To gain a deeper understanding of the transmission pathways of socioeconomic inequality in early childhood development and to explore strategies for breaking its intergenerational transmission, this study, grounded in family resilience theory, examines the relationship between family socioeconomic status and preschool children's social-emotional competence, as well as the underlying mediating variables. Using stratified random sampling, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 690 parents of preschool children in central China. The results indicate that (1) parental expectations play a significant mediating role between family socioeconomic status and children's social-emotional competence, suggesting that socioeconomic advantages are partially translated into effective investments in children's competency development by enhancing parents' educational and developmental expectations and (2) parental involvement and support play a significant moderating role in this pathway; particularly in low-socioeconomic-status families, high levels of parental involvement can effectively buffer the negative impact of resource scarcity on children's social-emotional competence and weaken the predetermining effect of family socioeconomic status on developmental outcomes. Therefore, systematic family education guidance and psychological support services should be established to enhance the internal resilience of disadvantaged families. This creates more equitable developmental opportunities for children in the early stages and provides a viable pathway to breaking the cycle of social stratification.

An SDT-informed online intervention supporting children's home-based exercise: A randomized controlled trial.

This study examines how Islamic Senior High Schools (Madrasah Aliyah) in Indonesia manage educational quality by systematically integrating academic achievement and character formation through the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle within Total Quality Management (TQM) frameworks. Unlike previous research treating character education as supplementary, this study positions it as strategic management. Using a qualitative multiple-case study design, data were collected from three State Islamic Senior High Schools through interviews, observations, focus groups, and document analysis. The study investigated PDCA implementation in each school and patterns across institutional contexts. Findings reveal three management models: (1) structural-regulative (MAN X), emphasizing discipline through strict SOPs; (2) community-collaborative (MAN Y), integrating pesantren culture and parental involvement; and (3) innovation-capacity oriented (MAN Z), cultivating literacy and 21st-century skills. Cross-case analysis shows all schools applied PDCA principles—strategic planning (Plan), consistent implementation (Do), integrated evaluation (Check), and improvement (Act). Educational quality in faith-based schools is enhanced when academic and character dimensions are embedded throughout the management cycle. This research demonstrates how TQM-PDCA frameworks can be contextualized for faith-based schools in developing countries and identifies critical gaps in quality systems that require strengthening.

From emotion to health: A narrative review of positive psychology in early childhood using PERMAH model.

Developmental dyslexia (DD) is associated with multiple cognitive deficits. This study examined whether digital training of specific cognitive components is feasible and effective, whether parental involvement increases training intensity, and whether a multi-component intervention yields specific and cumulative benefits for reading fluency, spelling, and reading comprehension. We developed a multi-component digital intervention targeting visual-attentional (VA), auditory-phonological (AP), and cross-modal processes. In a pre-registered multiple single-case (within-subject) intervention study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04028310), 144 children with DD aged 8 to 13 years participated. The first two training components (VA vs. AP) were counterbalanced across participants. Each training phase lasted 2 months, with home-based practice 5 days per week for 15 min per session under parental supervision. Before and after the digital intervention phases, children received conventional remediation once per week for 2 months, serving as a within-subject baseline. Training effects were component-specific: VA training led to greater improvements in visual-attentional skills than AP training, whereas AP training yielded greater gains in phoneme awareness than VA training. Across the full three-stage program, cumulative improvements were observed in reading fluency, spelling, and reading comprehension that exceeded gains during conventional remediation alone. Starting with VA training resulted in larger reading fluency gains than starting with AP training. These findings provide a proof of concept that a scalable, home-based, multi-component digital intervention can induce specific cognitive improvements and cumulative gains in reading and spelling skills in children with DD, while remaining feasible for large-scale implementation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had wide-reaching, global impacts on families that continue to be felt, particularly in education. Past research has documented changes in parents' involvement in their children's education during, as compared to before, the COVID-19 pandemic. It is often assumed that these changes are due to the increased burden placed on parents due to education being moved online in an effort to prevent disease spread. Despite this widely accepted assertion, the present study is the first to empirically investigate and support that the amount of time children were in online education predicted parents' involvement in their children's learning during the pandemic. This was done in the present preregistered study with data on 833 parents from across the United States with twin children in kindergarten through 12th grade during the 2020-2021 school year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that parents of children who spent a higher percentage of the school year in online education demonstrated more agency in education than parents of children who spent less of the school year in online education. In addition, time spent in online education was associated with parents' school partnership confidence. These results held when controlling for parents' education level and children's grade level, each of which also predicted parental involvement. However, the association between online education and parent involvement differed by age group. We conclude that time spent in online education predicted parents' involvement in their children's education during the COVID-19 pandemic, but this differed by various factors of parental involvement. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Assaults against teachers represent a growing phenomenon that raises concerns about the safety and well-being of school personnel. This study analyzed episodes of violence reported in major Italian newspapers, collecting data on cases of physical, verbal, and psychological assaults that occurred within school institutions. Through a systematic search, 25 episodes were identified and classified based on the type of aggressor (students, parents, or family members), the motivation behind the assault (disciplinary actions, negative evaluations, school-related measures), and the consequences for the parties involved. The findings highlight that disciplinary actions are the most common triggering factor, while the involvement of parents and family members in the assaults reflects a shift in the school-family relationship. The analysis also reveals an increase in incidents following the pandemic, along with greater difficulties in managing conflicts within the school environment. However, the study presents some limitations, including its reliance on journalistic sources, which may not report all episodes of violence, and the lack of in-depth data on the social and psychological context of the aggressors. These findings underline the need for effective prevention strategies and increased support for teachers in order to ensure a safer and more respectful school environment.

