Child Interaction Research Articles

Employing Emotional Virtual Characters for Teaching in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Employing Emotional Virtual Characters for Teaching in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Abstract: Communication and interaction are central to teaching child and adolescent psychiatry, with practical exercises often needing more access to actual patients or actors. Virtual reality (VR) offers an innovative solution by enabling simulation-based learning. With the help of computer-generated, interactive characters, students can practice repeatedly and in a standardized way how to conduct a medical interview and acquire communication skills. Initial tests with students show a high level of acceptance and believability despite the need for optimization of the voice input and the student's desire to use such new technology in teaching in the future. The next step will be to evaluate the benefits of the VR application regarding learning success and the influence of the teaching method on motivation and enjoyment of learning.

The Green School Concept in Elementary Schools as an Effort to Form Sustainable Behavior and Environmental Awareness

Green schools address "nature-deficit disorder" by creating an environment that supports children's interaction with nature. This concept should be implemented since elementary school to form a generation that cares about the environment, is healthy, and is ready to face sustainability challenges. The main objective of this study is to find an effective sustainability education strategy that supports environmental-based education practices in green schools and a learning environment that supports environmental awareness and sustainability. This study uses the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method to identify, review, evaluate, and interpret relevant research. Researchers conducted a literature search in Pubmed, Garuda, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Springer Link with the keywords "sustainability education," "environmental education practices," and "green schools." Articles were selected based on inclusion criteria, namely focusing on sustainability education and environmental-based practices in green schools and having relevant empirical data. Articles that met the criteria were analyzed to identify trends, challenges, and practical strategies for implementing sustainability education. The results highlight that Green Schools significantly contribute to academic performance, environmental awareness, and the development of pro-environmental behaviors. Practical implementations, such as project-based learning activities like recycling projects and school gardening, enhance students' engagement with sustainability topics. This research underscores the importance of adopting Green School practices at the elementary level as a long-term investment in creating environmentally responsible future generations.

MENEROKA EFEKTIVITI TERAPI BERMAIN PASIR TERHADAP REGULASI EMOSI DALAM KALANGAN MURID AUTISME MENGGUNAKAN FUZZY DELPHI METHOD

This study evaluates the effectiveness of sandplay therapy as an intervention to enhance emotional regulation among students with autism in Malaysia. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that significantly affects children's communication abilities, social interactions, and emotional management. The Emotion Regulation Theory (Gross, 2002) is utilized to explain how individuals manage and control their emotions in various contexts, supporting the understanding of how sandplay therapy can help students with autism regulate their emotions more effectively. Through the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) approach, this research analyzes the impact of sandplay therapy on the development of emotional regulation skills among students with autism in special education environments. The findings indicate that a systematic and structured sandplay therapy approach can significantly stimulate the development of socio-emotional skills in students with autism. This intervention provides a safe and therapeutic platform for students to express emotions and build meaningful relationships with peers through controlled sandplay activities. The research results also highlight the potential of sandplay therapy as a cost-effective and easily implemented intervention method in supporting the emotional development of students with special needs, particularly in the context of inclusive education in Malaysia."

유아교사의 놀이민감성, 교수창의성과 전문성 지원환경이 교사-유아 상호작용에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early childhood teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment on teacher-young children interaction. Methods For data collection, 414 early childhood teachers in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam were surveyed by questionnaires about teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment, and teacher-young children interaction from 3 March 2023 to 5 April. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used by SPSS 27.0. Results First, early childhood teachers' play sensitivity and professional support environment showed significant difference by the teachers’ age, career and institutional type. Early childhood teachers’ teaching creativity and teacher-young children interaction showed significant difference by the age, education, career, and institutional type. Second, there were significant positive correlation between teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment on teacher-young children interaction. Third, early childhood teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment had significant effect on teacher-young children interaction. Conclusions In order to promote early childhood teachers' teacher-young children interaction, it is important to increase the level of play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment, and education should be supported for this.

