School Start Research Articles

Does early skin-to-skin contact have a long-term effect on the emotional and behavioral development of very preterm infants?

IntroductionPremature birth may impair a sensitive, responsive, enjoyable, and regulating parenting style, potentially leading to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional deficits in children. Additionally, the emotional bond between the parent and infant may be disturbed due to the restrictions and difficulties at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), further negatively impacting child development. Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) directly after birth is strongly recommended also for preterm or low birth weight infants since there is high-certainty evidence that SSC has positive effects on neonatal and maternal health as well as on the quality of the parent–child relationship. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of skin-to-skin contact immediately after childbirth on the development of emotional and behavioral problems in children born preterm entering school.MethodsThis study is part of a randomized controlled delivery room skin-to-skin study (Deisy Study). A total of 33 children (aged 6–8 years) were assessed at school start. The German version of the CBCL/6-18R was used to evaluate the presence of behavior problems.ResultsThe perceived parental stress 6 months after discharge was the variable that most contributed to the variance explanation. SSC immediately after childbirth was not significant in the prediction of emotional and behavioral problems at school start.LimitationsThe study was conducted in a small study group. Partners' variables were not included. Information regarding sociodemographic variables and bonding quality was collected 6 months (corrected age) after birth. The measurement of children's behavioral problems is not objective and corresponds to the parents' perception.Clinical Trial Registrationhttps://clinicaltrials.gov, deisy study NCT01959737, deisy follow up NCT03366285.

Effect of Delaying High School Start Time on Teen Physical Activity, Screen Use, and Sports and Extracurricular Activity Participation: Results From START.

We aimed to characterize relationships between delayed high school start time policy, which is known to lengthen school night sleep duration, and patterns in activity outcomes: physical activity, non-school electronic screen time (non-schoolwork), and sports and extracurricular activity among adolescents. We used data from the START study, a multi-site evaluation of a natural experiment, assessing the effects of a school start time policy change in high schools in the Minneapolis, Minnesota metropolitan area. The study follows students in 2 schools that shifted to a later start time (8:20 or 8:50 am) after baseline year and 3 schools that maintained a consistent, early start time (7:30 am) over the 3-year study period. Activity was measured by participant self-report on an in-school survey. The analysis used a difference-in-differences estimator, in which the changes in each outcome observed in the comparison schools estimate the changes in each outcome that would have been observed in the late-start adopting schools had they not delayed their start times after baseline. Over 2 years of follow-up, no changes emerged to suggest that later school start times either interfered with, or promoted, any activity-related outcome that was measured. Communities interested in promoting sleep by delaying start times may do so knowing that there are unlikely to be adverse effects on adolescent physical activity, electronic screen time, or organized sports and activity participation. A shift to later school start times does not appear to enhance or detract from the healthfulness of students' activity level.

Delaying high school start times impacts depressed mood among students: evidence from a natural experiment.

Delaying high school start times prolongs weekday sleep. However, it is not clear if longer sleep reduces depression symptoms and if the impact of such policy change is the same across groups of adolescents. We examined how gains in weekday sleep impact depression symptoms in 2,134 high school students (mean age 15.16 ± 0.35 years) from the Minneapolis metropolitan area. Leveraging a natural experiment design, we used the policy change to delay school start times as an instrument to estimate the effect of a sustained gain in weekday sleep on repeatedly measured Kandel-Davies depression symptoms. We also evaluated whether allocating the policy change to subgroups with expected benefit could improve the impact of the policy. Over 2 years, a sustained half-hour gain in weekday sleep expected as a result of the policy change to delay start times decreased depression symptoms by 0.78 points, 95%CI (-1.32,-0.28), or 15.6% of a standard deviation. The benefit was driven by a decrease in fatigue and sleep-related symptoms. While symptoms of low mood, hopelessness, and worry were not affected by the policy on average, older students with greater daily screen use and higher BMI experienced greater improvements in mood symptoms than would be expected on average, signaling heterogeneity. Nevertheless, universal implementation outperformed prescriptive strategies. High school start time delays are likely to universally decrease fatigue and overall depression symptoms in adolescents. Students who benefit most with respect to mood are older, spend more time on screens and have higher BMI.

