Child Interaction Research Articles

Building an Inclusive Education for Autistic Children

This study aims to find out inclusive education in schools, especially for schools that are not designated as inclusive schools but there is cooperation with teachers or schools and the government's attention to services for children with disabilities, especially for autistic children to improve communication, social interaction of autistic children with the environment at school. The type of research used is qualitative descriptive with the type of case study research. The subjects in this study are teachers who teach and children with autism who attend inclusive schools, precisely at ABBAKIDS Elementary School, Cipondoh Tangerang. The results of the study show that an inclusive educational environment must be supported by collaboration between parents, teachers, the school environment and also the role of the government that can support and be able to provide a sense of affection, understanding, empathy, and patience in communicating with children with autism. This is done as an effort to increase the sense of confidence and desire to blend in with children with autism with the surrounding environment.

Early parent-child interaction and home environments of children exposed prenatally to opioids: A comparison of biological mothers and out-of-home caregivers.

Children born to mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at increased risk of maltreatment and out-of-home care (OOHC) placement. This study examines the parent-child interaction quality and home environments of 92 New Zealand children with prenatal opioid exposure (OE) and 106 non-opioid-exposed (NE) children. Experiences for those in maternal care versus OOHC were of particular interest. Biological mothers completed a lifestyle interview during late pregnancy/at birth. At 18 months, parent-child interaction observations, maternal/primary caregiver interviews, and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment were completed during a home visit. At age 4.5, children underwent developmental assessment. By 18 months, 20% of OE children were in OOHC. Mothers with OUD who were younger, less cooperative, and had increased polysubstance use during pregnancy were more likely to have lost custody of their child. OE children in their mother's care experienced less positive parenting and lower-quality home environments than NE children. OE children in OOHC had similarly resourced environments to NE children, yet experienced lower levels of parental warmth and responsiveness. Early parenting predicted child cognition, language, and behavior 3 years later, underscoring the critical importance of supporting the parenting and psychosocial needs of OE children's parents/caregivers to improve long-term outcomes.

Maternal characteristics and their relation to early mother-child interaction and cognitive development in toddlers.

Early mother-infant interaction is believed to have a significant impact on the social, cognitive, and emotional development of children. These interactions are not only influenced by child and contextual factors but also by the mother's personality traits and strain. In this study, we investigated the relation between maternal factors such as personality, depressive symptoms, or experiencing of emotions, and (i) children's early cognitive development and (ii) interaction patterns in a sample of 116 mother-child dyads (mean child age = 18.63 months ± 6.42). Maternal factors were assessed using standardized questionnaires and toddlers' cognitive development was measured using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Interaction patterns were evaluated using the CARE-Index. The study found that children of mothers who scored higher in agreeableness, a personality trait reflecting compassion and cooperation, performed better in cognitive assessments. Additionally, mothers who placed significant importance on their bodily signals to assess their overall well-being had higher scores in the quality of interaction with their child. Statistical trends suggested that mothers with higher levels of conscientiousness, indicative of being organized and responsible, tended to be more responsive in the interaction with their infants, while those with higher levels of neuroticism, characterized by a tendency towards negative emotions, were more likely to have toddlers who inhibit their true negative affect. Finally, there was a trend indicating that maternal depression was associated with increased maternal controlling behavior towards toddlers. Overall, these findings show the intricate relation between maternal behavior and state with dyadic interaction quality. This should underline that optimal infant development is only possible if mothers are well supported especially if in need due to various burdens such as depressive symptoms.

