Emotional Capacities Research Articles

Communicating a Pediatric Leukemia Diagnosis to a Child and Their Family: A Qualitative Study into Oncologists' Perspectives.

A pediatric cancer diagnosis is overwhelming and stressful for the whole family. Patient-centered communication during the diagnostic conversation can support medical and psychosocial adaptation to the disease. Treatment of pediatric leukemia has become increasingly complex and requires a specific skillset from clinicians in effectively conveying information to families. The objective of the current study was to gain insight in the experiences and perspectives of pediatric oncologists when communicating leukemia diagnoses to families. In this exploratory qualitative study, oncologists were eligible to participate for each diagnostic conversation between May 2022 and February 2023 of families participating in a larger study. Twenty-six semi-structed interviews with 16 oncologists were thematically analyzed. Two interrelated conversational goals were identified: (i) informing the family about the illness, prognosis, and treatment; and (ii) creating trust and comfort for the family implying they are in the right place for maximal chance of survival. Oncologists experienced a challenge in balancing a high amount of information provision in a short timespan with simultaneously monitoring the (emotional) capacity and needs of the family to process information. Remarkably, oncologists commonly seem to rely on intuition to guide the family through the diagnostic conversation. They mentioned to sometimes postpone answering to family-specific informational needs and prioritized information they assume to be more helpful for the family at that time. During diagnostic conversations, oncologists aim to convey information they assume supports the needs of the family. Future research should investigate how these communication strategies are perceived by families.

Psychoneurological Links Contributing to Body Mass Index and Eating Disorder Severity.

Multiple dynamic interacting factors contribute to the presence and progression of eating disorders (ED). Empirical research has provided mixed findings regarding the mechanisms explaining the contribution of body mass index (BMI) to the diverse ED endophenotypes. The present study aims to evaluate the underlying processes (direct and indirect effects) contributing to BMI and ED severity, considering the contribution of multiple neuropsychological constructs. Path analysis, implemented through structural equation models (SEM), was applied to a sample of N = 193 ED patients, men and women, aged 17 to 50 years old, and diagnosed with bulimia nervosa, night eating syndrome, binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding. BMI was directly associated with ED severity level. The ED symptom level was also a mediational link into the relationship between BMI with emotion regulation strategies, decision-making capacity, stress levels, and impulsiveness. Multigroup SEM revealed invariance of the structural coefficients by sex, but differences according to the ED subtype. This study provides new empirical evidence on predictors of ED severity, focusing on the role of impaired decision-making and BMI. Our results could contribute to new intervention plans with techniques specifically aimed at improving emotional regulation capacity, decreasing impulsivity levels, and improving reasoning skills. Nutrition education plans may also play a key role for preventing the onset and progression of ED, helping patients understand how food affects their physical and emotional health and how to manage anxiety and fears related to food.

Toxic Leadership and Turnover Intentions: Emotional Intelligence as a Moderator of This Relationship

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between toxic leadership and turnover intentions and whether this relationship was moderated by emotional intelligence. The sample consisted of 202 participants working in organizations based in Portugal. The results show that toxic leadership is positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. Regarding emotional intelligence, only the dimensions of the use of emotions and the emotions of others are positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. As for the moderating effect, only the use of emotions and emotion regulation dimensions moderate the relationship between toxic leadership and turnover intentions. Participants with high levels of emotion use and emotion regulation, when compared to participants with low levels of emotion use and emotion regulation, found that toxic leadership was relevant in boosting their turnover intentions. It can be concluded that participants use their emotional capacities to move away from toxic environments in search of new and better working conditions.

