Children's Preferences Research Articles

Designing A Model for Production of Children's Health Information Content in Radiology Centers: A Case Study

Background: In contemporary healthcare systems, there is a growing emphasis on promoting self-care, patient empowerment, and informed decision-making. The creation of health information content is recognized as a vital tool for enhancing the health literacy of patients. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the components of children's health information in radiology centers to develop a model for producing health information content tailored to their needs. Methods: This qualitative exploratory case study involved 71 participants, including 25 children aged 6 - 14 years, 25 parents of children aged 0 - 14 years, and 23 staff members (radiology technicians and doctors) from the Radiology Department at Children's Medical Center Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Semi-structured and in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data, which were then analyzed using qualitative content analysis and selective-axial coding. Results: The developed model comprised two main dimensions: Health information content and health information format. The dimension of health information content included process information, emotional information, and self-regulating information. The dimension of health information format encompassed various formats such as informational brochures, books, educational animations, applications, and oral explanations. Conclusions: Creating health information content that aligns with children's interests and preferences can enhance their cooperation and participation in radiology examinations.

Construction of Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence in Stateless Children: Scoping Literature Review

Statelessness, defined as the lack of citizenship, is a complex issue governed by international law. Factors contributing to statelessness include gaps in nationality, political policies, and individuals moving to countries at birth.. Stateless status can affect individuals of all ages, and children born to stateless parents are particularly vulnerable. This article explores the impact of self-confidence and self-esteem on the future preferences of stateless children. While international human rights instruments recognize basic rights for all, regardless of citizenship, many countries link citizenship to the full enjoyment of rights. Research methods employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to gather insights from previous studies. The results and discussion section highlights the negative impact of statelessness on self-esteem and self-confidence, with stateless individuals often feeling invisible and undervalued. The lack of citizenship not only undermines political and legal status but also tests the limits of self-confidence and self-esteem. The article also discusses the challenges faced by stateless children, such as legal instability, discrimination, limited access to services, identity uncertainty, violence, and exploitation. It emphasizes the importance of addressing these challenges to protect the rights of stateless children, promote their self-confidence, and enable their holistic development. The article underscores the need for legal recognition, emotional support, education, legal protection, psychological education, and involvement in positive activities to enhance the self-confidence of stateless children.

Navigating accent bias in German: children's social preferences for a second-language accent over a first-language regional accent

Spoken language conveys rich sociolinguistic information about a speaker's language background. Previous research indicates that both monolingual and bilingual children use this information when making social decisions. They prefer local speakers whose accent or variety matches their own over speakers of foreign languages or second-language speakers. What remains unclear is how exposure to diverse linguistic communities affects children's preferences for non-local accents. This study examines social preferences for a regional and a second-language accent as a function of prior exposure to diverse accents and languages, measured on a continuous scale. German-speaking primary-school children (aged 7–10) were asked to choose stickers in a forced-choice task using animated cartoon characters. We replicated the observed social preferences for one's local accent. Interestingly, when the local accent was absent, children socially preferred a second-language accent (American) over a first-language regional accent (Bavarian), even though both accents were equally intelligible and relatively unfamiliar to the children, as determined through a sentence repetition task and a geographical classification task. Children's choices were not explained by continuous measures of accent or bilingual exposure. The results suggest a complex interaction of various factors not limited to the speakers' first- or second-language status.

Unveiling the magic of mega-city block environments: investigating the intriguing mechanisms shaping children's spontaneous play preferences.

