Child Interaction Research Articles

The role of gadgets in the everyday life of a young child: exploring the impact of digital dementia and the importance of digital hygiene

Introduction. With the rapid integration of digital technology into every aspect of society, it is inevitable that preschool children are also exposed to gadgets. This has raised concerns among parents, educators, and researchers alike. While there are undeniable benefits such as access to educational resources and innovative learning techniques, the excessive use of gadgets can have detrimental effects on children's attention span, speech development, and social skills. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a balanced and appropriate interaction between preschoolers and digital devices, drawing from the experiences of key influencers in children's development, namely parents and preschool teachers. The purpose of the research is to analyze the perspective and approach of parents, kindergarten teachers, and additional preschool education teachers regarding the utilization of electronic devices by young children. Materials and methods. The online survey involved 412 kindergarten teachers in the Sverdlovsk region (Russian Federation), as well as 15 teachers of additional preschool education institutions and 15 mothers of preschool children took part in a semi-structured interview. Results. Preschoolers have been found to have the highest level of exposure to gadgets both at home and in kindergartens. However, in additional education institutions, the integration of gadgets into their activities is not as prevalent, as they tend to rely more on traditional teaching methods. The majority of kindergarten teachers utilize gadgets when working with preschoolers. They often employ videos, cartoons, and interactive whiteboard lessons as teaching tools. It is worth noting that the percentage of teachers who oppose the use of gadgets has significantly decreased to 5%. On the other hand, 90% of teachers have a positive attitude towards digitalization and believe that the effective use of modern technologies can simplify their work and engage children, ultimately benefiting them. Nevertheless, it has been discovered that the prescribed norms for the use of digital technologies by preschool children are often not adhered to. This is due to the fact that children use gadgets at home for entertainment purposes, such as watching cartoons and playing games for 30-60 minutes or more per day. Additionally, in kindergartens, children spend around 20-30 minutes watching videos and educational content, resulting in a total screen time that often exceeds one hour per day. This highlights the necessity to enhance the digital competence of parents and teachers, implement a monitoring system for children's gadget usage, and develop comprehensive guidelines for children's interaction with digital technologies. Conclusion. The results of the study highlight the necessity of formulating comprehensive guidelines for children's engagement with digital technologies, alongside enhancing the digital proficiency of parents and educators. This approach will facilitate the proper utilization of gadgets and maximize the advantages they offer for a child's growth and development.

Reliability of pediatric Rome IV criteria for the diagnosis of disorders of gut-brain interaction.

The diagnosis of disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) in children is exclusively based on clinical criteria called the Rome criteria. The inter-rater reliability (IRR) measures how well two raters agree with a diagnosis using the same diagnostic tool. Previous versions of the Rome criteria showed only fair to moderate IRR. There have been no studies assessing the IRR of the current edition of the pediatric Rome criteria (Rome IV). This study sought to investigate the IRR of the pediatric Rome IV criteria and compare its reliability with the previous versions of the Rome criteria. We hypothesized that changes made to Rome IV would result in higher IRR than previous versions. This study used the same methodology as the previous studies on Rome II and III, including identical clinical vignettes, number of raters, and levels of expertise. Participants included 10 pediatric gastroenterology fellows and 10 pediatric gastroenterology specialists. IRR was assessed using the percentage of agreement and Cohen's kappa coefficient to account for possible agreement by chance. The average IRR percentage of agreement using the Rome IV criteria was 55% for pediatric gastroenterologists and 48.5% for fellows, indicating moderate agreement (k = 0.54 for specialists, k = 0.47 for fellows). The results demonstrated higher percentages of agreement and kappa coefficients compared to the Rome II and III criteria. The findings demonstrate improved reliability in Rome IV compared to Rome II and III, suggesting that the changes incorporated into the Rome IV criteria have enhanced diagnostic consistency. Despite the advancements, the reliability is still moderate, indicating the need for further refinement of future versions of the Rome criteria.

