Children's Home Research Articles

Reproduction and representation of musical rhythms of increasing complexity: insights from children's home settings

ABSTRACT The aim of the study encompasses three primary objectives: (1) To examine the capability of children of varying ages to reproduce increasingly complex rhythms through hand-clapping and drumming; (2) To explore the ability of children of different ages to notate increasingly complex rhythms; and (3) To investigate the impact of age on children's invented rhythmic notations and their artistic ability to draw a person using the Draw-A-Person (DAP) Test. The participants comprised 42 children aged between 2.6 and 11.6 years old. Individual one-hour sessions were conducted in participants’ homes. Each session was divided into three parts: playing three rhythms of increasing complexity and length, inventing notations to represent each rhythm, and completing the DAP test. The study found age effects on all measures tested: rhythm reproduction competency, rhythm notations, and person depiction. The novelty of this study lies in its unique research in-situ setting and the administration of both graphic and audio-graphic tasks. The findings have implications for rhythm education, music literacy, and in-situ research in music education. They underscore the significance of adopting a multi-modal approach in music education to enhance music skills and foster artistic expression in children.

The Effect of Adult Smoking Behavior on Children's Exposure to Secondhand Smoke. An Analysis Based on Salivary Cotinine Levels Among Children in Dhaka and Karachi.

Exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) risks children's health. However, biomarkers are rarely used to study SHS exposure among children in low- and middle-income countries. We analyzed cross-sectional data collected between March and November 2022 for a cluster-randomized controlled trial investigating a Smoke-Free Intervention in 2769 children aged 9-15 in 74 schools (34 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and 40 in Karachi, Pakistan). Children's saliva was tested for the concentration of cotinine-a highly sensitive and specific biomarker for SHS exposure. Based on their reports, children's homes were categorized as Nonsmoking Homes (NSH) when residents were nonsmokers; Smoke-free Homes (SFH) when residents and visitors smoked outdoors only; and Smoke-permitted Homes (SPH) when either residents or visitors smoked indoors. We compared cotinine concentrations across these home types and the two cities using a proportional odds model. Overall, 95.7% of children (92% in Dhaka; and 99.4% in Karachi) had cotinine levels between 0.1 and 12 ng/mL, indicating SHS exposure. Median cotinine levels were higher in Karachi (0.58 ng/mL, IQR 0.37 to 0.93) than in Dhaka (0.27 ng/mL, IQR 0.16 to 0.49). Median cotinine concentration was also higher among children living in SPH than those in either NSH or SFH; with absolute differences of approximately 0.1-0.3 and 0.05 ng/mL, respectively. The level of SHS exposure in Dhaka and Karachi indicates widespread and unrestricted smoking. Smoking restrictions in households and enforcement of smoking bans are urgently needed. The high levels of SHS exposure in children living in SFH suggest parental behavior to hide their smoking and/or exposure in private vehicles or public spaces. It is important to advocate for SFH and cars to protect children from SHS exposure. However, these initiatives alone may not be enough. There is a need to enforce smoking bans in enclosed public places and transportation, as well as extend these bans to playgrounds, parks, fairgrounds, and other public spaces that children frequently visit. It is essential to complement smoking restrictions with tobacco cessation advice and support in these settings.