This study delves into the spatial preferences of children for play spaces within high-density urban block environments, specifically targeting the area of Baihua Second Road in Shenzhen, China. Recognizing the critical role of play in children's development, and the unique challenges posed by dense urban settings, this research employs multiclass logistic regression models and negative binomial regression models to construct a detailed mathematical analysis of neighborhood spatial elements and children's play space preferences. Data was meticulously gathered through both objective observations of 14 different types of spaces within the block, and subjective assessments via children's responses to a series of environment photos, capturing the essence of over 3,000 child participants' interactions and choices. Key findings reveal a pronounced preference among children for soft facility features and visually appealing spatial experiences, suggesting a nuanced understanding of play space needs beyond traditional playground designs. Notably, the study identifies that while cartoon-style designs in play facilities might increase moderate attractiveness, ordinary designs hold broader appeal, indicating a preference for diversity in play space aesthetics. These insights offer profound implications for urban planners and designers, advocating for a child-centered approach in the creation of urban play environments that prioritize aesthetic diversity, and the integration of natural elements. Moreover, the study situates Baihua Second Road as a paradigmatic case, illustrating the methodology and analytical framework applied in addressing the complex interplay between children's play preferences and urban spatial configurations. By incorporating a comprehensive data-driven analysis, this research contributes significantly to the discourse on child-friendly urban design, offering valuable strategies for cultivating inclusive and engaging urban play spaces for children amidst the constraints of high-density city living.

Questionnaire Study to Investigate the Preferences of Children, Parents, and Healthcare Professionals for Different Formulations of Oral Medicinal Products.

Since the acceptability of a medicine can significantly impact therapeutic outcomes, this study aimed to determine and compare the preferences of children, parents, and healthcare professionals for the most commonly used pediatric oral medicine formulations (syrup, mini-tablets, oblong tablets, round tablets) addressing all pediatric age groups, 0-<18 years (y). This survey study employed sex-, age-, and participant group-adapted questionnaires for eight cohorts of participants, i.e., children 6-<12 y, adolescents 12-<18 y, parents of children in four age groups (0-<2 y, 2-<6 y, 6-<12 y, and 12-<18 y), nurses, and pediatricians. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. In the age groups 0-<2 y and 2-<6 y, mini-tablets were preferred over syrup by all participants. In the age group 6-12 y, solid dosage forms were also preferred over syrup by all participants. In the age group 12-<18 y, healthcare professionals preferred solid dosage forms over syrup. Parents preferred higher amounts of mini-tablets and syrup compared to round and oblong tablets, while adolescents' preferences did not differentiate between these formulations. Based on the study results and in contrast to current practice, it is suggested to consider solid dosage forms for future age-appropriate medicinal products already for younger age groups.

Consumer Behavior of School-Going Children Towards Fast Food Items in New Delhi

Amongst all modifiable risk factors for nutrition-related health problems in school-aged children are dietary choices. Fast food culture is becoming popular among school-aged children. It is highly convenient and tasty, and youngsters enjoy it due to peer pressure. However, understanding how students are drawn to fast foods has become increasingly important in recent years. The purpose of this study is to learn about the fast-food consumption patterns and preferences of school-aged children in New Delhi. In this study, a self-designed and pretested questionnaire was used to conduct the research. The acquired raw data was subjected to appropriate statistical analysis in order to produce relevant results. The results showed that 15% of participants do not have a preference for fast food, compared to the majority of children (85.25%) who are more likely to prefer eating fast food. According to the percentage of school-age children who eat fast food, 22% of them eat pizza/week, 16% of them eat pasta twice weekly, and 27% of them eat Maggi once or twice a week. In contrast, only 12% of them eat wraps weekly, 12% of them eat wafers, 17% of them eat cookies twice weekly, and 32% of them eat doughnuts infrequently. Fast food contains high levels of unhealthy sugars and fats that are also addictive, which makes it difficult for kids to make good eating choices.

Clusters in Infant Environmental Factors Influence School-Age Children's Vegetable Preferences in Japan.

