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This study examined the effects of a combined virtual-reality- and gym-based physical activity (PA) program on PA levels, motor skills, and social skills of children with a developmental disability (DD). Twenty-five children with DD were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The intervention was conducted for 60 min, two times a week, for 12 weeks. Pre- and postintervention assessments encompassing PA levels measured via Gravity Estimator of Normal Everyday Activity, motor skills evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition, and social skills gauged via the Social Skills Rating System-Parent were conducted. Additionally, a follow-up assessment was administered to the experimental group 12 weeks postintervention. The findings unequivocally demonstrate that the combined virtual-reality- and gym-based PA program yielded significant enhancements in PA levels, motor skills, and social skills among children with DD in the experimental group. Notably, these improvements were sustained 12 weeks after the intervention. These findings may help professionals develop and implement better PA programs for children with DD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze secondary data from three mother-child dyads in order to evaluate how family photographs and training in naturalistic strategies affected the way mothers reminisce with their children with autism spectrum disorders. Method: A secondary analysis (i.e., collateral effects) of a single-case dataset was conducted to assess the impact of family photographs and training in naturalistic strategies on the selected variables. Results: The introduction of family photographs showed positive effects on the mother's reminiscing style and the child's memory responses across all dyads. Furthermore, additional improvements were observed in these areas after training and coaching in the target strategies. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the positive impact of using family photographs and naturalistic based strategies in joint-reminiscing conversations for mothers and children with autism spectrum disorder. The intervention improved the mothers reminiscing style and child's memory responses, highlighting the potential value of parent-implemented interventions, especially those based on naturalistic strategies, in supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study examined young children's pre-academic and social skills in relation to parental locus of control and children's behaviours of ADHD. The participants were parents of 1,502 children from four Chinese kindergartens (Mage = 4.59, SD = 0.93; Girls: 51.40%). Data on six domains of children's pre-academic and social skills, parental external and internal locus of control, and children's inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were obtained with the Early Learning and Development for Children Aged 3 to 6 years, the Parental Locus of Control scale, and the ADHD Rating Scale-IV Preschool Home Version respectively. Hierarchical regression results showed that controlling for other variables, higher scores in parental external locus of control and child inattention behaviours significantly predicted lower scores in all six domains, while higher scores in internal locus of control and child hyperactivity/impulsivity behaviours predicted higher scores in all six domains (R2 ranged from 18.0% to 47.0%). Noticeably, parental locus of control explained a smaller amount of the variance (1.0–5.0%) than behaviours of ADHD (5.0–11.0%) in the children's outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies that have assessed social cognition in Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have produced inconsistent findings. To summarize these data and shed light upon moderators that may explain observed inconsistencies, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis exploring social cognition (Theory of Mind (ToM), Empathy, Facial and Non‐Facial Emotion Recognition) and Everyday Social Skills in children and adolescents with ADHD. Methods: The current meta‐analysis involved 142 studies including 652 effect sizes. These studies compared children and adolescents with ADHD (n = 8,300) and with typical development (n = 7,983). Results: Participants with ADHD exhibited moderate to very large deficits in ToM (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.68–0.99), Facial Emotion Recognition (SMD = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46–0.81), and Everyday Social Skills (SMD = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.08–1.37). The magnitude of these impairments was similar when considering effect sizes adjusted for some covariates and the methodological quality of the studies. Few studies have investigated Empathy and Non‐Facial Emotion Recognition, which precludes definitive conclusions. Conclusions: Children and adolescents with ADHD experience robust impairments in ToM, Facial Emotion Recognition and Everyday Social Skills. Future studies should explore whether these deficits are a consequence of difficulties in other areas of cognition (e.g., executive functioning). We have made all our raw data open access to facilitate the use of the present work by the community (e.g., clinicians looking for tools, assessing social impairments, or researchers designing new studies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive ability, as the initial human capital, has been the focus of academic research for many years. However, few human capital studies have focused on non-cognitive ability and explored its socio-economic value. With the inclusion of non-cognitive ability, the human capital study has got rid of the shortcoming of single-dimensional abilities and the socio-economic value of non-cognitive ability has been gradually explored. Therefore, it is of great academic and practical significance to explore the factors influencing children's non-cognitive ability. Using the CFPS database in 2018, this study investigates the effects and