BACKGROUND:Extremely preterm birth increases the risk of neurodevelopmental impairments. Early interventions supporting child and parent may improve child neurodevelopment, but evidence is limited. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the Stockholm Preterm Interaction-Based Intervention on neurodevelopmental outcomes at 24 months' corrected age. Risk of autism spectrum disorder was examined as separate outcome. We also investigated whether the effect varied according to biological and psychosocial factors including maternal depressive symptoms. METHODS:This randomised controlled trial included 130 infants born extremely preterm. Participants were randomised to receive either the intervention in addition to an extended follow-up program (intervention group) or solely the extended follow-up program (control group). Neurodevelopment was assessed at 24 months' corrected age using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd edition. RESULTS:No significant group differences were found in cognitive, language, or motor development, neither in the overall group nor within the sub-group of children at risk of autism spectrum disorder. No interaction effects by biological and psychosocial factors were observed. CONCLUSION:Neurodevelopmental effects of the intervention were not observed at 24 months' corrected age in our cohort of children born extremely preterm. Follow-up is important to evaluate long-term effects. IMPACT STATEMENT:A strength-based, post-discharge parent-infant intervention showed no short-term effects on neurodevelopment at 24 months' corrected age in children born extremely preterm. This trial contributes to the limited evidence on early, family-centered interventions after extremely preterm birth, indicating that measurable benefits may require longer follow-up or higher intervention intensity. Our findings emphasize the importance of continued longitudinal evaluation and refinement of early support programs to better promote both child development and parental well-being. Around 44% of the children scored below -1 SD indicating risk in cognitive, language or motor development, highlighting the need for interventions and continuous follow-up.

The chapter provides an overview of school legislation, regulations, and policy guidelines concerning the education of students with high abilities and gifted students within the Swedish educational context. It includes a historical review of earlier standpoints and perspectives on these matters. The chapter describes specific provisions and approaches to identification, as well as current practices in teacher education and ongoing professional learning. Recent initiatives and emerging networks have contributed to the development of research efforts in this field, with the potential to inform future education policy and teaching practices. The chapter also examines current challenges and cultural aspects that may have contributed to the historical lack of interest for students with high abilities and giftedness in Sweden and concludes by suggesting possible ways forward, such as avoiding myths and negative stereotypes, as well as conducting rigorous empirical research.

This study explored latent profiles of motivation, attitudes toward learning, and well-being in school among high-ability Grade 6-students in Sweden and examined how these profiles relate to academic achievement and socio-cultural background. Data were drawn from a nationally representative cohort (N = 9775) in the longitudinal study Evaluation Through Follow-Up (UGU) and from Statistics Sweden. High-ability students (n = 523) were identified as the top 10% scorers on a cognitive assessment test. Latent Profile Analysis based on self-reported measures of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, attitudes toward learning, and cognitive, social, and psychological well-being identified two profiles: one profile characterized by high motivation and well-being (85.2%), and one profile characterized by lower motivation and attitudes toward learning, as well as lower cognitive well-being (14.8%). Psychological and social well-being and socio-cultural background factors were non-significant. The findings highlight the heterogeneity within the high-ability student population and underscore the importance of considering both motivational and contextual factors in supporting high-ability students. Educational implications and future research areas are discussed.

To determine whether a strength-based home-visiting program enhances parent–child interaction during the first year at home for children born extremely preterm (gestational age < 28). A randomised controlled trial of 130 infants born extremely preterm 2018–2021 in Stockholm, allocated to either the Stockholm preterm interaction-based intervention (SPIBI) ( n  = 66) or an extended follow-up program ( n  = 64). The intervention group received ten home visits during the first year by a trained interventionist following SPIBI guidelines: an interaction-based intervention supporting sensitive parental responses to infants' signals. The primary outcome of emotional availability was assessed at 12 months corrected age (CA) using the emotional availability scales (EAS). At 1-year CA, data were collected from 115/130 (89%) of the included children. There were no significant group differences in emotional availability at 12 months CA. A secondary analysis showed an effect modifier in families with mothers self-rated as depressed at discharge, with the outcome favouring intervention in the EAS dimension of child involvement. The SPIBI had no significant main effect on emotional availability at 12 months CA. Children of self-reported depressed mothers displayed superior involvement behaviour in the intervention group, prompting further research on risk groups and potential modifications of post-discharge interventions.