It remains unclear how the various environmental factors are combined in practice to influence vegetable preferences in school-aged children. This study aimed to clarify the environmental factors during infancy and their association with vegetable preference in school-aged children. To find clusters of early childhood environmental factors, we conducted a factor analysis on 58 items related to early childhood environmental factors and a k-means cluster analysis using the factors obtained. The association of the extracted factors and clusters with vegetable preferences was assessed by multiple regression analysis. Twelve factors relating to vegetable eating, cooking and harvesting experience, and parental attitudes were extracted by factor analysis. Three clusters, "low awareness of experiences", "high awareness" and "low positive encouragement", were then extracted. In the multiple regression analysis, all 12 factors were found to be associated with vegetable preferences. Furthermore, it was found that the "high awareness" group had a significantly higher score for vegetable preference than the "low awareness of experiences" group (β = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.37-0.74). Thus, the study found that environmental factors during infancy, in isolation and combination, influenced vegetable preferences in school-aged children. Assessing the combination of various environmental factors during infancy may contribute to a better understanding of future vegetable preferences.

Association between taste sensitivity, taste preference, and obesity: study of healthy snacks in children aged 9–14 years

Healthy eating habits are essential to prevent childhood obesity. Children’s eating habits are influenced by many factors, such as taste sensitivity and taste preferences. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between taste sensitivity, taste preference, and obesity in children. This cross-sectional study enrolled 101 healthy children aged 9–14(34 boys and 67 girls). Nutritional status was assessed based on age- and sex-specific BMI z-scores, following CDC Growth Charts. Taste sensitivity was measured using graded sucralose (sweet)/ saline (salty) solution of 0.1709, 0.3418, and 0.6837 mol/L with distilled water (blanks). Taste preferences were assessed using a self-reported questionnaire, the gradation of sugar and salt, and four healthy snacks (two sweet snacks and two salty snacks). Statistical analysis was performed using correlation test. A quarter of the subjects were overweight and obese (25.8%). Most subjects had good taste sensitivity, and it was easier to recognize salty than sweet taste (89.1% vs. 58.4%). Moreover, the sweet taste and sweet food were preferred by almost all subjects. Correlation test showed a correlation between sweet taste sensitivity (r = 0.213; p = 0.032) and sweet preference (r = 0.374; p = 0.029) especially in boys to nutritional status, but not for salty taste. Obesity in children was associated with taste sensitivity and taste preferences especially for sweetness. Presenting healthy foods that consider the daily limit of sugar intake is very important to support optimal nutritional status for children.Graphical

A Qualitative Study of Preschool Children's Perspectives on an Oral Health Promotion Program in New South Wales, Australia.

In Australia, dental caries are observed in almost half of children starting school. Oral health promotion programs are being implemented in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings to promote oral health. This study examined children's perceptions of one such program, the Bright Smiles Bright Futures (BSBF) program in ECEC settings in New South Wales, Australia. Data were collected using focus group discussions from 15 children aged 3-5 years, transcribed verbatim, and analysed through inductive thematic analysis. Three themes were identified as follows: (i) oral health knowledge of children, (ii) oral hygiene practices routine and skills development, and (iii) evaluation of the oral health promotion kit and opportunities for improvement. Children's perspectives highlight the BSBF program's success in communicating key messages to promote oral health. The integration of family-centric approaches, acknowledgement of children's preferences, and the use of interactive tools collectively enhance the overall effectiveness of the oral health promotion program.

IJCM_408A: Knowledge and perception of female feticide among medical students

Background: The preference for male children over female children has resulted in a declining sex ratio. We need to tackle and treat the mindset of people who don’t value the existence of females and consider them a burden. Objectives: To study the knowledge and perceptions related to female feticide among medical students of Mangalore. Methodology: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was carried out among third and fourth year MBBS students of Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. A sample size of 300 was calculated and they were selected into the study using Convenient Sampling. Data were entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 29. Results: Around 94.6 % of the participants were aware of the correct meaning of the term “Female feticide”. Almost, 94.3 % of the participants had an awareness about the practice of female feticide being prevalent in India. Nearly 74% of participants received information about female feticide from multiple media sources and 51.1 % from Newspapers. Conclusion: The study shows medical students have the optimum level of awareness about the factors of female feticide. They favoured that the decline in sex ratio is the main impact of female feticide.

The role of affiliation in the development of collaborative partner choice.

