Birgit Leyendecker
Biographic Data
| ID | 92684 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Birgit Leyendecker |
| GIVEN NAMES | Birgit |
| FAMILY NAME | Leyendecker |
| SIGNATURE | LEYENDECKER B |
| AFFILIATIONS | Ruhr University Bochum |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-1301-8069 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 29 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 130 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 28 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1995 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Mental Health and Well-Being of LGBTQ+ Refugees in Comparison to LGBTQ+ Host Country Population
Introduction LGBTQ+ refugees are likely to experience heightened mental health burdens and lower levels of well-being when compared to LGBTQ+ individuals without refugee experience. Still, the distinctive psychological mechanisms explaining their heightened levels of distress remain understudied. We examined the mental health and well-being of LGBTQ+ refugees in comparison to LGBTQ+ host country individuals in Germany and explored whether dispari…
Resilience in multicultural classrooms: School relationships can protect the school adjustment of immigrant, refugee and non-immigrant children
BackgroundAccording to the risk and resilience perspective, protective factors can attenuate the effect of risks and challenges on children's adjustment. For immigrant and refugee children, supportive relationships in the new context can be particularly beneficial. We expected that supportive school relationships play a protective role for the school adjustment of first-generation immigrant and refugee and non-immigrant children, by moderating th…
Sexual and Gender Minorities Facing the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Systematic Review of the Distinctive Psychosocial and Health-Related Impact
Refugee Children’s Early Development during Attendance of Specialized Preschool Programs and Transition into First Grade in Germany
Research Findings: We assessed socio-emotional behavior, nonverbal reasoning, German receptive language, and motor skills of refugee children attending early childhood development [ECD] programs and of those who did not (N = 207, mean age = 69.4 months). Young refugee children overall demonstrated lower levels of development and more socio-emotional behavior problems. Attendance of preschool-based ECD programs was inconsistently linked to better …
Do peers matter? Peer effects on young children’s vocabulary gains in German classrooms
Does variation in early childhood education matter more for dual language learners’ than for monolingual children’s language development
Can early childhood education (ECE) support the societal language development of children from linguistically diverse backgrounds? This study examined how existing variation in classroom interaction quality (CLASS Pre-K), classroom composition (percentages of children from low-income backgrounds and dual language learners [DLLs]), and duration of attending German ECE were related to language trajectories from 30 to 73 months of age (n = 519 child…
Family Literacy Activities and Their Interplay with Family and Preschool Language Environments: Links to Gains in Dual Language Learners’ German Vocabulary
Research Findings : Are family literacy activities linked to gains in preschool-aged dual language learners’ (DLLs’) societal language vocabulary? To understand connections between literacy activities and vocabulary, we separately considered literacy activities in the respective heritage language and in the societal language, German, and accounted for heterogeneity in DLLs’ family and preschool language environment. DLLs (n = 115) were administer…
Pre-school Teachers' Stereotypes and Self-Efficacy are Linked to Perceptions of Behavior Problems in Newly Arrived Refugee Children
Introduction: Since 2015, increased numbers of refugee families with pre-school-aged children have arrived in Germany. In pre-schools, teachers' professional competence for teaching those children and adapting to their socio-emotional needs has become increasingly important. Previous research linked teachers' stereotypes and cultural beliefs to their self-efficacy and enthusiasm when teaching immigrant children. This study investigated the links …
Longitudinal interrelations between nonword repetition and vocabulary from age three to five: Evidence for within-child processes
The relation between nonword repetition and vocabulary has been the focus of a theoretical controversy for several decades. The point of contention is whether the ability underlying nonword repetition drives vocabulary growth or vice versa. The present study examines longitudinal interrelations between nonword repetition and vocabulary from age 3 to 5 with random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs). RI-CLPMs have the advantage of separ…
Geflüchtete, Familien und ihre Kinder. Warum der Blick auf die Familien und die Kindertagesbetreuung entscheidend ist
