Children's Participation Research Articles

Open innovation: the experience of NaturTEC-Kids Living Lab in the co-design of a video game to engage children and adolescents with nature

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to describe and analyze the process of co-creation and evaluation of an educational video game application called “Natur-Kingdom,” developed within the framework of the NaturTEC-Kids Living Lab with the active participation of children and adolescents. This article aims to demonstrate how the integration of end users into the creation process of this techno-educational solution enabled the identification and adaptation of key elements, focusing on technology’s role in connecting children to the natural environment, fostering ecological awareness, and promoting pro-environmental behaviors. Additionally, it aims to highlight the effectiveness of co-design, testing, and evaluation sessions, in identifying areas for improvement and optimization in the design, ensuring that the final technological system meets its pedagogical objectives and remains accessible and appealing to its target audience.

Contributing factors for participation and independence in children and youths with disabilities

Background Disabilities can hinder children’s and youths’ participation (frequency of attendance and engagement) and independence in everyday life. Aims To identify factors that predict levels of participation and independence in everyday activities in Swedish children and youths with disabilities. Material and methods This cross-sectional study, including 131 participants, utilised instruments about child and environmental factors. LASSO regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors of participation and independence. Results An item screening for comprehension difficulties was the strongest predictor of attendance, engagement, and independence in daily activities. Other influential child factors included the presence of seizures, speech abilities, age, pain levels, and motor functions. None of the studied environmental factors were retained as predictors in the models. Conclusions Difficulties in intellectual functioning need to be evaluated and considered in planning interventions to improve participation and independence. Likewise, multifaceted nature of challenges found in this study underscores the need for diversity of interventions tailored for individual needs. Significance The result underscores the critical role of comprehension and intellectual functioning in predicting and enhancing participation and independence in children and youths with disabilities, advocating for comprehensive assessments and sustained support.

Barriers to Physical Activity Participation in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background: Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders tend to participate in less physical activity. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to physical activity participation in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on parental reports. Methods: The sample comprised 370 children and adolescents with ASD, aged 8–20 years. Simple random sampling was selected. We designed a questionnaire and used the survey method for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The results revealed several barriers to physical activity participation: interpersonal barriers were the top priority, followed by friends and peers as well as psychological factors as the second and third priorities. Additionally, family, cognition, management and planning, social and cultural factors, and skills were identified as the fourth through eighth barriers, respectively. Conclusions: Understanding these barriers is crucial for developing effective school- and community-based strategies to promote physical activity participation.

Should family group conferencing be assessed as a child and family rights participatory model or as an intervention Method? – A comprehensive quantitative Danish study measuring and discussing effects on both Dimensions

Since the development of family group conferencing (FGC) in New Zealand, there has been ongoing debates on the model’s short-term and long-term effectiveness and how this should be measured. In general, family group conferencing can be approached as either a rights-based participatory approach or as an intervention method, akin to other social methodologies. This distinction leads to different criteria for assessment. In Denmark, a large-scale quantitative mixed methods study (N = 6286 participants in 1156 FGCs) was conducted in the period from 2014 to 2020 to examine the effects of both a rights-based and an intervention approach in the short-term and long-term and to discuss their interrelation. The findings indicate that family group conferencing scores highly in terms of both participatory effectiveness and intervention effectiveness. However, only the rights aspect is sustainable independently, but both dimensions can be measured and have importance. Furthermore, the interplay between these approaches provides unique insights into the participation of children and the extended family, and how it effects their hope and well-being in the short term. The research can hopefully contribute to the debate on how to assess FGC with an easily transferable model and in-depth empirical knowledge.

