Socioemotional Development Research Articles

Maternal anxiety-driven modulation of fetal limbic connectivity designs a backbone linking neonatal brain functional topology to socio-emotional development in early childhood.

A link between maternal anxiety during pregnancy and adverse socio-emotional outcomes in childhood has been consistently sustained on the very early neurodevelopmental alteration of structural pathways between fetal limbic and cortical brain regions. In this study, we provide follow-up evidence for a feed-forward model linking (i) maternal anxiety, (ii) fetal functional neurodevelopment, (iii) neonatal functional network organization with (iv) socio-emotional neurobehavioral development in early childhood. Namely, we investigate a sample of 16 mother-fetus dyads and show how a maternal state-trait anxiety profile with pregnancy-specific worries can significantly influence functional synchronization patterns between regions of the fetal limbic system (i.e., hippocampus and amygdala) and the neocortex, as assessed through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Generalization of the findings was supported by leave-one-out cross-validation. We further show how this maternal-fetal cross-talk propagates to functional network topology in the neonate, specifically targeting connector hubs, and further maps onto socio-emotional profiles, assessed through Bayley-III socio-emotional scale in early childhood (i.e., in the 12-24 months range). Based on this evidence, we put forward the hypothesis of a "Maternal-Fetal-Neonatal Anxiety Backbone", through which neurobiological changes driven by maternal anxiety could trigger a divergence in the establishment of a cognitive-emotional development blueprint, in terms of the nascent functional homeostasis between bottom-up limbic and top-down higher-order neuronal circuitry.

Validazione e standardizzazione del questionario «Quin – Quando insegno»

Validation And Standardization Of The Questionnaire «Quin – When I Teach» The professionalism of a teacher is the topic of a wide-ranging debate aimed at overcoming crises of confidence in this category and reaffirming the teacher as a valuable source for students’ growth and cognitive and socio-emotional development. This questionnaire shows the validation and standardization process of a self-perception instrument aimed at teachers and designed to explore some of the main dimensions of teaching that, overcoming the limitations found in the literature, highlights the need to encourage teachers to reflect on themselves in their work. The tool can be used both by individual teachers and by schools as support in their self-evaluation processes. The information that emerges can be shared within the educating community to orient work and teaching practices in a specific school context. In perspective, the tool will be used in combination with others, intended for teachers and students, and accessible via a dedicated digital platform. The system as a whole will allow us to detect experiences, needs and requirements aimed to focus on the good practices implemented and to design targeted improvement actions.

Effectiveness and mechanisms of change of a mindfulness-based intervention on elementary school children: A cluster-randomized control trial

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in the school context are increasingly widespread worldwide. The present study evaluates the effectiveness of a school-MBI (GrowingUp Breathing program) on children's socio-emotional and academic development. Three hundred thirteen elementary students from 7 to 12 years old from two schools in Madrid (Spain) participated. A cluster-randomized control trial was designed, assigning eight classrooms to the MBI-group (N = 155) and eight classrooms to the waiting-list control group (N = 158). Measures were evaluated at pre- and post-intervention in both groups and a 3-month follow-up was collected in the MBI-group. Children self-reported their mindfulness skills (i.e., dispositional mindfulness and psychological inflexibility) and well-being (i.e., anxiety and life satisfaction) and teachers evaluated children's social-emotional competence (i.e., emotion regulation, peer-relationship problems, and prosociality), well-being (i.e., emotional symptoms), and academic competence (i.e., student engagement and academic achievement). Mindfulness skills and emotional regulation were examined as potential mediators. Results revealed that children who received the MBI, compared to children in the WLC-group, improved their mindfulness skills, emotion regulation, prosociality, and emotional and behavioral engagement and decreased anxiety and peer-relationship problems. Positive changes in dispositional mindfulness led to reductions in children's anxiety and psychological inflexibility. Positive changes in emotional regulation led to improvements in prosociality and student engagement and decreased peer-relationships problems and emotional symptoms. Therefore, the results showed that a brief-MBI integrated in the Spanish regular school curriculum enhanced children's socio-emotional and academic development. Dispositional mindfulness and emotion regulation work as processes of change that underlie the intervention's impact.

