Children's Social Development Research Articles

Preschool and child health: Evidence from China's universal child care reform

Early childhood education programs have been found to effectively promote children's social and cognitive development. However, the health impact of these programs is less understood. Using a quasi-experiment of the first universal child care reform in China from 2010, this paper aims to identify whether the preschool reform produces any short-term effects on health-related outcomes of preschoolers (3-6 years old). Specifically, this reform expands access to affordable preschools that provide full-day center-based education, with school meals and essential health services on campus. I exploit the variation in the number of newly established preschools across provinces and implement difference-in-differences and triple-difference strategies. Results confirm the effectiveness of this reform by showing a strong and positive impact on preschool attendance. This paper then documents the benefits to alleviating underweight among preschoolers. Estimates show a larger effect in rural areas, suggesting that the reform narrows rural-urban disparities in education access and undernutrition prevention. I also explore the impact on caregivers’ health consciousness and find improved health-seeking behavior when children get sick.

How Narrative Skills Associate With Peer Relations

Narrative skills are essential for children's social development. However, existing research primarily focuses on narratives' impact on children's cognitive abilities, with limited attention given to the relationship between narrative skills and peer interactions. This study aims to explore how oral and written narrative skills are associated with peer relations from a social perspective. 166 Chinese primary school children were randomly assigned to tasks of oral and written narratives, as well as peer nominations. Results indicate that grade 5 students performed significantly better than grade 3 students in both written and oral narrative tasks. Moreover, the level of written narrative proficiency surpassed that of oral skills. Significant interactions were also found among grade level, gender, and narrative modes. Crucially, narrative skills exhibited positive correlations with peer nominations, with stronger correlations seen for written narratives. These findings have important implications for narrative research and language instruction.

The Relationship Between Parental Communication Patterns and Children's Personal Social Development in Post-Pandemic COVID-19

The growth and development of preschool-aged children need to be considered by parent, one of which is their personal social development. Social development at the preschool age is considered important because it will be an introduction to children's readiness to enter school. incorporating parents into the social development of pre-school age children, one of which is through good communication patterns. One of the post-pandemic conditions of COVID-19 can cause communication between parents and children to be not optimal. The research objective was to determine the readiness of parents through communication patterns as a mitigation strategy in children's social development in the post-COVID-19 pandemic. The research method uses quantitative research with a cross-sectional study approach. the study group in this study was 38 parents of children in Kindergarten Al-Hidayah V Mangli-Jember Kindergarten. Bivariate analysis using the Pearson correlation test used for this research. There is a very strong relationship between parents' communication patterns and children's social development. Parents have good readiness as a form of strategic mitigation in improving children's social development through good communication patterns in the post-COVID-19 pandemic.

Analisis Pengaruh Speech Delay Terhadap Kemampuan Sosial Anak di PAUD Harsya Ceria Banda Aceh

Speech and language skills involve cognitive, sensorimotor, psychological, emotional and environmental development. Children with speech delay are at risk for language development, communication, learning, and other cognitive abilities. This study observed speech delay cases at PAUD Harsya Ceria Banda Aceh to understand the development of children with speech delay problems in their social behavior. The purpose of this study is to analyze the description of the development of children with speech delay on children's social skills at PAUD Harsya Ceria. The research method used a qualitative descriptive approach with a case study. Data collection techniques include interviews, observation, documentation, and field notes. Data analysis was conducted using the Miles and Huberman model. The results showed that internal and external factors such as genetics, family environment, parental education, and gadget use affect speech delay in children. Speech delay therapy using the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) method can improve children's social skills. Consistent stimulation from teachers and parents has a positive impact on children's language development. Joint efforts from parents, teachers and therapists are needed to facilitate the language and social development of children with speech delays so that they can improve their language and social skills.

Development and Initial Validation of the Parenting Styles Circumplex Inventory (PSCI).

