Ann Sanson | University of Melbourne (original) (raw)
Papers by Ann Sanson
Understanding Prejudice, Racism, and Social Conflict, 2001
Journal of abnormal child psychology, 2000
The prevalence, structure, stability, and predictors of change in early behavior problems were ex... more The prevalence, structure, stability, and predictors of change in early behavior problems were examined in a population-based sample of Norwegian children at 18 and 30 months of age (N = 750). A clear factor structure involving four dimensions emerged at both assessment times: Two factors were characterized by externalizing behaviors and were labeled Social Adjustment and Overactive-Inattentive; one factor tapped internalizing problems and was labeled Emotional Adjustment; and the fourth, related to general immaturity, was labeled Regulation. Specific patterns of child and family risk factors were associated with stability and change over the two time points for each factor. Children with stable problems had the most problematic characteristics on all significant predictors, followed by children with problems at one, but not both, time points. The data suggest that it is possible to identify risk factors for stable problems at 18 months, allowing some prediction of those children wh...
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2006
This study examined the impact of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) on self-regulation and s... more This study examined the impact of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) on self-regulation and social and behavioral functioning, and the role of self-regulation as a predictor of children's social and behavioral functioning. Participants included 65 children with moderate to severe TBI and 65 children without TBI, all between 6 and 11 years of age. Self-regulation and social and behavioral functioning were assessed 2 to 5 years following injury. Children with TBI displayed deficits in self-regulation and social and behavioral functioning, after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), although the magnitude of the deficits was not related to injury severity. Self-regulation accounted for significant variance in children's social and behavioral functioning, after controlling for SES and group membership. Self-regulation may be an important determinant of children's social and behavioral functioning following TBI.
Australian Psychologist, 1998
outh's (1998) paper extends discussion on an important social policy issue. Given that Australian... more outh's (1998) paper extends discussion on an important social policy issue. Given that Australian Psychological S Society position papers are designed to draw out policy implications from well-established psychological knowledge, his criticism of the failure of the position paper on punishment and behaviour change to cover evidence from other disciplines is inappropriate. However, we agree that psychology has much to gain from interdisciplinary contact. We endorse his call for psychology to become more involved in theorybuilding regarding general deterrence, but are sceptical about whether such a theory can have universal applicability. Driving offences, research on which forms the basis for South's proposals, differ substantially from other types of offenses such that deterrence requirements are also likely to differ. The effectiveness of specific deterrents and rehabilitation will vary by type of offence, offender and program, and they should not be dismissed outright as cost-ineffective. Psychology could become more involved in these and related arenas, and particularly also in their evaluation. We hope South's paper will encourage more psychologists to take up these challenging issues.
Drug and alcohol review, Jan 23, 2015
Heavy episodic drinking (HED) has been associated with increased risk for short- and long-term in... more Heavy episodic drinking (HED) has been associated with increased risk for short- and long-term injury and harms, such as violence and delinquent behaviour; however, the temporal relationship between the two remains unclear, particularly on transition to young adulthood. This study investigates transactional pathways between HED and delinquent behaviour from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Data were drawn from the Australian Temperament Project; a population-based longitudinal study that has followed the health and development of participants (and parents) across 30 years from birth in 1982. The analytic sample was 1650 participants and included five measurement waves spanning adolescence (3 waves: 13-18 years) and young adulthood (2 waves; 19-24 years). There was strong continuity across waves of both HED and delinquency, as well as across-time associations between them. Delinquent behaviour in adolescence was associated with up to twofold increases in the odds of HED at each sub...
This paper reports findings from the Australian Institute of Family Studies' recent investiga... more This paper reports findings from the Australian Institute of Family Studies' recent investigation, Child Care in Cultural Context, which explores the impact of continuity and discontinuity between experiences at home and at childcare on developmental outcomes among children using childcare services from Somali, Vietnamese and Anglo-Australian cultural backgrounds. Using a multivariate analytic framework which considers the effects of child characteristics,
Abstract An important question for child care researchers today is how characteristics of the hom... more Abstract An important question for child care researchers today is how characteristics of the home and the child care setting together affect children's development. Opinion is mixed on how similarities and differences between adult carers in their beliefs, values and practices ...