mechanisms of family economic capital on the non-cognitive ability of children. The robustness test is also used to further verify the reliability of the conclusions. The results reveal that family economic capital is significantly associated with children's non-cognitive ability, and this effect is biased by the subject. In addition, the mediating effect model suggests that family economic capital affects children's non-cognitive ability mainly through family education expenditure and family time investment. Therefore, helping families improve their economic capital, education expenditure and time investment contributes to promote the development of their children's non-cognitive ability, which will effectively raise human capital stock and help China achieve economic transformation as soon as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention research studies focused on strengthening the social information-processing (SIP) skills of children. Methods: A systematic search and review process was employed to identify, screen, and summarize research on SIP-guided interventions. Results: The search recovered 183,184 citations published from 1997 to 2022. After screening, 42 articles were retained for a full-text review. Findings from the 15 studies using more rigorous designs [i.e., 8 individual-level randomized control trials (RCTs), 5 cluster-level RCTs, and 2 quasi-experimental studies with statistical controls for selectivity] suggest that SIP-focused interventions produced statistically significant treatment effects on cognitive skills, with mean effect sizes of 0.35 on encoding, 0.13 on hostile attribution bias, 0.13 on goal formulation, 0.16 on response decision, and—more behaviorally—0.37 on aggressive and disruptive comportment. Conclusions: SIP-focused interventions are effective. If widely implemented, they hold the potential to reduce aggressive behavior in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein-1 (FMR1) premutation (FXpm) is a genetic variant that is common in the general population and is associated with health symptoms and disease in adulthood. However, poor understanding of the clinical phenotype during childhood has hindered the development of clinical practice guidelines for screening and intervention. Given that social communication difficulties have been widely documented in adults with the FXpm and are linked with reduced psychosocial functioning, the present study aimed to characterize the communication profile of the FXpm during early childhood. Method: Eighteen children with the FXpm who were identified through cascade testing (89%) or screening at birth (11%) were compared to 21 matched typically developing children, aged 2–4 years. Participants completed standardized assessments of language (Mullen Scales of Early Learning) and adaptive communication (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales-II). Social communication was rated from seminaturalistic interaction samples using the Brief Observation of Social Communication Change. Results: Children with the FXpm showed delayed social communication development, with the magnitude of group differences highlighting social communication as a feature that distinguishes children with the FXpm from their peers (p= .046, ηp ² = .12). The groups did not differ on the standardized language and adaptive communication measures (ps > .297, ηp ² s < .03). Conclusions: Early screening and treatment of social communication delays may be key to optimizing outcomes for children with the FXpm. Further research is needed to replicate findings in a larger sample, delineate the trajectory and consequences of social communication difficulties across the life span in the FXpm, and determine the potential epidemiological significance of FMR1 as a mediator of developmental communication differences within the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) technology has shown great potential on intervention of social skills for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This review aimed to review the application of VR in current social skills intervention targeting autistic children and evaluate its effect. After searching and screening three databases, we found 20 papers on interventions for children with ASD using VR technology, including three studies of social communication, six studies about social–emotional reciprocity, nine studies on social interaction, and eight studies of on social cognition. First, concerning the age of the children involved in the interventions, we found that VR devices were more suitable for children with ASD who were older. Second, regarding VR devices, we recommend laptop VR devices based on the cost, non-invasiveness, and effectiveness of their use in interventions. The VR application form of game is more advisable. More importantly, for the design of the VR intervention, based on the adoption article, we found that using a single participant worked better. This research presents the overall effects and limitations of this literature as well as implications for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, a newer class of interventions has emerged specifically designed for young children with or at high likelihood of autism, which are called Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs). NDBIs are particularly well-suited as a discipline agnostic, primary intervention for young children with autism and other social communication challenges; however, community providers from multiple disciplinary backgrounds who serve these children typically do not develop competencies in areas crucial for effectively implementing NDBI. The goal of this commentary is to: (a) describe the interdisciplinary competencies needed to deliver NDBIs effectively and (b) provide recommendations for moving the field of early intervention for autism and social communication delays forward. Resources for building these competencies for providers at the pre- and in-service level are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General-population research on child