Investigating the Impact of Parental Involvement on Student Academic Achievement

Parental involvement is considered as one of the most influencing factors of a child's academic success. Like primary caregiver’s parents shape child’s attitude, behavior and success at school. Parental involvement not only affects academic achievement , but also personal development too. Our research reveals that parental involvement contributes to a child's social interaction, overall well-being, self-esteem and intellectual development. Many scholars have found that a good connection of parent’s influence makes a positive outcome of a child’s behavior, regular attendance, and academic achievement. However, there is still a gap on how to find appropriate strategies and forms of parental engagement. The research purpose tries to examine the connection of different parental engagement types as school events, conferences, meetings, involvement in homework. The research concludes with the main findings and discussion that shows how parental involvement helps to achieve student’s success.

무용동작치료가 윌리암스 증후군 아동의 고유수용성 감각과 정서적 상호작용에 미치는 효과

The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of dance movement therapy on proprioception and emotional interaction in children with Williams syndrome. For a thorough diagnosis of the proprioception of Williams syndrome, which shows aspects of a neurodevelopmental multisystem disorder, the seven movement diagnostic tests of dance therapy pioneer Lillan Espenak were used to specify the subject's problematic issues by area. Dance movement therapy tailored to the characteristics of the subject was conducted once a week (50 minutes), for 40 sessions. First, as a result of the LMA analysis by a motion analyst (CMA), compared to the initial stage of treatment, it was effective in improving physical function, including the balance of physical function, stabilization of movement (increased sustainability), and expansion of range of motion and vertical spatial movement. Second, there was a slight but positive improvement in emotional interaction when considering the diversity of language expressions and topics in terms of emotional and cognitive integration ability. In addition, free movement through practice of body dynamics and skills, coordination through interaction, and emotional exchange were confirmed through qualitative changes and progress in movement. In rehabilitation medicine research, many complex methods have been introduced to measure proprioception, but in reality, there is no method that can measure it perfectly. This study is meaningful in that it provides an understanding of the proprioception of children with Williams syndrome and suggests diagnostic and therapeutic effects for the rehabilitation and growth of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Development of an Inclusive Visual Dictionary for Autistic Children Using Human-Computer Interaction

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often face challenges in social interaction and communication. ASD communication resources will help in comprehensiveness, user-friendliness, and individual customization which this research addresses by developing a comprehensive Visual Dictionary (VD) designed specifically for their ASD needs. The research leverages on the visual strengths of children with ASD by creating a visually engaging and interactive dictionary using Figma tool due to its flexibility. The Visual Dictionary will provide a wide range of vocabulary and concepts relevant to children with ASD, promoting communication development, language skills, by employing Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) principles, the dictionary was designed in a user-friendly manner and accessible for children with varying abilities. The Visual Dictionary has the potential to improve communication skills, social interaction, and cognitive development in children with ASD. Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Visual Dictionary, Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Journal Reference Format: Abiola, O. A., Ojukwu, E.O., Ogunseye, E.O.& Akinola, S.O. (2024): Development of an Inclusive Visual Dictionary for Autistic Children Using Human-Computer Interaction. Social Informatics, Business, Politics, Law, Environmental Sciences & Technology Journal. Vol. 10, No. 2. Pp 31-41. www.isteams/socialinformaticsjournal. dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/SIJ/V10N2P4

Women's Communication Strategies in the Barbie Film

This study, conducted in a sociolinguistic setting, looks into the communication strategies utilized by female characters in the animated film "Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus." It looks at how these characters' verbal choices reflect and maybe perpetuate gendered norms and expectations, building on Coates' theory of conversational strategies. The study uses a qualitative analysis minimal responses, tag questions, questions, hedges, commands and directives, swearing and taboo language, as well as compliments used by the female characters in the film. This improves comprehension of the complicated connections between children's stories, language, gender, and social interaction. The goal is to provide a deeper understanding of the communicative preferences exhibited by these characters. Looking at women's words can reveal a lot about how gender identities are constructed and transmitted in animated storytelling. This study not only enriches the sociolinguistic academic discourse but also prompts a profound reflection on the role of language in shaping social norms. By providing a nuanced perspective on the communicative strategies of female characters, this research invites critical engagement with the dynamics of language, gender, and social interactions within the realm of animated narratives. This allows us to think more deeply about societal communication in movies. The results of this study indicate that women show characteristics of a gentler communication style with the use of limited gentle responses, subtle tag questions, and limited application of compliments. This preference prioritizes inclusion and brevity of communication over other techniques such as instructions, hedging, and taboo language. Keywords: Coates Theory, Communication Strategies, Female Characters

