Children's Preferences Research Articles

Illustration in Children's Food Packaging Involved Methods and Applications

With the growth of the global population, the children's food market is expanding, and the design of children's food packaging is increasingly being paid attention to. As an intuitive and vivid visual language, illustration plays a vital role in children's food packaging. It can not only attract children's attention and improve the appeal of the product but also increase the interest in the package through the story context and game elements, thereby enhancing children's awareness and loyalty to the brand. Therefore, the application method and effect of illustration in children's food packaging have become a problem worth studying. In-depth understanding of children's preferences and cognitive characteristics of illustration in different age groups is helpful to design food packaging that better meets children's needs. With the continuous expansion of the modern children's consumer market, illustration design, as an indispensable element in children's food packaging, has a unique visual appeal and emotional connection ability to attract children consumers. This paper will study the method of integrating illustration design into children's food packaging and discuss the three parts of hand-drawn design, vector drawing, and digital synthesis technology in detail. This paper aims to explore the application methods and effects of illustration in children's food packaging, identify the research gaps in this field by summarizing the current research progress, and put forward the research theme and specific problems of this paper. Then, the methods adopted in this study will be introduced in detail, and their significance will be expounded. Finally, future development will be predicted, and suggestions for possible problems will be put forward.

Evaluation of Nutritional Preferences of School-Age Children and Parents Attitudes Towards Child Nutrition: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This study aimed to examine the nutrition of school-age children and the influence of their parents. Method: The study involved 259 school-age children aged 9-12 and their volunteering parents from a province in Türkiye. A questionnaire was administered to the children questioning sociodemographic data and basic nutritional information, anthropometric measurements were taken, and the Parent Mealtime Action Scale was applied to their parents. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS 26 program. Results: It was found that the snack consumption status of children was related to the income status of the family's daily fruit and vegetable consumption (p<0.01). It has been found that animal fat restricted diet is associated with growth status in children (p<0.01). It has been determined that the children's eating situation is related to the persistent behavior of parents (p<0.05). It has been found that children who do not consume chips at all are also fed restricted animal fats in their daily diet. It was determined that bagel/cereal consumption was also excessive in children in whom rewarding was applied excessively (p<0.05). Conclusion: As a result, it was determined that school-age children's own preferences in food choices, as well as the parent's behavior and educational status, and the family's income level also have a significant impact. It is thought that it will be beneficial to provide nutrition education to parents and children in order to develop the right eating habits in school-age children and to increase the level of nutrition knowledge.

Children consider informants' explanation quality with their social dominance in seeking novel explanations.

Identifying high-quality causal explanations is key to scientific understanding. This research (N = 202; 50% girls; Mage: 5.82 years; 64% Asian, 33% White, and 3% multiracial; data collected from 2018 to 2024) examined how explanation circularity and informants' social dominance impact children's learning preferences for causal explanations. Raised in a culture valuing circular logic, Chinese children still preferred non-circular explanations and learning from informants providing non-circular explanations (d ≥ 0.50). When informants with non-circular explanations were subordinate to those with circular explanations, Chinese and American children preferred non-circular over circular explanations (d = 1.10), but did not prefer learning new information from either informant. Although children weigh explanation quality over informant dominance when seeking explanations for given questions, they consider both cues when evaluating informants' credibility.

Congruence Between Older Chinese Immigrants and Their Adult Children on Hospice Attitudes and Preferences: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.

Objectives: This study investigates the alignment of awareness, attitudes, and preferences regarding hospice care between older Chinese immigrants and their adult children. Methods: Forty older Chinese immigrants and their adult children in New York City were assessed for their awareness, attitudes, and preferences for hospice care. McNemar's and Cohen's Kappa tests examined differences and congruence within parent-child dyads. The Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) was employed for dyadic analysis using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Discrepancies were observed between older parents and adult children, with the latter showing higher awareness and more positive attitudes toward hospice care compared to their parents. While 84.2% of older parents expressed willingness to accept hospice care, only 65.7% of their children believed their parents would desire hospice, and only 39.5% of children expressed a preference for hospice care for their parents. Kappa coefficients indicated poor-to-slight agreement within parent-child dyads, but there was a fair level of agreement in children's perceptions of their parents' preferences and their own preferences for parents. APIM revealed significant actor effects but nonsignificant partner effects, suggesting that parents' and children's preferences are influenced by their own attitudes, but not by those of other family members within the parent-child dyads. Conclusion: The incongruence in attitudes and preferences for hospice care between Chinese immigrant older adults and their children emphasizes the need for culturally-informed education and interventions to facilitate open conversations and ensure patient-centered end-of-life care for older Chinese immigrants.