development in low- and middle-income countries is needed to explore and contextualize caregiver factors. This study evaluates caregiver parenting stress and child social-emotional and motor development among preschool-aged children (42–72 months) among 1222 caregiver-child pairs in São Paulo, Brazil. We investigated associations between parenting stress and child social-emotional development (measured via the Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional, Second Edition [ASQ:SE-2]) and motor development (measured via the Motor Development Scale [MDS]), examining potential effect modification of these relationships by parenting social support. Data were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression with inverse probability weights to account for sampling design. Higher parenting stress was associated with delayed child development, indicated by a positive relationship with ASQ:SE-2 scores (higher scores indicating delayed social-emotional development), and a negative relationship with MDS scores (lower scores indicating delayed motor development). Caregiver social support acted as an effect modifier on the relationship between parenting stress and social-emotional development, strengthening the deleterious effect of parenting stress among caregivers with low social support. These results provide insight regarding modifiable caregiver-level factors that may be leveraged to improve child social-emotional development. Future research is needed to elucidate causal mechanisms and clarify relationships between caregiver factors and child motor development. Highlights: There is a paucity of data on how caregiver factors may shape child development in settings beyond Europe and North America. We used data from a population-based study in urban Brazil to explore relationships between caregiver parenting stress and child development. Secondarily, we tested whether caregiver social support acted as an effect modifier in these relationships. Parenting stress was associated with delays in both social-emotional and motor development. These findings contribute to the evidence base and point to the need for further, longitudinal research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiently processing information from faces in infancy is foundational for nonverbal communication. We studied individual differences in 5‐month‐old infants' (N = 517) sustained attention to faces and preference for emotional faces. We assessed the contribution of genetic and environmental influences to individual differences in these gaze behaviors, and the association between these traits and other concurrent and later phenotypes. We found an association between the mean duration of looking at a face (before looking away from it) at 5 months and socio‐communicative abilities at 14 months (β = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.08; 0.26, p < 0.001). Sustained attention to faces predicted socio‐communicative abilities over and above variance captured by mean fixation duration. We also found a statistically significant but weak tendency to prefer looking at smiling faces (relative to neutral faces), but no indication that variability in this behavior was explained by genetic effects. Moderate heritability was found for sustained attention to faces (A = 0.23, CI: 0.06; 0.38), while shared environmental influences were non‐significant for both phenotypes. These findings suggest that sustained looking at individual faces before looking away is a developmentally significant 'social attention' phenotype in infancy, characterized by moderate heritability and a specific relation to later socio‐communicative abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the global prevalence of autism is high and continues to increase dramatically. Effective support and interventions are therefore warranted. Augmented reality (AR), one of the recent modalities of immersive technology, is gaining traction in autism interventions. However, there is currently a lack of reviews on the use of AR in children with autism, and what is more, to the authors' knowledge, no systematic review to date has been carried out to exclusively examine the effects of AR on basic social skills in children with autism. Therefore, an evidence-based systematic review was conducted to fill the gap and answer the specific research question: Can AR support children with an autism diagnosis towards developing or promoting social skills, such as greetings? The initial search yielded a total of 416 records. After excluding duplicate articles and screening the abstract and full text, 13 studies were included for analysis. A narrative approach was employed to synthesise and evaluate the research findings to substantially explore the effects of AR-based social interventions. The favourable role of AR technology in fostering social skills in children diagnosed with autism was widely recognised in the included studies although multiple methodological limitations were identified in relation to the quality of the included studies. Overall, the promising findings may suggest the effectiveness of AR in improving social skills in children with autism. Nonetheless, this field of research still calls for more high-quality studies relying on rigorous methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time pressures make brevity important for parent self-report measures, yet evidence highlights the multi-faceted nature of parenting and contextual influences. To straddle these competing goals, we developed a brief (23-item) yet broad Index of Parental Activities, Context, and Experiences (I-PACE) aimed at parents of toddlers and pre-schoolers. In two studies we assessed the validity and reliability of the I-PACE. Study 1 involved 870 caregivers (95% female, 75% with degrees, 90% White British) and examined I-PACE ratings alongside; (a) ratings of children's social-emotional skills and behavior problems; and (b) child age and parental depressive symptoms, to assess its sensitivity to contrasts in child development and parental experience. Study 2 