Classmates’ Social Interest Toward Included Autistic Peers: Social and Personal Characteristics

Sex differences in oxytocin receptor binding in forebrain regions: Correlations with social interest in brain region- and sex- specific ways

This study aimed to investigate the role of theory of mind (ToM) and both cool and hot executive function (EF) in accounting for prosocial behavior. Typically developing children of 3 to 6 years of age (N = 183) were assessed on a battery of EF and ToM tasks, while parents and teachers completed a questionnaire examining the children’s prosocial behavior in everyday situations. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the EF constructs and then to examine within the same model the relation among EF (both cool and hot), ToM, and prosocial behavior (teacher form), while controlling for age. The results showed that cool EF task performance was directly related to prosocial behavior, whereas neither ToM nor hot EF task performance was related to prosocial behavior. Nevertheless, both ToM and hot EF task performance were related to cool EF task performance. Interestingly, hot EF task performances were not significantly related to each other or to ToM.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition frequently associated with epilepsy, suggesting potential overlapping neurobiological mechanisms. Although this comorbidity has been described in various populations, there is limited data from pediatric psychiatric services in Morocco. Understanding the clinical, social, and epidemiological characteristics of children with both ASD and epilepsy in this local context is essential for improving diagnosis, management, and outcomes. Objective: To analyze and compare the clinical, epidemiological, and social characteristics of children with ASD and epilepsy in the studied sample, as well as their developmental course, and to confront the findings with the existing literature. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and analytical study included 404 patients diagnosed with ASD at the day hospital of the Child Psychiatry Department of Ar-Razi Hospital in Salé, Morocco, from its establishment in 2010 until 2022. Diagnostic assessments were based on DSM criteria, with the DSM-IV used up to 2013 and the DSM-5 applied thereafter. Sociodemographic, clinical, and developmental data were systematically collected and analyzed. Results: Among the 404 children diagnosed with ASD, 8.2% (n=33) had comorbid epilepsy. The mean age at ASD diagnosis was 3.5 years, with a male predominance (78.6%; sex ratio 4:1). Compared to children with ASD alone, those with epilepsy presented higher rates of intellectual disability (15% vs. 4%), more severe adaptive impairments, and markedly greater language deficits (93% with initial impairment, 73% with unfavorable progression). Behavioral disturbances requiring antipsychotic treatment were more frequent in the ASD-epilepsy group (18.75% vs. 5.8%). Social and educational outcomes were also significantly affected, with 74% showing poor social integration and 85% not attending school. Overall, the clinical course was unfavorable in 88% of children with ASD and epilepsy compare

Introduction. An inclusive educational environment needs to be built in our country.The Teacher Professional Standard defines inclusive competence as one of the professional competences. The issue of teachers' readiness to work in an inclusive educational environment is relevant. Purpose. To determine the state of teachers’ readiness to work in an inclusive educational environment and ways to develop teachers’ inclusive competence in the system of postgraduate education. Methods. Analysis and systematization of information, questionnaires, methods of mathematical processing of questionnaire results. Results. Teacher's readiness to work with children with special educational needs: psychological and professional readiness. To determine the level of readiness of teachers to work in an inclusive educational environment, we conducted a survey among teachers of Dnipro and Dnipropetrovsk region. The study involved 56 teachers of natural sciences who did not take advanced training courses on inclusive education. The survey was conducted using the Google Forms service. The main purpose of teaching children with special educational needs, teachers believe to provide them with equal opportunities for education, increase their socialization, equality of communication among peers, society's acceptance of their characteristics. Teachers find it useful to have a child with special educational needs in a regular classroom not only for the child but also for his or her classmates. Among the qualities that a teacher must have to work with children with special educational needs, teachers identified acceptance of the child's characteristics, patience, empathy, love for children, developed organizational and communicative skills, ability to work in a team. The results of self-assessment of the level of teachers' skills in working in an inclusive educational environment showed that 13 teachers rated their level on 2 points – 23.2%, on 3 points – 8 teachers – 14.3%, on 4 points – 5 teachers – 8.9%, 5 points – 19 teachers – 33.9%, 6 points – 11 teachers – 19.6%. At 7 or more points no teacher evaluated their skills. The results of self-assessment of the level of readiness of teachers to work in an inclusive educational environment showed that 1 teacher rated his level in 1 point – 1.8%, 2 points – 15 teachers – 26.8%, 3 points – 17 teachers – 30.4 %, 4 points – 19 teachers – 33.4%, 5 points – 4 teachers – 7.1%. Originality. Teachers of the study group do not have a sufficiently developed readiness to work with children with special educational needs in an inclusive educational environment. The results of the research are the basis for finding new forms, methods and technologies that can be used in organizing teacher training and organizing the team of psychological and pedagogical support of children with special educational needs in the educational institution. Conclusion. To develop teachers' readiness to work in an inclusive education, coaching can be used as an effective technology for personal and professional growth, and coaching exercises can be used as tools to identify the causes of lack of readiness in an inclusive education environment. Prospects for further research see the need for a more detailed study of the readiness of teachers to work in an inclusive educational environment for all identified components of readiness, in the development of pedagogical conditions and models for inclusive teacher competence in postgraduate education and experimental testing of pedagogical conditions and models.

