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The work–family interface literature has focused on a variable-centered approach, and few studies have used a person-centered approach to investigate work–family interface types and their associations with psychosocial factors. This study explored whether distinct work–family interface types could be identified at a dyadic level in dual-earner couples by combining work–family conflict (WFC) and enrichment (WFE) for both parents. It also examined how these couples' comprehensive types of work–family interface were related to psychosocial outcomes. Conducting a latent profile analysis in a sample of 558 dual-earner couples (Mage: 40.43 ± 4.07 years for fathers, 37.97 ± 3.57 years for mothers) with first-grade children in elementary schools participating in the Panel Study on Korean Children, this study identified three work–family interface profiles: Beneficial fathers/Moderate active mothers (fathers reporting low WFC and high WFE/mothers reporting moderate WFC and WFE), Beneficial (both parents reporting low conflict and high enrichment), and Harmful (both parents reporting high conflict and low enrichment). Fathers' education, household income, and social support influenced their membership in work–family interface profiles. Overall, members with Beneficial fathers/Moderate active mothers and Beneficial profiles showed more positive personal and family outcomes than those with Harmful profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Headache is a common complaint during childhood and adolescence. It is important to be aware of the characteristics of pediatric headaches in order to make a precise and timely diagnosis. This study investigated the clinical characteristics of pediatric headaches according to the underlying etiology and age group. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 3374 pediatric patients (2667 with primary headache [PH] and 707 with secondary headache [SH]) who presented with headaches at two centers between January 2012 and November 2023. Results: The incidence of PH was significantly higher in adolescents (40.1% vs. 22.9%), whereas that of SH was considerably higher in preschoolers (37.5% vs. 16.3%) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of headaches attributed to infection was significantly higher in preschool and school-aged children (90.8% vs. 80.2%, p < 0.001); adolescents exhibited significantly higher frequencies of cranial and cervical vascular disorders (3.7% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.044) and psychiatric disorders (5.6% vs. 0.6%, p < 0.001). Statistically significant differences were observed between preschool/school-aged children and adolescents in terms of headache characteristics and the prevalence of headache-associated symptoms (60.4% vs. 74.1%, p < 0.001 in PH), neurologic abnormalities (10.2% vs. 23.6%, p < 0.001 in PH; 2.4% vs. 11.7%, p < 0.001 in SH), and headache triggers (19.9% vs. 24.2%, p = 0.008 in PH; 2.0% vs. 8.0%, p < 0.001 in SH). Conclusions: Recognizing the etiology and age-specific differences in the clinical characteristics of headaches is crucial for an accurate and timely diagnosis. Tailoring the diagnostic approach accordingly helps to achieve optimal outcomes in pediatric patients with headaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employed a localized bilingual education model developed in Taiwan to design a questionnaire targeted at junior high school students. The questionnaire was validated using exploratory factor analysis. Reliability testing indicated Cronbach's alpha values for subscales ranging from 0.88 to 0.95, with an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.98. A total of 760 junior high school students in Taipei City who have received bilingual instruction completed the questionnaire. The results demonstrate that the questionnaire has high construct validity and internal consistency, making it a practical tool to evaluate students' perceptions of bilingual education. Future studies should focus on qualitative research such as in-depth interviews, extend the survey to students at the university and primary school levels, and verify the questionnaire's structure through confirmatory factor analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of sports participation and appreciation on sports identification and engagement with sports spectatorship with the sport type as a moderator through a perspective of the social and emotional development of elementary school students in Taiwan. This research specifically explores the influence of baseball and badminton activities on students' engagement and connection with sports. An experimental design, supplemented with questionnaires, was utilized, involving 111 students from middle and upper grades who either participated in a recreational sports camp or did not. This study aimed to uncover quasi-causal relationships among active sports participation, personal identification with sports, and spectator behaviors. Pre- and post-camp surveys indicated that participation in sports camps significantly enhanced sports identification and interest in spectating, particularly in baseball, because of more frequent viewing opportunities. The findings highlight the importance of the type of sport and the level of identification with it in sustaining an ongoing interest in sports spectatorship. Interestingly, introducing spectatorship at badminton camps resulted in decreased sports identification and engagement intentions, suggesting that programs must be tailored to developmental needs and meet the abilities of young learners to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The psychological benefits of cycling have been identified such as the maintenance of low-stress levels. However, no studies have been found addressing the benefits of cycling on variables such as emotional intelligence (EI) and motivational climate (MC), which are important for holistic development in children. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationships between MC, EI, and cycling habits in schoolchildren. (2) Methods: A descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional study was conducted in a sample of 347 Spanish schoolchildren (46.4% boys; 53.6% girls; Mage = 10.55, S.D. = 0.97). A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), and the Perceived Motivational Climate in Sport Questionnaire (PMCSQ-2) were applied for data collection. (3) Results: Boys use bicycles more frequently than girls; task-oriented motivational climate (TC) is observed in girls and schoolchildren with moderate cycling habits; ego-involving motivational climate (EC) prevails in boys and students who cycle more than four times per week; no statistical association was found between EI and cycling use habits; and EI and its dimensions correlate with TC and some categories of EC. (4) Conclusions: Moderate cycling habits are linked to a task-oriented MC and have slightly higher scores on general EI and its dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: The proposed SMI-LE index can be used to plan healthier school lunches in line with the idea of a sustainable diet. The School Meal Index-Lunch Evaluation (SMI-LE) has been developed to assess school lunch quality. The aim of this study was to use the SMI-LE index for a comparative analysis of the quality of school meals planned in primary schools in Warsaw and Zagreb. The SMI-LE index was used to assess 4-week school meals in both cities. The collected menus were analyzed both in terms of overall quality as an average of points over 4 weeks and in terms of individual categories. According to the SMI-LE index, 4-week school lunches were rated on average 64 and 62 points out of a total of 140 points, in Warsaw and Zagreb, respectively. The majority of school lunches in Zagreb were classified as medium quality, while in Warsaw, over 50% were classified as good quality. Aspects that could be improved include an increase in vegetable availability and variety, limiting the meat dishes, and providing alternatives for children on vegetarian diets, as well as the ability to choose portion sizes. Polish schools need to change their approach to school meals. Following the example of schools in Zagreb, these could be one-course hot meals but with a wider range of raw vegetables and fruits. The current findings also highlight the importance of future research to develop standards for school food policies and investigate whether such a school food program could improve the eating habits and nutritional status of primary school children in the long term. Using the SMI-LE index to design new school meals could be a good solution to improve the quality of school meals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reactivity effect of metacognitive judgments on first-order task performance has received increased research attention. Previous studies showed that soliciting retrospective confidence ratings (CRs) reactively enhances task performance itself, such as performance in decision making and reasoning tasks, especially for those with high self-confidence. It remains unknown whether CRs can improve students' academic assessment performance in real educational settings. The current study recruited 795 fourth-grade elementary school children to explore if making CRs reactively affects students' academic assessment performance in two main subjects (i.e., Chinese Language and Mathematics). The data were collected across