Stawanie się miejskim rowerzystą. Biografie mobilności dojeżdżających do pracy rowerem

This article presents the results of semi-structured interviews with eight individuals whose primary or significant mode of transportation in the city is the bicycle. The purpose of the analysis was to describe the trajectory of becoming an urban cyclist. During the interview, three stages of bicycle use emerged: childhood, high school, and college and work. These stages were somewhat more clearly separated by interviewees, who were also able to distinguish periods of cycling and noncycling. At the same time, the beginning of a new stage may represent one of the key moments when survey participants may give up cycling (especially the start of high school) or take up the activity anew (e.g., children entering a period of greater independence). In addition, the start of cycling for transportation purposes may be easier to think about for those accustomed to physical activity, and especially for those cycling for recreational or sporting purposes. The city’s bike-sharing system can be a significant factor in initiating the practice of cycling for people who did not own bicycles and/or have not used them for many years.

A critical evaluation of regression discontinuity studies in school effectiveness research

ABSTRACT School start regulations allocate children born immediately either side of a given date to different life paths: those slightly older starting school a full year earlier. School effectiveness literature exploits this to estimate causal effects described as ‘the absolute effect of schooling’ or ‘the effect of an additional year's schooling’, using the logic of regression discontinuity (RD). This paper examines the causal arguments and assumptions underpinning RD, noting particularly the importance of the causal description. It highlights concerns with describing causes in terms of school effectiveness including failure to consider the alternative treatment pathway; presence of other post-allocation causal factors and potential discontinuities at allocation. The paper notes that these can be overcome by using wider causal descriptions but at the expense of no longer identifying school effectiveness.

Socio-economic gradients in pupils’ self-efficacy: evidence, evolution and main drivers during the primary school years in France

Socio-emotional skills, vital for navigating life’s challenges, significantly influence educational success and well-being. Thus, socio-economic disparities in these skills may contribute to broader inequalities in achievement. Despite their importance, research in certain contexts, like France, remains limited. Self-efficacy, a cornerstone of socio-emotional well-being, develops early and it is influenced by familial and contextual factors. The primary school years are central for self-efficacy development. During this period, socio-economic gaps in self-efficacy may emerge, influenced by family environments and experiences at school. Using data from the 2011 Panel of Pupils we find that French pupils have similar academic self-efficacy whatever their socio-economic background at the start of primary school. However, at the end of primary school, children coming from more disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds exhibit lower academic self-efficacy as compared to more advantaged peers, and this socio-economic gap is particularly strong among girls. The findings of this work underscore the need for educational policies to focus on socio-emotional skills development alongside cognitive skills from an early age to reduce socio-economic inequalities.

Ecologic Association Of School Start Time With Physical Activity Amongst U.s. High School Students

Ecologic Association Of School Start Time With Physical Activity Amongst U.s. High School Students

Transitions in Suicide Risk from Early Adolescence to Early Adulthood

Objective Understanding patterns of suicide risk over the course of development can aid our ability to prevent suicide. Our community-based study examined changes in suicide risk status and predictors of changes in risk status in a sample of 521 adolescents over six assessments between the start of middle school and young adulthood (ages 12–22). Methods Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) were measured with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and the Moods and Feelings Questionnaire. Latent transition analysis (LTA) was utilized to evaluate transitions in suicide risk status over the course of development. Nine risk factors’ initial values and change over time were modeled as predictors in the LTA. Results Latent class analysis identified a four-class model of developmental suicide risk patterns: Class 1: Infrequent STB (73–87% of participants), Class 2: Diminishing STB (1–17% of participants), Class 3: Escalating STB (6–16% of participants), and Class 4: Consistently High STB (1–5% of participants). LTA demonstrated that infrequent STB members and escalating STB members were likely to maintain their risk class across time points. Conclusions Classification of STB trajectories demonstrated self-worth and family involvement were salient variables affecting transitions in risk over time and suggest prevention targets early in adolescence that could have impact on suicide risk in adulthood.

