Children's Perceptions Research Articles

The Explosion on Ahalan Street: Boundaries of Jewish-Arab tolerance and coexistence

ABSTRACT The paper examines the 1986 production of The Explosion on Ahalan Street by Israel’s Orna Porat Theatre for Children and the controversy it sparked. The play, which portrayed a mixed Jewish-Arab family and dealt with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, breached taboos in theatre for young audiences and exposed the limits of Israel’s educational policies on Jewish-Arab coexistence. While initially supported by the Ministry of Education, the play faced growing opposition from right-wing critics and politicians, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of official recommendation for school audiences. The debate surrounding the play revealed contrasting views on the role of political content in TYA and perceptions of children’s ability to engage with complex issues. Theatre critics grappled with balancing artistic critique and support for the play’s social importance as controversy grew. The paper argues that the production became an “exception” that challenged the boundaries of tolerance within Israel’s coexistence policy. It concludes that the play’s reception demonstrated young audiences’ capacity for nuanced engagement with political topics, contrary to assumptions about children’s innocence or impressionability.

Adhesive system containing Bioglass 45S5 particles in teeth affected by molar-incisor hypomineralization and quality of life impact: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundMolar-incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a systemic condition characterized by a qualitative defect in the dental enamel. It primarily affects the first permanent molars and is often associated with the permanent incisors. Resin restorations in MIH-affected teeth consistently show worse results than those in normal teeth because of the ultrastructure of hypomineralized enamel, which compromises adhesion. The incorporation of bioactive particles into adhesives is a promising option for inducing remineralization. This study protocol describes a randomized clinical trial evaluating restorative treatment using an adhesive system containing 45S5 bioactive glass for MIH-affected teeth.MethodsRestorations will be performed on the upper or lower first permanent molars in children with MIH aged 6–12 years. The inclusion criteria will include MIH teeth with post-eruptive enamel fractures that compromise the middle third of the dentin, with at least two surfaces of hypomineralized enamel near the cavity, without caries, pulpal, or periradicular involvement. Before treatment, children will complete the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8–10 and 11–14 (CPQ8–10 and CPQ11–14). The teeth will be divided into two groups: a control group (commercial self-etching adhesive system: Clearfil SE Bond (CF) Primer + Bond) and an experimental group (CF Primer + experimental Bond using 10% 45S5 bioglass [Bond 45S5 10%]). Restorations will be made using composite resin, and quality will be assessed using digital radiographs (interproximal and periapical), intraoral photographs, and epoxy resin replicas. Clinical evaluation of the restorations will be performed immediately following the procedure (baseline) and after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months using the World Dental Federation (FDI) criteria. The impact of the treatment on the quality of life will be assessed after 3, 6, and 12 months through the re-administration of CPQ8–10 and CPQ11–14.Discussion45S5 bioactive glass is capable of enhancing the effect of materials on bone and dental structures, promoting remineralization. The results of this study may aid in the clinical management of patients with MIH, given the challenges of treating sensitive and compromised teeth and the difficulty in achieving long-term restorative success while addressing the individual patient needs.Trial registrationRebec, U1111-1259-1738. Registered on January 10, 2021.

Acceptability study of a co-designed educational game about dementia for children: The Kids Dementia Game.

Dementia has physical, psychological, social and economic impacts, not only for people living with dementia, but also for their carers, families and wider society. Due to the growing number of people living with dementia, children are increasingly likely to encounter family members living with dementia. The aim of this project was to pilot an educational game which was co-designed with children and people living with dementia with the intention of improving children's understanding and perception of dementia. An acceptability study of the Kids Dementia Game was conducted in three classes in three schools in Northern Ireland. This study investigated acceptability of the game and the feasibility of online data collection using a pre-post test methodology to explore how best to collect evaluation data if the game was to be delivered on a larger scale. Evaluation of the game with children showed a positive level of acceptability of the game. Children found the game engaging, easy to navigate and fun to play. Feasibility of the data collection method was found to be a barrier to the pre-post test evaluation of the game. These findings suggest that the game shows evidence of promise for improving public perception and understanding of dementia using an early intervention approach with children.