Virtual Reality Based Executive Function Training in Schools: The Experience of Primary School-Aged Children, Teachers and Training Teaching Assistants

Executive function (EF) is a set of higher order cognitive processes through which learning and everyday goals are realised. They comprise the fundamental building blocks of how we plan, execute, monitor and regulate tasks, and impact our cognitive, socioemotional and behavioural responses. An important question to consider is how we can support children to develop effective EF skills through motivating and age-appropriate training. Virtual reality (VR) offers an interesting avenue to enhance motivation due to the experience of presence and immersion, however, whether children experience presence and immersion similarly to adults is unknown and could impact the educational utility of VR over other media. In order to understand whether VR is suitable for an educational setting we must understand the experience of key stakeholders, such as school-aged children and adults that will be facilitating use in the educational context. Therefore, the current study aims to understand the experience of key stakeholders using EF training delivered in a VR environment, to enable reflection on the feasibility and usability of the technology. This study aimed to explore the qualitative experiences of 8 primary school-aged children, 5 teachers and 13 training teaching assistants, after playing an EF training game, Koji’s Quest, on a VR head mounted display. Firstly we found that most teachers and trainee teachers gave good ratings of usability, but in their subjective descriptions of use focused on hedonic experiences, whereas, children focused on pragmatic experiences. Results also indicate that adults may favour ‘being’ definitions of presence, whereas child participants appear to incorporate both ‘being’ and ‘doing’ definitions into their accounts. This research has implications for how VR based EF training can be maximised within an educational setting.

Historical aspects of bioethics of research and innovation in pediatric surgery

The article reveals historical aspects of the bioethics of research and innovation in pediatric surgery. Surgical innovations are inherently noble efforts aimed at improving the health of patients through a new method of diagnosis or treatment. Together with the freedom to create something new and innovate comes the need to protect patients from the potential risks associated with a new way of diagnosis or treatment. Throughout the development of medicine, from the Hammurabi Code to the adoption of international ethical guidelines for human health research in 2016, a tendency has been traced aimed at addressing the issue of the legality of using research on humans in general and in performing pediatric surgical interventions, in particular. From the time of the Belmont Report to the present, the guidelines for conducting human experiments have been based on four core values or principles underlying modern medical ethics: benevolence, non-harm, justice and personal autonomy. Children deserve special treatment from researchers and research ethics committees. For more than a hundred years, participation of children in scientific research has been disputed, nevertheless, there is a large number of examples in the scientific literature of involving children in this kind of activity. Children were previously seen as important participants in the progress of medical knowledge and the development of new drugs and vaccines. The development of pediatric surgery and the establishment of bioethical principles have led to the restriction of such reckless experiments on children. The development of pediatric surgery and the establishment of bioethical principles have led to the limitation of such reckless experiments on children. Monitoring of such investigations by the medical community is very important, in which ethics committees play a central role. The work of these committees is based on a set of international legal and advisory acts accumulated by humanity, which are fundamental in the field of bioethics.

The Combination of Gamification Teaching and Technology

As technology continues to advance, its integration into kindergarten education is becoming more common. The use of electronic devices, such as smart televisions and educational software, enriches teaching and learning and enhances children's participation and learning. Interactive tools, including multimedia and gamified learning applications, can foster children's problem-solving, communication and cooperation skills and contribute to their overall development. Research has found that while technology can bring many educational benefits, early childhood educators and parents must be alert to potential risks, such as the negative impact on children's health of over-reliance on devices and prolonged screen use. This study analyses the impact of technology on young children's learning and lives through literature analysis and the study of past experimental results. The findings suggest that (1) teachers need to make thoughtful use of technology and select age-appropriate games and educational tools to meet children's developmental needs. (2) Ongoing teacher training and the development of innovative educational applications are essential to maximize the benefits of technology while protecting children's physical and mental health. (3) Appropriate assessment, feedback and data-driven personalized instruction can ensure the effective integration of technology in preschool education and lay a solid foundation for children's future learning.

Self-Reported Multidimensional Gender Identity in Autistic and Non-Autistic Children.

