Children's Performance Research Articles

Influence of Boxing Training on Self-Concept and Mental Rotation Performance in Children

Mental rotation is a spatial cognitive ability malleable by training, e.g., physical education. The importance of children’s physical activity on their self-concept is also well proven. The present study examines whether a ten-week boxing training improves ten-year-old children’s mental rotation performance and self-concept. Forty-five children (26 boys and 19 girls, age: M = 9.62, SD = 0.71) completed a mental rotation test and filled out a questionnaire about their academic, physical, and social self-concept. Seventeen of the children participated in a ten-week boxing training. After the training, all children completed the same test and questionnaire. Results showed that children in the training group improved more than children in the control group in all three aspects of self-concept and mental rotation performance. All interaction effects between time and group were moderate to large. We conclude that a ten-week boxing training successfully improves children’s self-concept and spatial abilities.

Development of working memory and inhibitory control in early childhood: Cross-sectional analysis by age intervals and gender in Ecuadorian preschoolers.

Working memory (WM) and inhibitory control (IC) play a crucial role in learning during early childhood. The literature suggests a non-linear developmental trajectory of executive functions (EFs) with varied results according to gender, usually attributed to environmental factors. However, there is insufficient and inconclusive data on whether this pattern is reproduced in the Latin American preschool population since most studies have been conducted in English-speaking, European, and Asian environments. Thus, objectively comparing children's executive performance across diverse international geographical contexts becomes challenging. This study aimed to conduct a cross-sectional analysis of the performance in WM and IC of 982 Ecuadorian preschoolers aged between 42 and 65 months (M = 53.71; SD = 5.714) and belonging to medium-high, medium, and low-medium socioeconomic strata. The participants consisted of 496 boys (M = 53.77; SD = 5.598) and 486 girls (M = 53.65; SD = 5.834), representing nine cities in Ecuador. To assess the effect of age and gender on performance in these two domains, the sample was divided into four 6-month age intervals. Two tests were administered to the participants, and a survey was conducted with 799 of their usual caregivers. Viewing the cross-sectional mean scores of the WM and IC tests as a temporal continuum reveals an upward trend in each age interval studied. Girls outperformed boys on the IC test, showing statistically significant differences in the earliest age interval. The gender differences in executive performance reported in the literature emphasize the need to explore the modulating effect of environmental variables on early childhood development. This information could offer valuable insights for adapting and optimizing cognitive and didactic strategies in early childhood tailored to the characteristics and needs of the preschool population.

A Single Fahter’s Caregiving

Objective: This research aims to examine the intricate dynamics of single-parent households in Indonesia, specifically focusing on the role of fathers as single parents, which is shaped by their work responsibilities and duties before and after divorce. Method: This research utilizes a qualitative phenomenological methodology, employing snowball sampling to collect data through in-depth interviews. An interview was done to collect data on the father's pre-divorce experience, encompassing his initial parental role, changes in his obligations after the divorce, his level of involvement in raising the kid, and the difficulties he faced. Results and Discussion: The research shows that fathers act as breadwinners, caregivers, mentors and protectors of children. Challenges include managing time between work and children, educating them in worship, and overcoming social expectations and shyness. This research underlines the hopes of single fathers for their children to grow up independent, intelligent and responsible. This research reveals the diversity of fathers' roles as single parents, influenced by work, reasons for divorce, and roles before and after divorce. Fathers face embarrassment, difficulties caring for children, working outside the city, and leaving children alone. Although complex, the role of single fathers shows a positive impact on children's academic performance. Fathers hope to see his children succeed and love their father. Originality/Value: This research offers a comprehensive examination of the father's role as the exclusive caregiver in the upbringing of children.