ABSTRACT Educational expectations play an important role in adolescents’ cognitive development and human capital accumulation. Using four waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022, this article examines how parental educational expectations, children’s own educational expectations, and parent–child educational expectation discrepancies relate to adolescents’ cognitive ability. We find that both parental and children’s own educational expectations are positively associated with cognitive ability. However, relative to aligned expectations, discrepancies in either direction, whether parental educational expectations exceed or fall below children’s expectations, are associated with significantly lower cognitive ability among adolescents. Mechanism analyses suggest that discrepancies in either direction are associated with more frequent parent–child conflict. Upward-biased discrepancies are associated with lower adolescent academic self-efficacy, whereas downward-biased discrepancies are associated with lower parental homework involvement. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that these negative associations are stronger among students in regular class tracks, students from low-income households, students with less-educated parents, and rural students. Further analysis suggests that consistently high and aligned expectations correspond to the highest cognitive ability. These findings highlight the potential importance of expectation alignment within families and suggest that disadvantaged rural and low-income groups may warrant particular attention in educational policy design.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to examine the mediating role of homework motivation (expectancy and value) in the relationship between parental homework involvement (content, autonomy, and control) and homework completion. Data were collected from 589 middle and high school students in Türkiye and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) and model comparison procedures. The findings confirmed that homework motivation mediated the relationship between parental homework involvement and homework completion. Among the three dimensions of parental homework involvement, autonomy support showed the strongest associations. Autonomy support was positively related to expectancy and value, whereas content support and control were negatively related to both constructs. Expectancy and value were significantly associated with homework completion. Moreover, the relationships among parental homework involvement, homework motivation, and homework completion differed by school level. Among high school students, some forms of parental homework involvement were linked to lower motivation and, indirectly, to lower homework completion. Taken together, the findings underscore the critical role of autonomy-supportive parental practices in fostering students’ motivation and improving homework outcomes, while also offering guidance for educators and parents seeking to enhance homework engagement across different educational levels.

Adolescents face significant barriers in accessing reproductive health services due to fears of privacy breaches and social stigma. In primary healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals are often trapped in a dilemma between the obligation to maintain medical confidentiality based on professional ethics and national regulatory demands requiring parental involvement for underage patients. This study aims to analyze the practice of protecting adolescent patient data privacy at Mardi Saras Primary Clinic and identify the gap between practical implementation and the norms of medical ethics and applicable legal regulations. This study employs a socio-legal research method with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with doctors and nurses, observation of service procedures, and study of the clinic's Standard Operating Procedures. The results indicate that although Mardi Saras Primary Clinic has implemented basic confidentiality protocols such as closed consultation rooms, there are substantial weaknesses in informed consent management, which still heavily relies on parental presence for all adolescent cases. This practice is driven by healthcare professionals' fear of legal risks, thereby ignoring the principle of developing autonomy in adolescents. These findings indicate a disparity between rigid administrative compliance and the spirit of protecting adolescent health rights within national regulations. The implication of this study underscores the urgency of developing specific SOPs that are sensitive to adolescent rights, as well as the need for continuous training for healthcare professionals regarding the legal and ethical boundaries of maintaining confidentiality for underage patients without compromising legal safety aspects.