Seit 2015 viele Menschen mit Fluchthintergrund nach Deutschland gezogen sind, stand häufig deren Arbeitsmarktintegration im Zentrum des gesellschaftlichen, politischen und wissenschaftlichen Interesses. Lebenslagen und Lebensformen der geflüchteten Familien wurden hingegen viel weniger thematisiert. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert familiendemografische Daten für Geflüchtete der Herkunftsländer Syrien, Afghanistan, Irak und Eritrea und verdeutlicht den…
Experiences of Minority Stress and Mental Health Burdens of Newly Arrived LGBTQ* Refugees in Germany
Introduction While many refugees have settled in Germany within recent years, little is known about LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer*) refugees, a potentially vulnerable group. This qualitative study investigated LGBTQ* refugees’ experiences of distal and proximal minority stressors as well as their mental health burdens during the post-migration period. Methods In 2018, 26 self-identified LGBTQ* refugees were recruited in community …
Mothers’ depressive symptoms and their children’s Turkish heritage language vocabulary development
Aims: This study examined associations between mothers’ depressive symptoms and the Turkish heritage vocabulary of their school-age children. We expected that mothers’ depressive symptoms would be associated with lower Turkish vocabulary scores in fourth grade as well as slower growth in vocabulary scores from fourth to sixth grade. Design: We collected longitudinal data on 139 mothers of Turkish origin in Germany and their children in fourth, fi…
Mental Health Needs of Refugee Children in Specialized Early Education and Care Programs in Germany
Classroom composition, classroom quality and German skills of very young dual language learners and German-only learners
This study examined associations between the classroom percentage of dual language learners (DLLs), observed classroom quality, and children's German majority language skills. The cross-sectional sample of 2.5 years olds (n = 93 immigrant DLLs and n = 363 monolingual German-only learners) was clustered within n = 197 classrooms. Classrooms with higher percentages of DLLs demonstrated slightly lower levels of overall classroom process quality. DLL…
Exploring Mental Health Status and Syndrome Patterns Among Young Refugee Children in Germany
Refugee children share a large number of pre-, peri-, and post-migration risk factors, which make them vulnerable for developing mental health concerns. Within the last few years, a large number of families with young children have sought refuge in Germany. However, children's mental health status in Germany is mostly unclear. A central aim of developmental psychopathology is to understand how risk factors lead to the emergence of mental health c…
Mothers and fathers in treatment for methamphetamine addiction—Parenting, parental stress, and children at risk
Parents addicted to methamphetamine (“crystal meth”) are likely to be impaired in meeting parental responsibilities, and the developmental settings can be highly disadvantageous for children. Therefore, parenting by methamphetamine‐addicted mothers and fathers needs further exploration, while considering the impact on children affected by parental substance use. In our study, we analysed parenting practices and parental stress as well as children…
Ethnic and National Identity Development and School Adjustment: A Longitudinal Study With Turkish Immigrant-Origin Children
We examined developmental trajectories of ethnic and national identity during early adolescence and linked subgroups of identity change to ethnic minority children's school adjustment. Our longitudinal data on Turkish immigrant-origin children in Germany ( N = 146; MT1 = 10.42 years, 46.6% male) covered three waves of annual measurement. A person-oriented approach using growth mixture modeling revealed two different classes (subgroups) of identit…
Handbook on Positive Development of Minority Children and Youth
Low ethnic identity exploration undermines positive interethnic relations: A study among Turkish immigrant-origin youth
We conclude that by the age of 13 years, ethnic identity exploration can improve interethnic relations. (PsycINFO Database Record
Muslim Immigrant Parents' Social Status Moderates the Link Between Religious Parenting and Children's Identification with the Heritage and Host Culture
This study addresses the question of whether and when religious parenting is a bridge or a barrier to Muslim immigrant children's integration. Integration was defined as children's identification with the heritage culture and the host culture. Participants included 210 self-identified Turkish Muslim mothers, children (aged 9-14), and 115 fathers in Germany. All family members filled in questionnaires on identification with Turks and identificatio…
Child Care and Development across Cultures
Acculturation Gaps Between Turkish Immigrant Marriage Partners: Resource or Source of Distress