Enhancing Dual Language Development in Preschool Programs: A Focus on Intentional Language Instruction and Adult–Child Interactions

Enhancing Dual Language Development in Preschool Programs: A Focus on Intentional Language Instruction and Adult–Child Interactions

Parent–Child Online Interaction and the Well‐Being of Children in Rural China: The Effects of Family Social Capital and Parental Migration

ABSTRACTExisting empirical evidence supports the close relationships between parent–child interactions and child well‐being outcomes. Internet and mobile phone–mediated communication has facilitated interaction between children and their family members, which can be related to increased family social capital for the welfare of children. The objectives of the present study were to examine the associations between parental–child online interactions, family social capital and child well‐being in rural China and to investigate the moderating role of parental migration in these associations. A sample of 1384 secondary school students (47.6% girls, mean age = 14.14 years) participated in the survey and answered questions about their interaction with parents, family structure and relationships and well‐being. A series of regression analyses showed that parent–child online interactions were positively associated with child well‐being by increasing children's family social capital at three parental migration patterns. Furthermore, there is no significant difference in the moderating mediating effect between non–left‐behind children and children whose one parent migrated. The findings provide evidence for the potential beneficial effects of parent–child online interactions on child well‐being and have implications for policies and practices that support the use of the Internet and mobile devices among children living in disadvantaged situations.

The dynamics of initiation in caregiver-child conversational interactions.

We investigated the dynamics of communicative initiation in infant-caregiver interactions across ages and language abilities. Analyses of 228 Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) recordings from 141 Korean adult-child dyads (60 girls; aged 7-30 months) replicated the initiator effect reported in North American populations. This effect, demonstrated by longer utterances, more frequent speech, and shorter response times in self-initiated interactions for both children and adults, suggests potential cross-cultural consistency in this conversational dynamic and remained consistent across ages in most conversational measures. A focused analysis of 13-14 month-olds (N = 40) and their K-CDI scores revealed that the initiator effect in segment duration and number persisted across most vocabulary percentiles. Additionally, nuanced findings indicated that caregivers increased their input frequency and adjusted segment duration in adult-initiated conversations in tandem with children's higher receptive abilities. The robustness of the initiator role across cultures, ages, and vocabulary abilities points to a fundamental aspect of human communication.

An Evaluation of LENA Start™ Using Measures Derived from Parent–Child Interactions

Abstract It is important to assess learning in both familiar and unfamiliar conditions to determine the extent of learning generalisation. In this study, we evaluated parent language outcomes of LENA Start™, a parent-implemented intervention, using distal measures derived from a parent–child free play interaction. Forty-four parents and their child (mean: 20.8 months) participated in LENA Start™ or early childhood education curriculum intervention, in either English (n = 34) or Spanish (n = 10). We completed between- and within-group analyses using language and communication behaviour measures derived from parent–child interactions elicited outside the home with researcher-supplied materials (i.e., distal measures). Group comparisons revealed significant differences on a subset of behavioural measures. Spanish-speaking parents in the LENA Start™ group demonstrated significant gains on three measures. While LENA Start™ has been associated with parent gains on proximal language measures, the results of this study reveal limited generalisation of skills based on distal measures.

Employing Emotional Virtual Characters for Teaching in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Employing Emotional Virtual Characters for Teaching in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Abstract: Communication and interaction are central to teaching child and adolescent psychiatry, with practical exercises often needing more access to actual patients or actors. Virtual reality (VR) offers an innovative solution by enabling simulation-based learning. With the help of computer-generated, interactive characters, students can practice repeatedly and in a standardized way how to conduct a medical interview and acquire communication skills. Initial tests with students show a high level of acceptance and believability despite the need for optimization of the voice input and the student's desire to use such new technology in teaching in the future. The next step will be to evaluate the benefits of the VR application regarding learning success and the influence of the teaching method on motivation and enjoyment of learning.

