Preschool Behavior Research Articles

Defecation Habits in Preschoolers Are Associated with Physical Activity: A Cross-Sectional and Isotemporal Substitution Analysis.

There is a lack of research on the relationship between defecation habits (DF) and physical activity (PA) in preschoolers. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between sedentary behaviour (SB), PA time, and DF in preschoolers and to estimate the effect of DF replacement in an isotemporal substitution (IS) model. The participants included 166 children (aged 4-6 years) attending childcare facilities. PA was measured using an accelerometer to calculate the daily activity and wearing time for SB, light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). DF were classified based on defecation frequency and timing. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was used for the IS model. One-way analysis of variance detected significant differences in MVPA between the DF groups (F(2) = 3.12, p < 0.05). According to the analysis results of the IS model, replacing 5 min of SB with MVPA resulted in improved DF (odds ratio [OR], 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.97). Conversely, replacing 5 min of MVPA with SB worsened DF (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.23). The findings suggest that PA is associated with DF among preschoolers. It also indicates that replacing SB with MVPA could help improve DF in children.

Наглядная модель как культурное средство детей дошкольного возраста

&lt;p&gt;This study is aimed at testing the hypothesis of the relationship between visual modeling and the development of arbitrariness. The results of an empirical study conducted on a sample of 149 children (44,3% boys) aged 53 to 70 months (M=62,8; SD=3,53) are presented. The "Schematization" technique and subtests of the NEPSY II battery were used to diagnose executive functions. The results showed that schematized representations act as cultural means of regulating the behavior of preschoolers. A correlation was found between the results of the execution of the methodology for schematization by children of the senior kindergarten group and the results of diagnostics of the development of executive functions of preschoolers, both in the senior kindergarten group and in the preparatory group (longitudinal study). The results showed that in boys, the structuring of behavior control mechanisms is associated with the processes of schematization using signs. In girls &amp;ndash; with the processes of schematization with the help of directions. It is suggested that the development of the mechanism of regulation of behavior with schematized representations in preschoolers follows two lines: 1) along the line of strengthening the emerging links and 2) along the line of their differentiation.&lt;/p&gt;

Retraction Note: Impact of digital game-based learning on the social competence and behavior of preschoolers

Retraction Note: Impact of digital game-based learning on the social competence and behavior of preschoolers

Eating order and childhood obesity among preschoolers in China: A cross-sectional study.

Early childhood is a critical period for dietary education and development of good eating habits. However, few studies have investigated the effect of eating order in children and childhood obesity in real-world settings. To examine whether the order in which meats/fish or vegetables are consumed affects the risk of obesity in preschoolers. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study using a self-administered online survey on the lifestyle and health behaviors of preschoolers in Taizhou, China. A total of 3,200 parents were invited to take part in the survey, and 2,049 of them completed the questionnaire. Children were classified as having a normal weight, overweight, or obesity using the definitions provided by the International Obesity Task Force, and z-scores for body mass index were calculated. We divided the children's eating order at the beginning of the meal into two groups: "vegetables before meats/fish" or "meats/fish before vegetables". We analyzed the relationship between what was consumed first at a meal and the overweight status of each child. No difference in body mass index was observed between the children eating meats/fish-first and the children eating vegetables-first during a meal. Children with parents who were affected by obesity were more likely to eat vegetables first. Among children of mothers with obesity, body mass index was significantly higher in the meats/fish-first group than that in the vegetable-first group (2.891 vs. 0.845, P = 0.007). In children whose mothers were affected by obesity, those that ate meats/fish first had a 12.21 times higher risk of being overweight compared with those that ate vegetables first (95% CI:1.22-121.74, P = 0.033). Our findings suggest eating vegetables or meats/fish at the start of a meal does not affect weight status in preschoolers.