The influence of playful clothing during dental care with autistic children (ASD)

Objective: The objective of this article was to address children with ASD and the impact that clothing used by dentists can have. Methodology: Searches were carried out through data available on PUBMED Central and BVS/BIREME, with research carried out on the Scielo platforms, CAPES Newspaper Portal, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Science Direct, Newspapers, Chinese Literature and the Google Scholar platform. We obtained 44 articles addressing various information such as: the impact of recreational clothing on the interaction of children with TEA with dentistry. This literature review article was created from readings of Mattos's (2015) study. Results: From this study, it is confirmed that children with TEA tend to be hypersensitive to cores and luminosities, requiring most of the time dental treatment, using playful clothing, an essential tool to develop receptivity during consultations, in addition to creating a better patient x professional relationship.

The relationship of family support and peer acceptance in children aged 4–6: the mediating role of emotion regulation strategies

ABSTRACT To understand the relationship between family support, peer acceptance, and emotional regulation strategies, this study surveyed 595 four to six years old children and their parents from Henan Province, central China, using the Family Support Questionnaire, Emotional Regulation Strategy Questionnaire, and Preschool Children Test. The results showed that (1) Family support, peer acceptance, and emotion regulation strategies were significantly correlated; (2) Family support could significantly positively predict children's peer acceptance; (3) Emotion regulation strategies play partial mediating roles between family support and children's peer acceptance. The findings highlight that it is crucial to consider the family's impact on children's peer interactions and emotional regulation strategies. It enhances family systems theory by clarifying the mechanisms linking family support to children’s peer acceptance. Additionally, it argues that parents should assist children in acquiring positive emotion regulation strategies while simultaneously enhancing the level of family support, thereby enhancing children’s peer acceptance.

The importance of mother-child interaction on smart device usage and behavior outcomes among toddlers: a longitudinal study

BackgroundIn recent years, smart devices have become an integral part of daily life. However, longitudinal studies, particularly those regarding the relationship between toddlers’ smart device usage and behavioral outcomes, are limited. Understanding the impact of parent–child interactions on this relationship is crucial for enhancing toddlers’ developmental outcomes. Accordingly, this study examined the influence of early screen time and media content exposure on toddlers’ behaviors, as well as the positive effects of mother–child interactions on this influence.MethodsWe used relevant data related to 277 children born between November 2016 and July 2020 and who were part of an ongoing prospective follow-up study conducted across five hospitals in Taipei City, Taiwan. We analyzed (1) data from maternal reports regarding children’s behavior by using the Child Behavior Checklist (for ages 11/2–5 years), (2) assessments of mother–child interactions by using the Brigance Parent–Child Interactions Scale, and (3) self-reported parental data covering the first 3 postpartum years. Statistical analyses involved group-based trajectory modeling and multiple linear regression.ResultsA considerable increase in screen time between the ages of 1 and 3 years was associated with less favorable behavioral outcomes at age 3. These outcomes included somatic complaints [adjusted beta coefficient (aβ) = 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.39–3.95, p-value = 0.01], withdrawal (aβ = 2.42, 95% CI = 0.15–4.69, p-value = 0.04), and aggressive behavior (aβ = 6.53, 95% CI = 0.25–12.81, p-value = 0.04). This association was particularly evident among children with lower levels of mother–child interaction. Nevertheless, positive mother–child interactions mitigated most of the adverse effects. Additionally, increased exposure to games and cartoons was associated with poorer behavioral outcomes in all children except for those experiencing positive mother–child interactions.ConclusionEarly mother–child interactions play a crucial role in mitigating the risk of behavioral problems in toddlers who spend prolonged periods looking at screens and who are frequently exposed to game and cartoon content.

