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This study aims to examine the approach in teaching practice to "muallaf" (Muslim indigenous people: "orang asli") and the factors of attraction toward the acceptance of Islamic understanding among them. The study was conducted at the village of "muallaf orang asli" at Paya Sendayan, Temerloh Pahang, Malaysia. Design of this study are using the qualitative methods. Data were collected by observation and selected informant interviews based on purposive sampling methods. Data were analysed using the thematic methods. The results of the study found that the approach in teaching practice to "muallaf orang asli" is "syarah" (explanation) and discussion presented through storytelling, stimulation method and "talaqqi musyafahah" (face to face). Meanwhile, the results of the attraction factors toward the acceptance of teaching and learning among "muallaf orang asli" are aspect of reward, facilities, understanding and skills of teachers or educators for the socio-culture and role model shown by teachers or educators as well as the Muslim community nearby the living community. The findings of this study show that the teaching and learning of "muallaf orang asli" should be organized systematically in line with the factors of attraction in order to increase interest and earnestly.

Background: Despite the increased risk for people with an intellectual disability developing dementia, post-diagnostic psychosocial supports such as cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) are not routinely offered and there is limited research examining this intervention with people with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of CST for older adults with intellectual disability to support active ageing. Methods: Five client participants attended a 14-session CST group and four staff attended a focus group. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to investigate the client and staff narratives. Results: Three key themes were generated--(1) Brain Health, (2) Connecting with others, and (3) Barriers and Enablers. Conclusion: Findings indicated the suitability of CST as a way of supporting active ageing for older adults with intellectual disability. This study adds to the growing knowledge about service provision for older adults and their changing needs as they age and identifies clinical implications such as staff training to support intervention adherence.

Peripheral sensorimotor stimming activity, such as rocking and fidgeting, is widely considered irrelevant to and even distracting from learning. In this critical-pedagogy conceptual paper, we argue that stimming is an intrinsic part of adaptive functioning, interaction, and cognitive dynamics. We submit that when cultural resources build from students' own sensorimotor dynamics, rather than subjugating them to hegemonic corporeal norms, learners' intrinsic sensorimotor behaviors may be embraced and empowered as mental activity. This call for transformative inclusive pedagogy is of particular importance for neurodivergent children whose sensorimotor engagements have historically been ostracized as disruptive. Following a conceptual analysis of stimming that builds on a range of neuro-cognitive empirical studies drawing on post-cognitivist embodied cognition theory, we imagine inclusive educational futures that disrupt sedentary instructional design to elevate minoritized learners' sensorimotor activity. As proof of concept, we present an example inclusive embodied activity, balance board math, a pedagogical tool designed to elicit stimming as thinking. We propose a set of design heuristics for realizing stimming's pedagogical potential.

Can math concepts be experienced through the sensory modality of balance? Balance Board Math (BBM) is a set of pedagogical math activities designed to instantiate mathematical concepts through stimulation to the vestibular sense: an organ in the inner ear that detects our bodily balance and orientation. BBM establishes the different ways children spontaneously rock and move as the basis for inclusively exploring mathematical concepts together across diverse sensory profiles. I describe two activity sets where students explore focal concepts by shifting their balance on rockable balance boards: "the Balance Number Line," using analog materials to foster understandings of the number line and negative numbers, and "Balance Graphing," using sensors and a digital display to foster exploration of functions and graphing concepts, including the parameters of trigonometric functions and function addition. I outline proposed ways that engaging with concepts through balance-activating movement can change learners' mathematical thinking and learning.

Linguistic categories can impact visual perception. For instance, learning that two objects have different names can enhance their discriminability. Previous studies have identified a typical pattern of categorical perception, characterized by faster discrimination of stimuli from different categories, a neural mismatch response during early visual processing (100-200 ms), and effects restricted to the right visual field. However, it remains unclear whether language affects perception online or through long-term changes to mental representations in memory. To address this, we tested the impact of newly learned object categories with and without memory consolidation during sleep. We replicated the canonical pattern of categorical perception for categories that underwent consolidation. Without consolidation, linguistic categories still influenced early visual processing but with distinct neural dynamics. Therefore, we found evidence of both transient and long-term effects of language on perception and conclude that memory consolidation plays a crucial role in shaping how linguistic categories modulate perception.

Not only children but also adolescents and adults encounter great difficulties in learning to reason proportionally. Despite these difficulties, research increasingly shows that proportional reasoning emerges early, before it is being instructed in school. There have however been very few attempts to stimulate this early emerging ability. The aim of the present study was to stimulate proportional reasoning in second graders. We developed an intervention program focusing on quantitative reasoning and promoting different strategies to solve proportional missing-value problems. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated in a pretest-intervention-posttest study with a control group (n = 139). Results showed a large effect of the intervention program on children's proportional reasoning abilities in fair-sharing situations and a small transfer effect to word problem solving. There was also a moderate effect on the proportional vocabulary that was explicitly taught in the intervention program, but no transfer effect to proportional vocabulary not explicitly taught.

Currently, classrooms are experiencing an increase in the number of schoolchildren with a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Numerous studies propose, as an alternative to medication, the implementation of different neurotechnology in the classroom to improve the symptomatology and enhance the cognitive abilities of children with this diagnosis. This umbrella review aims to compile the scientific evidence that exists on the application of these techniques, as well as their implementation, in schools. A systematic review was carried out, following accepted recommendations (PRISMA), which included systematic reviews in English or Spanish, published in scientific journals, which deal with ADHD, apply some neurotechnology used in this population such as neurofeedback, transcranial stimulation (tDCS) or hyper scanning, and which refer to education or school. Fourteen systematic reviews were retained, which show that neurofeedback is the most widely used neurotechnology, although its actual implementation in school has been scarcely treated or only aimed to evaluate its efficacy. In second place, tDCS appears with a more clinical approach, while hyper scanning does not appear. Despite the promising experimental results, ecological studies proposing the effective implementation of these techniques in educational centers are necessary; on the other hand, the commitment to neuroeducation would entail the emergence of new professional figures.

