Child's Environment Research Articles

Kesulitan Belajar Akademik dalam Proses Pembelajaran

Learning difficulties are an important problem in the world of education that requires deep understanding. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of understanding and identifying learning difficulties. Learning difficulties refer to the difficulties a person experiences in understanding and processing information taught in a formal educational environment. This article presents various aspects related to this phenomenon, including its causative factors, identifying marks, and their impact on the development of each individual. The causes of learning difficulties include internal factors and external factors. Some signs that can be used to identify learning difficulties include difficulty reading, writing, arithmetic. It is important for educators, parents, and health professionals to recognize these signs early so that appropriate interventions can be provided. This article also discusses the impact of learning difficulties, namely inhibition of children's growth and development, disruption of children's interaction and environment. In addition, various identification and intervention strategies that can help those with learning difficulties are presented, such as psychological assessments, special education support, and adaptive learning approaches. This article provides a solid foundation to encourage greater understanding and interest in these educational issues.

Associations between combined urban and lifestyle factors and respiratory health in European children

IntroductionPrevious studies identified some environmental and lifestyle factors independently associated with children respiratory health, but few focused on exposure mixture effects. This study aimed at identifying, in pregnancy and in childhood, combined urban and lifestyle environment profiles associated with respiratory health in children. MethodsThis study is based on the European Human Early-Life Exposome (HELIX) project, combining six birth cohorts. Associations between profiles of pregnancy (38 exposures) and childhood (84 exposures) urban and lifestyle factors, identified by clustering analysis, and respiratory health were estimated by regression models adjusted for confounders. ResultsAmong the 1033 included children (mean ± standard-deviation (SD) age: 8.2 ± 1.6 years old, 47% girls) the mean ± SD forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were 99 ± 13% and 101 ± 14%, respectively, and 12%, 12% and 24% reported ever-asthma, wheezing and rhinitis, respectively. Four profiles of pregnancy exposures and four profiles of childhood exposures were identified. Compared to the reference childhood exposure profile (low exposures), two exposure profiles were associated with lower levels of FEV1. One profile was characterized by few natural spaces in the surroundings and high exposure to the built environment and road traffic. The second profile was characterized by high exposure to meteorological factors and low levels of all other exposures and was also associated with an increased risk of ever-asthma and wheezing. A pregnancy exposure profile characterized by high exposure levels to all risk factors, but a healthy maternal lifestyle, was associated with a lower risk of wheezing and rhinitis in children, compared to the reference pregnancy profile (low exposures). ConclusionThis comprehensive approach revealed pregnancy and childhood profiles of urban and lifestyle exposures associated with lung function and/or respiratory conditions in children. Our findings highlight the need to pursue the study of combined exposures to improve prevention strategies for multifactorial diseases such as asthma.

The relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder: the mediating role of difficulties in emotion regulation among Lebanese adults

ObjectiveThe present study investigates the mediating effect of difficulties in emotion regulation in the association between childhood emotional abuse and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) among Lebanese adults.MethodThis cross-sectional study, involving 411 participants, was conducted between March and August 2022. Lebanese individuals from all governorates of the country were recruited using the Snowball Sampling technique. Three self-report scales were utilized to complete this research; the ‘Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale—Brief Version (DERS-16)’ which evaluates the difficulties in emotion regulation of individuals, the ‘Childhood Trauma Questionnaire—Short Form (CTQ-SF)’ which grants a subjective evaluation of the general childhood environment of the participants, as well as the ‘Borderline Personality Questionnaire (BPQ)’ which measures Borderline Personality Disorder traits, that demonstrate significant convergence with the disorder.ResultsThe results indicate that DERS-16 played an indirect effect role between childhood emotional abuse scores and Borderline Personality Disorder. Higher emotional abuse scores were significantly associated with higher DERS-16 scores, which in turn was significantly associated with higher BPQ scores. Moreover, childhood emotional abuse was directly associated with higher BPQ scores.ConclusionThis work suggests that, among the different forms of childhood abuse, emotional abuse may have a role in the development of Borderline Personality Disorder. Training on emotion regulation strategies would potentially benefit individuals in preventing BPD development and facilitating therapeutic processes.