six waves with half-year intervals. From Wave 2, children either provided (CR group) or did not provide CRs (no-CR group) when completing standardized academic assessments. The results showed Bayesian evidence supporting the claim that making CRs does not influence children's academic assessment performance (both the average performance across waves 2–6 and the performance in each wave) in both subjects. Furthermore, children's self-confidence did not moderate the reactive influence of CRs. The results from multilevel regression analyses re-confirmed the above conclusions. Possible explanations for the absence of the reactivity effect of CRs on children's academic assessment performance are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: This study examines the role of subjective anxiety (mathematics and spatial anxiety), along with physiological responses, in mathematics or math and mental rotation performance in 131 German primary school students (65 girls, 66 boys; Mean age = 8.73 years). (2) Method: Students' preference for math vs. German and their subjective anxiety were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Emotional reactivity was measured using the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Math performance was evaluated via percentage scored and completion times on number line estimation, word problems, and missing terms tasks. Spatial skills were assessed using a novel mental rotation task (nMRT) incorporating gender-congruent and -neutral stimuli. (3) Results: Girls outperformed boys on percentage scored on the math task but took longer to complete this. No gender differences were found in performance on the nMRT. Girls demonstrated higher math anxiety and were less likely to prefer math over German. Math anxiety predicted math scores and accuracy on the nMRT while gender predicted math performance and mental rotation response time. Subject preference was associated with longer completion times and emotional reactivity with longer response times. Girls' preference for math and lower emotional reactivity was linked to shorter completion times, while lower math anxiety predicted higher scores. In contrast, these factors did not affect boys' math performance. Additionally, subjective anxiety, emotional reactivity, or subject preference did not impact spatial performance for either gender. (4) Conclusions: Supporting mathematical self-efficacy and emotional regulation, especially in girls, is crucial for enhancing STEM outcomes in primary education. Gender-fair assessment in mental rotation reveals equitable spatial performance and reduces the impact of anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Servant leadership is characterized by a core altruistic calling and central attributes of genuine caring, humility, and empathy, and in recent years, has become a style of leadership recommended to be addressed in sports management classrooms because of its associated positive outcomes and emphasis on ethical behavior and decision-making. As the relevance and popularity of servant leadership continue to grow, it gives rise to matters of how this approach to leadership can be better studied and taught to current and aspirant sports professionals. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative case study is to analyze a community-based service-learning project as a mode for developing servant leaders as part of a college sports management curriculum. Nineteen upper-level college sports management students participated in this study by serving as mentors in an after-school program for underprivileged elementary school students for 12 h across the course of six weeks. Participants then completed a written reflection upon the conclusion of the service project. Content analysis of these reflections suggests that service learning may be a positive method for developing servant leaders. The article closes with a discussion of findings, proposed future research questions, as well as ideas for future service-learning projects aimed at developing servant leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dyslexia, a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting reading skills, poses significant challenges to children's academic performance and quality of life. Despite its rising prevalence and adverse effects, understanding of its relationship with vision anomalies remains limited, particularly in low-resource settings like Nigeria. This study aims to assess the prevalence of binocular vision anomalies (BVAs) among children with and without dyslexia in Kano, Nigeria. Methods: This is a hospital-based, cross-sectional, matched-paired, controlled study conducted at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) Eye Clinic in Northern Nigeria. The study included school children who visited the AKTH Eye Clinic from January 2018 to December 2022. Visual acuity tests, external eye examinations and accommodative, binocular vision and oculomotor skills tests were conducted. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests and Fisher's exact tests were conducted, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Forty-four children aged 12 ± 2 years participated. Children with dyslexia reported higher rates of visual symptoms than those without dyslexia, Blurring vision, visual distortion and eye strain were the most prevalent (p < 0.05) BV symptoms. Accommodative insufficiency), was the most common visual abnormality, and was significantly higher in children with dyslexia than those without dyslexia (45.5% vs. 18.2%). However, other visual anomalies showed no significant difference between groups. There was a high prevalence of binocular vision anomalies in both groups. Binocular test findings showed dyslexic children had significantly lower distance positive fusional vergence recovery values (p = 0.005). All cases of convergence insufficiency alone were found in the non-dyslexic group. Conclusions: The study found that children with dyslexia residing in Northern Nigeria demonstrated higher rates of visual symptoms, more accommodative insufficiency and lower distance positive fusional vergence recovery values compared to their non-dyslexic counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to communication is a primary challenge affecting the education of Autistic students who use augmentative and alternative communication devices. This is compounded by potential communication partners (e.g., teachers and classroom paraeducators) who have insufficient training and skills to meaningfully engage these students in communication. To address these deficits in skills and training, this feasibility study used a multiple probe across participants design to test the effects of using behavioral skills training on dyads of teachers and paraeducators in increasing teacher-delivered opportunities to respond and student communication responses. The results show that after training, teachers' opportunities to respond and use student-specific strategies increased. Following the teachers' implementation of the strategies, students' prompted and unprompted communication increased. These results provide evidence that supports the use of behavioral skills training to support communication partner skill development and student communication needs. These methods showed positive social validity with participants and demonstrate a professional development method that is more feasible for use by school staff than individual training. The results of this study provide initial evidence of the effectiveness of these methods with dyads of participants as well as with licensed teachers, extending the extant research, which often focuses on the individual training of paraeducators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the present paper is twofold; the first objective is to examine how children with dyslexia (henceforward DYS children) and typically developing children (henceforward TD children) performed in Greek (first language; L1) compared to English (second language; L2) in reading, phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatized naming (RAN), working memory (WM), and short-term memory (STM) tasks. Our second goal is to investigate DYS children's performance compared to that of TD children in the L1 and L2 domains mentioned above. Thirty-two (DYS = 16; TD = 16) school-aged children (9;7–11;9 years old; Mage = 130.41), basic users of English (level ranging from A1 to A2), carried out a battery test in L1 and L2, respectively, including reading, PA, STM, and WM tasks. More specifically, the tasks were the following: word and nonword decoding, reading accuracy and reading fluency, word and nonword reading per minute, PA, RAN, nonword repetition, as well as forward, backward, and digit span sequencing. This is a work-in-progress study, and preliminary results reveal that DYS students exhibit important reading and memory deficits in both languages. The data analysis indicated that DYS children have particular difficulties and statistically significant differences in L1 and L2 compared to TD in all tasks. In conclusion, this is the first study, at least in Greek, which assesses both reading and memory skills of DYS children in L2. The results reveal deficits in both languages, and the overall findings contribute to theories on the transfer of difficulties of linguistic skills between L1 and L2, while memory scores also underline this co-occurrence. Future implications of this study include a combination of reading and