Background: Although existing studies have shown that both repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and music therapy have advantages in the treatment of non-fluent aphasia, the efficacy of the combination of these two methods remains to be investigated. Aims: To investigate the clinical efficacy of low-frequency rTMS combined with music therapy on language function and depression in patients with non-fluent aphasia after stroke. Methods & Procedures: A single-blind parallel randomised controlled trial was conducted. Sixty patients (mean duration = 93.78 days) with non-fluent aphasia after stroke were randomly divided into a traditional therapy group (n = 20), a music therapy group (n = 20) and a combined therapy group (n = 20, 1 Hz). The language function and depression were evaluated before and 3 weeks after treatment with the Chinese version of the Western Aphasia Battery scale, Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination scale and Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire Hospital Version scale. Outcomes & Results: The combined therapy group was significantly better in all outcomes than the traditional therapy group and was significantly better in depression than the music therapy group. The music therapy group was significantly better in repetition and depression than the traditional therapy group. Language improvement was positively correlated with depression improvement. For adverse events, only two patients in the combined therapy group showed slight dizziness during rTMS treatment and their symptoms improved after rest. Conclusions & Implications: Our preliminary randomised controlled study indicates that low-frequency rTMS combined with music therapy is feasible and safe in improving language function and depression in non-fluent aphasia patients after stroke.

Purpose: This study examined speech changes induced by deep-brain stimulation (DBS) in speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD) using a set of auditory-perceptual and acoustic measures. Method: Speech recordings from nine speakers with PD and DBS were compared between DBS-On and DBS-Off conditions using auditory-perceptual and acoustic analyses. Auditory-perceptual ratings included voice quality, articulation precision, prosody, speech intelligibility, and listening effort obtained from 44 listeners. Acoustic measures were made for voicing proportion, second formant frequency slope, vowel dispersion, articulation rate, and range of fundamental frequency and intensity. Results: No significant changes were found between DBS-On and DBS-Off for the five perceptual ratings. Four of six acoustic measures revealed significant differences between the two conditions. While articulation rate and acoustic vowel dispersion increased, voicing proportion and intensity range decreased from the DBS-Off to DBS-On condition. However, a visual examination of the data indicated that the statistical significance was mostly driven by a small number of participants, while the majority did not show a consistent pattern of such changes. Conclusions: Our data, in general, indicate no-to-minimal changes in speech production ensued from DBS stimulation. The findings are discussed with a focus on large interspeaker variability in PD in terms of their speech characteristics and the potential effects of DBS on speech.

Introduction: Executive function (EF) deficits are common in youth with ADHD and pose significant functional impairments. The extent and effect of interventions addressing EF in youth with ADHD remain unclear. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review using PRISMA guidelines. Included studies were randomized controlled trials of interventions to treat EF in youth with ADHD. Results: Our search returned 136 studies representing 11,443 study participants. We identified six intervention categories: nonstimulant pharmacological (N = 3,576 participants), neurological (N = 1,935), psychological (N = 2,387), digital (N = 2,416), physiological (N = 680), and combination (N = 366). The bulk of the evidence supported pharmacological interventions as most effective in mitigating EF, followed by psychological and digital interventions. Conclusion: A breadth of treatments exists for EF in youth with ADHD. Pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and digital interventions had the most favorable, replicable outcomes. A lack of outcome standardization across studies limited treatment comparison. More data on the persistence of intervention effects are necessary.

This article focuses on the issue of reflection for music studio teachers in higher education. Although stimulated recall and reflection on action are well-developed research fields in classroom education settings, the application of these methods to studio teaching is rare, a form of pedagogy which is heavily influenced by the master-apprentice tradition, with many teachers engaging in this practice without any formal training. The article presents the findings associated with three different studio pedagogues reflecting on video recordings of their lessons via cooperative analysis. Each of the three pedagogues took part in a live session with the researchers where their practice and methods were considered and discussed in significant detail, applying the principles of stimulated recall and shared reflections. Findings reveal that in addition to the need for inexperienced teachers to be courageous in reviewing their own work, stimulated recall and reflection on action offer benefits for teachers by assisting them in identifying areas of their practice to revise and re-examine. The findings therefore propose that the process of stimulated recall may be a useful component of professional development for teachers in the higher education sector.

Applying 10 Hz ([alpha]-rate) sensory stimulation, not 5 Hz ([theta]-rate), prior to introducing novel speech-print pairs can reset the phase of [theta] oscillations and enhance associative learning. This rapid gain indicates coordinated mechanisms to regulate attentional/cognitive resources ([alpha] oscillations) and facilitate memory storage ([theta] oscillations) early in learning. The present findings may inform educational practices for children with reading difficulties.

Chance favors the prepared mind, said Louis Pasteur. Sometimes, significant breakthroughs occur when we creatively integrate new information, leading to a creative insight or an Aha! moment, while at other times when we fail to use a clue, we remain stuck in our habitual thinking patterns. In this study, we hypothesized that the brain's transient oscillatory states would characterize its receptivity or preparedness for such insights. We conducted a real-time brain-state-dependent cognitive stimulation experiment during insightful problem-solving. We showed that participants were more successful in utilizing clues and experienced more Aha responses when these clues were presented at the spontaneously up-regulated state of right temporal alpha oscillation, as opposed to the down-regulated state. Furthermore, we observed an inverse correlation between the coupling of alpha oscillation phase and gamma oscillation power and the frequency of insight. These results shed light on the neural mechanism underpinning the brain's receptivity to integrate upcoming semantic information, emphasizing the pivotal role of dynamical brain oscillations in the Aha! experience.