The Acquisition of Black Language by Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers: A Community-Based Sociolinguistic Approach to Language Assessment.

The purpose of this case series was to demonstrate a community-based sociolinguistic approach to language sample analysis (LSA) for the evaluation of Spanish-English bilingual preschoolers acquiring Black language (BL). As part of a comprehensive bilingual speech-language evaluation, we examined sociolinguistic variables in the context of the children's English language samples. Specific emphasis is placed on sociolinguistic information to account for all language(s) and dialect(s) in each child's environment, BL feature patterns, and appropriate scoring procedures for characterizing language use. This case series includes four monolingual English-speaking and four bilingual Spanish-English-speaking 4-year-olds in a linguistically diverse preschool program. Play samples were collected from each child and coded for morphosyntactic features across three categories: BL, Spanish-Influenced English, and shared. Measures derived from the language samples include percent grammatical utterances, mean length of utterance in words, and number of different words. The children's language is characterized within a community-based sociolinguistic approach that combines three culturally responsive methods for assessment found in the speech-language pathology literature in addition to a novel sociolinguistic questionnaire. We explain how conducting LSA using a community-based sociolinguistic approach yields diagnostically relevant information that is pertinent to conducting a comprehensive and accurate evaluation of preschoolers in linguistically diverse settings without the use of standardized assessments. A community-based sociolinguistic approach to LSA is a useful procedure for mitigating misdiagnosis in preschoolers reared in linguistically diverse environments.

The Socio-Educational Role of Toy Design on Gender Identity

Childhood is a crucial stage in individuals’ development, and toys play a fundamental role in forming bonds, preparing for future challenges, and developing gender identity. Awareness of transgender identity typically emerges around the age of 8, although there may be earlier signs. Parents and educators need tools that enable them to effectively address these situations to promote healthy child development and foster acceptance of diversity in childhood environments. In this context, it is necessary to investigate the impact of toys on childhood and the design characteristics that should be considered in addressing gender identity development. This work approaches a mixed methodology. On one hand, a typological study was conducted on a wide sample of toys, and on the other hand, a questionnaire pilot study focused on inclusive toy design and its impact on transgender childhood was carried out, targeting parents, children, and transgender individuals. The results indicate that there are key characteristics in toy design, such as body representation, chromatic variety, and mixed gameplay mechanics, that can contribute to improving integration and the development of transgender childhood. Furthermore, the need to further explore the relationship between gender identity and toy design is confirmed, as it is demonstrated that toys are essential tools in children’s development.

Does early adversity predict aggression among Chinese male violent juvenile offenders? The mediating role of life history strategy and the moderating role of meaning in life

BackgroundAdolescent aggression has long been of interest to researchers. However, few studies have examined the influencing factors and mechanisms of aggression among violent juvenile offenders. This study tests a moderated mediation model with Chinese male violent juvenile offenders as subjects. Specifically, it explores the relationship between early adversity and aggression, as well as the mechanisms of life history strategy and meaning in life in this relationship.MethodsA total of 537 Chinese male violent juvenile offenders completed the Childhood Environment Scale, the Life History Strategy Short Form Scale, the Aggression Questionnaire, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. After controlling for socioeconomic status (SES), the current cross-sectional study used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine a moderated mediation model.ResultsThe results showed that life history strategy mediated the relationship between early adversity and aggression, and early adversity affected individuals’ aggression by accelerating their life history strategies. The results also showed that meaning in life moderated the relationship between early adversity and life history strategy. For individuals with high meaning in life scores, the negative predictive effect of early adversity on life history strategy was stronger than that for individuals with low meaning in life scores.ConclusionThe results of this study can advance the understanding of how early adversity affects aggression among violent juvenile offenders and provide theoretical support for prison staff to develop educational strategies and subsequent interventions.