Meeting the Social and Emotional Needs of P–12 Learners: A Descriptive Study of Music Teacher Education Programs

The purpose of this survey study was to describe how teacher preparation programs prepare undergraduate preservice music teachers to consider P–12 learners’ socioemotional development. Music teacher education programs ( N = 665) were identified from the 2019 Title II Report of National Teacher Preparation Data. Program representatives were invited via email to complete an online questionnaire; data from respondents ( n = 133) were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings revealed that programs varied greatly in providing opportunities, conceptions, and practices. Relevant, embedded coursework existed in most music teacher education programs. Just under one quarter of respondents reported requiring socioemotional development coursework, and 4.51% indicated at least one music-specific course. Course topics were directed at specific populations and teaching methods; courses were often housed in education, psychology, or sociology departments. Required experiences included fieldwork in general music, practicum, student teaching, or “diverse,” rural, or urban settings. Methods of delivery for optional experiences were similar to required experiences, with the addition of conferences and partnerships with organizations.

Interparental Relationship Satisfaction from Nine Months to Nine Years and Children’s Socioemotional Competencies at Nine Years

The quality of the interparental relationship bears important implications for children’s socioemotional development. Given evidence that relationship satisfaction among parents tends to decline over time this study examined how change in parents’ relationship satisfaction from nine-months-old until nine-years-old related to children’s socioemotional difficulties at nine-years-old. Participants were 2074 mothers, fathers, and their child (55.1% male) recruited through random sampling of the Child Benefit Registrar by Growing Up in Ireland cohort study. Mothers ranged in age from 18 to 40 years (M = 31.06, SD = 4.70) and fathers ranged in age from 18 to 60 years (M = 33.50, SD = 5.54). Mothers and fathers completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale at nine-months-old and at nine-years-old whereas child socioemotional development was assessed via teacher report on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at nine-years-old. Residualised change analysis indicated that both parents experienced declines in relationship satisfaction from nine-months-old until nine- years-old. However, in families where initial levels of relationship satisfaction were high, there was no significant association between decline in satisfaction and child socioemotional difficulties. Conversely, in couples where initial levels of satisfaction were low, mothers, but not fathers, who experienced further declines had female, but not male, children with more socioemotional difficulties at nine years (β = −0.22, p = 0.01; R2 = 0.15, F = 2.31, p = 0.02). These findings highlight the need for carefully tailored interventions aimed at promoting couple relationship satisfaction during transition to parenthood such that the negative impact on children of any decline experienced over time can be mitigated.

Unwanted or Mistimed Pregnancy and Developmental Issues in Ecuadorian Children Aged 3 to 5: A Doubly Robust Estimate Using Data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018.

Past studies in high-income countries have shown an association between unintended (unwanted or mistimed) pregnancy and child development; no national-level studies in low-and-middle-income countries have been conducted. Moreover, extant studies often adjust for potential mediators, underestimating the average population effect. We aimed to estimate the effect of unintended pregnancy on early childhood development in Ecuadorian children aged 3 to 5, participating in the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018. We used a design-based doubly robust estimate. First, we used propensity score matching (1:1) to identify a subsample equally likely to come from a desired vs. unintended pregnancy based on geographic area, household income, paternal intendedness, the mother's current marital status, age, ethnicity, and educational level, depressive symptoms, and the child's gender and age. Then, we used a logistic regression model to explore the relation of maternal pregnancy intentions with adequate development, as defined by the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI). While exempt from review by an Institutional Review Board, this secondary research was conducted in accord with prevailing ethical principles. Among 1694 observations representing 162,285 Ecuadorian children, unintended pregnancy associated with inadequate development (odds ratio: 1.56; 95% confidence interval: 1.06; 2.29), after adjusting for all relevant confounders. Unintended pregnancy was also negatively associated with all four ECDI domains, socio-emotional development being the most affected. Our doubly robust design found evidence of the relation between the maternal perception of pregnancy and early child development. Addressing this relation to achieve reproductive justice entails considering a wide spectrum of population health and legal interventions to allow adequate access to education, contraception, and safe abortion. Moreover, pre- and post-natal check-ups could screen for unintended pregnancy and provide support accordingly.