Prior theoretical and empirical studies have linked the first 3 years of children's life with later life outcomes. One primary explanation is the critical role these experiences play in children's early brain development (including their early language and cognitive abilities) and subsequent schooling achievement. The current study is a registered report with two complementary research objectives: (1) examine to what extent stimulating and responsive interactions with mothers and nonparental caregivers during the first 3 years of life show additive or synergistic associations with key socioeconomic outcomes in adulthood (i.e., educational attainment, salary, and employment status), and (2) examine to what extent academic skills (i.e., mathematics, vocabulary, and literacy) during childhood and adolescence mediate these associations. The sample included 1364 individuals from a birth cohort study who were followed until age 26. Mother-child interactions had positive associations with educational attainment and negative associations with full-time employment, though no synergistic associations were found for the socioeconomic outcomes. In addition, the indirect effects of mother-child interactions on educational attainment through mathematics were strongest for children with less stimulating and responsive caregiver-child interactions. Potential implications of these findings for developmental theory are discussed.

We investigated whether child temperament (negative emotionality, 5 months) moderated the association between maternal stimulation (5 months--2½ years) and academic readiness and achievement (vocabulary, mathematics, and reading). We applied structural equation modeling to the data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (N = 1121-1448; mostly Whites; 47% girls). Compared to children with low negative emotionality, those with high negative emotionality had higher levels of academic readiness (6 years) and mathematics achievement (7 years) when exposed to high levels of maternal stimulation ([Beta] = 3.17, p < 0.01 and [Beta] = 2.91, p < 0.01, respectively). The results support the differential susceptibility model whereby highly emotionally negative children were more susceptible to the influences of low and high levels of maternal stimulation in academic readiness and mathematics achievement's developments.

As the number of older Americans double in the next forty years, it will be important to delay the decline in cognition. The aim of this paper is to describe the feasibility and acceptability of a six-week cognitively stimulating program focusing on visual arts (Picasso, Andrew Wyeth, and Carl Warner), music (Bach and Franklin), and travel (Europe). An explanatory, mixed methods design (a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase) was used to encapsulate a more comprehensive description of the program. The program was conducted with 10 community living older adults who were mostly female (70.5 ± 7.5 years). The goal of each 90-min, weekly session was to provide cognitively challenging activities utilizing peer support and education about memory loss. Pre- and post-surveys assessed cognition (SLUMS) life satisfaction (SWL), and general demographics. Further, preliminary results on the effects of the program on cognition and life satisfaction were obtained. Post-program assessments showed improvement in cognition (p < 0.001) and revealed relationships between age and life satisfaction (p < 0.05), and cognition and attendance (p < 0.05) and life satisfaction (p < 0.05). Qualitative analyses from the focus group (N = 4) demonstrated program acceptability and the potential for long-term impact. These results suggest the current program has the potential for larger-scale implementation. Future directions include efficacy and effectiveness trials across more diverse community settings and populations.

Background: Psychology has seen a recent explosion in the use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) to understand cognition. The prevalence of techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in published research has grown immensely in the past decade; however, there has been little effort to incorporate these techniques into the undergraduate curriculum through course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs). Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of creating a CURE focused on tDCS and to offer practical advice on how to create one at other institutions. Method: I present a novel undergraduate CURE focused on tDCS, as well as practical advice on how to teach about and safely implement student-driven tDCS experiments. Results: Undergraduate students learned about and engaged first-hand in their own non-invasive brain stimulation research in an upper-level psychology laboratory course. Conclusion: An undergraduate laboratory course that focuses on non-invasive brain stimulation has a range of potential benefits for students and instructors alike. Furthermore, it allows undergraduates to gain experience using a rapidly growing neuroscientific methodology. Teaching Implications: Given that tDCS is a safe and relatively inexpensive method of modulating brain function, the present course demonstrates the ease, and potential advantages, of incorporating NIBS into the undergraduate psychology curriculum.

Evidence implicating theta rhythms in declarative memory encoding and retrieval, together with the notion that both retrieval and consolidation involve memory reinstatement or replay, suggests that post-learning theta rhythm modulation can promote early consolidation of newly formed memories. Building on earlier work employing theta neurofeedback, we examined whether theta-frequency transcranial alternating stimulation (tACS) can engender effective consolidation of newly formed episodic memories, compared with beta frequency stimulation or sham control conditions. We compared midline frontal and posterior parietal theta stimulation montages and examined whether benefits to memory of theta upregulation are attributable to consolidation rather than to retrieval processes by using a washout period to eliminate tACS after-effects between stimulation and memory assessment. Four groups of participants viewed object pictures followed by a free recall test during three study-test cycles. They then engaged in tACS (frontal theta montage/parietal theta montage/frontal beta montage/sham) for a period of 20 min, followed by a 2-h break. Free recall assessments were conducted after the break, 24 h later, and 7 days later. Frontal midline theta-tACS induced significant off-line retrieval gains at all assessment time points relative to all other conditions. This indicates that theta upregulation provides optimal conditions for the consolidation of episodic memory, independent of mental-state strategies.

The aim of this pilot study was to explore the feasibility and language outcomes of coaching parents to implement an aided language stimulation intervention using Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display (PODD) communication books. Two parent--child dyads, with children aged 4 years 6 months and 4 years 8 months participated in a home-based intervention. An AB design was used. Data were collected in mealtime and play activities. Dependent variables were frequency of parent use of AAC symbols and speech and frequency of child symbol use (speech, signs or graphic symbols). The intervention was feasible as parents reported they were confident in implementing it and the timeframes were appropriate for single-case research designs. An increase in parent AAC symbol use was associated with PODD book use in mealtime and for one parent in play. Both children increased their symbol use, with the clearest association in the mealtime activity. Overall, the encouraging results suggest that this approach warrants further research using stronger designs.

