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Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the mutual relationship between perceptions of peer relationship quality and position in positive and negative peer networks among young people from late childhood to early adolescence. Method: A cross-lagged panel model of three waves of data was conducted using a large representative sample of Polish students from third grade to sixth grade (N = 4 673). Results: The results proved a reciprocal relationship between position in positive (Like) and negative (DisLike) peer networks and the perceived quality of peer relationships (PPI). The effect found of position on the perceived quality of peer relationships is in line with the existing state of knowledge. Since previous research has yielded divergent results, this demonstration of the prospective impact of perceived relationship quality on peer network position fills an important cognitive gap. The study also revealed the following: (1) in the first (W1→W2) and second period (W2→W3) the strength of the prospective effects of position in the peer network on its perceived quality (Like→PPI and DisLike→PPI), and the strength of the prospective effects of perceived quality on position (PPI→Like and PPI→DisLike), were not statistically significantly different; (2) the effect size of the cross-lagged coefficients ranged from small to medium; (3) all constructs showed greater stability in the second period than in the first; (4) in both periods stability of PPI was lower than the stability of sociometric indicators. Conclusion: This research confirms the presence of a self-reinforcing loop: a low position in peer networks→poor perceived quality of relations→decrease of position in peer networks. The findings are discussed in relation to the evolutionary theory of loneliness (ETL), which assumes a potentially active role of the perception of peer relationships in forming a position in a peer network. Practical implications of the results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forgivingness, viewed as a positive personality trait, exhibits a close association with life satisfaction. However, limited research has explicitly studied the reciprocal relationship between the two, especially during adolescent transition. Can a positive cycle be identified wherein life satisfaction not only follows but also catalyzes the development of forgivingness? The current study addressed this inquiry by investigating the reciprocal association between forgivingness and life satisfaction during late childhood and early adolescence. A total of 244 elementary and 336 junior middle school students participated in this three-wave paper-and-pencil study. Findings from repeated measures analysis of variance and cross-lagged analysis revealed that: (1) Forgivingness exhibited a decline with age during the adolescent transition; (2) Unexpectedly, life satisfaction demonstrated a positive predictive influence on forgivingness in late childhood and early adolescence, whereas forgivingness did not significantly predict life satisfaction, indicating the absence of a positive cycle. The results challenge the traditional assumption that traits influence life satisfaction, underscoring the potential of enhancing life satisfaction to facilitate positive youth development, which holds notable theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first study examining peer sexual harassment among 10‐year‐olds (N = 985), studying how being a victim, perpetrator, or witness relates to emotional problems, and how these associations are moderated by gender and class occurrence of sexual harassment. Results showed that 45% of the participants reported victimization, 17% perpetration, and 60% witnessing sexual harassment, with vast overlaps between roles. Victimization and witnessing were related to more emotional problems. Victimized girls reported more emotional problems than boys, but girls who perpetrated reported fewer emotional problems than boys. Associations between peer sexual harassment and emotional problems varied across classrooms. Our findings highlight the occurrence of peer sexual harassment in younger ages, emphasizing an ecological perspective when addressing it in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate longitudinal, bidirectional associations between discrimination due to multiple reasons (race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, weight; termed multiple discrimination) and substance use (SU) intention in late childhood. These associations were compared across youth with no, single, and multiple (i.e., intersecting) marginalized identities based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and overweight status. Data were drawn from a national sample of youth in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (N = 8,530; 9–12 years old). Youth reported both their experiences of multiple discrimination (the number of forms of discrimination youth experienced) and SU intention at one-year and two-year follow-ups. Theoretically relevant covariates were included. Compared to non-marginalized youth (n = 2,689) and youth with single marginalized identities (n = 3,399), youth with intersecting marginalized identities (n = 2,442) reported the highest SU intention and multiple discrimination across waves. Only for this last group, multiple discrimination predicted stronger SU intention subsequently (β = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [0.02, 0.11]), whereas stronger SU intention predicted lower levels of multiple discrimination over time (β = −0.06, 95% confidence interval [-0.09, −0.02]). Sensitivity analyses yielded similar patterns with some nuances among subgroups of youth with varying intersecting marginalized identities. Multiple discrimination predicted stronger SU intention over time in late childhood, particularly among youth with intersecting marginalized identities. Policies and practices should consider addressing multiple discrimination to reduce SU disparities among diverse youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined patterns of mean-level change in striving for perfection, self-critical perfectionism, and socially prescribed perfectionism over two years in late childhood. The study involved five waves of data and a total of 377 children (43% girls) with a mean age of 10.66 years (SD = 0.56) at time 1. Growth curve models were used to investigate the development trajectories of perfectionism and how they differ by gender. We also examined whether initial levels and rates of change in children's perfectionism predict subsequent self-esteem and school engagement levels. Results indicated a small but significant decline in striving for perfection and socially prescribed perfectionism for both genders. Self-critical perfectionism also decreased significantly, but only among boys. The three development trajectories were positively interrelated, suggesting that children who increased over time in one aspect of perfectionism tended to increase also in the others. Nonetheless, different prospective associations with self-esteem and school engagement were found for the three dimensions. Initial levels of striving for perfection displayed positive effects on both variables at time 5, while initial levels of socially prescribed perfectionism had negative effects. Additionally, increasing levels of striving for perfection were related to higher school engagement, above and beyond initial levels of perfectionism. Increasing levels of socially prescribed perfectionism were related to lower self-esteem. Results are discussed and linked to earlier findings on patterns of change in perfectionism during childhood and adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self concept is an experiential formation gained as a result of certain experiences. The concept of self-concept has an interesting intersection with the psychological field of humour. The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between the humor styles and self-perceptions of primary school 4th grade students and to conduct the validityreliability study of the humor styles measurement tool. The study group of the research was carried out with 525 students attending the 4th grade of primary school. "Humor Styles Questionnaire for Young Children" (HSQ-Y) and "Self-Perception Profile for Children" (CIBAP) were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the research, first of all, the validity-reliability study of the humor styles questionnaire was conducted and the correlational scanning method of the general scanning model was used to examine the relationship