Association of postnatal exposure to mixture of bisphenol A, Di-n-butyl phthalate and Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate with Children's IQ at 5 Years of age: Mothers and Children's environmental health (MOCEH) study

Early childhood is important for neurodevelopment, and exposure to endocrine disruptors such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates in this period may cause neurodevelopmental disorders and delays. The present study examined the association between exposure to mixtures of BPA and three metabolites of phthalates in early childhood and IQ at 5 years of age. The Mother and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study is a prospective birth cohort study conducted in Korea with 1751 pregnant women enrolled from 2006 to 2010. After excluding those without relevant data, 47 children were included in the final analysis. We measured children's urinary concentrations of metabolites of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (Bisphenol A, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate and mono-(2-ethyl-5-butyl) phthalate) at ages of 24 and 36 months. We evaluated the children's IQ with the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Test at the age of 5 years. After adjusting for potential confounders, a multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the associations between individual endocrine-disrupting chemicals and the IQ of the children. Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression and quantile-based g-computation were used to assess the association between IQ at age 5 and exposure to mixtures of BPA and phthalates. In the single-chemical analyses, mono-(2-ethyl-5-butyl) phthalate exposure at 36 months was adversely associated with children's IQ (β = −4.93, 95% confidence interval (CI): -9.22, −0.64). In the WQS regression and quantile-based g-computation analyses, exposure to the mixture of BPA and phthalates was associated with lower IQ [β = −9.13 (P-value = 0.05) and β = −9.18 (P-value = 0.05), respectively]. The largest contributor to the overall association was exposure to mono-(2-ethyl-5-butyl) phthalate at 36 months. In the present study, postnatal exposure to mixtures of BPA and three metabolites of phthalates was associated with decreased IQ of children at age 5.

Systematic review of multiliteracies skills, multimodal tools to facilitate learning in early childhood classroom

This systematic review of literature investigates the use of multimodal tools and acquisition of multiliteracies skills to facilitate effective learning in early childhood educational settings. The review covered a total of 15 relevant articles obtained from databases such as ERIC, Education Full Text, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Having analyzed and synthesized the current evidence, the review provides a significant and valuable insight into the use and acquisition of multiliteracies skills and tools to facilitate learning in early childhood settings. The sole purpose of this review is to add to the body of existing literature in multiliteracies. The study also provides answer to the only research question of the review which was what are the most effective ways to implement multiliteracies and multimodal techniques in the classroom and how early childhood education can benefit from the systematic application of multiliteracies and multimodal learning. The result of the review revealed that, teachers are facing greater challenges than ever in choosing and designing a pedagogy that can engage students in meaningful literacy practices due to the changing literacy needs in the multimedia environment, the changing lifeworld’s of the learners, and the changing dimensions of school literacies. Therefore, the review recommended that policymakers must work to incorporate all multimodal tools and technology into the curriculum, especially for early childhood education. Also, schools and learning centers should provide limitless opportunities in early childhood classrooms and environment to assist, direct, and motivate students to learn.

Social determinants of alcohol-related traumatic injury in young adults: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionLimited research examines alcohol-related injury in the context of social determinants of health (SDoH) to guide effective intervention and prevention programmes. SDoH are non-medical factors that impact health such as...

Deteriorating Semen Quality: The Role of the Environment.

Since the end of the last century, several reports have suggested that semen quality is declining, especially in Western countries. Furthermore, cross-sectional studies using similar protocols have suggested regional differences in semen quality of young and fertile men. Reasons for these regional differences and local adverse trends in semen quality are unknown, but environmental factors are suspected to have a role. Besides adulthood environmental exposures, those occurring during testicular development may also affect semen quality. Longitudinal follow-up studies and mixture risk analyses are needed to study the effect of fetal, childhood, and adult life environment on semen quality.

Reducing the Threat of Electrical Hazards through the Application of Solar Energy: Realizing Child-Friendly Electricity in Elementary Schools.