Collaboration is an early emerging component of successful cooperative relations that produces a cascade of positive social preferences between collaborators. Concurrently, robust preferences for affiliated others may restrict these benefits to in-group peers. We investigated how in-group affiliation (based on minimal group markers) and interpersonal affiliation (based on shared preferences) influence children's collaborative partner choice. We asked whether children prefer to collaborate with affiliated peers and if highlighting interpersonal affiliation with out-group members reduce in-group bias in partner choice. In Study 1, we assigned children (4-9 years, N = 124, 62 female, two nonbinary) to either a group or interpersonal affiliation condition and gave them a choice of collaborating with either an affiliated (in-group or same preference) or unaffiliated (out-group or different preference) peer. While children preferred affiliated peers in both conditions, interpersonal affiliation had a greater influence than group affiliation on collaborative partner choice among younger participants. With age, the difference between children's preference for affiliated peers in the interpersonal and group affiliation condition declined until they were similar in middle childhood. In Study 2, we assessed whether shared preferences would override in-group bias when these factors were directly contrasted. Children (4-9 years, N = 62, 33 female) chose between an in-group/different preference or out-group/same preferences peer. Younger children preferred the out-group/same preference peer, a preference that diminished with age to chance levels in middle childhood. These findings suggest that affiliation is an important determinant of collaborative partner choice and that shared preferences can override in-group bias in children's collaborative partner choice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Questioning ‘voice’ and silence: Exploring creative and participatory approaches to researching with children through a Reggio Emilian lens

There has been much debate around the ‘voice’ of the child in qualitative research. This paper contributes to these discussions by drawing on the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, which emphasizes dialogical encounters that recognize the value of children's subjectivities. The paper critically reflects on a qualitative study of primary education during the COVID-19 pandemic that involved children aged 5–7 (n = 30), teachers (n = 6) and parents and carers (n = 18) in Wales. The study generated data using creative methodologies, field notes and qualitative interviews. The philosophy of Reggio Emilia was utilized to be reflexive about the processes of research design, fieldwork, data analysis and dissemination, questioning tensions between voice and silence and how research teams can face and respond to the challenging issues that complicate the intent of respecting children's subjectivities and perspectives. A key lesson from this process of reflection and questioning was the need to be attentive to and attuned with the subtleties of children's paralanguage and to maintain a level of flexibility in research design and processes that respected children's requirements and preferences. While the study focussed on children's experiences, the lessons learnt from evaluating the study in relation to the philosophy of Reggio Emilia have value for wider qualitative projects with diverse communities.

Understimulation resembles overstimulation: Effects on school children's attentional performance, affect, and environmental preference

Research on restorative environments has long examined the benefits of nature exposure for people whose resources have been depleted due to a situation that is too demanding for the individual. We argue that people's resources can also be taxed in understimulating situations, in which there is a lack of sensory, cognitive, social and/or behavioral stimulation, leading to a need for recovery. Exploring this phenomenon forms the main objective of this study. Given the potential benefits that contact with nature in educational centres has for children, we chose young children (N = 145, Mage = 9.34) at school as participants. We conducted a 3 (stimulation: under, over, and control) by 2 (environments: natural, urban) by 3 (time: before stimulation treatment, just after, and after exposure to environment) mixed-mode experiment. The environments were simulated through a series of slides presented on a screen in the classrooms where also the initial part of the experiment took place. Our results show that both under- and overstimulating situations are taxing for children's capacity for attention, and that understimulation decreases children's positive affect. After overstimulation, exposure to natural scenes restored attentional capacities, while exposure to urban scenes did not. After understimulation, exposure to any of the environments (nature; urban) restored children's attentional capabilities and lifted their mood. Future research could focus especially on low stimulation/low meaning situations to better understand their negative effects on attention and mood.

