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Background: An infant's cognitive development is highly dependent on early interactions with its primary caregiver, often its mother. Feeding, a frequent and early exchange between mothers and infants, is an important time for maternal–infant bonding. Mothers with opioid use disorder have been found to be more physically and verbally stimulating and more active during feeds than mothers with no opioid use. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of verbal interactions mothers with opioid use disorder expressed while engaged in a feeding encounter with their infant undergoing treatment for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome to offer insight into maternal experiences and potential challenges of feeding infants experiencing withdrawal. Methods: A qualitative descriptive analysis of maternal verbalizations during the feeding was used in a secondary analysis using the Barnard Model as the theoretical framework for maternal–infant interaction. Results: A theory-driven deductive approach was assumed to organize the identified subthemes within the concepts of the Barnard Model. Mothers frequently commented on hunger, satiation, and stress cues, while providing consolation, praise, and encouragement. Mothers expressed concerns regarding feeding volume and pace, and consequences related to feeding. Implications for Practice and Research: It is crucial that clinicians remember that feeding is an important time for maternal–infant bonding. Further research into the feeding interactions of mother–infant dyads with opioid exposure is warranted. As infants may present with subacute signs of withdrawal, including persistent feeding difficulties for months, further investigation into feeding challenges dyads experience after discharge from the hospital is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Estudos da Linguagem is the property of Revista de Estudos da Linguagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives: Some children are at risk of middle ear infections; however, the impact of the fluctuating hearing sensations on cognitive systems and immature central auditory is not fully recognized. Therefore, we reviewed and discussed the impact of early-otitis media on the cognitive skills of affected school-aged children. Methods: A computerized search of the databases was conducted between January 2000 and December 2020 using the following keywords, including "otitis media" and "cognition" or "attention" or "memory" or "working memory" or "short term memory". Results: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and appraising the quality, seven studies were included and the data were extracted. Some of the articles reported a relationship between otitis media with effusion (OME) and cognitive deficits in 5 years old children and the other studies did not yield significant association. Discussion: It seems that children with OME experience difficulties in attention and memory; though, the relationship between early childhood OME and cognitive skills in children at school ages is not yet definitive and need more comprehensive and wellorganized studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Cognitive abilities might be impaired due to brain lesions in children and adolescents. This study aimed to investigate neuropsychiatric indicators in children and adolescents with primary brain tumors and other brain space-occupying lesions (SOLs) before and after the surgical procedure. Materials & Methods The current pre-post study was conducted on 81 patients with brain SOLs aged under 18 years hospitalized in the Neurosurgery Ward of Imam Reza university hospital, Tabriz, Iran, within 20 December 2016 to 20 December 2017. The patients with metastatic brain tumors were excluded. Before and after the surgical procedure, Digit Span forward and backward task (to assess working memory), Stroop Task and Trail Making Task A and B (to assess attention), and Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF) (to assess visuospatial memory) were carried out. Then, the scores of the tests were compared to standard values and postsurgical scores. Results The most prevalent type of brain SOLs was medulloblastoma, and the most prevalent region of involvement was the posterior fossa. The scores of all tests after the surgery were significantly improved, compared to those before the surgery (P<0.05). In the assessment of Digit Span forward and backward task scores, there was no significant difference between the scores of patients before the surgery and standard values (P>0.05). Regarding the scores of various stages of the ROCF, the scores of the immediate recall stage were significantly low (P<0.05). Regarding Trail Making Task A and B and Stroop Task before the surgery, only Trail Making Task A and B scores were significantly increased (P<0.05). The scores of Trail Making Task A were significantly higher in patients with medulloblastoma and anatomically in left temporal tumors, which indicated greater damage to the attention field (P<0.05). In addition, in cerebellar tumors, the scores of the immediate recall stage of the ROCF were significantly lower than in other brain tumors or SOLs (P<0.05). Conclusion The visuospatial memory and attention of preoperative assessments were significantly impaired, compared to those of the healthy population (P<0.05). Working memory, visuospatial memory, and attention showed improvement, compared to those before the surgery. Deficits in the attention domain were greater in medulloblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to study the child prostitution in Thailand, the factors that contribute to child prostitution and what ways can keep children out of prostitution in Thailand. This study utilized a mixed method research, in which the target population included 400 male and female investigators from all over the nation. The instrument used to collect quantitative data was a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview with a target population of 8 inquiry officers of Thailand. The data was retrieved and analysed through