Music, participation, and engagement of children with Trisomy 21 in daily activities

Children with Trisomy 21 generally have delayed psychomotor development and intellectual disabilities that can compromise the acquisition of motor and communication skills. The study is based on the hypothesis that music can be a beneficial auxiliary resource in Occupational Therapy sessions, due to its influence on the human body, and can be useful to promote participation. The objective of the research was to observe the effect of music on maintaining the child's attention, participation and involvement in different tasks in Occupational Therapy sessions, defined based on demands defined by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). This is a single case study with a 4-year-old child, diagnosed with Trisomy 21. After 12 sessions there was an improvement in the child's performance in the demands brought by the mother, as well as an improvement in their satisfaction in the activities carried out. The comparative analysis shows an increase of 5.6 points in the child's performance and an increase of 6.3 points in the mother's satisfaction in the reevaluation. Music in this study provided a positive result in the proposed activities, helping the child to maintain attention, increasing participation and independence in brushing teeth, getting dressed and drinking water from the glass.

Comparative Effect of Aerobic and Yogic Exercises on the Selected Physical, Physiological and Academic Performance of Non-Participants of Sports at Secondary School Level

Physical activity has a direct effect on well-being and health. To be fit and healthy we need to be physically active. Regular physical activity can help protect us from serious diseases like obesity and mental illness among children. The recent study reveals that 60% of the school going children suffers obese. Physical exercise, particularly continuous aerobic exercises such as running, cycling and swimming, has many cognitive benefits and effects on the brain include increases in neurotransmitter levels, improved oxygen and nutrient delivery. The effects of exercise on memory have important implications for improving children's academic performance, maintaining mental abilities among children Riding bicycle regularly is one of the best ways to tackle the health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Physical fitness and health are the integral part of human life. Fitness and wellness of person are correlated to each other. In fitness body proportion and composition are important parameters and which has roles relevance with health related fitness. Maintenance of physical fitness is needed of the day in human society. In this age of stress and tension, low level of fitness leads towards, the exposure of degenerative and psychosomatic disorders including other in effective suffering. A lot of people live with fitness myths, having their own concepts and theories of fitness and health when it comes to fitness there are many that believe strongly in the dictum 'ignorance is bliss'

Statistical learning and mathematics knowledge: the case of arithmetic principles

Statistical learning—an unconscious cognitive process used to extract regularities—is well-established as a fundamental mechanism underlying learning. Yet, despite the prominence of patterns in the number system and operations, little is known about the relation between statistical learning and mathematics knowledge. This study examined the associations among statistical learning, executive control, and arithmetic knowledge among first graders (N = 54). The relations varied by operation. For addition, children with greater statistical learning capacity responded more quickly to problems that were part of a principle (i.e., commutativity) pair than to unrelated problems, even after accounting for baseline performance, executive control, and age. For subtraction, results indicated an interaction between children's baseline subtraction performance and their statistical learning on accuracy. These findings provide an impetus for testing new models of mathematics learning that include statistical learning as a potentially important mechanism.

Is there a bilingual advantage in auditory attention among children? A systematic review and meta-analysis of standardized auditory attention tests.

A wealth of research has investigated the associations between bilingualism and cognition, especially in regards to executive function. Some developmental studies reveal different cognitive profiles between monolinguals and bilinguals in visual or audio-visual attention tasks, which might stem from their attention allocation differences. Yet, whether such distinction exists in the auditory domain alone is unknown. In this study, we compared differences in auditory attention, measured by standardized tests, between monolingual and bilingual children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in three electronic databases: OVID Medline, OVID PsycInfo, and EBSCO CINAHL. Twenty studies using standardized tests to assess auditory attention in monolingual and bilingual participants aged less than 18 years were identified. We assessed the quality of these studies using a scoring tool for evaluating primary research. For statistical analysis, we pooled the effect size in a random-effects meta-analytic model, where between-study heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. No substantial publication bias was observed based on the funnel plot. Further, meta-regression modelling suggests that test measure (accuracy vs. response times) significantly affected the studies' effect sizes whereas other factors (e.g., participant age, stimulus type) did not. Specifically, studies reporting accuracy observed marginally greater accuracy in bilinguals (g = 0.10), whereas those reporting response times indicated faster latency in monolinguals (g = -0.34). There was little difference between monolingual and bilingual children's performance on standardized auditory attention tests. We also found that studies tend to include a wide variety of bilingual children but report limited language background information of the participants. This, unfortunately, limits the potential theoretical contributions of the reviewed studies. Recommendations to improve the quality of future research are discussed.