between humor styles and self-perceptions of primary school students. In the results of the research; The humor styles questionnaire was found to be valid and reliable. In the relationship between; The sub-dimension of the humor styles questionnaire reveals the positive and significant relationship of the "participatory humor style" with all the sub-dimensions of the self-perception profile for children, and the "self-enhancing humor style" with the sub-dimension of "social acceptance". In the study, it was also observed that "aggressive humor style" was negatively related to "educational competence", "behavioral management", "social acceptance" "general self-worth" sub-dimensions, and "self-destructive humor style" was negatively related to "athletic competence" subdimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has confirmed that parental control is related to children's aggressive behavior. However, few studies have focused on proactive and reactive aggression to distinguish the different effects of parental psychological and behavioral control. Moreover, additional longitudinal evidence is needed to understand these links. In the current paper, a three‐wave longitudinal study was conducted to examine the developmental characteristics of proactive and reactive aggression and the role of parental control in China. A total of 484 4th‐ and 7th‐grade students participated at wave 1 (51.65% in 4th‐grade, Mage = 11.66 ± 1.52 years), 465 students (52.04% in 4th‐grade) at wave 2, and 447 children (51.90% in 4th‐grade) at wave 3. The results showed that: (1) Proactive aggression in late childhood remained stable overall, while reactive aggression displayed a clear upward trend. (2) In proactive aggression, boys and girls had a consistent developmental trend. The initial level of boys was higher than that of girls. In reactive aggression, the growth rate was inversely associated with their initial level and the initial level of boys in 7th‐grade was significantly higher than that of girls. (3) Both parental psychological and behavioral control positively predicted students' reactive aggression in 4th‐ and 7th‐grade, whereas only parental behavioral control positively predicted proactive aggression in 7th‐grade students, with no gender differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dealing with social rejection is challenging, especially during childhood when behavioral and neural responses to social rejection are still developing. In the current longitudinal study, we used a Bayesian multilevel growth curve model to describe individual differences in the development of behavioral and neural responses to social rejection in a large sample (n > 500). We found a peak in aggression following negative feedback (compared to neutral feedback) during late childhood, as well as individual differences during this developmental phase, possibly suggesting a sensitive window for dealing with social rejection across late childhood. Moreover, we found evidence for individual differences in the linear development of neural responses to social rejection in our three brain regions of interest: The anterior insula, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition to providing insights in the individual trajectories of dealing with social rejection during childhood, this study also makes a meaningful methodological contribution: Our statistical analysis strategy (and can be found in this study’s online supplementary materials at https://jeroendmulder.github.io/social-emotion-regulation/) can be used as an example on how to take into account the many complexities of developmental neuroimaging datasets, while still enabling researchers to answer interesting questions about individual-level relationships.

Being able to say no is a very important coping skill for the last childhood period, as it is for every period of life. Participating in recreational activities improves children's ability to say no and increases their sense of curiosity. In this study, the ability of saying no to children who participated in recreational football activities in their last childhood and those who did not participate in any recreational activity was compared. The study group of the research consists of 211 boys in the last childhood period, 105 of whom participated in recreational activities between the ages of 9-11 in Ankara and 106 of whom did not participate in any recreational activities. In the study, Yılmaz and Sözer's (2018) Ability to Say No Scale and Personal Information Form were used. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of the data. There was no significant difference between children who participated in recreational fuubol activities and those who did not. In further analysis, it was determined that the children of university graduate fathers had higher ability to say no than the children of high school graduate fathers. Ability to Say No, Late Childhood, Football

This longitudinal study (three waves across a school year) investigated the links between children's motivations to respond without prejudice and their ethnic outgroup attitudes at the between-person level (means and changes over time) and the within-person level (time-specific fluctuations). Participants were 945 ethnic majority students (MageW1 = 9.86 years, SD = 1.21; 471 girls) from 51 grade 3–6 classrooms in the Netherlands. Children reported (increasingly) more positive outgroup attitudes when their internal motivation was structurally high (between-person effects) and temporarily high (within-person effect), and less positive attitudes when their external motivation was structurally and temporarily high. The between-person effects were independent of the ethnic composition and the antiprejudice climate of the classroom. These findings may help in developing interventions aimed at reducing prejudice in late childhood. Public Significance Statement: The present study showed that children's temporal and structural motivations to respond without prejudice are relevant for their attitudes toward ethnic others. Children are and become more positive toward other-ethnic peers if they find this personally relevant and attractive, but not if they want to act nonprejudiced to avoid social disapproval. These findings are important for attempts to reduce children's prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Turkish Journal of Sport & Exercise / Türk Spor ve Egzersiz Dergisi is the property of Turkish Journal of Sport & Exercise 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.)

It is unknown how multiple components of on-task regulation of learning affect task performance in school children. This research aimed to acquire insights into the interrelations between children's metacognitive monitoring, regulation of learning, and task performance. Three components of on-task regulation of learning were investigated: allocation of study time, restudy selections, and task persistence. Children learned concepts with their definitions. In Study 1, 104 sixth graders (Mage 12 years) participated; Study 2 consisted of 97 fourth graders (Mage 10 years). For both age groups, task persistence was a strong predictor of performance. For sixth but not for fourth graders, monitoring accuracy affected performance. Findings indicate that, when aiming to improve regulation of learning and task performance in elementary school, student age is a relevant factor to consider. Around the age of 10, regulation affects learning performance, whereas the effects of self-monitoring accuracy on performance seem apparent when children are approximately 12 years of age. Educational Impact and Implications Statement: Student age is a critical factor when aiming to improve the regulation of learning and performance. For fourth graders, teachers may address how on-task regulation can be effective and particularly focus on task persistence. For sixth graders, monitoring accuracy was a strong predictor of performance. Around the age of 12, addressing and training self-monitoring skills could play a prominent role during classroom teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive reappraisal is adaptive for decreasing symptoms of depression; however, a gap in the research is understanding the childhood processes that contribute to cognitive reappraisal in adolescence. This study examined executive function and frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) asymmetry during late childhood as predictors of adolescent cognitive reappraisal and depressive symptoms. Data were from 123 participants in late childhood (age 10) and adolescence (age 14.5). A moderated mediation model was