Evaluating the accuracy of automated processing of child and adult language production in preschool classrooms.

Young children's language and social development is influenced by the linguistic environment of their classrooms, including their interactions with teachers and peers. Measurement of the classroom linguistic environment typically relies on observational methods, often providing limited 'snapshots' of children's interactions, from which broad generalizations are made. Recent technological advances, including artificial intelligence, provide opportunities to capture children's interactions using continuous recordings representing much longer durations of time. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of the Interaction Detection in Early Childhood Settings (IDEAS) system on 13 automated indices of language output using recordings collected from 19 children and three teachers over two weeks in an urban preschool classroom. The accuracy of language outputs processed via IDEAS were compared to ground truth via linear correlations and median absolute relative error. Findings indicate high correlations between IDEAS and ground truth data on measures of teacher and child speech, and relatively low error rates on the majority of IDEAS language output measures. Study findings indicate that IDEAS may provide a useful measurement tool for advancing knowledge about children's classroom experiences and their role in shaping development.

THE DURATION OF GADGET USE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL INTERACTION IN CHILDREN AT SDN 1 CRAKEN

Gadgets can be found anywhere, both adults and children. Children have now become active consumers where many electronic products and gadgets make children their target market. Apart from children, parents also love gadgets so much that they are called gadget crazy. The purpose of this research is to analyze the relationship between the duration of gadget use and the development of social interaction in children at SDN 1 Craken. The design of this research is quantitative observational research with a cross-sectional approach with the research focus directed at analyzing the relationship between the duration of gadget use and the development of social interaction in children at SDN 1 Craken. The total population was 33 respondents, the sample was 30 respondents taken using the Simple Random Sampling technique. The research results showed that the majority of respondents who used gadgets lasted 1-2 hours, namely 12 respondents (40.0%). Most of the respondents had sufficient development in the social interaction category, namely 14 respondents (46.7%). Based on the results of the Spearmen Rank analysis, it shows that the p-value is 0.000 < 0.05, so H1 is accepted so it can be concluded that there is a partial relationship between the duration of gadget use and the development of social interaction in students. children at SDN 1 Craken. It is hoped that parents will pay attention to how gadgets affect children's social interactions. Apart from that, it also records in detail the social activities carried out by children outside of gadget use to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the relationship between the duration of gadget use and the development of their social interactions.

Infants and toddlers in the United States with more close relationships have larger vocabularies.

Young children learn language from their caregivers, family members, and friends. However, with few exceptions, contemporary developmental scientists have studied language input and language learning through the lens of the primary caregiver and the nuclear family, rather than the infants' broader communities. In many communities-and increasingly in the United States-nonnuclear family structures are common, and extended kin, fictive kin, and intergenerational relationships are relied upon for child care. Understanding children's relationships within kinship networks can allow for more inclusive depictions of children's social interactions and their language experiences. We drew upon methods used by researchers studying social networks to assess U.S. infants' and toddlers' network composition. Results showed that young children with a greater number of close relationships (but not those with larger networks overall) had larger vocabularies, after controlling for age and socioeconomic status. These findings suggest that distributed models of child-rearing are an influential factor in early language growth and call for increased attention to social networks for understanding children's developmental trajectories. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Forms and functions of self-repetition in Mandarin child-directed speech

The present study aims to investigate how self-repetition is used to serve communicative purposes in Mandarin mother–child interaction, focusing particularly on mothers’ child-directed speech. The participants of this study consisted of 12 Mandarin-speaking children (4 two-year-olds, 4 three-year-olds, and 4 four-year-olds) and their mothers. Natural conversation from each mother–child dyad was collected for a total of 12 h. The occurrences of self-repetition in the data were analyzed in terms of their forms and functions. The results showed that the mothers of younger children tended to use self-repetition more frequently than the mothers of older children. The predominant form of self-repetition was expanded repetition, and the major functions were soliciting responses and emphasis. Detailed analyses showed how the mothers used the different forms of self-repetition to express various functions. It was concluded that self-repetition in child-directed speech plays an important role in facilitating mother–child interaction and that it may also reflect mothers’ sensitivity to the developing linguistic, cognitive, and communicative abilities of their children.