Background: Research is beginning to shed light on the practices employed by speech-language therapists (SLTs) for the management of acquired dysarthria. However, studies that explore SLTs' satisfaction with the effectiveness of current therapies and their interest in new treatment methods for this population have not been carried out. One potential new method is neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES): the pool of evidence for its use in rehabilitation is increasing, yet it has not been widely explored for use with dysarthria. Aim: To extend the understanding of acquired dysarthria management practices employed by SLTs across the globe and determine their satisfaction with current therapy options. To explore their interest in using NMES with this population. Methods and Procedures: A cross-sectional international online survey was developed and disseminated to SLTs working with adults with acquired dysarthria through international professional associations. The survey collected information on demographic characteristics, dysarthria management practices, satisfaction with treatment effectiveness and interest in and knowledge of NMES. Survey responses were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and quantitative content analysis. Outcomes and Results: A total of 211 SLTs (North America, 48.8%; Europe, 36%; Asia, 8.1%; Oceania, 5.7%; Africa, 0.9%; South America, 0.5%) completed the survey in full. Management practices varied considerably. There was a clear preference for informal assessments, mainly oral-motor examinations, focusing on body functions and structures. The majority of respondents rejected the use of non-speech oral motor exercises as a clinical or carryover exercise. Variable satisfaction with current speech subsystem treatments was noted; however, overall, there was a general dissatisfaction. Whilst a strong interest in the use of NMES for dysarthria was evidenced, it was noted that most SLTs lacked fundamental knowledge of NMES principles and application. Conclusion: SLTs' management practices and satisfaction with acquired dysarthria treatments differed substantially. Investigations of the potential use of NMES for dysarthria treatment are of interest.

Playfulness as a learning technique is applied into the present research in a group of adult learners. Initially, a game scenario was designed and implemented for the subject of microeconomics. Following a qualitative research methodology, through observation and interviews with ten participants before and after the playful activity, the results of the intervention were examined in terms of learning impact, student motivation and the interaction that was developed between them during the game. The participants' views on the advantages and disadvantages they identified in this scenario as well as their suggestions for improvement and expansion were also explored. Significant findings on this application were drawn, since playfulness in teaching is gradually coming to the forefront of adult training worldwide. The present paper provides insights on what conditions should be further examined, in order for such scenario to be effective as teaching techniques. The limited literature on the topic as well as the increasing realisation of the important effects of playfulness in adult training render the present study significant at an international level for multiple disciplines.

Sensation-seeking, subjective vitality and happiness are interrelated constructs in the current literature. However, there is currently no research on how the relationship between these concepts is affected. This research aims to examine the mediating effect of resilience in the relationship between them, thus bridging a large gap in the field. The group of participants in the research consisted of 519 university students; 384 (74%) of them women and 135 (26%) of them men. In addition, the average age of the participants was 20.17 (Sd = 1.36). We used sensation seeking, resilience, subjective vitality and Oxford happiness scales in the research. We used mediation analysis to determine the indirect effect of resilience between sensation seeking and subjective vitality and happiness. The results revealed a minor, positively significant relationship between sensation seeking and resilience, subjective vitality, and happiness, indicating that resilience plays a mediating role in the relationship between the concepts of. Moreover, a high level of psychological resilience increases subjective vitality and happiness. Based on these findings, guidance and psychological counselors in schools may be able to better guide improving students' mood.

Problem-solving activities have been studied from a diversity of epistemological perspectives. In problem-solving activities, the initial tensions of a problematic situation led to a cognitive dissonance between conflicting motives and instruments to reach the activity goal. We analyze problem-solving in the continuation of Sannino and Laitinen's (2015) approach to the analysis of a decision-forming apparatus. The originality of this study is in consideration of the materialistic nature of double stimulation that appears during the activity of the CreaCube problem-solving task. This activity engages the participant in solving tasks with interactive robotic instruments. To solve a task, the subject is required to build interactive robotic modules into a specific configuration which will cause the artifact to move from an initial position to a predetermined final position. The conflict of stimuli in the CreaCube is strong and observable because of the tangibility of the artifact, which is manipulated by the participant into different configurations with the goal of solving the task. We discuss double stimulation in relation to the artifactual interactive affordances of educational robotics.

The present study examined (1) intraindividual changes in the frequency of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use across young adulthood, 18 to 30 years old, and (2) if depressive symptoms and sensation-seeking tendencies, independently and in interaction with one another, were associated with these changes. Data were from a longitudinal study of students recruited from 24 Texas colleges and followed across six waves from fall 2015 to spring 2019. Participants (n = 1298; 36.3% non-Hispanic white, 56.3% women) were 18 to 26 years old in fall 2015 and all reported past 30-day ENDS use on at least one wave. We used growth curve modeling for an accelerated longitudinal design to examine if ENDS use frequency changed with increasing age and if depressive symptoms and sensation seeking, independently and in interaction with one another, were associated with these changes. Results showed that ENDS use frequency increased with increasing age. Depressive symptoms and sensation seeking were not independently associated with more frequent ENDS use or an accelerated increase in ENDS use frequency across increasing age. However, a significant two-way interaction indicated that young adults with elevated depressive symptoms used ENDS more frequently, but only when they had higher levels of sensation seeking. Findings indicate that young adults with depressive symptoms are a heterogeneous population and that those with high levels of sensation-seeking tendencies are at elevated risk for more frequent ENDS use. Interventions for young adults high in both sensation-seeking and depressive symptoms may help prevent and decrease ENDS use.