Promoting Language Perception in Children with ASD Through Targeted Teaching Methods

This paper involves a multi-national and multi-language scope based on research papers that have already been published, which delves into the intricate status of language acquisition of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), focusing on the specific problems these children encounter, their distinct language learning needs, and the interventions that have proven effective. Given the communication difficulties inherent in ASD, understanding and addressing these challenges is vital for promoting language development. This essay synthesizes findings from multiple studies analyzing monolingual and bilingual language development in children with autism, aiming to address key research questions: What interventions effectively support language development and social communication needs in children with autism, and what are the characteristics of these interventions? Additionally, the paper explores whether bilingualism presents additional challenges or offers benefits for children with ASD. Findings shows that while bilingualism does not negatively impact language acquisition, targeted interventions are crucial for facilitating language development. And even the bilingual education itself is an effective method for improving the development of language acquisition of children with autism, whether in domains of monolingual or bilingual education.

Profiles of autonomy support and controlling parenting: Mixing the two predicts lower child-perceived autonomy support.

Despite the well-documented developmental benefits and costs of autonomy-supportive and controlling parenting, little is known about the extent to which parents engage in both types of parenting in real life and its implications for child functioning. This study aimed to examine how combinations of these two seemingly opposite parenting dimensions may contribute to children's perceptions of parenting and developmental outcomes. To this end, we used a data set pooled from six independent samples, involving 3,843 Canadian parents (Mage = 41; 68% mothers) to identify profiles of parenting, using parent-reported autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviors. Parent profiles were then associated with child-perceived parenting and child outcomes, as well as parent-related predictors. A latent profile analysis found four profiles of parents: In most cases, autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviors covaried, most parents simultaneously exhibiting comparable levels of these two parenting dimensions, while only 17% of the parents reported engaging predominantly in autonomy support. This subgroup of parents was perceived by their children to be most autonomy-supportive; their children also showed better school grades and fewer externalizing problems. High-earning and highly educated parents tended to be predominantly autonomy-supportive, while parents whose self-worth was tied to their child's success (i.e., ego-involved parents) tended to resort predominantly to controlling parenting. Finally, we found that when controlling parenting is present, parents and children greatly differ in their assessments of autonomy support, with children perceiving less parental autonomy support than parents' self-reports. These findings shed light on the implications of pairing controlling with autonomy-supportive behaviors within a single parenting style. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Investigation of the relationship between death perception and metacognitive awareness in children and predictive variables

ABSTRACT This study examined the relationship between children’s perception of death and their metacognitive awareness, along with predictor variables including metacognitive awareness and demographic factors. The sample consisted of 471 Turkish children aged 8–11. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form (age, gender, parental age, education level, family structure, witnessed death status), the Death Concept in Children Scale, and the Metacognitive Awareness Scale-A Form. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, and path analyse were used. Results showed children’s perception of death and metacognitive awareness were above average. A moderately significant positive relationship was found between death perception and metacognitive awareness. A weakly significant positive relationship was found between death perception and age and father’s education. No significant relationship was found between metacognitive awareness and age, gender, parental age, education, or family structure. Demographic variables did not predict death perception or metacognitive awareness, but metacognitive awareness significantly predicted death perception.

Exploring the emergence of language-unique event perception and description in children

Abstract When describing an event in which one participant acts on the other, English native speakers tend to perceive the participant at the beginning of the action chain as the most salient and describe it as the subject. In contrast, native Japanese speakers tend to perceive the participant with the highest degree of empathy as the most salient and describe it as the subject. In order to examine when children acquire this language-unique pattern of perceiving and describing, this study conducted a picture description experiment on English/Japanese native children aged 3–5 years old. The results showed that already at the age of 3, there was a clear difference between Japanese and English native children in terms of which participant in the event they focus on. This study also found that this difference contributes to the fact that native Japanese children can use passive voice, despite cognitive and morphological complexity, from the age of 3 years old.