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN PREPARING THE INTELLECTUAL ELITE OF THE NATION

The purpose of this article is to thouroughly examine the crucial role of social-emotional learning (SEL) in preparing the intellectual elite of the nation, underscoring its significance within modern educational systems worldwide. In addition, the article delves into the history of implementing SEL, discussing its evolution from a supplementary educational tool to a fundamental component of modern curricula. This historical analysis provides context for understanding how SEL has become integral to developing the intellectual and emotional capacities of students globally. Through the analysis of recent research and case studies from various countries, our study demonstrates how SEL fosters essential competencies, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. These competencies are not only fundamental for intellectual growth but are also important for preparing the intellectual elite and leaders who are emotionally intelligent and ethically grounded. The research methodology employed in this study integrates a qualitative analysis of existing SEL programs, with a particular focus on their impact on both intellectual development and leadership capabilities; in order to obtain the relevant information, methods of information analysis and generalization were also used. The results support previous studies while extending the understanding of SEL’s unique role in enhancing critical thinking and ethical decision-making. The discussion compares the findings with earlier research, specifically analyzing implications for educational practices and policy-making in countries like Singapore and Ukraine. The study offers valuable insights into the potential of SEL to shape the future of education and leadership development. By addressing the challenges of preparing students for leadership roles in an increasingly complex world, the article argues for the broader implementation of SEL in curricula. The conclusion highlights the prospects for expanding SEL’s role in education, emphasizing its capacity to develop well-rounded, socially responsible leaders who are equipped to navigate the challenges of the future, including roles and jobs that may not yet exist.

Bridging Theory to Practice: A Theoretical Exploration of Core Competencies in Choral Conducting Lessons for Middle School Students in China

The increasing significance of the core competencies in choral conducting courses for middle school students stems from the fact that they help foster a social environment and develop their emotional and social intelligence capacities. This paper discusses a theoretical exploration of developing content standards for choral conducting lessons in middle schools in China, which aims to propose a comprehensive and practical choral conducting class environment meant for localization. The paper concentrates on the choral conducting lessons content standard as outlined in the 2022 Chinese Music Curriculum Standards. It incorporates social-emotional learning theory, and self-efficacy theory to develop the choral conducting lesson content standard elements by integrating cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. The authors provide insights for music educators and students, emphasizing the importance of overcoming obstacles for choral conducting lessons in middle school in China.

Effects of the Customized Plant Education in the Rooftop Garden of Public Rental Housing for Enhancing Sustainable Living of the Elderlies

Background and objective: This study explores the effects of customized plant education on the sustainable living capacity of elderly residents in public rental housing. The housing in this study is the planned elderly residence with a community rooftop garden as the main community place, and the education program was developed based on the garden.Methods: Ten residents participated in the education, and the effects were measured through pre- and post-interviews. The site and elder residents’ specific 2 hours education program was developed and conducted once a week for a month.Results: The recognition of plants improved, which led to an increase in interest in plants and garden. Moreover, the education enhanced social exchanges among residents and promoted the willingness to participation in garden activities.Conclusion: These results suggested that the plant education can enhance residents' attachment to the garden, as well as their cognitive, emotional, and social capacities, thereby enabling them to live in the community housing longer.

Parent–child emotional availability, children's early emotional reflectivity skills, and social behavior in kindergarten

AbstractObjectiveThe study aims to explore a complex and multilayered dynamic, in which relationships within the family are associated with the child's relationships outside the family through the child's reflectivity.BackgroundAttachment theory posits that the mother's emotional availability toward her child influences the child's ability to understand and verbalize their own and others' feelings and that this ability is a strong predictor of children's social behavior. This remains relatively understudied during the kindergarten years.MethodThe sample included 146 kindergarten children (81 boys; mean age = 66.84 months). During a home visit, the mother–child dyad was filmed to assess emotional availability, and a researcher interviewed the child (through a storytelling procedure) to assess the child's reflectivity. Additionally, the child's main kindergarten teacher completed questionnaires reporting on the children's verbal abilities and social skills.ResultsWe found clear support for connections between the mother–child relationship quality, children's emotional reflectivity capabilities, and children's social behavior in kindergarten.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the importance of relationships within the family context and their contribution to children's early emotional skills and social behavior.ImplicationsThe study sheds light on children's emotional reflectivity and its associations with the parent–child relationship quality and kindergarten children's social skills. These associations can lead to more informed intervention programs and to emphasizing the advantages of using storytelling techniques to better understand children's emotional capacities.

