School Performance Of Children Research Articles

Maternal thyroid function in early pregnancy and offspring school performance and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Thyroid hormones are critical for neural development, and during the first trimester of pregnancy the fetus relies fully on maternal thyroid hormone production. To investigate the associations between maternal thyroid hormone levels in the first trimester with the child's school performance, risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). From the Copenhagen Primary Care Laboratory Pregnancy Database information on first trimester TSH and fT4 measurements in mothers of children born in 2000-2014 were linked with information on the child's standardized test scores in school, ADHD (patient record diagnoses and medication) and ASD (patient record diagnoses) until end of 2018. Associations of TSH and fT4 with the outcomes were individually assessed by linear mixed models and Cox regression models. The analyses were stratified by preexisting maternal thyroid disorders. TSH measurements were available for 17,909 mother-child dyads. Among those with children born in 2000-2009, 6,126 had a standardized school test score and were analyzed for the association between maternal thyroid hormone levels and child's school performance, and no support for an association was found. The association between thyroid hormone levels and child's risk of ADHD and ASD were analyzed for the 17,909 dyads and with no support for an association between thyroid hormone levels and these neurodevelopmental disorders. Stratification by preexisting maternal thyroid disorders did not affect the results. We found no evidence for associations between first trimester maternal thyroid hormone levels and child's school performance, or risk of ADHD or ASD.

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.

School performance and educational achievement in children exposed to maternal cancer in utero

BackgroundIn utero exposure to maternal cancer and cancer treatment might influence the child’s cognitive development. This study investigated if exposure to maternal cancer during fetal life impacted school performance and...

Characterization of electronic device use among children and adolescents aged 6 to 14

Introduction: Children and adolescents use computers, cell phones, and tablets, among other electronic devices, daily in non-academic activities. It is essential to characterize the impact these devices have on the socialization, interaction, and learning processes in this population segment. We should also investigate possible harmful effects that may be related to their use. The objective was to characterize how these devices are used and their impact on school performance, behavior, and physical activity in children and adolescents from 6 to 14 years of age. Materials and methods: This is a cross-sectional analytic study of 510 schoolchildren ages 6 to 9 and 10 to 14 from Bogotá and Cundinamarca, Colombia. They were surveyed with a 38-question survey characterizing the use of the devices and the symptoms of anxiety and depression, conflict resolution, sleep, and school performance. Results: The average age for initiation on the use of devices was four years. Cell phones were the most used in both groups (56.3% and 78.04%). Parents monitor the use of the device in 80% of cases. 40% of the time, device usage was greater than 90 minutes per day. About 16% reported sleep disturbance, frustration (48%), emotional lability (20%), and suicidal ideations (11%) also were reported. 19% did not play with their peers, and 7% did not report having close friends. Conclusions: This study shows the high exposure to electronic devices from an early age and their relation to behavioral factors. Future studies should explore the relationship between these factors and electronic devices in depth

Study protocol for the ACTIVE SCHOOL study investigating two different strategies of physical activity to improve academic performance in Schoolchildren

BackgroundPrevious research has suggested that school-based physical activity (PA) interventions may have a positive impact on academic performance. However, existing literature on school-based interventions encompasses various forms of PA, spanning from vigorous intensity PA outside the academic classes to light intensity PA and movement integrated into academic learning tasks, and results on academic performance are inconclusive. ACTIVE SCHOOL will implement two different PA interventions for one school year and assess the effects on the pupils’ academic performance, with math performance as the primary outcome.Methods/designThe ACTIVE SCHOOL project consists of two phases: 1) Development phase and 2) Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). In phase one, two interventions were developed in collaboration with school staff. The two interventions were tested in an 8-weeks feasibility study. In phase two, a RCT-study with three arms will be conducted in 9-10-year-old children for one school year. The RCT-study will be carried out in two intervention rounds during the school years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. Schools will be randomized to one of two interventions or control;1) Run, Jump & Fun intervention (4 × 30 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; 2) Move & Learn intervention (4 × 30 min/week focusing on embodied learning in math and Danish lessons); or 3) a control condition, consisting of normal teaching practices. Outcome measures include academic performance, PA level, cognitive functions, cardiorespiratory fitness, anthropometry, well-being and school motivation (collected before, during and after the intervention period). A process evaluation will be conducted to assess implementation.DiscussionThe ACTIVE SCHOOL study will expand knowledge regarding the impact of PA on academic performance. The study will have the potential to significantly contribute to future research, as well as the scientific and educational debate on the best way to implement PA to support education and learning.Trial registrationThe study was registered on the 25th of October 2022 in ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05602948.

