Experimental Study Of Children Research Articles

Retracted: Can Swimming Teaching Prevent Drowning? An Experimental Study of Children in China

Retracted: Can Swimming Teaching Prevent Drowning? An Experimental Study of Children in China

Bite force of children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review aimed to assess bite force measurements in children and adolescents and to study the various devices that measure Maximum Voluntary Bite Force (MVBF). This systematic review included observational studies and experimental studies in children and adolescents (upto 19 years of age) which evaluated MVBF using a bite force measuring device. Studies on participants with systemic conditions were excluded. Databases such as PubMed, Embase, LILACS, and the Cochrane library were searched until September 2022, for which screening and quality assessment were performed. Newcastle-Ottawa, modified Newcastle-Ottawa and ROBINS-I tools were used to assess the Risk-of-bias. All observational studies reporting overall bite force values of participants were included for meta-analyses. A total of 8864 participants (3491 males and 3623 females) were included from 61 studies. Meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate mean average bite force value for each included dentition using R software v2.4-0. Estimation was done to derive an average BF value for variables such as age (dentition), gender, side, site, device and ethnicity. MVBF values were reported as mean average in the form of MLN with 95% CI (Confidence Interval). Using a random-effects model, 29 forest plots were generated. I2 values varied between 90% and 100%. Bite force ranged from 246.22 N (220.47; 274.98) to 311.72 N (255.99; 379.59) and 489.35 N (399.86; 598.87) in primary, mixed, and permanent dentitions, respectively. Six different sites for recording bite force and 11 different types of devices were reported with portable occlusal bite force gauge being the most common device. Outcomes of this review provide useful baseline reference values of bite force for clinicians and researchers.

Factors of increasing mental efficiency and reducing social anxiety in primary schoolchildren

Introduction. The article presents a theoretical review and an experimental study of children’s cognitive and emotional development in the current information and communication situation. Moreover, the study focuses on the possibilities of using a neuro-educational approach for improving mental efficiency and reducing social anxiety in primary schoolchildren. The purpose of the article is to identify and substantiate the effectiveness of a set of neuro-educational techniques as factors for improving mental performance and reducing social anxiety in primary schoolchildren. Materials and Methods. The study adopts a neuro-educational approach and its basic principles. The data were collected via the following methods: (1) E.F. Zambatsevichene’s test for studying verbal and logical thinking, (2) L.A. Yasyukova’s inventory for evaluating the development of short-term verbal and visual memory, (3) the Toulouse-Pieron test for the assessment of selective/sustained attention, (4) Phillips' School Anxiety Test. 63 primary school students took part in the study. To detect the randomness of the results and track the dynamics, the experimental data were subjected to mathematical processing (Wilcoxon's T-test, which ensures the validity and reliability of the research findings). Results. The authors propose and theoretically substantiate the neuro-educational approach as a strategy for cognitive and emotional development. Relying on psycho-educational experimentation based on the psychophysiological developmental characteristics of primary schoolchildren, the authors implemented neuro-educational techniques for increasing mental performance and reducing social anxiety in primary schoolchildren. The research findings show that the use of respiratory gymnastics, psychogymnastics, games for the development of hemispheric interaction, for the development of phonemic perception, for the development of afferent and efferent praxis, neuroarticulatory gymnastics, bioenergy calisthenics, and kinesiological exercises, have a significant impact on the indicators of students’ cognitive and emotional development. The study confirms the assumption that achieving a high level of development of cognitive functions and social emotions is possible if the set of neuro-educational techniques and technologies is utilized in primary education. Conclusions. The article concludes about the effectiveness of the set of neuro-educational techniques as a factor for increasing mental performance and reducing social anxiety in primary schoolchildren. The authors emphasize that the application of the set of psycho-educational techniques increases children’s emotional well-being, which improves quality of children’s cognitive and emotional development and helps to avoid the risks of school maladaptation.