BackgroundTraditional music is vital for cultural identity, particularly among youth in China, yet factors influencing students’ engagement with it remain underexplored.PurposeThis study investigates the key factors affecting primary and secondary school students’ attitudes and behaviors toward traditional music in Guangdong Province, focusing on gender, grade level, parental support, and regional disparities.MethodsUtilizing a mixed-methods design, the research involved surveys and interviews with students, parents, and educators to gather comprehensive insights.Major FindingsThe study revealed significant gender differences: female students displayed more positive attitudes and higher participation. Younger students exhibited greater enthusiasm, which declines with academic pressure. Parental involvement was identified as crucial, but the unexpected negative impact of parental artistic ability suggests more nuanced dynamics.ImplicationsThese findings highlight the need for tailored music education policies that are inclusive and responsive to diverse student backgrounds, particularly in less developed regions.ConclusionBy understanding the multifaceted influences on students’ engagement, this study underscores the importance of fostering youth involvement in traditional music as a means of cultural preservation in an evolving educational landscape.

Qur’an reading instruction through the Iqra’ method has received attention in various studies because it is considered effective in helping students recognize hijaiyah letters and gradually improve their reading ability. Nevertheless, studies that specifically discuss the implementation of the Iqra’ method along with supporting factors, inhibiting factors, and teacher strategies in optimizing its application in the context of madrasah diniyah remain relatively limited. This study aims to describe the application of the Iqra’ method in Qur’an reading instruction at MDTA Ar-Rahman Jorong Koto Laweh, Tilatang Kamang Subdistrict, Agam Regency, and to analyze the factors that influence its success. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study design. The research informants included the head of the madrasah, teachers, and students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through interviews, observation, and documentation, and were then analyzed using thematic analysis through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results show that the Iqra’ method was applied gradually and individually with the support of learning media and intensive guidance from teachers, thereby improving students’ Qur’an reading ability. The success of implementation was influenced by teacher competence, the use of media, and parental involvement, whereas differences in students’ initial abilities and limited facilities were the main obstacles. The conclusion of this study affirms that the effectiveness of the Iqra’ method in Qur’an reading instruction depends on the integration of pedagogical strategies, learning media, teacher guidance, and family collaboration. The implications of this study provide a foundation for developing more adaptive Qur’an learning practices and serve as a reference for further research on innovations in technology-based and collaborative approaches to Qur’an learning methods.

Intermittent preventive treatment for school-aged children (IPTsc) is a newly recommended malaria chemoprevention strategy targeting populations that increasingly sustain malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana recently added IPTsc into its national malaria strategy, yet evidence on community acceptability and implementation strategies in non-trial settings remains limited. This study explored perceived barriers, facilitators, and preferred implementation strategies for IPTsc in a high-transmission district in Ghana. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in four junior high schools in the Hohoe Municipality. Data were collected through five focus group discussions (FGDs), comprising four FGDs with school-aged children and one FGD with caregivers. Additionally, three key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted with two headteachers and the municipal School Health Education Programme coordinator. Transcripts were analysed using Attride-Stirling's thematic network analysis framework. Perceived barriers included concerns about drug origin, fear of side effects, administering medicines to asymptomatic children, tablet size and taste, and doubts about programme continuity. Facilitators centred on perceived benefits such as reduced malaria episodes, improved school attendance, lower household treatment costs, and community willingness to support IPTsc if adequate sensitisation was provided. Preferred implementation strategies included school-based delivery complemented by community outreach, administration by trained health professionals, clear communication on drug timing and food intake, and early parental involvement. In this setting, perceived acceptability of IPTsc was shaped less by doubts about effectiveness and more by concerns about trust, safety, delivery, and programme continuity. These findings suggest that context-sensitive IPTsc implementation in similar high-transmission settings should prioritise community engagement, involvement of health professionals, and adaptive delivery models that link schools with community health platforms.