Evaluating the Experiences of Occupational Therapists and Children Using the SensoGrip Pressure-Sensitive Pen in a Handwriting Intervention: Multimethods Study.

The acquisition of handwriting skills is essential for a child's academic success, self-confidence, and general school performance. Nevertheless, an estimated 5% to 27% of children face handwriting challenges, where the ability to modulate pressure on the pencil and lead on the paper is a key motor component. We aimed to investigate the experience with and usability of the SensoGrip system, a pressure-measuring pen system with personalized real-time feedback about pressure modulation, in a clinical setting with children and occupational therapists (OTs). A multimethods study was conducted, incorporating qualitative interviews and questionnaires with children, user diaries, focus group discussions, and a usability questionnaire with OTs, along with a questionnaire for parents. The study involved OTs (n=8), children with handwriting difficulties (n=16), and their parents (n=16), each of whom used the SensoGrip system in up to 5 therapy sessions. OTs reported that the SensoGrip system helped to focus the child's awareness on handwriting pressure and to measure it objectively. The system received high acceptance and usability ratings from the OTs-usefulness: median score of 4 out of 7; ease of use and ease of learning: median score of 6 out of 7; and satisfaction: median score of 6 out of 7. Participants appreciated that it fosters pressure awareness and motivation to draw and write. The SensoGrip pressure-sensing system with real-time feedback is a promising tool for pediatric occupational therapy. It supports children with handwriting difficulties to adjust their pressure application during the task. In the future, controlled quantitative trials are warranted to further examine the system's impact.

Grade 7 school performance of children born preterm: a retrospective Canadian Cohort study.

Data on the middle school outcomes of preterm children are limited and have methodologic issues. To study the association between preterm birth and grade 7 school performance. A retrospective population-based cohort study of children born in Manitoba, Canada between 1994 and 2006 using their grade 7 school performance data. A secondary sibling cohort was created comprising children born preterm and their full-term siblings. Primary exposure was preterm birth categorized as <28, 28-33 and 34-36 weeks gestation. The two co-primary grade 7 outcome measures were: not meeting the mathematics competencies, and not meeting the student engagement competencies. Multivariable logistic regression models tested the association between preterm birth and both co-primary outcomes; adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. 7653 preterm (gestational age median [IQR]: 35 weeks [34,36]) and 110,313 term (40 [39,40]) were included. 43% of < 28 weeks, 18% of 28-33 weeks and 17% of 34-36 weeks had the mathematics co-primary outcome compared to 13% of term children. The corresponding % for the student engagement outcome were 42%, 24%, 24% and 24% respectively. Preterm birth was associated with the mathematics (<28 weeks: 5.48, 3.89-7.70; 28-33 weeks: 1.47, 1.27-1.70; 34-36 weeks: 1.26, 1.16-1.35) and student engagement outcomes (<28 weeks: 2.49, 1.76-3.51; 28-33 weeks: 1.21, 1.06-1.39; 34-36 weeks: 1.09, 1.01-1.16). However, there was no difference in outcomes among the sibling cohort. Children born preterm had lower grade 7 performance compared to children born term in this population-based cohort. Screening and supports for them in their middle school years are warranted.

Comparative Analysis of Sleep Hygiene and Patterns among Adolescents in Two Russian Arctic Regions: A Pilot Study.

The circumpolar habitat stands as one of the most vulnerable environments for human activity and health. The primary study objective was to compare sleep-related factors, light exposure, social cues, and potential confounding variables among schoolchildren residing in the European Arctic region from two settlements situated below and above the Polar Circle using validated self-reported questionnaires. We recruited 94 children aged 13-15 years (40.4% males), matched by sex and age, from public educational institutions in two circumpolar settlements located below (Kem', Republic of Karelia; 64.6 NL) and above the Polar Circle (Apatity, Murmansk Region; 67.3 NL). Participants completed several surveys, including the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale, and the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire, to evaluate sleep parameters and chronotype. The χ2 test was used to test for differences between proportions. Linear regression and multiple regression models with co-factors were applied to assess the relationship between studied indicators. A noteworthy increase in physical activity was observed in children residing in Kem' compared to those in Apatity. Children from Apatity showed higher alcohol consumption than their counterparts from Kem'. The overall rate of excessive daytime sleepiness in the sample was 17.1%. Moderate insomnia symptoms were reported in 18.4% of adolescents living in Kem' and in 25% of respondents living in Apatity, respectively. Notably, participants from Kem' attained higher academic scores and had longer exposure to sunlight on schooldays. On the other hand, children from Apatity tended to have later bedtimes and sleep-onset times on schooldays. According to the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire data, a reliance on alarm clocks on schooldays, and a higher Sleep Stability Factor based on the Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale. Our study indicating that higher physical activity and longer sunlight exposure among Kem' children on schooldays are associated with earlier wake-up times during schooldays, earlier bedtime whole week, reduced dependence on alarm clocks, and higher academic achievements. The results of older schoolchildren differ from many works published previously in the USA, Argentina, and Japan, which could be explained by the season when the study was performed. Here, we observed a negative impact on school performance and sleep parameters in children living in high latitudes, namely in circumpolar regions. Our study points out that adolescents living above the Polar Circle tend to have sleep problems, e.g., late sleep-onset times, higher excessive daytime sleepiness, and insomnia-related symptoms, because of experiencing reduced exposure to natural light. Future research encompassing assessments across all four seasons will provide a more comprehensive understanding.