Parenting style refers to the emotional climate in which parents nurture and guide their child's social development. Despite the prominence of parenting style research, many studies still create their own psychometrically untested measures of parenting styles, use measures that do not capture the uninvolved parenting style, or use median splits to convert dimensional assessments into parenting style typologies. To address these measurement issues, the current studies developed the Parenting Styles Circumplex Inventory (PSCI) which is rooted in Contemporary Integrative Interpersonal Theory and provides a framework to unite typology and dimensional parenting style measurement approaches. The current article describes the development and initial validation of the PSCI across three samples of college students (Ns = 571, 361, 385). The 32-item PSCI consists of eight octant scales which each assess unique combinations of parental responsiveness and demandingness. The measure asks respondents to answer each question about their mother- and/or father-figure. The circumplex structure of the PSCI was confirmed and replicated across studies and the PSCI demonstrated meaningful associations with indicators of parenting practices, relationship functioning, psychopathology symptoms, and substance use. Results from this study provide initial support for the PSCI as a path forward for measuring parenting styles.

Improving Recess through Collaboration: Exploring the Facilitators and Barriers to Sustaining Positive Playground Behavior.

School recess quality is vital to children's social and emotional skill development. However, there is a research-to-practice gap where academic findings are ineffectively translated back to schools. The aims of this study were to examine how a co-designed intervention would impact negative behaviors observed during recess and to explore the facilitators and barriers to recess implementation over the course of a school year. Utilizing a research-practice partnership, the authors collaborated with staff at an elementary school to design, implement, and assess an intervention focused on improving recess quality. The intervention offered training in research-supported recess practices through professional development training and teaching students transitions and games. The school's recess behavioral report log of negative playground behaviors across the academic year and notes from recess staff meetings were analyzed. Quantitative results pointed to a stable decrease in negative playground behaviors post-intervention compared to pre-intervention. Qualitative analyses suggest school leadership and practitioners should focus on "reculturing" recess prior to making structural changes, and empowering recess staff to sustain change. Prior to considering interventions at recess, there is a need to assess both school and recess culture. In doing so, reculturing around the importance of recess during the school day and the roles of adults in the process is needed to ensure the sustainability of any changes made.

The Influence of Peer Relationships on Children's Social Development

The Influence of Peer Relationships on Children's Social Development

PEMBENTUKAN KARAKTER ANAK DENGAN POLA ASUH DEMOKRATIS

This article discusses the influence of democratic parenting on the formation of children's character, the aim of which is for us to know what impacts the application of democratic parenting has on children, both good and bad. The author uses the literature observation method to summarize the results from various references which are then differentiated based on the type of research from each source used as a reference. In this context, democratic parenting patterns have positive and negative impacts on the formation of children's character, positive impacts include tolerance, independence, superior personality, the ability to share, respect for differences, and an attitude of not imposing the will of others. The impact of democratic parenting on children's social and emotional development includes children's ability to make friends easily, be willing to collaborate, show independence, and be willing to share. ant role of democratic parenting in shaping children’s character in a positive way.

The whys and wherefores of home creativity support: A cross-cultural reflexive thematic analysis between British and French parents

Although creativity research increasingly documents how parents support their children's creativity at home, previous work has been mostly quantitative in nature, while qualitative studies almost exclusively report data from mothers. Thus, we conducted online qualitative interviews of 14 parents (9 mothers and 5 fathers) of children aged between 4 and 6 years, who were living in France or in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a cross-cultural reflexive thematic analysis, we explored questions around what views of early childhood creativity parents shared; whether (and if so why) they are motivated to engage in dyadic home creative activities with their children; and their perceptions of the benefits of these activities, both on themselves, and on their children. The parents shared views and definitions of creativity in line with creativity research. Moreover, they explained how they used creative activities to teach their children social rules, self-expression, independence, and skills development. They also appreciated creative activities as a strategy to help their children vent and calm down or, in contrast, to foster in them a sense of joy and vitality. Parents also reported the extent to which creative activities contribute to parent—child relationship quality. We discuss these findings through the lens of Self-Determination Theory.

GUIDING THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGICAL ERA: UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING MODERN CHALLENGES IN CHILD PSYCHOLOGY

Articles In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, children are navigating a complex landscape that significantly impacts their psychological development. This article delves into the multifaceted challenges faced by children in today's digital age and offers insights into addressing these issues from a psychological perspective. The pervasive presence of technology introduces novel challenges that affect children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. From excessive screen time and digital addiction to cyberbullying and online predators, children encounter various stressors that can detrimentally impact their well-being. Furthermore, the digital realm often blurs the boundaries between the virtual and real worlds, posing unique challenges for children in developing critical thinking skills and discerning between fact and fiction. Understanding these challenges is crucial for devising effective solutions. This involves fostering digital literacy skills, promoting healthy screen-time habits, and cultivating resilience to cyber-related stressors. Additionally, fostering open communication channels between children, parents, and educators can facilitate constructive dialogue and support systems to address emerging issues. Moreover, recognizing the importance of holistic development, interventions should encompass not only technological aspects but also consider broader psychosocial factors. By fostering a supportive environment that nurtures emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skills, children can develop the resilience and coping mechanisms necessary to thrive in the digital age. This article synthesizes current research findings and practical insights to offer a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by children in today's technologically driven society. By integrating psychological perspectives with practical strategies, this research aims to empower stakeholders in promoting the well-being and healthy development of children in the digital era.

