Children's Social Lives Research Articles

Quality of life in childhood, adolescence and adult food allergy: Patient and parent perspectives.

Studies of children with food allergy typically only include the mother and have not investigated the relationship between the amount of allergen needed to elicit a clinical reaction (threshold) and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Our aims were (i) to compare self-reported and parent-reported HRQL in different age groups, (ii) to evaluate the impact of severity of allergic reaction and threshold on HRQL, and (iii) to investigate factors associated with patient-reported and parent-reported HRQL. Age-appropriate Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaires (FAQLQ) were completed by 73 children, 49 adolescents and 29 adults with peanut, hazelnut or egg allergy. Parents (197 mothers, 120 fathers) assessed their child's HRQL using the FAQLQ-Parent form. Clinical data and threshold values were obtained from a hospital database. Significant factors for HRQL were investigated using univariate and multivariate regression. Female patients reported greater impact of food allergy on HRQL than males did. Egg and hazelnut thresholds did not affect HRQL, but lower peanut threshold was associated with worse HRQL. Both parents scored their child's HRQL better than the child's own assessment, but whereas mother-reported HRQL was significantly affected by limitations in the child's social life, father-reported HRQL was affected by limitations in the family's social life. Severity of allergic reaction did not contribute significantly to HRQL. The risk of accidental allergen ingestion and limitations in social life are associated with worse HRQL. Fathers provide a unique perspective and should have a greater opportunity to contribute to food allergy research.

Communities of children: participation and its meaning for learning

This article is concerned with ways in which children's social lives appear to have meaning and with children's subjective orientation in the transition from kindergarten to school. The article presents the development of theoretical concepts for ways in which we can understand children - by the aid of the analysis of empirical data dealing with children's subjective views of the life they are living and participating in. In other words, if we wish to understand children and children's actions, we also have to conceptualise the world in which they live just as that world is seen by children at the place where they stand and where they participate. The article covers on the one hand the presentation of the principal findings of a major research project and on the other a more detailed exploration of the concept of communities, including definitions of what children share and of how what they share links to what adults arrange for them. It also presents arguments for how a social approach to children's issues paves the way for more productive measures than an individual approach offers.International Research in Early Childhood Education, vol. 5, no. 1, p. 139-154

To include or not to include: Evaluations and reasoning about the failure to include peers with autism spectrum disorder in elementary students.

Given the significant role that typically developing children play in the social lives of children with autism spectrum disorder, it is important to understand how they evaluate and reason about the inclusion/exclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder in social situations. The objective of this study is to determine elementary students' evaluations, reasoning patterns, and reasoning complexity regarding the failure to include children with autism spectrum disorder in social activities. Forty-four elementary-aged students participated in interviews, which included vignettes describing four contexts in which a child with autism spectrum disorder is not invited to a social event. Responses were analyzed according to social domain theory, an approach emphasizing that children identify and coordinate different domains of social knowledge, including the moral, personal, societal, and prudential. Results showed that regardless of grade and context, most children judge that failure to include on the basis of disability status is not acceptable. However, the complexity of children's reasoning (i.e. the extent to which they drew upon and coordinated multiple domains) was higher in older children. Mean complexity scores were also higher in a birthday party context as compared to a playdate context. We offer implications for future research and practice regarding the social inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Theory of mind in middle childhood: Longitudinal associations with executive function and social competence.

The vast majority of studies on theory of mind (ToM) have focused on the preschool years. Extending the developmental scope of ToM research presents opportunities to both reassess theoretical accounts of ToM and test its predictive utility. The twin aims of this longitudinal study were to examine developmental relations between ToM, executive function (EF), and teacher-rated social competence in middle childhood. One hundred thirty-seven children (69 males) were followed across a 4-year period spanning middle childhood (M ages at Waves 1 and 2 = 6.05, SD = .35, and 10.81, SD = .35, respectively). Individual differences in ToM were moderately stable across middle childhood. Although there were concurrent associations between ToM and EF at both time points, there were no longitudinal links between these constructs. In contrast, there were concurrent and longitudinal links between ToM and teacher-rated social competence, such that individual differences in ToM predicted later social competence at school. These results are discussed in light of competing theories about the links between ToM and EF and the importance of individual differences in ToM for children's social lives. (PsycINFO Database Record

A doubly articulated cartography of children and media as affective networks-at-play