Effect of an Active Break Intervention on Attention, Concentration, Academic Performance, and Self-Concept in Compulsory Secondary Education.

(1) Background: Society's shift to a tech-focused era and has created a hyper-connected, sedentary lifestyle. The purpose of this study is to address two objectives: firstly, to describe and analyze the effects of an active breaks program associated with the learning of curricular content (CF-AB) on levels of attention, concentration, and academic performance (AP); secondly, to examine the relationship between intense physical activity (PA), attention, concentration, academic self-concept, basic psychological needs, and academic performance in schoolchildren who practice CF-ABs. (2) Method: A randomized controlled trial quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study with a non-probabilistic sample included 313 secondary school students divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention, a curricular-focused academic break (CF-AB) (8 weeks, 5-10 min/session), is taken in the middle of the class and linked with the subject content. Measuring instruments: Attention Test D2, ad hoc test for the AP, self-concept AF5, Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale in General (BNSG-S), and the Global PA Questionnaire (GPAC.V2). (3) Results: Attention and concentration improved in both groups, with no significant differences. There were no significant differences in academic self-concept, but the intervention group showed higher scores in basic psychological needs. AP correlated positively with concentration, academic self-concept, and physical activity. A proportion of 20% of the variance of AP in spelling is explained by the regression model. Students who improved the most in AP practiced intense PA outside school, with good self-concept and satisfactory social relationships. Although concentration was related to AP, it did not explain the improvement. (4) Conclusion: CF-ABs may have a positive impact on attention and AP, with socioemotional factors and PA playing an important role in this effect. (5) Limitations and Future Research: The relationship between PA performed in class and AP should be considered with caution due to the multifactorial nature of AP. Future research should consider the number of sessions per week, the prolongation of the same during the school year, the intensity and duration of the activity, and the intervention type of active breaks. In addition, attention should be paid to possible incident factors in AP related to personal and social variables.

Physical activity status and its association with quality of life among children with down syndrome in Saudi Arabia: A comparative cross-sectional study.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes physical and cognitive challenges. Identifying the impact of sedentary behavior and physical activity on people with Down syndrome is crucial for early intervention. The purpose of this study is to compare physical activity and sedentary behavior among children with Down syndrome and typically developing children, as well as assess their relationship with quality of life. In the cross-sectional study, 67 children between the ages of 6 and 12 were enrolled: 29 in the Down syndrome group and 38 in the typically developing group. Each child wore an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT for seven days. Accelerometer data and quality of life data were analysed. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were not significantly different between the Down syndrome and typically developing groups (p ˃ .05). With large effect sizes (partial eta squares ranging from 0.21 to 0.59), typically developing children had a significantly better quality of life than children with Down syndrome. There was a weak positive correlation between moderate physical activity and school performance in children with Down syndrome. For typically developing children, there is a weak negative correlation between light physical activity and physical function, school function, and total paediatric quality of life scale scores. This study indicates that children with Down syndrome have participated in more physical activities, resulting in a reduction in differences between them and typically developing children. Additionally, typically developing had higher quality of life than children with Down syndrome. For healthcare professionals and educators, these findings provide valuable insights into developing strategies to enhance physical activity for children with developmental disabilities.

Evaluation of parental relationship and school performance in primary school children

This study aimed to determine whether there is a significant correlation between the parental relationship with school coexistence and the level of learning in children. The work had a quantitative approach, with a correlational non-experimental design; It consisted of a sample of 585 students from the third to the sixth grade of primary school. Two questionnaires were carried out to know the aspects related to the parental relationship and its effects on the children's school performance. The results show a correlation between school coexistence and academic performance; however, it is shown that the parental relationship is independent of this situation.