<p><em>The advancement of information technology provides ease of learning. However, learning media in schools usually depends on average electrical settings and electronic devices to support information technology (IT). The learning media in Indonesia generally depends on the utilization of PLN's electrical energy. It is undeniable that electricity is a basic need in teaching and learning activities today, even though the existence of electrical installations in the midst of children saves dangers that need to be anticipated. The solution is to provide socialization and education on child-friendly technology. In this case, the school community will be introduced to utilizing and building safe electrical installations for children. In principle, some electrical components available on the market will have their own level of safety, and safe and child-friendly components must be chosen. Furthermore, electrical installations will be built with solar energy sources because the technology has many advantages, including renewable energy, without high-voltage cable networks, and providing efficiency in school operational costs. It is more important that solar electricity can work at low voltages to be safe in children's environments.</em> <em>The result at the activity location installed electricity from Solar Power Plant with a 300 Watt inverter to provide electricity for school computer devices. In addition, 10 outdoor lighting points are installed that are set to turn on and off automatically. The main goal to provide efficient and safe electrical facilities for children has been well realized.</em></p>

Associations between prenatal exposure to outdoor PM2.5 and NO2 and childhood respiratory symptoms

Abstract Background Prenatal and early-life air pollution exposures have shown to play an important role in childhood respiratory and allergic diseases development. Our aim was to assess the effect of prenatal exposure to air pollution on several respiratory outcomes up to 12 years old. Methods We included 2054 children from the PELAGIE mother-child cohort in Brittany, France, followed-up at 2-, 6- or 12-years. Parents reported children's respiratory health history, family lifestyle and children immediate environment. PM2.5 and NO2 mean concentrations throughout the pregnancy were modelled at residential address using land use regression models. Ever asthma, rhinitis, allergic rhinitis and eczema at 12-years follow-up, considered as outcomes of interest, were defined using validated questionnaires. A multimorbidity phenotype was also constructed. We performed adjusted logistic regressions per increase of one interquartile range (IQR). Results Participating mothers’ mean age was 30 years (SD 4.1), 88% did not smoke during pregnancy, and 82% lived in rural areas. Fifty percent of children were boys; 55% of them had parents with history of asthma and/or allergies. Pregnancy concentrations of NO2 were 18.74±7.72μg/m3 (IQR=9.66) and PM2.5 15.11±2.21μg/m3 (IQR=3.38). Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis, allergic rhinitis and eczema was 28%, 11% and 38% respectively at 12-years follow-up. Overall, no significant associations were found with asthma, rhinitis or eczema, nor with the multimorbidity phenotype. Discussion/conclusions Prenatal exposures to ambient PM2.5 and NO2, at relatively low concentrations, did not show any significant associations with children's respiratory and allergic outcomes. Further analysis including logistic models stratified by sex and urban-rural area, and clustering approaches will be performed to assess if specific profiles of environmental exposures during pregnancy and early childhood are associated with childhood respiratory and allergic diseases. Key messages • The prenatal and postnatal periods are major vulnerability windows for children's respiratory health. • An exposome approach provides a better understanding of a larger set of urban/rural exposures and their associations with childhood respiratory and allergic diseases.

Analysis of Hasan Latif Sarıyüce's children's poems in terms of children's literature and Turkish language teaching

Language serves as a paramount instrument in facilitating interpersonal communication. Beyond its communicative function, language plays a pivotal role in facilitating the transmission of cultural and societal experiences to subsequent generations. Consequently, the realm of language education has assumed a position of paramount importance. Educational curricula have been meticulously designed to impart instruction in various facets, including the teaching of the Turkish language, the conveyance of cultural heritage, the cultivation of values, and the development of literary sensibilities. Turkish and literature support each other in these programs. Children's literature, which has an outstanding contribution to teaching Turkish, is aimed at children and is performed for children's education. Children's literature has various text types, such as fables, fairy tales, and poems. Poetry, one of the most influential text types, is essential in form and emotion sharing. Hasan Latif Sarıyüce is a prolific writer who works in many text types, such as essays, fairy tales, memoirs, and poems. This study analyzed 36 poems by Hasan Latif Sarıyüce for children regarding Turkish teaching and children's literature. The poems were grouped according to their topics: mother's love, family and kinship, children's world, environment, nature, and animals. Poems were analyzed regarding verse, harmony, meter, title, topic, theme, language and expression, values, and literary arts. Accordingly, it was determined that 19 poems used syllabic meter, and 17 poems were written in free verse. The titles of 33 poems reflect the content, the themes of the 36 poems are compatible with the 2019 Turkish Lesson Teaching Program, the topics of the 36 poems are suitable for children, 35 poems are understandable for children in terms of language and expression, 17 poems have values, and 25 poems have literary arts. Accordingly, it has been seen that Hasan Latif Sarıyüce's poems written for children are exemplary in adopting literary values, giving literary pleasure, and transferring the common culture of the society. For this reason, it is recommended for Turkish teachers and students.