METAMORPHOSIS: REACTIVATION IN DEVELOPMENT OF UNNAMED NARRATOR IN MARGARET ATWOOD'S SURFACING

Margaret Atwood stands as a beacon of creative versatility in the realm of literature, boasting a distinguished and internationally renowned reputation. She holds a place among the most acclaimed authors of fiction in recent memory. Atwood's second published novel, "Surfacing," not only showcases her prowess in prose but also delves into thematic concerns reminiscent of her poetic works. In "Surfacing," Atwood masterfully crafts a narrative that follows a woman burdened by the toll of her past marital experiences. However, what sets this novel apart is the protagonist's transformative journey from a state of psychic and emotional paralysis to one of unified agency. This progression carries with it a potent mythic dimension, a depth that distinguishes it from her earlier works. Through evocative prose, Atwood paints a portrait of resilience and self-discovery that resonates profoundly with readers, cementing her status as a literary luminary.Top of Form Metamorphosis (Transformation) is widely used themes in literature and its situations are varied in different works. The cause for transformation is diverse and can be portrayed in numerous ways. The present research paper is present the role of Metamorphosis (transformation) in the context of Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the unnamed narrator’s the way of Metamorphosis. In 'Surfacing' the narrator undergoes both physical and psychological metamorphosis, navigating a complex terrain of self-discovery and identity. The return to her childhood home in the remote Canadian wilderness serves as a catalyst for her transformation, prompting a reconnection with her past and a confrontation with suppressed memories and emotions. This journey parallels an internal metamorphosis as she sheds societal expectations and embraces her true self. Additionally, the narrator’s interactions with the natural world play a crucial role in her transformation. Immersed in the wilderness, she becomes attuned to its rhythms, blurring the boundaries between herself and her environment. This fusion symbolizes a profound metamorphosis, as she transcends human constraints and embraces a more primal existence. ‘Surfacing’ offers a compelling exploration of Metamorphosis through the lens of the unnamed narrator's journey. Atwood's nuanced portrayal of transformation invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of identity and introspection, making 'Surfacing' a timeless and thought-provoking work of literature."

Educating Families on Urgent Maternal Warning Signs: Learning From a Pilot to Improve Training and Tools for Maternal and Child Home Visiting Programs.

Early recognition of the warning signs of pregnancy-related complications and provision of timely, quality care could prevent many maternal deaths. We piloted a maternal warning signs education intervention with five Maryland-based maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting programs serving populations disproportionately affected by adverse maternal outcomes. The intervention included a 1.5-hr online training for home visitors, monthly collaborative calls with program managers, and a client education toolkit with a 3-min video, illustrated handout of 15 urgent maternal warning signs, magnet with the same, and discussion guide for home visitor-client interactions. A mixed-methods formative evaluation assessed the acceptability, feasibility, and utilization of different components of the intervention. Home visiting program staff reported that the materials were highly acceptable and easily understood by diverse client populations. They valued the illustrations, simple language, and translation of materials in multiple languages. Program managers found implementation a relatively simple process, feasible for in-person and remote visits. Despite positive reception, not all components of the toolkit were used consistently. Program managers and staff also identified the need for more guidance and tools to help clients communicate with health care providers and advocate for their health care needs. Feedback from pilot sites was used to adapt the training and tools, including adding content on patient self-advocacy. Home visiting programs have a unique ability to engage families during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This pilot offers lessons learned on strategies and tools that home visiting programs can use to improve early recognition and care-seeking for urgent maternal warning signs.

Identifying barriers and interagency solutions to meeting the needs of families experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV): Home visiting and IPV agency perspectives

BackgroundAddressing intimate partner violence (IPV) among expectant families and caregivers with young children requires that multi-professional systems work collaboratively towards a common goal. IPV services and maternal and infant home visiting programs are two important perspectives to consider in designing interagency strategies. The purpose of this study was to identify shared priorities among home visiting and IPV professionals on IPV-related challenges and interagency solutions to support families with young children. MethodsHome visiting and IPV service providers (n=22) separately completed a structured brainstorming activity during four virtual focus groups using nominal group technique (NGT) to generate, rank, and reach consensus on prioritized barriers and solutions for the service population. The multi-professional study team (including home visiting and IPV partners) grouped and organized the top three prioritized barriers and solutions identified across groups using a pile sort activity. As a reliance measure, NGT discussion transcripts were coded to the final pile sort categories to ensure our presentation of the data was contextualized and supported by original participant responses. ResultsTwenty-four items were sorted into seven piles (three barriers and four solutions). The need to address families’ concrete needs was consistently prioritized across groups and matched with solutions that provide families with immediate financial support. Participants prioritized barriers resulting from client involvement in multiple, complex systems and named interagency process solutions (e.g., cross-systems training, enhanced referral processes) as the corresponding solution. The impact of individual and collective trauma was discussed as a barrier and matched with community-facing development (e.g., healthy relationship education). Policy, advocacy, and funding-oriented solutions were discussed as cross-cutting across all barriers. ConclusionEffective cross-system efforts are warranted to meet the interrelated needs of families impacted by IPV. The study highlights a shared view on prioritized challenges and actionable solutions to inform interagency collaboration among IPV agencies and early childhood home visiting programs. Our findings shed light on the importance of an organized public health approach to target IPV prevention and response.

Early environments and exploration in the preschool years.