“Families getting separated feels bad”: Latinx children's perceptions of the immigration climate and socialization process

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined how children in California perceive and navigate the immigration policy climate, focusing on their emotional responses and the immigration socialization process.BackgroundAmid heightened national anti‐immigrant rhetoric and policies, children in immigrant and mixed‐status families face significant challenges. Understanding their experiences within the sociopolitical context is crucial for developing supportive interventions and informing policy.MethodIn‐depth interviews and respondent‐driven imagery were used to facilitate conversations with Latinx children of immigrant and mixed‐status families, between the ages of 7–12 years (N = 31). Constructivist grounded theory was used to complete the analysis including initial, focused, and axial coding.ResultsThe study highlights the emotional toll children experience, including fears of deportation and multigenerational losses, while also illustrating their resilience, empathy, and sense of social responsibility. Children's narratives reveal their interactions with socializing agents—peers, teachers, extended family members, and parents—and the role of media in shaping their perceptions about immigration.ConclusionThe findings underscore the complex interplay between immigration policies, socialization processes, and children's emotional well‐being.ImplicationsPolicies that prioritize family unity and equitable treatment of immigrant families are critical, alongside the need for trauma‐informed practice in educational and community settings.

Evidence of marketing techniques using nutritional claims regarding the sugar content in foods: Perceptions of children's carers.

Evidence of marketing techniques using nutritional claims regarding the sugar content in foods: Perceptions of children's carers.

Children's perception of urban green infrastructure and nature-related digital tools

Children's perception of urban green infrastructure and nature-related digital tools

The Story of Sickness: Improving Children's Sick Face Perception

ABSTRACTChildren are vulnerable to disease, yet are poor at recognising and avoiding sickness. Thus, the current study aims to recruit 5‐ to 9‐year‐olds (anticipated 50% female, 60% White, 60% Hispanic/Latine) to test whether children's sickness perception is malleable and can be improved through training. We created developmentally appropriate stories and games for children, based on training methods that improve adults' sickness perception. We hypothesise that children randomly assigned to engage in the disease‐prime training will, like adults, display more accurate sick face perception compared to participants in a control condition. If children do show improvements, this would suggest that their sickness perception is malleable. In contrast, if they do not show improvements, this may suggest an increase in malleability with age. Developing effective interventions for children's pathogen avoidance that account for the flexibility (or lack thereof) of children's disease detection systems may reduce disease transmission and improve public health.

"What's for dinner?" understanding family food decision-making and wishes of children and their caregivers for plant-based alternatives in family main meals.

"What's for dinner?" understanding family food decision-making and wishes of children and their caregivers for plant-based alternatives in family main meals.

Quality of life in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) often report reduced quality of life (QoL). However, substantial variability in findings across studies hinders insight into the profile of QoL in DCD. To address this, we investigated QoL in children with DCD using a meta-analytic approach, examining overall QoL, and QoL across its separate domains - physical, emotional, social, and school. Participants included 831 children with DCD (Mage = 10.10 years) and 10,283 neurotypical children (Mage = 10.04 years), i.e., controls. Separate meta-analyses were conducted for parent (N = 8) and child (N = 7) report data to compare overall QoL between those with and without DCD. Subgroup analyses compared QoL between groups across QoL domains. Concordance between parent and child-report was explored. Children with DCD reported significantly lower overall QoL relative to controls (SMDchild = -0.38, pchild <.001). This effect was consistent across domains, regardless of report-type. Parents reported significantly worse overall QoL for children with DCD than children themselves (95 % CIparent [-1.59, -0.95], 95 % CIchild [-0.52, -0.24]) driven by the social (95 % CIparent [-1.89, -0.52], 95 % CIchild [-0.36, -0.03]) and school domains (95 % CIparent [-2.52, -0.65], 95 % CIchild [-0.53, -0.15]). Our results demonstrate the widespread impact of DCD on well-being, supporting recent arguments that DCD is more than just a disorder of movement. Discordance between parent and child perceptions highlight the importance of using both report-types when examining QoL in DCD. Our work highlights the need for more research directly comparing the profile of QoL observed in those with DCD to those with neurodevelopmental conditions (either in isolation of, or co-occurrence with, DCD).

