Commitment To Children Research Articles

“Solidarity Is a Matter of the Heart”: Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Donations in GDR Children's Magazines

AbstractThe article examines the role of children's magazines in promoting internationalism and solidarity in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Analysing the magazines ABC-Zeitung, Bummi, and Frösi, it sheds light on their contribution to the GDR's system for collecting and distributing charitable donations and to cultivating children's commitment to countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The article uncovers multifaceted layers of meaning associated with internationalism and emphasizes the significance of the connection between the state-ideological and the everyday levels. Its analysis of primary sources, including articles from the children's magazines, files from the Federal Archives, and historical publications, reveals that the magazines played a crucial role in fostering international solidarity and shaping the political consciousness of young readers. The use of techniques such as suggestion, competition, and renunciation in the magazines not only evoked a sense of collective responsibility, but also positioned children as active contributors to shaping an international socialist future. The children's magazine Bummi is particularly significant in the GDR's charitable donations system as it shows the involvement of other parts of society and thus raises issues of transgenerational education through the medium of children's magazines. By shifting away from the narrative of indoctrination, this article highlights the broader understanding of internationalism in the GDR and its integration into everyday life. It therefore underscores the vital role of children's magazines not only in fostering a stance of anti-imperialist solidarity among young readers, but also in shaping the GDR's vision of an international socialist future.

The warm glow of kindness: Developmental insight into children's moral pride across cultures and its associations with prosocial behavior.

Moral pride is a key component of virtue development. This study provides developmental insight into children's moral pride across cultures, and the potential for moral pride to underlie prosocial behavior. Participants included children and adolescents ages 6, 9, and 12 years from Canada (n = 186; 50% girls; ethnically diverse sample), Japan (n = 180; 48% girls), and a subsample from Italy (n = 86; 54% girls), as well as their primary caregivers or teachers. Moral pride was measured using a vignette procedure wherein children reported their emotions, emotion intensities, and reasoning following moral actions (harm omission and prosocial contexts). Global prosocial behavior was assessed via caregiver reports. Results revealed that moral pride increased from 6 to 9 years of age in Japanese and Canadian children (some similar trends were found in the Italian subsample) and that Canadian children reported stronger feelings of moral pride than Japanese children (Italian children's moral pride intensities were akin to those of Canadian children). Moral pride was positively associated with global prosocial behavior in Japanese children (and marginally in Italian children) but not in the Canadian children. These novel findings showcase the role of culture in shaping children's moral pride, and the potential for this moral emotion to reinforce children's commitment to prosocial action in childhood and early adolescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The development of commitment: Attention for intention.

Adhering to a partially defined plan requires an intentional commitment that curbs distracting desires conflicting with the planned course of action, enabling humans to act coherently over time. Two studies (N = 50, 27 girls, ages 5-6, Han Chinese, in Hangzhou, China, 2022.02-2022.03) explored the development of commitment to partial plans in a sequential decision-making task and the underlying cognitive capacity focusing on its correlation to attentional control. Results suggest that only 6-year-olds committed to partial plans (d = .51), and children's commitment ratio was positively correlated with the use of proactive control (r = .40). These findings indicate that intentional commitment does not develop simultaneously with intention understanding, but rather matures gradually with the development of attentional control.

‘Theatre, Revolution and Love’: Moral–aesthetic education in Asja Lācis' proletarian children's theatre