Högläsning med mer dialog är baserad på språkutvecklande principer som skapar engagemang och delaktighet från barnen under läsningen. Denna evidensbaserade högläsningsmetod ger barn möjlighet att utveckla sitt språk både genom att möta ett rikt språk och själva få tillfälle att öva sina muntliga förmågor. Eftersom stärkt språk inom barngruppen gynnar alla barn kan bokläsningen ses som en pedagogisk insats som vänder sig till alla barn. Högläsning med mer dialog har testats i flera studier och har visat goda resultat för att utveckla barnens ordförråd och ordförståelse. Därmed är högläsning särskilt lämplig för barn som ska lära sig majoritetsspråket, dvs. språket som talas i förskola och skola. I det här kapitlet presenteras hur Högläsning med mer dialog introducerades i svensk förskola och delar av resultaten.

This pilot study examined the utility of a practice-based coaching (PBC) intervention in Swedish elementary schools designed to support the classroom climate and benefit students. The intervention involved activities, self-assessment, observation, and coaching to the teachers, with the aim of improving the classroom climate and students' self-concept, prosocial behavior, well-being, and academic achievement. The design was a cluster randomized trial with the school as the assignment unit. Participants in the intervention were 66 students in four classes, and in the control, four classes with 77 students. The duration of the intervention was five months. An autoregressive structural equation model was estimated. The correlations between the latent variables at pre-test ranged from low to high. There were significant standardized path coefficients concerning all the latent variables pre- and post-test. The estimates of the intervention at the post-test were non-significant. The results suggested a longer duration of the intervention with more frequent coaching sessions, which may enhance its effect.

Additional language learners are at risk of presenting lower language skills in the majority language compared to peers. These differences in language skills have been observed at an early stage of education and may impact academic achievement later on. A randomized trial with a switching replications design was performed in Swedish preschools to examine the effectiveness of small group dialogic reading, aiming to promote oral language skills. The sample comprised 85 children with diverse language, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds attending nine preschools in three school districts. Dialogic reading was conducted by ten teachers, trained in dialogic reading and coached by three special education teachers. The dialogic reading intervention was feasible in preschool context and children progressed in their oral language skills during the intervention.

This study aimed to investigate the perceived collective teacher efficacy, teacher attitudes to inclusion of students with special educational needs, and the relationship between the constructs in a sample of Swedish teachers. The participants were 930 teachers involved in the Inclusive Behavioural Support in Schools implementation programme. The teachers answered the two questionnaires: The Teacher Attitudes to Inclusion Scale Swedish version (TAIS-Sw) and the Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (CTES). The questionnaires were analysed and adapted to fit the sample adequately. This exploration identified a three-factor model for TAIS-Sw that is suitable for the data. The three latent variables related to classroom management, perception of the positive effects of inclusion for all students, and objections towards segregated special education. For CTES, a two-factor model showed a good fit for the data. The latent variables were related to aspects of teachers' competence, including belief in competency and skills to teach all students. The questionnaires identified positive expressions of collective teacher efficacy but more hesitant attitudes to inclusion. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationship between the constructs of collective teacher efficacy and attitudes to inclusion, revealing a small positive relationship. Further investigations could help identify factors supporting successful inclusive practices.