KMO test consisting of 8 factors: social media, child cognition and behaviour, friendship, society and child protection, difficulty and poverty, educational disadvantage, values and upbringing and family. A Juvenile Delinquency Prevention model was designed after the target group agreed upon 8 relevant factors and agreed with the model developed with an explanation. The study recommends that the state should implement strict regulations and prevention policies on the internet to discourage child prostitution sites; families and schools should be trained to prevent early sex; and schools should be on the lookout for and monitor the recruitment of girls into prostitution. Since the law and the judicial system are inadequate in preventing and suppressing child sex trafficking, the government should partner with the private sector to develop employment and earn money outside of school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast-paced, technology-driven demands of modern society give rise to heightened levels of cognitive overload and psychological fatigue which presents challenges for the cognitive health and development of young people. Beyond cognitive restoration, cognitive enhancement in childhood is a key influence on future educational, occupational, and social outcomes. One promising avenue of research relates to nature exposure and its potential to restore cognitive processes (restorative effect) and increase cognitive capacity for cognitive processing (instorative effect) in children and adolescents. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to provide clearer insight into the body of literature surrounding the benefits of nature on cognition for children and adolescents by providing a statistical synthesis of the conflicting reports in this area. Two meta-analyses were conducted to investigate the association (from 22 correlational studies) and effect (from 34 experimental studies) of nature exposure on cognition within children and adolescents. Findings revealed no association across correlational studies but small positive restorative effects and instorative effects effect across experimental studies—particularly for attention and executive functioning outcomes. Moderator analyses indicated that lengthier interventions produced significant nature effects over shorter interventions. Additionally, both children (<10 years) and adolescents (10–19 years) appeared to benefit equally from nature exposure interventions. The beneficial nature effect was observed for neurotypical youths; however, the findings for neurodivergent youths were inconclusive due to limited studies, thereby warranting further research in this population. Publication bias was not an issue, though sensitivity analyses revealed that more rigorous studies yielded smaller effect sizes than studies of lower methodological quality, indicating that findings should be taken with caution, and that stronger evidence in the investigation of nature-based restorative/instorative effects is warranted. Research in this area is critical as nature exposure appears to be a viable strategy to foster healthy cognitive development in young people. • No association between nature exposure and cognition (correlational studies). • Small positive nature restoration and instoration effects on cognition (experimental studies). • Nature effects evident for attention and executive functions. • Nature effects similar for children (<10 years) and adolescents (10–19 years). • Nature effect for neurotypical but not neurodivergent youths (limited studies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Autistic students may experience difficulty performing classroom tasks due to atypical sensory processing and inefficient use of higher-order cognitive strategies. Limited research has investigated the influence of in-class sensory activities to enhance the thinking strategies required for task performance. This study evaluated a classroom-based sensory activity schedule and its impact on cognitive strategy use. Methods: A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent groups design was used. Students (n = 30, mean age 7.4 years) with atypical sensory processing negatively impacting classroom performance, and their teachers (n = 23), from six autism-specific schools were grouped into intervention (Sensory Activity Schedule and usual teaching) and control (usual teaching only) groups. Students' cognitive strategy use during the performance of classroom tasks was evaluated at baseline and post-intervention using Perceive, Recall, Plan, Perform Stage Two Cognitive Task Analysis. Results: Statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney U test) indicated that students who received the Sensory Activity Schedule intervention improved significantly more than control group students in overall cognitive strategy use (Z = –2.32, p = 0.02), and with strategy items involving attention and sensory perception (perceive, Z = –2.26, p = 0.02), and planning and organisation (Plan, Z = –.254, p = 0.01). Conclusion: The Sensory Activity Schedule may enhance autistic students' capacity to apply cognitive strategies more effectively during performance of classroom tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though the use of mobile devices (eg, tablets, smartphones) by young children is pervasive and increasing, research relating children's use of mobile devices to their development is only beginning to emerge. Learning, language development, and self-regulation skills among children aged 0 to 5 are of particular interest to pediatric clinicians, researchers, parents, and policymakers, as these skills foreshadow important outcomes across the lifespan. Experimental research reviewed herein suggests that the interactivity allowed by mobile devices has benefits over passive viewing (for example, of television) for young children's learning and self-regulation, but studies of naturalistic use suggest increased use of mobile devices is associated with poorer language and self-regulation. Pediatric clinicians can be important sources of support for families endeavoring to navigate their