With increasing concerns surrounding children's agency and questions of the impacts of globalizing media, it is imperative to critically explore how interactions with media objects become part of children's social lives. Working through Deleuzian-Guattarian ideas of what bodies are and do, we approach child–media interactions as horizontal components of becoming. Through this, we argue that media objects can be important social elements of the emergent nature of ‘affective networks-at-play’ and illustrate this by creatively working through two narratives of media object relations: one, drawn from the actions of Tomohiro Kato on 8 June 2008 in Tokyo, Japan; the other, of a child named Juana and her interactions with the Latin American version of the Disney educational show Manny a la Obra (Handy Manny). In engaging child–media relationships as mutual and affirmative elements in becoming, we challenge strict dichotomous understandings of children and adults while addressing debates surrounding children's agency.

Individual Differences in Theory of Mind From Preschool to Adolescence: Achievements and Directions

AbstractIn this article, we provide a state‐of‐the‐science overview of research on normative individual differences in theory of mind. We begin by examining achievements in research on individual differences in theory of mind in the preschool years and more recent work on middle childhood and adolescence. In doing so, we outline several converging lines of evidence for social influences on individual differences in theory of mind, and assess the claim that individual differences in theory of mind matter for children's social lives. We then evaluate two conceptualizations of individual differences in theory of mind: the developmental lag and genuine differences accounts. By placing the study of individual differences in theory of mind center stage, we aim to highlight fruitful avenues for research on normative variation in theory of mind both within and beyond the preschool years.

Social Issues Affecting Families of Children with Congenital Heart Defects – Introduction and Research Postulates

Abstract The functioning of children with congenital heart defects and their families in society is discussed rarely and too generally in the literature. Medical personnel, educators and caretakers have very little knowledge about this chronic disease and its prevalence. This lack of knowledge generates two extreme and undesirable attitudes: unjustified fear and negligence of the disease and its consequences. Both attitudes prevent a thorough understanding of the problem, in particular the aspects that influence the social life of children and their parents. As a result, the families of affected children are often left to their own devices, and they receive support only from other parents who are faced with the same problem or from non-governmental organizations. Educators, psychologists and sociologists should be encouraged to develop a cohesive support system based on reliable research results, and to implement measures that would enable young patients and their families to function better in society.

Enabling bi-literacy patterns in Ethiopian immigrant families in Israel: a socio-educational challenge

This paper explores the role that languages and literacy practices play in Ethiopian immigrant families transposed to Israel as part of Israel's family language policy, by examining parental perspectives on their respective L1 and L2 usages, in both parents’ and children's lives, as well as by examining the home literacy provisions supporting children's literacy development. The study profiles 67 Ethiopian immigrant families and describes the factors affecting home and school literacy patterns, assessing usage and attitude in L1 and L2 proficiency, as well as families’ literacy-driven discourse practices. The findings of this study indicate that Ethiopian parents engage in their children's educational and social life until first grade, when they relinquish the maintenance of L1 in favour of a yet-incomplete L2. The Ethiopian case is instrumental to describe language and literacy affordances in a country that is officially trilingual, a neighbourhood that is at least quadrilingual, a home that is bilingual and a schooling system that is monolingual. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that although both Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian parents have different extended discourses and perhaps even discursive preferences, the form and function of these discourses coincide with those needed or assumed for successful development of scholastic literacy. Against this background, a need emerges to espouse a mutual respect and interaction between the two literacy traditions to enhance both children's and parents’ literacy development.

Seeking social support on Facebook for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)

PurposeThis study examined the types of social support messages exchanged between parents and/or caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) who communicate via Facebook (FB); it studies two autism support groups: Autism Malaysia (AM) and Autism Children Club (ACA). MethodA total of 3637 messages including both postings (381) and comments (3256) were gathered from August to November 2013. The study employed a deductive content-analysis approach. The qualitative data were analyzed for social support themes adapted from the Social Support Behavior Code (SSBC). Before collecting the data, email was sent to the FB groups’ moderators to gain formal consent from the members. ResultThe finding indicated that the highest percentage of messages offered dealt with Informational support (30.7%) followed by Emotional support (27.8%). Network and Esteem support messages were responsible for 20.97% and 20.2%, respectively. Tangible Assistance was the least frequent category (0.4%). A majority of these messages discussed and addressed challenges and difficulties associated with caring and raising ASD children, as well as issues such as children's social lives and self-care routines. ConclusionUnderstandings of how FB is used to seek social support could impact supporting and maintaining effective communication among parents and/or caregivers of children with ASDs. This information could also improve approaches used by health professionals in developing, improving and evaluating social support systems for parents/caregivers.