AIM:To determine whether a strength-based home-visiting program enhances parent-child interaction during the first year at home for children born extremely preterm (gestational age < 28). METHODS:A randomised controlled trial of 130 infants born extremely preterm 2018-2021 in Stockholm, allocated to either the Stockholm preterm interaction-based intervention (SPIBI) (n = 66) or an extended follow-up program (n = 64). The intervention group received ten home visits during the first year by a trained interventionist following SPIBI guidelines: an interaction-based intervention supporting sensitive parental responses to infants' signals. The primary outcome of emotional availability was assessed at 12 months corrected age (CA) using the emotional availability scales (EAS). RESULTS:At 1-year CA, data were collected from 115/130 (89%) of the included children. There were no significant group differences in emotional availability at 12 months CA. A secondary analysis showed an effect modifier in families with mothers self-rated as depressed at discharge, with the outcome favouring intervention in the EAS dimension of child involvement. CONCLUSION:The SPIBI had no significant main effect on emotional availability at 12 months CA. Children of self-reported depressed mothers displayed superior involvement behaviour in the intervention group, prompting further research on risk groups and potential modifications of post-discharge interventions.

The classroom social–emotional climate is critical to students’ wellbeing and learning ability. In practice and research, an assessment instrument with strong validity is invaluable, providing crucial information about the classroom’s social–emotional and learning climate. This allows for a more accurate appreciation of the quality of the learning environment. A valid instrument is helpful and essential in improving the classroom climate in practice and demonstrating intervention outcomes in research. The primary aim was to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Educational Climate Assessment Tool (EduCAT)—a newly developed classroom observation instrument based on a solid theoretical framework and previous empirical research. The concurrent validity testing involved examining pairwise and multivariate canonical correlations between scores from the EduCAT scales (stimulation, improvement, structure, relationship, and influence) and scores from the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) administered concurrently in 30 kindergarten to third grade (K-3) classrooms in four schools in Sweden. The pairwise correlation results show that the scores of the two observation instruments have strong and moderate positive correlations, as hypothesized. The canonical correlation identifies which scales in EduCAT correlate more strongly to scales in CLASS®. The results indicate that the observations measured with EduCAT tap similar aspects of classroom climate quality to those measured with CLASS®, thereby confirming the new protocol’s concurrent validity and instilling confidence in its use.

The Determinants of Implementation Behavior Questionnaire for school settings (DIBQ-S) was administered to examine questionnaire internal structure evidence and ascertain 127 Swedish school staff’s perceived barriers to and facilitators of implementing the Inclusive Behavioral Support in Schools program. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we tested a 3-factor model (capability, opportunity, motivation) corresponding to the Theoretical Domain Framework and the COM-B system. Measurement of motivation was suboptimal, but a 2-factor model exclusively retaining capability and opportunity had fair fit. The questionnaire showed overall fair internal structure evidence. Facilitators related primarily to motivation, whereas potential barriers related to capability, opportunity, and motivation. Teachers working in early school years perceived higher opportunity and capability than teachers working in later school years. School staff in the implementation team perceived higher opportunity than other school staff. The DIBQ-S could support school implementations by ensuring that the process feels coherent, manageable, and meaningful for frontline implementers.

Well implemented, universal parental support is often effective in families with younger children, but research on their effects on families with adolescent children is scarce. In this study, a trial of the universal parent training intervention "Parent Web" in early adolescence is added to the social emotional learning intervention Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS®), completed in early childhood. The Parent Web is a universal online parenting intervention based on social learning theory. The intervention aims to promote positive parenting and family interaction through five weekly modules completed over 6-8 weeks. The main hypothesis is that participants in the intervention group will exhibit significant pre- to post- intervention-related benefits relative participants in the comparison group. The aims of this study are: 1) provide Parent Web as a booster aimed at improving parenting support and practices at the transition into adolescence to a cohort of parents whose children have previously participated in preschool PATHS, and 2) examine the effects of the universal edition of Parent Web. The study has a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-testing. The incremental effects of this internet-delivered parent training intervention are tested in parents of early adolescents (11-13 years) who participated in PATHS when 4-5 years old compared to a matched sample of adolescents with no prior experience of PATHS. The primary outcomes are parent reported child behavior and family relationships. Secondary outcomes include self-reported parent health and stress. The proposed study is one of the few trials to test the effects of universal parental support in families of early adolescents and will therefore contribute to the understanding of how mental health in children and young people can be promoted across developmental periods through a continuum of universal measures. Trial registration: Clinical trials.gov (NCT05172297), prospectively registered on December 29, 2021.