This discussion paper presents and overview of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSA... more This discussion paper presents and overview of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), incorporating descriptions of the rationale for the study, relevance for policy development, the conceptual framework, broad and specific research questions, and study design. The bulk of the paper is taken up with a discussion of current thinking about how the research questions will be addressed, and
Nursing Research, 2003
Background: As a construct, temperament provides a framework for understanding differences among ... more Background: As a construct, temperament provides a framework for understanding differences among individuals in reaction to their life experiences. The measurement of the construct concerns both researchers and clinicians.
Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 2001
This study investigated the relationships of children's behavioural adjustment, temperamental app... more This study investigated the relationships of children's behavioural adjustment, temperamental approach tendencies and empathy to their ability to produce and comprehend one aspect of politeness (namely level of directness) in requests, in a sample of 100 ten-and-a-half-year-old children from the Australian Temperament Project (ATP) population. The study showed that high levels of anxious fearful behaviour problems increased the likelihood of producing less direct requests to more powerful others while high levels of approaching temperament increased the likelihood of producing less direct requests to more distant others. High levels of hostile aggressive behaviour problems increased the likelihood of producing direct requests to more distant others. By comparison high levels of approaching temperament, empathy and social anxiety increased the likelihood of children judging more direct requests to more powerful others to be effective. The findings supported the view that individual differences are related to children's use of directness in response to variation in the social context of request situations.
Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 2006
Internalizing disorders are a public health issue affecting up to 20% of school-age children,yet ... more Internalizing disorders are a public health issue affecting up to 20% of school-age children,yet few receive assistance. Internalizing difficulties can emerge in the preschool years,with stability from this time onward.To inform prevention programs, knowledge is needed about early internalizing indicators in community samples.This study describes initial development of the Children's Moods, Fears, and Worries Questionnaire, a parent report measure for
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2006
Children's internalizing problems are a concerning mental health issue, due to significant preval... more Children's internalizing problems are a concerning mental health issue, due to significant prevalence and continuity over time. This study tested a multivariate model predicting young children's internalizing behaviors from parenting practices, parents' anxiety-depression and family stressors. A community sample of 2 year old children (N = 112) was followed longitudinally to 4 years. Parents completed questionnaires and playroom observations provided independent measures of parenting and child variables. Predictors of early childhood internalizing difficulties were over-involved/protective parenting, low warm-engaged parenting, and parental anxiety-depression. Family life-stress and parental anxiety-depression also predicted problematic parenting practices. These findings were discussed within the context of the design of early childhood parenting programs to prevent anxiety and depression in children.
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1994
The attentional performance, activity, and off-task behavior of hyperactive boys with and without... more The attentional performance, activity, and off-task behavior of hyperactive boys with and without conduct problems and normal boys were compared on a cancellation task under three conditions: when performing the task alone, with mother present, and with experimenter present. Results indicated that both the hyperactive groups achieved poorer attentional scores than normal subjects in the alone and mother present conditions, but improved in the experimenter present condition. The performance of the hyperactive boys with conduct problems was particularly affected by this condition. The activity and off-task behavior scores of both the hyperactive groups were higher than controls in all conditions, although the hyperactive boys with conduct problems decreased in off-task behavior when the experimenter was present. Attention and behavior scores were not significantly correlated. The implications of these findings for assessment of hyperactivity, and the role of noncompliance in the attentional behavior of hyperactive children, are discussed.
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 2010
Abstract: Internalising problems affect up to one in five people, and symptoms can be identified ... more Abstract: Internalising problems affect up to one in five people, and symptoms can be identified in early childhood. Relatively little is known about whether early childhood risks lead to mid-childhood internalising difficulties. In this study a community sample of two-...