A great deal of research has demonstrated how children's exploration is driven by opportunities for learning. However, less work has investigated how individual differences across children and their environmental contexts relate to patterns in playful exploration. We performed a "mega-analysis" in which we pooled preschool-aged children's play data from four past experiments in our lab (N = 278; M(age) = 56 months) and correlated play behaviors with age and socioeconomic status (median income, modal education in children's home zip codes). We found that, with age, children performed more unique actions during play. Additionally, children from lower SES areas explored more variably; the link between this play and tendencies to focus on pedagogically demonstrated features traded off differently than it did for higher SES children. This work lays critical groundwork for understanding exploration across developmental contexts.

Implementation of training and coaching to improve goal planning and family engagement in early childhood home visiting

Early childhood home visiting services aim to support child and family health and development, yet challenges engaging and retaining families persist. One promising strategy to improve family engagement involves enhancing the capacity of the home visiting workforce to partner with families to set and implement service goals that align with families’ needs and preferences. This study examined implementation of ‘Goal Plan Strategies’ (GPS), a training and coaching innovation designed to improve family-centered goal planning. Aims were to evaluate (1) the extent to which training and eight sessions of audio-based coaching were implemented with fidelity, (2) whether coaching fidelity was associated with home visitors’ perceptions of coaching and confidence using goal planning strategies, and (3) whether GPS was perceived as feasible, acceptable, and useful by coaches and home visitors. Home visitors (N = 22) and coaches (N = 10) took part in GPS and completed surveys, session logs, and interviews. Training and coaching sessions were observed and coded for fidelity (e.g., dose, adherence, quality). GPS was implemented with high levels of fidelity. Findings support feasibility, acceptability, and usefulness of GPS, overall, and suggest the need to examine coaching dosage and overlap with other implementation supports more closely. Findings highlight the benefits of audio-based coaching, mentoring of coaches, and observational measures of implementation fidelity.

Employed Mothers’ Justifications for Using Child Home Care Allowance in Finland

This paper examines the justifications for using the Child Home Care Allowance given by Finnish mothers with a one-year-old child, and the factors associated with these justifications. The study is based on a survey with parents, focussing on mothers with existing employment contract and spouse ( n = 530). The main justification for home care of a one-year-old child was that the child is too young for out-of-home day care. Experiencing home care as the best interest of the child did not vary according to socioeconomic background. Normative views of motherhood as well as criticism towards the quality of day care was more likely among mothers with a lower occupational status. The practical difficulties of working life were more pronounced among mothers with irregular working hours. The financial unprofitability of employment as a reason for home care was related to the mother’s weaker subjective health, lower socioeconomic status, and higher number of children in the family.

Dimensions of affective temperament and the experience of violence or social exclusion in childhood

Affective temperament is considered relatively stable, manifesting as traits, a way of expressing a person's characteristic or emotional state, which overall impacts mood. It also provides information about the risk of developing psychopathology in a given person. Despite its relative stability, it can be shaped by various difficult life experiences. The article presents the results of a survey conducted in 2019 on 300 respondents, the aim of which was to compare groups in terms of affective temperament who experienced social exclusion and physical and psychological violence in the family home in childhood with people who did not experience such situations in their lives. This problem is fundamental. This shows, among others, the diagnosis of violence against children in Poland from 2023, which shows that 79% of children and teenagers have experienced violence or neglect at least once in their lives. Dimensions of affective temperament and the experience of violence or social exclusion in childhood

ФОРМУВАННЯ ПОЛІКУЛЬТУРНОСТІ ДІТЕЙ В УМОВАХ ДИТЯЧОГО БУДИНКУ СІМЕЙНОГО ТИПУ

The article reveals approaches to the content of the category of "multiculturalism" and investigates the dependence of the formation of multiculturalism as a quality of personality on the principle of multiculturalism as an organisation of conditions for coexistence and education. The article gives an example of a family-type children's home as a multicultural environment where orphans and children deprived of parental care are brought up with already formed cultural values, for which it is necessary to create conditions for their harmonious development, which will enable their further socialisation in various spheres of life. The formation of multiculturalism as the implementation of the functions of positive interaction of all family members, regardless of their origin, is studied. The model of behaviour to ensure the formation of multiculturalism is constructed. The significance of multicultural competences of foster parents in this activity is determined. The necessity of teaching multicultural education during the in-service training courses for foster parents is noted. The author proves the direct dependence of the formation of multiculturalism as a personality quality on the conditions of cohabitation. The criteria and indicators that can be used to determine the level of multiculturalism in children brought up in a family-type orphanage are determined. The relevance of the study, which consists in a more detailed study of the basics of multiculturalism of orphans and children deprived of parental care is indicated, and it will help parents-caregivers to create conditions for multicultural education in a family-type orphanage.