The Influence of Mother's Occupation and Employment Status on Emotional Behavior of School-age Children

Women have career opportunities in various sectors of life, thus shifting from the role of mothers in household matters to being involved in the public sector and other social activities. One of the effects is that they spend limited time with children, which will affect their children’s emotional development. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship between the mother’s employment status and their interaction with their children and the emotional behaviour of preschool-aged children (4-6 years old), and also, to identify the relationship between the mother’s occupation with emotional behaviour of preschoolers (4-6 years). The design of this study was a cross-sectional approach with a sampling technique using stratified random sampling (N=46). This research was conducted at TK Aisyiyah 24 Malang on April 22 – 28, 2019. Questionnaire-Revised (PACHIQ-R) and Emotional Behavior Problems (KMPE) instruments were used in this research. Multivariate linear regression was used to know the impact of children‘s emotional behaviour problems. The results showed only the level of mother-child interaction significantly affected children’s emotional behaviour in a negative direction (t count &gt; t table; -3,419 &gt; 2,013; p-value = 0.01). Meanwhile, the value of F count &gt; F table (6.965 &gt; 2.42; p-value = 0.00). R2 = 0.465, adjusted R2 = 0.399. Data were collected using The Parent-Child Interaction instrument. The results showed only the level of mother-child interaction significantly affected children’s emotional behaviour in a negative direction.&#x0D; Keywords: work status, interaction intensity, emotional behavior, preschool age

Towards Positive Behaviours: An Evaluation of a Teachers’ Training on Classroom-based Interventions for Managing Problem Behaviours in Preschoolers in Nigeria

Aim: This study was a cluster randomized trial, designed to evaluate the effect of a teachers’ training on Classroom-based Interventions for Managing Problem Behaviours in Preschoolers in Nigeria.&#x0D; Methodology: A total of 110 preschool teachers participated in the study. Fifty-five were randomly assigned to each of the intervention and the wait-list groups. Participants in the intervention group received two training sessions on child behaviour problems and management. Data was collected in 3 phases; baseline, immediate post-intervention and one-month post-intervention.&#x0D; Results: The proportion of participants in the intervention group who felt frustrated about managing challenging behaviours, reduced significantly (p=0.045) at follow up (14.5%) compared to baseline (32.7%). There was a statistically significant (p&lt;0.001) increase in the proportion of those who documented problem behaviours occurring at school (72.7%) at follow up, compared to baseline (38.2%). Participants in the intervention group reported increased confidence and competence to manage problem behaviours in their classroom settings.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study showed that training interventions can improve the perception, competence and skills of teachers in managing problem behaviours among preschoolers. It is recommended that preschool teachers receive training that will improve their classroom management of children with problem behaviours, even in low-income settings.

Research on Factors of Fun Activities Affecting the Sustainable Environmental Behaviour of Preschoolers (From 3 to 6 Years Old)

Fun activities are the main activities of preschoolers; they are also a path, method, and means of conducting comprehensive education for preschoolers (from 3 to 6 years old), including education on sustainable environmental behaviour. This research aims to point out the factors of fun activities that affect and influence the formation and development of sustainable environmental behaviour of preschoolers. The author, in this research, surveyed 300 preschool teachers in Hanoi and directly observed 156 preschoolers in 11 preschools in Hanoi to collect data and used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to analyse the data. The research found that there are 3 factors of fun activities that affect the awareness, attitude, and sustainable environmental behaviour of preschoolers, including: Contents of fun activities related to environmental education and environmental protection, Rules of the game on environmental education and environmental protection, and Specific actions on environmental education and environmental protection. The research also pointed out the fundamentals of sustainable environmental behaviour, which are environmental awareness, attitude towards the environment, and environmental protection acts. The research findings are expected to provide the basis and reference for further research on the impacts of fun activities on the formation and development of sustainable environmental behaviour of children aged 3 to 6. Thereby, the author recommends that preschools should design and build in the direction of integrating fun activities related to environmental education and environmental protection with other educational contents and activities in preschools; and simultaneously guide preschoolers to understand the specific regulations when participating in fun activities related to environmental education and innovative methods to organise and implement fun activities related to environmental education in the direction of allowing children to directly experience and perform environmental protection behaviours.