fit to the data to examine frontal EEG asymmetry as a moderator in the relation between late childhood inhibitory control and adolescent cognitive reappraisal as well as adolescent cognitive reappraisal and adolescent depressive symptoms. Results indicated lower inhibitory control was associated with lower cognitive reappraisal when children had right frontal EEG asymmetry. Lower cognitive reappraisal in turn was associated with higher depressive symptoms for children with right frontal EEG asymmetry. Working memory and cognitive flexibility were also examined but were not significant indicators. Results suggest the potential for targeting inhibitory control and cognitive reappraisal to diminish depressive symptoms particularly among adolescents with right frontal EEG asymmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curiosity, the desire to learn new information, has a powerful effect on children’s learning. Parental interactions facilitate curiosity-driven behaviors in young children, such as self-exploration and question-asking, at a certain time. Furthermore, parenting quality predicts better academic outcomes. However, it is still unknown whether persistent parenting quality is related to children’s trait epistemic curiosity (EC). The current study examined whether parenting practices, responsiveness, and demandingness are cross-sectionally related to the trait EC of children in different age groups (preschoolers, younger and older school-aged children). We adopted a shortened Japanese version of the parenting style questionnaire and modified the trait EC questionnaire in young children. A sample of 244 caregivers (87.37% mothers) of children (ages 3–12) was recruited through educational institutions in Japan and reported on their parenting practices and trait EC. All data analyses were performed using SPSS version 26. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to determine the explanatory variables for children’s trait EC. Self-reported parental responsiveness significantly explained EC scores. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to show a cross-sectional relationship between parental responsiveness and children’s trait EC. Future research should clarify whether parental responsiveness in early childhood predicts children’s EC later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When compared to research centered on the executive function development of white, middle‐class children, relatively little is known about their non‐white, low socioeconomic status peers. In an effort to harmonize how executive functions are measured within under‐represented contexts, the present study addresses gaps in the evaluation of everyday executive functioning to better understand whether behavior rating scales completed by teachers (BASC2EF – BASC executive function scale, 2nd edition; BASC3EF – BASC executive function scale, 3rd edition) capture distinctions between performance‐based measures. This study includes two large samples of older, ethnic minority children from high‐poverty backgrounds (Sample 1. N = 243; Mage = 9.28 years, SDage = 0.80; nfemale = 125; nAfricanAmerican = 216, nLatinAmerican = 15, nAsianAmerican = 6; Sample 2. N = 229; Mage = 10.02 years, SDage = 1.01; nfemale = 120; nAfricanAmerican = 132, nLatinAmerican = 92, nWhite = 3, nPacificIslander = 1). Based on structural equation models testing the links between computerized performance‐based measures and the teacher rating scales, the results indicate that BASC2EF in its original form might be a good fit for some populations but there is not a strong factor structure for the current high‐poverty samples. In addition, post‐hoc analyses suggest that only including BASC2EF items also in BASC3EF or using BASC3EF is best practice for high‐poverty populations. BASC3EF seems better able to capture different components of performance‐driven tasks, whereas BASC2EF captures overall executive functioning better than individual tasks. These findings encourage continued questioning surrounding metrics used to assess everyday executive functions in older children from diverse backgrounds. Highlights: This study explores whether teacher ratings of children's everyday executive functioning (using standardized behavior rating scales) capture distinctions between performance‐based measures.Results indicate that BASC2EF teacher rating scale (Karr & Garcia‐Barrera, 2017) is not a good representation of everyday executive function behaviors by children from schools in high‐poverty communities.The findings suggest that restricting BASC2EF analyses to only items included in BASC3EF (Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015) or using BASC3EF for high‐poverty populations.BASC3EF seems better able to capture the different components of performance‐driven tasks, whereas BASC2EF captures overall executive functioning better than individual tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empathy refers to the understanding and sharing of others' emotions and comprises cognitive and affective components. Empathy is important for social functioning, and alterations in empathy have been demonstrated in many developmental or psychiatric disorders. While several studies have examined associations between empathy and brain structure in adults, few have investigated this relationship in children. Investigating associations between empathy and brain structure during childhood will help us to develop a deeper understanding of the neural correlates of empathy across the lifespan. A total of 125 children (66 females, mean age 10 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging brain scans. Grey matter volume and cortical thickness from structural images were examined using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12) within Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM12) software. Children completed questionnaire measures of empathy (cognitive empathy, affective empathy: affective sharing, empathic concern, and empathic distress). In hypothesised region of interest analyses, individual differences in affective and cognitive empathy were related to grey matter volume in the insula and the precuneus. Although these relationships were of similar strength to those found in previous research, they did not survive correction for the total number of models computed. While no significant findings were detected between grey matter volume and empathy in exploratory whole-brain analysis, associations were found between cortical thickness and empathic concern in the right precentral gyrus. This study provides preliminary evidence that individual differences in self-reported empathy in children may be related to aspects of brain structure. Findings highlight the need for more research investigating the neurobiological correlates of empathy in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penelitian terdahulu membuktikan bahwa strategi regulasi emosi kognitif berperan besar dalam menentukan sejauhmana situasi tidak menyenangkan berdampak pada kesehatan mental individu, khususnya pada pra-emaja. Memahami strategi regulasi emosi kognitif yang digunakan pra-remaja merupakan langkah efektif dalam penanganan preventif dan kuratif pada masalah kesehatan mental anak dan remaja yang saat ini semakin meningkat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendapatkan gambaran strategi regulasi emosi kognitif yang digunakan oleh pra-remaja berusia 9-12 tahun. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menggunakan analisis konten dan penjelasan kuantitatif secara porsentase. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan kuesioner self-report berupa pertanyaan terbuka dan wawancara yang dibangun oleh pertanyaan terkait situasi tidak menyenangkan, perasaan dan emosi, serta strategi regulasi emosi kognitif yang digunakan. Didapatkan sampel sebanyak 68 partisipan usia 9-12 tahun. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pra-remaja menggunakan strategi regulasi emosi kognitif yang dapat dikelompokkan ke dalam tujuh strategi yaitu memikirkan perasaan negatif, menyalahkan diri sendiri, menyalahkan orang lain, pasrah-menerima, memikirkan hal lain yang menyenangkan, tidak memikirkan situasi, dan mencari solusi. Dijelaskan pula kelompok strategi yang termasuk adaptif dan kurang adaptif, serta sumber stressor dan perasaan yang dianggap paling tidak menyenangkan bagi partisipan. Temuan dalam penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi salah satu upaya dalam memahami dinamika strategi regulasi emosi kognitif pada anak dan remaja di Indonesia, khususnya saat berhadapan dengan situasi yang memicu perasaan dan emosi negatif.