The Association Between Religiosity and Social Behaviour Among Children: A Romanian Perspective

Abstract For children, a proper environment will support the development of pro-social characteristics, while a hostile environment is likely to lead to anti-social development. Starting from this premise, the main purpose of this work is to determine if and to what degree children’s involvement in Christian practices, acquired as a result of living in a Christian environment, is reflected in their socio-emotional development. This possible association was assessed using Spearman and Pearson correlations and simple linear regression on some religious attributes (as independent variables) and some positive and negative age-specific social manifestations (as dependent variables). The results of the study show that an increased level of religious behaviour could predict a higher chance of positive social behaviour outcomes. Thus, religiosity may be regarded as one possible good influence on children’s development in future adults.

Predicting Effortful Control at 3 Years of Age from Measures of Attention and Home Environment in Infancy: A Machine Learning Approach.

Effortful control (EC) is a dimension of temperament that encompass individual differences in self-regulation and the control of reactivity. Much research suggests that EC has a strong foundation on the development of executive attention, but increasing evidence also shows a significant contribution of the rearing environment to individual differences in EC. The aim of the current study was to predict the development of EC at 36 months of age from early attentional and environmental measures taken in infancy using a machine learning approach. A sample of 78 infants participated in a longitudinal study running three waves of data collection at 6, 9, and 36 months of age. Attentional tasks were administered at 6 months of age, with two additional measures (i.e., one attentional measure and another self-restraint measure) being collected at 9 months of age. Parents reported household environment variables during wave 1, and their child's EC at 36 months. A machine-learning algorithm was implemented to identify children with low EC scores at 36 months of age. An "attention only" model showed greater predictive sensitivity than the "environmental only" model. However, a model including both attentional and environmental variables was able to classify the groups (Low-EC vs. Average-to-High EC) with 100% accuracy. Sensitivity analyses indicate that socio-economic variables together with attention control processes at 6 months, and self-restraint capacity at 9 months, are the most important predictors of EC. Results suggest a foundational role of executive attention processes in the development of EC in complex interactions with household environments and provide a new tool to identify early markers of socio-emotional regulation development.

All It Takes for a Teacher Is to Know the Children? An Empirical Study on Increasing Child Development in Vietnamese Preschools

ABSTRACT Process-oriented child monitoring (POM) deals with systematic monitoring of the observed learning needs of children in early childhood education by teachers. Between 2017 and 2021, a teacher professional development trajectory was implemented using POM in ethnically diverse preschools in Central Vietnam. These preschools typically consist of disadvantaged children at risk of barriers to classroom activity engagement. This study evaluates the effectiveness of POM using a pre- and posttest research design with a treatment and control group. Participants (N = 339) in the study were assigned to the treatment or control group using a clustered-randomized sampling approach. Whereas Kinh children rarely occur in the school population, the analysis focuses on ethnic minorities only in both treatment and control groups. Results indicate that POM is promising in increasing holistic child development. Five-year-old girls show most progression in cognitive functioning and socio-emotional development, while boys at this age indicate advances in socio-emotional development and health behaviors. Further evidence indicates that changes in teaching children from poor households play out much faster for child development, as opposed to what is observed among wealthier households.

Is family social exclusion associated with child motor and socioemotional development delay? A cross-sectional exploratory study.

The objective was to identify if family social exclusion is associated with child motor and social development delay in Southeastern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from a sample of 348 children under 3 years, proportional to the number of children registered in the primary care centres of the municipality. Child development was measured using the "Developmental Surveillance Instrument" which was developed by the Ministry of Health in Brazil and is used for public health nurses and clinicians in their practice. An index was used to evaluate social exclusion. The prevalence of child motor and socioemotional developmental delay was 27.6% and 17.2%, respectively. Children in the most social excluded group were more likely to have delayed motor development (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.14; 10.55) and socioemotional developmental delay (OR = 3.9; 95% CI = 1.05; 9.02) than children in the least social excluded group.