Research on acculturation gaps has traditionally focused on parent-child dyads and the negative implications for youths' psycho-social adaptation. The current study explored the impact of acculturation gaps in Turkish immigrant couples ( N = 121) on each spouse's acculturation stress. Wives and husbands reported their acculturation across two domains (language and identity) and dimensions (German and Turkish), and two facets of stress (homesickne…
Sociocultural Influences on German and Turkish Immigrant Mothers' Long-Term Socialization Goals
The major aims of this study were (a) to investigate the differences and similarities in long-term socialization goals of German mothers and Turkish immigrant mothers living in Germany and (b) to examine socialization goals of Turkish immigrant mothers in relation to their acculturation attitudes. Participants were composed of 79 Turkish mothers who were either raised in Germany or migrated to Germany and 91 German mothers of preschoolers living …
Exploring the concept of respect among Turkish and Puerto Rican migrant mothers
The cultural patterning of respect is examined in two first- and second-generation migrant groups: Puerto Rican mothers in Connecticut and Turkish mothers in Bochum, Germany. Cultural and generational influences were found for three aspects of respect: proper interpersonal behavior, relations within the family, and esteem within the community
The Cultural Structuring of Parenting and Universal Developmental Tasks
Objective. This study explores middle-class Anglo and Puerto Rican mothers' beliefs and self-reported practices related to infant feeding, sleeping, and toilet training. Design. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 60 mothers (Anglo = 32, Puerto Rican = 28) in their homes when their infants were 8 months of age. Results. Compared to Puerto Rican mothers, Anglo mothers had earlier age expectations regarding feeding-related milestones, were mo…
Internal Working Models, Trust, and Sharing among Foragers
Culture and early infancy among central African foragers and farmers
Everyday infant experiences among the Aka hunter-gatherers and the neighboring Ngandu farmers were observed and compared. Twenty Aka and 21 Ngandu 3- to 4-month-olds and 20 Aka and 20 Ngandu 9- to 10-month-olds were observed for 3 hr on each of 4 days so that all 12 daylight hr were covered. The Aka infants were more likely to be held, fed, and asleep or drowsy, whereas Ngandu infants were more likely to be alone and to fuss or cry, smile, vocali…
Ethnic and National Identity Development and School Adjustment: A Longitudinal Study With Turkish Immigrant-Origin Children
We examined developmental trajectories of ethnic and national identity during early adolescence and linked subgroups of identity change to ethnic minority children's school adjustment. Our longitudinal data on Turkish immigrant-origin children in Germany ( N = 146; MT1 = 10.42 years, 46.6% male) covered three waves of annual measurement. A person-oriented approach using growth mixture modeling revealed two different classes (subgroups) of identit…
Sociocultural Influences on German and Turkish Immigrant Mothers' Long-Term Socialization Goals
The major aims of this study were (a) to investigate the differences and similarities in long-term socialization goals of German mothers and Turkish immigrant mothers living in Germany and (b) to examine socialization goals of Turkish immigrant mothers in relation to their acculturation attitudes. Participants were composed of 79 Turkish mothers who were either raised in Germany or migrated to Germany and 91 German mothers of preschoolers living …
Experiences of Minority Stress and Mental Health Burdens of Newly Arrived LGBTQ* Refugees in Germany
Introduction While many refugees have settled in Germany within recent years, little is known about LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer*) refugees, a potentially vulnerable group. This qualitative study investigated LGBTQ* refugees’ experiences of distal and proximal minority stressors as well as their mental health burdens during the post-migration period. Methods In 2018, 26 self-identified LGBTQ* refugees were recruited in community …
The Cultural Structuring of Parenting and Universal Developmental Tasks
Objective. This study explores middle-class Anglo and Puerto Rican mothers' beliefs and self-reported practices related to infant feeding, sleeping, and toilet training. Design. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 60 mothers (Anglo = 32, Puerto Rican = 28) in their homes when their infants were 8 months of age. Results. Compared to Puerto Rican mothers, Anglo mothers had earlier age expectations regarding feeding-related milestones, were mo…
Ethnic Category Labels, Parental Beliefs, and the Contextualized Individual: An Exploration of the Individualism - Sociocentrism Debate