Relevance. Over the past decade, the solution of the issue of formation of the teacher’s readiness for professional adaptation in an inclusive environment in educational institutions of Kazakhstan has become one of the most important social problems of the society of the state. In this context, it becomes relevant to solve the problems of implementing the components of the teacher’s readiness and the pedagogical conditions for his adaptation in an inclusive educational environment, as well as increasing the level of their socio-pedagogical competence. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the methodology for preparing a teacher for professional adaptation in an inclusive educational environment in the context of organizing the educational process in educational institutions of Kazakhstan. Methodology. The methodological approach of the experimental study is based on the analysis of literary sources for comparison and comparison of scientists’ views on the problem under study, systematization and generalization of theoretical data, comparative analysis; empirical: narrative methods (writing essays and mini works), the method of expert assessments, questioning, testing, conversation, observation, questioning, generalization of pedagogical experience, solving socio-pedagogical situations, generating ideas, presentations, structural and logical schemes; diagnostic (analysis, questioning); pedagogical experiment (stating, forming and control). Results. After conducting an experimental study, promising directions for improving the methodology for developing the teacher’s readiness for professional adaptation in an inclusive environment in educational institutions of Kazakhstan were formed. Conclusions. The practical value of the work lies in the training of a specialist who is able to realize the creation of a favourable socio-pedagogical inclusive educational environment for organizing and implementing the learning process for inclusive applicants for education in educational institutions of Kazakhstan.

Introduction. The article is devoted to the analysis of the problem of psychological and social safety of children attending inclusive groups of preschool educational organizations. The risks of inclusive education are associated with the threat of various forms of mental violence from peers. A preschool educational organization is faced with the task of ensuring the psychological safety of educational subjects, including the formation of skills for safe social behavior and interaction in an inclusive environment.Materials and Methods. The following methods were used for the preparation of this article; theoretical analysis of Russian and international literature, study of scientific articles and publications on the topic, overview of results from Russian and international studies, content analysis.Results. Approaches to determining the content of the category of safe social behavior and its various aspects are considered: social norms, psychological stability, communication and communication, spiritual and moral qualities and moral norms, prosocial behavior, interpersonal relationships and interaction. The personal constructs of safe social behavior of preschool children in an inclusive educational environment are identified: need-motivational (setting social norms, trust in the world, social tolerance); emotional-volitional (ability to empathy, low anxiety, coping behavior); cognitive-cognitive (knowledge of the behavior of children with developmental disabilities; ability to choose constructive ways to solve problem situations); interpersonal-social (communication skills, desire for cooperation, kindness, help).Discussion and Conclusions. The conducted theoretical research allowed us to build a model that includes both the structure of safe social behavior of preschool children in an inclusive educational environment, and risk factors for socially dangerous behavior of preschoolers. It is concluded that it is necessary to implement psychological and pedagogical support for inclusive preschool education, which ensures the psychological safety of children with developmental disabilities by developing the skills of safe social interaction among peers with normative development, meeting their needs for personal and trusting communication, as well as gaining a sense of psychosocial well-being and reference significance.