Abstract This article explores the educational philosophy of Asja Lācis' proletarian children's theatre. Taking her post–First World War encounter with Russian street children as a starting point for my inquiry, I argue that Lācis regards the theatre as a rehearsal space for life. Here, children are to be absorbed into the craft of theatre, with the aim of honing their moral and aesthetic sense as a (self-guided) reorientation of their attention and desire towards (the possibilities of) the Good. Demarcating a porous educational theatre space that provides practical artistic opportunities for this education of attention, Lācis hopes to structure children's aesthetic, social, material and sensory engagement with their surroundings, whilst also ensuring their individual freedom as moral agents. Respecting children's ways of engaging in the world, Lācis posits theatrical improvisation as the key activity. Here, children create their own stories and metaphors about how life might be lived, thereby practising attention to, ‘testing’ and reflecting upon, the (possible) Good Life. The educator's pedagogical gesture is hereby that of observation: She pays attention to the social–artistic tensions that occur, as potential heralds of the child's unique way of embodying (and conceptualising) the Good Life. Theatre is here understood as a (negative) dialectical site of education, one that acknowledges the dark and uncertain relation between the child's commitment to the Good, and its (uncertain) coming into being in daily life. The student–teacher relationship can indeed become a pedagogical conduit for this search for (and embodiment of) wisdom, but cannot provide a blueprint as to how the journey might be conducted, or predict how the Good will manifest. It is in the ‘loving’ non-action of the educator, who honours the unpredictability of the arrival of virtue, and the unexpected form that it might take, that children's theatre is considered ‘truly revolutionary’: becoming a witness to Eros's (strange) presence in the child's unique gesture as a result.

Effects of Capoeira on children's executive functions: A randomized controlled trial

PurposeA growing body of evidence suggests that the benefits of exercise go far beyond physical health and may include cognitive gains. Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that challenges Executive Functions (EFs), and inspires children's commitment in an environment characterized by positive affect, inclusiveness, and camaraderie. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Capoeira on EFs in children. The secondary aims were to look at the effects of Capoeira on academic achievement and motor function and to look at dose-response effects of Capoeira on EF. MethodsIn this randomized controlled trial, 67 children (aged 8–13 years) were randomly assigned to Capoeira instruction (n = 37) or a wait-list control group (n = 30). Children in the Capoeira group participated in 60-min Capoeira classes three times per week. The Stroop Test, EF subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, an Academic Achievement Test, agility and eye-hand coordination tests were conducted before and after the intervention period. ResultsANCOVA analyses, controlling for sex and age, revealed that children who attended at least 70% of the Capoeira classes improved more in eye-hand coordination than the control group. There was also a positive association between EF improvement and the number of Capoeira classes attended. ConclusionThe results suggest that Capoeira practice benefits eye-hand motor coordination in children and that the improvements in EFs might be dose-dependent. The results highlight the need for further studies to determine the potential advantages of adopting Capoeira as a holistic movement practice for children.

Social Influences of Teachers, Classmates, and Parents on Children's Commitment to Physical Education and Language Education

Social Influences of Teachers, Classmates, and Parents on Children's Commitment to Physical Education and Language Education

Relationship Between Parents’ Commitment to their Children’s Education and Level of Students’ Discipline in Public Secondary Schools in Naivasha Sub-County, Kenya.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between parents’ commitment to their children’seducation and level of students’ discipline in public secondary schools in Naivasha sub-county, Kenya. Thestudy targeted a total of 197 respondents (constituting 28 head teachers and 169 teachers). A total of 195respondents participated in the study (169 teachers and 26 principals) participated giving a response rate of99%. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample head teachers while Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970)table for determining sample size for teachers. Questionnaires were used as instrument for data collection.SPSS was used to analyze the data where both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The analyzeddata were presented in terms of graphs and tables. The results showed that there was a significant positiverelationship between parents’ commitment to child’s education and students’ discipline (r = .387, p = .000).Therefore, the null hypothesis that there was no significant relationship between parents’ commitment tochild’s education and students’ discipline was rejected at .05 level of confidence. The study thereforeconcluded that parents’ commitment to child’s education influences students’ discipline in secondaryschools in Naivasha sub-county. It was recommended that parents should be more committed to theirchildren’s’ education. This can be achieved through participating in school meetings and materiallysupporting the education of their children

On-line processing of English which-questions by children and adults: a visual world paradigm study.

Previous research has shown that children demonstrate similar sentence processing reflexes to those observed in adults, but they have difficulties revising an erroneous initial interpretation when they process garden-path sentences, passives, and wh-questions. We used the visual-world paradigm to examine children's use of syntactic and non-syntactic information to resolve syntactic ambiguity by extending our understanding of number features as a cue for interpretation to which-subject and which-object questions. We compared children's and adults' eye-movements to understand how this information shapes children's commitment to and revision of possible interpretations of these questions. The results showed that English-speaking adults and children both exhibit an initial preference to interpret an object-which question as a subject question. While adults quickly override this preference, children take significantly longer, showing an overall processing difficulty for object questions. Crucially, their recovery from an initially erroneous interpretation is speeded when disambiguating number agreement features are present.