children's use of mobile devices by providing advice and resources, such as communicating reasonable time limits and sharing sources of developmentally appropriate content. Future research should implement innovative, rigorous research designs and methods to clarify mechanisms underlying potential negative effects of naturalistic use of mobile devices by young children and investigate how content and context of young children's mobile-device use may influence relations between such use and children's skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Electrónica de LEEME is the property of Institut de Creativitat i Innovacions Educatives and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare reading and listening comprehension in typically developing children and children with reading disability using the Token Test. Method: Two groups of children, 48 typically developing children from Grade III and IV (Group I) and 6 children with the diagnosis of 'learning disability' (Group II) who manifested disabilities in reading were recruited from two English medium schools. Procedure: Listening comprehension and reading comprehension skills of the participants were assessed using the Token Test (De Renzi & Faglioni, 1978). The participants were tested individually in a quiet room. Results: A marked discrepancy between listening comprehension and reading comprehension was observed between Group I and II with moderate correlation between the two skills for Group I. Conclusion: The Token Test may be adopted as a screening tool to identify children with reading disability. The test differentiated among children with decoding, auditory perceptual and language based comprehension problems. The test may be translated into other languages without cultural constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Although the Chinese education system has seen massive improvements over the past few decades, there are still large academic achievement gaps between rural and urban areas that threaten China's long-term development. In addition, recent literature underscores the importance of early childhood development (ECD) in later-life human capital development. OBJECTIVES: We analyze the life cycle of cognitive development and learning outcomes in rural Chinese children by first exploring whether ECD outcomes affect cognition levels, then determining whether cognitive delays persist as children grow, and finally examining connections between cognition and education outcomes. METHODS: We combine data from four recent studies that examine different age groups (0-3, 4-5, 10-11, 13-14) to track cognitive outcomes. RESULTS: First, we find that ECD outcomes for children in rural China are poor, with almost one in two children who are cognitively delayed. Second, we find that these cognitive delays seem to persist into middle school, with almost 37% of rural junior high school students who are cognitively delayed. Finally, we show that cognition has a close relationship to academic achievement. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that urban-rural gaps in academic achievement originate at least in part from differences in ECD outcomes. CONTRIBUTIONS: Although many papers have analyzed ECD, human capital, and inequality separately, this is the first paper to explicitly connect and combine these topics to analyze the life cycle of cognitive development in the context of rural China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inquiry-based education as a means of teaching has not been sufficiently studied in the context of empirical cognition in children of lower ages. The currently enhanced space for preschool science education creates possibilities to verify the applicability of physical experiment in the empirical cognition of preschool children and its effect on the development of their creative thinking. The developed Empirical Cognition Development Programme was implemented in kindergarten conditions and empirically verified in a quasi-experimental design on a sample of 102 children (2 experimental groups N = 71; 1 control group N = 31). To capture the level of creative thinking and its changes in children, the Torrance Figural Test of Creative Thinking (Torrance, 1974; Jurčová, 1984) was used. Results of comparative analyses showed a statistically and practically significant increase in the level of the creative thinking factors studied (fluency, flexibility, originality) in one of the experimental groups in comparison with the control group. The article discusses the results and implications for educational practice in the conditions of preschool education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Theory & Practice in Education (JTPE) / Eğitimde Kuram ve Uygulama is the property of Journal of Theory & Practice in Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado is the property of Asociacion Universitaria de Formacion del Profesorado (AUFOP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective The present study evaluated the influence of home motor affordances on motor, cognitive, and social development of young children. Materials & Methods The sample consisted of 49 Iranian children, aged 24-42 months. This study was conducted in Qouchan, Khorasan, Iran in 2015. They was randomly selected by multi-stage cluster sampling from a single community. Participant's homes were assessed using the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development (AHEMD). The motor behavior of young child was measured with the Denver Developmental Screening Test, aspects of cognitive development (Total cognitive, Verbal IQ, and non-verbal IQ) were assessed using the Stanford-Binet scale, and finally, social development measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Results Although no statistically significant correlations were found between Total AHEMD scores and motor development, there were significant and positive correlations (P=0.04) for Total AHEMD with total cognitive development (r=0.29), verbal IQ (r=0.29), social development (r=0.33) and (P=0.019), SES (r=0.51) with (P=0.000). There was a significant relationship between