What influences Indian primary school children’s food behaviors? - Perceptions of children, mothers and teachers

BackgroundDevelopment of healthy food behaviors in childhood is significant for optimum growth and development of children as well as future health. However, many Indian children display unhealthy dietary habits including poor intakes of fruits and vegetables and excessive consumption of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and sugar-sweetened beverages. Therefore, the factors that influence their daily diet need to be explored for developing future interventions and policies. In this light, the present inquiry was designed to examine the various influences on the food behaviors of Indian primary school children.MethodsInformed by the socio-ecological framework, this study used an exploratory qualitative research approach to conduct semi-structured interviews with 22 primary school children, 19 mothers, and 18 teachers residing in Varanasi, India. For children, the interviews were preceded by a drawing session where the interviewees were asked to draw their preferred and non-preferred food and beverage items. Interviews were carried out in English or Hindi and digitally recorded. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved. Digital recordings were transcribed verbatim and translated to English (where necessary) for the purpose of thematic analysis. The transcripts were coded both deductively and inductively using the NVivo software program.ResultsIndividual level influences included taste and nutritional knowledge. At the interpersonal level, the family food environment and peers emerged as key determinants. The physical environment also played a pivotal role in determining food behaviors, with the school food environment and food availability in the marketplace being significant. Lastly, at the societal level, television and internet advertisements were frequently cited as important determinants of children’s food behavior.ConclusionsThe collective insights from the three stakeholder groups have the potential to inform public health nutrition policies and interventions targeting the different socio-ecological factors to encourage healthy eating in Indian primary school children.

Air pollution exposure, respiratory consequences, and perceptions among urban African children living in poor conditions - A case study in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Air pollution can severely impact child lung health but is often not considered a public health priority by policy-makers and population in low-and-middle income countries. We conducted an interdisciplinary mixed method study to assess exposure to air pollution and respiratory health on children aged 5-10 living in poorly condition in Yopougon, a district of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, and to evaluate parent and child perceptions and knowledge of air pollution. We measured pollution exposure with indoor and outdoor PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations and questionnaires, assessed children's respiratory health with ISAAC questionnaire, clinical evaluation, spirometry or RINT, depending on their ability to perform a forced expiration, their perception of air pollution with a "Draw and express yourself" activity and that of parents with semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. We enrolled 124 children from 65 households, that used mixed cooking with gas and charcoal in settings with important environmental air pollution. Median 48-hour PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 126.7 (IQR: 82.7) and 60.8 (IQR: 50.7) μg/m3, indoor respectively, and 113.4 (IQR: 64.2) and 58.2 (IQR: 36.9) μg/m3, outdoor in courtyards. 21 (16.9%) children reported wheezing in the previous year, 65 (52.4%) reported dry cough at night, and 63 (72.4%) had lung function impairment on spirometry with 24 (27.6%) asthma, 19 (21.8%) non reversible obstruction and 20 (23.0%) restrictive pattern. Adults and children were able to identify visible sources of air pollution but largely ignored effects on health. Despite high exposure to air pollution with particulate matter concentrations significantly exceeding WHO recommendations, and a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms, lung function impairment and asthma, among children, children and adults, perception of air pollution as a health issue was very limited. Recommendations and awareness-raising for parents and children, starting at primary school, are needed to limit the exposure to air pollution and its respiratory consequences.

Understanding Children's Daily Approach to Their Food Culture: A Microsocial Study in a Marginalised Mexico City Neighbourhood.

