Academic interests
- Social and emotional difficulties among children and adolescents
- Aggression
- Motivation and learning
- Motivation, personality and achievement
- Evaluation Research
Teaching
- SPED4301 - Psychological, social, and emotional difficulties
- SPED3001/03 - Learning difficulties and special needs from an individual and systemic perspective
Background
- Professor, Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Norway, 2018-
- Senior Researcher at the The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (NUBU), 2007-2018
- Professor II, Department of Education, University of Oslo, Norway, 2013-2018
- Ph.D. Department of Education, University of Oslo, Norway in 2008. The thesis title: Motivation and distance to goal in time: Their effect on cognitive and affective manifestations
Publications
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Noer-Johansen, Hannah; Torneberg, Ingeborg Amalia; Bjørnebekk, Gunnar & Keles, Serap
(2026).
Callous Unemotional (CU) Traits and Peer Relations in Childhood: A Systematic Scoping Review.
Sage Open.
16(3).
doi:
10.1177/21582440261463342.
Full text in Research Archive
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Children with callous unemotional (CU) traits exhibit deficits in social competence and a lack of appropriate prosocial emotions, adversely affecting their peer relationships. Despite growing research interest, empirical studies on CU traits and peer relations in primary school children remain limited and methodologically homogeneous, relying predominantly on quantitative, cross-sectional designs, with few incorporating peer perspectives. In this systematic scoping review, following a systematic search of the literature, we screened 570 articles and identified 22 studies published between 2004 and 2024, mapping definitions, measures, and aspects of peer relations examined. Findings reveal that the eligible studies examined children with CU traits in relation to their experience of peer rejection, victimization, and unstable friendships, yet research lacks longitudinal and qualitative approaches needed to fully understand these dynamics. These results underscore the need for more diverse methodologies and greater inclusion of peer informants to inform targeted interventions. Enhancing conceptual clarity and methodological rigor will advance understanding of the impact of CU traits on social development and guide effective support strategies.
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Olseth, Asgeir Røyrhus; Høstmælingen, Andreas & Bjørnebekk, Gunnar
(2026).
Effects of functional family therapy for adolescents in child welfare services on subsequent criminal charges and out-of-home placements: a randomized effectiveness trial.
Journal of Experimental Criminology.
ISSN 1573-3750.
doi:
10.1007/s11292-026-09736-6.
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Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is an evidence-based intervention targeting adolescent behavioral problems, typically within juvenile justice contexts. In Norway, FFT is implemented in child welfare services, where juvenile justice involvement is not a prerequisite. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of FFT compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in preventing subsequent criminal charges and out-of-home placement.
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of FFT in comparison to TAU in preventing criminal charges and out-of-home placements among 129 youths aged 11 to 18. Participants were randomly assigned to either FFT or TAU. Outcomes were measured using national registry data at 18- and 36-months post-intake.
No significant differences were observed between the two groups on rates of criminal charges or out-of-home placements.
The findings contribute to the limited body of research on FFT in non-juvenile justice settings. These results underscore the necessity for further research to elucidate FFT’s effectiveness across diverse service contexts.
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Holter, Erika Kristina; Ødegård, Magnar & Bjørnebekk, Gunnar
(2026).
Collective and individual efficacy as predictors of disruptive classroom behavior: a multilevel moderation analysis of teacher- and school-level influences.
Social Psychology of Education.
ISSN 1381-2890.
29(1).
doi:
10.1007/s11218-026-10185-2.
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Disruptive behavior is a significant challenge in classrooms, impairing learning and leading to teacher demotivation and stress. Self-efficacy among school staff is crucial for managing disruptive behavior; however, to address this issue, it is necessary to consider collective efficacy as a vital factor in fostering a supportive school culture. This study investigates the relationship between collective and self-efficacy, as perceived by teachers and school staff, and disruptive behavior within and across schools. Utilizing a cross-sectional design, this study analyzed questionnaire data from 1568 staff members across sixty-three schools. A multilevel modeling strategy was employed to examine individual and school-level variables, justified by significant intraclass correlations in disruptive behavior and consensus among staff members regarding collective efficacy. Analysis of collective and self-efficacy and school-level variables (aggregated collective efficacy) was conducted in steps, with the final step including the interaction between collective efficacy and self-efficacy. The findings revealed that both collective and self-efficacy were negatively related to disruptive behavior within schools; staff members with higher efficacy reported lower disruption rates. Notably, school-level collective efficacy was also negatively correlated with disruptive behavior, indicating that schools with higher average efficacy experienced fewer disruptions. Importantly, collective efficacy moderated the relationship between self-efficacy and disruptive behavior, which suggests that higher perceived collective efficacy strengthens the negative association between self-efficacy and disruptive behavior. This study highlights the need to foster both individual and a shared collective efficacy among school staff, as it may empower teachers to effectively manage disruptive behaviors in classrooms and enhance the overall school environment.
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Høstmælingen, Andreas Teisner; Bjørnebekk, Gunnar; Olseth, Asgeir Røyrhus; Ramer, Nolan E.; Colder, Craig R. & Sørlie, Mari-Anne
(2026).
Externalizing problems and reward–punishment sensitivity: Testing within-person reciprocal associations in an elementary school sample—A replication of Ramer et al. (2024).
Developmental Psychology.
ISSN 0012-1649.
doi:
10.1037/dev0002158.
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Temperament is closely linked to externalizing problems during adolescence, but the possible interrelationships between them remain unresolved. Reinforcement sensitivity theory proposes that sensitivity to reward modulated by the behavioral activation system (BAS), and sensitivity to punishment modulated by the behavioral inhibition system (BIS), influence how certain kinds of reinforcements shape adolescents’ behaviors. A study by Ramer et al. (2024) observed that higher levels of reward sensitivity (BAS) were associated with later increases in oppositional problems, and that elevated oppositional problems were associated with subsequent increases in BAS. In addition, lower levels of punishment sensitivity (BIS) were associated with later conduct problems, and higher levels of conduct problems were associated with subsequent decreases in BIS sensitivity. This study is a replication of Ramer et al., using a comparable Norwegian nonclinical sample of preadolescents (N = 2,147) with five annual measurement occasions. Participants were 9 years at the first data collection, with 49% girls and 94% nonimmigrants. Latent curve models with structured residuals were used to examine the reciprocal relationships between BIS/BAS and oppositional and conduct problems. We replicated associations between increased BAS sensitivity and subsequent increases in oppositional problems (i.e., vulnerability effect), and increased conduct problems with subsequent decreases in BIS sensitivity (i.e., scar effect). This could indicate that oppositional and conduct problems are influenced by different temperamental dispositions. We did not replicate oppositional problems influencing BAS sensitivity or BIS sensitivity influencing conduct problems. We discuss potential explanations for similarities and differences in results.
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Published
Oct. 30, 2018 2:14 PM
- Last modified
Nov. 5, 2025 10:59 AM