the Play Materials subscale of the AHEMD with total cognitive development (r=0.32) with (P=0.024), verbal IQ (r=0.31) and (P=0.029), and social development (r=0.35) with (P=0.012). In addition, there were significant differences between total AHEMD score with parents who had an academic education. Conclusion Motor affordances in the home can have a significant positive influence on a young child's cognitive and social development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We document the need to examine digital game play and app use as a context for cognitive development, particularly during middle childhood. We highlight this developmental period as 6‐ through 12‐year olds comprise a large swath of the preadult population that plays and uses these media forms. Surprisingly, this age range remains understudied with regard to the impact of their interactive media use as compared to young children and adolescents. This gap in knowledge about middle childhood may reflect strong and widely held concerns about the effects of digital games and apps before and after this period. These concerns include concurrent and subsequent influences of game use on very young children's and adolescents' cognitive and socioemotional functioning. We highlight here what is currently known about the impact of media on young children and adolescents and what is not known about this impact in middle childhood. We then offer recommendations for the types of research that developmental scientists can undertake to examine the efficacy of digital games within the rapidly changing media ecology in which children live. We conclude with a discussion of media policies that we believe can help children benefit from their media use. Our hope is that this review will foster greater investigation of the cognitive socialization, as raised over 20 years ago by developmental psychologist and early games researcher Patricia Greenfield, that digital games serve during the middle childhood period, and childhood more generally. Read the accompanying policy brief from SRCD [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the intuitive development of the concept of integers among primary school students. In order to reveal if primary school students had an intuitive sense of integers, an assessment consisting of five questions was prepared and applied to a total 100 4th grade students. A variety of integer concepts were utilized in the assessment including; integer ordering, less-than greater-than relations, as well as, integer addition and subtraction. In order to analyse the assessment data a coding system was utilized. Two researchers separately coded the students' answer responses, and later met with a third researcher to resolve any differences of rater reliability. According to the findings from this research, the 4th grade students investigated did exhibit an intuitive understanding of integers. In order to build upon students understanding of integers, examples from daily life as well as cardinal and ordinal meanings of numbers should be utilized in future instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores how different acts of depiction play a role in orienting children's thinking and reasoning during experimental tasks at school. In particular, the focus is on a revised version of the Piagetian liquid conservation experiment. The data corpus is composed of 9 video-recorded experiments taken in a Swiss primary school, involving 2-3 children (aged 6-7) per session with an adult leading the task. The experiments were an adapted version of the Piagetian original task, with the following modifications: i) the adult used three characters (soft toys) in interacting with children; ii) by animating the three characters, the experimenter was systematically introducing a counter-opinion with respect to the children's statements about the amount of liquid in the glasses. The analytical approach adopted to identify the role of depiction's acts during the experiment relies on a qualitative methodology based on the analysis of discursive interactions among participants. The findings of the study show a variety of children's reactions (verbal and non-verbal) toward different types of acts of depiction made by the adult. The results are discussed in terms of elements that can improve the argumentative capacities of children during tasks requiring a certain degree of reasoning at school. The role of the adult (as teacher) constitutes the main element in ensuring a variety of forms of teaching that can enable children's reasoning and argumentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on adoption of Secret Stories program by educators for teaching grammar rules related to English language among young children. Topics discussed include significance of the approach over an enhancement of brain development along with cognition among children; consideration of illustrations involvement in retrieval of information at early learning; and assessment of multiple imagery in children.

Infants and families who have received care through NICUs experience multiple prolonged physiological, social, and emotional challenges. In addition to their NICU experiences, many families are presenting with increasingly diverse family structures and complex social conditions. In this article, the current state of knowledge on the concept of trauma-informed care will be reviewed from the perspective of infant and early childhood mental health development. This is the second part of a two- part series on trauma-informed care. The first part addressed this approach from a woman-centered care perspective. Recognizing the impact of trauma and implementing trauma-informed practices in the NICU holds potential for improving outcomes for infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A positive self-concept supposedly affects a student’s well-being as well as his or her perception of individual competence at school. As computer-based learning is becoming increasingly important in school, a positive computer-related self-concept (CSC) might help to enhance cognitive achievement. Consequently, we focused on