유아교사의 놀이민감성, 교수창의성과 전문성 지원환경이 교사-유아 상호작용에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of early childhood teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment on teacher-young children interaction. Methods For data collection, 414 early childhood teachers in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam were surveyed by questionnaires about teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment, and teacher-young children interaction from 3 March 2023 to 5 April. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used by SPSS 27.0. Results First, early childhood teachers' play sensitivity and professional support environment showed significant difference by the teachers’ age, career and institutional type. Early childhood teachers’ teaching creativity and teacher-young children interaction showed significant difference by the age, education, career, and institutional type. Second, there were significant positive correlation between teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment on teacher-young children interaction. Third, early childhood teachers’ play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment had significant effect on teacher-young children interaction. Conclusions In order to promote early childhood teachers' teacher-young children interaction, it is important to increase the level of play sensitivity, teaching creativity, professional support environment, and education should be supported for this.

STORYTELLING METHOD USING HAND PUPPET MEDIA: COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN AGED 4-6 YEARS

The main purpose of the study on storytelling methods with hand puppet media in relation to the cognitive development of children aged 4-6 years is to understand and analyze the impact of using hand puppets as an aid in storytelling activities on various aspects of cognitive abilities in preschool children and to explore how children's interactions with hand puppets in the context of stories can improve language skills, conceptual understanding, information processing, logical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, emotional intelligence, and literacy basics. This study uses a quantitative quasi-experimental design approach. The subjects of the study were 19 students aged 4-6 years at Labscool Kindergarten in the form of one group pretest-posttest design analyzed using the Paired Samples Test. The results of the Paired Samples Test data analysis, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores. showing an average decrease of 8,474 points in the cognitive development of children aged 4-6 years. Because the p value is very small (0.000), this difference is very statistically significant. This means that there is a clear impact of using this method in improving children's cognitive development. cognitive enhancement in children through storytelling methods with hand puppet media in accordance with existing theories regarding cognitive stimulation at an early age. This method is very effective in improving various aspects of child development, especially in terms of thinking skills, speaking skills, and their understanding of the social world around them

Young children's translanguaging as emergent in and through open‐ended science pedagogies

AbstractEquity‐focused calls for elementary education reform recognize the importance of student and teacher translanguaging, yet nuances of how this process unfolds in early childhood science is an underexplored area. This study examines young plurilingual children's participation in science investigations, with a view toward understanding how open‐ended pedagogical structures supported their communication and engagement as related to science learning. We examine the work of 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds as they participated in a 3‐week unit exploring worms and draw upon translanguaging theoretical perspectives to interpretively analyze their interactions in science. Situated in the multilingual national context of Luxembourg, the study examines the interactions of these plurilingual children and their teacher as they investigated worms in varied open‐ended pedagogical structures. Schools are trilingual in Luxembourg, yet approximately half of the students in the country's elementary schools do not come to school with proficiency in any of the three languages of instruction. Issues of equity in schooling are thus heavily bound in languages. The robust dataset incorporating video data were examined using multimodal interaction analysis, and three vignettes zoom in on children's actions, utterances, and materials in open‐ended science learning spaces, providing rich examples of classroom structures that support meaningful translanguaging through students' agentic science communication. Young students' communication and science engagement are inseparable, and this study shows that these intertwine through translanguaging, in a process which is emergent when children are able to agentically draw upon diverse resources to make meanings.

Metode Bermain Bola Bergilir (MB3) untuk Meningkatkan Interaksi Sosial Anak Down Syndrome

Socially, children with down syndrome experience difficulties in establishing social relationships with the environment. So social interaction is very important for children, especially children with special needs, one of which is down syndrome. This research aims to improve social interaction in children with down syndrome. One intervention that can be used to increase social interaction in children with down syndrome is the Rolling Ball Playing Method (MB3). The Rolling Ball Playing Method (MB3) is a modification of the ball relay game, in concept it is the same as rotating the balls in turns and is said to be finished when all the balls have been put into the container. The research method used was quasi-experimental with a one group pretest-posttest design. The sampling technique uses a purposive non-probability technique. The research subjects were 5 children with down syndrome in Blitar. The results of the study showed that there was a significant difference after administering the Rolling Ball Playing Method (MB3) (Z = -2.032 and p = 0.042 (p < 0.05)). Thus, it can be concluded that the Rotating Ball Playing Method (MB3) can improve social interaction in children with down syndrome

Transition to home after very preterm birth: improving outcomes of children and their families—a systematic review protocol

IntroductionMedical progress has significantly improved the survival rates of very preterm-born infants in recent decades. Nevertheless, these infants are still at increased risk for long-term impairments as compared with term-born...