STORYTELLING METHOD USING HAND PUPPET MEDIA: COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AGED 4-6 YEARS

The main purpose of the study on storytelling methods with hand puppet media in relation to the cognitive development of children aged 4-6 years is to understand and analyze the impact of using hand puppets as an aid in storytelling activities on various aspects of cognitive abilities in preschool children and to explore how children's interactions with hand puppets in the context of stories can improve language skills, conceptual understanding, information processing, logical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and literacy basics. This study uses a quantitative quasi-experimental design approach. The subjects of the study were 19 students aged 4-6 years at Labscool Kindergarten in the form of one group pretest-posttest design analyzed using the Paired Samples Test. The results of the Paired Samples Test data analysis, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores. showing an average decrease of 8,474 points in the cognitive development of children aged 4-6 years. Because the p value is very small (0.000), this difference is very statistically significant. This means that there is a clear impact of using this method in improving children's cognitive development. cognitive enhancement in children through storytelling methods with hand puppet media in accordance with existing theories regarding cognitive stimulation at an early age. This method is very effective in improving various aspects of child development, especially in terms of thinking skills, speaking skills, and their understanding of the social world around them

Young children's translanguaging as emergent in and through open‐ended science pedagogies

AbstractEquity‐focused calls for elementary education reform recognize the importance of student and teacher translanguaging, yet nuances of how this process unfolds in early childhood science is an underexplored area. This study examines young plurilingual children's participation in science investigations, with a view toward understanding how open‐ended pedagogical structures supported their communication and engagement as related to science learning. We examine the work of 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds as they participated in a 3‐week unit exploring worms and draw upon translanguaging theoretical perspectives to interpretively analyze their interactions in science. Situated in the multilingual national context of Luxembourg, the study examines the interactions of these plurilingual children and their teacher as they investigated worms in varied open‐ended pedagogical structures. Schools are trilingual in Luxembourg, yet approximately half of the students in the country's elementary schools do not come to school with proficiency in any of the three languages of instruction. Issues of equity in schooling are thus heavily bound in languages. The robust dataset incorporating video data were examined using multimodal interaction analysis, and three vignettes zoom in on children's actions, utterances, and materials in open‐ended science learning spaces, providing rich examples of classroom structures that support meaningful translanguaging through students' agentic science communication. Young students' communication and science engagement are inseparable, and this study shows that these intertwine through translanguaging, in a process which is emergent when children are able to agentically draw upon diverse resources to make meanings.

Metode Bermain Bola Bergilir (MB3) untuk Meningkatkan Interaksi Sosial Anak Down Syndrome

Socially, children with down syndrome experience difficulties in establishing social relationships with the environment. So social interaction is very important for children, especially children with special needs, one of which is down syndrome. This research aims to improve social interaction in children with down syndrome. One intervention that can be used to increase social interaction in children with down syndrome is the Rolling Ball Playing Method (MB3). The Rolling Ball Playing Method (MB3) is a modification of the ball relay game, in concept it is the same as rotating the balls in turns and is said to be finished when all the balls have been put into the container. The research method used was quasi-experimental with a one group pretest-posttest design. The sampling technique uses a purposive non-probability technique. The research subjects were 5 children with down syndrome in Blitar. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference after administering the Rolling Ball Playing Method (MB3) (Z = -2.032 and p = 0.042 (p < 0.05)). Thus, it can be concluded that the Rotating Ball Playing Method (MB3) can improve social interaction in children with down syndrome

Children’s vagal flexibility is a predictor and moderator of treatment response to early parenting interventions for inhibited youth

Behavioral inhibition (BI), a dispositional trait characterized by fear and withdrawal in the face of novelty, is a risk factor for the later diagnosis of anxiety; yet, not all inhibited children go on to develop anxiety disorders. Certain parenting behaviors moderate risk for anxiety among temperamentally inhibited youth, which has motivated the creation of early parenting interventions to mitigate this risk among young children high in BI. These programs vary in complexity, begging the question of who needs more or less intensive intervention. In addition, variability in children’s parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) functioning may provide insight into the substantial heterogeneity in anxiety outcomes for children high in BI. The current study investigates the role of vagal flexibility (VF), an index of non-linear change in PNS functioning, in children’s response to an early intervention for anxiety (ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT02308826). Participants ( n = 151, ages of 45–64 months) were randomized to participate in the Turtle Program (“Turtle”), a multi-component intervention comprising an adaptation of parent–child interaction therapy and social skills training, or Cool Little Kids (CLK), an established psychoeducational parenting intervention. Child participants also completed pre-, mid-, and post-treatment laboratory visits, which included a series of social stressor tasks preceded by a non-stressful but emotionally engaging video, during which cardiac physiology was recorded. Longitudinal latent profile analyses were used to identify latent non-linear trajectories of VF across the entire intervention (i.e., pre-, mid-, and post-treatment visits). Two latent classes were distinguished by the presence of high or low child VF across the treatment. Although VF class membership was not associated with intervention group membership, auxiliary within-class prediction models suggest that children who exhibited consistently greater VF demonstrated lower post-treatment clinician severity ratings of anxiety in Turtle, β = −0.21, p = .01, but not in CLK, β = 0.13, p = .39. Findings contribute to a broad literature demonstrating the utility of indices of PNS functioning in providing insight into risk for psychopathology and suggest that children’s VF moderates treatment response by supporting children’s ability to effectively engage in and extract benefits from intervention protocols. Implications for our understanding of the role children’s physiological regulation plays in the links between BI, parenting, risk for anxiety, and treatment response are discussed.

