTR, AVPR1a and CD38 genes, personal characteristics and relational factors. The project employs standardized experimental settings that can be used with non-parents and the assessment of parental sensitive responsiveness towards their child. The participants are couples expecting their first child (111) and childless couples (110). The procedure involves caretaking of a life-like doll. Salivary samples and questionnaire data are collected in a planned manner. In the second part, the expectant couples are invited for the assessment of their sensitivity to their own child (Free Play episodes). Parental sensitivity is assessed using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale. This paper presents an interdisciplinary research project that reaches beyond the questionnaire measurement, considering many factors influencing the dynamics of adult–infant interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trends and Challenges in Clinical Psychological Diagnosis in Children and Adolescents)

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