Does the education system matter? Exploring in-depth joint school attendance, hazardous and non-hazardous activities in artisanal and small-scale mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

PurposeThis paper explores the deconstruction of child labour in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sites, highlighting different perspectives. Despite the economic benefits to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), ASM poses challenges, particularly where children are concerned. Methodology: Our study uses a convergent parallel mixed methods approach to interpret qualitative and qualitative data based on the conceptual framework of human capital. Trivariate probit and Tobit models were used for quantitative data and content analysis was employed for qualitative data. We collected primary data by interviewing children involved in artisanal mining activities. Interviews were conducted with consent from the children and their parents or guardians. We adopt snowball sampling due to the lack of a database. The Centre of Expertise on Mining Governance (CEGEMI) developed the data collection instruments in collaboration with Inner City Fund (ICF) International and validated by the United States Department of Labour. FindingsWe found that limited access to education leads to decreased school attendance rates among children, pushing them towards engaging in hazardous and non-hazardous economic activities within the DRC's mining areas. Moreover, excessive working hours negatively impact children's academic performance. Consequently, there is a trade-off between attending school and engaging in child labour at ASM sites in the DRC. LimitationsThis study did not consider domestic activities carried out by children. This could give even more detailed results. Public policy implicationsGovernments and partners must prioritise creating a comprehensive list of hazardous activities for children in the ASM context. Careful conceptualisation is necessary to ensure the clarity and effectiveness of this list. Raising awareness about the merits of removing children from activities related to mining is important for households living in and around ASM sites. Interventions aiming to reduce child labour and increase school attendance in ASM zones must remain mindful of the socio-economic and school infrastructure needs.

Incorporating Evidence-Based Gamification and Machine Learning to Assess Preschool Executive Function: A Feasibility Study.

Computerized assessments and digital games have become more prevalent in childhood, necessitating a systematic investigation of the effects of gamified executive function assessments on performance and engagement. This study examined the feasibility of incorporating gamification and a machine learning algorithm that adapts task difficulty to individual children's performance into a traditional executive function task (i.e., Flanker Task) with children ages 3-5. The results demonstrated that performance on a gamified version of the Flanker Task was associated with performance on the traditional version of the task and standardized academic achievement outcomes. Furthermore, gamification grounded in learning science and developmental psychology theories applied to a traditional executive function measure increased children's task enjoyment while preserving psychometric properties of the Flanker Task. Overall, this feasibility study indicates that gamification and adaptive machine learning algorithms can be successfully incorporated into executive function assessments with young children to increase enjoyment and reduce data loss with developmentally appropriate and intentional practices.

Healing through Ruqyah and Academic Achievement of Children in Muslim Community

Background: Ruqyah, an Islamic alternative healing practice, involves treating illnesses using Quranic verses and invocations, focusing on the names and attributes of Allah. The literature on the academic performance of Muslim children in Nepal and the use of Ruqyah is limited and requires further exploration. This study aimed to identify the use and practice of Ruqyah in healing children within the Muslim community and assess their academic achievement. Methods: This study explored the issue among the seven participants of four families from Muslim community who undergo Ruqyah often via a descriptive phenomenological method that included in-depth interviews. Three themes emerged from the interview data which offered insight into the Muslim community. Results: Parents found the use of Ruqyah and children's academic achievements reasonable. Muslims respect the Holy Quran as the word of God, using it as guidance for Ruqyah and their children, as they believed it was the right choice. The study found that the family preferences dictated whether to take it immediately or only when needed. Children who followed Ruqyah and supplemented it with modern medications improved health patterns and their academic success. Conclusion: Children who undergo Ruqyah are influenced by their parents' religious knowledge, educational level, and socio-economic background, and are academically prepared. Medications are used, with parents believing that aligning with Ruqyah improves their children's academic performance. Novelty: The study could lead to new therapeutic research directions for the Muslim communities in Nepal, assisting children in coping with illnesses and improving their academic outcomes.