Local authority variation in special educational needs provision at the start of primary school: observational study of preterm children born in England, 2003-2013

Objective and ApproachWe explored variation in special educational needs (SEN) provision between local authorities (LAs) in England by focussing on children born preterm (24-<37 weeks gestation). We used linked individual-level state-funded hospital and school records from the ECHILD database, alongside publicly available school-level records. LA of child’s residential address (n=150) and recording of SEN provision (split into SEN support and education, health and care plans, EHCPs) were captured at the January school census in year one, when pupils were five/six years old. We fitted multi-level logistic regression models to the child-level records that included a-priori selected child- and LA-level characteristics. ResultsOur population included 226,419 children (45.4% female ; 10.6% with a congenital anomaly) born between 2003-2013 and attending a state-funded primary school. Across LAs, the median prevalence of SEN support and EHCPs recorded in year one was 18.4% (interquartile range 16.4%-20.4%) and 4.2% (3.5%-4.8%), respectively. In the SEN support vs. no SEN provision model, there was very low correlation among children from the same LA (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC)=0.006 )). There was higher correlation in the EHCP vs. no SEN provision model (ICC=0.032). Of the LA-level characteristics, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals had the greatest impact on the ICC values (reduction of 26.7% in the EHCP model). ConclusionsLess than 1% of the variation in SEN support and approximately 3% of the variation in EHCPs was explained at the LA level. We will extend these models to consider variation at the school level.

Game-Changer: Unlocking Student-Athlete Success with Sleep and Later School Start Times

This editorial explores the crucial yet often overlooked role of sleep in enhancing student-athlete performance and well-being. It highlights sleep’s impact on physical recovery, cognitive function, and emotional stability, emphasizing the unique benefits for athletes. The editorial examines the detrimental effects of early school start times on adolescent sleep patterns and their subsequent impact on academic and athletic performance. By advocating for policy changes that prioritize sleep, such as delaying school start times, this editorial presents a novel approach to optimizing student-athlete success. Through a synthesis of current research and practical insights, it urges stakeholders in education and sports to recognize and act upon the foundational importance of sleep, positioning it as a key component of athletic and academic excellence.

The role of formal schooling in the development of children's reading and arithmetic white matter networks.

Children's white matter development is driven by experience, yet it remains poorly understood how it is shaped by attending formal education. A small number of studies compared children before and after the start of formal schooling to understand this, yet they do not allow to separate maturational effects from schooling-related effects. A clever way to (quasi-)experimentally address this issue is the longitudinal school cut-off design, which compares children who are similar in age but differ in schooling (because they are born right before or after the cut-off date for school entry). We used for the first time such a longitudinal school cut-off design to experimentally investigate the effect of schooling on children's white matter networks. We compared "young" first graders (schooling group, n=34; Mage=68 months; 20 girls) and "old" preschoolers (non-schooling group, n=33; Mage=66 months; 18 girls) that were similar in age but differed in the amount of formal instruction they received. Our study revealed that changes in fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity in five a priori selected white matter tracts during the transition from preschool to primary school were predominantly driven by age-related maturation. We did not find specific schooling effects on white matter, despite their strong presence for early reading and early arithmetic skills. The present study is the first to disentangle the effects of age-related maturation and schooling on white matter within a longitudinal cohort of 5-year-old preschoolers. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: White matter tracts that have been associated with reading and arithmetic may be susceptible to experience-dependent neuroplasticity when children learn to read and calculate. This longitudinal study used the school cut-off design to isolate schooling-induced from coinciding maturational influences on children's white matter development. White matter changes during the transition from preschool to primary school are predominantly driven by age-related maturation and not by schooling effects. Strong effects of schooling on behavior were shown for early reading and early arithmetic, but not for verbal ability and spatial ability.

Turn off that night light! Light-at-night as a stressor for adolescents.