Friends, friendlessness, and social cognition.

I applaud the methods and findings of the target article by Fink and colleagues (Brit. J. Dev. Psychol, 2015; 33, 1-17) who demonstrate an important link between theory of mind and children's social lives. In particular, enhanced theory of mind in preschool buffers children from friendlessness in the transition to school. Going further, I suggest needed steps for the field to experimentally demonstrate causal links between children's theory of mind and their social actions and interactions.

Lost freedom: the landscape of the child and the British post-war settlement

Lost Freedom addresses the widespread feeling that there has been a fundamental change in the social life of children in recent decades: the loss of childhood freedom, and in particular, the loss of freedom to roam beyond the safety of home. Mathew Thomson explores this phenomenon, concentrating on the period from the Second World War until the 1970s, and considering the roles of psychological theory, traffic, safety consciousness, anxiety about sexual danger, and television in the erosion of freedom. Thomson argues that the Second World War has an important place in this story, with war-borne anxieties encouraging an emphasis on the central importance of a landscape of home. War also encouraged the development of specially designed spaces for the cultivation of the child, including the adventure playground, and the virtual landscape of children's television. However, before the 1970s, British children still had much more physical freedom than they do today. Lost Freedom explores why this situation has changed. The volume pays particular attention to the 1970s as a period of transition, and one which saw radical visions of child liberation, but with anxieties about child protection also escalating in response. This is strikingly demonstrated in the story of how the paedophile emerged as a figure of major public concern. Thomson argues that this crisis of concern over child freedom is indicative of some of the broader problems of the social settlements that had been forged out of the Second World War.

Potret Kekerasan dan Perlindungan Anak dalam Perspektif Sosio-Yuridis

Abstract: Children are human beings who have not reached adulthood. They have right to live safely and comfortably and to avoid violence. In reality, it is often encountered a violence on children. There are several factors of violence against children, namely: first, a ‘perception’ that sees the status of parents who occupy an important role in social life of children. The relationship between children and parents has a strong emotional bond; second, with regard to the above ‘perception’, of course, it has a very complex implication at all, including the unbalanced relationship between children and parents, the emergence of violence against children by their own parents; third, a system and tradition, that have been embraced by the paternalistic people, becomes the reason to put the children’s status under that of the parents. To provide protection for children, the Indonesian government has made Undang-Undang on children protection, as outlined in Undang-Undang No. 23 tahun 2002. It can generally be classified as follows: first, the right of survival; second, the right of growth and development; third, the right to get protection includes protection against discrimination, abuse and neglect, protection for children without family and protection for refugee children; and fourth, the right of participation which includes the right to express their opinion/view in all matters relating to the fate of the children.Keywords: Violence, protection, child, socio-juridical

Game On? Online Friendship, Cyberbullying, and Psychosocial Adjustment in Hong Kong Chinese Children

Across 626 Hong Kong Chinese fifth and sixth graders, children's experiences of victimization and bullying in online and real life contexts were compared. Children reported their best friendships at school and online when playing massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs). With demographic variables, computer gaming habits, school victimization and real life friendship measures statistically controlled, online victimization uniquely and negatively explained variance in friendship satisfaction, while online friendship positively and significantly explained additional variance in children's social competence, friendship satisfaction, self esteem, and life satisfaction. This research demonstrates theoretical and practical importance of investigating social experiences (both negative, i.e., being cyber-bullied, and positive, i.e., building up online friendship) for early adolescents' psychosocial adjustment.