This study examined the changing trend of Internet use types during late childhood and its influencing factors (i.e., trait curiosity, friendship quality, and material parenting). Parallel latent growth model was employed for analysis using a three-year longitudinal dataset of 218 primary students. The findings revealed increased information acquisition, social, and entertainment Internet use throughout late childhood. Trait curiosity was positively related to initial levels of information acquisition and social Internet use but negatively related to their growth rates. Friendship quality was negatively associated with an initial level of social Internet use. Material parenting reward was positively related to an initial level of entertainment Internet use and the growth rate of social Internet use. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the changing trends of specific Internet use in late childhood and shed light on the factors that contribute to its changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dealing with social rejection is challenging, especially during childhood when behavioral and neural responses to social rejection are still developing. In the current longitudinal study, we used a Bayesian multilevel growth curve model to describe individual differences in the development of behavioral and neural responses to social rejection in a large sample (n > 500). We found a peak in aggression following negative feedback (compared to neutral feedback) during late childhood, as well as individual differences during this developmental phase, possibly suggesting a sensitive window for dealing with social rejection across late childhood. Moreover, we found evidence for individual differences in the linear development of neural responses to social rejection in our three brain regions of interest: The anterior insula, the medial prefrontal cortex, and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition to providing insights in the individual trajectories of dealing with social rejection during childhood, this study also makes a meaningful methodological contribution: Our statistical analysis strategy (and can be found in this study's online supplementary materials at https://jeroendmulder.github.io/social-emotion-regulation/) can be used as an example on how to take into account the many complexities of developmental neuroimaging datasets, while still enabling researchers to answer interesting questions about individual-level relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parent–child interactions are influential to a wide range of positive developmental processes in neurotypical children, yet contributions to our understanding of these interactions using observational methods in families of children on the autism spectrum are lacking. The aim of the current study is to investigate how autism symptoms might impact these interactions. We use a family discussion task to: (1) compare families of autistic children aged 8–12 years (n = 21) to families of typically developing children (n = 21, matched on age and cognitive abilities) on the observed levels of supportive and directive behaviors in the parent–child relationship, and (2) examine the associations between parent–child interaction characteristics and child functioning. Results showed no differences in the observed levels of supportive behavior exhibited by parents, but significantly less supportive behavior in autistic children compared to neurotypical children. In addition, parents of autistic children had higher levels of observed directive behavior compared to parents of neurotypical children. Levels of supportive behavior in parents and autistic children were negatively associated with child ADHD symptoms. Findings reinforce literature on younger children describing positive parenting characteristics and further rebuke historical accounts of negative parenting qualities of parents of autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims mainly to study mothers' awareness of creative thinking and their attitudes in socialization and its relationship to the creative thinking of their children in the late childhood stage in urban and rural areas. A set of sub-goals emerge from this goal, represented in studying the family and personal characteristics of the two research samples, studying mothers’ awareness of creative thinking and the characteristics of creators, measuring the level of mothers’ attitudes in socialization from the point of view of the respondents, measuring the creativity level of the children of the two research samples, and studying the relationship between Some search variables. This research follows the descriptive analytical method, and the research community included children enrolled in the sixth grade in the official and official primary schools (13-12 years) in both Alexandria and Beheira, and their mothers. A multi-stage random sample was drawn with a percentage of (9.2%) of the total schools of the Montazah Educational Administration in Alexandria, and a sample of (5.2%) of the total schools of the Abu El Matamir administration. The data was collected using a questionnaire by personal interview, and the data was analyzed using statistical methods, using the SPSS.V.25 program. Among the most important Results of the research is the confirmation of the significant differences between the averages of the Alexandria sample and the Beheira sample at the socio-economic level, and the significance of the difference between the average degree of mothers’ attitude towards the characteristics of creativity that they want their children to have, and mothers’ practices of creative education (the mother), and awareness of Mothers with creative thinking and the characteristics of creators (their knowledge, practices and attitudes) in both the Alexandria and Beheira samples, and the significant differences between the averages of the Alexandria and Beheira samples were proven according to the variable practices of mothers related to creative education from the child’s point of view. The degree of equality in the parental treatment of mothers in social upbringing from the child’s point of view, in addition to establishing significant differences between the averages of the two samples of Alexandria and Beheira in the total degree of creative thinking, and establishing significant differences in the distribution of respondents in the total degree of creative thinking according to the difference in the following descriptive variables separately: domicile, gender of the child, level of educational attainment, occupational level of the mother, Finally, the correlation between the total degree of creative thinking of the child, as measured by the Torrance test, and each of the following quantitative variables: the number of siblings, the age of the mother, the number of individuals participating in one economic living, the average monthly income per person, the number of rooms, the degree of well-being, and the number of sources was established. Available to the child, mothers' awareness of creative thinking and characteristics of creative people (total score), and mothers' practices for creative education from the child's point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-concept, defined as individuals' ideas about their own competences, can be formed by significant external evaluations or internal attributions of one's characteristics. Many studies have investigated the relationships between loneliness as a painful feeling arising from a lack of social support and self-concept in late childhood without distinguishing specific domains of competence; no studies have been carried out on the potential role of positive uses of voluntary aloneness in late childhood self-concepts. The main aim of the present study is to explore the relationships between self-concept domains, loneliness, attitudes toward aloneness, and uses of voluntary aloneness in late childhood. Measures of loneliness, attitudes toward aloneness, voluntary aloneness, and self-concept were collected in a sample of 267 (126 males) 8- to 10-year-old Italian children. Our results showed that global self-concept was significantly negatively associated with peer-and parent-related loneliness and positively associated with aversion to aloneness. Moreover, self-concept in the parental domain was strongly negatively associated with parent-related loneliness and voluntary aloneness for autonomy and positively associated with voluntary aloneness for concentration. Self-perception in the peer domain was negatively associated with peer- and parent-related loneliness and positively associated with aversion to aloneness and voluntary aloneness for activity. Finally, the academic self-concept was negatively associated with parent-related loneliness and positively associated with voluntary aloneness for concentration. The data were discussed in the light of developmental tasks of late childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parental self-efficacy beliefs develop over time. Most research, however, has focused mainly on the trajectories and predictors of trajectories of maternal self-efficacy, while little is known about those of paternal self-efficacy. This study examined the change in paternal self-efficacy for educational