Building Foundations for Friendship: Preventing Bullying Behavior in Preschool

Early childhood is an essential time for social-emotional learning and the development of appropriate peer interactions. Preschool children also begin to use more physical and verbal forms of aggression and bullying within their relationships with peers. The Building Foundations for Friendship (BFF) curriculum was designed to teach preschool-aged children appropriate social skills to prevent bullying. The topics discussed in this curriculum include developing friendship skills, identifying various peer interactions, and learning how to appropriately respond to a peer’s aggressive behavior. It was hypothesized that preschool students’ social skills and social behavior would improve after implementation of the BFF curriculum. The participants in this study included 79 preschool students between the ages of 3 and 6. Data were collected pre- and post-intervention. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant increase in social skills and a decrease in problem behavior following intervention. There was not a statistically significant decrease in relational or overt aggression. Implications of the results and future directions are discussed.

Effect of screen time on behavior of pre-schoolers in Islamabad.

Early years of childhood form the basis of intelligence, personality, social behaviour, and capacity to learn and nurture oneself as an adult. Our objective was to find out the effects of screen time on behavior of pre-schoolers, which could provide scientific grounds to the control of digital screen time. A cross sectional survey was conducted in four private preschools of Islamabad from June -November 2021. A sample size of 200 children ages three-five years were selected through multistage random sampling using a parental questionnaire. Children were grouped based on daily screen time of ≤60 minutes or >60 minutes. Analysis was made based on the Child behavior checklist for ages eighteen months-five years results. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.925. It was analyzed using SPSS version 22. Chi-square test, independent sample t-test and multi linear regression were applied to determine the association and significance levels between the variables. Study results indicate increased screen time was statistically significant with child's age, education level and employment status of mothers. It was observed that pre-schoolers with screen time of > 60 minutes tend to suffer more from withdrawal syndrome (11.94±3.91, p = 0.014) sleep problems (10.97±3.20, p = 0.010) and Autism spectrum problems (17.66±5.89, p = 0.047) as compared to pre-schoolers with screen time ≤60 minutes. Strongest predictor of outcome variable was found to be mothers education level (ß = 21.53). Study findings revealed that excessive screen time has deleterious effect and is associated with behavioural problems of pre-schoolers.

Е.О. Смирнова о нравственном воспитании детей

Background. Nowadays the issues of child upbringing have acquired special importance, which makes it crucial to update psychological and pedagogical research on the problem of personality development, to analyze and rethink theory and practice of forming ethical behavior in preschoolers, to search for solutions to the most challenging issues of moral development of children. Objective. [e article is devoted to E.O. Smirnova’s approach to the problem of upbringing in preschool, which was presented in her few works in the beginning of the 2000’s. Results. E.O. Smirnova’s views on the psychological foundations of moral education of preschoolers are based on the theoretical provisions of M.I. Lisina about the dual basis of interpersonal relationships between children — the object and the subject. Genuine moral behaviour is conditioned by the predominance of the subjective basis in the relationship to a peer, which is based on the perception of the other as a self-valuable person. [e balance between the two bases or the predominance of the subjective basis in interpersonal relations serves as the foundation for ethical behavior, but not for moral one. According to the views of E.O. Smirnova, in this case, children tend to follow ethical norms and rules, though only in speci\c situations when their behavior can be positively evaluated by peers or adults. Such ethical behavior is aimed at self-a]rmation of the child and increase in their self-esteem. Subject attitude towards a peer contributes to the transfer of ethical norms and rules into the real behaviour of the child. Following rules acquires the character of value: child cannot act otherwise. As L.S. Vygotsky wrote: “[e one who does not notice that he is acting morally acts morally.” Conclusions. [e theoretical approach to the problem of moral behavior in preschoolers served the basis for experimental work carried out under the guidance of E.O. Smirnova. [e study proved that to ensure genuine moral behavior the sense of communion and fellowship with others should become central issue in the upbringing of children. [is process involves removing \xation on themselves and their assessments, i.e., forming subjective attitude towards peers and adults. Practical application of the results. [e obtained results were used in practical work — a correctional and developmental programme aimed at providing a “special vision of the other” through the experience of living within a community and involvement with each other in real interaction was developed. Elena Olegovna Smirnova’s idea about the formation of subjective relationships as the main psychological condition of moral education might expand the possibilities of this approach application and extend it beyond the interpersonal relationships of children and their interaction with other people. “[e understanding of moral behavior is extremely expanding, because we acquire the right to talk not only about moral behavior in the narrow sense of the word, but also about the moral attitude to things, to oneself, to one’s body, etc.” (L.S. Vygotsky).