Retracted] Can Swimming Teaching Prevent Drowning? An Experimental Study of Children in China

Background. The drowning death rate of Chinese students ranks among the top three in the world, and drowning has become an urgent problem for the country and society to solve. Objective. To test whether traditional swimming teaching can improve students’ knowledge and skills of water safety and reduce the probability of drowning in China. Methods. A total of 82 second‐grade students in elementary school were selected as experimental subjects, and the repeated measures analysis of variance experiment design was used to carry out the research. Results. After the experiment, the swimming safety education model significantly increased the scores of swimming safety knowledge and skills and the difference was statistically significant (t = 4.060, 5.325, P < 0.05); the attitude and behavior scores decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (t = −4.392, −2.201, P < 0.05). After the experiment, the swimming safety education model is more effective in teaching swimming safety knowledge, attitude, and behavior than the traditional swimming teaching, and the difference is statistically significant (t = 2.699, 3.852, 4.308, P < 0.05). After the experiment, when the traditional swimming teaching model is compared with the control group, the difference in swimming safety skills was statistically significant (t = 4.704, P < 0.05) and other dimensions were homogeneous. In conclusion, the traditional swimming teaching can only improve student’s swimming safety skills but cannot reduce student’s drowning injuries. The swimming safety education model is superior to the traditional swimming teaching in terms of swimming safety knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Recommendations. For beginners in swimming, the teaching content of swimming self‐rescue skills and swimming safety knowledge should be added.

The effects of anticholinergic medications on cognition in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Cognitive side effects of anticholinergic medications in older adults are well documented. Whether these poor cognitive outcomes are observed in children has not been systematically investigated. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the associations between anticholinergic medication use and cognitive performance in children. Systematic review was conducted using Medline, PsychInfo, and Embase, identifying studies testing cognitive performance relative to the presence versus absence of anticholinergic medication(s) in children. We assessed effects overall, as well as relative to drug class, potency (low and high), cognitive domain, and duration of administration. The systematic search identified 46 articles suitable for meta-analysis. For the most part, random effects meta-analyses did not identify statistically significant associations between anticholinergic exposure and cognitive performance in children; the one exception was a small effect of anticholinergic anti-depressants being associated with better cognitive function (Hedges’ g = 0.24, 95% CI 0.06–0.42, p = 0.01). Anticholinergic medications do not appear to be associated with poor cognitive outcomes in children, as they do in older adults. The discrepancy in findings with older adults may be due to shorter durations of exposure in children, differences in study design (predominantly experimental studies in children rather than predominantly epidemiological in older adults), biological ageing (e.g. blood brain barrier integrity), along with less residual confounding due to minimal polypharmacy and comorbidity in children.

Sleep restriction alters children's positive emotional responses, but effects are moderated by anxiety.

An abundance of cross-sectional research links inadequate sleep with poor emotional health, but experimental studies in children are rare. Further, the impact of sleep loss is not uniform across individuals and pre-existing anxiety might potentiate the effects of poor sleep on children's emotional functioning. A sample of 53 children (7-11years, M=9.0; 56% female) completed multimodal, assessments in the laboratory when rested and after two nights of sleep restriction (7 and 6hr in bed, respectively). Sleep was monitored with polysomnography and actigraphy. Subjective reports of affect and arousal, psychophysiological reactivity and regulation, and objective emotional expression were examined during two emotional processing tasks, including one where children were asked to suppress their emotional responses. After sleep restriction, deleterious alterations were observed in children's affect, emotional arousal, facial expressions, and emotion regulation. These effects were primarily detected in response to positive emotional stimuli. The presence of anxiety symptoms moderated most alterations in emotional processing observed after sleep restriction. Results suggest inadequate sleep preferentially impacts positive compared to negative emotion in prepubertal children and that pre-existing anxiety symptoms amplify these effects. Implications for children's everyday socioemotional lives and long-term affective risk are highlighted.