included 191 families with 14-month-olds, for whom 188 mothers and 178 fathers completed the I-PACE and an index of life satisfaction. Supporting the replicability of findings from the I-PACE, both studies showed the same differentiated 5-factor structure (i.e., parental experiences, parenting activities, home environment quality, neighborhood environment quality and childcare environment quality). Supporting the I-PACE's validity, Study 1 showed that all 5 factors were independently related to both children's social-emotional skills and behavior problems, with predicted associations with child age and parental depressive symptoms. Supporting the I-PACE's inter-rater reliability, within-couple associations were significant for parenting activities, home environment, neighborhood quality and childcare quality. Together, these findings indicate that the I-PACE offers a broad yet brief index of early parenting with good psychometric properties and we discuss promising avenues for future research. Highlights: The new Index of Parental Activities Context and Experiences (I-PACE) showed promising psychometric properties. The I-PACE measure captures the multi-faceted nature of parenting. I-PACE subscales were associated with both child social and emotional skills and behavioural problems. Mother and father reports on the I-PACE are equivalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Theory of mind (ToM), the ability to recognize the mental states and emotions of others, is central to effective social relationships. Measuring higher-order ToM skills in gifted children may be a useful way to identify the tendency to experience difficulties in social behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between intelligence and sex in children using ToM and social behavior measures. Methods: Children aged 10–12 years constituted both the gifted (n = 45) and non-gifted (n = 45) groups. The participants were assessed for prosocial behaviors and peer problems using the subscales of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and in terms of ToM using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test-Child Version (RMET-C) and the Faux Pas Recognition Test-Child Version (FPRT-C). Results: ToM test results were higher in gifted children and girls. Peer problems were lower in gifted children. Prosocial behavior was higher in girls. No relationship was determined between ToM tests and peer problems or prosocial behavior in gifted children, but such a relationship was observed in the non-gifted group. Conclusions: This study shows that gifted children with high cognitive skills also possess superior social cognition skills. Advanced ToM skills in gifted children may be important to supporting their social and cognitive development. The differences between boys and girls should be considered in educational interventions applied to children in the social sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue includes nine original, empirical papers selected from the 7th International Conference on Adoption Research. In the interest of disseminating the new empirical knowledge and science-based interventions to adoption stakeholders, these papers reflect what can be considered some of the most stimulating and innovative lines of research in the recent adoption literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral disorders in children. This study aims to investigate the effect of baseball training on motor and psychological performance and behavioral characteristics of children with attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: To experiment, the sample group was randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. Fitness and motor test measures, behavioral measures, and neuropsychological tests are performed as a pre-test for both experimental and control groups. Then, the experimental group received baseball training for one month in 12 sessions with an average of 30 minutes, and the control group received no training. After the end of the course, the tests were re-administered on both experimental and control groups. The results of the study show that the mean of the two groups in pre-test is not significantly different; however, in the posttest, a big difference was found between the two experimental and control groups. Results: Comparing the groups in post-test by subtracting the effect of the pre-test showed a significant difference between the groups (P>0.001), which indicated the effectiveness of exercises and sports activities in reducing behavioral disorders of the experimental group (P>0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that the baseball game has a positive impact on all the investigated components. According to the results of the study, to design treatment programs for hyperactive/inattentive children, the use of baseball games in schools and educational centers can be considered. Accordingly, it is suggested that administrators, parents, and trainers in educational centers and educational environments provide sports, such as baseball games so that hyperactive children can benefit the most to strengthen and improve their behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kindergartens and other preschool facilities provide preschool children with an important setting for social interactions. Social interaction supports the development of social skills in children and is associated with better subsequent performance in arithmetic. Objective: This study reviewed the literature to; (a) identify targets treated as social interactions and examine measurable social interactions in preschool education and care settings, (b) to organize the methods used to assess social interactions and explore feasible methods for implementation in preschool education and care settings. Methods: The literature review was based on English-language articles published in peer-reviewed journals. Twenty-six such articles were selected for review after meeting all the selection criteria. For each article, six items were analyzed: (a) size and age of the