Transition to home after very preterm birth: improving outcomes of children and their families—a systematic review protocol

IntroductionMedical progress has significantly improved the survival rates of very preterm-born infants in recent decades. Nevertheless, these infants are still at increased risk for long-term impairments as compared with term-born...

Protocol for a multisite randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of the Telehealth for Early Developmental Intervention in babies born very preterm (TEDI-Prem) programme on neurodevelopmental outcomes and parent well-being

IntroductionInfants born very preterm (VPT, <32 weeks’ gestation) are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental impairments including motor, cognitive and behavioural delay. Parents of infants born VPT also have poorer mental...

Modern approaches to early childhood education: from tradition to innovation

This article analyzes modem approaches to early childhood education, emphasizing the evolution from traditional methods to innovative ones. The study covers key principles, methodologies, and tools used in contemporary educational practices. It discusses both traditional approaches based on authority and strictness, and innovative methods aimed at fostering independence, creativity, and social interaction in children. Special attention is given to the potential integration of both approaches to create an effective education system that considers the individual needs and characteristics of each child, as well as the dynamics of modern society and technological changes. Thus, the article provides a comprehensive overview of modern approaches to early childhood education, enriched with comparative analysis and practical recommendations for optimizing the educational process in the contemporary world.

Communication Disorders Essentials for Parents

Between September and December 2023, Babylonia collected questions from parents regarding their children’s language development. This article aims to answer the following questions: What are some red flags for potential communication disorder? How can I foster strong communication skills in children with communication disorders? How can I differentiate between language difficulties and learning difficulties? What resources or therapies are there for children with language delays? What are signs of language delay or disorder? [Summary generated by Claude-3-Haiku-200k - we refer the reader to the full article in PDF format for a complete response] This article provides essential information to parents about communication disorders in children. It answers key questions, such as the revealing signs of potential disorders, the differentiation between language difficulties and learning disorders, and the available resources/therapies. Communication disorders can take various forms and affect up to one-quarter of children under 5 years old. They may manifest as language delays or articulation disorders and are often linked to risk factors such as prematurity, low birth weight, or genetic disorders. Known developmental milestones help identify early signs of difficulties, such as lack of reactivity or babbling before 12 months. Language delays, grammatical errors, reduced intelligibility, or limited social interactions in young children can also be warning signals. Differentiating between language difficulties and learning disorders relies on specific characteristics. Speech sound disorders, language delays, and developmental language disorder are distinct categories that may coexist with specific learning disorders like dyslexia or dyscalculia. Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child's communication development. Strategies like social object play, following interests, or narrating actions can enhance language skills in a positive and stimulating environment. Professional resources are also available for children with confirmed delays or disorders. In conclusion, this article provides parents with important guidelines to identify early signs of difficulties and implement appropriate support, in collaboration with qualified professionals.

보육교사의 공감능력과 전문성발달 수준이 교사-영아 상호작용에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of teacher’s empathy ability and professional development level on teacher-young child interactions. Methods The purposes of this study, we surveyed 320 young children teachers working at public, workplace, private, and home daycare centers located in G City from January 2, 2024 to January 26, 2024. For the collected data, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between each variable using the SPSS 21.0 program, and multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the influence of the variables. Results The analysis results are as follows. First, it was found that there was a high correlation between variables among young children teachers' empathy ability, level of professional development, and teacher-yound child interaction. Second, as a result of analyzing the influence of the young children teacher's level of empathy and professional development on teacher-young child interaction, knowledge and skill development, self-understanding development, and cognitive empathy were found to have a significant influence on the overall teacher-young child interaction. Conclusions Through this study, we sought to find ways to increase the empathy and expertise of young children teachers by examining the variables that affect the teacher-young child interaction and the level of empathy and professional development of young children teachers, and to foster positive interactions between teachers and young children. It can be basic data to improve operation.