PURPOSE: The several prior studies assessing gender identity in young autistic individuals mostly included a mix of child and adolescent participants, heavily relied on parent-reported measures, and yielded mixed findings. A single parent-reported item from the Child Behavior Checklist assessing "wish to be of the opposite sex" was employed in most of these studies. Only one prior study focused specifically on children, but that study employed parent-reported measures. Using self-reported multidimensional measures, the present study assessed gender identity in autistic and non-autistic children aged 4 to 11 years (30 autistic boys, 35 non-autistic boys, 20 autistic girls, 35 non-autistic girls). Child-friendly measures were used to assess own-gender similarity, other-gender similarity, gender contentedness, and wish to be of the other gender. Vocabulary and non-verbal reasoning were also assessed. Based on descriptive statistics, compared with non-autistic boys, autistic boys showed increased gender identity variance across all four dimensions (lower own-gender similarity, higher other-gender similarity, lower gender contentedness, greater wish to be of the other gender). These group differences between autistic and non-autistic boys were medium and statistically significant for three of the four dimensions and small-to-medium and marginally significant for the remaining dimension. Autistic girls and non-autistic girls did not show consistent or significant differences in gender identity. There were no differences between the autistic and non-autistic groups in vocabulary or non-verbal reasoning in either boys or girls. Gender identity variance may emerge early in development in autistic individuals, but the trajectory may differ for boys and girls.

Teachers’ and kindergartners’ perceptions of children’s participation in interactive book reading

Children learn language through participating in language-rich activities such as book reading. This longitudinal qualitative study explored the perception of 11 teachers and 78 kindergartners regarding children’s participation in book-reading in order to understand how it is experienced by those most involved in this activity. Each participant was interviewed three times, before, after and 3-month after a professional development program on interactive book reading. The reflexive thematic analysis yielded four themes describing: 1) the shift from a more adult-controlled to a more spontaneous child participation; 2) the challenges teachers faced in facilitating children’s participation while maintaining the rhythm of the story; 3) the evolution of children’s perceptions of their role in reading; and 4) children’s perceptions of the relationship between their behavior and their right to participate. The findings have implications for supporting collaboration between teachers and school-based speech-language pathologists to facilitate the implementation of language-supportive practices in the classroom.

Children’s world-making practices as peacebuilders in the community

ABSTRACT The vulnerabilities of children are compounded by the impacts proceeding armed conflict, but they are often not involved as citizens in peacebuilding efforts. Consequently, the participation of children in peacebuilding initiatives is often tokenistic, despite evidence of the role children play in contributing to reconstruction and peacebuilding. To challenge this normative narrative, this paper illustrates the benefits of peacebuilding activities when children lead them. The research focuses on data gathered from arts-based peacebuilding projects in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal and Rwanda, focused on youth empowerment and the strengthening of community relations. Through analysis of 70 interviews with children (N = 32) and adult stakeholders (e.g. teachers/artists/policymakers/community-leaders/third-sector organisations) (N = 38), the paper explores the role of children in world-making practices, as well as their capacity as current and future leaders. The paper engages with the Figured Worlds framework, demonstrating the benefits of arts-based methods that promote intergenerational dialogue and enable children to imagine a better future in the present. It presents a model that illustrates the dynamics related to the creation of cultural artefacts that challenge fossilised tools for community mediation, suggesting that arts-based programmes can significantly alter how a community comes to discuss important aspects of sustainable peacebuilding.

Participation at the margins – participation practices from the viewpoint of young people in residential care

ABSTRACT This article critically discusses young service users’ participation rights and participation processes in residential group care concerning the challenges, requirements, and opportunities that such a form of organised participation entails for them. A comparative analysis of findings from two qualitative studies from Germany and Switzerland is an empirical basis. Experiences of lived, negotiated, or subtle struggles for the participation of children and youth in everyday institutional life are presented. Identified resistant practices of children and youth, which are of great importance to them, deviate from the usual organisational and normative requirements for participation. The article closes a vital research gap: It presents young people's strategies for dealing with organised and sometimes tokenistic participation. The focus on the self-will of the young actors offers the possibility of supplementing a frequently normative discourse about securing children´s rights in alternative care without making the lifeworld of the young service users and their views a starting point for interventions and legal interpretations. Moreover, the results of both research projects indicate that participation in the everyday life of young people in residential care organisations entails special requirements and challenges, which will be presented here in more detail.