Identifying Deficiencies in Children's Residential Care in Finland: Inspectors' Views on Working With Information

ABSTRACTAbusive and illegal practices in residential care are a recognised issue in child welfare internationally; thus, the question of how these institutions are supervised is important. However, children's residential care is complex by nature, making its supervision a challenging task. This article examines residential care supervision by looking at the ‘knowledge work’ that two central legality supervisors in Finland—the Parliamentary Ombudsman and Regional State Administrative Agencies—conduct when inspecting children's residential homes. Here, ‘knowledge work’ refers to the process of working with information to identify deficiencies in care. Eleven interviews and 16 inspection reports are analysed with a focus on the nature of the information that these supervisors gather when inspecting residential units and how they evaluate the significance and reliability of the information. The results show that to complete their institutional task, the inspectors gather information from various sources, including documents and interviews with children. The significance of the information is then assessed by comparing it with legislation and the supervisory mandate, and its reliability is verified by considering the diverse information sources as a whole collection of information. The results suggest that how well ‘knowledge work’ is conducted highly affects the impact of supervision.

Autistic traits and eating behaviors in Chinese preschoolers: Role of sensory profiles and home environment

ObjectiveThis study aims to 1) explore the association between autistic traits and eating behaviors in Chinese preschoolers; 2) explore the mediating role of sensory processing patterns on the relation of autistic traits and eating-related behaviors; and 3) examine home nurturing environment as a moderator between autistic traits and eating-related behaviors. We hypothesize that there is a significant association between autistic traits and eating behaviors, which is mediated by sensory processing patterns and moderated by the home nurturing environment. Method509 children aged 3–4 years participated in this cross-sectional research. They were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2) for autistic traits, the Chinese Preschoolers' Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CPEBQ) for eating-related behaviors, the Short Sensory Profile-Second Edition (SSP-2) for sensory processing patterns, and the Children Home Nurture Environment Questionnaire (CHNEQ) for home nurturing environment. Mediation regression analyses were used to examine the role of sensory processing patterns, while moderation analyses to examine the role of home nurturing environment. ResultsWe observed a positive association between autistic traits and eating behavior problems among typically developed children. Sensory processing patterns significantly mediated the impact of autistic traits on children's eating-related behaviors and home nurturing environment also moderated this relationship. DiscussionOur research suggests that Chinese preschoolers with higher autistic traits may face more eating challenges when they possess more heightened sensory processing patterns, while living in supportive home environments helps to improve their eating behaviors. These findings contribute to the understanding of how and to what extent eating problems are influenced by autistic traits, and they offer insight into the alleviation of eating problems from the perspectives of sensory patterns and family nurturing environments.

Map of individual special needs of students in need of long-term treatment as a tool for building the educational route of a hospital school student: identifying psychological and pedagogical characteristics

Introduction. The realization of the right to education of children with chronic somatic diseases and in need of long-term treatment is possible by ensuring the personalization and individualization of the educational route. Information about psychological, pedagogical, social and medical characteristics of a pupil helps to develop and implement it. Purpose of the study: scientific substantiation, design and testing of the Map of individual special needs of hospital school students with data on educational, psychological and pedagogical characteristics of children and adolescents studying in hospital school in 2021-2022. Materials and methods. The participants were students of the flagship site of the project of hospital schools of Russia "UchimZnaem" in Moscow in the number of 396 people aged from 4 to 18 years. Methods: source analysis, design, psychological and pedagogical experiment, expert evaluation, statistical processing of results. Results. A map of individual special needs of children in need of long-term treatment was developed and implemented, which became an effective tool for implementing an individual educational route for hospital school students. It was revealed that the majority of respondents (96%), despite the possible risks of deterioration of their psychophysiological condition due to severe and prolonged treatment, are able to study in general education programs and do not have pronounced cognitive deficits, have high learning motivation, the indicators of development of higher mental functions correspond to age norms. But there were also revealed difficulties in 57% of schoolchildren related to communicative and emotional-volitional spheres. Conclusions. The proposed Map of individual special needs can be used as a tool for personalization and individualization of education of children in difficult life situations, revealing the key characteristics of schoolchildren. Also the obtained data can be used by psychologists, teachers, tutors when organizing training in medical hospitals and at home for children and adolescents with chronic somatic diseases, as they demonstrate possible risks in the development and psychological well-being of this category of students.