Leadership emerges as a powerful force in the effort toward achieving quality education. The transformational leadership style inspires leaders to work toward a common goal to create change. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore higher education deans' and faculty directors' perspectives on their practice of transformational leadership in higher education institutions in Colombia. Transformational leadership theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews with six higher education deans and six faculty directors. Findings from coding analysis revealed seven themes: leadership commitment, shared vision, idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, organizational performance, and future orientation. Colombian higher education leaders may use the findings to improve decision-making practices, increase motivation, and enhance organizational commitment and effectiveness.

Advancement in the fields of emotion regulation and performance in learning settings has developed our collective understanding of how affective stimuli modulate emotional responses of learners who are engaging in learning tasks. Studies in the application of background music during cognitively demanding tasks have led to a continued study of how music can be used to affect an emotional response in listeners. The present study used automated facial recognition technology to examine the effects of background music stimulation on middle school learners completing a reading comprehension task. Results indicated that there were significant differences in emotional expressions of anger and frustration while listening to music, coinciding with greater performance on accompanying reading comprehension tasks. The mediation of this 'confused' emotional state could be an indicator of the emotionally salient application of music to help manage these emotional responses. These findings contribute preliminary evidence of the application of facial-emotion recognition technology to identify the effects of musical stimulation on learning, and the possible application of musical stimuli to emotion regulation.

Contextual diversity in early childhood development present challenges and opportunities for holistic child development. This study explored home and parental factors associated with early childhood developmental outcomes in rural communities. Using purposive sampling, 175 families with children aged 0-8 (87 girls and 88 boys) were recruited to participate in the study. Parents responded to home and parenting measures assessing early developmental supports at home. Child developmental outcomes (cognition, alphabet knowledge, receptive language, pattern reasoning, attention, and fine motor skills) for 58 children were assessed. Correlations showed positive associations of home and parent measures with child outcomes except socioeconomic status and receptive language. This study highlights presence of nurturance care and stimulatory behaviors in rural communities that reflect variations in child outcomes. Based on findings, it was recommended that parent empowering programs be embedded in practices of childcare that incorporate local knowledge and materials including ways they foster different aspects of early developmental skills.

Pre-competition warm-up has mostly been examined physically in the literature, focusing on its effect on performance and protection from injuries. However, there is a lack of studies regarding the psychological influences of warm-up. Therefore, in this study it was aimed to explore the psychological reflections of pre-competition warm-up in terms of motivational process and outcomes. The research was designed in qualitative research, and phenomenology was employed. Participants were 10 international wrestlers whose age differentiated between 20 and 25 years. They have a sports career ranging from 8 to 12 years. The data were collected via focus group interviews and analyzed via content analysis. Results showed that wrestlers need pre-competition warm-up as they perceive it improves their performance and protects them from injuries. However, perception of the opponent as stronger or weaker, guides whether the warm-up is needed or not. In addition, pre-competition warm-up motivates wrestlers through stimulating, goal-directing (e.g., adaptation, concentration, awareness), and encouraging them to the competition. In conclusion, pre-competition warm-up not only physically prepares athletes for the competition, but also prepares them psychologically with its motivating influences.

The current study investigated whether a domain-specific intervention of ExeFun-Mat targeting math and executive functions in primary school children with a Roma background would be effective in improving their scholastic performance and executive functioning. ExeFun-Mat is based on the principles of the reciprocal teaching approach, scaffolding and self-questioning. The domain-specific content was divided into modules. Each module consisted of a set of graded tasks. The criteria for the grading and hierarchical organization of the tasks were based on the level of cognitive difficulty and the type of representation. In total, 122 students attending grade four of elementary school took part in the project. The study concerned a pretest-intervention-posttest experimental design with three conditions: the experimental condition, an active, and a passive control group. To assess the children's level of EF, the Delis-Kaplan executive function system test battery was used; to assess children's mathematical achievement, the cognitive abilities test (the numeracy battery), and ZAREKI--a neuropsychological test battery for numerical processing and calculation--were used. The results suggested that both math performance and executive functions improved over time, with no significant differences between the three conditions. An additional correlational analysis indicated that pretest performance was not related to posttest performance for the children in the experimental and active control group.

The research focuses on the diagnostics and stimulation of socially disadvantaged children of a preschool age, which is a crucial component of inclusive education. The aim of the research was to experimentally verify through input and output orientation diagnostics the effectiveness of the stimulation program for 5 to 6 year old socially disadvantaged children in kindergartens. The results of the input and output orientation screening of 5 to 6 year old children from the experimental and control groups were analysed. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the stimulation program intended for the training of areas of deficits of partial functions and symptoms in the experimental group was verified, and conclusions and recommendations for pedagogical theory and practice in the area of inclusive approaches at the preprimary stage of the school system were formulated. The research demonstrated that the experimental group of children achieved statistically significantly better results in the post-test, focused on the area of symptoms measured by the t-test, than the control group. It was also confirmed that both groups of socially disadvantaged children (control and experimental) achieved statistically significantly better results in the post-test, focused on the area of deficits of partial functions, than in the pre-test.

Fine motor skills enable children to make precise and coordinated movements with their hands and support their ability to engage in everyday activities and learning experiences. In a longitudinal study of 1,058 4-year-old children in rural Pakistan (n = 488 girls), we examined how prior and concurrent levels of home stimulation relate to change in fine motor skills from ages 2 to 4 while controlling for family wealth, maternal education, number of siblings at birth, prior and concurrent measures of children's physical growth and food insecurity, and prior motor skills at age 2. Moreover, we tested whether the association between early home stimulation and subsequent fine motor skills was mediated by physical growth, food insecurity, motor skills at age 2, and concurrent home stimulation. Results revealed that home stimulation at 18 months was positively associated with change in fine motor skills from ages 2 to 4, over and above family socioeconomic resources. This association was mediated by physical growth, food insecurity and motor skills at age 2. In contrast to home stimulation at 18 months, home stimulation at age 4 was positively associated with concurrent motor skills at age 4 when controlling for all antecedent family factors, as well as prior and concurrent measures of physical growth and food insecurity, and prior motor skills at age 2. Findings suggest that the preschool period may be an important window of time when physically and cognitively stimulating experiences at home uniquely relate to variability in fine motor development. [This article is published in "Developmental Psychology" (EJ1305482).]