cognitive activities in the teaching methods of English teachers to improve DYS children's overall performance in learning English as L2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexia, often referred to as a specific reading disability, affects many students around the world. It is a neurological disorder that affects the ability to recognise words, and it causes difficulties in writing and reading comprehension. Previous computer-based methods for the automatic detection of dyslexia in children have had low efficiency due to the complexity of the test administration process and the low measurement reliability of the attention measures used. This paper proposes the use of a student's mobile device to record the spatio-temporal trajectory of attention, which is then analysed by deep neural network long short-term memory (LSTM). The study involved 145 participants (66 girls and 79 boys), all of whom were children aged 9 years. The input signal for the neural network consisted of recorded observation sessions, which were packets containing the child's spatio-temporal attention trajectories generated during task performance. The training set was developed using stimuli from Benton tests and an expert opinion from a specialist in early childhood psychology. The coefficients of determination of R 2 ∼ 0.992 were obtained for the proposed model, giving an accuracy of 97.7% for the test set. The ease of implementation of this approach in school settings and its non-stressful nature make it suitable for use with children of different ages and developmental stages, including those who have not yet learned to read. This enables early intervention, which is essential for effective educational and emotional support for children with dyslexia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Elevation of the mandatory number of physical education lessons in school curricula is an efficient strategy for reducing obesity in school-aged children. (1) Background: Overweight children usually have lower levels of physical activity (PA) than their normal-weight peers. Low PA predisposes to an increase in body fat mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based PA intervention on the anthropometric indicators and body composition of overweight and obese children during a two-year observation period, from the age of 10 to 12. (2) Materials and methods: The research included 148 children with overweight or obesity who were born in 2007. There were two groups of children with standard and elevated PA at school (SPA and EPA; 4 and 10 h of physical education lessons a week, respectively). Anthropometric and body composition measurements were carried out. Body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and total body water (TBW) were estimated. In total, five measurements were conducted at intervals of 5–6 months. (3) Results: In EPA group, the percentage of obese children decreased from 46% to 35.25%, and in SPA group, this percentage increased from 42.75% to 46%. Only 3.33% of children in the standard PA group (one child) and 17.2% in the elevated PA group (six children) changed their BMI and FM categories from overweight to normal body mass. In EPA children, FM decreased from 28.65% to 26.41%, and in SPA children, it increased from 30.31% to 31.75%. The highest increase in FFM was in EPA boys, while SPA boys recorded the highest decrease. In SPA children, SMM increased by 0.43% from 38.85% to 39.28%, and in EPA children, it increased by 2.51% from 40.27% to 42.78%. In EPA children, TBW slightly increased from 53.26% to 53.59%, and in SPA children, it decreased from 50.70% to 49.93%. (4) Conclusions: Elevated PA at school has a positive effect on the BMI and body composition of children who are overweight or obese. Increasing the mandatory number of physical education lessons in school curricula is an efficient strategy for reducing obesity in school-aged children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Obesity and dental caries are multifactorial diseases with high prevalence amongst Saudi children. The aim of the study was to determine their association with common risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 300 children attending elementary schools. After taking their height and weight, their body mass indices (BMIs) were calculated. Oral examination was performed to record the decayed, missed, and filled scores (dmft/DMFT). A thorough questionnaire was compiled and validated to gather information on diet and physical activity (PA). The KIDMED score was calculated from a 16-item questionnaire to assess diet. Junk food and PA scores were also calculated based on relevant questions. Nonparametric tests were used to assess the associations between the scores and health outcomes (dmft/DMFT and BMI). Results: Fifty-eight of the children had poor diets, which was associated with higher dmft/DMFT (p = 0.012). PA levels were very low, and the average PA score was 2.12 ± 0.61. No association was found between BMI percentiles and PA level, nor between BMI percentiles and diet quality. Older children had lower BMI percentiles compared with younger children (coefficient = −9.35, 95% CI: −17.05, −1.65), and a borderline significant negative association was observed between dmft/DMFT and BMI percentile. Conclusions: Poor diets and chips consumption were related to dental caries. Obesity was not related to diet quality nor PA level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Engaging in physical activity (PA) is crucial for children's physical and mental health, with PA in childhood influencing lifelong activity levels. However, PA during childhood tends to decrease with age. Childhood friendship networks influence various health behaviors, including physical activity. Centralities are objective measures of an individual's position and role in friendship networks. The relationship between centrality and PA is inconsistent. This study aimed to determine how centrality affects changes in PA in late childhood longitudinally and to investigate the distribution of centrality in the network. Methods: This prospective cohort study recruited fourth- and fifth-grade children (9–11 years old). A total of 143 children participated. We calculated three centralities—in-degree, closeness, and betweenness—based on social network analysis (SNA). PA was assessed using the physical activity questionnaire for older children (PAQ-C). To explore the relationship between centralities and the percentage change in PA, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Children with higher closeness had a significantly higher rate of decrease in PA after adjusting for confounding factors. There was no significant association between betweenness and percentage change in PA (p = 0.66) or in-degree and percentage change in PA (p = 0.21). Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of considering social network dynamics in PA interventions, particularly for children with high social closeness. Future research should incorporate objective PA measures and explore broader social networks to enhance intervention strategies, especially for Generation Z and Alpha, who experience unique opportunities and motivations for PA due to pervasive digital environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the impact of a targeted educational intervention on enhancing grit and critical thinking skills among 10-year-old primary school students in rural Chile. The intervention, involving 153 students from six public schools, used a language classroom model with structured reading activities. Grit and critical thinking were measured pre- and post-intervention. Results showed improvements in the intervention group. The intervention's effectiveness was consistent across genders. The findings suggest that structured, student-centered educational strategies can enhance grit and critical thinking in primary students. Further research is needed to generalize the results to different settings and age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents can have a significant impact on student progress, but it is unclear whether generally influential forms of parental involvement can be identified or if they have a differential impact. Our research focuses on the impact of different forms of parental involvement (at-home and in-school involvement) on primary and high school students' academic performance, and we also examine the differences between low- and high-status families. Our quantitative research analyzed data from all students that were in Grade 6 and Grade 10 in Hungary in 2019, and we conducted analysis using the Hungarian National Competency Assessment database (n = 183.366). We examined how parental involvement affects children's mathematics and reading achievements. The results of our research were as follows: (1) Parental involvement type impacts student achievement. Home-based PI has a negative effect, while teacher–parent conferences and discussing school events have a positive effect. (2) The link between parental involvement and student achievement is weaker for higher-status families compared to lower-status families. Based on our results, the generalizability of the positive impact of parental involvement can be questioned because not all forms of it have a favorable effect on student achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood overweight and obesity are increasingly prevalent in Pakistan, posing significant public health challenges. This study explores the associations of school-level factors and school sports facility parameters with overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study across seven random districts in Punjab province, Pakistan, was conducted using a representative multistage random cluster sample. Underweight (BMI < 5th percentile), overweight (85th ≤ BMI < 95th percentile), and obese (95th percentile ≤ BMI) were defined using the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) 2000 criteria. Statistical analyses including the Chi-square test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and linear regression were performed to investigate predictive characteristics. Logistic regression analysis assessed the simultaneous impact of several covariates on dichotomous outcomes, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) computed and a significance level set at p < 0.05. The study included 4108 Pakistani school children aged 9 to 17 years (mean age = 13.92 years, 59.3% boys) from 62 schools. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 19.4% and 10.7%, respectively. Findings revealed a concerning lack of physical education activities (60% reported 0 sessions per week), morning exercise (60%), and classroom exercises (66%) among school-aged children. Leadership attitudes toward physical education (β = 0.04, p = 0.006) and students' satisfaction with the playground (β = 0.05, p = 0.015) showed significant associations with body weight status. Conversely, provision of physical education facilities, effective fund utilization for physical education, meeting school sports facility requirements, and weekend opening of school sports grounds did not significantly impact weight status. Satisfaction with the playground was significantly associated with a lower risk of overweight (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.69–0.95, p < 0.05), indicating reduced overweight likelihood among students satisfied with school playgrounds. The study underscores significant gaps in promoting physical activity within school environments and highlights the urgent need for interventions to enhance physical education resources and sports facilities, aiming to create healthier school environments and reduce overweight and obesity prevalence among students. Further research and interventions are crucial for promoting lifelong physical activity habits and improving student health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural education is a strategic sector for rural revival projects. The presence and state of rural schools is an indicator on the sustainability of rural communities in its economic, social, and ecosystemic interactions. This study explores the Chilean case as it shows a movement in student mobility towards rural schools. Based on new data from the Ministry of Education, the study shows that primary school students indicate a shift in tutors and families' preferences for rural schools, as rural schools' enrolment has increased by 1% in the 2015–2020 period. In the context of a market-based education system, the data indicate a process in which rural systems are seen as viable alternatives for families. There is a clear landmark in rural mobility during the pandemic years; however, the study concludes that there is no indication of a catalyst for migration different from previous years or signs of rural revival yet. We suggest that further studies should be conducted to map how this trend may be replicating in different countries and geographies, as well as to ponder its implications for rural communities and its capacity to harbor urban out-migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among children with special needs, those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more susceptible to school bullying, due to communication challenges. In this study, the severity and types of school bullying, mainly physical, verbal, and social, experienced by children with ASD were identified and assessed from their mothers' perspectives in Jordan. Additionally, the mothers' levels of agreement with a set of anti-bullying interventions targeted at preventing bullying or attenuating its adverse consequences on children with ASD were evaluated. The results revealed that verbal and physical bullying were the most common types of school bullying experienced by children with ASD. Furthermore, the frequency of bullying has not been correlated to gender or school type; however, children in primary school experienced a higher frequency of school bullying. The results also revealed a set of proposed anti-bullying interventions that received a high level of agreement from the mothers. These interventions include arranging for various training sessions and programs targeted to children with ASD and their mothers to guide them on handling bullying and assigning specialists at schools to evaluate, monitor, and prevent bullying behaviors and support bullied students. Such interventions are considered promising opportunities for addressing school bullying among children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social skills are crucial to the personal development and academic success of elementary school students. Through competencies such as empathy, conflict resolution, leadership, and self-esteem, students learn to interact effectively and adapt to diverse social situations. However, the manifestation of these skills can be conditioned by factors such as race, ethnicity, or religion of the students, as well as by the environment in which they live. Therefore, it is vitally important to actively promote these skills within the school environment to ensure healthy growth and a successful future in society. In this context, the research focuses on the analysis of the social skills of intercultural students in Andalusia. Specifically, we investigated whether the White race, Castilian ethnicity, and Christian religion have any influence on these skills. To meet this objective, a quasi-experimental design was used with a non-probabilistic purposive sampling that included a sample of N = 803 intercultural students aged 6 to 12 years from schools in all Andalusian provinces. The results indicate that students of predominantly White, Castilian ethnicity, and Christian religion exhibit greater social skills compared to those of Gypsy ethnicity, Islamic religion, or no religious affiliation. These findings underscore the significant influence that culture and social environment exert on the development of social skills, which are fundamental for facilitating integration and promoting peaceful coexistence among different cultural groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein involved in synaptic transmission and neuronal plasticity, which underlie the processes of learning and memory formation. Acute exercise and exercise training increase BDNF concentration. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a 3-month integrated neuromuscular training (INT) on salivary BDNF concentration and the mastery of fundamental motor skills in school-aged children. An additional goal was to explore the associations between potential changes in BDNF and fundamental motor skills. Sixty-seven primary school-aged children were randomly allocated to control (N = 32; 7.52 ± 0.31 y) or INT groups (N = 35; 7.56 ± 0.29 y). A 3-month INT was applied during the warm-up of physical education (PE) classes, twice weekly. Salivary BDNF was measured using a sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the mastery of fundamental motor skills was assessed using the CAMSA test, at baseline and after 3 months. The children in the INT group, as compared to the children in the control group, exhibited higher salivary BDNF (F = 8.865; p = 0.004), higher scores for sidestep (F = 13.240, p = 0.001), 1-foot hop (F = 11.684, p = 0.001), kick (F = 4.010, p = 0.050), the sum of locomotor skills (F = 18.799, p < 0.0001), and the sum of control and manipulative skills (F = 8.151, p = 0.006), as well as the total sum of fundamental motor skills (F = 11.266, p = 0.001) after the 3 months. Interestingly, the increase in salivary BDNF concentration after the 3-month INT was associated with an improvement in locomotor skills (beta = 0.385; p = 0.039; adjusted R2 = 0.088) and the total improvement in fundamental motor skills (beta = 0.428; p = 0.020; adjusted R2 = 0.124). A school-based 3-month INT increased salivary BDNF and improved the mastery of fundamental motor skills in children, highlighting the positive impact of this intervention for a pediatric population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to evaluate changes in fitness after an integrated neuromuscular training (INT) intervention in primary school children and to evaluate how lifestyle behaviors and parental education modulate these changes. One hundred and seventy children (7.45 ± 0.34 years; 52% girls) were included. Cardiorespiratory fitness (half-mile run test), a 10 × 5 m shuttle run test, standing broad jump (SBJ), handgrip dynamometer, body mass index (BMI) and fat mass percentage (FM%) were assessed before and after the 3-month intervention (20 min of INT in the physical education class, twice per week). The Mediterranean diet (MD), sleep time and parental education level (PEL) were evaluated by questionnaires, and adherence to physical activity (PA) recommendations was measured with a triaxial accelerometer before the intervention. After the intervention, there were improvements in the 10 × 5 test and the SBJ. Only girls had improvements in the handgrip test, BMI SDS and FM%. After correcting for confounding variables, only BMI was significantly improved whereas strength improved in the participants non-compliant with the PA recommendations or pertaining to families of high PEL. The INT produced improvements in fitness in a brief period and in different subgroups of pupils (inactive and with diverse sociocultural environments). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effects of object weight and hand dominance on the end-point kinematics of the hand-to-mouth (withdrawal) movement in a functional reach-to-drink task for typically developing school-aged children. Using 3D motion capture, speed (average velocity and peak velocity), straightness (ratio), and smoothness (number of velocity peaks and log dimensionless jerk) of hand movements were calculated for the withdrawal motion with three different bottle weights (empty, half-filled, and full). Average velocity (550.4 ± 142.0 versus 512.1 ± 145.6 mm/s) and peak velocity (916.3 ± 234 versus 842.7 ± 198.4 mm/s) were significantly higher with the empty versus half-filled bottle and with the non-dominant (average: 543.5 ± 145.2 mm/s; peak: 896.5 ± 207 mm/s) versus dominant (average: 525.2 ± 40.7 mm/s; peak: 864.2 ± 209.2 mm/s) hand. There were no differences in straightness or smoothness. These findings indicate that increasing weight in reach-to-drink task puts greater constraints on the task. The slower movements with the dominant hand might denote better precision control than the non-dominant hand. The quantitative motion capture results show average values for the kinematic variables for a functional reach-to-drink task in a typically developing population of school-aged children with changing weights of the bottles that are relevant to a real-life scenario. These results could inform the design of individualized therapeutic interventions to improve functional upper-extremity use in children with neurodevelopmental motor disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proportions and canons of the human body have always been an area of research mainly through art, architecture, or construction, and today, they have a significant application in product design. Research confirms that body height in most cases corresponds to the canon (head–body ratio) of 7.5 to 8 head lengths. This paper investigates the ratio of the head length (HL) to the total body height (BH, stature) of kindergarten and school-aged children, aiming to define the children's canon inspired by the idea of the harmonic circle theory and the biomechanical model. The data were collected from 1307 children (male 676, female 631) aged 2 to 16 years in the cities of Zagreb (Croatia), Sofia (Bulgaria), and Skopje (North Macedonia). A generalized ESD test (alpha-level 0.10) and Turkey's 1977 test were used in order to detect outliers in distributions of heights and in the distribution of ratios. Statistical significance was set at 0.05, all p values were two-sided, and the MedCalc statistical tool (version 20.110) was used. The results confirm that canonical changes follow the historical research of artists throughout the centuries, but that they change according to contemporary secular trends in children's growth and cover HL/BH canons from 5.59 and 5.72 (2-year-old girls and boys) to 7.50 and 7.60 (15-year-old boys and girls) depending on age and gender. HL/BH ratio was significantly higher among female examinees in all age groups where difference was significant (Student's t test, p < 0.02). In conclusion, such a calculation based on the canon is important for interdisciplinary professions. Creating an anthropological–biomechanical model based on canons, instead of time-consuming measurement, could significantly simplify the long-term collection of anthropometric data used for designing children's products. Future detailed research is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relationship between fundamental movement skills (FMSs) and health-related fitness (HRF) among first and second graders in South Korean elementary schools. It aimed to provide foundational data for developing physical education programs tailored to the motor development stages and fitness levels of younger elementary school students. This study utilized secondary data from the physical activity competence evaluation conducted by the Health Physical Activity Institute (HPAI). In October 2023, the HPAI evaluated the fundamental movement skills (jumping, running, hopping, static balance, dynamic balance, overhand throwing, and kicking) and health-related fitness (muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility) of 291 first and second-grade students. The collected data were analyzed through frequency and multiple regression analyses performed using SPSS software. The results revealed that higher scores in jumping and hopping are associated with greater muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility. Running had no significant effect on HRF elements. Higher scores in static balance (i.e., that used in single-leg stance) were associated with increased muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, and flexibility, but dynamic balance (balance beam walking) did not have a significant effect. Higher scores in overhand throwing were associated with greater muscular strength and cardiorespiratory endurance, but kicking did not show a significant association. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of prioritizing jumping and static balance in physical education for the well-rounded health development of first and second graders. Based on the results derived from this study, it is expected to serve as a theoretical basis for including "jumping" and "static balance" in the first and second grade curriculum of elementary schools, thereby providing essential guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic diseases are common in children and adolescents. It is important to assess the prevalence and risk factors of environmental diseases to implement tailored countermeasures. Methods: This questionnaire study investigated factors associated with environmental diseases in elementary school children with an environmental disease from 150 households in Daejeon Metropolitan City, South Korea in 2021. Results: The participants comprised 55.7% girls and 44.3% boys, and the mean age was 10.1 years with an even age distribution. The typical risk factors observed were the type of roads nearby, the presence of mold or stains within the residence, pet ownership, and frequency of indoor ventilation and cleaning. Notably, 73.2% of the households had an eight-lane road nearby, 40.2% reported leaks, stains, or mold within their homes during the past year, and 37.1% ventilated their homes for less than 30 min. After education on preventing and managing environmental diseases, significant changes were observed in bedding washing frequency, average ventilation duration per session, and duration of humidifier usage (p < 0.05–0.001), with improvements in lifestyle. Conclusions: Our study can be used as a reference for expanding indoor air quality control education for parents with children with an environmental disease and providing tailored environmental consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers' actions go beyond instruction, as their personal traits influence their teaching methods, problem-solving skills, and the quality of their relationships with students. Among these attributes, their prosocial competencies stand out for contributing to school, community, and social coexistence. Furthermore, the connection they have to resilience and self-efficacy promotes increased effectiveness in meeting the demands of an ever-more challenging work environment. This research aimed to analyze the effect of the relationship between self-efficacy and resilience on the prosocial behavior of Chilean elementary school teachers. The sample consisted of 1426 teachers (77.2% women) working in public and subsidized Chilean schools. Structural equation modeling (SEM) explored the relationships between self-efficacy, resilience, and prosocial behavior. The findings indicate that self-efficacy and resilience directly and positively affect the prosocial behavior of elementary school teachers. It is suggested that resilience, self-efficacy, and prosociality among teachers are promoted due to their synergistic effects and, consequently, the benefits for school children, especially those from vulnerable social contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has proven that the balance of autistic children is poor. However, the reliability of assessing balance in this cohort has been inadequately researched. This study therefore aimed to examine if field-based static and dynamic balance tests can be reliably assessed in autistic children, to determine the number of familiarisation sessions required and whether autistic severity impacts on the reliability of these balance tests. The balance of eighteen primary school-aged autistic children was assessed three times a week over five weeks, using the flamingo balance test, a modified version of the balance error scoring system (BESS), the low beam walking test, and the heel to toe walking test. Reliability criteria included an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) level of ≥0.75 and a coefficient of variance (CV%) of ≤46% for the low beam walking test, the heel to toe walking test, and the BESS, and a