Nonverbal Skills Evolution in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder One Year Post-Diagnosis

Background: Gestural production, a crucial aspect of nonverbal communication, plays a key role in the development of verbal and socio-communicative skills. Delays in gestural development often impede verbal acquisition and social interaction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Although various interventions for ASD focus on improving socio-communicative abilities, they consistently highlight the importance of integrating gestures to support overall communication development. This study aimed to investigate the progression of gestural production in preschoolers with ASD one year post-diagnosis, taking into account whether they had received interventions for ASD. Method: This study followed 76 Italian preschoolers with ASD, aged 2 to 4 years, who underwent three different types of interventions or no intervention at all. Data on gestural production were collected using the MCDI, a standardized parent-proxy report. Results: The results indicate that all groups, regardless of intervention type, experienced increased gesture production, suggesting that interventions, combined with factors like time, symptom severity, and learning differences unique to ASD, positively influence nonverbal communication. This improvement may be due to various factors. On one hand, joint attention and socio-communicative interactions drive progress, while on the other, children with ASD may benefit from learning through non-socially mediated linguistic material. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to understand individual learning preferences and strategies for developing nonverbal communication skills in children with ASD. Identifying effective strategies early on can enhance both diagnosis and intervention planning, ensuring they are tailored to the specific developmental needs of each child.

Dance with me? Analyzing interpersonal synchrony and quality of interaction during joint dance

This methodological paper examines the assessment of interpersonal synchrony during a joint dancing task between mothers and their children (aged 4 to 5 years) using OpenPose. This pose estimation tool captures movement in naturalistic settings. The study analyzes 45 mother–child dyads, comparing two analytical methods for assessing synchrony, and examines their correlation with the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) measure of interaction quality. The first method employs cross-wavelet transform (CWT) coherence to assess synchrony based on vertical head movement. This straightforward and computationally efficient approach reveals a significant correlation between interpersonal synchrony and CIB scores, thus implying its potential as a reliable indicator of interaction quality and suggesting its potential as a measure of interaction quality. The second method, the generalized cross-wavelet transform (GCWT), analyzes synchrony across multiple body parts, offering a more complex and detailed analysis of interpersonal dynamics. However, it did not significantly correlate with the CIB scores. Our findings suggest that focusing on head movement using CWT can effectively capture critical elements of interpersonal synchrony linked to interaction quality. In contrast, despite its richness, the more complex GCWT approach may not align as closely with observed interactive behaviors as the CIB scores indicate. This study underscores the need to balance methodological complexity and ecological validity in research, offering insights into selecting analytical techniques based on research objectives and the nuances of interpersonal dynamics. Our results contribute to the field of interpersonal synchrony research, emphasizing the benefits of efficient methods in understanding mother–child interactions and interaction relationships in general.

Prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and risk of disorders of gut-brain interaction in children.

Preclinical data suggest that gestational exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) alter gut innervation, and delays colonic motility. In this study we investigated associations between gestational SSRI exposure and offspring disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI). Using population-based registries, we included all single-birth Danish children born 1997-2015 with follow-up until outcome occurrence, age 15 years, death, emigration, or December 2018. Children to mothers who continued SSRIs during pregnancy and children to mothers who discontinued SSRI use before pregnancy were compared using Cox regression. Main outcomes were the first diagnosis of a childhood DGBI (functional nausea and vomiting, functional abdominal pain disorders, functional diarrhea, and functional constipation), or a physician-prescribed laxative. Among 1,158,560 children, 21,969 children (1.9%) were exposed to SSRIs prenatally and 30,174 children (2.6%) were born to mothers who discontinued SSRIs before pregnancy. Overall, the estimated 15-year cumulative incidence of any DGBI was 15.5% (95% CI, 14.9-16.2) in the SSRI-exposed group and 14.7% (14.0-15.3) in the unexposed group. SSRI-exposed children had an overall increased risk of DGBIs (HR 1.08, [1.02-1.14]), which was driven by functional constipation (HR 1.19, [1.10-1.28]) rather than functional nausea and vomiting (HR 0.97, [0.83-1.13]) or functional abdominal pain disorders (HR 0.90, [0.81-1.00]). These data suggest that prenatal SSRI exposure is associated with an increased risk of developing functional constipation. These findings are also consistent with extensive preclinical data supporting key roles for serotonin in gut development and function. Together findings support the need for further investigation of the long-term impact of maternal depression and SSRI exposure on development of common gastrointestinal disorders.