This initial open feasibility trial reports on feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the manualized, group-based psychoeducational intervention for grandparents of preschool-aged children with ASD provided by the outpatient habilitation services in Stockholm, Sweden. One hundred and twenty non-custodial grandparents participated in a 6-h intervention program. The study demonstrated good feasibility: 114 (95%) grandparents completed both pre- and post-intervention measures and evaluations and reported high intervention acceptability. The results also indicated that grandparents increased their knowledge about ASD from pre-intervention to post-intervention, gained skills about strategies of supporting their grandchildren and adult children, and appreciated the opportunity to meet and share experiences with other grandparents. Follow-up with a randomized controlled trial design is needed to firmly establish efficacy of this intervention.

Language skills play a vital role in academic achievement and support reading and writing acquisition. Language skills also enable children to interact with others and develop social abilities. Given the predictive value of early language skills for academic attainment and their connection to social interaction, they have been suggested to be an indicator of well-being as well. However, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds present lower scores than their peers with a majority language background on standardized language tests, such as vocabulary assessment. In the current study, we examined the relationship between language and self-reported well-being in the school context, based on data from a community sample of 85 five-year-old children attending eight preschools in three Swedish municipalities. Language skills were assessed through measures of vocabulary (receptive and expressive) and narrative skills (MAIN) and were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Narrative ability and vocabulary skills were correlated, but they appear to be distinct constructs. Exposure at home to the majority language was positively associated with vocabulary skills, while narrative ability was not strongly associated with language background. Language skills and well-being were not significantly correlated in the total sample, but post hoc analysis revealed that language background may affect the association. A novel contribution of this study is empirical data on language performance from a community sample with a large proportion of children with diverse language backgrounds. The relationship between subjective well-being and language skills warrants further investigation.

Studies have shown that children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are less engaged in social interactions with peers. The study attempted to investigate how Swedish preschool teachers in inclusive preschool settings implemented an evidence-based program called Play Time/Social Time; how they interpreted children's interaction; and how their professional experiences changed. The study was conducted in three preschools; four preschool teachers and one special educator participated. The play intervention included three children in need of special support. Data were collected through structured observations and group and individual interviews. The results show that the teachers acquired skills of implementing accrued play interventions in a preschool setting as well as increased interaction between children with special educational needs and other children. Play Time/ Social Time's structured approach seems to be appreciated by the teachers in this study; its practice contributed to teachers' professional development in supporting inclusion in their classroom and in joining a framework of collegial collaboration.

Whole-child development focuses on supporting not only academic but also social emotional skills. This cross-sectional study’s aim was to examine the associations between the child-rated self-concept and well-being, teacher-rated prosocial school behaviors, and academic skills (as measured by child performance tasks) and to examine if there were group differences by gender for these constructs. The sample was 143 s grade students (M age = 8 years old). The results indicate that self-concept correlated highly with well-being and moderately with prosocial behaviors, while academic skills correlated moderately with prosocial behaviors. The results also show that the boys had lower average prosocial behavior (teacher-rated) and self-concept (child-rated) ratings relative to the girls. The findings indicate that prosocial behavior, well-being, and self-concept can be measured in psychometrically sound and practically meaningful ways in Swedish elementary schools. Because many of the socioemotional and behavioral constructs were correlated with academic skills, these constructs could be important targets for early academic support interventions inspired by a whole-child approach.