Parental Educational Expectations and Academic Achievement of Left-Behind Children in China: The Mediating Role of Parental Involvement.

Migrant workers from rural China often leave their children at home to be raised by grandparents or other family members. This study explored the relationship between parents' educational expectations, parental involvement, and the academic performance of left-behind children in China. A total of 19,487 student samples were obtained from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), and 5078 of these met the criteria for being considered as 'left behind' children. Results indicated: (1) a significant positive correlation between parents' educational expectations and left-behind children's academic achievement; (2) parental education involvement plays a partial mediating role between parents' educational expectations and left-behind children's academic performance; (3) a significant negative correlation between parental intellectual involvement and educational expectations of left-behind children; (4) parental management involvement was not significantly correlated with parents' educational expectations and left-behind children's academic performance; and (5) a significant positive correlation between parental emotional involvement and educational expectations of left-behind children. The findings highlight the important role of parental educational expectations and have implications for the improvement of educational outcomes in China.

Relationships Between Anxiety, Attention, and Reading Performance in Children.

Many studies link anxiety in children with reading difficulties, but some facets of anxiety have been found to be positively associated with reading achievement. Attentional Control Theory offers a potential explanation for these seemingly contradictory findings, positing that anxiety can both interfere in attentional processes and enhance effort and use of compensatory processing strategies. The current study examines the relationships between anxiety, attentional control, and reading performance (word reading/decoding and passage comprehension) in a racially-diverse sample of 251s-grade students, 152 of whom had not met reading benchmarks using screening measures. Results showed that harm avoidance was positively associated with reading performance and physical symptoms of anxiety were negatively associated with reading performance. These links were attenuated when including attentional control in the model, suggesting mediation and lending support to Attentional Control Theory. Further research is needed to confirm causal mediation effects between anxiety, attentional control, and reading performance.

SOCIAL AND PEDAGOGICAL PROBLEMS OF REFUGEE/IDP STUDENTS UNDER BLOCKADE

Forced displacement or forced migration causes physiological and psychological stress that negatively impacts the physical, emotional well-being and education of refugee/IDP students. The purpose of the article is to identify the socio-pedagogical difficulties faced by refugee/IDP students. The research was conducted under blockade conditions from December 2022 to June 2023 in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). Methods: A mixed-type research method was used (quantitative survey, qualitative interview, focus groups, observation) among refugee/IDP students, their parents, as well as their teachers, and the results were processed using expert research, historical, comparative analysis. The results of the study confirm that forced displacement is the main cause of cognitive, behavioral, motivational, consumer, and communicative difficulties among forcibly displaced students. 69.6% of refugee/IDP students believe that after forced displacement they began to study worse, and among the problems that trouble them, respondents noted longing and nostalgia for home (62%), which is an endemic phenomenon. Interestingly, the majority of parents (74.2%) believe that their children's school performance has declined due to displacement. And the absolute majority of teachers (72.2%) characterize the weak initiative and passivity of refugee/IDP students. They have psycho-pedagogical problems: learning difficulties, neurotic reactions, phobias, sleep/appetite disorders, and behavioral disorders due to traumatic shock.

Mothers' parenting styles, academic self-efficacy and academic performance: Chinese-Spanish Cross-Cultural Study