Technical variability across the 450K, EPICv1, and EPICv2 DNA methylation arrays: lessons learned for clinical and longitudinal studies

DNA methylation (DNAm) is the most commonly measured epigenetic mechanism in human populations, with most studies using Illumina arrays to assess DNAm levels. In 2023, Illumina updated their DNAm arrays to the EPIC version 2 (EPICv2), building on prior iterations, namely the EPIC version 1 (EPICv1) and 450K arrays. Whether DNAm measurements are stable across these three generations of arrays has yet not been investigated, limiting the ability of researchers—especially those with longitudinal data—to compare and replicate results across arrays. Here, we present results from a study of 30 child participants (15 male; 15 female) from the Drakenstein Child Health Study, who had DNAm measured on all three of the latest arrays: 450K, EPICv1, and EPICv2. Using these data, we created an annotation of probe quality across arrays, which includes the intraclass correlations, interquartile ranges, correlations, and array bias (i.e., the extent to which DNAm levels were explained by array type) of all CpGs. We also present results from an analysis of sex differences, where we found that CpGs with lower replicability across arrays had higher array-based variance, suggesting this variance metric help guide replication efforts. We also showed that epigenetic age estimates across arrays were more stable when using the principal component versions of epigenetic clocks. Ultimately, this collection of results provides a framework for investigating the replicability and longitudinal stability of epigenetic changes across multiple versions of Illumina DNAm arrays.

Blinding of transcranial direct current stimulation is compromised in typically developing children compared to young adults.

Achieving successful blinding is a persistent challenge for clinical trials involving transcranial direct current stimulation. Studies involving populations with increased sensory sensitivity, such as children, could be at risk for increased bias from inadequate blinding due to unique sensation of stimulation relative to adults. The objectives of this study were 1) To examine differences in transcranial stimulation blinding between children and young adults and its relationship to sensory sensitivity. 2) To test the efficacy of an ActiSham protocol for participant blinding, compared to a traditional sham protocol. Typically developing right-handed children (N = 12, 5-14 yr) and young adults (N = 15, 15-25 yr) completed a single-session study to test transcranial stimulation blinding after three conditions counterbalanced across participants: Active, Sham and ActiSham. Stimulation was paired with a motor learning task to simulate a combinatory neurorehabilitation intervention. After each condition, participants reported if they received real or fake stimulation and their response confidence. To quantify sensory sensitivity, participants completed the Sensory Profile (second edition). Compared to a chance level, 1) children and young adults correctly identified Active stimulation, 2) children incorrectly identified Sham and ActiSham stimulation and 3) young adults identified Sham and ActiSham stimulation at chance-level. Blinding accuracy was not related to sensory sensitivity. Children report stimulation as real stimulation with higher confidence for almost all conditions, indicating unsuccessful blinding compared to young adults. Future studies should consider alternative sham protocols or methods to improve blinding in child participants.

Reflections from Shaking the Movers, London: Reconciliation and Places Where We All Belong

This paper examines the experiences and outcomes of the Shaking the Movers (STM) workshop held in London, Ontario in the Fall of 2023. It begins with a general overview of STM, and provides details about the workshop including structure, facilitation tools, participant recruitment, and the role of undergraduate facilitators in designing interactive rights-based puppet shows and activities, and carrying out the workshop with children. Key themes relevant to the workshop topic: ‘Reconciliation and Places where we all Belong’ are unpacked along with findings that are grounded in children’s viewpoints, experiences, and perspectives. The paper concludes with a reflection on the impact of STM on child participants, undergraduate students (workshop facilitators), and organizers.