0939 Anxiety Symptoms Moderate the Effects of Sleep Loss on Children’s Emotions

Abstract Introduction An abundance of cross-sectional research links inadequate sleep with poor emotional health, but experimental studies in children are rare. Further, the impact of sleep loss is not uniform across individuals, and pre-existing anxiety might potentiate the effects of poor sleep on children’s emotional functioning. Methods N=53 children (mean age 9.0 years; 56% female) completed multi-modal, emotional assessments in the lab when rested and after two nights of sleep restriction (7h and 6h in bed, respectively). Sleep was monitored with polysomnography and actigraphy. Subjective reports of affect and arousal, psychophysiological reactivity, and objective emotional expression were examined during two emotional processing tasks, including one where children were asked to suppress their emotional responses. Results After sleep restriction, deleterious alterations were observed in children’s affect and their emotional reactivity, expression, and regulation. These effects were primarily limited to positive emotional stimuli. The presence of anxiety symptoms moderated most of the alterations in emotional processing observed after sleep restriction. Conclusion Results suggest inadequate sleep preferentially impacts positive compared to negative emotion in pre-pubertal children and that pre-existing anxiety symptoms amplify these effects. Implications for children’s everyday socio-emotional lives and long-term affective risk are highlighted. Support NIMH grant #R21MH099351

Is Group-Based or Individual-Based Intervention more Effective for Quality of Life Outcomes in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder? A Systematic Review

Aims: To examine whether group-based or individual-based treatment programs are more effective for quality of life (QOL) outcomes in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Quality of the papers was assessed using the Modified Downs and Black Checklist. Peer-reviewed clinical experimental studies of children diagnosed with DCD with any QOL related outcome measure were included, of all years, languages, and approaches of intervention. Results: Sixteen studies were identified for inclusion, of mixed methodological qualities (predominantly low). Improvement of QOL with both group-based and individual-based interventions were shown, though large degrees of heterogeneity were observed in study designs, participants, modes of interventions, durations, and outcome measures utilized. Conclusions: The effectiveness of group-based versus individual-based interventions on QOL of children with DCD is unclear. There is a pressing need for a high quality, powered trials, utilizing the randomized control trial paradigm, comparing both intervention approaches with standardized treatment approaches and outcome measures to determine and compare the effect on QOL of children with DCD.

Risk factors and determinants of carotid intima-media thickness in children: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

IntroductionCarotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis that is measured in adults and children to better understand the natural history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In adults, CIMT...

Auditory middle latency response in children with learning difficulties.

Summary Introduction: This is an objective laboratory assessment of the central auditory systems of children with learning disabilities. Aim: To examine and determine the properties of the components of the Auditory Middle Latency Response in a sample of children with learning disabilities. Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional cohort study with quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory outcomes. We included 50 children aged 8–13 years of both genders with and without learning disorders. Those with disorders of known organic, environmental, or genetic causes were excluded. Results and Conclusions: The Na, Pa, and Nb waves were identified in all subjects. The ranges of the latency component values were as follows: Na = 9.8–32.3 ms, Pa = 19.0–51.4 ms, Nb = 30.0–64.3 ms (learning disorders group) and Na = 13.2–29.6 ms, Pa = 21.8–42.8 ms, Nb = 28.4–65.8 ms (healthy group). The values of the Na-Pa amplitude ranged from 0.3 to 6.8 ìV (learning disorders group) or 0.2–3.6 ìV (learning disorders group). Upon analysis, the functional characteristics of the groups were distinct: the left hemisphere Nb latency was longer in the study group than in the control group. Peculiarities of the electrophysiological measures were observed in the children with learning disorders. This study has provided information on the Auditory Middle Latency Response and can serve as a reference for other clinical and experimental studies in children with these disorders.

Unraveling the mystery of mirror writing in typically developing children.