Characteristics and influencing factors of caregivers’ healthcare preferences for young children under COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China

BackgroundMissed or delayed child healthcare caused by the COVID-19 lockdown has threatened young children’s health and has had an unpredictable influence on caregivers’ child healthcare preferences. This study investigated caregivers’ child healthcare preferences and the factors that influence them among families with young children (0–3 years) during the lockdown in Shanghai.MethodsParticipants in this cross-sectional study were enrolled through random encounter sampling. Questionnaires were distributed online from June 1 to November 10, 2022, in Shanghai. A total of 477 valid questionnaires were received. The demographics of caregivers and their families, children’s characteristics, COVID-19-related information, and caregivers’ healthcare preferences were analyzed. The statistical analyses included frequency and percentage, chi-square tests, and multinomial logistic regression.ResultsCaregivers preferred child healthcare professionals in the community health service system (CHS; 47.6%) followed by hospital pediatricians (40.0%) during lockdown. Caregivers with the following characteristics preferred CHS: those with an annual household income of CNY 200,000–300,000, those whose youngest children were aged 8–12 months, and those who experienced early childhood physical development issues. Caregivers preferred hospitals if they had experienced healthcare-seeking-related difficulties in accessing professional guidance from hospital pediatricians.ConclusionsDuring pandemic lockdowns, policymakers should allocate more resources to CHS to meet caregivers’ childcare demands. Moreover, special attention should be given to the healthcare needs for CHS among families with specific demographics.Trial registrationApproval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine School of Public Health (SJUPN-202,109; June 1, 2022).

Influence of changing dentition on food texture preferences and perception of eating difficulty in Australian children.

The transition from primary to permanent dentition is an important phase in children's oral development, yet its impact on texture perception and food acceptance are less explored. This study aimed to investigate how changing dentition and tooth loss influence texture preferences and perception of eating difficulty among children aged 5 to 12 years. Children (n = 475) completed a forced-choice questionnaire featuring drawings of six food pairs, each available in hard or soft texture, and reported whether they had started losing primary teeth and the number of tooth gaps present. They also tasted four samples: chocolate snacks (cake and biscuits) and cheddar cheese (grated and cubes), evaluating their perceived eating difficulty and liking for each sample. Analysis of questionnaire responses showed a general preference for softer food textures among children, with a 36% probability of choosing hard foods. Preferences were not related to child's dental state, including primary teeth loss (p = .13) or number of tooth gaps (p = .45). In the taste test, chocolate biscuits and cheese cubes were perceived as significantly more difficult to eat than chocolate cake and grated cheese, respectively (both p < .0001). Children with more than two tooth gaps reported greater eating difficulty for chocolate biscuits and cheese cubes compared to children with fewer or no tooth gaps. This study demonstrated that children's texture preferences for hardness of foods remained consistent during dentition change, while their perception of eating difficulty could vary based on their dental state at specific points in time.

The Relationship Between School-Age Children’s Physical Activity and Their Leisure Activity Interests: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT Physical activities and leisure engagement are important occupations that children partake in. However, the association between physical activities and leisure engagement preferences in children remains largely unexplored in Australian contexts. As such, this study investigated the relationship between children’s physical activities and their leisure activity engagement preferences. A study was conducted involving 27 pairs of school-aged children and their parents/caregivers. Children completed the Preferences for Activities of Children and Children’s Leisure Assessment. Parents/caregivers completed the Children’s Physical Activity Questionnaire. Spearman rho correlations and linear regression analyses with bootstrapping were completed. Children’s games and sports activity variety was significantly correlated with active school activity duration (rho = .452, p = .018). In addition, children’s preferences for instrumental indoor activities predicted sports frequency on weekdays (R2 = .446, p = .003). Similarly, self-enrichment activities variety was predictive of sports activities frequency on weekdays (R2 = .446, p = .006) and weekends (R2 = .151, p = .026). Finally, children’s sociability in instrumental indoor activities predicted active leisure activity duration on weekends (R2 = .120, p = 043). Findings suggest that children’s leisure engagement preferences are predictive of their participation in physical activities. Specific aspects of leisure participation, such as variety and sociability, can also predict children’s physical activity levels. When promoting physical activities, it is important to understand children’s leisure engagement preferences so that clinicians can develop individualized plans by incorporating children’s interests. This will inform child-centered goal setting and intervention planning. Further research in this area is recommended.