Ethical issues in vaccine trial participation by adolescents: qualitative insights on family decision making from a human papillomavirus vaccine trial in Tanzania

BackgroundResearch in children is essential for them to benefit from the outcomes of research but involvement must be weighed against potential harms. In many countries and circumstances, medical research legally requires parental consent until the age of 18 years, with poorly defined recommendations for assent prior to this. However, there is little research exploring how these decisions are made by families and the ethical implications of this.AimTo explore key ethical debates in decision-making for participation of children and adolescents in a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine trial.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were undertaken with Tanzanian girls (aged 9–16 years) who had participated in an HPV vaccine trial (n = 13), their parents or guardians (n = 12), and girls together with their parents (in paired parent-child interviews) (n = 6). The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Interview data came from a qualitative acceptability study undertaken as part of the Dose Reduction Immunobridging and Safety Study of Two Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines in Tanzanian Girls (DoRIS) trial.ResultsGirls and parents desired collaborative decision-making, with parents ultimately making the decision to consent. However, girls wanted a larger part in decision-making. Decisions to consent involved many people, including extended social networks, the trial team, media outlets and healthcare professionals and this resulted in conflicts to be negotiated. Deciding where to place trust was central in participants and parents considering decisions to consent and overcoming rumours about trial involvement.ConclusionsExisting models of decision-making help to understand dynamics between parents, adolescents and researchers but neglect the important wider social impacts and the fundamental nature of trust. Children’s roles in discussions can be evaluated using the principles of consent: autonomy, freedom and information. Concepts such as relational autonomy help to explain mechanisms families use to negotiate complex consent decisions. Whilst interviewees supported the maintenance of legal parental consent, researchers must design consent processes centring the child to ensure that whole family decision-making processes are supported.

Mapping the Landscape of Inclusion: A Multidimensional Conceptual Framework for Inclusive Education in Pakistan

Using qualitative conceptual analysis in this paper, the author wants to develop a conceptual understanding of the provision of education in Pakistan. Using literature from various disciplines, paradigms of inclusive education in Pakistan and in developing countries are compared to develop a theory that would encompass the ideas developed up until now. The resulting conceptual framework consists of seven interconnected concepts: Support, programmes, legislation/policy, school climate, teacher education, curriculum implementation, community involvement, finance, and organizational culture. This framework can be beneficial in the huge Pakistani process of attempting to conceptualize and systematically understand the complexities of implementing inclusive education. It can assist policymakers, practitioners, and researchers in changing and evolving research for the improvement of inclusive education in Pakistan. Last, the paper concludes and considers how the topic and ideas the paper presents could be taken forward to strengthen the practice of integration and participation of children with disabilities in each of the educational systems in Pakistan. More specifically, there is a need for findings regarding the international concept of inclusive education, the continued expansion and elaboration of its theoretical paradigms and models, including education policies and outcomes, and teacher training in relation to inclusion, curriculum development, and community participation regarding exclusion in Pakistan.

Participation of Indigenous children and young people to improve health and wellbeing.

Participation of Indigenous children and young people to improve health and wellbeing.

마음챙김 기반 젠탱글(Zentangle)의 활용 방안 모색: 아동 대상 젠탱글아트명상 프로그램 운영 사례를 중심으로

Objectives This study is to derive a relational model between mindfulness meditation, Zentangle, self-healing, and to explore ways to utilize mindfulness-based Zentangle by studying cases of Zentangle art meditation programs for children. Methods To this end, we explored related literature and previous research and conducted a case study to derive a model for the relationship between Zentangle and mindfulness meditation from a self-healing perspective. Data collection includes 250 children's Zentangle works published serially in Lotus magazine from March 2021 to February 2022, their impressions, and phone interviews with Buddhist instructors. Results First, the relational model between mindfulness meditation, Zentangle, and self-healing focuses on the senses in the process of drawing, and awareness is promoted through inner concentration, and in this process, the mind deeply suppressed in the unconscious is expressed through drawings. It can be seen that concentration, awareness, and self-expression increase the effect of ‘mind and body stability’, and this is cyclical. Second, the purpose, content, and method of using mindfulness-based Zentangle are as follows. The purpose is for preventative self-healing. The content is selected as a material that gives children a sense of familiarity and trust so that they can recognize that they can take good care of themselves and practice this in their daily lives. The method focuses on the use of various materials that take the child's psychology and emotions into account and a step-by-step creative process based on self-healing. Self-healing can be created by oneself through craft work using Zentangle, and self-healing can be achieved through exhibition activities. Organize mind-expanding activities that help you realize your connection to the healing of others. Conclusions It was confirmed that Zentangle can be used to promote self-healing as a mindfulness tool that helps children's voluntary participation. The significance of this study is that it was presented as basic data for the development and application of a mindfulness-based Zentangle program for children.