How biology shapes the development of shyness within specific contexts: A longitudinal, cross-lagged investigation.

Shyness is a temperamental trait that refers to fear and wariness in the face of social novelty and is known to have a biological basis. One proposed physiological correlate of shyness has been the change in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) from baseline to a stressor. However, past research linking shyness and RSA change has been mixed, which may be, in part, due to a failure to carefully consider the context under which RSA change is measured and the directionality of relations. Using a longitudinal design and cross-lagged analysis (N = 103, 52 girls), we examined parent-reported shyness and RSA change during a stranger approach task (social stressor) and a locked box task (nonsocial stressor) at ages 3 (Mage at Time 1 = 3.50 years, SDage = 0.19 years) and 4 (Mage at Time 2 = 4.76 years, SDage = 0.38). Cardiac vagal withdrawal during the stranger approach task, but not during the frustration task, at age 3 positively predicted shyness at age 4. Shyness at age 3 did not predict cardiac vagal change in either context at age 4. We also found that changes in RSA measured during the frustration task were stable across time, but changes in RSA measured during the stranger approach task were not stable across time, suggesting a developmental change in physiological regulatory systems to social threat. These results suggest that, although biology may come first in shaping children's behavior, this relation depends critically on the context and the incentives in the child's environment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Going beyond the call of duty under conditions of economic threat: Integrating life history and temporal dilemma perspectives

Under conditions of economic threat, such as during economic downturns, organizations can benefit from employees’ willingness to go beyond the call of duty and engage in organization-directed citizenship behavior (OCBO). Yet, such behavior is discretionary and competes for time with employees’ other interests and priorities. I integrate life history theory with the temporal dilemma perspective on organizational citizenship behavior to propose that childhood environments sensitize individuals to prioritize different goals in response to economic threat later in life. Consistent with strategies for responding to threat that are functional in their childhood environments, employees from wealthier backgrounds respond to economic threat by focusing on the future and allocating more time to OCBO, whereas employees from poorer backgrounds exhibit the opposite response. Two pre-registered multi-source field surveys found support for the theory and also showed that the effects of economic threat may lead to a reproduction of childhood inequalities by impacting employees’ promotion potential. A pre-registered experiment replicated the effects on future focus and OCBO and found that they can be attenuated through a future focus induction. I discuss implications for research on employee responses to economic threat, influences of early-life conditions on employee psychology and behavior later in life, and organizational dynamics as drivers of inequality.

Associations between mitochondrial biomarkers, urban residential exposures and childhood asthma outcomes over 6 months

Determining biomarkers of responses to environmental exposures and evaluating whether they predict respiratory outcomes may help optimize environmental and medical approaches to childhood asthma. Relative mitochondrial (mt) DNA abundance and other potential mitochondrial indicators of oxidative stress may provide a sensitive metric of the child's shifting molecular responses to its changing environment. We leveraged two urban childhood cohorts (Environmental Control as Add-on Therapy in Childhood Asthma (ECATCh); Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH)) to ascertain whether biomarkers in buccal mtDNA associate with airway inflammation and altered lung function over 6 months of time and capture biologic responses to multiple external stressors such as indoor allergens and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Relative mtDNA content was amplified by qPCR and methylation of transfer RNA phenylalanine/rRNA 12S (TF/RNR1), cytochrome c oxidase (CO1), and carboxypeptidase O (CPO) was measured by pyrosequencing. Data on residential exposures and respiratory outcomes were harmonized between the two cohorts. Repeated measures and multiple regression models were utilized to assess relationships between mitochondrial biomarkers, respiratory outcomes, and residential exposures (PM2.5, allergens), adjusted for potential confounders and time-varying asthma. We found across the 6 month visits, a 0.64 fold higher level of TF/RNR1 methylation was detected among those with asthma in comparison to those without asthma ((parameter estimate (PE) 0.64, standard error 0.28, p = 0.03). In prospective analyses, CPO methylation was associated with subsequent reduced forced vital capacity (FVC; PE -0.03, standard error 0.01, p = 0.02). Bedroom dust mouse allergen, but not indoor PM2.5, was associated with higher methylation of TF/RNR1 (PE 0.015, standard error 0.006, p = 0.01). Select mtDNA measures in buccal cells may indicate children's responses to toxic environmental exposures and associate selectively with asthma and lung function.