Is autonomic functioning distinctly associated with anxiety and unsociability in preschoolers?

There are many benefits of peer interactions for children's social, emotional, and cognitive development, and isolation from peers may have negative consequences for children. Although biological processes may underlie social withdrawal broadly, distinct patterns may be associated with withdrawal behaviors depending on their underlying motivation (e.g., shy versus disinterested). This study investigated the role of autonomic nervous system activity, as assessed via skin conductance level (SCL) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in predicting changes in unsociability (e.g., lack of interest in peers) and anxious-fearfulness (e.g., discomfort among peers). Data were collected using a community sample of 92 US preschool children (45.7% female; Mage = 45.51 months, SDage = 3.81 months) at two time points one year apart. Gender differences were also explored. Baseline physiology was assessed while viewing a neutral video clip, and reactivity was assessed while viewing social exclusion and post-aggression discussion videos. For all children, coinhibition (i.e., SCL inhibition accompanied by RSA inhibition) to the post-aggression discussion video and blunted SCL activation to the exclusion video were prospectively associated with higher levels of anxious-fearfulness one year later. For boys only, baseline reciprocal sympathetic activation (i.e., SCL activation and RSA inhibition) was prospectively related to higher levels of unsociability one year later. For girls only, RSA inhibition in response to the post-aggression discussion video was prospectively related to higher levels of unsociability one year later. Findings contribute to a growing literature on autonomic reactivity in preschoolers' adjustment and suggest possible differences in the physiological processes underlying unsociability and anxious-fearfulness.

Cultivating young minds: Exploring the relationship between child socio-emotional competence, early childhood education and care quality, creativity and self-directed learning

Creativity and self-directed learning (SDL) have been identified as two key skills that children need to develop for success in the 21st century. As such, developing such skills has become a priority. High quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) can play a pivotal role in supporting a myriad of children's developmental outcomes. This study uses multi-level modeling on 484 children between 30 and 75 months of age (Mean age = 48) across 87 ECEC classrooms in Toronto. We tested associations between two skills (creativity and SDL), children's social and emotional competence (hyperactivity, prosocial behaviour, and emotional problems) and ECEC quality (professional development, ratios and emotional support). We found significant relationships between children's social and emotional outcomes and their creativity skills, but not their SDL. In addition, the proportion of professional development opportunities conducted onsite was positively associated with children's creativity. Implications for future research, policy and practice are discussed. Educational relevance statementThis study contributes to the understanding of how to support two skills needed in the wake of the fourth industrial revolution. First, we examine the relationship between children's social and emotional development and their creativity and self-directed learning. We then examine the role played by the quality of their early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings as contexts to learn these important skills when accounting for their children's social and emotional development. Finally, we test the robustness of these associations by controlling for important contextual factors (age, months in the program, family income, and maternal education).

LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT OF PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AT RISK FOR LANGUAGE DISORDERS IN RESIDENTIAL CARE SETTINGS

Adequate language development is central to a child's academic and social development. This study aimed to assess the language of 35 preschool and school-aged Portuguese children in residential care in four social institutions, using the Grelha de Observação da Linguagem (GOL-E) developed by Kay and Santos (2014), a validated tool in Portuguese. The results of the study showed that in terms of language competence, compared to the normative results expected for their age: a) Of the thirty-five children assessed, only three were at or above the 50th percentile; b) Twelve children were between the 5th and 25th percentiles; c) Eight children were in the 10th percentile; d) Of the children between the 11th and 12th percentiles, only one was in the 90th and 75th percentiles; e) Eleven children were in the 10th and 25th percentiles; f) One child at the age of 12 was in the 5th percentile. Most of the children were in percentiles below those expected for their age group. According to the definition of speech and language disorders, we can observe that a group of these children fall under the condition of speech and language disorders, but have not been formally identified in the educational system, putting them at risk of failure in school and life. This study highlights the importance of language assessment and special education services for children living in institutions in Portugal. More studies with this population in these age groups are needed to better understand the language competencies of children living in residential care.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu/0058/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Hearing and Language Skills in Children Using Hearing Aids: Experimental Intervention Study.