participants in each sample, (b) setting, (c) study period and the number of data retrieval sessions, (d) measurement approach (type of measurement, instruments used, recording method), (e) social interactions measured, and (f) evaluators. Results: A number of indicators of social interaction were featured in the research, including the target children's behavior directed toward others, their participation in activities involving two or more participants, and their expressions. Several methods were used to record these observations, including interval recordings, fieldnotes, and existing forms/techniques. Conclusions: This study reveals that it is important to consider indicators other than utterances and conversation, such as behaviors, facial expressions, and forms of activity. And it is necessary to consider methods that can be implemented by teachers when they routinely collect social interaction data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated the relationship between parents' beliefs about children's emotions and children's social skills. Fewer studies have addressed this association and its underlying mechanisms while obtaining data from both parents. In this context, the present study explores the mediating role of parents' emotion regulation in the association between parents' beliefs about children's emotions and children's social skills. The participants were 90 parental dyads (N = 180) with typically developing preschool children. They completed self-report scales regarding parents' beliefs about their children's emotions, parents' emotion regulation, and children's social skills. The data were analyzed using the common fate mediation model (CFM with mediation). The results indicate that only parents' cognitive reappraisal mediates the relationship between their emotion-related beliefs and their children's social skills. Specifically, parental beliefs about "children's anger is valuable" and "children use their emotions to manipulate others" are directly and negatively associated with children's social skills, and indirectly through the parents' cognitive reappraisal. Future intervention programs should focus on restructuring parents' beliefs and their ability to regulate emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined the effect of teaching art (motivational painting) on preschool students' cognitive creativity and social skills. The research design of this quasi-experimental study includeda pretest-posttest with a control group. 60 students aged 6 years old were selected by purposive sampling from all preschools and kindergartens in Tehran and divided into an experimental group (15 boys and 15 girls) and a control group (15 boys and 15 girls). The experimental group was subjected to the teaching art program of motivational paintings (Silver, 2000) for 12 sessions, two sessions a week, each 45 minutes. Cognitive creativity and social skills were measured by the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking [form B, 1974] and the Social Skills Rating Scale of Gresham and Elliot [parents' form, 1990]. The results were analyzed by Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), T-test, and Spearman's correlation coefficient. The findings indicated that motivational painting instruction had significant positive effects on the students' cognitive creativity (p<0.01) and two subscales of social skills, namely cooperation and responsibility. The research showed that teaching motivational painting can be used by instructors as a useful and productive method to develop new curricula in order to escalate the positive creativity and social skills of learners in pedagogical institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The teaching of socio-emotional skills has received greater attention, with ongoing theoretical discussions about these competences. Evaluating such characteristics and their development, however, is challenging because of a lack of consensus about theoretical and practical models, the difficulty in analyses that rely solely on self-reports, and the scarcity of robust Brazilian psychometric instruments. Objectives: Therefore, the present study sought to (1) verify the psychometric evidence of the instrument’s internal consistency in assessing socio-emotional skills, (2) identify differences in respondents’ answers, and (3) identify potential issues with questionnaire items via semi-structured interviews. Methods: This pilot study involved 32 responses from children and adolescents and 25 responses from their family members. The questionnaire assessed five socio-emotional skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision making. Descriptive analyses and Cronbach’s alpha calculations were applied to confirm internal consistency of the items in each subscale. Analyses of variance were also conducted to analyse responses from family members and children. Results: The results showed that self- awareness (α = 0.83, α = 0.76), self-management (α = 0.82, α = 0.79), and relationship skills (α = 0.71, α = 0.79) had adequate internal consistency in both children’s and family members’ versions. Significant results were observed in scores between family members and children/adolescents in selfawareness (p = 0.0159), self-management (p = 0.015). Conclusion: The present study underscores the importance and complexity of assessing responsible decisionmaking skills and suggests that the questionnaire can be useful for evaluating socio-emotional competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To study parenting styles and social-emotional competence among adolescents. Method: The cross-sectional investigation took place in Faisalabad, Pakistan between August 2022 and January 2023. A total of four hundred participants were included in the study, employing a purposive sampling method. Specifically, two hundred adolescents were chosen from various schools and residential areas, while an additional two hundred parents of these adolescents were engaged to gather data. To assess parenting styles, the Parenting Style Questionnaire was