DEVELOPING WELL-BEING, IDENTITY AND CONNECTION : GRIFFITHS III AND CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL - PowerPoint Presentation

1. DEVELOPING WELL-BEING, IDENTITY AND CONNECTION : GRIFFITHS III AND CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY AND DISORDER  Presented by Hilary Lane Chartered Clinical Psychologist, ARICDAuthors: Stroud, L.A.; Jansen, J.M.; Green, E.M.; Lane, H.

2. An increasing topic in international infant and child research is the concept of Well-being. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Well-being as ‘present when a person realises their potential, is resilient in dealing with the normal stresses of their life, takes care of their physical wellbeing and has a sense of purpose, connection and belonging to a wider community’. A child’s early years are now recognised as a critical time in the development of well-being.

3. In these critical years, for children with developmental delay and disorders, early identification and the process of mapping their performance are essential to their improved outcomes and quality of life.The impact of external factors on wellbeing and identity such as secure relationships, safe home environments, good health and nutrition are well documented but increasingly internal or ‘ inner child factors’ are deemed important.

4. There are significant challenges to the early identification and needs of children with developmental delay and disorders. One of the core responsibilities of clinicians is to assess children using psychometrically sound measures and to ensure that the findings are interpreted and used in a fair and ethical way.Clinicians are challenged as to how to accurately assess the strengths and needs of children with developmental delay, especially those with significant delay.

5. Griffiths III (2016) is a developmental scale assessing the skills and abilities of children from birth to six years of age. It is a child-friendly measure based on the latest research and theories of child development. Griffiths III promotes the active participation between a child and tester thereby enabling the child to show their individual pattern of strengths and weaknesses across a range of developmental domains.

6. Griffiths III used a standardisation sample of 426 typically developing children across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. A continuous norming process was used by overlapping age bands to give a more accurate estimate of ability. In Griffiths III, five distinct but overlapping domains or ‘avenues of learning’ are explored which enables the development of intervention plans based on the child’s own strengths, weaknesses and emerging skills.

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8.  Multiple case studies have been triangulated to provide a range of quantitative and qualitative data. One case study is that of JJ. Age: 5 years 8 monthsPart of JJ’s comprehensive assessment included the following test battery: Childhood Autism Rating Scale, 2nd Edition (CARS-2); Conners 3 - Parent and Teacher Surveys, Long Form (Conners-3)Griffiths Scales of Child Development, 3rd Edition (Griffiths III) JJ met diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (DSM V). He also met the diagnostic criteria for other disorders including ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Conduct Disorder.

9.  The Griffiths III was used:to clarify JJ’s level of cognitive functioning and look at his individual strengths and weaknesses.to consider internal psychological factors which can mediate external contributing determinants of individual well-being.to develop intervention plans based on his emerging developmental abilities and needs with special emphasis on the promotion of engagement, agency and well-being.

10. The Griffiths III assessment with JJ highlighted his individual strengths and needs. He showed…Relatively good receptive vocabulary enabling him to engage with some instructions. However, problems were noted with abstract conceptual language concepts. Some engagement in parallel play, but poor understanding of any type of the rules needed for interactive play and socialisation. an inability to recognise and express thoughts and feelings about himself and others.

11. A relative strength in eye-hand co-ordination.Good gross motor and visual-spatial co-ordination but weak bilateral co-ordination and rhythmJJ’s individual intervention programme then focussed on:Scaffolding his attempts at verbal expression.Interactive play involving instruction with verbs rather than complex language or complex motor tasks.Social activities to include skills based on his strengths with gross and fine motor co-ordination

12. This case study shows that a focus on engagement and connection with children with delays and disorders using the developmental tasks in Griffiths III helps to target their functional abilities and shows them and others what they can do. Rather than being a recipient of external supports this approach encourages motivation, inquisitiveness and the active participation of each child in influencing and having some control on its own unique curriculum.

13. Carpenter (2010) purported that without engagement, there is no deep learning, effective teaching, meaningful outcome, real attainment or quality progress. He lists a number of areas of engagement which include awareness, curiosity, investigation, discovery, anticipation, persistence and initiation.Positive engagement is key to developmental gains (Society for Research in Child Development, 2017) and engagement is seen to be the best single predictor of successful learning for children with learning disabilities (Lovannone et al (2003).

14. In conclusion:Active participation, engagement and connection promote a strong sense of identity and well-being through skills and achievements which can be assessed using Griffiths III. These are identified as important internal factors which are essential and contribute to a child’s overall social, emotional and cognitive development and outcomes.

15. References:Association for Research in Infant and Child Development (ARICD) www.aricd.ac.ukCarpenter, B. 2010. Disadvantaged, deprived and disabled. Special Children 193, 42-5. Lovannone, R., Dunlap G., Huber H., & Kincaid, D. 2003. Effective educational practices for students with autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 18, 150-65. Society for Research in Child Development. 2017. Positive engagement in preschool key to developmental gains. Science Daily.World Health Organization. (1997). WHOQOL Measuring Quality of Life. Geneva: World Health Organisation.