The Relationship between Socially Mindful Experiences and Behaviors in Preschoolers

The Relationship between Socially Mindful Experiences and Behaviors in Preschoolers

Parents and Teachers as Role Models for Healthy Behaviors in Preschoolers

Parents and Teachers as Role Models for Healthy Behaviors in Preschoolers

Screen time, mealtime media use, and dietary behaviors in Korean preschoolers: a cross-sectional study

Screen time, mealtime media use, and dietary behaviors in Korean preschoolers: a cross-sectional study

Early intervention of language and behavior in monolingual and bilingual preschoolers with Developmental Language Disorders

In the present study, we investigated Dutch language and behavior progress in monolingual and bilingual preschoolers with developmental language disorders (DLD). All were enrolled in an early intervention program targeting language and communication in interaction. Following a pretest–posttest design, 100 monolingual children (MAGE = 3;5) and 50 bilingual children (MAGE = 3;6) were tested on receptive and expressive vocabulary, language comprehension, and sentence production in Dutch as L1 versus L2. Pedagogical therapists rated children's internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems before and after the intervention. Results showed that monolingual and bilingual children improved their Dutch language abilities during the intervention, with no increase in behavioral problems. Bilingual children obtained lower Dutch language scores than monolingual peers. There was no evidence for differences in behavior problems between the groups. Furthermore, for both groups, better receptive vocabulary abilities, less progress in expressive vocabulary, and greater progress in language comprehension and sentence production during the intervention were related to fewer internalizing behaviors after the intervention. We conclude that strengthening Dutch language development during the intervention may also prevent the occurrence of internalizing behavioral problems in both monolingual and bilingual children with DLD.

Preschool environmental education: a systematic review

Preschool it is the optimal time to introduce environmental education in order to form positive behaviors of preschoolers regarding the environment. A systematic literature review of studies published from the last two decades was carried out, by using th

The Effects of White Noise on Attentional Performance and On-Task Behaviors in Preschoolers with ADHD.

Several models have tentatively associated improving attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms with arousal and external environmental stimulation. In order to further clarify the relationships between ADHD symptoms, arousal, and external stimulation, this study focused on exploring the "simultaneous" effects of white noise on intrinsic attentional performance and extrinsic on-task behaviors in preschoolers with and without ADHD. By using the computerized task (K-CPT 2), 104 preschoolers, including 52 ADHD children and 52 typically developing (TD) children, were tested and analyzed for their intrinsic attention (such as detectability, omission errors, commission errors, and reaction time). Simultaneously, these preschoolers' external on-task behaviors were recorded for analysis through systematic observation. This study showed that white noise could effectively improve attention performance, including enhancing the ability to differentiate non-targets from targets and decreasing omission errors. It could also reduce the extrinsic hyperactive behaviors of preschoolers with ADHD. The findings of this study highlighted that white noise stimulation is a beneficial non-pharmacological treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. In contrast, for TD preschoolers, the results of this study showed that the external white noise stimuli were not only unhelpful but also a burden.

Preliminary Examination of the Reliability and Validity of the Teacher Rating Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment for Preschool and Kindergarten Children

Prosocial behaviors in preschool and kindergarten are associated with student well-being and positive school outcomes. A teacher rating scale focused on young children’s social strengths can provide educators with important information for supporting children in their classroom with social instruction and intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the technical adequacy of a teacher rating scale developed expressly to measure prosocial development in young children, the Scale of Social Competence and School Adjustment (SSCSA). Using data from a sample of preschool- and kindergarten-aged children in inclusive classrooms, analyses examined the reliability and validity of the SSCSA. Results provided evidence of internal consistency and strong test-retest reliability over two weeks. Analyses of concurrent validity with criterion measures showed strong positive correlations with subscales of social skills and moderate to strong negative correlations with subscales of problem behaviors. Overall, findings provided initial evidence that supports ongoing evaluation of the technical adequacy of the SSCSA.

Promote Positive Behaviors in Preschoolers by Implementing an Innovative Educational Program for the Training and Development of Social and Emotional Skills (DeCo-S.E.).