Construction and Validation of a Secure-base Leadership Model in Educational Organizations: A Mixed-methods Exploratory Study

There is no doubt about the importance of leadership and attachment styles on individual behavior and organizational outcomes. However, researchers have neglected to apply and integrate attachment concepts in management and organizational studies for years. One of the basic concepts in attachment theory is the secure base. In 2010, Coombe considered the application of this concept in leadership, which resulted in representing the theory of secure base leadership. The present study aimed at constructing and validating a secure base leadership model. The research method is a mixed exploratory method composed of qualitative and quantitative measures including thematic analysis and survey, respectively. The participants of the qualitative section were 14 faculty members, specialists, and experts in the field of educational management and psychology selected using the purposive sampling method and snowball technique. Besides, the participants of the quantitative part included 441 administrative staff and teachers in Tehran were by cluster sampling. Open, axial, and selective coding was used to analyze interview data in the former part, while in the latter, structural equations were used. The results of the qualitative analysis indicated that secure base leadership includes three main aspects, namely security (accepting people (acceptance), support, providing security, mutual trust, independence, fairness, staying calm (controlling and adjusting emotions)), exploration (risk-taking, increasing individual capacities, being responsive and sensible, intellectual stimulation), and deep intellectual bond (positive attitude, high emotional capacity, transparency in relationships, compatibility, being a good listener). Also, the quantitative part of the research results showed validity and reliability as well as a good fit of the proposed model.

Childhood Education and Popular Islam: Islamic Psychology as a Pattern of Early Childhood Education in the Authoritative Affinity of Popular Islam

Purpose – This study examines how Islamic psychology contributes to early childhood education by integrating spirituality, emotional well-being, and intellectual development, while addressing the impact of globalization and popular Islam on the authenticity of Islamic teachings. Design/methods/approach – The study employs a qualitative methodology centered on conceptual analysis, utilizing systematic reviews of scholarly articles, books, and relevant media. This approach critically examines key concepts such as fitrah (innate nature), nafs (soul dynamics), and their applications in early childhood education, particularly in the context of media and cultural globalization. Findings – The findings reveal that Islamic psychology provides a robust foundation for addressing contemporary challenges in early childhood education. Key principles such as fitrah and tawhid support the development of children’s spiritual, cognitive, and emotional capacities. However, the increasing commercialization of Islamic values through popular media risks diluting these teachings into superficial symbols. The study emphasizes the need for parental and educator involvement to ensure the alignment of popular Islamic content with authentic religious values, providing a balanced approach to moral and spiritual education. Additionally, the research highlights the potential of Islamic psychological principles to offer innovative solutions to counteract identity crises in children, promoting resilience against the influences of globalization and consumer culture. Research implications/limitations – The study is limited to theoretical and conceptual analyses of Islamic psychology in early childhood education and does not include empirical data. Future research should focus on field-based studies to evaluate the practical application of these concepts in diverse cultural and educational settings. Additionally, the findings underscore the necessity for policy reforms to integrate Islamic psychological principles into early childhood education curricula. Practical implications – This research provides actionable insights for integrating Islamic psychology into early childhood education by combining spiritual, cognitive, and emotional development, leveraging media responsibly, and creating Islamic value-oriented environments to help children navigate sociocultural challenges while maintaining their religious identity. Originality/value – This study highlights the integration of Islamic psychological principles to address challenges in early childhood education amid popular Islam and globalization, offering a holistic paradigm that balances intellectual, spiritual, and emotional development to create resilient, morally grounded individuals. Paper type Conceptual paper

Second-Class Animals: Systematic Discrimination of Farm Animals in German Biology Textbooks