Hubungan Keragamanan Makanan dengan Status Gizi Balita Usia 1-5 Tahun

Food diversity is a major problem for all developing countries, including Indonesia. Dietary diversity is associated with the risk of stunting and other nutritional problems. Stunting will have a negative impact on children's thinking, memory, school performance and work productivity in the future. In an effort to reduce the high stunting rate in Sumberwungu Village, the Government was distributing additional food in the form of snacks but it was not in accordance with nutritional needs. The aim of this research was to determine whether the nutritional status of toddlers aged 1-5 years was related to diversity in Sumberwungu Village, Tepus, Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta. This type of research uses a retrospective methodology and is an analytical observational study. The sample in the research was 34 toddlers who experienced nutritional problems. Food diversity data was collected using the IDDS questionnaire with a non-consecutive 2x24 hour recall method. The data analysis used in this research is univariate and bivariate analysis. Bivariate analysis in this study uses the Kendal-Tau test to determine the relationship between food diversity and the nutritional status of toddlers. The results of data analysis showed that there was no relationship between food diversity and nutritional status in toddlers aged 1-5 years (z score BB/U p= 0.898, z score TB/U p= 0.941, and z score BB/TB p= 0.913).

Peer groups, academic achievement and the behaviour of elementary school‐aged children: A strength‐based perspective

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine how the members of children's peer groups resemble each other in terms of behavioural and emotional strengths, academic achievement and behaviour at school. The participants were 739 9‐ to 10‐year‐old children (354 boys, 385 girls) from 30 Finnish elementary schools. 431 children (241 girls, 190 boys) were part of peer groups. Less than 5% of participants were other than Finnish origin. The children self‐assessed their behavioural and emotional strengths, and teachers evaluated the children's academic achievement and behaviour at school. Children also filled the sociometric questionnaire and sociograms were drawn to identify peer groups. Standardized beta values of regression analyses were used as indicators of effect sizes. The results showed that when observed as a strength, children's school functioning was positively linked to both academic achievement and behaviour at school. The intraclass correlations (ICC) revealed that members of peer groups resembled each other in terms of behavioural strengths, and behaviour at school, but not in academic achievement. The gender composition of peer groups explained the variance in behaviour at school between peer groups. The results of this study highlight the importance to consider children's peer group also when implementing behavioural interventions.

Качественные характеристики школьного образования как показатель политико-географического положения стран

The correlations between the qualitative characteristics of school education and the human development index and its components, according to UN data, are examined using sets of countries. They take into account educational characteristics, indicators of schoolchildren’s performance, identified in various countries by the international programs TIMSS, PISA, PIRLS and the number of gold medals at international olympiads in various academic disciplines. Components of human development – life expectancy, gross national income, average and expected years of schooling. Positive correlations, in most cases significant, between the phenomena under consideration have been established. The distribution of educational indicators taken into account by region of the world is considered. Using the world-system analysis, it was found that there is no complete correlation between the country's place in the international system and the level of schoolchildren's academic performance and medalists in school discipline Olympiads. It is noted that the Russian Federation and many countries geographically close to it are characterized by a gap between the quality indicators of school education and the level of development. It is suggested that the quality of school education is a strong and insufficiently implemented prerequisite for the development of the Russian Federation.

Self-Perception of Adaptation Teaching Practices in The Ordinary Classroom and School Performance of Children with Cerebral Palsy

Self-perception of adaptive teaching practices in the ordinary classroom and school performance as adjustment capacities in children with cerebral palsy. We found that the students with disabilities in the CNRPH and PROMHANDICAM inclusive schools are of various types. The fact that IMC learners are associated with physically and sensorially disabled and non-disabled children raises the problem of performance in terms of their ability to adjust to their inclusion in school. Our general aim is to examine and understand how the self-perception of pedagogical practices can have a significant effect on school performance as a capacity for adjustment to school inclusion for IMC. Our hypothesis is as follows: Self-perception of adaptive teaching practices in the mainstream classroom has a significant effect on academic performance as an adjustment capacity in children with Cerebral Palsy. To verify this hypothesis, we conducted a study in two CNRPH schools in the Yaoundé VI district, Mfoundi department, Centre region. A total of 150 participants of both sexes, selected based on purposive sampling, were interviewed and given a questionnaire. The statistics and results obtained enable us to understand the difficulties encountered by pupils with cerebral palsy and the adaptive teaching practices that can be put in place to facilitate the development of their performance as a means of adjusting to school inclusion.