Impact of schoolchildren's involvement in the design process on the effectiveness of healthy food promotion materials.

Marketing techniques may improve children's vegetable consumption. However, student participation in the design of marketing materials may increase the material's salience, while also improving children's commitment and attitudes towards healthy eating.The impact of student-led design of vegetable promotional materials on choice and consumption was investigated using 1614 observations of students' vegetable choice and plate waste in four public elementary schools in Kearney, Nebraska. Data were collected on children's vegetable choice and consumption in four comparison groups: 1) control; 2) students designed materials only; 3) students were exposed to promotional materials only; and 4) students designed materials that were then posted in the lunchroom. Vegetable choice and consumption data were collected through a validated digital photography-based plate-waste method.Multivariate linear regression was used to estimate average treatment effects of the conditions at various time periods. Dependent variables were vegetable choice and consumption, and independent variables included the condition, time period, and interaction terms, as well as controls for gender and grade.Relative to baseline, students in group 4 doubled their vegetable consumption (p < 0.001) when materials were posted. Vegetable consumption remained elevated at a follow-up 2–3 months later (p < 0.05). Students in group 3 initially increased the quantity of vegetables selected (p < 0.05), but did not increase consumption. In the follow-up period, however, students in group 3 increased their vegetable consumption (p < 0.01). Involving elementary-aged students in the design of vegetable promotional materials that were posted in the lunchroom increased the amount of vegetables students consumed.

Children's participation in brand‐based social networks: examining the role of evaluative social identity, self‐esteem and anticipated emotions on commitment and desire to recommend

AbstractSocial networks involving the social interactions and personal relationships of brand devotees (brand‐based social networks) are valuable company and marketing resources, playing a major role in brand and product promotion, and facilitating word‐of‐mouth. This research sought to examine the influence of evaluative social identity on brand‐based social network commitment and network recommendations, specifically for children. The sample for the study comprised 394 Australian children, 6–14 years of age, who participate in an informal offline social network for the brand ‘Minecraft’. This research introduces anticipated emotions (positive and negative) as the mechanisms underlying the influence of evaluative social identity on brand‐based social network commitment and network recommendations. Specifically, when children are unable to participate in the brand network, they will experience negative emotions. When children are allowed to participate positive emotions are experienced. These emotions, both positive and negative, are found to enhance children's commitment to the brand‐based social network and also their desire to refer the network to non‐members. Further, this research provides evidence that the relationship between evaluative social identity, and both network commitment and network recommendations, is only observed for children with low personal self‐esteem. This research provides unique insight into the under‐researched area of children and brand‐based social networks, and introduces new moderating and mediating effects on established relationships, with findings useful for both academics and practitioners.

The Impact of a Mastery Motivational Climate on Obese and Overweight Children's Commitment to and Enjoyment of Physical Activity: A Pilot Study

Background: Obese and overweight children are often cast as being lazy or unmotivated in regards to participation in physical activity. Purpose: Based on the social cognitive principle of triadic reciprocality, this pilot study was designed to examine the impact of a mastery motivational climate on overweight and obese children's commitment to, and enjoyment of, physical activity. Methods: Obese and overweight children (n = 43) enrolled in a summer physical activity and nutrition education program incorporating a mastery motivational climate served as participants in this investigation. Pre and post measures of the participants' commitment to, and enjoyment of, physical activity were assessed. In addition, accelerometer data were collected to assess the participants' engagement in physical activity. Results: The findings revealed a statistically significant difference in participants' enjoyment of and commitment to physical activity. In addition, physical activity data demonstrated that the participants engaged in more moderate bouts of physical activity in the program compared to their school-based physical education. Discussion: Obese and overweight children's commitment to and enjoyment of physical activity was stronger as a result of a mastery motivational intervention program. Participation in the program encouraged participants to engage in health-enhancing levels of physical activity. Translation to Health Education Practice: The results of this pilot study support the utilization of a mastery motivational climate to enhance overweight and obese children's participation in physical activity.