involvement during children's elementary school period, analyzing whether the change is influenced by fathers' long working hours (i.e., work hours on workdays and work hours on nonworkdays) and fathers' perceptions of time and energy. Data from 1,684 Chinese fathers of fourth grade children were collected every half year for two-and-a-half consecutive years. The results of a latent growth curve analysis revealed that paternal self-efficacy for educational involvement increased over the elementary school period. Fathers' working hours on nonworkdays were negatively associated with the initial level of paternal self-efficacy for educational involvement, but this negative effect was nonsignificant after fathers' perceived time and energy were added to the final model. Fathers' perceived time and energy were positively associated with the initial level of paternal self-efficacy for educational involvement and negatively associated with the growth rate of paternal self-efficacy for educational involvement. The findings advance the theory of parental self-efficacy, underlining the need to consider fathers' perceived time and energy to understand changes in paternal self-efficacy for educational involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults' ratings of children's personality have been found to be more closely associated with academic performance than children's self-reports. However, less is known about the relevance of the unique perspectives held by specific adult observers such as teachers and parents for explaining variance in academic performance. In this study, we applied bifactor (S–1) models for 1411 elementary school children to investigate the relative merits of teacher and parent ratings of children's personalities for academic performance above and beyond the children's self-reports. We examined these associations using standardized achievement test scores in addition to grades. We found that teachers' unique views on children's openness and conscientiousness had the strongest associations with academic performance. Parents' unique views on children's neuroticism showed incremental associations above teacher ratings or self-reports. For extraversion and agreeableness, however, children's self-reports were more strongly associated with academic performance than teacher or parent ratings. These results highlight the differential value of using multiple informants when explaining academic performance with personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Sexual harassment is a widespread problem with serious consequences for individuals and societies. It is likely that sexual harassment among peers has its main onset during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence, when young people enter puberty. However, there is a lack of systematic research on sexual harassment during this developmental period. Thus, there is very little information about the prevalence of sexual harassment during this important transition, its consequences, and how to effectively intervene against and prevent the problem. The primary objective of the described project, entitled Peer Relations In School from an Ecological perspective (PRISE), is to examine sexual harassment and its developmental correlates during the transition from late childhood to early adolescence. Methods The PRISE study has a longitudinal design over 3 years, in which a cohort of children (N = 1000) and their main teachers (N = 40) fill out questionnaires in grades 4, 5, and 6. The questionnaires assess aspects of peer sexual harassment and potential correlates including biological (e.g., pubertal development), psychosocial (e.g., self-assertiveness, self-image, peer relations), and contextual (e.g., classroom climate, norms) factors. In addition, we will examine school readiness and policies in relation to sexual harassment and collect register data to assess the number of reports of sexual harassment from the participating schools. Discussion The PRISE study will enable the researchers to answer fundamental, unresolved questions about the development of sexual harassment and thus advance the very limited understanding of sexual harassment during the transition from childhood to adolescence - a central period for physical, sexual, and social development. Due to the sensitive nature of the main research concepts, and the age of the participants, the ethical aspects of the research need particular attention. Ultimately, the hope is that the PRISE study will help researchers, policy makers, and practitioners develop, and implement, knowledge that may help in combating a major, current societal challenge and adverse aspect of young people’s developmental ecologies.

School bullying is a complex social and relational phenomenon with severe consequences for those involved. Most children view bullying as wrong and recognize its harmful consequences; nevertheless, it continues to be a persistent problem within schools. Previous research has shown that children's engagement in bullying perpetration can be influenced by multiple factors (e.g., different forms of cognitive distortions) and at different ecological levels (e.g., child, peer-group, school, and society). However, the complexity of school bullying warrants further investigation of the interplay between factors, at different levels. Grounded in social cognitive theory, which focuses on both cognitive factors and social processes, this study examined whether children's bullying perpetration was associated with moral disengagement at the child level and with collective moral disengagement and prevalence of pro-bullying behavior at the classroom level. Cross-level interactions were also tested to examine the effects of classroom-level variables on the association between children's tendency to morally disengage and bullying perpetration. The study's analyses were based on cross-sectional self-report questionnaire data from 1,577 Swedish fifth-grade children from 105 classrooms (53.5% girls; M age = 11.3, SD = 0.3). Multilevel modeling techniques were used to analyze the data. The results showed that bullying perpetration was positively associated with moral disengagement at the child level and with collective moral disengagement and pro-bullying behavior at the classroom level. Furthermore, the effect of individual moral disengagement on bullying was stronger for children in classrooms with higher levels of pro-bullying behaviors. These findings further support the argument that both moral processes and behaviors within classrooms, such as collective moral disengagement and pro-bullying behavior, need to be addressed in schools' preventive work against bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During late childhood and adolescence, the frontal lobe undergoes critical developmental changes, affecting a wide range of executive functions significantly. Conversely, abnormality in the maturation of the frontal lobe during this period may result in a limited ability to effectively use various executive functions. However, at present, it is still unclear how the structural development of the frontal lobe is associated with different aspects of executive functions during this developmental period. To fill the gap in evidence, we aimed to elucidate gray matter volume (GMV) in the frontal lobe and its relationship with multiple aspects of executive functions in late childhood and adolescence. Methods: We recruited our participants aged between 6 and 17 years to assess GMV in the frontal lobe and its relationship with different domains of executive functions in late childhood and adolescence. We used the voxel-based morphometry–DARTEL procedure to measure GMVs in multiple frontal sub-regions and Stroop test and Advanced Test of Attention (ATA) to measure executive functions. We then conducted partial correlation analyses and performed multiple comparisons with different age and sex groups. Results: Overall, 123 participants took part in our study. We found that many regional GMVs in the frontal lobe were negatively correlated with ATA scores in participants in late childhood and positively correlated with ATA scores in participants in adolescence. Only a few correlations of the GMVs with Stroop test scores were significant in both age groups. Although most of our results did not survive false discovery rate (FDR) correction (i.e., FDR <0.2), considering their novelty, we discussed our results based on uncorrected p -values. Our findings indicate that the frontal sub-regions that were involved in attentional networks may significantly improve during late childhood and become stabilized later in adolescence. Moreover, our findings with the Stroop test may also present the possibility of the later maturation of higher-order executive functioning skills. Conclusion: Although our findings were based on uncorrected p -values, the novelty of our findings may provide better insights into elucidating the maturation of the frontal lobe and its relationship with the development of attention networks in late childhood and adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents' aspirations for their children's future educational attainment influence their child's educational aspirations. However, gender differences in the intergenerational transmission of educational