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 2009
ABSTRACT Internalising problems affect one in seven children in the population and show stability... more ABSTRACT Internalising problems affect one in seven children in the population and show stability from the pre-school years. This longitudinal study sought to detail early childhood development of internalising difficulties in a community sample including a substantial proportion at risk because of family stress. Two recruitment phases, the first with well-functioning families, the second with stressed parents, provided the community sample of two-year-old children (N = 163), who were followed to four years (96% retention). Primary caregiving parents completed validated questionnaires measuring parenting practices, family stress, parent symptoms of anxiety-depression, and child inhibition and internalising difficulties. The direct predictors of young children's internalising difficulties were inhibition, as well as over-involved/protective and less warm-engaged parenting. Family stress and parent anxiety-depression predicted little variance in early childhood internalising difficulties independent of parenting practices. The key risks can be addressed in designing and trialling prevention programmes for child anxiety and depression.
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 2003
Emotional mental health problems, also referred to as ‘internalising’ disorders, consist primaril... more Emotional mental health problems, also referred to as ‘internalising’ disorders, consist primarily of anxiety and depression. This paper discusses recent advances in preventing these mental health problems. Current research in fields relevant to internalising problems is reviewed, identifying the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed to allow effective prevention and early intervention programmes to be developed. The importance
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 2006
First Language, 2004
This study investigated the relationships of children’s behavioural adjustment, temperamental app... more This study investigated the relationships of children’s behavioural adjustment, temperamental approach tendencies and empathy to their ability to produce and comprehend one aspect of politeness (namely level of directness) in requests, in a sample of 100 ten-and-a-half-year-old children from the Australian Temperament Project (ATP) population. The study showed that high levels of anxious fearful behaviour problems increased the likelihood of
European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1978
The plasma apolipoproteins B and AI, and plasma lipids and lipoproteins, were studied in fifteen ... more The plasma apolipoproteins B and AI, and plasma lipids and lipoproteins, were studied in fifteen patients with acute myocardial infarction.
Understanding Prejudice, Racism, and Social Conflict, 2001
Journal of abnormal child psychology, 2000
The prevalence, structure, stability, and predictors of change in early behavior problems were ex... more The prevalence, structure, stability, and predictors of change in early behavior problems were examined in a population-based sample of Norwegian children at 18 and 30 months of age (N = 750). A clear factor structure involving four dimensions emerged at both assessment times: Two factors were characterized by externalizing behaviors and were labeled Social Adjustment and Overactive-Inattentive; one factor tapped internalizing problems and was labeled Emotional Adjustment; and the fourth, related to general immaturity, was labeled Regulation. Specific patterns of child and family risk factors were associated with stability and change over the two time points for each factor. Children with stable problems had the most problematic characteristics on all significant predictors, followed by children with problems at one, but not both, time points. The data suggest that it is possible to identify risk factors for stable problems at 18 months, allowing some prediction of those children wh...
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2006
This study examined the impact of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) on self-regulation and s... more This study examined the impact of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) on self-regulation and social and behavioral functioning, and the role of self-regulation as a predictor of children's social and behavioral functioning. Participants included 65 children with moderate to severe TBI and 65 children without TBI, all between 6 and 11 years of age. Self-regulation and social and behavioral functioning were assessed 2 to 5 years following injury. Children with TBI displayed deficits in self-regulation and social and behavioral functioning, after controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), although the magnitude of the deficits was not related to injury severity. Self-regulation accounted for significant variance in children's social and behavioral functioning, after controlling for SES and group membership. Self-regulation may be an important determinant of children's social and behavioral functioning following TBI.