Hearing loss in childhood compromises a child's auditory, linguistic, and social skill development. Stimulation and early intervention through therapy and the use of personal sound amplification devices (PSAPs) are important for improving communication. To verify the effectiveness of speech therapy intervention on the auditory and linguistic skills of Brazilian children aged between 6 and 8 years using PSAPs. Experimental study analyzing the intervention process in children aged between 6 and 8 years with mild to severe bilateral hearing loss and prelingual deafness who are PSAP users. Diagnostic information was analyzed, and assessments and interventions were carried out using the Glendonald Auditory Screening Procedure (GASP), a phoneme discrimination test with figures (TFDF), an expressive language category classification test, and an Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (IT-MAIS) questionnaire. Sixteen children participated in the study; they were divided into a control group (CG) of six children and an intervention group (IG) of ten children. All research subjects underwent two protocol application sessions, and the IG underwent six speech therapy intervention sessions. In the IT-MAIS, the CG had a 9% increase in score, and the IG had an increase of 3% after intervention. The TFDF obtained a 5% increase in the IG in terms of phonemic discrimination ability. The expressive language category classification tests and GASP were considered not sensitive enough to modify the parameters of auditory and linguistic skills. The study found a significant improvement amongst the IG in the TFDF protocol and an increase in IT-MAIS scores in both groups.

CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY IN LEMBAGA PENYELENGGARA KESEJAHTERAAN SOSIAL (LPKS)

Lembaga Penyelenggaraan Kesejahteraan Sosial (LPKS) is an institution that organizes social rehabilitation programs for children in conflict with the law. LPKS applies a social work and child rights approach to achieve children's social functioning, growth, and development in a safe environment while participating in social rehabilitation programs. LPKS chose the Child Safeguarding Policy (CSP) to uphold a safe environment. CSP is a system or collection of activities, procedures, documents, and responses in addressing child protection issues in the context of the institution. It covers a range of activities from prevention to response to child abuse issues. This article aims to describe the process of the Social Welfare Institution in implementing the Child Protection Policy. This article is a qualitative article based on the framework of constructivism and interpretivism, using ethnographic methods. Its selection is based on the benefits of collecting information through involvement in implementation, participatory observation, field notes, and report documents. The process of LPKS in implementing the Child Protection Policy implies (1) the role of leaders in demonstrating the commitment of the institution to protecting children from the risk of abuse, (2) the Child Protection Policy must be carried out integrally through awareness, prevention, reporting, and response to child abuse issues, (3) the Protection Policy must be carried out in an integrated manner.

Biological basis of temperament: Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and inhibitory control across childhood.

Temperamental inhibitory control is a foundational capacity for children's social, emotional, and behavioral development. Even though temperament is suggested to have a biological basis, the physiological indicators of inhibitory control remain unclear amid mixed empirical results. In this study, we leveraged a multicohort longitudinal design to examine resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as a physiological correlate of inhibitory control across the early and middle childhood years. Data were collected annually across four time points from cohorts of 4- (n = 150, Mage = 4.53; SD = 0.30; 49.7% female) and 8- (n = 150; Mage = 8.53; SD = 0.29; 49.7% female) year-old children and their caregivers. There were weak, albeit significant, associations between resting RSA and caregiver-reported inhibitory control in middle childhood but not in early childhood. A stronger association was found for older children when latent trait assessments of RSA and inhibitory control were derived from commonalities across the four annual assessments. We conclude that using repeated measures to extract latent trait scores increases power to detect potential physiological indicators of temperament. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Let's Hear Children's Emotions: The Play-Based Psychoeducation Program for the Socio-Emotional Development of Primary School Children

The acquisition of empathy, emotional literacy and prosocial skills is important for children's social, emotional and moral development. If these skills are supported through play in children, their acquisition will be faster and easier. Therefore, in this study, the Play-Based Socio-Emotional Psychoeducation Program including empathy, emotional literacy and prosocial skills was prepared and its effect on children was examined. The present research was the pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. The sample of the study consisted of primary school students between the ages of 7-10. 23 children were included in the experimental group and 23 children were included in the control group. An average of 45 minutes of practice was applied to the experimental group for 10 weeks. The findings of the study showed that there was an increase in empathy, emotional literacy, and prosocial skills of the children in the experimental group after the application, but there was no change in their behaviors. These results provided evidence that the program was effective on these skills. It can be said that the current study will shed light on field workers and the play-based psychoeducation program will be an effective program that they can integrate into their practices.

