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Pediatric Reports
Special Issues
The Developing Child: Integrating Emotional and Physical Health
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The Developing Child: Integrating Emotional and Physical Health

A special issue of Pediatric Reports (ISSN 2036-7503). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 812

Editor

Dr. Chiara Ionio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CRIdee, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milano, Itlay
Interests: perinatal psychology in typical and atypical situations; effects of preterm birth on the child’s neuropsychological and affective development and on parent-child relationships; impact of chronic and acute illness on the child's affective, social, relational and communicative development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will address the relationship between children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional functioning and their physical well-being. It focuses on the development of emotional and behavioral problems within this integrated framework, including their impact on health maintenance, the promotion of positive health behaviors, and the treatment of chronic or serious medical conditions.

We are seeking submissions that reflect pediatric psychologists’ expertise on the developmental, emotional, behavioral, social, and family aspects of acute and chronic illness and injury. We are also interested in contributions focusing on children, adolescents, families, and healthcare teams that evaluate the physical, emotional, social, and cognitive dimensions of illness or injury, and the role of evaluation and intervention in enhancing well-being.

Aim of the Special Issue:

We aim to compile a collection of papers examining the development of emotional and behavioral problems through the lens of pediatric psychology. This subject is directly related to the journal's scope, as it focuses on the interplay between psychological functioning and physical health. Our ultimate aim is to publish the collected articles in book form.

Suggested Themes and Article Types for Submissions:

Original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research topics may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • The development of emotional/behavioral problems in the context of illness, injury, or health management.
  • Assessment and intervention addressing the cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of pediatric medical conditions.
  • The role of families and healthcare teams in managing behavioral and emotional challenges related to physical well-being.
  • Strategies for maintaining health and promoting positive health behaviors in children with (or at risk of) emotional/behavioral problems.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Chiara Ionio
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pediatric Reports is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 1600 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

  • pediatric psychology
  • emotional problems
  • behavioral problems
  • child health and mental health

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

11 pages, 237 KB  
Article
The Predictive Power of Early Socio-Emotional Skills on Behavioral Outcomes in Very Preterm Preschoolers: A Longitudinal Study
by Chiara Ionio, Caterina Colombo, Francesco Cavigioli, Francesca Sala, Rachele Cantella, Marina Balestriero, Giovanna Cardile, Giulia Ciuffo and Gianluca Lista
Pediatr. Rep. 2026, 18(2), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric18020060 - 20 Apr 2026
Viewed by 435
Abstract
Background: Preterm birth increases the risk of socio-emotional difficulties and later behavioral problems. Early identification is essential, but the predictive value of socio-emotional assessments at different ages remains uncertain. Aim: This study sought to examine whether socio-emotional skills at 1, 2, and 3 [...] Read more.
Background: Preterm birth increases the risk of socio-emotional difficulties and later behavioral problems. Early identification is essential, but the predictive value of socio-emotional assessments at different ages remains uncertain. Aim: This study sought to examine whether socio-emotional skills at 1, 2, and 3 years predict behavioral outcomes at 4 years in very preterm children. Methods: Fifty-seven preterm children were assessed longitudinally with the Bayley-III Socio-Emotional scale at 1, 2, and 3 years, and with the CBCL 1.5–5 at 4 years. Analyses included correlations, repeated-measures ANOVA, and regression models. Results: Mean socio-emotional scores were within the normative range at all ages, with a modest increase by age 3. Associations were observed between socio-emotional skills at 1 year and behavioral outcomes at 4 years, particularly internalizing and total problems. These associations were weaker at 2 years and not evident at 3 years. Regression analyses indicated that only 1-year socio-emotional scores were significantly associated with later outcomes, although models were unadjusted. Conclusions: Socio-emotional competencies at 1 year were associated with later behavioral outcomes in this sample of very preterm children. These findings suggest that early assessments may contribute to identifying children who could benefit from closer developmental monitoring, although further research with adjusted models is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Developing Child: Integrating Emotional and Physical Health)
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