Light-at-night is known to produce a wide variety of behavioral outcomes including promoting anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, abnormal sociability, and learning and memory deficits. Unfortunately, we all live in a 24-h society where people are exposed to light-at-night or light pollution through night-shift work - the need for all-hours emergency services - as well as building and street-lights, making light-at-night exposure practically unavoidable. Additionally, the increase in screentime (tvs and smart devices) during the night also contributes to poorer sleep and behavioral impairments. Compounding these factors is the fact that adolescents tend to be "night owls" and prefer an evening chronotype compared to younger children and adults, so these teenagers will have a higher likelihood of being exposed to light-at-night. Making matters worse is the prevalence of high-school start times of 8 am or earlier - a combination of too early school start times, light exposure during the night, and preference for evening chronotypes is a recipe for reduced and poorer sleep, which can contribute to increased susceptibility for behavioral issues for this population. As such, this mini-review will show, using both human and rodent model studies, how light-at-night affects behavioral outcomes and stress responses, connecting photic signaling and the circadian timing system to the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis. Additionally, this review will also demonstrate that adolescents are more likely to exhibit abnormal behavior in response to light-at-night due to changes in development and hormone regulation during this time period, as well as discuss potential interventions that can help mitigate these negative effects.

Delayed school start time is associated with better sleep, mental health, and life satisfaction among residential high-school students: a prospective study.

This study examined the longer-term individual- and school-level changes in students 7 months after a 1-hour delay in school start time (SST). Two cohorts of grade 11 students (N = 227; 60.8% female, age = 17.0 [0.85]) at a residential high school in Hong Kong completed a questionnaire assessing sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, depression, anxiety, stress, and subjective well-being in 2017 and 2018, respectively. One of the cohorts was reassessed 7 months after the implementation of a delay in SST, from 07:30 am to 08:30 am (n = 83, 65.1% female). School-level data on breakfast consumption, attendance, tardiness, and health clinic visits were collected. Between-group and within-group prospective comparisons suggest that the delay in SST was associated with improved sleep duration, mental health, and life satisfaction. School-level data revealed increased breakfast consumption and decreased unexcused absences, tardiness, and clinic visits.

Preprimary education and early childhood development: Evidence from government schools in rural Kenya

We provide evidence on the link between enrollment in public preschool and child vocabulary, a critical precursor to early literacy. We measure early childhood development among both in-school and out-of-school children in Kenya, allowing us to examine the association between preschool enrollment and cognitive outcomes. Children in our sample are more likely to start school at age three rather than age four if they live within a few hundred meters of the nearest primary school. Three-year-olds living closer to the school also have stronger vocabulary skills, though a similar pattern does not exist among older children. Using proximity to school as an instrument for preprimary enrollment, we find that preprimary enrollment raises mother tongue receptive vocabulary by more than one standard deviation at age three, but does not impact vocabulary at later ages.

Effects of Universal School-Based Parental Support for Children’s Healthy Diet and Physical Activity—the Healthy School Start Plus Cluster–Randomised Controlled Trial

Health promotion from an early age is key to preventing unhealthy weight development in childhood, and parental involvement is essential. The school-based Healthy School Start intervention aims to promote healthy dietary and activity habits in the home environment and prevent child obesity through parental support. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the third iteration of the programme on children’s dietary and activity behaviours, and body composition through a cluster-randomised controlled trial. The trial included 17 schools (8 intervention) in disadvantaged areas in mid-Sweden with 353 families with 5- to 7-year-old children. The primary outcomes were intake of selected healthy and unhealthy foods and beverages measured using photography. Secondary outcomes were physical activity and sedentary time measured by accelerometry, and measured weight and height. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention (8 months). Linear multi-level regression showed significant favourable effects of the intervention for intake of sweet beverages (b = − 0.17, p = 0.04), intake of healthy foods (b = 0.11, p = 0.04), and more time in moderate to vigorous physical activity during weekdays (b = 5.68, p = 0.02). An unfavourable sub-group effect of the intervention was found for children from families with low education regarding sedentary time on weekends (b = 23.04, p = 0.05). The results align with the previous two trials of the programme, indicating that school-based parental support is a useful approach for health promotion in young children in disadvantaged areas. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: No. NCT03390725, retrospectively registered on January 4, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03390725.