The purpose of our research is to determine emotional and behavioural modelling in an emotionally safe environment in a group of kindergarten preschoolers, following the application of an innovative curriculum project, designed and implemented for the first time, Educational Program for the training and development of social and emotional skills (DeCo-S.E.). Eighteen teachers, involved in the research, were divided into two samples: the experimental group (EG) consisting of 10 preschool teachers who were trained to take up the DeCo-S.E. program, and the control group (GC) including eight preschool teachers who applied the classic educational strategies. The DeCo-S.E. program is aimed at developing social and emotional skills (emotion identification, frustration tolerance), reducing behavior problems, and solving problems with peers as part of the training process. The study also included 142 children in their last year at kindergarten, aged X ± SD 5.87 ± 2.87 years old, divided into two groups: the EG consisting of 74 children to whom the experimental program was implemented and the GC comprising 72 children who did not take part in the training program. In the present study, we applied only the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales for Teachers (PKBS-2) questionnaire to children in the pre- and post-experimental phases. The results were processed with the statistical software SPSS 22. The analysis of the scores of the questionnaire applied to the children highlighted a significant improvement in EG on both scales. The study reveals the effectiveness of the Development of social and emotional skills programs in preschool children has proven its effectiveness by reducing undesirable/maladaptive behaviours and positively developing socio-emotional skills in preschool children.

Hand-to-Face Contact of Preschoolers during Indoor Activities in Childcare Facilities in the Republic of Korea.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize hand-to-face contact (HFC) in children and analyze the factors that affect HFC behaviors of preschoolers in childcare facilities in Korea. Methods: Thirty preschoolers aged between 13 and 84 months were enrolled with parents’ voluntary participation. Videotaping (10 children/childcare center/2 h) and video reading was performed from 23 November 2018 to 7 January 2019. Results: A total of 2719 cases of HFC were observed in 30 participants within 2 h. The average contact with the facial mucosa (frequency/person/2 h) was 55.6 ± 42.2, of which the mouth (25.4 ± 23.9), the nose (20.4 ± 24.5), and the eye (9.8 ± 11.7) were the most frequent contacts, in that order. The average contact duration (sec/person/2 h) with the facial mucosa was 232.6 ± 169.7, of which the mouth (145.2 ± 150), the nose (57.6 ± 62.2), and the eyes (29.7 ± 42.3) were the longest in that order. The density distribution of the frequency and duration of mucosal contact was wider in boys than in girls. The mucosal and non-mucosal contact frequencies were significantly higher in boys (p = 0.027 and p = 0.030, respectively). Conclusion: Children’s HFC frequency and duration were highest for the mouth, nose, and eyes. Boys tended to have a higher contact frequency than girls for both mucous and non-mucous HFC.

Child executive function linking marital adjustment to peer nominations of prosocial behavior

AbstractObjectiveThis multimethod, short‐term longitudinal study examined the effect of interparental marital adjustment on Chinese preschool children's prosocial behavior, and further explored the mediating effect of child executive function in this process.BackgroundAlthough children from families characterized by high marital adjustment have been found to exhibit more prosocial behaviors, less is known about the longitudinal association between marital adjustment and peer nominations of child prosocial behavior and, more importantly, the cognitive mechanisms generating this association.MethodA total of 307 mothers and their 2–6‐year‐olds (151 boys, 156 girls) from mainland China participated in this study. Mothers were required to report on their marital adjustment (T1); their children were interviewed to nominate classmates who displayed more prosocial behaviors 5 months later (T2). In addition, child executive function abilities, including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility, were assessed with three cognitive tasks at T2.ResultsMother‐reported marital adjustment at T1 was positively related to peer nominations of prosocial behavior at T2, even after accounting for child gender and age. A latent construct of child executive function mediated this relationship. Specifically, better marital adjustment (T1) predicted greater child executive function (T2), which in turn was associated with more child prosocial behaviors (T2).ConclusionExecutive function explains the association between marital adjustment and peer nominations of prosocial behavior in preschoolers. This finding suggests that preschool children's prosocial behavior may be effectively promoted through efforts to improve marital adjustment and strengthen child executive function.