aspirations have not been fully explored. The present study employed a two-step model of value transmission to provide a detailed picture of the gender patterns that occur during the transmission process of educational aspirations in late childhood. A total of 2857 Chinese students (Mage = 9.85 years, SD =.37, range = 8–12; 1373 girls) and their parents were followed from fourth to sixth grade. Fathers and mothers separately reported their educational aspirations for their children, and children reported their perceptions of their fathers' and mothers' educational aspirations for them as well as their own educational aspirations. The results indicate that different patterns for girls and boys emerged at each step of the transmission process. Specifically, in the perception step, girls exhibited more accurate perceptions of maternal educational aspirations than boys did, but this was not true of their perceptions of paternal educational aspirations. Furthermore, in the acceptance step, both boys and girls revealed higher levels of acceptance of their perceived same-sex parent's educational aspirations. Our study provides a framework for analyzing and understanding gender patterns in the intergenerational transmission of values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During late childhood and adolescence, the frontal lobe undergoes critical developmental changes, affecting a wide range of executive functions significantly. Conversely, abnormality in the maturation of the frontal lobe during this period may result in a limited ability to effectively use various executive functions. However, at present, it is still unclear how the structural development of the frontal lobe is associated with different aspects of executive functions during this developmental period. To fill the gap in evidence, we aimed to elucidate gray matter volume (GMV) in the frontal lobe and its relationship with multiple aspects of executive functions in late childhood and adolescence.Methods: We recruited our participants aged between 6 and 17 years to assess GMV in the frontal lobe and its relationship with different domains of executive functions in late childhood and adolescence. We used the voxel-based morphometry–DARTEL procedure to measure GMVs in multiple frontal sub-regions and Stroop test and Advanced Test of Attention (ATA) to measure executive functions. We then conducted partial correlation analyses and performed multiple comparisons with different age and sex groups.Results: Overall, 123 participants took part in our study. We found that many regional GMVs in the frontal lobe were negatively correlated with ATA scores in participants in late childhood and positively correlated with ATA scores in participants in adolescence. Only a few correlations of the GMVs with Stroop test scores were significant in both age groups. Although most of our results did not survive false discovery rate (FDR) correction (i.e., FDR

Although several studies have examined outgroup empathy, the link between trait empathy and outgroup attitudes has been underinvestigated. In the present study this link was investigated among two samples of ethnic Dutch preadolescents (N = 335, Mage = 10.83 years, SD = 0.94; 53% girls; N = 326; Mage = 10.53 years, SD = 1.03; 48% girls). It examined children's parallel empathy in relation to their ethnic attitudes, and the moderating role of perceived peer norms. Results (partly) support the hypotheses that empathy is associated with more outgroup positivity and less ingroup bias (ingroup minus outgroup attitude). The negative link between empathy and outgroup bias was stronger when peers were perceived to be more biased against the outgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civic competencies are essential prerequisites for adolescents' active citizenship; however, little is known about their developmental precursors. In order to address this research gap, this study examined the role of sympathy in late childhood, early, and mid adolescence for civic competencies in mid and late adolescence. Based on a representative sample of 1118 Swiss children (51% females, Mage T1 = 9.26, SDageT1 = 0.20, rangeageT1: 8.50–9.67–years), this study investigated associations of sympathy with four components of civic competence: attitudes about social justice, informal helping, perceived efficacy to take responsibility and perceived political efficacy. The findings revealed that sympathy in late childhood (i.e., age 9) reflected an early predictor of all four components of civic competence assessed 6 years later. Moreover, sympathy in early adolescence (i.e., age 12) positively predicted attitudes about social justice and informal helping in late adolescence (i.e., age 18). Lastly, changes in sympathy from mid to late adolescence (i.e., age 15 to 18) positively correlated with changes in all four components of civic competence. This study highlights that civic competencies reflect a multidimensional construct that starts to form in late childhood, with sympathy being a central individual predictor in the emergence of civic competencies during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrative production draws upon linguistic, cognitive and pragmatic skills, and is subject to substantial individual differences. This study aimed to characterise the development of narrative production in late childhood and to assess whether children's cumulative experience of reading fiction is associated with individual differences in narrative language skills. One-hundred-and-twenty-five 9- to 12-year-old children told a story from a wordless picture book, and their narratives were coded for syntactic, semantic and discourse-pragmatic features. The grammatical complexity and propositional content of children's narratives increased with age between 9 and 12 years, while narrative cohesion, coherence and use of mental state terms were stable across the age range. Measures of fiction reading experience were positively correlated with several indices of narrative production quality and predicted unique variance in narrative macrostructure after controlling for individual differences in vocabulary knowledge, word reading accuracy and theory of mind. These findings are discussed in terms of the continued importance of 'book language' as part of the language input beyond early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late childhood and early adolescence is characterized by substantial brain maturation which contributes to both adult-like and age-dependent resting-state network connectivity patterns. However, it remains unclear whether these functional network characteristics in children are subject to differential modulation by distinct cognitive demands as previously found in adults. We conducted network analyses on fMRI data from 60 children (aged 9–12) during resting and during three distinct tasks involving decision making, visual perception, and spatial working memory. Graph measures of network architecture, functional integration, and flexibility were calculated for each of the four states. During resting state, the children’s network architecture was similar to that in young adults (N = 60, aged 20–23) but the degree of similarity was age- and network-dependent. During the task states, the children's whole-brain network exhibited enhanced integration in response to increased cognitive demand. Additionally, the frontoparietal network showed flexibility in connectivity patterns across states while networks implicated in motor and visual processing remained relatively stable. Exploratory analyses suggest different relationships between behavioral performance and connectivity profiles for the working memory and perceptual tasks. Together, our findings demonstrate state- and age-dependent features in functional network connectivity during late childhood, potentially providing markers for brain and cognitive development.

Parent–child interactions are influential to a wide range of positive developmental processes in neurotypical children, yet contributions to our understanding of these interactions using observational methods in families of children on the autism spectrum are lacking. The aim of the current study is to investigate how autism symptoms might impact these interactions. We use a family discussion task to: (1) compare families of autistic children aged 8–12 years (n = 21) to families of typically developing children (n = 21, matched on age and cognitive abilities) on the observed levels of supportive and directive behaviors in the parent–child relationship, and (2) examine the associations between parent–child interaction characteristics and child functioning. Results showed no differences in the observed levels of supportive behavior exhibited by parents, but significantly less supportive behavior in autistic children compared to neurotypical children. In addition, parents of autistic children had higher levels of observed directive behavior compared to parents of neurotypical children. Levels of supportive behavior in parents and autistic children were negatively associated with child ADHD symptoms. Findings reinforce literature on younger children describing positive parenting characteristics and further rebuke historical accounts of negative parenting qualities of parents of autistic children.