PurposeWe examined whether maternal stress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) predicts parental involvement, measured as functional parenting (FP) and physical contact (PC), during hospitalization. We hypothesized that higher stress, particularly related to perceived lack of control, would be associated with reduced FP and PC.Patients and MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on 51 parent–preterm infant dyads from a prospective longitudinal cohort in a level IV NICU. Maternal stress and anxiety were assessed within 2 weeks of birth using a reduced version of the Parental Stressor Scale: NICU (PSS: NICU), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). FP and PC were extracted from medical chart logs and adjusted for hospitalization length. Multivariable regression models were tested, with best-fit models determined by Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), and adjusted for gestational age of infant at delivery, caregiver education, and infant sex.ResultsMaternal stress associated with perceived lack of control over the infant’s medical care was significantly related to reduced FP (β = –0.55, p < 0.001, BIC = –10.78) and PC (β = –0.50, p <0.001, BIC = –15.38), when controlling for gestational age at birth and maternal education. PSS and STAI were not associated with FP or PC in unadjusted or adjusted models, p > 0.35.ConclusionElevated maternal stress linked to lack of control in the NICU predicts lower caregiver involvement, placing families at risk for disrupted bonding and poorer long-term outcomes. Findings underscore the need for dyadic interventions that reduce maternal stress, enhance caregiver agency, and promote parent–infant connection in the NICU. Findings are limited by the retrospective design, potential measurement variability in chart-documented parental involvement, small sample size, and single-site setting, which further limit generalizability.

ABSTRACT This study explores how parents shape adolescents’ participation in sport in urban China through a novel conceptual framework termed ‘family sports planning’. Moving beyond fragmented accounts of parental involvement, the study conceptualises family engagement with youth sport as a structured and negotiated process comprising three interrelated dimensions: family sports ideology, family sports management and family sports practices. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with eight parents from major Chinese cities, the findings reveal that parental engagement in adolescent sport is organised around three culturally situated themes: 1) parental sports ideology frames sport not only as a means of promoting physical health but also as a strategic resource for enhancing academic competitiveness and cultivating social capital within an exam-oriented educational system; 2) parental sports management is manifested in deliberate planning and scheduling, selective allocation of financial and institutional resources and continuous negotiation between sporting involvement and academic commitments; 3) family sports practices are embedded in everyday routines through both direct and indirect parental involvement. Family sports planning thus emerges as a culturally embedded strategy shaped by contemporary Chinese sociocultural and policy conditions, with intensified educational stratification, urban middle-class aspirations and recent national reforms promoting physical education. By highlighting the institutional and cultural structuring of parental decision-making, this study proposes a context-specific framework that bridges family sociology and sport participation research, offering new insight into how youth sport is strategically organised within families under competitive educational regimes.

IntroductionStigma against people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV), particularly from healthcare providers, continues to be a significant barrier discouraging individuals from seeking necessary care. However, HIV stigma, particularly among healthcare workers, is still underexplored, with limited focus on medical students. This study assesses the impact of active stigma reduction workshops on stigma towards PLHIV among a sample of medical students in Tunisia and identifies its related factors.MethodWe performed a quasi-experimental study among all fifth-year students during the academic years 2024 and 2025 in the Faculty of Medicine of Monastir (Tunisia). We evaluated HIV stigma before and after each workshop via self-administrated and anonymous questionnaire. We used the validated versions of the brief HIV knowledge questionnaire and the Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale.ResultsA total of 216 medical students completely answered the questionnaire. Overall, most participants demonstrated a good level of HIV-related knowledge (88.4%). Good HIV knowledge, higher parental education and involvement in community or associative activities were significantly associated with lower stigma levels. Interestingly, using multivariate analyses, poor parental educational level and being stigmatized were independently associated with higher prejudice scores. This student-centered learning approach was revealed to be effective in significantly improving HIV-related knowledge and reducing HIV stigma among medical students.ConclusionOur findings emphasize the value of integrating active learning methods into the medical curriculum to prepare future healthcare providers to deliver stigma-free care in order to promote ethical and inclusive behavior toward PLHIV.