establishing a short, valid, and reliable instrument to measure the CSC by administering to German subsamples (Ntotal = 488) of three different age-groups: 8th (N = 159), 11th graders (N = 214), and university freshmen (N = 115). We succeeded in developing a one-factor-instrument with good overall reliability (αtotal = .84) and adequate criterion validity. The scale implementation revealed a high self-concept among younger respondents. Furthermore, we observed a stereotypical difference between the CSC scores for 8th and 11th graders. Finally, we discuss pedagogical and educational considerations of the scale’s implementation in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of movement strategies during academic time, on children's and adolescents' cognitive processing, memory, behavioral control, and academic skills. We used a 2 × 2 design to categorize studies, based on their level of integration with (low vs. high) and relevance to the learning content (low vs high). Meta-analyses were conducted per overarching outcome constructs. Age was explored as a potential moderator. A total of 83 studies involving 25,641 participants were included. The high integration-high relevance movement strategy applied in longer-term (i.e., chronic) physical activity interventions had positive effects with the largest effect (ES = 0.94) on memory. The low integration-low relevance movement strategy had large effects on behavioral control measures for longer-term physical activity (ES = 1.42) and single (i.e., acute) bouts of physical activity; ES = 1.15). A nuanced pattern of results emerged in the other categories (high-low and low-high). A theory-based mapping of studies was used to disentangle the effects of different types of movement strategies during academic time on selective outcomes. Consistencies were identified and explained referring to theories grounded in educational psychology and exercise and cognition research. • Movement-based strategies had selective effects on children's and adolescents' cognition. • Memory performance was enhanced with high relevance-high integration studies. • Behavioral control improved with low relevance-low integration studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are increasingly and widely used as substitutes for brominated flame retardants in daily life. The chemical structure of OPFRs is very similar to that of organophosphorus pesticides, leading to concerns about their neurotoxicity. A few epidemiological studies have been published with inconsistent results on this topic, and a systematic scoping review is needed to provide an overview or map of the current evidence on the relationship of OPFRs with neurodevelopmental toxicity. Therefore, MEDLINE (accessed through PubMed), Web of Science, and CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) were systematically searched for articles published in the last two decades. Nine eligible articles were included in the present systematic scoping review for adherence to the predefined PECOS (population, exposure, comparison, outcome, study design) statement. Six studies were conducted in the USA, and the remaining three studies were conducted in Austria, Norway and China. A total of 2 581 children (1 203 females and 1 378 males) were included. Half of the included studies focused on the adverse effects of OPFR exposure on cognition in children, while others primarily focused on the behaviors of children. In summary, the current evidence suggests inverse associations between early-life exposure to OPFRs and the childhood intelligence quotient and internalizing behavior and positive relationships of OPFR exposure with externalizing behavior. However, some differences in the timing of sample collection for exposure measurements, in the individual OPFR metabolites available, in the neurodevelopmental scales for outcome measurement, and in the statistical methods used to analyze the data are noted. In addition, further studies are warranted to evaluate some important issues, such as sex differences in the association, exposure-sensitive periods, and cumulative exposure risk assessment. • Human studies on neurotoxicity of organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) were rare. • The first systematic review was conducted for OPFRs linked with child neurotoxicity. • It indicated an inverse association of OPFR with child IQ and internalizing behavior. • It suggested a positive relationship between OPFR and child externalizing behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE. To define neonatal social characteristics related to autism risk. METHOD. Sixty-two preterm infants underwent neonatal neurobehavioral testing. At age 2 yr, participants were assessed with the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers and Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition. RESULTS. Positive autism screening was associated with absence of gaze aversion, x55.90, p5.01, odds ratio = 5.05, and absence of endpoint nystagmus, x 5 4.78, p 5 .02, odds ratio 5 8.47. Demonstrating gaze aversion was related to better language outcomes, t (55)523.07, p £ .003. Displaying endpoint nystagmus was related to better language outcomes, t (61)523.06, p 5 .003, cognitive outcomes, t (63)525.04, p < .001, and motor outcomes, t (62) 5 22.82, p 5 .006. CONCLUSION. Atypical social interactions were not observed among infants who later screened positive for autism. Instead, the presence of gaze aversion and endpoint nystagmus was related to better developmental outcomes. Understanding early behaviors associated with autism may enable early identification and lead to timely therapy activation to improve function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IMPORTANCE Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous and neurotoxic environmental contaminants. Prenatal PAH exposure is associated with subsequent cognitive and behavioral disturbances in childhood. OBJECTIVES To identify the effects of prenatal PAH exposure on brain structure and to assess the cognitive and behavioral correlates of those abnormalities in school-age children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cross-sectional imaging study in a representative community-based cohort followed up prospectively from the fetal period to ages 7 to 9 years. The setting was urban community residences and an academic imaging center. Participants included a sample of 40 minority urban youth born to Latina (Dominican) or African American women. They were recruited between February 2,1998, and March 17,2006. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Morphological measures that index local volumes of the surface of the brain and of the white matter surface after cortical gray matter was removed. RESULTS We detected a dose-response relationship between increased prenatal PAH exposure (measured in the third trimester but thought to index exposure for all of gestation) and reductions of the white matter surface in later childhood that were confined almost exclusively to the left hemisphere of the brain and that involved almost its entire surface. Reduced left hemisphere white matter was associated with slower information processing speed during intelligence testing and with more severe externalizing behavioral problems, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and conduct disorder problems. The magnitude of left hemisphere white matter disturbances mediated the significant association of PAH exposure with slower processing speed. In addition, measures of postnatal PAH exposure correlated with white matter surface measures in dorsal prefrontal regions bilaterally when controlling for prenatal PAH. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Our findings suggest that prenatal exposure to PAH air pollutants contributes to slower processing speed, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, and externalizing problems in urban youth by disrupting the development of left hemisphere white matter, whereas postnatal PAH exposure contributes to additional disturbances in the development of white matter in dorsal prefrontal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ilkogretim Online is the property of Ilkogretim Online and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The value of developing philosophical thinking among young children and its pedagogical possibilities has been discussed in the Philippines in the recent years. One such possibility is the pedagogy of Philosophy for Children (P4C) which allows children to participate in a dialogue in the context of a community of inquiry. The community of inquiry is a specific kind of classroom environment where children would feel welcome, motivated and secure to express their wonderment, to share their opinions and intuitions and to appraise one another's reasons and propositions (Haynes, 2007; Johnson, 2007; Jackson, 2004; Nicoll, 1993). Considering the necessity to maintain the organic nature of the community of inquiry and of the process of the dialogue itself, it is a major concern as to how teachers will become effective facilitators of such a classroom environment. This paper aims to better understand the craft of facilitating the community of inquiry and the role of the facilitator by attempting to answer the following questions: a) How must a facilitator regard the pedagogy of philosophical dialogue? b) How must a facilitator see young children? c) How should a facilitator approach and acknowledge children's questions and ideas? d) What thinking skills and behaviors should a facilitator be able to model to them? The answers provided are derived from my familiarity with the pedagogy of philosophical dialogue and from my personal experiences as a facilitator of the community of inquiry. Some implications to the field of teacher training are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placental insufficiency leading to fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a significant risk factor for neurodevelopmental delay. The consequence of being small for gestational age (SGA) at birth on long-term intellectual performance is also well documented. Infants born with severe FGR, with reduced head growth or preterm have the worst neurodevelopmental outcomes. There are also two distinct phenotypes of FGR which have different effects on motor, cognitive, social and behavioural domains. As yet, it remains to be determined which variables measured in the prenatal period best identify the type of fetal deterioration that is most predictive of neurodevelopmental delay. It is possible that differing management strategies for FGR may influence the chances of subsequent neurodevelopmental delay and reference is made to relevant national guidelines. Postnatally, those children born SGA/FGR who then attain a height and head circumference similar to those who were born appropriate for gestational age (AGA) achieve better cognitive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article takes a prospective cognition perspective in reviewing research on the development of children's understanding of spatial symbols, such as scale models and maps. We suggest that using spatial symbols requires that children think about where an object will be found rather than where they last saw it. In addition, we suggest that as children's knowledge of maps grows, they begin to think about large-scale space through the mediated perspective that maps provide. Maps allow people to see and to think about multiple relations among locations, as well as spaces that are much larger than can be directly perceived. Learning about the world through maps is a good example of what Tomasello (1999) called the cultural ratchet effect; each generation can rely on information from prior genera-tions rather than having to learn or discover it on their own. Thus, cultures share views of space through maps, and the development of the cognition of large-scale space consists in part of learning to think about the world through maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing evidence that linguistic and non-linguistic factors may contribute to the problems associated with specific language impairment (SLI). One factor that has been implicated is executive functioning (EF). Most