Australian Psychologist, 1998
outh's (1998) paper extends discussion on an important social policy issue. Given that Australian... more outh's (1998) paper extends discussion on an important social policy issue. Given that Australian Psychological S Society position papers are designed to draw out policy implications from well-established psychological knowledge, his criticism of the failure of the position paper on punishment and behaviour change to cover evidence from other disciplines is inappropriate. However, we agree that psychology has much to gain from interdisciplinary contact. We endorse his call for psychology to become more involved in theorybuilding regarding general deterrence, but are sceptical about whether such a theory can have universal applicability. Driving offences, research on which forms the basis for South's proposals, differ substantially from other types of offenses such that deterrence requirements are also likely to differ. The effectiveness of specific deterrents and rehabilitation will vary by type of offence, offender and program, and they should not be dismissed outright as cost-ineffective. Psychology could become more involved in these and related arenas, and particularly also in their evaluation. We hope South's paper will encourage more psychologists to take up these challenging issues.
Drug and alcohol review, Jan 23, 2015
Heavy episodic drinking (HED) has been associated with increased risk for short- and long-term in... more Heavy episodic drinking (HED) has been associated with increased risk for short- and long-term injury and harms, such as violence and delinquent behaviour; however, the temporal relationship between the two remains unclear, particularly on transition to young adulthood. This study investigates transactional pathways between HED and delinquent behaviour from adolescence to emerging adulthood. Data were drawn from the Australian Temperament Project; a population-based longitudinal study that has followed the health and development of participants (and parents) across 30 years from birth in 1982. The analytic sample was 1650 participants and included five measurement waves spanning adolescence (3 waves: 13-18 years) and young adulthood (2 waves; 19-24 years). There was strong continuity across waves of both HED and delinquency, as well as across-time associations between them. Delinquent behaviour in adolescence was associated with up to twofold increases in the odds of HED at each sub...
This paper reports findings from the Australian Institute of Family Studies' recent investiga... more This paper reports findings from the Australian Institute of Family Studies' recent investigation, Child Care in Cultural Context, which explores the impact of continuity and discontinuity between experiences at home and at childcare on developmental outcomes among children using childcare services from Somali, Vietnamese and Anglo-Australian cultural backgrounds. Using a multivariate analytic framework which considers the effects of child characteristics,
Abstract An important question for child care researchers today is how characteristics of the hom... more Abstract An important question for child care researchers today is how characteristics of the home and the child care setting together affect children's development. Opinion is mixed on how similarities and differences between adult carers in their beliefs, values and practices ...
This discussion paper presents and overview of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSA... more This discussion paper presents and overview of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC), incorporating descriptions of the rationale for the study, relevance for policy development, the conceptual framework, broad and specific research questions, and study design. The bulk of the paper is taken up with a discussion of current thinking about how the research questions will be addressed, and
Nursing Research, 2003
Background: As a construct, temperament provides a framework for understanding differences among ... more Background: As a construct, temperament provides a framework for understanding differences among individuals in reaction to their life experiences. The measurement of the construct concerns both researchers and clinicians.
Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 2001
This study investigated the relationships of children's behavioural adjustment, temperamental app... more This study investigated the relationships of children's behavioural adjustment, temperamental approach tendencies and empathy to their ability to produce and comprehend one aspect of politeness (namely level of directness) in requests, in a sample of 100 ten-and-a-half-year-old children from the Australian Temperament Project (ATP) population. The study showed that high levels of anxious fearful behaviour problems increased the likelihood of producing less direct requests to more powerful others while high levels of approaching temperament increased the likelihood of producing less direct requests to more distant others. High levels of hostile aggressive behaviour problems increased the likelihood of producing direct requests to more distant others. By comparison high levels of approaching temperament, empathy and social anxiety increased the likelihood of children judging more direct requests to more powerful others to be effective. The findings supported the view that individual differences are related to children's use of directness in response to variation in the social context of request situations.
Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 2006
Internalizing disorders are a public health issue affecting up to 20% of school-age children,yet ... more Internalizing disorders are a public health issue affecting up to 20% of school-age children,yet few receive assistance. Internalizing difficulties can emerge in the preschool years,with stability from this time onward.To inform prevention programs, knowledge is needed about early internalizing indicators in community samples.This study describes initial development of the Children's Moods, Fears, and Worries Questionnaire, a parent report measure for
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2006
Children's internalizing problems are a concerning mental health issue, due to significant preval... more Children's internalizing problems are a concerning mental health issue, due to significant prevalence and continuity over time. This study tested a multivariate model predicting young children's internalizing behaviors from parenting practices, parents' anxiety-depression and family stressors. A community sample of 2 year old children (N = 112) was followed longitudinally to 4 years. Parents completed questionnaires and playroom observations provided independent measures of parenting and child variables. Predictors of early childhood internalizing difficulties were over-involved/protective parenting, low warm-engaged parenting, and parental anxiety-depression. Family life-stress and parental anxiety-depression also predicted problematic parenting practices. These findings were discussed within the context of the design of early childhood parenting programs to prevent anxiety and depression in children.
Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 1994
The attentional performance, activity, and off-task behavior of hyperactive boys with and without... more The attentional performance, activity, and off-task behavior of hyperactive boys with and without conduct problems and normal boys were compared on a cancellation task under three conditions: when performing the task alone, with mother present, and with experimenter present. Results indicated that both the hyperactive groups achieved poorer attentional scores than normal subjects in the alone and mother present conditions, but improved in the experimenter present condition. The performance of the hyperactive boys with conduct problems was particularly affected by this condition. The activity and off-task behavior scores of both the hyperactive groups were higher than controls in all conditions, although the hyperactive boys with conduct problems decreased in off-task behavior when the experimenter was present. Attention and behavior scores were not significantly correlated. The implications of these findings for assessment of hyperactivity, and the role of noncompliance in the attentional behavior of hyperactive children, are discussed.
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 2010
Abstract: Internalising problems affect up to one in five people, and symptoms can be identified ... more Abstract: Internalising problems affect up to one in five people, and symptoms can be identified in early childhood. Relatively little is known about whether early childhood risks lead to mid-childhood internalising difficulties. In this study a community sample of two-...
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 2009
ABSTRACT Internalising problems affect one in seven children in the population and show stability... more ABSTRACT Internalising problems affect one in seven children in the population and show stability from the pre-school years. This longitudinal study sought to detail early childhood development of internalising difficulties in a community sample including a substantial proportion at risk because of family stress. Two recruitment phases, the first with well-functioning families, the second with stressed parents, provided the community sample of two-year-old children (N = 163), who were followed to four years (96% retention). Primary caregiving parents completed validated questionnaires measuring parenting practices, family stress, parent symptoms of anxiety-depression, and child inhibition and internalising difficulties. The direct predictors of young children's internalising difficulties were inhibition, as well as over-involved/protective and less warm-engaged parenting. Family stress and parent anxiety-depression predicted little variance in early childhood internalising difficulties independent of parenting practices. The key risks can be addressed in designing and trialling prevention programmes for child anxiety and depression.
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 2003
Emotional mental health problems, also referred to as ‘internalising’ disorders, consist primaril... more Emotional mental health problems, also referred to as ‘internalising’ disorders, consist primarily of anxiety and depression. This paper discusses recent advances in preventing these mental health problems. Current research in fields relevant to internalising problems is reviewed, identifying the gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed to allow effective prevention and early intervention programmes to be developed. The importance
International Journal of Behavioral Development, 2006
First Language, 2004
This study investigated the relationships of children’s behavioural adjustment, temperamental app... more This study investigated the relationships of children’s behavioural adjustment, temperamental approach tendencies and empathy to their ability to produce and comprehend one aspect of politeness (namely level of directness) in requests, in a sample of 100 ten-and-a-half-year-old children from the Australian Temperament Project (ATP) population. The study showed that high levels of anxious fearful behaviour problems increased the likelihood of
European Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1978
The plasma apolipoproteins B and AI, and plasma lipids and lipoproteins, were studied in fifteen ... more The plasma apolipoproteins B and AI, and plasma lipids and lipoproteins, were studied in fifteen patients with acute myocardial infarction.