utilized, while the Social-Emotional Competence Scale was employed to evaluate the social and emotional competence of the adolescents. The data obtained were analysed using SPSS-21. Results: For the present investigation, individuals aged between 10 to 21 years were enlisted as participants, comprising 50.2% females and 49.8% males. The parents who participated in the study included both mothers (64%) and fathers (46%), without any age restrictions. The findings of the study indicated a substantial association between parenting styles and the social-emotional competence of adolescents, with a significance level of (p<.01). Conclusion: Parenting styles emerged as a powerful predictor of adolescents' social-emotional competence, yielding impactful insights into the crucial role parents play in shaping their children's emotional well-being and social abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we adopted parenting styles as a multidimensional and latent construct that includes different aspects of parenting, rather than solely focusing on a single parenting style. In a Web-based survey with 1203 Greek parents, we identified parenting styles and their SDQ reports on their children. According to our results by Latent Profile Analysis, we must use a more complex approach concerning parenting styles. We identified a "Highly Authoritative style" profile with high levels of authoritative, low levels of authoritarian and middle levels of permissive parenting styles. We additionally identified a profile called "Relaxed Authoritative style", with still high but lower levels of authoritative style, low but slightly heightened levels of authoritarian style, and middle levels of permissive style. A further profile, named "Permissive Focused Authoritative style", had a mix of high levels of authoritative, moderate levels of permissive, and elevated levels of authoritarian parenting styles. Finally, in a profile named "Inconsistent Parenting style", we identified parents with a blend of still high, but the lowest of all four levels of authoritative and highest levels of permissive and authoritarian parenting styles. When combining the four identified parenting patterns with the SDQ results, we identified the "highly authoritative parenting style" profile to be the least connected to internalizing or externalizing problems of the respective children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current article examines associations between preschool cognitive and behavioral skills and indicators of college enrollment in a sample (n = 379) of primarily Black and Hispanic youth growing up in low-income areas of Chicago. Although we found that most early cognitive and behavioral skills were only weakly or moderately related to later college enrollment, a rating of preschool attention and impulsivity control was a relatively strong predictor. Across most models tested, attention and impulsivity control, executive functioning, and effortful control produced predicted probabilities that were similar in magnitude, or larger, than the effects produced by early math and literacy. There was no indication that early behavioral difficulties were substantive predictors of college enrollment. These descriptive findings suggest that in a low-income sample of children, some early cognitive capabilities related to attention and EF predict longer term college enrollment. We discuss implications for developmental theory and suggest that caution should be applied when projecting likely effects of early skill-focused interventions. Public Significance Statement: This study demonstrates that some early cognitive and behavioral skills have longitudinal associations with later enrollment in college. Out of six preschool skills tested, a measure of attention and impulsivity control was the strongest and most consistent predictor of later enrollment among a sample of children growing up in low-income communities. Although this suggests that certain early cognitive and self-regulatory capacities may lead to positive long-term outcomes for children, more research is needed before drawing strong conclusions for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated whether a play-based, teacher-facilitated peer network intervention could improve basic social communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study was conducted in a regular classroom, using the principles of peer mediation and an integrated playgroup model. A single-subject multiple baseline design across three participants with ASD and Tau-U were used to determine the size of the effect. The results indicated that basic social communication skills of all three target participants significantly improved from the baseline condition in all three aspects measured: the duration of social interaction, social initiations, and responses to their peers. In the maintenance condition, three target participants retained increased social communication skills yet at lower levels than during the intervention condition. Overall, the results suggested that the intervention package was effective at improving the social abilities of children with ASD and applicable in classrooms. Practices, implications, and recommendations for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is conflicting evidence regarding effects of bilingualism on inhibition, and the mechanisms that might underlie the effects remain unclear. A prominent account views additional demands on structural language use in bilinguals as being at the root of bilingual effects on inhibition. In this study, we tested the novel hypothesis that social-pragmatic skills (alone or together with structural language skills) are associated with inhibition in bilingual children. Method: Parents of 114 typically developing 8- to 11-year-old Spanish-English bilingual children completed the Children's Communication Checklist-Second Edition to index social pragmatics and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function to index executive functioning skills. The Inhibit clinical scale score reflected