Enhancing Peer Greeting Skills in Early Childhood Children with ASD Through SST

This study investigates the efficacy of Social Skill Training (SST) in enhancing the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during kindergarten years. Children with ASD often struggle with social interactions, hindering their integration into preschool environments. Using a quantitative approach with a Single Subject Research (SSR) A-B-A design, this research focused on improving the "peer greeting" skill, specifically through waving. Results indicate significant improvement across study phases, with waving frequency increasing from 3-4 times in baseline-1 to 6-7 times during intervention, and further to 9-10 times in baseline-2. The findings underscore the effectiveness of SST in enhancing social skills among children with ASD, particularly in initiating greetings through waving. This research contributes valuable insights into evidence-based interventions for improving social interactions in children with ASD during their formative years.

The association between the scarlet fever and meteorological factors, air pollutants and their interactions in children in northwest China.

Scarlet fever (SF) is an acute respiratory transmitted disease that primarily affects children. The influence of meteorological factors and air pollutants on SF in children has been proved, but the relevant evidence in Northwest China is still lacking. Based on the weekly reported cases of SF in children in Lanzhou, northwest China, from 2014 to 2018, we used geographical detectors, distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM), and bivariate response models to explore the influence of meteorological factors and air pollutants with SF. It was found that ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), temperature, pressure, water vapor pressure and wind speed were significantly correlated with SF based on geographical detectors. With the median as reference, the influence of high temperature, low pressure and high pressure on SF has a risk effect (relative risk (RR) > 1), and under extreme conditions, the dangerous effect was still significant. High O3 had the strongest effect at a 6-week delay, with an RR of 5.43 (95%CI: 1.74,16.96). The risk effect of high SO2 was strongest in the week of exposure, and the maximum risk effect was 1.37 (95%CI: 1.08,1.73). The interactions showed synergistic effects between high temperatures and O3, high pressure and high SO2, high nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and high particulate matter with diameter of less than 10μm (PM10), respectively. In conclusion, high temperature, pressure, high O3 and SO2 were the most important factors affecting the occurrence of SF in children, which will provide theoretical support for follow-up research and disease prevention policy formulation.

Roles of caregiver-child interaction on the association of socioeconomic status with early childhood development: a population-based study in rural China

ObjectiveSocioeconomic status (SES) has been previously associated with children’s early development, health, and nutrition; however, evidence about the potential role of caregiver-child interaction in such associations was limited. This study aimed to explore the effect of caregiver-child interaction on the associations of SES with child developmental outcomes, including early neurodevelopment and social-emotional behavior.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2078 children aged 0–6 in a rural county that just lifted out of poverty in 2020 in Central China. The Ages & Stages Questionnaires-Chinese version (ASQ-C) and the Social-Emotional (ASQ: SE) questionnaire were used to assess children's early neurodevelopment and social-emotional behavior, respectively. Caregiver-child interaction was evaluated with the Brigance Parent–Child Interactions Scale. Regression-based statistical mediation and moderation effect were conducted with the PROCESS macro of SPSS.ResultsChildren with low SES had an increased risk of suspected neurodevelopmental delay [OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.44] and social-emotional developmental delay [OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.66]. The caregiver-child interaction partially mediated the associations of SES with child developmental outcomes; the proportion of the indirect effect was 14.9% for ASQ-C total score and 32.1% for ASQ: SE score. Moreover, the caregiver-child interaction had a significant moderation effect on the association of SES with ASQ-C total score (P < 0.05). A weaker association was observed in children with high-level caregiver-child interaction than in medium and low ones. Similar moderating effects were found among boys but not girls.ConclusionCaregiver-child interaction plays a vital role in the relationship between SES and child development. Children with low SES households will benefit more in terms of their early development from intervention programs strengthening caregiver-child interaction.