Protocol for a multisite randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of the Telehealth for Early Developmental Intervention in babies born very preterm (TEDI-Prem) programme on neurodevelopmental outcomes and parent well-being

IntroductionInfants born very preterm (VPT, <32 weeks’ gestation) are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental impairments including motor, cognitive and behavioural delay. Parents of infants born VPT also have poorer mental...

Communication Disorders Essentials for Parents

Between September and December 2023, Babylonia collected questions from parents regarding their children’s language development. This article aims to answer the following questions: What are some red flags for potential communication disorder? How can I foster strong communication skills in children with communication disorders? How can I differentiate between language difficulties and learning difficulties? What resources or therapies are there for children with language delays? What are signs of language delay or disorder? [Summary generated by Claude-3-Haiku-200k - we refer the reader to the full article in PDF format for a complete response] This article provides essential information to parents about communication disorders in children. It answers key questions, such as the revealing signs of potential disorders, the differentiation between language difficulties and learning disorders, and the available resources/therapies. Communication disorders can take various forms and affect up to one-quarter of children under 5 years old. They may manifest as language delays or articulation disorders and are often linked to risk factors such as prematurity, low birth weight, or genetic disorders. Known developmental milestones help identify early signs of difficulties, such as lack of reactivity or babbling before 12 months. Language delays, grammatical errors, reduced intelligibility, or limited social interactions in young children can also be warning signals. Differentiating between language difficulties and learning disorders relies on specific characteristics. Speech sound disorders, language delays, and developmental language disorder are distinct categories that may coexist with specific learning disorders like dyslexia or dyscalculia. Parents play a crucial role in supporting their child's communication development. Strategies like social object play, following interests, or narrating actions can enhance language skills in a positive and stimulating environment. Professional resources are also available for children with confirmed delays or disorders. In conclusion, this article provides parents with important guidelines to identify early signs of difficulties and implement appropriate support, in collaboration with qualified professionals.

보육교사의 공감능력과 전문성발달 수준이 교사-영아 상호작용에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of teacher’s empathy ability and professional development level on teacher-young child interactions. Methods The purposes of this study, we surveyed 320 young children teachers working at public, workplace, private, and home daycare centers located in G City from January 2, 2024 to January 26, 2024. For the collected data, Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between each variable using the SPSS 21.0 program, and multiple regression analysis was performed to analyze the influence of the variables. Results The analysis results are as follows. First, it was found that there was a high correlation between variables among young children teachers' empathy ability, level of professional development, and teacher-yound child interaction. Second, as a result of analyzing the influence of the young children teacher's level of empathy and professional development on teacher-young child interaction, knowledge and skill development, self-understanding development, and cognitive empathy were found to have a significant influence on the overall teacher-young child interaction. Conclusions Through this study, we sought to find ways to increase the empathy and expertise of young children teachers by examining the variables that affect the teacher-young child interaction and the level of empathy and professional development of young children teachers, and to foster positive interactions between teachers and young children. It can be basic data to improve operation.