Objective. Research has suggested that parenting practices reflect cultural meaning systems. Recent debate regarding the use of individualism and sociocentrism as broad constructs that describe parents' cultural meaning systems have centered on the adequacy of such terms to capture the multiplicity of individual orientations that exist within any group. Concomitantly, concerns have been raised that ethnic category labels may be combined with the …
Acculturation Gaps Between Turkish Immigrant Marriage Partners: Resource or Source of Distress
Research on acculturation gaps has traditionally focused on parent-child dyads and the negative implications for youths' psycho-social adaptation. The current study explored the impact of acculturation gaps in Turkish immigrant couples ( N = 121) on each spouse's acculturation stress. Wives and husbands reported their acculturation across two domains (language and identity) and dimensions (German and Turkish), and two facets of stress (homesickne…
Muslim Immigrant Parents' Social Status Moderates the Link Between Religious Parenting and Children's Identification with the Heritage and Host Culture
This study addresses the question of whether and when religious parenting is a bridge or a barrier to Muslim immigrant children's integration. Integration was defined as children's identification with the heritage culture and the host culture. Participants included 210 self-identified Turkish Muslim mothers, children (aged 9-14), and 115 fathers in Germany. All family members filled in questionnaires on identification with Turks and identificatio…
Resilience in multicultural classrooms: School relationships can protect the school adjustment of immigrant, refugee and non-immigrant children
BackgroundAccording to the risk and resilience perspective, protective factors can attenuate the effect of risks and challenges on children's adjustment. For immigrant and refugee children, supportive relationships in the new context can be particularly beneficial. We expected that supportive school relationships play a protective role for the school adjustment of first-generation immigrant and refugee and non-immigrant children, by moderating th…
Low ethnic identity exploration undermines positive interethnic relations: A study among Turkish immigrant-origin youth
We conclude that by the age of 13 years, ethnic identity exploration can improve interethnic relations. (PsycINFO Database Record
The social worlds of 8‐ and 12‐month‐old infants: Early experiences in two subcultural contexts
In this study, we explored the everyday experiences of 40 infants from families who migrated recently from Central America to the US. Another 42 infants from middle class families of Euro‐American background were included to facilitate the evaluation of our methodology and findings. Detailed descriptions of the previous 24 hours were obtained by interviewing the mothers when their infants were 8 and 12 months of age. The infants' experiences and …
Mothers and fathers in treatment for methamphetamine addiction—Parenting, parental stress, and children at risk
Parents addicted to methamphetamine (“crystal meth”) are likely to be impaired in meeting parental responsibilities, and the developmental settings can be highly disadvantageous for children. Therefore, parenting by methamphetamine‐addicted mothers and fathers needs further exploration, while considering the impact on children affected by parental substance use. In our study, we analysed parenting practices and parental stress as well as children…
The social worlds of 8‐ and 12‐month‐old infants: Early experiences in two subcultural contexts
In this study, we explored the everyday experiences of 40 infants from families who migrated recently from Central America to the US. Another 42 infants from middle class families of Euro‐American background were included to facilitate the evaluation of our methodology and findings. Detailed descriptions of the previous 24 hours were obtained by interviewing the mothers when their infants were 8 and 12 months of age. The infants' experiences and …
Culture and early infancy among central African foragers and farmers
Everyday infant experiences among the Aka hunter-gatherers and the neighboring Ngandu farmers were observed and compared. Twenty Aka and 21 Ngandu 3- to 4-month-olds and 20 Aka and 20 Ngandu 9- to 10-month-olds were observed for 3 hr on each of 4 days so that all 12 daylight hr were covered. The Aka infants were more likely to be held, fed, and asleep or drowsy, whereas Ngandu infants were more likely to be alone and to fuss or cry, smile, vocali…
Internal Working Models, Trust, and Sharing among Foragers
Ethnic Category Labels, Parental Beliefs, and the Contextualized Individual: An Exploration of the Individualism - Sociocentrism Debate
Objective. Research has suggested that parenting practices reflect cultural meaning systems. Recent debate regarding the use of individualism and sociocentrism as broad constructs that describe parents' cultural meaning systems have centered on the adequacy of such terms to capture the multiplicity of individual orientations that exist within any group. Concomitantly, concerns have been raised that ethnic category labels may be combined with the …