Meningkatkan Kemampuan Kognitif Anak Usia Dini Melalui Metode Karyawisata Di Paud Tk Alkhairaat Bungi Kabupaten Morowali

Early childhood education is a form of education that aims to optimize children's physical, intellectual and social growth and development. The stimuli given to early childhood must of course be adapted to the stages of development that occur in them. Early childhood has potential that must be developed through stimulation. These potentials are in the form of developmental aspects. To improve the cognitive abilities of early childhood through the field trip method at Paud Tk Alkhairaat Bungi, this research uses qualitative research methods, where an effort or effort by the author can pour ideas or thoughts based on the formation of substantive theories based on empirical data. Data obtained by being present or on location, to conduct research so as to understand all activities and behaviors and things that can help this research. It can be concluded that students can think operationally, by touching, seeing, feeling and intersecting directly with the original source it turns out that it can be easier for students to understand and can develop cognitive abilities in students. If students learn with happy conditions, the material will be more easily digested and well received by students.

Rational combination of program modules from sports games within the framework of the "New Ukrainian School" concept to optimize the process of physical education in 5th and 6th grades

Building a rational and effective system of physical education in the field of secondary education is extremely important for Ukraine, especially considering the challenges that our country is facing. Given this, the task of developing a system for students' physical education in general secondary education institutions is of primary importance. The aim of this work is to determine a rational, effective, and expedient method of combining individual program modules available in the content of the model physical education curriculum for 5th and 6th grades, in order to organize a high-quality process of students' physical education. To achieve this goal, modules from such game sports as basketball, handball, and volleyball were selected. Additionally, the aim of the work was to determine the nature of students' and their parents' subjective perception of these sports. Understanding this will allow for a more effective organization of the physical education process according to the proposed program. The research methodology includes a theoretical analysis of available scientific literature and a questionnaire method. The scientific novelty of the work lies in improving the process of organizing physical education in general secondary education institutions, in line with the current educational concept "New Ukrainian School". In conclusion, it is stated that the annual physical education program version, which is based on the combination of such program modules as "basketball", "handball", and "volleyball", can be an extremely effective and productive system of physical education for 5th and 6th grade students. It is predicted that the combination of these types of sports will more comprehensively affect the development of various physical and psychomotor skills. Also it will contribute to the general physical and social development of children.

Joint custody after divorse

The concept of custody is an important legal principle that expresses the rights and responsibilities exercised jointly by parents during marital union. This principle emphasizes attention to the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of minors and the principle of the best interests of the child. According to the Turkish Civil Code, as a rule, minors are considered to be under the joint custody of their parents. However, in the event of the death of a spouse or divorce, the issue of custody is resolved by a legal arrangement or a court decision. Furthermore, custody is usually awarded to the mother if the parents are unmarried, although this may be subject to certain exceptions. Courts may appoint a guardian or award custody to the father to protect and support the child's physical, mental, and moral development. This ensures that the best interests of the child are safeguarded. Joint custody refers to the joint exercise of the child's right to custody by the parents during the marital union. This concept aims to ensure that responsibilities for the child's care, education, and supervision are shared between the spouses. However, in the event of dissolution of marriage or separation, the issue of how custody will be organized is subject to a vague regulation; the court determines it. If custody is awarded to only one spouse, that spouse can make decisions unilaterally, while the other spouse only has the right to have personal contact with the child. However, if joint custody continues, the rights and responsibilities of the child are shared in the same way despite the dissolution of the marriage. Custody and joint custody are intended to protect the child's physical, emotional, social, legal, financial, and moral development. They also provide for the representation and protection of children in a manner appropriate to their needs. Both concepts are based on the best interests of the child and are supported by legal regulations. Therefore, custody and joint custody constitute an important legal framework for children's healthy and safe upbringing.