A THREEFOLD APPROACH TO CHILDREN’S CHOICE OF PLAY IN THE SCHOOL AND FAMILY ENVIRONMENT

The present study aims to investigate the preferences of children aged 3 to 5 years old regarding their choice of play in two different environments, taking into account participatory pedagogical approaches, which support the value of children’s actions and “voice”. Its purpose is to pinpoint any gender stereotypes in children's preferences, to enable the comparison of data and the highlighting of the way they complement or contrast with the opinions of educators and parents regarding those preferences. The research revealed that children prefer commercially successful toys related to mass culture, which they employ for role-playing. Children choose different types of toys -mostly gender neutral- in the ECEC settings, in contrast to their choices in the family environment, which shows that gender stereotypes prevail at home. Boys and girls choose toys based on gender. Modern pedagogy aims to empower children to develop relationships of respect and equality and to provide equal learning opportunities. It is therefore imperative to encourage the use of gender-neutral toys to deconstruct the gender dichotomy and adopt gender-neutral pedagogy, helping to reduce stereotypes and raise awareness of social justice from early childhood.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0858/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Exploring Children's representations of work: A review investigating content and influences

Middle childhood has been identified as a critical period regarding the exploration and construction of the self, with strong implications for future vocational choices and occupational trajectories. Due to a shortage of both theoretical models and empirical data, a knowledge gap remains as regards children's perceptions and understandings of the concept of work between the ages of 5–8, and the differential variables influencing these representations. This review aims to fill this gap by providing relevant information with respect to the investigation of the content of children's representations of work, as well as the factors influencing them. Considering the lack of papers covering this topic, this article approaches the subject through adjacent angles such as adult and adolescent representations of work, children's representations of occupations, and children's vocational preferences or career development. A theoretical model of children's mental representations of work is presented, and general methodological avenues are proposed to pursue further investigation on this research topic.

Association of Traditional dietary pattern with early and precocious puberty: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Precocious puberty is an endocrine disease that is diagnosed by sex, age, and Tanner stage of puberty. This study aimed to investigate the association between various dietary patterns and early or precocious puberty, especially Traditional dietary patterns, which have been rarely investigated. A total of 4085 primary school students in grades 1-3 (6-9 years) completed individual characteristic surveys, health examinations, and food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Physical examinations were also conducted to assess obesity and pubertal onset. Traditional, Westernized, and Protein dietary patterns were determined by factor analysis, and their associations with pubertal onset were analyzed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Compared to the other two patterns, children who predominant the Traditional dietary pattern were protectively associated with precocious puberty (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.55, 0.94), even after adjusting the confounders (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.48, 0.89). Neither the Westernized nor Protein dietary pattern demonstrated an association with pubertal onset. The Traditional dietary pattern was negatively associated with children's weight status, classified by body mass index (BMI), and was positively associated with parental education. The maternal education and the Protein dietary pattern were negatively related. Traditional dietary patterns were protective associated with early and precocious puberty among Chinese children. The Traditional dietary pattern was protective associated with early puberty or precocious puberty in children, as found in large-scale population-based public health research. Current research primarily focuses on Westernized dietary patterns, and we studied Traditional dietary patterns to further explore the influence of food on children's puberty development. We discovered that children's preference for Traditional dietary patterns is protective of pubertal development, which implies that society and parents can benefit from diet guidance to protect children's natural development during adolescence.

Serious educational games for children: A comprehensive framework

IntroductionSerious educational games are digital games designed to support teaching or learning objectives that have become popular among children. However, a set of principles is needed to develop a successful educational game. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive and valid framework for designing children's serious educational games. MethodsThe conceptual framework is developed in two phases. First, a scoping review was conducted in PubMed, Ovid (APA PsycInfo), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, and gray literature on August 1, 2022. Papers in English that reported the serious educational games’ principles for children were included. Second, the extracted data from the previous step was reviewed and discussed by the research team to develop the initial framework. Then, it was distributed to 20 experts with relevant knowledge and experience in two rounds to validate and apply their comments within the framework. ResultsOf the 12916 papers identified, 15 were included in this study. In the proposed framework named CoDHP, the results were classified into four topics, including (a) content aspects, (b) design requirements, (c) highlighted attributes, and (d) children's preferences. Content aspects comprise four classes (goals and limits, child learning content, learning context, and a long-term program) with 16 principles. Design requirements contain 11 classes (stories and storylines, player characters, game mechanics, interactivity, game challenge, game rules, game help, entertaining games, user interface, accessibility, and setting) with 47 principles, of which 15 are highlighted. Regarding children's preferences for the game elements, various similarities and differences were extracted. For instance, both girls and boys prefer fun and popular games. Based on experts' comments, 21 supplementary principles were recommended to complete the content and design requirements. ConclusionGame designers or researchers can use the proposed framework as a formative guide to design successful serious games or evaluate children's digital games.