The following article looks at the role movement and sensorial stimuli do play in the educational approaches of Dr. Maria Montessori and Dr. Emmi Pikler as well as the Sensorial Integration and Psychomotor Therapy. The author of this paper has been studying, applying, and teaching all four approaches for many years and used her expertise in all four approaches to look at whether independent scientific research proves the effectiveness of movement and sensorial stimuli for reaching therapeutic as well as educational goals and to also provide scientific evidence for the fact that all four approaches focus on the role of these two factors, which means that this is a comparative study utilizing existing research papers. The methods of applying movement and sensorial stimuli in the four approaches mentioned above are being compared and linked to recent scientific findings concerning the role of movement and sensorial stimuli for the efficacy of education and therapy. This article compares the four approaches based on scientific research on the various methods as well as independent research which looks and the impact of movement and sensorial stimuli as well as a method of application and its effectiveness. It has been found that sensorial stimulation and movement are closely connected and that these play a major role in all four approaches although the methods of application are quite different. One example might be that the Montessori method purposefully teaches specific movements in specific ways while only Sensory integration therapy also utilizes passive movement as a sensorial stimulation. All four approaches rely on the self-motivation of the child and do not apply any kind of pressure.

Reliable techniques to assess centrally mediated function in healthy individuals are essential to understand the origins of neuromuscular dysfunction in pathologic populations. This study examined the test-retest reliability of corticospinal excitability in the upper extremity musculature of 21 healthy individuals using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Within-session reliability was assessed by comparing tests performed 120 minutes apart. Between-session reliability was assessed by comparing the second (24 hr), third (1-week), and forth (2-week) sessions to the first test. We recorded active motor threshold (AMT) and motor evoked potential (MEP) at 120% AMT of the upper trapezius (UT), middle deltoid (MD), and flexor carpi radialis (FCR) bilaterally. Intraclass correlation coefficients (3,1) were used to assess relative reliability, and minimal detectable changes at 95% confidence level were calculated to assess absolute reliability. Our results suggest that AMT of the MD and FCR demonstrated acceptable within-session and between-session reliability over 24 hours, with all muscles evaluated ranging from moderate to good over 2 weeks. In contrast, MEP amplitudes were less reliable for all muscles, with reliability point estimates ranging from poor to moderate. AMT appears to be a more consistent measure of corticospinal excitability in upper extremity musculature, which may be more appropriate in clinical outcomes research.

This paper used longitudinal data from five studies conducted in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Rwanda to examine the links between family stimulation and early childhood development outcomes (N = 4904; M[subscript age] = 51.5; 49% girls). Results from random-effects and more conservative child-fixed effects models indicate that across these studies, family stimulation, measured by caregivers' engagement in nine activities (e.g., reading, playing, singing), predicted increments in children's early numeracy, literacy, social-emotional, motor, and executive function skills (standardized associations ranged from 0.05 to 0.11 SD). Study-specific models showed variability in the estimates, with null associations in two out of the five studies. These findings indicate the need for additional research on culturally specific ways in which caregivers may support early development and highlight the importance of promoting family stimulation to catalyze positive developmental trajectories in global contexts.

Many children in developing countries do not acquire functional literacy skills despite being in school. We apply a cumulative risk (aggregate over a range of risk) and protection framework to assess Ghanaian kindergarteners' early academic skills (N = 1,852, M(age) = 5.3 years; 50.2% female), considering how family-level risk factors and classroom-level protective factors contribute to the development of early academic skills over one school year. Using multi-level regression analyses, we find that cumulative risk negatively predicts children's early literacy and numeracy skills at the start of kindergarten, as well as literacy skills at the end of the school year controlling for autumn scores. Additionally, high quality teacher--child interactions promote learning regardless of cumulative risk. However, further analyses indicate that classroom quality does not moderate the association between cumulative risk and spring outcomes. Implications for policymakers to engage in a two-generation (targeting parent and child) approach to child development in low- and middle-income countries are discussed.

Background: Phonological working memory is key to vocabulary acquisition, spoken word recognition, real-time language processing, and reading. Transcranial direct current stimulation, when coupled with behavioral training, has been shown to facilitate speech motor output processes, a key component of nonword repetition, the primary task used to assess phonological working memory. In this study, we examined the efficacy of combining overt nonword repetition training with anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD tDCS) to the presupplementary motor area (preSMA) to enhance nonword repetition. Objective: This study investigated whether 20 min of active or sham anodal HD tDCS targeting preSMA concurrently with a nonword repetition task differentially impacted nonword repetition ability. Method: Twenty-eight neurotypical college-age adults (18-25 years; 19 females, eight males, one nonbinary) completed a 20-min nonword repetition training task where they received either active or sham 1-mA anodal HD tDCS to the preSMA while overtly repeating a list of four-, five-, six-, and seven-syllable English-like nonwords presented in a random order. Whole nonword accuracy and error patterns (phoneme and syllable) were measured prior to and following training. Results: Following training, both groups showed a decrease in nonword repetition accuracy. The drop in performance was significantly greater for the active stimulation group compared to the sham stimulation group at the four-syllable nonword length. Discussion: The findings suggest that targeting the speech motor component of nonword repetition through overt training and HD tDCS to the preSMA does not enhance phonological working memory ability.