Ants

"Ants" is a place poem written as I was sitting on the front porch of my childhood home looking out at the place along the winding driveway where the ants hills have been as long as I can remember.

Religion and Spirituality as Sites of Learning

Learning penetrates religion in many ways. Primary religious socialisation – sometimes referred to as religious nurture – is the process by which children are explicitly and purposefully taught to do things religiously or they learn implicitly by following what their families and other people around them do, speak and feel. In secondary religious socialisation one sets about learning something additional to or different from what was learned and internalised in one’s religious or non-religious childhood home and surroundings. Secondary socialisation may also entail processes of unlearning something previously learned in order to grasp and master the skills, ways of thinking and feeling, and discursive habits of the new worldview and context of life. Learning in both primary and secondary socialisation can in some cases turn into a thoroughly religiously informed way of life. Alternatively, religious learning may not always be sufficiently lengthy and committed to result in full socialisation. Many people engage in religion merely in special situations or turning points in life, and after that particular need is over, religion loses its acute significance. Furthermore, religious learning may also have intended or unintended effects and consequences beyond the more strictly bounded religious sphere and may come to be reflected in personal and relational life much more widely. (See Long and Hadden 1983; Sherkat 2003; Collet Sabe 2007; Berliner and Sarró 2008; Erricker, Ota and Erricker 2012; Scourfield et al. 2013; Klingenberg, Sjö and Broo 2019.)

Complications of pediatric enteral nutrition at home: a systematic review of quantitative research

Objective: Identifying complications related to enteral nutrition at home in children is important in terms of establishing standard discharge education and training programs to support parents in managing complications. The study aimed to synthesize current evidence on the complications of pediatric enteral nutrition at home. Methods: The study was conducted according to PRISMA recommendations. Eight databases were reviewed between 2012 and 2022 in Turkish, German, and English languages. Articles were assessed in three stages: title, abstract, and full text. The review included 18 studies that met all the inclusion criteria. The Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instruments were used to assess the quality appraisal of the studies. Results: A total of 18 studies with 19,531 children were included from 14 countries. The outcome measures were major and minor complications with pediatric enteral nutrition at home. 11 of the 18 papers included were retrospective studies on complications of PEG. In studies reporting the overall rate of major complications ranged from 0% to 14.3%, and the most common complications were reoperation (2.64%-12.4%), and gastrocolic fistula/perforation (0.9%-3.8%). In studies reporting the overall rate of minor complications, the rate ranged from 16.4%-73.6% and the most common complications were infection (8.2%-31.9%), dislodgement (1.6%-21%), skin granulation (4%-50.4%), and vomiting (1%-49.89%). Conclusion: This systematic review reveals that the rate of complications in pediatric enteral nutrition at home cannot be underestimated. Healthcare providers should plan their practice considering these complications to support parents in managing complications of pediatric enteral nutrition at home.

An examination of relevant factors attributable to child health, food behavior, and lifestyle concerns of parents with infants aged at least 18 months: With a view to expanding into Shokuiku (food and nutrition education)

Objectives This study focused on food after weaning and examined the children's diet and home environmental factors that influence parents' concerns during health checkup for infants (aged 1.6 and 3 years).Methods In the analysis, 646 participants, excluding invalid responses, who cooperated with the survey during health checkup for 1.6- and 3-year-old in the Tohoku, Chubu, and Chugoku regions from March 2019 to January 2020, were included. The survey included 56 items of dietary, lifestyle, and health concerns (yes/no answers), child attributes, and frequency of food intake (six options, 18 types). Concern factors were extracted by factor analysis. The association between the worry scores and each factor was analyzed.Results The 1.6- and 3-year-olds were associated with high scores for (health awareness and lifestyle) and low fruit intake, high salty snacks intake, and low subjective economic status, high scores for (diet content and atmosphere) and low intakes of carotene-rich vegetables, other vegetables, seaweed, and fruits, high scores for (interest and motivation in food) and low carotene-rich vegetables intake, high scores for (food experience and behavior) and high cereals (bread) intake, low subjective economic status. The 3-year-olds were associated with high scores and being boys.Conclusion We extracted four worry factors that parents with children after the weaning period have and clarified the factors related to each factor and group characteristics.