ABSTRACT Nonhuman animals are perceived differently depending on their relative use for humans. While companion animals are anthropomorphized and assigned a high moral status, farm animals often do not receive such consideration. To investigate the development of these differing perceptions, we evaluated the depiction of farm and companion animals in German biology textbooks to identify and analyze inherent biases across nonhuman animal species. The varying moral considerations and treatment of nonhuman animals are solely determined by their species membership, reflecting a broader collective orientation toward nonhuman animals referred to as speciesism. Analyzing 35 German biology textbooks, we investigated whether the portrayal of companion animals (dogs and cats) versus farm animals (pigs, cows, and chickens) differentiates between them, manifesting in companion animal speciesism and belief in the emotional and cognitive capacities of animals (belief in animal mind). We developed a set of categories and examined differences in the frequencies of sentence allocation between companion animals and farm animals to test whether speciesism is embedded in German educational materials. The results of our tests indicate significant biases in the representation of companion and farm animals in German biology textbooks. Specifically, companion animals are attributed significantly greater intrinsic value (χ 2 = 102.36, p < 0.001, φ = 0.152), concern (χ 2 = 20.91, p < 0.001, φ = 0.069), and belief in animal mind (χ 2 = 351.22, p < 0.001, φ = 0.269) compared with farm animals. These findings expose speciesist bias in textbooks, where companion animals are portrayed more favorably, while farm animals are depicted with indifference or as mere resources. This raises critical questions about perspectives on nonhuman animals and underscores the need to reevaluate their portrayal in educational materials.

Exploring how Positive Psychology-based Parenting Techniques Contribute to Children's Emotional Development, Resilience, and their Ability to form Healthy Social Relationships

This study explores positive psychology-based parenting practices and their contributions toward children's emotional development, child resilience, and social interactions. Drawing from the principles that guide positive psychology, this article explores how such practices as positive emotional support, empathy, and strength-based approaches impact key developmental outcomes for children. Data gathering involved a quantitative research design, where the responses from parents whose children belonged to the age group between 5 and 12 years were obtained. It was both descriptive and inferential analysis of the association between parenting methods and child outcome variables; this includes Pearson's correlation coefficient as well as multiple regression analysis. The hypotheses include: Hypothesis 1: Positive parenting encourages positive features of children's emotional development. Hypothesis 2: Positive parenting encourages children's resilience. Hypothesis 3: Positive parenting encourages good social relations. The three hypotheses listed below were validated: High positive correlations existed between parenting emotional support and children's emotional intelligence, r =.55, p &lt;.01; between parenting emotional support and resilience, r =.49, p &lt;.01; and between parenting emotional support and social skills, r =.52, p &lt;.01. The findings of this study highlight the importance of emotional encouragement and empathy in a child's life. A contribution to the literature base of positive psychology, this work brings its principles into the terrain of parental practices and thus makes empirical evidence of its feasibility. In short, through this study, some important practical recommendations can be laid out for parents, teachers, and policymakers regarding how best to incorporate techniques based on positive psychology in child rearing. It could also be recommended further research to determine in the long term the impact such parenting strategies have and how suitable they are across cultures. It recommend positive supportive parenting that leads to the development of emotional intelligence and resilient capacity and peaceful interpersonal relations in children.

Galdan Boshugtu Khan: Leadership Style &amp; Emotional Intelligence

Galdan Boshugtu Khan, the prominent political and military figure of Mongolia left a sizeable mark not only on the history of Mongolia, but Central Asian political and cultural history. The primary goal of this research work was attempted to identify the historical character Galdan Boshugtu Khan in terms of his leadership styles and emotional intelligence (EI). Totally 35 descriptive examples from the novel ‘Galdan Boshugtu Khan, written by Tsembel.D in 2014, were collected within the concepts of Daniel Coleman’s leadership styles as Visionary, Coaching, Affiliate, Democratic, Pacesetting and Commanding. The data were analyzed using qualitative methods of categorization and content analysis of the historical character to interpret the leadership and emotional characteristics. The leadership skills and emotional capacity of Galdan Boshugtu Khan were attributed in correlation analysis as well. The research results were stated with descriptive method focusing on interpreting the Khan’s leadership style and his emotional intelligence. As a result of the study, Galdan Boshugtu Khan was identified as a leader with an ability to recognize and control himself in different situations, and optimistic person as an individual. In terms of his social communication, Galdan Boshugtu Khan was skillful to understand others, to form teams, and to persuade others. In the point of the character pattern, it is viewed that Galdan Boshugtu Khan was a historical figure with visionary, affiliate and coaching styles. The findings of the research were supported by the theory of personality and leadership.