Instilling Tasâmuh Values in Shaping Children's Personalities at Harapan Mulia Orphanage

This research aims to find out how the instillation of tasâmuh values in shaping the personality of foster children, as well as identifying supporting and inhibiting factors in the implementation of instilling tasâmuh values in shaping the personalities of foster children at the Harapan Mulia Marabahan Orphanage. The type of research used is field research with a descriptive approach. The research subjects consisted of caregivers, administrators and foster children. Meanwhile, the object of this research is instilling the value of tasâmuh in foster children as well as supporting and inhibiting factors in instilling the value of tasâmuh in foster children at the Harapan Mulia Marabahan Orphanage. Based on the data findings, it was found that instilling the value of tasâmuh in shaping the personality of foster children was carried out in several ways, namely through orphanage regulations, such as routine activities, rules, sanctions and punishments. Meanwhile, what caregivers apply is advice and examples. The supporting factors for instilling tasâmuh values are the small number of foster children and a positive response from the local community/government, the inhibiting factors are those that come from the environment outside the orphanage which concerns the child's interactions and the child's life before joining the orphanage which has a different parenting pattern in the orphanage.

Relations between teacher–child interaction quality and children’s playfulness

ABSTRACT Adults’ behaviour in interactions with children is assumed to influence children’s playfulness. However, little is known about how the quality of teacher–child interaction in early childhood education and care affects the development of children’s playfulness, although the interaction quality has been identified as a strong predictor of children's development in various domains. The present study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between children’s multidimensional playfulness and the quality of teacher–child interactions. At first measurement, 62 teachers in early childhood education and care (ECEC) were observed to assess the quality of their interactions with children using the standardized CLASS Toddler scale. The playfulness of 393 children was assessed using the children’s playfulness scale at the same time and one year later. No significant effects were found cross-sectionally. Longitudinally, high interaction quality in learning support was marginally negatively related to children’s total score of playfulness and significantly negatively to the playfulness dimensions of cognitive and physical spontaneity. We discuss which teaching styles might hamper or promote children’s playfulness.

Guided Drawing with Preschool Dual Language Learners in Head Start: Building Science Vocabulary and Content Knowledge

Drawing offers a way for young children to demonstrate what they understand about the world. This study reports on the findings from an eight-week intervention program called guided drawing designed to build vocabulary and content knowledge for dual language learners in Head Start settings. Four researcher-designed assessment measures were used to assess thirteen preschoolers’ vocabulary and concept knowledge at the receptive, expressive, and definitional levels in a pre/post-intervention design. Analysis of researcher-designed measures reveals positive changes in all vocabulary and concept knowledge areas targeted by the intervention. Thematic analysis of researcher–child interactions and drawing products indicates the guided drawing intervention provided opportunities and context for every participating child to explore new content and concepts related to science learning; reveal what they know; grow knowledge and vocabulary; reveal misunderstandings; and overhear and adopt new language.

Understanding experiences and interactions of children with Asperger’s syndrome in Virtual Reality-based learning systems

ABSTRACT Asperger’s syndrome is part of the large group of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Children with Asperger’s syndrome suffer from communication difficulties, which leads to disabilities related to social skills and learning. One of the novel suggested approaches to help in their social interaction and learning has been the use of Virtual Reality environments. Following this path, in this long-term study, we explored the social interaction and communication of children with Asperger’s syndrome within a Virtual Reality-based learning system. Children with Asperger’s syndrome used the system in a controlled environment for three months. By conducting a qualitative study based on Constructivist Grounded Theory methods and the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, involving the children, their teachers and mental health experts, we perceived that after initially demonstrating discomfort with the system’s characters, children interacted with the characters of the VR system, facing their communication difficulties, and expressing emotional states (e.g. fear, shyness, and probable suicidal desire). Based on the results, we provide novel insights related to the perception of children with Asperger’s syndrome regarding the use of Virtual Reality-based learning systems.