The Influence of Various Types of Play on the Development of Coherent Monologue Speech in Children Aged 5-6 Years

Coherent monologue speech is one of the main factors determining both school performance and social success of children. Therefore, problems related to methods and techniques for developing coherent monologue speech in children still remain relevant. It is often recommended to use various types of play activities (i.e., games) for this purpose. However, the question remains whether all of them have an equally positive impact on the development of coherent speech in such an aspect as its macrostructure (coherence, cohesion, semantic completeness, narrative structure). For this reason, the purpose of this study is to find out how different types of play affect the speech development in children of senior preschool age. According to our preliminary hypothesis, the development of semantic elements of a story is most influenced by role-playing games. Our study involved 220 preschoolers ( M = 60.84 months; SD = 4.14 months) who were randomly assigned to seven groups in which they either participated in a series of games of a certain type, or listened to additional stories, or were not exposed to experimental treatment at all. Before and after the exposure, the children made up stories based on a series of pictures. The resulting stories were evaluated in terms of their macrostructure. The groups were then compared in terms of the impact that different types of play interaction had on the development of the macrostructure of coherent speech. It was found that the best effect was shown by the role-playing games, and, first of all, ‘directed’ ones. These results allow a more reasonable approach to the use of games for the development of coherent monologue speech in children aged 5-6 years.

Intestinal parasitoses: a contextualized educational approach aimed at reducing the disease

Intestinal parasitosis is caused by endoparasites that cause damage to the health of the affected person. These diseases, mainly linked to the conditions of hygiene and basic sanitation, can interfere with the performance of schoolchildren. The objective of this study was to carry out health education actions on intestinal parasitosis with 75 students in the second year of high school in the State of Pará, Brazil. Actions were carried out: school cleaning campaign; manufacture and organization of garbage collectors; collection of hygiene materials; lecture on parasitosis; Creation of cleaning duct: construction of a manual and didactic game. Two stages of parasitological examinations of feces were carried out on the students. The first stage was carried out before the prevention and treatment actions and the second after six months. A pre-test questionnaire (before the activities) and post-test questionnaire (after the activities) were applied. In the first stage of examinations, there was a prevalence of 53% of parasitic infestations in students. After the actions, there was a reduction to 25%, demonstrating that the treatment with dewormers and the actions developed contributed to the reduction of infestations, which shows the effectiveness of direct actions involving students to control these diseases.

Physical activity and academic performance in students from same primary education school

Background and Study Aim. Recent researches has demonstrated the relationship between physical activity levels and academic performance in schoolchildren. Most of them have sampled students from different schools and cities. Sometimes academic performance was influenced by other factors such as the type of teaching, the teaching staff or, for example, the assessment system. This research has tried to associate the practice of out-of-school physical activity with academic performance in a group of students, with the peculiarity that they all belonged to same Elementary school. Material and Methods. 120 students (67 boys and 53 girls), aged between 8 and 12 years, participated in this study once their parents or guardians were informed about the characteristics of the study. Academic performance was calculated from the average grades provided by their teachers in the first term. Physical activity levels were calculated using the APALQ questionnaire, categorising students into two types: active or sedentary. In the presence of a normal distribution, the difference between groups was obtained using Chi-Square and Student's t-test. In those cases where the distribution was not normal, comparison was carried out using the Mann Withney U. Results. The analysis of results showed that active students obtained significantly higher grades than sedentary students (8.15±1.17 vs. 7.35±1.15; p=0.042). This circumstance is maintained when analysing the results according to the students' gender, although it is only significant in the case of girls (8.08±1.22 vs 7.03±0.87; p=0.036). Conclusions. The practice of physical activity during non-school hours had a positive influence on the academic performance of the students analysed, even though they were from the same school.

The family of the 21st century and the influence on the child's school performance

From a sociological perspective, „the family is a relatively permanent social group of individuals linked to each other by blood, origin, marriage or adoption, who share primary responsibility for the reproduction and care of members of society. The family is the fundamental instrumental core of the broader social structure, in the sense that all other institutions depend on its influences.” The family is also referred to as the foundation of society, later becoming a factor of social stability, being responsible for the tone it gives in relation to society, its stability also determining the stability of society. The way in which the family influences the development of children is complex and research can determine the effects of specific characteristics of parents in learning specific characteristics in children. The family climate is very important in determining educational influences and is a major role in the growth and education of the child and adolescent.