For elementary school students, parental companionship plays a complex role-potentially providing support while sometimes creating interference-resulting in dual impacts on academic achievement. We propose that effects on children's attention may be a key underlying mechanism. This study examined this hypothesis through two complementary studies with Chinese elementary school students. Study 1 employed a questionnaire method with Chinese elementary school students (N = 871,mean age = 11.52years-old). Questionnaire data confirmed that positive dimensions (communication/interaction, accompanying) and negative dimensions (neglect, interference) of parental companionship had dual impacts on academic achievement. Attention mediated these relationships differently: partially for communication/interaction, completely for accompanying and interference, with no mediation for neglect. Study 2 utilized the Attention Network Test to analyze specific attention functions, comparing children with high (N = 53) and low (N = 53) parental companionship groups. Children in the low companionship group exhibited a significantly larger alerting effect compared to those in the high companionship group, suggesting they develop compensatory mechanisms to detect environmental cues. These findings suggest that attention may represent a cognitive pathway linking different dimensions of parental companionship to academic outcomes and highlight the critical importance of balanced parental involvement that enhances attention development without causing interference.

Purpose The objective of this paper is to determine critical community-responsive practices in preschool education in Bangladesh. The second objective is to assess the flexibility of Japanese community-based preschool practices in relation to existing parent programs in Bangladesh for early childhood education. The paper also examines the issues and possibilities of promoting community involvement in early childhood education in urban Bangladesh, with a particular focus on Dhaka. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a qualitative, exploratory research design with a pragmatist philosophy. This study used Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) to collect data from 30 participants using the purposive sampling technique. The thematic analysis method was used. Findings Preschool institutions in Bangladesh show interest in integrating culture-centered practices with local resource circles, such as cultural activities; however, these practices are limited, sporadic and mostly teacher-centered. Time constraints for parents, long commutes, space shortages in institutions and communication challenges are noted as key barriers to ongoing community involvement. Participants, however, indicated that they were highly willing to be more involved by undertaking better planning, more explicit scheduling, electronic communication, and more robust local cooperation. There is an example of Japanese practices used to illustrate, not as a comparable system, child-centered and community-based practices that include socialization, emotional well-being and the holistic development of these children. Originality/value Although past research has already addressed parental involvement and access to early childhood education in Bangladesh, research is scarce on how community-responsive practices are lived in dense urban settings like Dhaka and through the lens of multiple stakeholders. This paper fills this gap by presenting qualitative stakeholder perspectives on the influence of structural urban constraints on community engagement in preschool programs.

Children's perspectives on optimal health care are rarely considered in health care research. These routine health assessments are carried out by Youth Health Care services (YHC), which provide school health care as part of preventive care for children. The aim of this study is to explore the perspectives of children aged 9 to 12 years old, on current routine health assessments in Dutch school health services and how these could be improved to better align their preferences and needs. We conducted a qualitative focus group study with Dutch primary school children, 9 to 12 years old, who received their routine health assessment from YHC in the past twelve months. Discussion topics included experiences with preventive youth health care services, preferences regarding involvement of parents, and suggestions for improvement of the services. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted using the 6-step approach by Braun and Clarke. Six focus groups were conducted with in total 41 children. We identified four main themes; 'We want more! Monitoring health matters to children'; 'Feeling safe and comfortable: be the nice and sweet professional in a two-way conversation'; 'Parents know a lot, but not everything: mixed feelings on their role and presence', and 'Preventive youth health care should be organized more attractive'. Our sample of Dutch children perceived preventive routine health assessments as important to monitor their health and suggested more frequent and comprehensive assessments. The children's perspectives, provided relevant insights in how to design child-friendly preventive youth health care.

ABSTRACT Although the government of Ghana has sought to improve education, the sector faces challenges, including poor learning environments, limited parental involvement in children's education, and late school completion, among others. Chiefs have sought to assist the government in reducing the disparities that exist in educational outcomes in the country. This study examines the contributions of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation (OOTIIF) in promoting education in deprived areas. Our findings suggest that the foundation provided AI laboratories, educational materials, a scholarship scheme, mentorship programs, and youth and adult education. We suggest the formalisation of the relationship between chiefs and state agencies for effective collaboration and the allocation of statutory funds to OOTIIF and other foundations established by chiefs to boost teaching and learning in deprived areas in Ghana.