Are Corporations Like Psychopaths? Lessons On Moral Responsibility From Rio Tinto's Juukan Gorge Disaster

ABSTRACTThere seems to be a striking parallel between the features of psychopaths and those of agential groups, including states and corporations. Psychopaths are often thought to lack some of the capacities that are constitutive of moral agency. Two features of psychopaths are commonly identified as grounds for limiting their moral responsibility: (i) their lack of relevant emotional capacities and (ii) their flawed rational capacities. Roughly, the first argument is that the lack of moral emotions such as sympathy, guilt, or shame negatively impacts moral perception and therewith an agent's capacity for moral reasoning. The second argument is that psychopaths are diminished in their agency as such, not just in their moral agency; they are erratic and impulsive and show other significant failures of rationality. Using the 2020 Juukan Gorge disaster in Western Australia as a case study, I conclude that deliberate or reckless corporate irrationality cannot be grounds for diminished corporate moral responsibility. Corporate agents are chiefly responsible for core aspects of their moral agency, including their internal epistemic structures and decision‐making processes. They have obligations to establish or maintain internal epistemic integrity and consistency.

Affordances in music education

The affordances of objects in music education, such as tablets or musical toys, necessitate a domain-specific conceptual understanding to guide perception and bodily action, extending utilitarian values toward musical and educational goals. This article explores the concept of affordances in music education and elucidates the application of various types of affordances—specifically, cognitive, educational, mental, affective, and social—in the contexts of teaching and learning music. Several characteristics of affordances in music education were observed: (1) music serves as a form of communication, enabling learners to transcend established protocols in human interactions; (2) music is intertwined with the transmission of sociocultural and aesthetic values, as evidenced by historically informed musical practices and traditions; (3) engagement in music-making nurtures learners’ creativity and personal growth, fostering experiences that can be transferable; (4) music learning reveals individuals’ emotional capacities and expressiveness; and (5) music-making entails collaborative work, facilitating the development of interpersonal relationships and the construction of a community rooted in the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Practical recommendations for enhancing affordances in music education can heighten its awareness to music educators and foster explicit learning design in the development of educational tools. These suggestions have the potential to unlock possibilities that may otherwise remain unrealized.

A Literature Review on the Effect of Pet-assisted Therapy on the Mental Health of Children

Abstract: Recently, children are more likely to experience mental health issues because of the increasing stress. Pet-assisted therapy (PAT) can set up a safe relationship between children and therapist and provide emotional support to children through the interaction between children and animals. This literature review is intended to explore the effect of PAT on children and children with diseases. The results display that PAT can promote childrens emotional understanding capacity and self-confidence and alleviate the negative impacts of childhood trauma. In addition, it can decrease childrens negative emotions resulting from hospitalization and benefit special needs children and their families. However, existing experimental results are inconsistent in the aspect of its effects on physical arousal. Hence, studies focused on physical arousal are needed to further support the effects of PAT on childrens mental health. In terms of application, it is expected to improve childrens psychological well-being by conducting in healthcare, homes, and school settings.