This study aims at investigating and highlighting the diversity in mothers' parenting style and self-esteem and their correlations with academic achievements across cultural contexts. A total of 200 university students (100 from China and 100 from Spain) was taken by means of the purposive sampling method. During the course of the 2021-2022 Academic Year, the Parenting Style Scale (S-EMBU) and Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES) were used to assess mothers' parenting styles and self-efficacy. It was found out that there were several cultural differences in the way parents approach their children, with the Spanish mothers applying warm and affectionate attitudes and the Chinese parents using stricter methods. As for the difference, no statistical significance was found between the two groups related to academic self-efficacy. In the findings, the rejection type of parenting was associated negatively with self-efficacy and academic performance while warm parenting that is emotional in nature was positively associated with these outcomes among university students. Furthermore, a positive connection between academic self-efficacy and academic success is also observed. The research identified specific parenting behaviors of mothers that significantly affect students’ academic performance in university, which reveals the critical role of parents in student’s academic success. Generally, the study shows the significance of cultural variation in parental involvements into university students' academic performance and the key role of parenting in the students' academic success. The research also considered parenting styles and academic self-conceptualizations between the Chinese and the Spanish university students. While it is true that there were notable cultural differences in parenting styles between Spanish mothers who showed warmer and more expressive styles and Chinese mothers, there were no significant differences in subjects’ self-efficacy in learning processes between the two groups. These results emphasize the significant role of parenting in the predictability of academic achievements among university students. In this sense, parental styles that involve emotional warmth were found to correlate with higher levels of academic self-efficacy and better academic performance. The research shows that positive ways of parenting including fostering emotional closeness and caring could help improve children's school performance.

Effects of Mother Tongue Education and Multilingualism on Reading Skills in the Regional Language and English in India

AbstractIn a highly multilingual country like India, challenges and opportunities arise in education and language policy. Although multilingualism is often associated with developmental advantages, Indian primary school children generally show low learning outcomes, specifically on literacy. Here we examine the influence of mother tongue education and multilingualism on the reading skills and reading comprehension of 1272 Indian primary school children from low SES homes. The children performed the ASER literacy task in both the regional, majority language and in English, which was followed by newly developed reading comprehension questions. The results show that minority language speakers from monolingual households—who do not receive mother tongue education—underperform compared to majority language speakers when reading in the majority language. When reading in English, growing up in a multilingual household improves children's performance. Finally, in sites which have a larger proportion of mother tongue‐educated children, children perform better in literacy in the regional language and worse in English. Overall, these results provide insight into the influence of mother tongue education and multilingualism on reading abilities and show that more support is needed for minority language speakers to develop literacy in the majority language, and for all children to develop literacy in English.

A multidimensional analysis of self-esteem and individualism: A deep learning-based model for predicting elementary school students' academic performance

The current research descends into the discrete connection between self-esteem, individuality and academic achievement among primary school learners. It addresses the essential need for predictive algorithms to analyze and forecast academic results. Self-esteem and identity, as diverse psychological variables, have been highlighted as crucial determinants in creating academic success. The fundamental goal is to develop an effective prediction model for elementary school children's academic performance by including self-esteem and individuality in the analytical framework. We suggested an Owl Search Optimized Dynamic Deep Neural Network (OSO-DDNN) based model for making more precise predictions. The sample size for the research was 147,210 elementary school students who took the LegiLexi exam between 2016 and 2021. To standardize the data and improve model performance, the suggested methodology uses a pre-processing strategy based on the Min-Max scalar approach. Furthermore, Independent Component Analysis is used to detect and extract essential factors related to self-esteem, individuality and academic achievement. The architecture and parameters of the suggested approaches are optimized using the OSO algorithm to provide a prediction model that remains accurate and efficient. We quantify the effectiveness of the assessments using the following metrics: precision, recall, accuracy and F1-score to develop a design using conventional methods. The findings demonstrate that the model's resilience and promise for anticipating primary school pupils' academic success are based on psychological aspects. The OSO-DDNN is an essential instrument for educators and policymakers in identifying at-risk pupils and implementing targeted interventions, supporting a comprehensive approach to education that combines psychological well-being with academic performance.

The role of possession of durable goods in gender-based developmentally-situated educational disparities in Colombia

There is growing recognition that anti-poverty policies aimed at increasing access to assets, particularly durable goods, need to address the issue of gender-based developmentally-situated disparities. This study examined how different types of durable goods relate to academic achievement and school attendance in Colombia and whether this relationship varies by gender and school grade, expanding the geographic scope of existing literature on the subject to Latin America. Data for fifth and ninth-grade students with complete durable goods information (N = 364,436) from the 2017 SABER test, a nationwide examination that evaluates reading and math skills, were assessed using multilevel modeling. The results indicated that students whose families owned washing machines, computers or who had internet access performed better academically and were less likely to be absent from school, with larger effects for boys and fifth graders. This research contributes to the existing literature by illustrating the importance of durable goods on children's academic performance. The study recommends policymakers to support the formulation of asset-based policies that promote access to durable goods, particularly for girls and adolescents from low-income families.