children's inhibition. Children's language ability was indexed by the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Fourth Edition in English and Spanish. Length of bilingualism was operationalized continuously as the length of time children had been exposed to both languages in their lifetime. Moderation analyses tested the effects of structural language, social-pragmatic skills, and length of bilingual experience, and their interactions on inhibition. Results: While structural language skills were not associated with inhibition, they moderated the relation between social-pragmatic skills and inhibition, such that children with better social-pragmatic skills demonstrated better inhibition, and this effect was stronger for children with better structural language skills. Furthermore, longer length of bilingual experience was associated with better inhibition, and this effect was not moderated by any other predictor. Conclusion: These results confirm a graded relationship between bilingualism and inhibition, and indicate that this association is not qualified by structural language or social-pragmatic skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mother–child emotion-related conversations, as a practice of parental socialization of emotion, can help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) develop socio-emotional skills. This study intends to explore relationships between mother–child conversations about emotions and socio-emotional skills of children with ASD by accounting for the moderating role of children personality traits and mothers' emotional openness. Mothers of children with ASD (n = 49) responded to five questionnaires describing their conversations about emotions, emotional openness as well as their child's socio-emotional skills and personality. We conducted hierarchical regression and moderation analyses. Our findings indicate that frequent mother–child conversations about emotions significantly predict higher emotional regulation and Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities in children with ASD (p < 0.05). Moreover, children's consciousness and openness to experience, along with mothers' emotional openness significantly moderate the relation between mother–child conversations about emotions and children's ToM skills (p < 0.05). Mother–child conversations about emotions, as a practice of parental socialization of emotion, could be beneficial for children with ASD. Children's personality traits and mothers' openness to emotion may act as a protective factor of ToM skills in children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500 g) infants are at an elevated risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, later obesity and cardiometabolic disease; if and how neurodevelopmental disorders impact chronic disease risk is poorly understood. The most common neurodevelopmental disorders experienced by VLBW children are those of social-emotional functioning. We compared dietary patterns and body composition between VLBW children with poor vs. typical social-emotional functioning using linear mixed models adjusted for sex, gestational age, cognitive impairment, parental education, and body mass index (BMI). VLBW children (n=158) attending the Donor Milk for Improved Neurodevelopmental Outcomes trial with 5.5-year follow-up participated. Poor social-emotional functioning was based on standardized parent-rated questionnaires and/or parent-reported physician diagnosis of autism spectrum or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Most children had diets categorized as "needs improvement" (67%) or "poor" (27%) and 29% of children exhibited poor social-emotional functioning. Poor social-emotional functioning was positively associated with 100% fruit juice (β=0.3 cup equivalents/day; 95% CI 0.1, 0.5) and energy intake (β=118.1 kcal/day; 95% CI 0.9, 235.2). Children with poor social-emotional functioning were more likely to have a limited food repertoire (p=0.02), but less likely to exceed dietary fat recommendations (p=0.04). No differences in overall diet quality or body composition were observed. Diet counselling and research are essential to improving the nutrition of VLBW children to mitigate chronic disease risk. Trial registration — Optimizing Mothers' Milk for Preterm Infants Program of Research: Study 1 – Impact of Donor Milk at Kindergarten, NCT02759809, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02759809. Novelty: Overall diet quality and body composition did not differ between VLBW children with poor vs. typical social-emotional functioning. Most had diets "needing improvement" or "poor" according to the Healthy Eating Index-2010. Diet counselling may help mitigate chronic disease risk in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides empirical benchmarks that quantify typical changes in students' reports of social and emotional skills in a large, diverse sample. Data come from six cohorts of students (N = 361,815; 6% Asian, 8% Black, 68% White, 75% Latinx, 50% Female) who responded to the CORE survey from 2015 to 2018 and help quantify typical gains/declines in growth mindset, self‐efficacy, self‐management, and social awareness. Results show fluctuations in skills between 4th and 12th grade (changes ranging from −.33 to.23 standard deviations). Growth mindset increases in fourth grade, declines in fifth to seventh grade, then mostly increases. Self‐efficacy, self‐management, and social awareness decline in sixth to eighth grade. Self‐management and social awareness, but not self‐efficacy, show increases in 10th to 12th grade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the factors related to mothers' decisions to provide disease explanations to their children, investigate the associations between those factors and social adaptive skills, and examine support relative to children's growth and development. Methods: Data were collected from anonymous, self-administered questionnaires answered by 71 mothers of outpatient school-aged children with congenital heart disease. The questionnaire items