Self-perceived oral health, toothbrushing frequency and quality of life of patients undergoing cancer treatment

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of both exposures self-perceived oral health and daily brushing frequency and the outcome quality of life of cancer patients. Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, carried out with 399 cancer patients treated by an institution in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Tooth brushing frequency and self-perceived oral health were obtained through interviews and quality of life through the EORTC QLQ-C30 instrument. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive and bivariate analyses followed by the use of multiple linear generalized models. Results: Most participants reported self-perception of good oral health (89.2%), being that 55.6% brush their teeth three or more times daily. Better quality of life was observed in the social capacity and diarrhea subscales, whereas worse quality of life was recorded in the insomnia and emotional capacity subscales. Self-perceived poor oral health was associated with worse quality of life scores in two symptoms [fatigue (p = 0.007) and pain (p = 0.024)] and the following subscales: functional capacity (p = 0.006), emotional capacity (p = 0.013), cognitive capacity (p = 0.008), and social capacity (p = 0.022), independently of socioeconomic and health conditions. Tooth brushing frequency was not associated with any subscale. Conclusion: Self-perception of poor oral health was associated with a worse quality of life, however, the frequency of toothbrushing did not affect the quality of life of cancer patients.

Extended artificial intelligence aversion: People deny humanness to artificial intelligence users.

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are often perceived as lacking humanlike qualities, leading to a preference for human experts over AI assistance. Extending prior research on AI aversion, the current research explores the potential aversion toward those using AI to seek advice. Through eight preregistered studies (total N = 2,317) across multiple AI use scenarios, we found that people denied humanness, especially emotional capacity and human nature traits, to AI advice seekers in comparison to human advice seekers (Studies 1-5 and S1-S3). This is because people perceived less similarity between themselves and AI advice seekers (vs. human advice seekers), with a stronger mediating role of perceived similarity among individuals with greater aversion to AI (Studies 2 and S1). Dehumanization of AI advice seekers predicted less behavioral support for (Study 3) and helping intention toward (Studies S2 and S3) them and could be alleviated through anthropomorphism-related interventions, such as perceiving humanlike qualities in AI or utilizing generative AI (Studies 4 and 5). These findings represent an important theoretical step in advancing research on AI aversion and add to the ongoing discussion on the potential adverse outcomes of AI, focusing on AI users. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Seeing Personhood in Machines: Conceptualizing Anthropomorphism of Social Robots

This study conceptualizes and develops a multi-dimensional Scale of Social Robot Anthropomorphism (SSRA). Through a rigorous scale development procedure that consists of a battery of qualitative (interviews and focus group) and quantitative approaches (online and field studies), four dimensions of social robot anthropomorphism are identified, namely, human-like appearance, social intelligence, emotional capacity, and self-understanding. The scale is found to be valid and reliable by testing its convergent, discriminant, and nomological validities, utilizing data collected from over 1,000 participants. The theoretical and managerial contributions are discussed, and future research recommendations are provided.

Adolescents’ Daily Lives (ADL) project: an intensive longitudinal design study protocol examining the associations between physical literacy, movement behaviours, emotion regulation and mental health

IntroductionAdolescence represents a critical developmental period, with changes in emotional regulation capacities influencing physical and mental health. With less than 6% of Canadian youth currently meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines...

How do you create a trauma-informed classroom that promotes regulation and learning?

PurposeIf schools can effectively implement trauma-informed learning environments, then they are on the path to creating communities that are responsive to the needs of all students. Trauma-informed learning environments promote the development of emotional regulation capacities, implementation of trauma-informed approaches to discipline and prioritising relationships that promote connection.Design/methodology/approachThe substantive foci of this paper draws on an autoethnographic journal as a school principal in an alternative educational setting supporting students who have who have identified experiences of trauma. Whilst the experiences drawn upon in this paper are related to students that have disengaged from mainstream schooling, I advocate for trauma-informed frameworks to be engaged in all educational systems.FindingsThe emergence of the key themes of; establishing trauma-informed school policies and procedures; addressing the challenges of an alternative education environment; understanding the impact of well-being of educators and establishing a school-wide trauma-informed framework of practice are presented in this article.Originality/valueThe model that is written in this paper is original and the first time it has been published. The model is based on literature that is peer-reviewed and has a substantial evidence base.