This study aims to determine the extent to which semi-sports contribute to the development of the character of speed in middle-class students (11-13) years, where the researchers used the experimental method and may be a community study of 600 students from the middle of Ras Souta, State of Algeria, and the sample of the study was 40 pupils (male and female) selected in a deliberate way due to the nature of the research, the researchers used an educational program consisting of a set of classes to measure the development of the capacity of the speed as a study tool and the study test was used as a statistical tool to analyze and interpret the results. The study concluded that a significant improvement in the development of the character of speed in middle school students through the application of the semi-sports program, and came up with recommendations, the most important of which were: guided by the scientific foundations in the construction of an educational unit in sports semi-sports in accordance with the content of the article curriculum for the development of physical abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family dysfunction has been associated with both child externalizing problems, including hostility, and parent depression or depressive symptoms. Research investigating child hostility directed toward a parent with a history of depression is absent, yet it may be associated with especially high levels of family dysfunction. The current study aimed to assess (1) the relation between observed child hostility, measured by the Iowa Family Interaction Rating Scale, toward such a parent and child-reported family dysfunction, using the Family Assessment Device, and (2) whether current parent depressive symptoms, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II, moderated this association. We hypothesized that child hostility would negatively relate to family functioning, even after controlling for parent depressive symptoms, and that parent depressive symptoms would moderate this association in that high levels of such symptoms would strengthen the negative relation between child hostility and family functioning. To address these hypotheses, hierarchical regression and moderation analyses were conducted in SPSS. Results indicated that higher levels of child hostility related to a more dysfunctional family environment. Furthermore, although speculative as the interaction of child hostility toward a parent and parent depressive symptoms only approached conventional levels of significance, low levels of both constructs may protect against family dysfunction. Findings from this study may inform new methods of family intervention and prevention, as well as ways of identifying families most at risk for dysfunction. Highlights: The current study used unique observational data of child hostility. Child hostility related to family dysfunction above parent depressive symptoms. Child hostility and parent depressive symptoms related to more family dysfunction. Child Hostility toward a Parent with a History of Depression and Family Functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reward processing deficits have been implicated in the etiology of depression. A blunted reward positivity (RewP), an event-related potential elicited by feedback to monetary gain relative to loss, predicts new onsets and increases in depression symptoms. Etiological models of depression also highlight stressful life events. However, no studies have examined whether stressful life events moderate the effect of the RewP on subsequent depression symptoms. We examined this question during the key developmental transition from childhood to adolescence. Methods: A community sample of 369 children (mean age of 9) completed a self-report measure of depression symptoms. The RewP to winning v. losing was elicited using a monetary reward task. Three years later, we assessed stressful life events occurring in the year prior to the follow-up. Youth depressive symptoms were rated by the children and their parents at baseline and follow-up. Results: Stressful life events moderated the effect of the RewP on depression symptoms at follow-up such that a blunted RewP predicted higher depression symptoms in individuals with higher levels of stressful life events. This effect was also evident when events that were independent of the youth's behavior were examined separately. Conclusions: These results suggest that the RewP reflects a vulnerability for depression that is activated by stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment plays a key role in how children process information about the self and others. Here, we examined the neural bases of interindividual differences in attachment in late childhood and tested whether social cognition-related neural activity varies as function of age. In a small sample of 8-year-old to 12-year-old children (n = 21/19), we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure neural responses during social feedback processing and self–other distinction. Attachment was assessed using child self-report. The social feedback processing task presented smiling and angry faces either confirming or disconfirming written information about participant performance on a perceptual game. In addition to observing main effects of facial emotion and performance, an increase in age was related to a shift from negative (i.e., angry faces/bad performance) to positive (i.e., smiling faces/good performance) information processing in the left amygdala/hippocampus, bilateral fusiform face area, bilateral anterior temporal pole (ATP), and left anterior insula. There were no effects of attachment on social feedback processing. The self–other distinction task presented digital morphs between children's own faces and faces of their mother or stranger females. We observed differential activation in face processing and mentalizing regions in response to self and mother faces versus morphed faces. Furthermore, left ATP activity was associated with attachment anxiety such that greater attachment anxiety was related to a shift from heightened processing of self and mother faces to morphed faces. There were no effects of age on self–other distinction. We discuss our preliminary findings in the context of attachment theory and previous work on social evaluation and self–other processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue Académique des Études Sociales et Humaines is the property of Hassif Benbouali University of Chlef 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: Social trust, an essential component of social capital, plays a significant role in shaping one's health and well-being. The present study aims to investigate the distribution of social trust in late childhood and associated social factors. Methods: Data were obtained from the Survey of Physical and Mental Development and Living Needs of Children. A total of 2,691 fourth-grade students were ascertained from public elementary schools in one of the northern counties/cities in Taiwan (response rate = 97.3%). Data were collected from a paperand- pencil self-report questionnaire containing questions about individual demographics, parentchild interaction, community violence exposure, and social trust. Results: Multilevel multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that parental socioeconomic status (e.g., having at least one immigrant parent (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.79)) and parent-child relationship (e.g., feeling neglected (aOR = 1.61, 95% = 1.23-2.12)) are strongly correlated with children's low social trust level. The reduced odds of low social trust level associated with parent-teacher meeting attendance was salient only in the classes characterized by higher parental education (p<0.05). Conclusions: Non-native parents, unfavorable parentchild interaction, and community violence exposure were strongly associated with one's endorsed low social trust in late childhood. Future research is needed to explore how social trust evolves through adolescence and to delineate probable modifiable social factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the development of self-concept across multiple domains using Slovenian late childhood and early adolescence samples in longitudinal design. In the preset study we analyzed (i) the developmental paths of specific domains of self-concept; (ii) sex related differences in the development specific domains of self; (iii) stability of self-concept in different age groups, and (iv) the level of self-concept differentiation in Slovenia. We used The Self-Concept Questionnaire (Musitu et al. 2012) that measures four self-concept domains: social self, family self, academic self and emotional self in a late childhood sample (9 year olds; N = 41) and in an early adolescent sample (14 year olds; N = 36) in 5 time point (3 to 6 months apart). In Slovenia children are in the same school, called basic school, from age of 6 until age of 15 which provides a good setting to observe developmental changes in a stable environment (without transition). The results show significant decrease in emotional self-concept in two year time in late childhood sample and significant increase of general self-concept, social self-concept and family self-concept in early adolescent's sample. The stability and the level of differentiation were comparable in both age groups. Sex did not have significant effect on self-concept domains development in two year time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Extant research has demonstrated that parenting behaviour can be a significant contributor to the development of brain structure and mental health during adolescence. Nonetheless, there is limited research examining these relationships during late childhood, and particularly in the critical period of brain development occurring between 8 and 10 years of age. The effects of the family environment on the brain during late childhood may have significant implications for later functioning, and particularly mental health. The Families and Childhood Transitions Study (FACTS) is a multidisciplinary longitudinal cohort study of brain development and mental health, with two waves of data collection currently funded, occurring 18-months apart, when child participants are aged approximately 8- and 10-years old. Methods/design Participants are 163 children (M age [SD] = 8.44 [0.34] years, 76 males) and their mothers (M age [SD] = 40.34 [5.43] years). Of the 163 families who consented to participate, 156 completed a video-recorded and observer-coded dyadic interaction task and 153 completed a child magnetic resonance imaging brain scan at baseline. Families were recruited from lower socioeconomic status (SES) areas to maximise rates of social disadvantage and variation in parenting behaviours. All experimental measures and tasks completed at baseline are repeated at an 18-month follow-up, excluding the observer coded family interaction tasks. The baseline assessment was completed in October 2015, and the 18-month follow up will be completed May 2017. Discussion This study, by examining the neurobiological and mental health consequences of variations in parenting, has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of child development and risk processes. Recruitment of lower SES families will also allow assessment of resilience factors given the poorer outcomes often associated with this population.