studies investigating EF in children with SLI use performance based tasks. Significant group differences in children with SLI are reported on the following components of EF: inhibition, working memory, planning and fluency, although not on the 'shifting' component. Correlations between performance based measurements of EF and ratings of everyday EF behaviours are often low. It is possible that standardised tests are not sufficiently sensitive to the multidimensional nature of EF. Therefore it is suggested that information on EF should be collected in different contexts and from different sources using behavioural ratings, like the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) for children. Methods and procedures: A clinical sample of 237 school aged children, aged 5–12 years, (157 boys, 80 girls) with SLI participated in this study. Behavioural and cognitive measures of EF were administered: the BRIEF-questionnaire, assessing everyday EF behaviour in a home and school setting and two EF tasks: Digit span (WISC-III-NL) and Creature Counting (TEA-Ch). Outcomes and results: Compared to the normative sample the prevalence of EF problems in school in children with SLI is much higher than in the normal population. Teachers reported significantly more problems on almost all EF domains (i.e. Inhibition, Shifting, Emotional control, Initiate, Working memory, Plan/organise, and Monitor), except organisation of materials. Working memory and Initiate are the most impaired, since more than one third of the children had scores in the clinical range on these scales. Compared to the normative sample parents scored significantly more working memory problems. MANOVA-analyses showed developmental and gender differences on EF behaviour in school. Overall, older children had less problems in EF behaviours than younger children and boys showed more problems than girls. Like others we found low correlations between behavioural and cognitive measures (r = 0·20). Conclusions: School aged children with SLI show substantial impairments in everyday EF behaviour in a classroom setting. Almost one third of the children scored in the clinical range on the Metacognition Index. Our findings replicate low correlations between performance based and behavioural based measures on EF. These findings indicate the importance of expanding EF assessment with behavioural measures in clinical practice for children with SLI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Memory for where and when information is learned, or contextual aspects of memory, as opposed to fact or item memory, has been suggested to be more dependent on frontal brain and related executive control systems. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders involving frontal brain systems have been noted to have problems on contextual memory tasks. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties with forgetfulness and are known to have deficits in aspects of executive control with associated dysfunction in frontal brain systems; therefore, while their item memory is not typically impaired, they may have difficulty on tasks requiring contextual memory abilities. The goal of this study was to compare children with ADHD to typically developing children, on two different contextual memory tasks (source memory and memory for temporal recency) and to compare this with their respective performance on traditional fact/item memory tasks. Methods: Participants included 36 children with combined type ADHD and 36 typically developing controls ages 6–13 years, matched by age and gender. In addition to a measure of intellectual ability, children completed two different contextual memory tasks; one assessing recall for the source of new information and one assessing recall of the temporal context of information (recency). Incorporated into these tasks were standard measures of item/fact memory recall. Results: Results revealed that children with ADHD performed similarly to control participants on memory recognition tasks, but differed from controls on the contextual memory tasks. Children with ADHD outperformed control participants when recalling the source from which they had learned information, but performed more poorly than control on a task that required them to make a recency/temporal order judgment. Conclusion: The data suggest that while children with ADHD may have somewhat similar capacity to recognise new information, they differ in aspects of their performance on contextual aspects of memory. These differences are not uniform and mirror neuroscience findings supporting dissociable contextual memory systems. Potential theoretical explanations for the dissociations seen are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the present study were to investigate relations between moral reasoning, executive functioning and Theory of Mind in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) compared to typically developing children and to apply the dual aspect theory of , to moral reasoning in individuals with and without ASD. Overall, 21 children with ASD (age: M = 10·22, SD = 1·55) and 21 controls (age: M = 9·83, SD = 2·36) participated and completed the Moral Reasoning Test for children from , which tests affective and cognitive aspects of moral reasoning. In addition, participants completed two Theory of Mind tasks, a working memory and an inhibition test. Correlational analyses revealed significant relations between cognitive moral reasoning and inhibitory control as well as between Theory of Mind and inhibition for the ASD group. Thus, inhibitory control, but not working memory and Theory of Mind, might be one key mechanism underlying moral reasoning, and possibly ToM development in children with ASD. Analyses of variance revealed no significant differences in cognitive and affective aspects of moral reasoning between individuals with ASD and typically developing children. Both groups did also not differ in Theory of Mind and executive functioning. Findings are discussed in light of the heterogeneous literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through most of the 20th Century, neither medicine