Nonverbal Skills Evolution in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder One Year Post-Diagnosis

Background: Gestural production, a crucial aspect of nonverbal communication, plays a key role in the development of verbal and socio-communicative skills. Delays in gestural development often impede verbal acquisition and social interaction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Although various interventions for ASD focus on improving socio-communicative abilities, they consistently highlight the importance of integrating gestures to support overall communication development. This study aimed to investigate the progression of gestural production in preschoolers with ASD one year post-diagnosis, taking into account whether they had received interventions for ASD. Method: This study followed 76 Italian preschoolers with ASD, aged 2 to 4 years, who underwent three different types of interventions or no intervention at all. Data on gestural production were collected using the MCDI, a standardized parent-proxy report. Results: The results indicate that all groups, regardless of intervention type, experienced increased gesture production, suggesting that interventions, combined with factors like time, symptom severity, and learning differences unique to ASD, positively influence nonverbal communication. This improvement may be due to various factors. On one hand, joint attention and socio-communicative interactions drive progress, while on the other, children with ASD may benefit from learning through non-socially mediated linguistic material. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need to understand individual learning preferences and strategies for developing nonverbal communication skills in children with ASD. Identifying effective strategies early on can enhance both diagnosis and intervention planning, ensuring they are tailored to the specific developmental needs of each child.

Dance with me? Analyzing interpersonal synchrony and quality of interaction during joint dance

This methodological paper examines the assessment of interpersonal synchrony during a joint dancing task between mothers and their children (aged 4 to 5 years) using OpenPose. This pose estimation tool captures movement in naturalistic settings. The study analyzes 45 mother–child dyads, comparing two analytical methods for assessing synchrony, and examines their correlation with the Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB) measure of interaction quality. The first method employs cross-wavelet transform (CWT) coherence to assess synchrony based on vertical head movement. This straightforward and computationally efficient approach reveals a significant correlation between interpersonal synchrony and CIB scores, thus implying its potential as a reliable indicator of interaction quality and suggesting its potential as a measure of interaction quality. The second method, the generalized cross-wavelet transform (GCWT), analyzes synchrony across multiple body parts, offering a more complex and detailed analysis of interpersonal dynamics. However, it did not significantly correlate with the CIB scores. Our findings suggest that focusing on head movement using CWT can effectively capture critical elements of interpersonal synchrony linked to interaction quality. In contrast, despite its richness, the more complex GCWT approach may not align as closely with observed interactive behaviors as the CIB scores indicate. This study underscores the need to balance methodological complexity and ecological validity in research, offering insights into selecting analytical techniques based on research objectives and the nuances of interpersonal dynamics. Our results contribute to the field of interpersonal synchrony research, emphasizing the benefits of efficient methods in understanding mother–child interactions and interaction relationships in general.

Prenatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and risk of disorders of gut-brain interaction in children.

Preclinical data suggest that gestational exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) alter gut innervation, and delays colonic motility. In this study we investigated associations between gestational SSRI exposure and offspring disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI). Using population-based registries, we included all single-birth Danish children born 1997-2015 with follow-up until outcome occurrence, age 15 years, death, emigration, or December 2018. Children to mothers who continued SSRIs during pregnancy and children to mothers who discontinued SSRI use before pregnancy were compared using Cox regression. Main outcomes were the first diagnosis of a childhood DGBI (functional nausea and vomiting, functional abdominal pain disorders, functional diarrhea, and functional constipation), or a physician-prescribed laxative. Among 1,158,560 children, 21,969 children (1.9%) were exposed to SSRIs prenatally and 30,174 children (2.6%) were born to mothers who discontinued SSRIs before pregnancy. Overall, the estimated 15-year cumulative incidence of any DGBI was 15.5% (95% CI, 14.9-16.2) in the SSRI-exposed group and 14.7% (14.0-15.3) in the unexposed group. SSRI-exposed children had an overall increased risk of DGBIs (HR 1.08, [1.02-1.14]), which was driven by functional constipation (HR 1.19, [1.10-1.28]) rather than functional nausea and vomiting (HR 0.97, [0.83-1.13]) or functional abdominal pain disorders (HR 0.90, [0.81-1.00]). These data suggest that prenatal SSRI exposure is associated with an increased risk of developing functional constipation. These findings are also consistent with extensive preclinical data supporting key roles for serotonin in gut development and function. Together findings support the need for further investigation of the long-term impact of maternal depression and SSRI exposure on development of common gastrointestinal disorders.

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.