Numerous studies have established the influence of detrimental home conditions on child cognition and behavior; however, fewer have assessed these outcomes in the context of relatively “normal” range of home environmental conditions. Given the exquisite sensitivity to the environment of the neural substrates that undergird executive functioning (EF) and behavioral self-regulation in children, it is possible that a range of conditions within the home, even in the absence of maltreatment or economic deprivation, may impact these outcomes. The purpose of the present exploratory investigation was to further define the relationship between features of the home environment using the HOME inventory (a structured interview and observation of parent and child) and several dimensions of child EF and behavioral problems. In addition, this study sought to elucidate potentially differential associations between home and parent-reported neighborhood conditions—a hypothetically less direct influence on cognition in this age group—and level of child functioning. A battery of EF performance tasks and a widely-used checklist of behavioral problems were administered to 66 children, 8–11 years old from a lower middle income, working class sample. Results showed significant relationships between the home environment and several dimensions of EF and behavioral problems. In contrast, neighborhood conferred additional effects only on rule-breaking and aggression, not cognition, which is consistent with evidence that externalizing behavior in this age group becomes increasingly oriented toward outside influences. These findings warrant follow-up studies to establish causality. A broader program of research designed to delve further into the relationship between nuanced influences from the home and child cognition and behavior has implications for parenting strategies that foster healthy development. Neighborhood contexts should also be considered during early and mid-adolescent years based on existing studies and findings reported herein suggesting that this period of newfound autonomy and the heightened significance of peer relationships may influence externalizing behaviors, with implications for protective courses of action.

Despite the well-established protective functions of positivity (i.e., a dispositional self-evaluative tendency to view oneself, life, and future under a positive outlook) from middle adolescence to old age, its reliable assessment and contribution to a proper psychological functioning have received little attention during previous developmental phases. In this article, we aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and construct validity of the eight-item Positivity Scale (P Scale; Caprara et al., 2012) during late childhood and early adolescence in a sample of British students (N = 742; 48% boys) from both primary (Mage = 10.75, SD = 0.52) and secondary schools (Mage = 13.38 years, SD = 0.94). First, results from confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) attested to the plausibility of the hypothesized 1-factor structure of the P Scale in a revised CFA model including the correlation between the residuals of two items similar in their wording. Next, we found evidence for strong (scalar) measurement invariance of the P Scale across late childhood and early adolescence as well as for its concurrent validity as indicated by expected relations of positivity to indicators of adjustment (i.e., prosocial behavior) and maladjustment (i.e., externalizing and internalizing problems). Overall, these findings support the concurrent and factorial validity of the P Scale as a short self-report instrument to measure children’s tendency to view their experience from a positive stance. We discuss the implications of our results for improving the wording of the items composing P Scale as well as for understanding the dispositional mechanisms conducive to psychological health and wellbeing across late childhood and early adolescence.

Numerous studies have established the influence of detrimental home conditions on child cognition and behavior; however, fewer have assessed these outcomes in the context of relatively "normal" range of home environmental conditions. Given the exquisite sensitivity to the environment of the neural substrates that undergird executive functioning (EF) and behavioral self-regulation in children, it is possible that a range of conditions within the home, even in the absence of maltreatment or economic deprivation, may impact these outcomes. The purpose of the present exploratory investigation was to further define the relationship between features of the home environment using the HOME inventory (a structured interview and observation of parent and child) and several dimensions of child EF and behavioral problems. In addition, this study sought to elucidate potentially differential associations between home and parent-reported neighborhood conditions—a hypothetically less direct influence on cognition in this age group—and level of child functioning. A battery of EF performance tasks and a widely-used checklist of behavioral problems were administered to 66 children, 8–11 years old from a lower middle income, working class sample. Results showed significant relationships between the home environment and several dimensions of EF and behavioral problems. In contrast, neighborhood conferred additional effects only on rule-breaking and aggression, not cognition, which is consistent with evidence that externalizing behavior in this age group becomes increasingly oriented toward outside influences. These findings warrant follow-up studies to establish causality. A broader program of research designed to delve further into the relationship between nuanced influences from the home and child cognition and behavior has implications for parenting strategies that foster healthy development. Neighborhood contexts should also be considered during early and mid-adolescent years based on existing studies and findings reported herein suggesting that this period of newfound autonomy and the heightened significance of peer relationships may influence externalizing behaviors, with implications for protective courses of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Mindfulness-based education (Mind-Edu) is increasingly being recognized as an effective educational approach to promote children’s social and emotional competence. Although it has been implemented in several schools in Thailand for many years, studies examining its impact on the developing brain have been scarce. We hypothesized that the Mind-Edu might have some effects on resting state brain activities in school-aged students; therefore, we investigated long-term effects of Mind-Edu on the EEG power spectrum and compared with the control. Participants are 53 typically developing children (27 girls) studying in the 6th grade, mean aged 11.7 years, SD = 0.4. They were divided into the Mind-Edu group (N = 22) and the control group (N = 31). These two groups are different in school curriculums. One school uses the Mind-Edu curriculum for all levels of education, and another one uses the country’s core curriculum. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded; eye-closed EEG segment was used for quantitative analysis and compared between groups. The results revealed that there was no significant difference between groups on the mean value of absolute beta, alpha, and delta powers over all electrode sites. However, the Mind-Edu group had a significant lower absolute theta power over the posterior brain regions and a significant smaller theta/beta ratio over the Cz electrode as compared to the control. Our results suggested that implementation of the Mind-Edu into the regular elementary school curriculum would be of benefit for enhancing maturation in brain areas involved with cognitive control and self-regulation, which might provide support for a smooth transition into the adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]