Lessons learned from a family-focused weight management intervention for obese and overweight children

Treatment for childhood obesity is characterised by high attrition rates and failure to achieve weight maintenance. It is therefore important to develop more effective programmes. The aim of the present qualitative study was to explore the views of parents, children and health trainers to identify issues which can inform the development of more effective programmes. A qualitative study combining in-depth interviews and focus groups. Participants were selected purposively from current and past attendees. WATCH-IT, a UK-based community child weight management programme. Twenty-three families who had previously attended (or were currently attending) WATCH-IT were interviewed. Focus groups with ten trainers explored their views of the intervention. Parents and children had different goals for involvement, with parents focusing on psychological benefits, while children concentrated on goals relating to weight loss and physical fitness. Parents were found to struggle to provide consistent support to their children and this was exacerbated by family dynamics. The child's commitment to lose weight, support from their family and a good relationship between the child and their trainer were viewed as important keys to successful weight management. The study will guide the design of existing and future programmes by providing insights into issues that challenge successful engagement. It highlights the possible value of exploring the therapeutic relationship between trainers and participants.

Parent–Child Relationships: Planting the Seeds of Deviant Behavior in the Family Firm

We posit that parent–child relationships lead to subsequent leader–member exchange (LMX) differentiation in family firms. This differentiation shapes a child's behavior toward the firm. Altruism is proposed to further increase the effects of LMX differentiation on workplace behavior by fostering feelings of entitlement or rebellion among out–group children and strengthening in–group children's commitment to the firm. Our article breaks new ground by explaining how parent–child relationships and LMX can result in deviant behavior in family firms, how parental altruism can create vicious and virtuous circles of behavior and how stewardship and opportunism can occur within the same family firm.

Adult Children's Forgiveness of Parents' Betrayals

The purpose of this study was to establish whether adult children's commitment, trust, and relational satisfaction are differentiated by their forgiveness stage (i.e., Stage 1, “Impact;” Stage 2, “Definition;” Stage 3, “Moving On”) in response to a parent's act of betrayal. Participants included 61 adult children who completed an online survey. Adult children's commitment, trust, and relational satisfaction were highest in the third stage of forgiveness. Future research should specifically analyze the messages exchanged between the parent and adult child to better understand the progression through the stages.

Perceptions of children about care received during hospitalization

This is an exploratory qualitative study carried out in a hospital-school in Porto Alegre. Its purpose is to identify children's perception concerning the care received during hospitalization. Eight children, from six to twelve years of age participated in this investigation, after each person responsible for the child signed a consent form. Data was collected in the in-patient unit through in-depth interviews. Five different themes emerged from the analysis of the interviews: identification of the caretakers; children's perception of care; expression of inner feelings, description of the care received and the caretakers and perception of time. The study shows that hospitalization generates stress for the child and its family. Health care which is more appropriate and efficient minimizes the impact of hospitalization and should include the following aspects: family's and child's commitment to self-care, maintenance of family bonds and of regular activities, previous explanation of procedures to be performed respect for the child's opinions and suggestions, nursing team's availability and attention to the child's needs.

Intergenerational Relationships among Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Americans