Children's Perspective on Social Workers' Questioning Practices

ABSTRACTThree tendencies currently influence social workers' questioning practices at statutory meetings with children in out‐of‐home care: an awareness that the children may have unmet needs that social workers should detect and react upon the introduction of screening instruments to social work and changes in questioning practices due to a quest for greater child participation. This project explores children's preferences about social workers' questioning practices given these trends. A total of 18 Danish children aged 10–13 participated in three separate panels in 2020 and 2021. Each panel met up on three Saturday afternoons to discuss and offer opinions on subjects that included social workers' questioning practices with or without the use of screening questionnaires. According to the children, social workers need to reach a better balance between children's right to privacy and their need for help. They want fewer people ‘meddling in their lives’, more privacy and to be questioned only when social workers can act very concretely to help them solve a problem. Children's preferences indicate that we should adjust social work questioning practices with children placed in out‐of‐home care in general and our use of screening instruments in social work in particular.

Exploring In-Session Engagement in Equine-Assisted Services for Children and Youth Experiencing Disability: A Scoping Review.

Aims: The purpose of this review was to identify and describe the evidence about children and youth engagement during equine-assisted services (EAS). Methods: Five databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and MEDLINE) were systematically searched. Included studies reported research about EAS conducted in children and youth and presented findings about in-session engagement or associated concepts such as motivation, involvement, and participation. Extracted data (study type, equine intervention, population, and the studies' key focus) were summarized descriptively, followed by inductive content analysis of the main mechanisms proposed to influence engagement. Results: In total, 30 studies were identified; however, only three centered on rider engagement as the primary focus of research. Other publications addressed in-session engagement within service descriptions or results and discussion sections. Three mechanisms that influence engagement within EAS were derived: (1) the unique EAS landscape, (2) the horse-child relationship and (3) the provider-child relationship. The literature primarily referred to horses as the most important factor influencing child and youth engagement in EAS sessions. Little attention was given to the influence of service providers', parents', or child preferences on engagement. Conclusions: The child/youth-parent-provider relational triad and specific strategies to improve rider engagement within EAS sessions warrants further investigation.

Evaluating educational apps for preschoolers: Differences and agreements between the assessments of experts, parents, and their children

Educational apps offer a wide range of opportunities to foster children's early competency development during preschool age. However, due to inconsistent evaluation criteria, comparing the educational value of different apps is challenging, and conclusive data on children's and parent's preferences in choosing educational apps for preschoolers is lacking. In the present study, we analyse differences and agreements between the assessments of educational apps by scientific experts, parents, and their children, and compare their assessments with children's actual usage times. In sum, N = 400 children aged between 51 and 75 months (M = 60.9; SD = 4.5) obtained tablets to use at home for 10 consecutive months, with educational apps specifically developed to foster preschool children's cognitive, mathematical, and linguistic competences. Scientific experts rated children's apps according to the evaluation criteria by Hirsh-Pasek et al. (2015), while parents and children rated the respective apps with school grades, data was assessed at t1 (after 5 months) and t2 (after 10 months). Results show that children are less likely to play with apps with a higher educational value and rate them lower compared to ratings by scientific experts. Significant associations were found between the app ratings of parents and their children. With these findings, the present study provides insights into children's app preferences und usage behaviour especially in the context of family environment. The results highlight the importance of thoroughly researching and considering the perspectives of both parents and children to design apps that are enjoyable and played for extended periods.

Oral size perception and texture preferences for particle-containing foods in children aged 5-12.

Foods containing bits and pieces are often less liked by children; however, there is a limited understanding of how perceptions and preferences for foods with particles change during childhood. This study aimed to investigate preferences and perceptions of particle-containing foods in children aged 5-12 years. Children (n = 485) completed a forced-choice questionnaire on drawings of six pairs of foods, each available with or without particles. Additionally, children tasted yogurts added with muesli differing in particle size (median diameter: 3.9 or 7.5 mm) and evaluated their perception of particle size in mouth and their liking. The questionnaire results showed that children had a clear preference for foods without particles. The average probability of choosing the 'with-particle' foods was 28%, significantly below the midpoint of 50% (p < .0001). Preferences for particle-containing foods were lowest at age six and increased significantly with age (p = .0007). In the taste test, muesli particle size affected oral size perception (p < .0001) but not liking (p = .60). Older children were better able to differentiate particle size than younger children. However, there was no relationship between individual preferences for particle-containing foods and oral size perception of muesli particles. The observation that children's texture preferences changed with age highlights the role of increased experience in shaping preferences for foods with particles.