Most studies of mirror writing have focused on specific populations (e.g., pathological cases) or conditions (e.g., right-handed individuals writing with their left hand); hence, many simple questions about mirror writing in typically developing 5-year-old children remain unanswered. The present study addresses 2 simple but important issues concerning the relation between (a) mirror copying single characters (digits and capital letters) and mirror writing the same characters from memory and (b) mirror writing single characters and mirror writing whole words (e.g., 1st name). To shed light on these issues, the authors carried out 3 experimental studies of children at ecoles maternelles in France. The results offer new insights into the phenomenon of mirror writing. A copying task generated considerably fewer mirror writings than a writing-from-memory task, and there was a significant but weak correlation (r S = .22) between single-character mirror writing and name mirror writing. Academic level correlated positively with the mirror writing of characters (r S = .15); however, it correlated more positively with correct writing (r S = .32) and negatively with no (or other incorrect) writing (r S = .45). This suggests that the mirror writings may occur (depending on the context) between some other incorrect writings (or absence of writing) and correct writings in the development of almost all children. In addition, contextual or situational factors, such as the preceding writing or the position of the writing on the page, had a much stronger influence on mirror writing than individual factors, such as writing hand or gender.

He Didn't Want Me to Feel Sad: Children's Reactions to Disappointment and Apology

AbstractExperimental studies of children's responses to apologies often present participants with hypothetical scenarios. This article reports on an experimental study of children's reactions to experiencing an actual disappointment and subsequent apology. Participants (ages four to seven) were told that another child was supposed to share some attractive stickers with them. In the two primary conditions, the other child kept the stickers for himself or herself. Some participants received an apology from the other child, whereas others did not. Compared with children who did not receive the apology, the apology recipients: (1) reported feeling better; (2) viewed the other child as more remorseful; and (3) rated the other child as nicer. Support was found for a mediation model of apology: the positive effects of the apology on children's emotions were accounted for by the effective signaling of remorse by the wrongdoer.

Downward entailment in child Mandarin

There are three hallmarks of core linguistic properties. First, they are expected to be manifested in typologically different languages. Second, they should unify superficially unrelated linguistic phenomena. Third, they are expected to emerge early in the course of language development, all things being equal (Crain, 1991). The present study investigates a candidate for a core linguistic property, namely the semantic property of downward entailment. We report the findings of two experimental studies of children's knowledge of downward entailment. These experiments explore two different aspects of downward entailment, in a study with Mandarin-speaking children. Taken together with previous research findings, the results of the present study support the conclusion that downward entailment is a core property of human languages.

Generalization of temporal order detection skill learning: two experimental studies of children with dyslexia

The objective of this study was to investigate the phenomenon of learning generalization of a specific skill of auditory temporal processing (temporal order detection) in children with dyslexia. The frequency order discrimination task was applied to children with dyslexia and its effect after training was analyzed in the same trained task and in a different task (duration order discrimination) involving the temporal order discrimination too. During study 1, one group of subjects with dyslexia (N = 12; mean age = 10.9 + or - 1.4 years) was trained and compared to a group of untrained dyslexic children (N = 28; mean age = 10.4 + or - 2.1 years). In study 2, the performance of a trained dyslexic group (N = 18; mean age = 10.1 + or - 2.1 years) was compared at three different times: 2 months before training, at the beginning of training, and at the end of training. Training was carried out for 2 months using a computer program responsible for training frequency ordering skill. In study 1, the trained group showed significant improvement after training only for frequency ordering task compared to the untrained group (P < 0.001). In study 2, the children showed improvement in the last interval in both frequency ordering (P < 0.001) and duration ordering (P = 0.01) tasks. These results showed differences regarding the presence of learning generalization of temporal order detection, since there was generalization of learning in only one of the studies. The presence of methodological differences between the studies, as well as the relationship between trained task and evaluated tasks, are discussed.