This triple-arm, double-blind, randomized clinical trial investigated the effect of multisession prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on social functioning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 105 individuals (age 14-21 years) diagnosed with ASD were randomized into the active-tDCS, sham-tDCS, and waitlist control groups. The experimental group received 20 min of 1.5 mA tDCS stimulation (cathode: F3; anode: Fp2) for 10 days with concurrent computerized cognitive remediation training. Changes in overall social functioning, social communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRB) were measured by the Social Responsiveness Scale-2nd edition (SRS-2). Two-level hierarchical linear mixed-model analysis showed significant group*time interactions for SRS-2 total [F(2, 107.09) = 7.82; p = 0.001] and RRB [F(2, 90.26) = 5.62; p = 0.005] T-scores. When compared with the waitlist control group, the changes in scores were only significant in active-tDCS (SRS-2 total T-score p < 0.001, d = 0.61; SRS-2 RRB T-score p = 0.002, d = 0.88), but not sham-tDCS (SRS-2 total T-score p < 0.12, d = 0.30; SRS-2 RRB T-score p = 0.54, d = 0.17) group. Multiple sessions of prefrontal tDCS coupled with cognitive training is a safe and effective treatment for improving social functioning in people with ASD. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT03814083; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03814083).

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has been shown to enhance divergent and convergent creative thinking. Yet, how stimulation impacts creative performance over time, and what cognitive mechanisms underlie any such enhancement, remain largely unanswered questions. In the present research, we aimed to (1) verify the impact of DLPFC tDCS on both convergent and divergent thinking, and further investigated (2) the temporal dynamics of divergent thinking, focusing on the serial order effect (i.e., the tendency for ideas to become more original and less frequent over time), and (3) any role that cognitive inhibition may play in mediating any effect of stimulation on creative thinking (considering the DLPFC's involvement in driving inhibitory processes that are also relevant for creative thinking). In a within-subjects design, twenty-six participants received three types of cross-hemispheric tDCS stimulation over the DLPFC (left cathodal and right anodal, L-R+; left anodal and right cathodal, L+R-; and sham). Before stimulation, they completed a pre-flanker task measuring cognitive inhibition; during stimulation, they completed the Alternate Uses Task (AUT), Remote Associates Test (RAT), and post-flanker task. Results showed that, compared with the sham stimulation, originality of responses in the AUT was significantly enhanced in the L+R- condition, while no tDCS effect was observed for the RAT. Additionally, compared with the other stimulation conditions, we found a diminished serial order effect in the L+R- condition characterized by an accelerated production of more original ideas. Critically, the L+R- condition was accompanied by better performance on the flanker task. Our findings thus verify that L+R- tDCS over the DLPFC accelerates idea originality also providing tentative clues that inhibition may act as a cognitive mechanism underlying enhancements in divergent thinking resulting from frontal lobe neuromodulation.

This study examined the effects of maternal and children's resources on school readiness, literacy achievements, and reading motivation in children. The participants included children (N = 180) (124 girls; 56 boys) from 19 kindergartens, their mothers, and their kindergarten teachers. Mothers reported on their working hours, interaction quality, and learning stimulation range at home. Data on children's literacy achievements and school readiness were gathered from the teachers. Data on reading motivation and task persistence were obtained directly from the children. Structural equation modelling analysis indicated that maternal working hours affect interaction quality, and the quality of maternal interaction affects children's reading motivation. Children's task persistence affects literacy achievement. Both maternal interaction quality and children's task persistence affect their readiness for school. The analysis also revealed association between the pre-academic skills. Maternal availability and children's reading motivation and persistence are critical factors in children's development of academic skills.

This multi-method study examined mothers' and fathers' cognitive stimulation during parent--child interactions and toddlers' moral regulation (assessed via parent reports) as predictors of their executive functioning skills approximately 2½ years later. Forty children (23 girls and 17 boys) and their parents participated in both timepoints. Children's moral regulation and fathers' cognitive stimulation emerged as unique predictors of children's performance on the Flexible Item Selection Task. For the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task, a significant interaction was found for toddlers' moral regulation and fathers' cognitive stimulation such that children low in moral regulation were more greatly influenced by fathers' parenting behaviour than children high in moral regulation. These findings suggest that fathers' stimulation of children's cognitive development works in combination with children's moral behaviour to predict their executive functioning skills during early childhood. Future research on parenting should continue to include fathers given the important socializing role that they play in children's development.

Purpose: This paper aims to introduce the Empatia video reflection method, designed to enhance care workers' awareness of empathic care. The method makes the quality of care visible, which is needed when digitalization efforts in elder care focus on the efficiency and adequacy of care work. Design/methodology/approach: The Empatia method leans on previous studies of the interaction between care professionals and clients and elaborates further previous video reflection methods. In empathic care work, the care worker sees the client on their life continuum, rather than focusing on only medical treatments. Findings: The empirical example demonstrates how a care worker gained awareness of their empathic interaction habits. Within the work community, the reflection process sparked discussions on values: the purpose of care work and how to conduct empathic care. Focusing on empathic relationships in care fosters both the client's and the care worker's well-being. Practical implications: The strength of the Empatia method is that it makes empathy visible in interaction and something that is individually and collectively learnable. The Empatia includes an analytical tool for researchers to reveal empathy in client interaction. It can be developed further into a reflection tool for service work to learn how to be empathic in service encounters. Originality/value: Compared to other video-stimulated recall methods, the Empatia involves contextual understanding of care work. Empowering positive interactions instead of detecting errors and solving problems is a novel concept and is scantily used in studies of organizational learning. The Empatia provides a detailed method description that allows for the replication of the method by anyone.