Incorporating social validity into practice: Treatment progression across pediatric feeding skill domains

AbstractA small but growing body of research in pediatric feeding disorders asserts the importance of comprehensively measuring social significance of goals, procedures, and effects of intervention, and incorporating social validity into practice to inform treatment. This report sought to extend this literature by detailing procedures to measure and improve social validity during a clinical case of a 3.5‐year‐old during a home‐based intensive feeding program. A multiple baseline design demonstrated effectiveness of nonremoval and re‐presentation added to a treatment package. Repeated choice via direct child preference assessments informed demand fading and gradual progression across six feeding skill domains (medication, cup drinking, independence, texture, volume, variety) and arrangements of response effort (preference, skill) with layers of reinforcer parameters (quality, magnitude, rate, immediacy). Indices of happiness definitions were modified, and extinction bursts examined. Fostering a collaborative approach, caregivers provided detailed input on social validity measures pretreatment, at discharge, and long‐term follow‐up (6‐month, 1‐year), inclusive of both qualitative and quantitative responses, written and verbal communication, and permanent product data. Further implications for practitioners included detailing the process for caregiver training and generalization to family meals with siblings and community settings, and providing adaptable full‐text guidelines for free access/choice contexts.

A New Era in the Not So New Economics of Fertility and Women's Time: An Introduction

AbstractThis article examines a new era of models predicting fertility decline reversal as female‐to‐male wages rise. Standard microeconomic frameworks and diagrams simplify theoretical concepts for students and policymakers. The analysis reveals how demand for children may increase when households substitute childcare for women's time. An income effect dominates when responsiveness of the input mix and preference for children are high. Challenging conventional assumptions unveils the importance of gender inequality at home, economies of scale in raising children, and market‐determined childcare prices. The findings suggest that household taxation and preferences influence how childcare subsidies and paid maternity leave shape fertility upturn.

Factors associated with stress among pregnant women with a second child in Hunan province under China’s two-child policy: a mixed-method study

ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to investigate the status of pregnancy stress and to explore factors associated with pregnancy stress among women by China’s two-child policy.MethodsA mixed-method study involving both quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The questionnaires encompassed socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, as well as the Pregnancy Stress Rating Scale (PSRS) and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Initially, the participants were required to complete the questionnaires, enabling us to assess their respective pregnancy stress statuses. Subsequently, we selectively interviewed pregnant women with a second child and exhibited at least mild pregnancy stress. The qualitative study sought to uncover the factors contributing to their stress during pregnancy.ResultsA total of 463 subjects were enrolled; of the subjects, 22 (4.8%) had no stress, 407 (87.9%) had mild stress, 34 (7.3%) had moderate stress. Generalized linear regression analysis revealed significant factors (P<0.05) related to pregnancy stress, including family financial burden, subjective support, fertility desire, gender of the first child, and gender preference. Additionally, 16 subjects were interviewed, and through analysis, three major themes emerged, each comprising 12 sub-themes associated with pregnancy stress. These themes were identified as fertility factors (worry about maternal and child health, birth experience, and parenting stress), family factors ( financial burden, second child care problems, first child’s acceptance of the second child, family concerns, fertility desire, and gender preference) and social factors (involving life events, career development and workload).ConclusionThe diver factors contribute to pregnancy stress among pregnant women under China’s two-child policy. Our study could be used to develop appropriate interventions to reduce pregnancy stress and to enhance the mental health of women pregnant with a second child.