Children’s voices: Inclusive early childhood placemaking with children

Young children in many parts of the world are spending more time in formal education and care settings. As children have the right to be heard on matters that affect them, their views about the early childhood environments they inhabit, need to be included in the process of placemaking. Early childhood environments have the potential to shape a child’s identity, sense of belonging and inclusion. This research sought children’s ideas about their early childhood setting, with the view to informing the design of a new inclusive centre. Researching with children aged three-to-five, from a low socio-economic ethnically diverse suburb, multi-modal data were generated in three phases: child-led photo-taking tours; photo elicited interviews; and interview elicited drawing. Findings showed a preference for the outdoors, along with places for hiding, safety, cleanliness and authentic rather than ‘fake’ resources.

Association Between Individual Differences in Dichotomous Thinking and Current and Childhood High-Crime Environments.

The way people perceive the things around them is closely related to living in a complex and challenging social environment. Dichotomous thinking (preference for dichotomy, dichotomous belief, and profit-and-loss thinking), which classifies things in a simple way, can be useful in dangerous and resource-limited environments. However, based on prior studies, people's manner of perceiving things may have developed as a response to the harshness of their childhood environment, and may not be related to their current environment. Therefore, we examined the relationship between individual differences in dichotomous thinking and high-crime environments as indicators of environmental harshness. We assessed dichotomous thinking in 41,284 Japanese residents using large-scale data from the Human Information Database FY19 compiled by NTT DATA Institute of Management Consulting, Inc. The fixed effects regression model showed that, after controlling for age, high-crime environment of the residents' childhood was associated with dichotomous thinking, with the exception of dichotomous belief. On the other hand, their current environment of crime was not associated. In sum, our research suggests that people's dichotomous thinking tendency may be a form of adaptation to the harshness of their childhood environment rather than their current one.

The effectiveness Of A Program Of Sports For the Development Of Behavior Environment In Children With Autistic Disorder

The effectiveness Of A Program Of Sports For the Development Of Behavior Environment In Children With Autistic Disorder

Association of children's oral health and school environment on academic performance in 12-year-old schoolchildren of Quito, Ecuador.

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate if children's oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) were associated with school performance. Moreover, the study aimed to examine whether school environment factors influenced this association. This cross-sectional study was based on a population-based sample of 998 12-year-old schoolchildren from 31 public schools in Quito, Ecuador. Trained and calibrated examiners conducted clinical exams for dental caries, dental trauma and malocclusion. Furthermore, children completed the Spanish version of the Child Perception Questionnaire (CPQ11-14 ), and their parents answered questions about socio-economic status. School coordinators provided information on the physical environment, promotion of health practices and the occurrence of negative episodes in the school. There were three outcomes: grades obtained in Spanish language and mathematics and the number of missed school days. Multilevel linear and Poisson regression models were conducted using a hierarchical approach to include the variables guided by a previously created direct acyclic graph. Children with dental trauma and higher CPQ11-14 scores showed lower grades and school attendance. Schoolchildren from schools with episodes of vandalism had more school days missed. The school performance of 12-year-old children is affected by dental trauma and by a worse OHRQoL, as well as a negative school environment. Therefore, supportive environments and promoting health measures in schools could overcome this worse academic performance in children with oral health problems.