Exploring how Positive Psychology-based Parenting Techniques Contribute to Children's Emotional Development, Resilience, and their Ability to form Healthy Social Relationships

This study explores positive psychology-based parenting practices and their contributions toward children's emotional development, child resilience, and social interactions. Drawing from the principles that guide positive psychology, this article explores how such practices as positive emotional support, empathy, and strength-based approaches impact key developmental outcomes for children. Data gathering involved a quantitative research design, where the responses from parents whose children belonged to the age group between 5 and 12 years were obtained. It was both descriptive and inferential analysis of the association between parenting methods and child outcome variables; this includes Pearson's correlation coefficient as well as multiple regression analysis. The hypotheses include: Hypothesis 1: Positive parenting encourages positive features of children's emotional development. Hypothesis 2: Positive parenting encourages children's resilience. Hypothesis 3: Positive parenting encourages good social relations. The three hypotheses listed below were validated: High positive correlations existed between parenting emotional support and children's emotional intelligence, r =.55, p &lt;.01; between parenting emotional support and resilience, r =.49, p &lt;.01; and between parenting emotional support and social skills, r =.52, p &lt;.01. The findings of this study highlight the importance of emotional encouragement and empathy in a child's life. A contribution to the literature base of positive psychology, this work brings its principles into the terrain of parental practices and thus makes empirical evidence of its feasibility. In short, through this study, some important practical recommendations can be laid out for parents, teachers, and policymakers regarding how best to incorporate techniques based on positive psychology in child rearing. It could also be recommended further research to determine in the long term the impact such parenting strategies have and how suitable they are across cultures. It recommend positive supportive parenting that leads to the development of emotional intelligence and resilient capacity and peaceful interpersonal relations in children.

Characteristics of the Outdoor Environment Affording Physical Activity, Motor Competence, and Social Interactions in Children Aged 3-7 Years: A Systematic Review.

This review used the PRISMA framework and study quality was assessed using the mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT). Keyword searches were conducted in seven databases. Studies were eligible if children were aged 3-7 years in ECE; physical activity, social interactions and/or motor competence were measured; location and/or social context were measured. Results were synthesised using an effect direct plot, a table of associations, and narrative synthesis. Twenty-three studies from eight countries met the inclusion criteria. Intervention and controlled cross-sectional studies (n = 9) favoured high-quality outdoor environments rich in affordances, portable play equipment, and natural features to increase children's physical activity, social interactions, and cooperative play. Cross-sectional and descriptive studies (n = 14) positively associated open grassy space, portable and fixed equipment, wheeled toys, and paths with physical activity (p < 0.05). Based on limited evidence, playground size and active games in small groups were associated with greater MC. The findings highlight the benefit of creating diverse affordance rich outdoor environments in early childhood settings to promote physical and social development. Limitations include variability in study designs and protocols for conducting systematic observations, thus emphasising the need for standardised approaches to future research.

Parent and Child Reactivity During Dyadic Parent–Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS) Behavior Observations

Parent and Child Reactivity During Dyadic Parent–Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS) Behavior Observations

Neural hyperscanning in caregiver-child dyads: A paradigm for studying the long-term effects of facilitated vs. disrupted attention on working memory and executive functioning in young children

Parent-child interactions shape children’s cognitive outcomes such that caregivers can guide attention and facilitate learning opportunities. These interactions provide infants and toddlers with rich, naturalistic experiences that engage complex cognitive functions and lay the groundwork for the development of mature executive functions. Although most caregivers seek to engage children optimally, they can unintentionally impede this developmental process by being under-engaged or intrusive. When caregivers are under engaged, children do not have the proper scaffolding to know what to attend to in a complex environment. When parents are intrusive, they inadvertently disrupt the child’s attention and direct learning to information that the parent deems important, but the child may find uninteresting or irrelevant. This disruption can impede the learning process even if the child’s behavior does not appear to be negatively affected during the unfolding parent–child interaction. Understanding the moment-to-moment neural basis of these processes is critical to uncover the role that caregivers play in the development of attention and learning, which in turn impacts the development of working memory and executive function. Simultaneous brain recording, called hyperscanning, is a burgeoning method that measures brain synchrony across parent–child dyads when engaged in a shared task. In this opinion piece, we first review existing literature that highlights the important role caregivers play in guiding attention and learning in infants and toddlers and how these interactions contribute to the development of working memory and executive function in young children. Next, we review the existing literature using hyperscanning and dual eye tracking paradigms to uncover the patterning of interactions when caregivers guide attention in a manner that either matches the expectations of the child or over- or under-directs the child’s attention. We provide best-practices for employing hyperscanning techniques to uncover how caregivers optimally engage infant and toddlers’ attention in the moment, and how children’s developing memory of these patterns of interaction build their executive function abilities, both with their caregivers and with other adults and children.