CV% of ≤82% or the flamingo balance test. Inter-session reliability was achieved and required the least number of familiarisation sessions for the flamingo balance test, compared to the low beam walking test, which required a greater number of familiarisation sessions to achieve inter-session reliability. The heel to toe walking test and the BESS achieved inter-session reliability and familiarisation in an acceptable time frame. Due to the large CV% values reported in the current study, practitioners need to be aware that balance interventions need to achieve improvements greater than the CV% in this cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between trait emotional intelligence and creative self-efficacy in gifted children and to explore the cross-temporal mediating role of self-concept between these two variables. A total of 177 gifted children aged 10–13 years (M = 11.29, SD = 0.68) were selected from an experimental class of gifted children in a middle school. The results showed that (1) the trait emotional intelligence and creative self-efficacy of gifted children decreased with age and that (2) trait emotional intelligence at time 1 (T1) positively and significantly predicted creative self-efficacy at time 2 (T2). The Self-Description Questionnaire was added at the second follow-up, which revealed that (3) T2 non-academic self-concept fully mediated the relationship between T1 trait emotional intelligence and T2 creative self-efficacy. This study revealed a lasting positive effect of trait emotional intelligence on the development of creative self-efficacy in gifted children. Additionally, trait emotional intelligence was found to indirectly influence creative self-efficacy through non-academic self-concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies with adults and school children have shown that placebos can enhance motivation and performance in physical activities. This study aimed to investigate whether similar effects are present in kindergarten-aged children. A total of 101 children (58 girls, 43 boys) aged 3 to 6 years were randomly assigned to one of two groups that either received a deceptive placebo (DP: "magic potion") or a nondeceptive placebo (NDP: "water") to enhance physical abilities. Each child completed three tasks (sprinting; balancing: standing on a balance board; strength: using a handheld dynamometer) both with and without the placebo. The variables assessed included task performance, enjoyment, and expected and perceived placebo efficacy (measured with nonverbal pictorial rating scales). Results showed that both the DP and NDP increased speed. For strength, balance, and task enjoyment (which was very high), no placebo-induced changes were observed. Expected efficacy was higher for the DP; perceived efficacy did not differ between DP and NDP. In conclusion, reported outcome expectations indicated that kindergarten-aged children were already able to differentiate between the two types of placebos which exhibited positive effects concerning running performance. This encourages further research on using nondeceptive placebos to enhance physical activity, which is crucial for children's overall health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare physical activity and organized sport participation survey data between different weight classifications in children. In the cross-sectional online data collection, 677 parents (42.8 ± 6.4 years old) provided information about 677 children (10.9 ± 2.5 years old). On average, 77% of the children achieved 60 min of MVPA/day and 63% participated in a club or organized sport. Most of them (63%) were in the healthy weight category, 14% of the children were underweight, and 22% of the children were overweight or obese. The parental support for physical activity was 83%. Club or organized sport participation (OR = 0.56 CI: 0.34–0.91; p < 0.02) and a parent with a higher educational level (OR = 0.25 CI:0.14–0.43; p < 0.01) were found to be preventive for obesity. Football was the most popular and highly chosen sport activity. Regarding sport activities with parents, cycling, walking, and football were the most popular, independently of the weight classification of the child. The overweight and obese children had almost the same participation rate in sport activities than others. Increased physical activity might be explained by the daily physical education in schools and governmental support. Further studies and measures are needed to prevent overweight and obesity in children of parents with a lower educational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is broadly acknowledged that children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) show verb-related limitations. While most previous studies have focused on tense, the mastery of lexical aspect—particularly telicity—has not been the primary focus of much research. Lexical aspect refers to whether an action has a defined endpoint (telic verbs) or not (atelic verbs). Objective: This study investigates the effect of telicity on verb recognition in Chilean children with DLD compared to their typically developing (TD) peers using the Event-Related Potential (ERP) technique. Method: The research design is a mixed factorial design with between-group factors of 2 (DLD/TD) and within-group factors of 2 (telic/atelic verbs) and 2 (coherent/incoherent sentences). The participants were 36 school-aged children (18 DLD, 18 TD) aged 7 to 7 years and 11 months. The task required subjects to listen to sentences that either matched or did not match an action in a video, with sentences including telic or atelic verbs. Results: The study found notable differences between groups in how they processed verbs (N400 and post-N400 components) and direct objects (N400 and P600 components). Conclusions: Children with DLD struggled to differentiate telic and atelic verbs, potentially because they employed overgeneralization strategies consistent with the Event Structural Bootstrapping model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: This study explores the potential energy expenditure associated with participation in after-school sports activities among primary school children. (2) Methods: The study involved 129 children age (11.35 ± 0.55 years) recruited from eight different public after-school sport programs. (3) Results: Data analyses revealed significant differences between the eight sports in total calories per session, calories per minute, and METs (p < 0.05). All sports showed higher energy expenditure compared to chess (p < 0.05), with soccer and rugby exhibiting the highest energy expenditure per session. Team sports showed elevated energy consumption per session (p < 0.01, r > 0.30), calories per minute (p = 0.01, r > 0.40), and METs (p < 0.01, r > 0.40) in comparison with individual sports. (4) Conclusions: These findings enhance our understanding of the energy expenditure observed in primary school children following various after-school sports activities. The results indicate that team sports, in particular, are pivotal in elevating physical activity levels, thereby playing an essential role in fostering healthier lifestyles among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Schools can play a key role in promoting health among adolescents, and Hungarian legislation gives them sufficient space to do so. In our study, we examined the impact of a multiyear school health promotion programme on pupils' health behaviour and well-being. Methods: We carried out our investigation in an intervention and a control primary school in Hungary. All 5th and 7th grade pupils were invited to participate in the questionnaire-based survey between 2017 and 2021. The effect of the intervention was quantified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Our results show that for those behaviours where pupils' personal choices had a greater influence (unhealthy eating, smoking, screen time), the health promotion programme was more effective. For those behaviours where family background and parental influence were more pronounced (healthy eating, physical activity), the intervention had less impact. Self-perceived health was better in the 7th-grade intervention group. Conclusions: Our findings are in line with the conclusion of systematic reviews that more intensive, longer-term, multi-behavioural school health promotion programmes can be effective in promoting positive behaviour. To be more effective, it would be worth using a well-structured curriculum, well-developed teaching materials, and greater involvement of teachers, parents, and various local organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to understand the perceptions of Primary (PrE) and Secondary Education (SE) students in Cantabria about the subject of physical education (PE) and their teachers. A descriptive, comparative relational analytical cross-sectional design was used. A total of 1164 students (387 from PrE and 777 from SE) answered an ad hoc questionnaire on their satisfaction with their PE classes (eight items) and teachers (nine items). The results indicate that the PrE students were more satisfied than the SE students regarding the following statements about PE: more hours per week (p < 0.001); classes and subjects that I like the most (p < 0.001); I enjoy and have fun (p < 0.001); interesting and motivating (p < 0.001); and useful for life (p < 0.001) and easy (p = 0.006). The boys' responses reflected higher values than the girls' on all the previous items (p < 0.005). Regarding their thinking about their PE teachers, statistically significant differences were found in the PrE students' responses compared with those of the SE students for the following: explains well and is easily understood (p = 0.006); stimulates and encourages participation (p = 0.050); cares and is interested in the students (p = 0.031); treat boys and girls the same (p < 0.001); and I prefer a woman because she understands me better (p = 0.021). Therefore, the male and primary-stage students showed more positive attitudes towards PE. In general, there was a favorable disposition towards PE and towards teachers, which must be taken into account to achieve SDG 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: As the first three links of the chain of survival of victims of cardiac arrest depend on prompt action by bystanders, it is important to educate as much of the population as possible about basic life support and use of an automatic external defibrillator (BLS and AED). Schoolchildren are an accessible population that can be easily taught and numerous BLS and AED courses are available. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two different practical approaches to teaching BLS and AED. Material and Methods: We compared two different BLS and AED courses (course A and B) offered to 280 eighth- and ninth-grade students in primary schools. Knowledge about and the intention to perform BLS and AED were evaluated using validated questionnaires before and after the courses. Descriptive methods were used to describe the results. To compare courses, we used the Mann–Whitney U test. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Differences in knowledge and intention to perform BLS and AED after the courses were significant between courses (p < 0.001 and p = 0.037, respectively). After course A, students demonstrated significantly better knowledge and numerically greater intention to perform BLS and AED (intention score 6.55 ± 0.61 out of 7). Conclusions: Courses in which students have the opportunity to individually practice BLS skills show a greater increase in knowledge and in intention to perform BLS and AED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil-transmitted helminthiases (STH) are among the neglected tropical diseases and infect more than 24% of the world population. The World Health Organization recommends regular monitoring of STH's prevalence and intensity following mass drug administrations to evaluate their effectiveness and inform future control strategies. This study evaluated the prevalence, intensity, and risk factors of STH infections among school children aged 6 to 14 years old in northwestern Tanzania. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 728 school children in the Kagera region in 2021. Participants were selected using a two-stage cluster sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data on the risk factors. Stool samples were examined using the Kato–Katz technique. The data were analysed using STATA. The overall prevalence of STH was 56.2% (95% CI: 52.5–59.8, 409/728). About 5.7% and 1.1% of the infected children had moderate-intensity infections with Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura, respectively. Risk factors included the mother's occupation as a farmer (aOR: 1.2, p = 0.002) and not washing hands with water and soap (aOR: 1.4, p = 0.035). Washing one's hands after using the toilet (aOR: 0.6; p = 0.024) is a preventive measure against STH infections. STH was prevalent in the study area. The mother's occupation (farmer) and the lack of handwashing with water and soap influenced STH transmission. Conversely, washing hands after visiting the toilet and after playing with soil reduced the risk of STH infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The main goals of this study were to describe the physical activity (PA) and sleep habits of 8–12-year-old children according to their gender and to evaluate the relationship between PA and sleep habits (i.e., duration and timing). (2) Methods: A total of 236 children (114 boys and 122 girls) completed the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and an ad hoc sleep habits questionnaire. (3) Results: Boys were more physically active than girls (2.62 ± 0.51 vs. 2.46 ± 0.48, p = 0.026) and enacted higher PA levels in school recess (3.82 ± 1.36 vs. 3.56 ± 1.38, p = 0.003), during the afternoon (3.37 ± 1.20 vs. 2.89 ± 1.12, p = 0.003), and during weekends (3.54 ± 1.20 vs. 3.18 ± 0.48, p = 0.009). Per sleep habits, boys had a significantly later bedtime (21:53 ± 2:08 vs. 21:34 ± 2:14, p = 0.009) and a significantly smaller total sleep duration (9.64 ± 0.86 vs. 9.89 ± 0.87 h, p = 0.023) than girls. No significant correlations between PA and sleep habits were found. (4) Conclusions: We found differences in the PA and sleep habits between school-age boys and girls. Institutions and entities should consider designing specific interventions to improve PA and sleep habits according to gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental involvement may influence the subjective well-being of primary school students, but the specific mechanisms remain unclear. This study explores the mechanisms between parental involvement and primary school students' subjective well-being. The current study investigated 340 fifth and sixth grade students and their parents from a primary school using the Parental Education Involvement Behavior Scale, the Well-Being Scale, the Sense of Security Scale, and the Learning Self-Regulation Scale. We found that (1) sense of security plays a complete mediating role between parental involvement and primary school students' subjective well-being; (2) autonomous motivation has a marginal mediating effect between parental involvement and subjective well-being of primary school students; and (3) sense of security and autonomous motivation play a chain mediating role between parents' educational involvement and primary school students' well-being. In conclusion, parental involvement appears to contribute to primary school children's subjective well-being, and this effect may be mediated individually and sequentially by the children's sense of security and autonomous motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-concept in this article is considered in physical education, with the physical self-concept being in the foreground, and it is analyzed in this quantitative study to determine whether it is related with socio-economic environment and parental styles, focusing on primary education students in the Region of Murcia. Primary education students are in a critical period for the development of self-concept. To assess self-concept levels, socio-economic and cultural environments as well as parental socialization styles, the PSPP, NSE and ESPA29 questionnaires were respectively used. They were used to collect data from 937 students across various educational centers in upper courses (4th, 5th and 6th grades of primary education) to uncover realities in child society and their relationship with self-concept. In the first objective, parental socialization styles are shown to be related with self-concept. However, in the second objective, it is seen that the socio-economic environment is more related with self-concept than parental styles. Finally, the results of the third objective show that there is indeed a relationship with the socio-economic environment and the student body self-concept, both at the family level and for fathers and mothers independently. It is important to consider both the parental styles and the socio-economic environment in which primary education students develop for the development of self-concept. Additionally, educational implications and new lines of research are suggested in this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A previous short time span study related to the effectiveness of a teaching pack (TP) in improving the adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) showed positive results. The present study was aimed at investigating and confirming those results, with a follow up data collection, in the same sample, a year after the baseline intervention. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted. Weight and height were measured. Eating patterns/lifestyle were assessed by the KIDMED test and questionnaires. Thirteen schools in three areas with low, medium and high prevalence of overweight/obesity (North, Center and South respectively) were involved, with a representative baseline cluster sample of 494 fourth class children (8–10 years old) in 2015. An intervention group and a control group were recruited in each school; the intervention group (n = 395) got the intervention, the control group (n = 99) did not. The children’s KIDMED score changes were the main outcome measures. Differences in percentages of adherence and in yes/no answers on the KIDMED test, at baseline and after one year, for both the intervention and the control groups, were assessed through contingency tables and statistical tests. Improvements in the high and low adherence rates to MD were observed (high adherence: 24.4% to 43.3%; low adherence: 15.0% to 3.9%, p < 0.0001). The percentages of subjects with optimal adherence improved in both sexes (females: 25.5% to 49.5%, p < 0.0001; males: 23.1% to 36.6%, p < 0.0001) in all the geographical areas and ponderal status classes. Accompanying free distribution of fruit and vegetables with a nutritional intervention led by trained teachers with a cross-curricular approach can be successful in promoting healthy eating in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repetitive practice can become an exploratory activity where instruction and discovery are linked, allowing instruction and guidance through tasks that help to construct and acquire the knowledge and skills that make up the content. (1) Background: The aim of the study was to show how a teaching method based on guided discovery would affect the teaching of children's aquatic competence in schoolchildren with different levels of competence. (2) Methods: An observational study was conducted with 385 schoolchildren (195 boys and 189 girls) aged 3–5 years belonging to a charter kindergarten, using an Instrument for the Measurement of Aquatic Competence in Children (SMACC) consisting of 17 items grouped into three dimensions: socio-affective, cognitive, and motor. (3) Results: After measuring aquatic competence, all age groups and all variables (motor, cognitive, and socio-affective) showed differences between pre- and post-scores and a high magnitude of effect size. When the teaching intervention was analyzed according to the level of aquatic competence of the age group, improvements were found in all variables in both the low and high-competence groups. (4) Conclusions: This study describes how guided discovery instruction has equal effects at different levels of proficiency. Furthermore, when this type of instruction was used, aquatic competence was explained not only by the motor and socio-affective dimensions but also by the cognitive variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: As research on yoga with school children is growing, this study investigated the effects a semester of yoga versus physical education on children's physical activity and psychosocial indicators. Methods: Physical activity and psychosocial variables were assessed at Time 1 (January/February) and Time 2 (April/May) through self-report surveys (n = 157; 63% female, age: m = 10.38, sd = 0.81 years) for the intervention (Hatha yoga classes) and control groups (standard physical education classes). The intervention group was also observed regarding pedometer and System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time data. Results: The results revealed a trend towards an increase for the control and a decrease for the intervention group in stress levels. The pedometer results showed a trend towards an increasing number of steps/min. Skill practice had the greatest increase with time dedicated to that activity. The observation results revealed a significant difference in activity from Time 1 to Time 2. The major differences were decreases in sitting and being very active, and an increase in walking. Conclusions: Given the observation data and our study design limitations, the study results showed similarities between Hatha yoga and physical education in terms of increasing physical activity levels and psychosocial variables; thus, yoga may be a viable alternative to children's physical education in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Brazil and Mozambique face similar socioeconomic challenges, including common indicators of undernutrition and overnutrition among children. This study evaluated the similarity degree of the anthropometric and body composition variables of Brazilian and Mozambican children by using the Jaccard index. Methods: A total of 1831 children of both genders aged 7–10 years from three Brazilian cities (Recife, Vitoria de Santo Antao, and Lagoa do Carro) and three Mozambican cities (Maputo, Boane, and Inhambane) participated in this study. Anthropometric (height, body mass, and waist circumference) and body composition (body fat percentage [%BF], lean mass, and fat mass) variables were measured and the Smoothed Jaccard Index Surface (SJIS) was used to evaluate the similarity degree. Results: Brazilian children were taller and heavier and had a higher %BF and fat mass than Mozambican children. Children living in urban areas were taller than those living in rural zones in both countries. Brazilian and Mozambican children showed high similarity only between %BF and lean mass. Children from Recife and Maputo had high similarities among waist circumference, body mass, fat mass, height, and %BF. Finally, a high SJIS degree was observed among height and %BF for schoolchildren from rural and urban zones. Conclusion: Brazilian and Mozambican children exhibit differences in growth characteristics but a high degree of similarity when children from rural and urban zones are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global issues of overweight and sedentary lifestyles require comprehensive responses from health systems. Despite this, health education remains fragmented and sporadic. This study aims to target primary school children to instil healthy habits using active learning strategies, with a specific focus on promoting a healthy diet and physical activity. Methods: This study employed problem-based learning (PBL) projects with fourth-grade primary students to encourage the acquisition of healthy habits. Conducted over four consecutive years at a two-line school, the study utilised an opportunity sample, evaluating intervention and control groups by comparing their corresponding scores. The control groups consisted of 54 students, while the intervention group included 159 students. Data collection involved pre-test and post-test questionnaires to measure outcomes. Results: Differential evaluation scores revealed significantly higher results in the intervention groups compared to the control groups, with an average score increase of 3.62 points in control groups and 6.94 points in intervention groups, particularly in attitudinal competencies. The strategies employed facilitated the development of crucial skills such as information search, synthesis, representation, analysis, decision making, teamwork, and intrapersonal awareness. Additionally, they significantly broadened the knowledge acquired regarding healthy habits. Conclusions: The problem-based learning approach proved effective in helping children understand the importance of making healthy choices and encouraged the integration of such habits into their daily lives. These findings suggest that active learning strategies can significantly enhance health education and promote long-term healthy behaviours among primary school children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents two simple physiotherapy programs that were implemented for five weeks and showed positive changes in balance, coordination, and motor skills in kindergarteners with ASD. Physiotherapy programs in a gym and games on a smart board with balance plates and an unstable base were applied to improve the physical condition of children with ASD. Thirty children with ASD (4–6 years old) attending special needs kindergarten were enrolled in the study. Three tests were used to assess participants' physical condition before and after the study: the modified Berg Balance Scale, the Imbalance Coordination Sample, and the Bruininks–Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test (BOTMP). The resulting mean change, calculated from each group's scores, shows that the participants who received physical therapy sessions at the smart board had the greatest change of 1.58 points. It shows that the opportunity to play games on a smart board motivates children with ASD to work harder; therefore, it is a simple and easy way to engage children in different types of physical exercise. A slightly smaller change of 1.51 was obtained in the group that received gym sessions. However, working in the gym was more psychologically challenging for the children with ASD due to their lack of desire and motivation. Both methods are relatively simple and easy to apply at home; therefore, parents can make a significant contribution to improving children's physical condition and that can be an effective tool to assist these individuals with activities in daily life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The primary objective of this research was to assess age differences in the associations between cyberbullying victimization and bystanding and depression among 234 elementary school students (4th and 5th graders; 51% female), 363 middle school students (6th to 8th grades; 53% female), and 341 high school students (9th to 12th grades; 51% female) as well as the moderating effect of parental mediation in these relationships. Methods: Participants completed self-report questionnaires on their cyberbullying victimization and bystanding, as well as depressive symptoms. Results: The findings revealed that high levels of instructive mediation buffered against depression associated with cyberbullying victimization and bystanding across all age groups, with the strongest effects found for middle school students. Lower levels of instructive mediation and higher levels of restrictive mediation increased the positive relationships between cyberbullying victimization and bystanding and depression. Co-viewing mediation did not moderate any of the associations. Conclusions: Parental mediation of technology use has the potential to alleviate the negative consequences associated with cyberbullying victimization and bystanding. The findings highlight the importance of tailoring prevention and intervention strategies to specific age groups and to parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]