Spousal Agreement on Sex Preferences for Children and Gender Gaps in Children's Education

AbstractUsing data from 60 countries, we measure how much couples agree on sex preferences for children and whether differences in sex preferences are associated with gender gaps in children's education. Results show extensive disagreement in sex preferences for children, with husbands far more likely to want more sons but their wives more likely to prefer having equal numbers of boys and girls, wanting more daughters, or having no preference. India has the highest share of agreement on sex preferences (59 percent), and Niger has the lowest (32 percent). The association between couples’ sex preferences and gender gaps in education differs considerably by country. In some countries, girls have worse outcomes when their parents agree on son preference and better ones when parents agree on daughter/no preference. But there are numerous counter‐examples as well. Gender gaps in education appear more often when wives hold son preference but not their husbands than the reverse combination. Agreement on daughter/no preference is the only category that is systematically associated with better outcomes for girls relative to boys (although even here there are caveats). Balanced preference (wanting as many boys as girls) is an ambiguous category with heterogenous patterns in terms of educational gender gaps.

PARENTAL INFLUENCE ON CHILDREN'S FAST-FOOD CHOICES: A STUDY OF FAMILY DECISION-MAKING

Concerns about obesity and lifestyle diseases have increased as children eat more fast food. Parents influence children's eating patterns, especially fast-food selections. This study explores family decision-making processes to determine parental influence on children's fast-food habits. We surveyed 5–15-year-old families to determine how parental supervision, socioeconomic conditions, and family dynamics affect children's diets. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in this quantitative study. While parental influence is significant, children's preferences and external effects like peer pressure and marketing can influence fast food choices. The study found that parental supervision and public health programs can help kids eat healthier. Parents, schools, and legislators are advised to help youngsters make healthier eating choices.

Re-Fashioning Femininity and Motherhood in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Zikora: A Short Story”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the postcolonial writers who has made her literary contribution by introducing Nigerian culture to her readers in English. This paper aims to present a re-fashioned postcolonial perspective on the understanding of femininity and motherhood in Nigerian culture and to demonstrate how the perception of these concepts has evolved over generations as illustrated by the mother-daughter relationship in Adichie’s “Zikora: A Short Story” (2020). “Zikora” deals with various issues directly related to the situation of Nigerian women, such as single motherhood, polygamy, sexism and the preference for male children. The article draws on African feminism to explore womanhood as an identity and to emphasise the role that contact with a foreign culture plays in women's self-determination and development as individuals. In the story, the eponymous character is a single woman whose expected child is not wanted by her father. In the final stages of labour, Zikora reflects on her mother's relationship with her father and how she had to stay in the polygamous marriage just because she did not bear her husband a son. This study also shows that “Zikora: A Short Story” is a boldly written story that draws attention to the many injustices faced by Nigerian women in a patriarchal society.

Viewing preferences of ASD children on paintings

The eye movement patterns of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) based on high-precision, high-sampling-rate professional eye trackers have been widely studied. Still, the equipment used in these studies is expensive and requires skilled operators, and the stimuli are focused on pictures or videos created out of ASD group. We utilized a previously developed eye-tracking device using a tablet, and the double-column paintings with one column from children with ASD, and the other from typically developing (TD) children as stimuli, to investigate the preference of ASD children for the paintings created within their group. This study collected eye movement data from 82 children with ASD and 102 TD children, and an adaptive eye movement classification algorithm was applied to the data aligned by the sampling rate, followed by feature extraction and statistical analysis from the aspects of time, frequency, range, and clustering. Statistical tests indicate that apart from displaying more pronounced non-compliance during the experiment, resulting in a higher data loss rate, children with ASD did not show significant preferences in viewing the two types of paintings compared to TD children. Therefore, we tend to believe that there is no significant difference in preference for ASD and TD paintings showcasing as diptych from the two groups of children using our eye tracking device, and their feature values indicate that they do not have a viewing preference for the paintings.

Do parents support e-bike use among teenagers, and why? Evidence from Vietnam

ObjectivesHabituating young generations to using green modes is critical to forming sustainable transportation development. However, we do not know what enables or deters e-bike use among teenagers in developing countries. This study, set in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, seeks to answer two research questions: (1) how much do teenagers use e-bikes and why, and (2) how much do parents support further e-bike use among teenagers? MethodsThe current study relies on a survey of 832 parents of older teenagers (about half of whom use e-bikes). Exploratory factor analysis is applied to derive latent psychological variables before binary and ordinal logit regression models are estimated to explore the factors that affect teenagers’ actual use of e-bikes and their parents' support for e-bike use. ResultsThe prevalence of e-bike use is 52%. Teenagers are more likely to use e-bikes, and be supported in this choice, when their parents believe that e-bikes are useful and safe. Parents care a great deal about their children's preferences around travel modes. A positive attitude towards e-bikes and an encouraging social circle lead to more e-bike use among teenagers and more parental support for e-bike use. Environmental awareness only predicts parental support for e-bikes use while perceived ease of use is positively associated with actual use by teens. Older teenagers are less likely to use e-bikes. ConclusionsOur findings can assist government agencies in adopting appropriate policies to sustain the use of e-bikes among teenagers. More research is needed to validate the findings of this study in other settings. Future studies should employ longitudinal data from representative samples of teens and/or parents.