Are grandparents a good substitute for parents as the primary caregiver? The impact of grandparents on Children's academic performance

This study examines the impacts of caregiving by grandparents on children's academic performance in China. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS 2010 and 2014), we find evidence that grandparents appear to have an adverse effect on the test scores of their school-age grandchildren, and the negative effect is concentrated on grandparents with lower educational attainment and on boys. We further examine the mechanisms of this negative effect. Our results suggest that parenting styles play an important role in the success of grandchildren and the common parenting styles of grandparents in China compromise childhood development. Given that grandparents taking care of grandchild is prevalent nowadays and its negative effect on children's academic performance is worrisome, our results have important policy implication: parenting training could help to mitigate the negative effects of non-parental caregivers.

The developmental path of metacognition from toddlerhood to early childhood and its influence on later memory performance.

Recently, several studies have suggested that metacognition emerges early in infancy and toddlerhood. However, to date, the developmental trajectory of these early metacognitive monitoring and control processes and their influence on children's later memory functioning remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to longitudinally document the development of metacognition between the ages of 2.5 and 4.5 years and to examine the link between these early metacognitive skills and later memory performance. To do so, 69 children initially aged 29-33 months old (NT0 = 69; 32 females; Mage = 32.3 months; SD = 1.6) were tested at three time points (12-month intervals) with a recognition memory paradigm designed to assess both metacognitive monitoring, through retrospective confidence judgment, and metacognitive control, through a cue selection task (i.e., children had the opportunity to ask for a cue to help them change their memory decision). In addition, at the last session, an episodic memory task (story recall) was also administered. Our results revealed an improvement in monitoring and control processes between 2.5 and 4.5 years with above-chance performance from around age 3.5. Mixed-effects modeling also indicated that metacognitive monitoring at ages 2.5 and 4.5, but not-unexpectedly-metacognitive control, was related to children's memory performance at age 4.5. Overall, our results provide evidence to enhance our understanding of the developmental course of metacognition from toddlerhood to early childhood and suggest that metacognitive processes are involved in memory performance much earlier than had previously been shown. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Association between parabens exposure and neurodevelopment in children

ObjectiveParabens are a group of substances commonly employed as antimicrobial preservatives. The effect of parabens on the development of neurotoxicity in children is still controversial. This study aimed to explore the associations between parabens exposure and children's neurodevelopmental performance, emphasizing potential sex differences and the combined effects of parabens. MethodsWe used the long-term follow-up study of Taiwanese generation, Taiwan Birth Panel Study II (TBPS II). We recruited the group of children at 6–8 years old. And, we measured parabens in children urine, including methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP) and butylparaben (BP). Children's attention-related performance was evaluated using the Conners Kiddie Continuous Performance Test 2nd Edition (K-CPT 2). The study employed both linear regression and mixture analysis quantile g-computation (QGC) methods to discern associations. A stratified analysis by sex and QGC was implemented to delve deeper into the cumulative effects of parabens. ResultsA total of 446 subjects completed both the parabens analysis and the K-CPT 2 survey. The overall association between parabens and neurodevelopmental performance was not pronounced, but discernible sex differences emerged. In the single pollutant analysis, elevated PP concentrations were associated with higher K-CPT 2 scores particularly in detectability (d') (β = 0.92 [95 % CI = 0.15 to 1.69]) and commissions (β = 0.95 [95 % CI = 0.12 to 1.78]), among girls. Further, in the mixture analysis, a significant association between PP and detectability (d') was observed in girls (β = 1.68 [95 % CI = 0.11 to 3.26]). ConclusionsThis study identified sex-specific associations between parabens and attention performance. Consistent outcomes across single and mixture analysis methods. Further research is crucial to clarify these causal associations.