Two studies tested the hypothesis that preschool children's theory of mind ability is related to their levels of peer acceptance. In Study 1, 78 children between the ages of 4 and 6 provided peer nominations that allowed determination of social preference and social impact scores, and classification in one of five peer status groups (following Coie & Dodge, 1983). Children were also tested on five different theory of mind tasks. The results showed that theory of mind scores were significantly related to social preference scores in a subsample of children who were over 5 years old. Further, popular children were found to score higher on theory of mind tasks than children classified as rejected. Study 2 replicated and extended the first study with a new sample of 87 4‐ to 6‐year‐old children. Study 2 included measures of peer acceptance, theory of mind ability and verbal intelligence, as well as teacher ratings of prosocial and aggressive behaviours. The results of Study 2 showed that for the total group of children, prosocial behaviour was the best predictor of social preference scores. When the Study 2 sample was split into older and younger children, theory of mind ability was found to be the best predictor of social preference scores for the older children (over age 5), while aggressive and prosocial behaviours were the best predictors of peer acceptance in the younger children. Overall, the pattern of results suggests that the impact of theory of mind ability on peer acceptance is modest but increases with children's age.

The article highlights the problem of training future physical culture teachers for working in an inclusive educational environment of educational institutions. The aim of the study was to establish the theoretical foundations of the problem of training future physical education teachers for organizing health-preserving activity in an inclusive educational environment. The urgency of focusing research attention on the problem of training potential teachers of physical culture for the introduction of elements of sports and mass work in an inclusive educational environment on health-preserving grounds is substantiated. Scientific information on the concepts of “inclusive educational environment”, “health-preserving sports and mass work” has been systematized. It was determined that the modern inclusive educational environment is characterized by a system of value attitudes towards learning, upbringing and personal development of children with special educational needs, as well as a set of resources (means, external and internal conditions), their life activities in a comprehensive educational institution and a focus on the implementation of individual educational strategies of students. The author characterizes the peculiarity of the professional activity of a physical education teacher in the introduction of health-preserving sports and mass work in an inclusive educational environment; it consists in the need to create a barrier-free health-preserving environment in the future profession, the formation of knowledge, skills of individualization and differentiation in physical education of children with special educational needs and the development of qualities that will contribute to the success of the teacher’s implementation of an individual approach in the physical education of school students, taking into account the principles of inclusion.

The article actualizes the problem of inclusion of future teachers in an inclusive educational environment. The research is based on the hypothesis that the use of social partnership technology in the training of future teachers contributes to the formation of their readiness to work in an inclusive educational environment. The purpose of the article is to study the possibility of using the technology of social partnership in the development of competencies that contribute to the formation of the readiness of future teachers to work in an inclusive educational environment. Methodology and methods of research. The article presents the results of an experimental study aimed at studying the development of competencies that contribute to the formation of the readiness of future teachers to work in an inclusive educational environment, in the process of using social partnership technology. In conclusion, it is concluded that the inclusion of social partnership technology in the process of teaching students of pedagogical areas of training allows future teachers to form the competencies necessary for successful professional activity in an inclusive educational environment.

This pilot study explored whether childhood stroke impairs performance on theory of mind (ToM) tasks and whether ToM task performance correlates with resting state connectivity in brain regions linked with social cognition. We performed a case-control study of 10 children with stroke and 10 age- and gender-matched controls. They completed 2 ToM tasks, and resting state connectivity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Children with stroke performed worse than controls on conative ToM tasks. Resting state connectivity in the central executive network was significantly higher and connectivity between right and left inferior parietal lobules was significantly decreased in children with stroke. Resting state activity and ToM performance were not significantly correlated. Childhood stroke results in poorer performance on specific ToM tasks. Stroke is associated with changes in resting state connectivity in networks linked with social cognition including ToM. Although the basis for these changes in connectivity is not well understood, these results may provide preliminary insights into potential mechanisms affecting social cognition after stroke. The findings suggest that further study of the effect of childhood stroke on network connectivity may yield insights as to how stroke affects cognitive functions in children.