The changing nature of how and where Australians play sport

BackgroundUnderstanding participation in sport is important for sport policy, strategy and management. Most research regarding participation in sport report general trends in participation rates. However, as societies trends in leisure-time activities are changing, we need to also understand the settings of sport participation. The aim of this study was to investigate the settings of sport participation of children and adults across 13 major sports in Victoria, Australia.MethodsThis study utilised data about sport participation collected in the AusPlay survey from a representative sample of adults and children in Victoria, Australia. For each of the 13 sports, the settings of participation were identified for 2020, 2021 and 2022. Respondents can report participation in a particular activity in more than one setting. Therefore, we use the term “instance of participation” to refer to a person playing a particular sport in a particular setting. We calculated the weighted frequencies and prevalences pertaining to sport participation instances in each setting.ResultsIn 2022 compared to 2020, overall participation was 1.1% higher for children and 1.2% higher for adults. For children and adults, the most popular sport for each year was swimming. In 2022, the next most popular sports for children were Australian football, basketball, gymnastics and soccer, and for adults’ tennis, basketball, golf and Australian football. For children, approximately half of participation took place within a sports club or association setting (56-60%). For adults, approximately one third of participation took place within a sports club or association setting (36%). Much of the adult participation took place in non-organised settings. The largest increases in participation in clubs and associations in 2022 compared to 2020 for children was for, hockey, soccer, gymnastics, and Australian football. The adult participation in sports clubs or associations did not fair as well, with 8 sports decreasing the proportion of participation in this setting.ConclusionAs a society, we continue to evolve in how we consume participation in sport, and sport policy, infrastructure and opportunities to play need to be directed towards those particular settings and modes of delivery of sport where and how individuals want to play.

Refugee Caregivers' Perceptions of Using Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Support Coping Skills in Children with Disability in Jordan.

Background: Refugee children with disabilities are vulnerable to developing dysfunctional coping skills due to barriers in accessing health care services, including occupational therapy (OT). This study investigated the perceptions of refugee caregivers regarding the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) as a treatment for coping skills among their children with disabilities. Methods: A qualitative survey was used to analyse the coping mechanisms and access to services among refugee children with disabilities, as well as their caregivers' perceptions regarding the use of MBIs. The caregivers were recruited using convenience sampling from a database of individuals at the Al-Baqa'a refugee camp in Jordan via their community-based rehabilitation (CBR) centre. A demographic survey was sent to 156 refugees using WhatsApp. Refugees above the age of 18 years identifying as the caregivers of children with disabilities were eligible. Twenty-eight individuals completed the survey, and twenty-six were eligible. Open-ended questions asked about their child's struggles, supports, barriers to support, and perceptions of MBIs. The data were collected via Google Sheets. Three researchers coded the responses using a descriptive coding method and line-by-line analysis. Results: Five themes were derived from the responses: "Daily Challenges", "Support and Strategies", "barriers to accessing support", "MBIs: Caregiver Perceptions", and "MBIs: Barriers". The participants identified the behavioural, emotional, and cognitive challenges impacting their child's participation. Financial and environmental constraints, stigma, and timing were the reported barriers to services. The participants felt positive about the potential of MBIs to support their children. Conclusions: Overall, this study obtained foundational data to establish accessible mental health programmes for refugees with disabilities. Further research is needed to transcend the barriers and maintain MBI programmes in the community and the home settings.