Health-related quality of life for children with rare diagnoses, their parents’ satisfaction with life and the association between the two

PurposeTo examine children’s health-related quality of life and parents’ satisfaction with life and explore the association between the two in families where a child has a rare disorder.MethodsWe used a cross-sectional study design. A questionnaire was sent to parents of 439 school children (6–18 years) with congenital rare disorders. Children’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was examined by Pediatric Quality of Life InventoryTM 4.0 (PedsQL) Norwegian version. Satisfaction with life was examined by Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).ResultsThe response rate was 48% (n = 209). The average age of the children was 12 years and 50% were girls. The parents scored their children with reduced physical, emotional, social and school functioning. The reductions were greatest in the physical area. Parents scored average to high on SWLS but significantly lower than the general Norwegian population. There was a positive association between parental SWLS and the children’s social functioning and school functioning.ConclusionChildren with congenital, rare disorders often require assistance from many parts of the public service system. Caring for their physical needs should not conflict with their educational and social needs. It is important that the children’s school-life is organized so that the diagnosis does not interfere with the children’s education and social life more than necessary.

Relationships with mother, teacher, and peers: unique and joint effects on young children's self-concept

This study tested the unique and joint effects of three significant relationships in young children's social lives, namely their relationships with mother, teacher, and peers, on three dimensions of self-concept (general, academic, and social). A sample of 113 children participated. Mother–child attachment quality was observed in preschool. In first grade, teacher ratings of teacher–child relationship quality, peer ratings of peer acceptance, and child reports of self-concept were administered. The results revealed domain-specific links between social relationships and self-concept dimensions. Specifically, academic self-concept related to teacher–child relationship quality, social self-concept to peer acceptance, and general self-concept to the quality of attachment to mother. Moreover, an indirect effect was revealed of earlier mother–child attachment quality on the academic dimension of self through its effect on current adult–child relationships in school. This way, the study uncovered the pathways through which significant social relationships shape the formation of young children's self-concept.

Childhood of age perspective

In the age sociological perspective it is important not to confuse methodological question with the subject. As a feminist perspective is developed on the sex/gender opposition, age perspective can as well be developed on an opposition maturity/age, biological maturity and cultural based age. The social life of children cannot be explained on the basis of the biological fact of life, nor can be derived from them. This does not ignore the fact that the age relationships are based on physical characteristics of youth and adult maturity, but only says that it does not mean that they can be derived from the naturalistic facts of life. The theoretical foundation for this difference lies in Mannheim concept generation. Review of processes that are responsible for the established system of children/adults, as well as an organized movement tending toward recognition of childhood and age equality is called puericism. Since the Serbian language lacks words derived from 'adulthood' and 'childhood', the author uses the terms adults, adultism, adult maturity or pueritia, puerism and pueristic. Recognition of childhood as pueristic dimension of society will become its most important dimension.

The Use of Robots in Autism Therapy

How can we use robots to help therapy of children with ASD? Several researchers have devoted their studies of the use of robots in the development of cognitive and behavioral skills in children with ASD, however, these studies are still at an early stage of research. Most children with ASD have difficulties in developing social behavior and they appear to live in their own world. The project RobA³tica-Autismo has the goal to improve the social life of children with autism with a main focus on promoting their social interaction and communication. The basic concerns of the use of these technologies with this target group are gaining the initial necessary trust of the therapists and parents, the adaptation of the activities to each child and the possible promotion of isolation. Nowadays, parents are bombarded with solutions for their children with ASD: traditional therapies, dangerous drugs, intensive diets or strict routines. Introducing a new element to the existing therapies in Portuguese schools can be seen as opportunism. To counteract this effect, the research team should study and investigate all the possible advantages and disadvantages of using this type of technology.

Social understanding and social lives: from toddlerhood through to the transition to school. By Claire Hughes. Psychology Press, Hove, East Sussex, 2011.

Social understanding and social lives: from toddlerhood through to the transition to school. By Claire Hughes. Psychology Press, Hove, East Sussex, 2011.

Intergenerational Acculturation Conflict and Korean American Parents’ Depression Symptoms

This study examined the links between intergenerational acculturation conflict and depression symptoms in 176 Korean American parents of children between the ages of 5 and 10. Approximately, 29% of fathers and 28% of mothers reported increased depression symptoms, which were related to parent-child acculturation conflict. Specific situations related to parental depression symptoms included conflicts over the child's social life, comparing the child with others, expressions of love, the importance of saving face, and proper Korean child's behavior. These findings can be used to develop a family intervention program to decrease parental depression symptoms by reducing parent-child acculturation conflict.

Feedback on the holistic care of children with atopic eczema.

I enjoyed Jean Robinson's comprehensive update on the holistic management of atopic eczema in children ( learning zone September 7 ) and how it may impact on the child's school, family and social life.