Conversation disruptions in early childhood predict executive functioning development: A longitudinal study.

Conversational turn-taking is a complex communicative skill that requires both linguistic and executive functioning (EF) skills, including processing input while simultaneously forming and inhibiting responses until one's turn. Adult-child turn-taking predicts children's linguistic, cognitive, and socioemotional development. However, little is understood about how disruptions to temporal contingency in turn-taking, such as interruptions and overlapping speech, relate to cognitive outcomes, and how these relationships may vary across developmental contexts. In a longitudinal sample of 275 socioeconomically diverse mother-child dyads (children 50% male, 65% White), we conducted pre-registered examinations of whether the frequency of dyads' conversational disruption during free play when children were 3 years old related to children's executive functioning (EF; 9 months later), self-regulation skills (18 months later), and externalizing psychopathology in early adolescence (age 10-12 years). Contrary to hypotheses, more conversational disruptions significantly predicted higher inhibition skills, controlling for sex, age, income-to-needs (ITN), and language ability. Results were driven by maternal disruptions of the child's speech, and could not be explained by measures of overall talkativeness or interactiveness. Exploratory analyses revealed that ITN moderated these relationships, such that the positive effect of disruptions on inhibition was strongest for children from lower ITN backgrounds. We discuss how adult-driven "cooperative overlap" may serve as a form of engaged participation that supports cognition and behavior in certain cultural contexts.

Educational attainment for at-risk high school students: closing the gap.

The higher education gap persists in the United States for underserved, first-generation, low-income minority students. They often have little knowledge of college application and future success. This mixed-method study evaluated a Northeastern university-sponsored tutorial-mentorship 2-year program, Soar (pseudonym), for 80 metropolitan first-generation junior and senior high school students. One research question guided the study: Does Soar as a precollege program for underserved, first-generation, minority high school students help them successfully complete applications and prepare them for higher educational success? With college-oriented classes and workshops, the students submitted applications and received 205 acceptances from 96 colleges. Quantitative surveys and qualitative forums showed significant improvement in socioemotional and cognitive skill development and knowledge. Themes derived from qualitative focus groups supported the quantitative results. For juniors: Confidence, Aligning Schools and Strengths, Financial Literacy. For seniors: College Aspirations; Successfully Complete College Applications; Confidence, Self-Advocacy, Communication; Knowledge About Diversity of Schools and Critical Thinking. For mentors: Matching, Closeness, Trust; Confidence, Voice, Perseverance, Strengths, Goal Pursuit; Civic Engagement. The findings illustrate how an outreach program can result in higher education attainment and success for underserved, first-generation, minority high school students. Soar can become a model for college preparation for similar underserved students in other urban areas.

Exploring the Benefits and Drawbacks of AR and VR Technologies for Learners of Mathematics: Recent Developments

Despite the growing interest in the field, the overall impact of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) on mathematics learning remains unclear, with previous studies reporting mixed results. Moreover, to date, no systematic review has evaluated the potential of AR/VR in mathematics education, including its benefits and drawbacks for learners. To address this gap, the present systematic literature review aims to identify research trends, determine characteristics and methodologies, and explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of AR/VR technologies in mathematics learning based on existing empirical studies. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 59 peer-reviewed journal articles published in English that focused on AR/VR implementation in mathematics education. The review determined that geometry was the most widely studied topic of mathematics, with several studies focusing on the use of AR/VR to assist students with learning disabilities. The present review offers evidence for the potential of AR/VR potential in consolidating learners’ socio-emotional, cognitive/meta-cognitive, and pedagogical development in mathematics learning. Nevertheless, a few issues, including technological glitches, cost, start-up effort, health issues, and unfamiliarity with AR/VR, pose challenges to the successful application of AR/VR in the classroom. This systematic review contributes to the existing body of knowledge in the field and recommends avenues for future research.