Auditory Middle Latency Responses: a study of healthy children

SummaryAim: To examine the components of auditory middle latency responses (AMLRs) in a sample of healthy children to establish their properties. Methods: Thirty-two children of both genders aged between 10 to 13 years, with no neurological disorders, were included in the study. Data were analyzed statistically by descriptive statistics (mean + SD) and by analysis of variance using the F test. AMLRs were investigated with toneburst stimuli at 50, 60 and 70 dB HL. Results and Conclusions: The mean latencies of the components were Na = 20.79 ms, Pa = 35.34 ms, Nb = 43.27 ms, and Pb = 53.36 ms, in 70 dB HL. The mean values for the NaPa amplitude ranged from 0.2 to 1.9 mV (M = 1.0 mV). The amplitude increased and latency decreased with increasing sound intensity. Inclination of the NaPa wave complex was present in some cases, which deserves attention in similar studies or in children with speech, language and auditory processing difficulties. Conclusion: This study provides additional information about AMLRs and may be a reference for others clinical and experimental studies in children.

Sequence and priming in 15 month‐olds' reactions to brief arm restraint: evidence for a hierarchy of anger responses

Brief, gentle arm restraint is widely used in experimental studies of children's anger, but the pattern of responses generated by such restraint has been incompletely described. We now describe a hierarchy of responses within trials as well as an escalation across trials that have both methodological and theoretical significance. Mothers of 87 15-month olds prevented them from playing with a toy by restraining their arms on two consecutive 30 sec trials. Physical struggling was the first and most frequent response; children who struggled were significantly more likely to vocalize, and those who vocalized were significantly more likely to show facial expressions of anger. The children's responses became more probable, rapid, and intense during Trial 2 restraint. Overall, the hierarchy was orderly enough to meet criteria for Guttman scalability. The particular sequence observed suggests situational, as opposed to bio-energetic, ordering of responses. Methodologically, the two trial paradigm is a simple, ecologically valid model for studying anger escalation that parallels the "attack priming" of aggression in other species. The magnitude and persistence of anger priming may provide novel measures of anger regulation. Theoretically, the existence of an orderly response hierarchy is consistent with previous observations suggesting that, within a situational context, the sequential appearance of specific behaviors may indicate progressive increases in anger intensity.

An Experimental Study of Children's Sensitivity to Mood in Music

This experiment tested children aged five and nine years in their abilities to perceive in music. The non-verbal response instrument used schematic faces arranged in a semantic differential format within each of Wedin's (1972) three musical mood dimensions. Twelve brief but complete classical music selections were used. Three public school elementary music educators acted as the criterion group. Involved in this study were 81 five-year-olds and 92 nine-year-olds. In addition to the age factor in the ability to perceive mood in music, other variables were examined, including gender, handedness, home musical environment, and socio-economic status. Age and handedness did not show significant single effects. Girls performed significantly better than boys at both age levels. Socio-economic status was revealed as a significant effect among the nine-year-olds. The presence of a home musical environment did show a significant effect.

Low dose interferon alfa-2b for chronic hepatitis B in Asian countries.

In a study of low dose interferon alfa-2b in 587 patients expected to show a good response to treatment, 76-87% patients in different countries had alanine amino-transferase activities returned to normal after four months' treatment, 49-72% were negative for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA, 51-66% were negative for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), and 44-62% were anti-HBe positive. These effects were maintained after nine to 12 months' follow up. Side effects were mild, but led to discontinuation of treatment in 12 patients.

Assessing children with language tests — which tests to use?

A group of 28 children attending a unit for children with developmental language disorders was assessed on a battery of cognitive and language tests. No relationship was found between verbal IQ and scores on other language measures. However, although correlations between the specialist language tests used were highly significant, the mean age scores obtained on the different tests were found to vary by as much as 2 years. The implications of these findings for clinical and experimental studies of children with language impairments are discussed.

Experimental study of children's preferences and use of blocks in play.

Experimental study of children's preferences and use of blocks in play.