The Cultural Structuring of Parenting and Universal Developmental Tasks
Objective. This study explores middle-class Anglo and Puerto Rican mothers' beliefs and self-reported practices related to infant feeding, sleeping, and toilet training. Design. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 60 mothers (Anglo = 32, Puerto Rican = 28) in their homes when their infants were 8 months of age. Results. Compared to Puerto Rican mothers, Anglo mothers had earlier age expectations regarding feeding-related milestones, were mo…
Exploring the concept of respect among Turkish and Puerto Rican migrant mothers
The cultural patterning of respect is examined in two first- and second-generation migrant groups: Puerto Rican mothers in Connecticut and Turkish mothers in Bochum, Germany. Cultural and generational influences were found for three aspects of respect: proper interpersonal behavior, relations within the family, and esteem within the community
Sociocultural Influences on German and Turkish Immigrant Mothers' Long-Term Socialization Goals
The major aims of this study were (a) to investigate the differences and similarities in long-term socialization goals of German mothers and Turkish immigrant mothers living in Germany and (b) to examine socialization goals of Turkish immigrant mothers in relation to their acculturation attitudes. Participants were composed of 79 Turkish mothers who were either raised in Germany or migrated to Germany and 91 German mothers of preschoolers living …
Child Care and Development across Cultures
Acculturation Gaps Between Turkish Immigrant Marriage Partners: Resource or Source of Distress
Research on acculturation gaps has traditionally focused on parent-child dyads and the negative implications for youths' psycho-social adaptation. The current study explored the impact of acculturation gaps in Turkish immigrant couples ( N = 121) on each spouse's acculturation stress. Wives and husbands reported their acculturation across two domains (language and identity) and dimensions (German and Turkish), and two facets of stress (homesickne…
Low ethnic identity exploration undermines positive interethnic relations: A study among Turkish immigrant-origin youth
We conclude that by the age of 13 years, ethnic identity exploration can improve interethnic relations. (PsycINFO Database Record
Muslim Immigrant Parents' Social Status Moderates the Link Between Religious Parenting and Children's Identification with the Heritage and Host Culture
This study addresses the question of whether and when religious parenting is a bridge or a barrier to Muslim immigrant children's integration. Integration was defined as children's identification with the heritage culture and the host culture. Participants included 210 self-identified Turkish Muslim mothers, children (aged 9-14), and 115 fathers in Germany. All family members filled in questionnaires on identification with Turks and identificatio…
Handbook on Positive Development of Minority Children and Youth
Exploring Mental Health Status and Syndrome Patterns Among Young Refugee Children in Germany
Refugee children share a large number of pre-, peri-, and post-migration risk factors, which make them vulnerable for developing mental health concerns. Within the last few years, a large number of families with young children have sought refuge in Germany. However, children's mental health status in Germany is mostly unclear. A central aim of developmental psychopathology is to understand how risk factors lead to the emergence of mental health c…
Mothers and fathers in treatment for methamphetamine addiction—Parenting, parental stress, and children at risk
Parents addicted to methamphetamine (“crystal meth”) are likely to be impaired in meeting parental responsibilities, and the developmental settings can be highly disadvantageous for children. Therefore, parenting by methamphetamine‐addicted mothers and fathers needs further exploration, while considering the impact on children affected by parental substance use. In our study, we analysed parenting practices and parental stress as well as children…
Ethnic and National Identity Development and School Adjustment: A Longitudinal Study With Turkish Immigrant-Origin Children
We examined developmental trajectories of ethnic and national identity during early adolescence and linked subgroups of identity change to ethnic minority children's school adjustment. Our longitudinal data on Turkish immigrant-origin children in Germany ( N = 146; MT1 = 10.42 years, 46.6% male) covered three waves of annual measurement. A person-oriented approach using growth mixture modeling revealed two different classes (subgroups) of identit…
Mothers’ depressive symptoms and their children’s Turkish heritage language vocabulary development