Socioemotional Development of Adolescence In Sport Activity

During adolescence whose experiencing an identity crisis, they do a lot of exploration in various activities, including sports. This study aims to focus on the socioemotional development of adolescents in sports activities based on Erikson's theory. The subjects of this study were adolescents aged 12-23 years and got 212 participants. The method used in this research is descriptive. The results of this study are 1)identity crisis characterized by adolescents seeking standards for exercise; 2) there are 13 participants who found the goal of career in the field of sports, meaning that they had passed a period of identity crisis; 3) there are 155 participants exercise because they are influenced by group, not their parents or self-awareness; 4) the self-standardization period proven by setting standards in sports; 5) among 212 participants, 134 of them have not found self-standardization when the target has been achieved; 6) there are 125 out of 212 participants who have target for appearance rather than health, meaning that there is egocentrism in the participants; 7) among 212 participants, 193 of them stated that they had more stable emotions after exercising. Exercising is one of the explorations that teenagers can do to get through the identity crisis. Some participants were able to get through the identity crisis by exercising and some had to do further exploration.

Gamified environment supported by augmented reality for improving communicative competencies in students with ASD: design and validation

The objective of this study was to design and validate an Augmented Gamified Environment (AGE) for improving communicative skills in students with ASD. The study used a mixed methodology: a) qualitative, focused on a single case to describe the AGE design process. The environment uses a pirate adventure story which includes gamified activities supported by augmented reality. It promotes immersive learning through activities that encourage social, linguistic, and cognitive skills linked to symbolic play; and b) quantitative, based on the Delphi method in which experts (N=12) evaluated the environment using 14 indicators in four dimensions: adaptability to the pace of learning, suitability of the base and code for presenting the content, didactic potential for developing competence, and the suitability of the gamification process for students with ASD. The expert assessment helped to improve the adaptability, flexibility, and functionality of the AGE, which incorporated versatile and augmented reality activities and applications to provide the student with playful linguistic and socio-emotional development in an immersive environment.

Music impacts brain cortical microstructural maturation in very preterm infants: A longitudinal diffusion MR imaging study

Preterm birth disrupts important neurodevelopmental processes occurring from mid-fetal to term-age. Musicotherapy, by enriching infants’ sensory input, might enhance brain maturation during this critical period of activity-dependent plasticity. To study the impact of music on preterm infants’ brain structural changes, we recruited 54 very preterm infants randomized to receive or not a daily music intervention, that have undergone a longitudinal multi-shell diffusion MRI acquisition, before the intervention (at 33 weeks’ gestational age) and after it (at term-equivalent-age). Using whole-brain fixel-based (FBA) and NODDI analysis (n = 40), we showed a longitudinal increase of fiber cross-section (FC) and fiber density (FD) in all major cerebral white matter fibers. Regarding cortical grey matter, FD decreased while FC and orientation dispersion index (ODI) increased, reflecting intracortical multidirectional complexification and intracortical myelination. The music intervention resulted in a significantly higher longitudinal increase of FC and ODI in cortical paralimbic regions, namely the insulo-orbito-temporopolar complex, precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus, as well as the auditory association cortex. Our results support a longitudinal early brain macro and microstructural maturation of white and cortical grey matter in preterm infants. The music intervention led to an increased intracortical complexity in regions important for socio-emotional development, known to be impaired in preterm infants.

Social and emotional development of disadvantaged students and its relationship with academic performance: evidence from China.

This research examined the relationships between students' academic performance and their social and emotional skills in China, as well as the mediation pathways from the perspective of connectedness and social cognitive theory. A sample of 5,703 fourth to sixth graders from less affluent areas was investigated in a large-scale survey. The results indicated that students' academic performance had salient positive connections with their socio-emotional skills. Structural equation modeling results revealed that both students' perception of themselves (self-efficacy) and their relation with key persons (teacher-student relationship) played mediated roles in the association between academic achievement and social and emotional skills with the indirect path accounting for 66.66% of the total effect. This study highlights the important role of socioemotional skills in academic performance and suggests the need for further research to develop effective strategies and interventions for socioemotional development in Chinese students.