This article comprehensively explores the critical interplay between executive functions (EFs), self-regulation, and social media in promoting a peaceful and inclusive educational environment. The study emphasizes the significance of EFs in regulating cognitive processes and coping with new challenges, focusing on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and its interconnected neural circuits. Addressing the relevance of EFs in conflict resolution, emotional regulation, and metacognitive practices, the research investigates how they contribute to constructive conflict-resolution, emotional maturity, and responsible online behavior in educational settings. Furthermore, the bidirectional relationship between prosocial behaviors and EFs is explored, revealing their mutual reinforcement during early childhood and beyond. The article discusses the benefits and challenges of social media in educational contexts, highlighting the importance of mindful usage to promote positive interactions and empathy among students, educators, and stakeholders. Adopting a holistic approach, the study examines successful self-regulation practices and approaches that empower individuals to navigate negative emotions and cultivate positive relationships within groups. Additionally, the review sheds light on the potential implications of EFs and self-regulation in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It identifies shared genetic bases and neurobiological underpinnings, offering valuable insights for developing targeted interventions to enhance executive function skills in affected populations. The findings have practical implications for professionals in education, parents, and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of nurturing emotional regulation, promoting metacognitive practices, and ensuring responsible social media use to create a harmonious and inclusive educational environment. The article aims to provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to cultivate empathy, support positive conflict resolution, and facilitate the holistic development of students and stakeholders in educational and intimate learning environments.

The article considers the essence of an inclusive educational environment and the peculiarities of its implementation into higher education institutions of Ukraine to ensure the right of every person to education. An inclusive educational environment is defined as a special environment aimed at providing favorable conditions for the learning and comprehensive development of pupils (students) with different levels of health and educational needs. Creating an inclusive environment is aimed at a harmonious combination of psychological and pedagogical conditions, technical means and resources of the educational institution for the organization of the educational process with people with special educational needs. However, in modern conditions, the implementation of an inclusive environment in universities remains at a low level, it faces contradictions and difficulties, including: the lack of a legal framework for the regulation of inclusive education in the higher education system; lack of an adapted model for organizing inclusive education at universities; lack of a system of consistent support for inclusive education from schools to universities; insufficient awareness of students with special educational needs and their parents about the possibilities of higher inclusive education; problems of practical organization of inclusive environment in universities. Effective measures to overcome these difficulties in introducing an inclusive educational environment into higher education institutions are: the development of regulatory support for higher inclusive education; ensuring the availability of inclusive education for students with special educational needs, creating conditions for the development of their personality and socialization; an implementation of structural changes at the university; professional development of teachers who teach students with special needs. The organization of an inclusive educational environment in higher education institutions will promote the emergence of experimental institutions of higher inclusive education; advanced training of teaching staff in the organization of inclusive education of students with special needs; increasing society’s tolerance for people with special needs; expanding opportunities for vocational guidance and employment of young people with special needs.

The article describes the main criteria for a barrier-free inclusive educational environment; identifies special features of an inclusive educational environment; and considers the principles of inclusive education and general didactic principles of training for the high-quality functioning of an inclusive educational environment. A research and experimental verification of the effectiveness of implementing a system for training future social interaction professionals to work in an inclusive educational environment through the use of digital technologies in working with children with special educational needs has been developed and conducted. The most important areas of using digital technologies to organize children's education in an inclusive educational environment have been considered. The advantages of using the developed system are listed. The effectiveness of the experimental study of the developed effective author's system is confirmed by reliable indicators, which have been verified using mathematical statistics methods. Respondents in the EG group showed a more significant increase in the formation of all levels of the studied components of the readiness of future social interaction professionals to work in an inclusive educational environment, and the use of digital technologies in working with children with special educational needs, than in applicants in the CG group.

Performance on verbal and low-verbal false belief tasks: Evidence from children with Williams syndrome

Theory of mind after traumatic brain injury