included characteristics of mothers and children, decision factors for providing disease explanations, and children's social adaptive skills (Asahide-Shiki social adaptive skills test). Factor analysis was performed on the decision factors, and multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the identified factors and each social adaptive skill. Results: The decision factors for providing disease explanations were the mother's explanation ability, the receptive capability of the child, and the child's interest and literacy regarding the explanation. Multiple regression analysis showed that language and social life skills were significantly associated with the child's receptive capability, and language and daily life skills were significantly associated with the child's interest and literacy regarding the explanation. Conclusion: Improving children's language, social life, and daily life skills may enhance their receptive capability and literacy regarding explanations of their disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this research was to develop a brief version of the well‐established Social Skills Improvement System Social Emotional Learning (SSIS SEL) Parent Rating Form (2017) so that parents' voices are heard by schools where programs to facilitate children's social emotional learning (SEL) are increasingly popular. Background: Parents' observations of their children's social emotional skills based on social interactions within a family are potentially rich, but parents typically have not been included in universal SEL screenings conducted by schools. This information can contribute to a more complete picture of children's social emotional functioning and status. Method: Using an item response theory approach, items rated by parents on the SSIS SEL Rating Form were selected to maintain content representation and maximize estimated information while minimizing differential item functioning across gender and ethnicity. The parent ratings were for a nationally representative sample of 2,400 students grades K–12. Results: Initial evidence of reliability and validity for the resulting brief scales supports their use by parents for low‐stakes assessment of SEL skill development. Conclusion: This new assessment holds promise for meaningfully documenting parents' observations of their children's SEL skills at home and in the community. Implications: The SSIS SEL Brief—Parent can be completed in 5 minutes and provides a picture of student SEL functioning that supplements teachers' assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of peer microaggressions and the child–teacher relationship on the social skills of children with sexual minority parents has received little attention. The current study used a mixed-method, multi-informant, two-wave longitudinal design to address this research gap. Thirty-seven children of lesbian mothers through donor insemination and 33 children of gay fathers though surrogacy (wave 1: Mage = 8.3 years, SD = 1.6; 51.4% female; wave 2: Mage = 9.9 years, SD = 1.7), all school-aged and residing in Italy, participated together with their 140 parents and 55 teachers. Approximately two-thirds of the children reported at least one peer microaggression and, on average, microaggressions were of a low intensity. Child–teacher relationships were of high quality (i.e., characterized by high safe haven–seeking and secure base use, and low conflict). Both parents and teachers reported high levels of child social skills. However, more intense W1 microaggressions predicted lower W2 social skills among children reporting a lower W1 child–teacher relationship quality, and greater W2 social skills among those reporting a higher W1 child–teacher relationship quality. These results support the child–teacher relationship as a potentially secure context in which children can "mentalize" negative experiences such as microaggressions and improve their social skills. In this vein, considering microaggression, attachment, and developmental intergroup theories, teachers must attune to the school experiences of children with sexual minority parents and cultivate caring classroom environments that are sensitive to family diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we identified (1) subgroups of youth during middle childhood who displayed distinct profiles of social emotional learning (SEL) skills including cooperation, prosocial behaviors, work habits, emotion regulation, and self-control; and (2) how these profiles predict longitudinal academic and social functioning during early adolescence. Using the NICHD SECCYD dataset (N = 932, 49% girls), four profiles emerged: relatively low SEL (14%), moderate-high SEL (51%), prosocial/self-control (22%), and cooperation/work habits (13%). Longitudinally, the prosocial/self-control group and cooperation/work habits group demonstrated area-specific weakness. The prosocial/self-control youth were at risk of poor academic competence; the high cooperation/work habit youth were at risk of poor social functioning whereas the relatively low SEL skills youth demonstrated highest risk in poor academic and social functioning in early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is vital to foster children's ability to cooperate with others, communicate effectively, and exercise self-control. These competencies represent a set of transferrable skills required in many aspects of daily life and along any career path. In Hong Kong, a play-based training programme was launched to support parents to target these areas of social competence. The programme taught 414 parents to use group games that foster social skills development in children aged 4–5 years. Parents completed culturally-appropriate questionnaires before the programme started, one week after the programme ended, and three months after the programme ended. Paired sample t-test analyses revealed significant improvements in children's social skills. Implications for using play-based social learning experiences are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]