The aim of the research presented in this article was to understand children's daily approach to food in a marginalised neighbourhood of Mexico City as a proximal determinant of health to help improve the design of health and food services and programmes that support children in food insecure conditions. A qualitative-ethnographic study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team. Data collection involved various methods and techniques: revision of secondary sources; ethnographic observation; individual interviews with key actors; focus group with the children's parents/caregivers; information generated by 30 children through drawings, collective activities, and spontaneous comments related to food during 10 workshop sessions. Our research sheds light on the intricate ways of children's perception and engagement with food and food culture in their everyday lives. Through firsthand accounts from people within children's immediate circles, we gained insight into the multifaceted dynamics shaping food preferences and the family's challenge to access nutritious options considering time constraints and scarce financial resources. Effective food governance must consider how the history of territories has shaped people's food preferences, as well as understand the constraints of children's families in bringing about changes in food choices. There is a need to improve communication between managers and planners of health services and social programmes for children.

"The Earth Is Becoming a Coronavirus": Children's Perceptions, Knowledge, and Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic as Presented in Their Drawings.

Younger children's voices are often overlooked in research and policy, yet their perceptions and experiences are crucial in understanding their needs in planning responses to crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing studies on children's experiences of crises often rely on adult perspectives or are adult-led; a more child-centric approach could be to analyze children's drawings. The aim of this study was to explore Swedish 7- to 11-year-old children's experiences and knowledge of the COVID-19 pandemic, as expressed in their drawings. Drawings from N = 454 children with accompanying texts, from various Swedish municipalities with different socio-economic profiles, were analyzed using a combination of semiotic visual analysis and content analysis. Three main themes emerged: (a) Fun, friends, and freedom are cancelled which pointed to societal changes as a result of the pandemic that impacted the children's own lives, causing high levels of frustration; children saw contrasts between what had been, what is, and what is to come; (b) The world is all upside down, in which the children highlighted their understanding of the virus, how it has changed and impacted the world, as well as existential reflections of their lives and surrounding environment; and (c) The Virus: evil, scary, and dangerous, but masks and sanitizer can help showed the children's understanding of the pandemic as a global event and showed high level of health literacy related to COVID-19. Children were very perceptive and astute to the societal issue at hand. Despite Sweden's relatively lenient measures, the pandemic significantly affected their lives and autonomy.

Gendered perceptions of leadership and children’s political ambition: evidence from Nigeria

ABSTRACT Scholarship on political representation shows persistent inequality between women and men. Recent work theorizes that children internalize norms of gendered inequality to affect their images of the prototypical political leader and interest in politics. We ask, in contexts where men hold most of the seats in the legislature, how do children view political leadership? We hypothesize that children perceive men as default political leaders, that girls are less interested in being elected leaders than boys, and that the gender gap in political ambition grows as children age. To test our hypotheses, we surveyed 981 children ages 5–16 in Nigeria. We find that when asked to imagine and draw a political leader, approximately 90 percent of children drew a man and less than six percent of children drew a woman. We arrive at mixed evidence for a gender gap in political ambition, and we do not find that the gender gap in aspiration widens as children grow older. Our study offers insights into the gendered political socialization of children in countries where women are largely excluded from political leadership.

Effects of blowing pinwheel and cough trick on pain in 6- to 12-year-old children during venipuncture: A randomized controlled trial.

Effects of blowing pinwheel and cough trick on pain in 6- to 12-year-old children during venipuncture: A randomized controlled trial.

Beliefs About the Development of Mental Life.

Caregiving relationships with infants and children are among the most common and most complex human social interactions. Adults' perceptions of children's mental capacities have important consequences for the well-being of children in their care-particularly in the first few years of life, when children's communication skills are limited and caregivers must infer children's rapidly developing thoughts, feelings, and needs. In a series of studies, we assessed how US adults conceptualize the development of the human mind over the first five years of life. Exploratory factor analysis identified four core capacities that anchored participants' representations of the developing human mind: bodily sensation (e.g., hunger, pain), negative affect (e.g., distress, frustration), social connection (e.g., love, learning from others), and cognition and control (e.g., planning, self-control). Participants believed that these capacities were present to different degrees at birth, followed different developmental trajectories, and were driven by different developmental mechanisms, such as biological "preprogramming," physical maturation, passive observation, and social learning. The current studies shed light on this fascinating and understudied aspect of "mind perception" among US adults, in turn highlighting possibilities for theory-based interventions to encourage developmentally appropriate parenting behaviors.