Adolescents’ sleep quality is associated with day of the week, school timing and chronotype

Late chronotypes and early school start times are associated with unhealthy sleep habits during adolescence. Here we examine the impact of the relationship between school timing and chronotype on sleep quality in 349 Argentinian high-school students (age: 17-18 y.o., 49% females) randomly assigned to attend school in the morning, afternoon or evening. Students completed the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire and ranked their sleep quality using a Likert-like scale. We found higher sleep quality on free days than on weekdays. Importantly, morning-attending students showed lower sleep quality on weekdays. Finally, the interaction between school timing and chronotype was associated with sleep quality on weekdays: later chronotypes were associated with poorer sleep quality in morning- and afternoon-attending students, but not in the evening. Altogether, our results suggest that attending school in the morning is associated with shorter sleep duration and higher social jetlag, but also with lower sleep quality during adolescence.

The start of the New Mexican School: early experiences of teachers of General Secondary School no. 40 in Guadalajara

The start of the New Mexican School: early experiences of teachers of General Secondary School no. 40 in Guadalajara

Parent needs and preferences for support during their very prematurely born child’s transition to school

ABSTRACT Children born very preterm (VP) are at increased risk for challenges in the school environment. This study aimed to understand the needs of parents of VP children for intervention and support in relation to their child’s transition to school, and to capture parent preferences for content and delivery of a transition to school intervention. Two hundred and twenty parents of 3-7-year-old children who were born VP (<32 weeks), living in Australia completed a cross-sectional survey. Results showed that over half of parents identified a need for assistance in supporting their child to be ready to start school. Intervention content aimed at improving parent-skills, child-skills and school factors were identified. Parents also identified key considerations and preferences for the format of a transition to school support programme. Parents of VP children have specific needs for support around their child’s transition to school, with key factors at the parent-, child – and school-levels.

Hemiplegic (unilateral) cerebral palsy in northern Stockholm: Intellectual disability and epilepsy

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to describe intellectual disability and its association with epilepsy and brain imaging, in a population-based group of children with hemiplegic (unilateral) cerebral palsy, previously investigated and published in 2020. Materials and methodsForty-seven children of school age in northern Stockholm, fulfilling the Surveillance of Cerebral Palsy in Europe-criteria of hemiplegic (unilateral spastic) cerebral palsy, were invited to participate in the study. Twenty-one children consented to participate. A WISC (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children)-test was performed by an experienced psychologist. ResultsIn the study population of twenty-one children, 57 % (n 12) displayed uneven cognitive profiles, 38 % (n 8) intellectual disability and 62 % (n 13) had a normal IQ. 43 % (n 9) developed epilepsy. Children with extensive brain lesions had more severe intellectual disability. ConclusionsIn this study intellectual disability and/or epilepsy were associated with the type and extent of the underlying brain lesion. Intellectual disability and uneven cognitive profiles were common. We therefore recommend individual cognitive assessment to ensure an optimal school start.

Static and dynamic balance in children in the context of school readiness

BackgroundSchool readiness is the ability to perform coordinated motor tasks that are used in the activities of daily living in the context of starting compulsory education. It covers areas such as physical, sensorimotor, cognitive, emotional, and social development. ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to evaluate the level of balance in children preparing to start school based on selected clinical observation tests of sensory integration. MethodThe evaluation were conducted on 6-year-old children in 2019. The study included 75 girls and boys. Schilder test, dynamic balance, static balance, and gravitational insecurity tests were used to assess balance. Basic descriptive statistics were used to analyze the collected material. ResultsIn tests of walking foot by foot on a marked line (dynamic balance) low levels of dynamic balance were recorded in most 6-year-old participants. Medium to low levels of static balance (standing on one leg with eyes open and closed) were recorded in that group. In the gravitational insecurity test, more than 90% of the respondents showed good and average scores. It was found that girls scored significantly better on balance tests. In the Schilder test, correct postural responses were found in only 32% of the participants. There was a significant positive correlation of the results of the dynamic balance test with the static balance test, and the Schilder test assessing postural mechanism with the static balance test. ConclusionThe results of the study indicate the need for targeted measures to develop the postural balance of preschool children and compensatory measures to improve postural mechanism control.