Children's early environmental experiences are often considered highly influential for later life development. Yet, environmental contexts, such as the home and early care and education (ECE) setting, and multiple aspects of each setting, are not typically examined concurrently. In this study, we examined associations between cognitive stimulation and emotional support in the home and ECE setting during the preschool years (36-54 months) with adolescent (age 15; n = 708; 52% female) and adult (age 26; n = 584; 54% female) outcomes using data from the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, a study conducted at 10 sites across the United States. Cognitive stimulation in the home was significantly related to increased academic achievement at age 15 and educational attainment at age 26. Home emotional support was related to decreased behavior problems and increased social skills at age 15. No significant associations were found between either emotional support or cognitive stimulation in ECE and children's later development. These findings provide further support that the child's home environment during early childhood plays a substantial role in development.

This study proposes a family psychobiosocial model on gender differences in cognitive development. Specifically, the aim is to investigate how family biological, socioeconomic, and psychological factors predict child mathematics achievement (MAch) development. The data were obtained from the Millennium Cohort Study. Children's pattern construction scores collected at ages 5 and 7 years worked as MAch (n = 18,497). The predictors were family data collected when the children were 9 months. The results of path analyses for all students indicate that all three factors in the family psychobiosocial model play some roles in children's MAch development. Analyses for the female and male students separately reveal that girls' positive MAch development was significantly predicted by four psychobiosocial factors (fewer mother in-pregnancy alcohol intakes, more family income, higher mother education levels, and more mother cognitive stimulation); boys' MAch development is predicted by only one factor (higher mother education levels). The results support the psychobiosocial model as a whole. Family psychobiosocial factors, especially social factors, impact children's cognitive development more for females than for males.

The neural basis for long-term behavioral improvements resulting from multi-session transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with working memory training (WMT) remains unclear. In this study, we used task-related electroencephalography (EEG) measures to investigate the lasting neurophysiological effects of anodal high-definition (HD)-tDCS applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during a challenging WMT. Thirty-four healthy young adults were randomized to sham or active tDCS groups and underwent ten 30-minute training sessions over ten consecutive days, preceded by a pre-test and followed by post-tests performed one day and three weeks after the last session, respectively, by performing high-load WM tasks along with EEG recording. Multi-session HD-tDCS significantly enhanced the behavioral benefits of WMT. Compared to the sham group, the active group showed facilitated increases in theta, alpha, beta, and gamma task-related oscillations at the end of training and significantly increased P300 response 3 weeks post-training. Our findings suggest that applying anodal tDCS over the left dlPFC during multi-session WMT can enhance the behavioral benefits of WMT and facilitate sustained improvements in WM-related neural efficiency.

Previous research has made it clear that older learners are mainly learning for learning's sake. However, few studies have explored the intrinsic aspects of older learners' motivation in detail; also, the factors that influence their learning motivation remain under-researched and under-theorised. To address this gap, this survey-based quantitative study investigated the learning motivations of 816 older learners from an intrinsic-motivation viewpoint, and explored the predictors of these motivations, including institutional as well as personal factors. The results indicated that these older learners rated their intrinsic motivations highly (3.97/5 overall), and that such motivations could be differentiated into cognitive-oriented and social-oriented motivations. The most important predictors of intrinsic motivations for the respondents were institutional variables, especially teacher support and peer support. Importantly, institutional predictor variables were found to diminish the negative impacts of both self-reported poor health and age on these older adults' overall intrinsic motivation to learn. These findings imply that, in Taiwan, providing more teacher- and peer support is likely to increase the intrinsic motivation to learn for vulnerable older adults who are disadvantaged by health problems and old age.

The paper is focused on the investigation of impact of created experimental natural scientific programme for preschool-age children. Our programme concentrates on physics teaching adapted for preschool age in which children have possibilities to make experiments themselves--empirical cognition. Its innovation with respect to other stimulation programmes implemented in the past consists of including connection and thus developing a wide spectrum of intellectual abilities. Primarily, we are focusing on the impact of stimulation programme research on selected psychological variables, specifically intellectual abilities-intellectual maturity. Its second aim is to compare and test the validity of drawing tests designed for intellectual-level investigation of preschool-age children, school maturity, and school readiness. The obtained results do not provide evidence in support of the stimulation programme on developing intellectual/conceptual maturity. The results of the second part of the research (i.e., drawing) shows that the indicative level of intellect, perception, and motor maturity are closely related.

Purpose: The research adopting children's perspectives about early care and education has flourished since the adoption of UNCRC; however, the studies investigating experiences of children from diverse backgrounds in the literature are still scarce. This study aims to describe disadvantaged children's experiences in a target preschool from their own perspectives. Research Methods: This study is part of a large-scale research project, and it focuses on disadvantaged children's perspectives using a case study design. The case of interest included a specific group of people associated with a unique preschool designed for the disadvantaged children. The data comes from 26 children and their parents for this study. Child interviews were the primary source of data. Parent interviews, observations and other documents supplemented data analysis. The data was analyzed using ATLAS.ti 7 Software. Findings: The basic dimensions of schooling experiences included children's attitudes toward school, engagement in daily activities, and echoes of school experiences at home. The findings suggest that access to resources does not mean quality educational experiences for all children, and there is room for improvement. Although disadvantaged children appeared to have positive attitudes toward school, their experiences involved limited engagement in certain activities. All children had inadequate stimulation and low-quality interactions with the parents at home regarding the school experiences. Comparing experiences based on gender, age, developmental milestones and family structure yielded some differences in children's experiences of schooling. Implications for Research and Practice: This study highlights the need for inclusive and enriched educational practices for disadvantaged children. Future research may investigate children's educational experiences in mixed schools and examine home-school connections.