Ambient PM2.5 and specific sources increase inflammatory cytokine responses to stimulators and reduce sensitivity to inhibitors

Ambient exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from multiple diseases. Recent observations suggest the hypothesis that trained immunity contributes to these risks, by demonstrating that ambient PM2.5 sensitizes innate immune cells to mount larger inflammatory response to subsequent bacterial stimuli. However, little is known about how general and durable this sensitization phenomenon is, and whether specific sources of PM2.5 are responsible. Here we consider these issues in a longitudinal study of children. The sample consisted of 277 children (mean age 13.92 years; 63.8% female; 38.4% Black; 32.2% Latinx) who completed baseline visits and were re-assessed two years later. Fasting whole blood was ex vivo incubated with 4 stimulating agents reflecting microbial and sterile triggers of inflammation, and with 2 inhibitory agents, followed by assays for IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Blood also was assayed for 6 circulating biomarkers of low-grade inflammation: C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, -8, and -10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor. Using machine learning, levels of 15 p.m.2.5 constituents were estimated for a 50 m grid around children's homes. Models were adjusted for age, sex, race, pubertal status, and household income. In cross-sectional analyses, higher neighborhood PM2.5 was associated with larger cytokine responses to the four stimulating agents. These associations were strongest for constituents released by motor vehicles and soil/crustal dust. In longitudinal analyses, residential PM2.5 was associated with declining sensitivity to inhibitory agents; this pattern was strongest for constituents from fuel/biomass combustion and motor vehicles. By contrast, PM2.5 constituents were not associated with the circulating biomarkers of low-grade inflammation. Overall, these findings suggest the possibility of a trained immunity scenario, where PM2.5 heightens inflammatory cytokine responses to multiple stimulators, and dampens sensitivity to inhibitors which counter-regulate these responses.

Nutritional Problems Among Special Needs Children in a Rural Special Needs Children Home Near Chennai.

Background Special needs children have various health problems, and the most common problems are nutritional deficiency and malnourishment which leads to increased morbidity affecting their quality of life. This study aims to assess the nutritional status and health-seeking behaviour of special needs children. Methods The study was conducted among 46 special needs children at a special needs children's home. After collecting basic sociodemographic details, they were assessed for nutritional status and health-seeking behaviour using a semi-structured questionnaire followed by general and clinical examination. Results Out of these 46 special needs children, 69.6% were male and 30.4% were female. The mean age was 11.69±4.62 years. In this study, 65.22% were underweight; 6.52% were overweight; 10.87% were obese I; 4.35% were obese III; 13.04% were normal. Among them, 37%seek Government healthcare facilities for their healthcare needs. Referral advice was provided to all required children. Conclusion A high proportion of the special needs children were screened positive for nutritional deficiency and malnourishment which needs to be addressed. Interventions should be aimed at correcting the nutritional deficiency and malnourishment by involving the caretakers, mainly mothers of these children.

Effectiveness of a Telephone Counseling Intervention in Reducing Passive Smoking Among Children.

Legislative smoking bans that prohibit smoking in public places have successfully reduced passive smoking in public areas. However, smokers only partially adhere to smoking restrictions in their homes. Young children are particularly vulnerable to exposure to tobacco smoke because they spend more time at home. In this study, we designed an intervention program based on an empowerment theory to reduce passive smoking among children. The priority participants were nonsmoking mothers living with smokers who smoke in the presence of children. The aim of this randomized control trial study was to examine the effectiveness of this intervention in reducing children's exposure to tobacco smoke at home. The intervention group received tailored educational brochures and two follow-up counseling telephone calls at 2 and 8 weeks, which provided resources to support the mothers to increase their knowledge, skill, and self-confidence in promoting behavior shaping of smokers. The control group received only tailored educational brochures. We found the intervention group demonstrated a higher rate of maternal actions to reduce their children's exposure to smoke and a higher rate than the control group of attempts to avoid smoking in the presence of children at the 16-week follow-up. These results suggest that the intervention helped reduce passive smoking among children. These findings highlight the need to empower and train mothers to help them develop rules for smoking at home. These interventions could be applied in the home of children who live with smokers who are unable or unwilling to quit smoking.