Aims: This study examined associations between mothers’ depressive symptoms and the Turkish heritage vocabulary of their school-age children. We expected that mothers’ depressive symptoms would be associated with lower Turkish vocabulary scores in fourth grade as well as slower growth in vocabulary scores from fourth to sixth grade. Design: We collected longitudinal data on 139 mothers of Turkish origin in Germany and their children in fourth, fi…
Mental Health Needs of Refugee Children in Specialized Early Education and Care Programs in Germany
Classroom composition, classroom quality and German skills of very young dual language learners and German-only learners
This study examined associations between the classroom percentage of dual language learners (DLLs), observed classroom quality, and children's German majority language skills. The cross-sectional sample of 2.5 years olds (n = 93 immigrant DLLs and n = 363 monolingual German-only learners) was clustered within n = 197 classrooms. Classrooms with higher percentages of DLLs demonstrated slightly lower levels of overall classroom process quality. DLL…
Geflüchtete, Familien und ihre Kinder. Warum der Blick auf die Familien und die Kindertagesbetreuung entscheidend ist
Seit 2015 viele Menschen mit Fluchthintergrund nach Deutschland gezogen sind, stand häufig deren Arbeitsmarktintegration im Zentrum des gesellschaftlichen, politischen und wissenschaftlichen Interesses. Lebenslagen und Lebensformen der geflüchteten Familien wurden hingegen viel weniger thematisiert. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert familiendemografische Daten für Geflüchtete der Herkunftsländer Syrien, Afghanistan, Irak und Eritrea und verdeutlicht den…
Experiences of Minority Stress and Mental Health Burdens of Newly Arrived LGBTQ* Refugees in Germany
Introduction While many refugees have settled in Germany within recent years, little is known about LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer*) refugees, a potentially vulnerable group. This qualitative study investigated LGBTQ* refugees’ experiences of distal and proximal minority stressors as well as their mental health burdens during the post-migration period. Methods In 2018, 26 self-identified LGBTQ* refugees were recruited in community …
Family Literacy Activities and Their Interplay with Family and Preschool Language Environments: Links to Gains in Dual Language Learners’ German Vocabulary
Research Findings : Are family literacy activities linked to gains in preschool-aged dual language learners’ (DLLs’) societal language vocabulary? To understand connections between literacy activities and vocabulary, we separately considered literacy activities in the respective heritage language and in the societal language, German, and accounted for heterogeneity in DLLs’ family and preschool language environment. DLLs (n = 115) were administer…
Pre-school Teachers' Stereotypes and Self-Efficacy are Linked to Perceptions of Behavior Problems in Newly Arrived Refugee Children
Introduction: Since 2015, increased numbers of refugee families with pre-school-aged children have arrived in Germany. In pre-schools, teachers' professional competence for teaching those children and adapting to their socio-emotional needs has become increasingly important. Previous research linked teachers' stereotypes and cultural beliefs to their self-efficacy and enthusiasm when teaching immigrant children. This study investigated the links …
Longitudinal interrelations between nonword repetition and vocabulary from age three to five: Evidence for within-child processes
The relation between nonword repetition and vocabulary has been the focus of a theoretical controversy for several decades. The point of contention is whether the ability underlying nonword repetition drives vocabulary growth or vice versa. The present study examines longitudinal interrelations between nonword repetition and vocabulary from age 3 to 5 with random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs). RI-CLPMs have the advantage of separ…
Refugee Children’s Early Development during Attendance of Specialized Preschool Programs and Transition into First Grade in Germany
Research Findings: We assessed socio-emotional behavior, nonverbal reasoning, German receptive language, and motor skills of refugee children attending early childhood development [ECD] programs and of those who did not (N = 207, mean age = 69.4 months). Young refugee children overall demonstrated lower levels of development and more socio-emotional behavior problems. Attendance of preschool-based ECD programs was inconsistently linked to better …
Do peers matter? Peer effects on young children’s vocabulary gains in German classrooms
Psychology (25 works) · Developmental psychology (20 works) · Early Childhood Education and Development (14 works) · Social Psychology (14 works) · Sociology (14 works) · Political science (13 works) · Social Psychology (12 works) · Geography (10 works) · German (10 works) · Migration, Health and Trauma (8 works)