Feasibility and face validity of two patient reported outcome measures for nausea: Preferences of children with cancer

PurposeTo optimize recognition and management of nausea in children with cancer using patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and to identify preferences of children with cancer regarding two validated tools: the Baxter Retching Faces (BARF) scale and the Pediatric Nausea Assessment Tool (PeNAT). Design and methodsThis quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study (n = 34) used bespoke questionnaires to measure feasibility and face validity of the BARF and the PeNAT. Feasibility included the items: understanding, ease of use, and communication. Face validity was studied in terms of the degree in which the faces of both PROMs corresponded with children's feelings of nausea. A descriptive and comparative analysis of the data was performed. ResultsBoth the BARF and the PeNAT were rated by the children as feasible, and no significant differences were found. However, regarding the item communication, the PeNAT did not reach the cut-off value (≥80% of all children scored neutral, agree or totally agree on the Likert scale). Regarding face validity, only the BARF reached the cut-off value and corresponded significantly better with children's feelings of nausea than the PeNAT. ConclusionAccording to children with cancer, only the BARF is both feasible and meets criteria for face validity. Therefore, the BARF is recommended as a PROM for reporting nausea in children with cancer. However, possible differences between age groups should be taken into account for future research. Practice implicationsThis study will help health care professionals in making a patient-centered and informed choice when using a PROM for measuring nausea in children with cancer.

Critical Analysis of the Role of Teachers and Parents in an Effort to Improve the Disciplinary Character of Students at SD UMP Banyumas

This study aims to: 1) describe the role of teachers in enhancing the disciplinary character of students at SD UMP Banyumas, 2) explore the role of parents in this process, 3) identify supporting and inhibiting factors, 4) evaluate the effectiveness of teachers' roles, and 5) analyze the overall impact of these roles on students' discipline. The research involves principals, teachers, parents, and students using a qualitative approach with a case study method. Data were gathered through observations, interviews, and documentation and analyzed using data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, supported by source and technique triangulation. The findings reveal that: 1) Teachers act as educators, guides, role models, motivators, and evaluators. 2) Parents contribute to children's discipline by providing explanations and advice, modeling behavior, demonstrating compassion, supervising, and teaching religious values. 3) Supporting factors include a conducive environment, adequate facilities, and strong support from teachers, parents, and the community, whereas inhibiting factors encompass negative peer influence, children's preference for play, media distractions, and the absence of parental supervision. 4) Evaluation methods involve observation, self-assessment, and peer assessment, with results communicated to parents. 5) While teachers generally perform their roles effectively, some areas need improvement. Effective strategies used by teachers include habituation, modeling, lectures, and simulations. Parental involvement is crucial in fostering self-discipline from an early age.

Ethical Challenges for Plastic Surgery in Treating Internationally Adopted Children With Cleft Lip and Palate.

A large number of children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) were adopted to Sweden in the last decade, mainly from China. Most of the children arrived with unoperated palates and at later ages than earlier years. This article aims to present an overview of ethical challenges within the practice of international adoption of children with CLP from the perspective of plastic surgery in a welfare health care system. An overview of CLP treatment is presented, followed by a normative discussion and ethical analysis using the 4 principles of Beauchamp and Childress: non-maleficence, beneficence, autonomy, and justice. The following themes and subthemes were analyzed: the search for normality and the potential challenge of being adopted and having CLP-treatment autonomy of the child and future preferences, adoptive parents' expectations of plastic surgery, the journey of the adoptee and the adoptive parents; and general issues-reconstructive possibilities and consequences of CLP in the country of origin, information to the adoptive parents, health care needs, and reconstructive possibilities for children with CLP in the receiving country. Clinical implications are discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Risk and time preferences following war evidence from Syrian children

War causes disruption. In this study, we examine risk and time preferences of young children from Syria as they were exposed to the Syrian war. We measure children's risk and time preferences using incentivized games. To discern the effect of the war from other confounding effects, we compare children born in Syria and exposed to the war with children living in the Turkish side of the border and not exposed to the war. We find that conflict affects behavior. After controlling for demographics and cognitive ability, children exposed to the war take more risks. We do not find a significant impact of exposure to the war on time preferences or on impulsivity.