Perkembangan (Kognitif, Fisik-Motorik, Sosio-Emosional) dan Penanaman Nilai Agama pada Masa Pranatal

This study aims to find out how cognitive, physical-motor, socio-emotional development is in the prenatal period and to find out how religious values are instilled in the prenatal period. The method used in this research is qualitative research with a library research approach, namely research whose subject is in the form of library literature. Sources of data depart from documentation from books and scientific journals that discuss development (cognitive, physical-motor, socio-emotional) and the inculcation of religious values in the prenatal period. The results of this study indicate that it is very important for parents to maintain development in the prenatal period. Attention from both parents, mother and father is needed in the prenatal period so that the growth and development of the baby in the womb is healthy and does not lack anything. prenatal development from a cognitive perspective, such as when a baby sucks a finger in the womb. From a physical point of view, physically it seems that every month the baby experiences development and growth. In terms of social emotions without many realizing it, mother and fetus already have a very strong emotional connection. It is also important for parents to instill religious values in the prenatal period, the methods that can be used by parents in instilling religious values in the prenatal period are: Story telling (communication) method, prayer method, dhikr method, dialogue method, and worship method.

Developmental trajectories of socio-emotional outcomes of children and young people in out-of-home care – Insights from data of Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study (POCLS)

BackgroundThere has been a limited understanding of the longitudinal trajectory and determinants of socio-emotional outcomes among children in out-of-home care (OOHC). ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine child socio-demographics, pre-care maltreatment, placement, and caregiver factors associated with trajectories of socio-emotional difficulties of children in OOHC. Participants and settingThe study sample (n = 345) included data from the Pathways of Care Longitudinal Study (POCLS), a prospective longitudinal cohort of children aged 3–17 years who entered the OOHC system in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, between 2010 and 2011. MethodsGroup-based trajectory models were used to identify distinct socio-emotional trajectory groups based on the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) Total Problem T-scores completed at all four Waves 1–4. Modified Poisson regression analysis was conducted to assess the association (risk ratios) of socio-emotional trajectory group membership with pre-care maltreatment, placement, and caregiver-related factors. ResultsThree trajectories of socio-emotional development were identified: ‘persistently low difficulties’ (average CBCL T-score changed from 40 to 38 over time), normal (average CBCL T-score changed from 52 to 55 over time), and clinical (average CBCL T-score remained at 68 over time) trajectories. Each trajectory presented a stable trend over time. Relative/kinship care, as compared with foster care, was associated with the “persistently low” socio-emotional trajectory. Being male, exposure to ≥8 pre-care substantiated risk of significant harm (ROSH) reports, placement changes, and caregiver's psychological distress (more than two-fold increased risk) were associated with the clinical socio-emotional trajectory. ConclusionsEarly intervention to ensure children have a nurturing care environment and psychological support to caregivers are vital for positive socio-emotional development over time among children in long-term OOHC.

Angry, Sad, or Scared? Within-valence Mapping of Emotion Words to Facial and Body Cues in 2 to 4-Year-Old Children

The acquisition of emotion words is critical to children’s socio-emotional development. Previous studies report that children acquire emotion words gradually during ages 3–5 and beyond. The majority of this work, however, has used demanding tasks for young children (e.g., asking children to label emotion-related facial configurations) and has predominantly relied on facial configurations. Here we designed a child-friendly, word-comprehension task incorporating both facial configurations and body language. In two preregistered online experiments, we asked two to four-year-olds (N = 96) to connect emotion words—happy, sad, angry, and scared—to either facial configurations (Experiment 1) or combined facial and body cues (Experiment 2). We found relatively early competence in understanding emotion words, especially those of the same-valence. All age groups, including 2-year-olds, successfully linked emotion words to corresponding facial configurations (Experiment 1). Experiment 2 replicated this pattern and further showed that children performed equally well (though not substantially better) when given additional body cues. Parental reports of children’s exposure to and use of masks during the COVID-19 pandemic did not correlate with children’s performance in either experiment. Even before children can produce emotion words in an adult-like manner, they possess at least a partial understanding of those words and can map them to emotion cues within valence domains.