nor psychology provided an accurate understanding of the nature of babies in the womb or babies at birth. Perhaps the most fundamental misconception was that brains were the only measure of mind, self and soul. The prevailing view for a hundred years held that brains of prenates and neonates were insufficient to support cognitive, emotional, or perceptual activity. Yet, contemporary research reveals a prenate unlike any previously described--well equipped with senses, reactive to environmental conditions, expressive of feelings, and social in relation to twins and parents. These findings suggest that prenates do possess a "psyche" in the original sense of the word--mind, self, and soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linking joy and engagement together, Sarah Werner Andrews points out how happiness is a factor of real imaginary work possibilities and not just coercion. Choice and expression of work are central to the child when work is self-motivated but does not always succeed. Practice alongside risk is a factor for all real work, mistakes are important, and a growth mindset justifies making mistakes from time to time. The social, emotional, cognitive, and physical wellness contribute to a positive approach for developing the self, and joyful engagement can become the common core for Montessori schools as they guide the child through human development and into the world around us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the mental workload, or psychological costs, associated with information processing tasks in children. We adapted the highly regarded NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) multidimensional workload scale (Hart & Staveland, 1988) to test its efficacy for use with elementary school children. We developed 2 types of tasks, each with 2 levels of demand, to draw differentially on resources from the separate subscales of workload. In Experiment 1, our participants were both typical and school-labeled gifted children recruited from 4th and 5th grades. Results revealed that task type elicited different workload profiles, and task demand directly affected the children's experience of workload. In general, gifted children experienced less workload than typical children. Objective response time and accuracy measures provide evidence for the criterion validity of the workload ratings. In Experiment 2, we applied the same method with 1st- and 2nd-grade children. Findings from Experiment 2 paralleled those of Experiment 1 and support the use of NASA-TLX with even the youngest elementary school children. These findings contribute to the fledgling field of educational ergonomics and attest to the innovative application of workload research. Such research may optimize instructional techniques and identify children at risk for experiencing overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Executive function (EF) and motor deficits have consistently been documented in studies of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We investigated the effects of a pilot 30-session Makoto arena training intervention, a light and sound speed-based exergame, on response speed, EF, and motor skills in school-aged children with ASD. Strong correlations were seen between certain EF and motor scores, suggesting a relationship between the two constructs. Participants increased their average reaction speed (effect size = 1.18). Significant improvement was seen in the EF areas of working memory and metacognition and the motor area of strength and agility. Findings suggest that use of exergaming, specifically the Makoto arena, has the potential to be a valuable addition to standard intervention for children with ASD who have motor and EF impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor and cognitive control in children with intellectual disabilities (ID), focusing on the two aspects of speed and accuracy. Methods: The subjects were 39 children with ID aged 8-15 years. Their Intelligence Quotient (IQ) ranged from 13 to 71. The children with ID included 12 children with Down's syndrome and 10 children with autism. We conducted three tasks: seal affixation task, tray-carrying task, and the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). The seal affixation and tray-carrying tasks are motor tasks we devised that can separately measure the speed and accuracy of motor control. MFFT is a cognitive control task that can be used to evaluate cognitive styles, such as impulsive-reflective. Results: In the children with ID in this study, motor speed and accuracy were related to cognitive speed and accuracy. Moreover, these children could be classified into four groups based on their MFFT performance, with the motor performances of each group corresponding to the characteristics of that group seen on MFFT. Discussion: These results suggest the possibility that a motor-cognitive control link exists in children with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE. Attention to executive functioning (EF) and its effect on occupational performance is increasing in the occupational therapy literature. This study explored occupational therapists' perceptions of how EF is recognized and addressed within occupational therapy for children and youth. METHOD. Inductive qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the in-depth interview data from 13 occupational therapists with a range of practice contexts and experience. RESULTS. EF should be explicitly considered during clinical reasoning. System and professional barriers create challenges to occupational therapists, constraining their ability to recognize, label, and address EF performance issues. Occupational therapists who have integrated EF into their practice perspective have acquired knowledge and skills through interprofessional collaborations, client interactions, and professional development opportunities. CONCLUSION. Occupational therapists working with children and youth need an occupational EF framework and practice resources if they are to integrate an EF lens to more broadly enable occupational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]