Previous studies that have focused on Asian American intergenerational relationships used the cultural concept of filial obligation to explain an adult child's commitment to his/her elderly parents. Using data gathered from 628 Chinese, Japanese, and Korean Americans and their elderly parents, this study found that such financial and structural factors as an adult child's income and his/her parent's need for assistance significantly influenced the frequency of an adult child's support for his/her parents. The effects of filial obligation on an adult child's provision of support for his/her parents change depending on several of these financial and structural factors. The magnitude of these relationships varies, however, among three groups of Asian Americans. It is therefore necessary to examine interaction effects of cultural, financial, and structural factors on Asian American intergenerational relationships as well as the diversity of these relationships within the Asian American population. The Asian American population grew by 141% between the censuses of 1970 and 1980 while the total U.S. population increased by only 11%. The corresponding growth for the 1980-90 decade was 10% for the general population and 99% for Asian Americans. Demographers project that the Asian American population will rise to almost 10 million in the next decade and to almost 20 million by the year 2030 (Barringer, Gardner, & Levin, 1993). Despite this dramatic population growth, we know little about Asian American families and their intergenerational relationships, in particular. Studies that examined Asian American families focused primarily on how these families contributed to the educational and occupational success of their children (e.g., Nee & Wong, 1985; Yao, 1985). Researchers often attribute Asian Americans' relative success to emphasis on education, a strong parent-child bond, and Asian cultural values. Other studies found that Asian Americans seldom take advantage of counseling and mental health services (e.g., Gim, Atkinson, & Kim, 1991) which may be interpreted as Asian Americans are capable of caring for their family members without any outside assistance. These findings not only support the model minority myth placed on Asian Americans (see Suzuki, 1977 for the critique) but also gives rise to another myth: Asian Americans have ideal families. Included in the ideal family myth is that Asian Americans have great respect for their elderly family members. It has long been assumed that Asian American adult children feel more obligated to their parents, provide more financial aid to their parents, and interact more frequently with their parents than White adult children do (e.g., Osako, 1976). Research has also found a prevalence of intergenerational coresidence among Asian Americans. Using 1980 Census data, Kamo and Zhou (1994) found that coresidence between Chinese American and Japanese American elderly parents and their married adult children is higher than that of their White counterparts. They concluded that Asian American intergenerational coresidence is strongly influenced by the traditional value of filial responsibility. Therefore, elderly Asian Americans are often considered integrated into their supportive kin network. This rosy picture, however, may not always hold. Osako and Liu (1986), for example, found that Japanese American elderly parents who resided with their children were not necessarily less lonely than those who maintained an independent residence. Moreover, there is tremendous diversity in intergenerational relationships among Asian Americans due to generational differences and immigration experiences. Therefore, it may be too simplistic to characterize Asian American intergenerational relationships by the concept of filial obligation. It may also be premature to conclude that Asian American elderly need little outside support because of their children's strong sense of filial obligation. …

Children's perceptions of gender differences in social approval for playing electronic games

Gender differences characterize children's commitment to playing electronic games. These gender differences are consistent with common stereotypes that may be triggered by the context and content of electronic games. If conforming to gender stereotypes in electronic game playing maintains social approval, then those children who choose alternate playing patterns risk social sanction. The present study was designed to characterize children's views of gender differences in social approval for electronic game playing. A questionnaire was administered to 364 fourth- and fifth-grade students (203 females) in a midwestern suburban school district. Approximately 12% of the students represented minorities, and the majority were African-American. Children responded to fourteen statements describing the social acceptability by gender of certain playing habits. Chi-square analyses identified important gender and grade differences. Many children endorsed statements indicating that social approval for game playing is consistent with common gender stereotypes. The most striking gender differences in perceived social approval were found in statements referencing “fighting games.” Children whose game playing deviates from approved patterns may represent a group of “high-risk” electronic game players.

HABITS AFFECTING DENTAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

In concluding this discussion, it is apparent that altered oral function or rest position may have a significant influence on the developing orofacial region. In the case of non-nutritive sucking habits, the child's commitment and desire to stop the habit is important to the successful elimination of the habit. At times, a hands-off approach is our best approach. Other habits are managed by addressing their cause. We, as dentists, have the ability to influence this process through the proper identification and management of these problems.

Considerations of Social Science in a Reconsideration of Parham v. J.R. and the Commitment of Children to Public Mental Institutions

Commitment of children to public mental institutions is a particularly difficult policy problem. In Parham v. J.R., the U.S. Supreme Court used behavioral science studies in an unsophisticated and noncomprehensive manner for support of specific value positions. Available behavioral science: (1) belies the proposition that mental illness symptomatology begets stigma; (2) reflects poor professional performance by attorneys, rather than hearing disutility; (3) indicates more functional competence in children than the law presumes; and (4) supports legal procedure as therapeutic and facilitative to decision making and distributive justice, rather than obfuscative. Children facing admission to an unaccredited mental facility should receive notice, effective counsel, and a preadmission hearing before a judge or jury.