Child Psychology

Abstract
This article explores the dynamic relationship between child psychology and linguistics, focusing on how language development both reflects and influences cognitive, emotional, and social growth in children. Drawing on foundational theories from Piaget, Vygotsky, and Chomsky, it examines how language acquisition aligns with cognitive milestones and social interaction. The discussion extends to the impact of environmental factors on linguistic input, the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, and the implications of language delays and disorders. By integrating perspectives from both disciplines, the article underscores the importance of a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to supporting children’s language development and overall well-being.

A developmental study of diildren's sensitivity to opaque contexts is reported. Sentences are cowidered opaque if the substitution of a term with a co-referential term can change the truth of the sentence (e.g., "John thinks that Venus is the Moming Star"). Opaque contexts often involve propositional attitude verbs such as 'know' and 'think'. Sensitivity to opacity requires understanding that a referent c m be represented in different ways, and that the specifïc description that is used is important. Two studies were conducted investigating children's ability to deal with opacity. In the first, 4-to &year-olds were given a variety of opacity tasks (referential, linguistic and intentional), false belief tasks, digit span, and vocabulary measures. The results of the first study indicated that children were more successful on opaque contexts with action referents than those with objed referents. The results also demonstrated that children find referential opacity easier than linguistic opaaty, and both easier than intentional opacity. Nonetheless, performance across the three types of opacity was related even when age, vocabulary and digit span were statistically controiled, supporting the view that there is an underlying comrnonality for the three contexts. The second study examuied whether performance on referentially opaque contexts could be predicted by metarepresentational ability and metalinguistic awareness. Metarepresentational ability was measured using false belief tasks and metahguistic abiiity was measured using ta& requuing dùldren to compare and evaluate statemenk containing referring expressions. In this second study, 5to 7-year-O lds were given opacity (referen tial and quo ta tional), false belief, metalinguistic awareness, digit span, and vocabulary measures. Hierarchical regressions indicated tha t even after the vanability from diildren's age, vocabulary scores and digit span performance is taken into account, metarepresentational ability and metalinguistic awareness still significantly, and independently, explained some of the remaining vanabiLity in performance on referential opacity tasks. These results are taken as support for the view that both metarepresentational ability and metaiinguistic awareness are necessary in order to deal with referentially opaque contexts. These studies are of interest to anyone concemed with: (1) children's understanding of the representational nature of language; and (2) the necessary abilities for sensitivity to opaque contexts. 1 would rike to thank Professor David Olsori for his advice and encouragement. His comments and questions were always helpful. One of the reasons I decided to pursue a Ph.D. was because of how much fun David made the leaming process; I am grateful to him for making my time at OISE/UT enjoyable. I also want to thank Professor Janet Astington for sharing her time and ideas with me. Over the years, she has been a source of support, guidance and expertise, for which I a m very grateful. 1 also appreciate the comments that Professor Phi1 Zelazo offered, both during the thesis preparation, and during the defence. I would like to thank Professor Ron Smyth for his thought-provoking (and challenging) questions during the defence, and Professor Daniela O'Neill for raising interesting questions for discussion. I would like to acknowledge the generous help of the principals, teachers, and students of The Scarborough Board of Education, especiaily my parents-in-law, Don and Donna MacLeod, who welcomed me into their schools. 1 am also grateful to Sue Elgie for sharing her statistical knowledge with me; her help was invaluable. Thanks also to my parents for their ongoing support and for their continuous words of encouragement. Their pride was always evident, and much appreciated. Finally, to my husband Mark: thee, thee, thee.

The aim of this study was to assess various cognitive abilities such as attention, IQ, reasoning, and memory related to academic achievement in 8- and 9-year-old preterm children. A total of 141 children were assessed. The preterm group (=37 weeks) comprised 63 children and was compared to 78 full-term children. Attention was evaluated using the d2 Selective Attention test, and the IQ by the L-M form of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, establishing a profile of abilities: perception, memory, comprehension, reasoning, and verbal fluency. Significant differences in IQ were found between the preterm and full-term children. Of the cognitive abilities assessed, the only significant differences were found in verbal fluency, with preterm boys showing lower verbal fluency scores than full-term children. In conclusion, all preterm groups have attention ability similar to that of full-term children. However, preterm children obtain lower scores in intelligence measures. In addition, pre...

Aims and objectives.  To gain insight into the lived experience of parenting a child with leukaemia during treatment.Background.  Diagnosis of leukaemia in children leads to an existential shock for parents and a reversal of normal family life. Today, in the Netherlands, after diagnosis, children stay at home most of the time. Therefore, their parents face considerable responsibilities for administering home‐based treatment and for the support of their child during illness and treatment.Methods.  A grounded theory study was undertaken at a Dutch University Hospital and involved one‐time individual in‐depth interviews with 12 mothers and 11 fathers (n = 23) of 12 children.Findings.  ‘Being there’, was identified as the core concept. It means: ‘I’ll be there for you; I will never let you down’. ‘Being there’ is described as a parental response to the perceived vulnerability of the child and the parental need to give meaning to parenthood. It serves two purposes: protection and preserv...

A personal account is given about counseling people of color in light of the fact that training and information about multicultural counseling was not part of counselor education programs 20 years ago. Recent attendance at a graduate level course on cultural diversity prompted this counselor to consider many issues. The concept of historical hostility and the neglect of a client's history are discussed. A review is provided of historical research on the distorted development and use of various testing instruments based upon the assumption of a counselor's unexamined biases. The phenomenon of White privilege, particularly White male privilege, is highlighted. The account concludes with a discussion of the terms culture, ethnicity, and race. Questions concerning the future use of the word, "race," are considered. (JDM)

Infants in the male video condition showed a familiarity preference, instead of a novelty preference as expected. Infants may have developed a preference for the faces shown on the entertaining video, which may have generalized to the male faces shown during testing. They may have expected the familiar face to become dynamic, similar to the faces in the video leading them to prefer the familiar rather than novel male face.

We present a developmental model that describes normal peer relations and highlights processes that underlie the emergence of problems with peers in childhood. We propose that children's relationships with peers begin in the first years of life, with stable individual differences and preferences for particular peers emerging by three years of age. Social skills that facilitate peer relationships consolidate in the preschool years, during which time peer groups become structured with respect to friendship groups, gender, and dominance relations; some children begin to be rejected by their peers. In later childhood some children develop entrenched problems with peer relationships, in terms of loneliness, bullying and victimisation. Underlying cognitive and emotional processes that facilitate successful peer relationships at all ages are identified, and the extent to which peer relations play a causal role in the genesis of disorder is evaluated. A review of the evidence suggests t...

Danas kućni ljubimci žive u različitim uvjetima života i izloženi su štetnim utjecajima iz okoline, lošoj prehrani i stresu što znatno utječe na pojavnost različitih oboljenja pa tako i tumora mliječne žlijezde. Tumori mliječne žlijezde najvažnije su bolesti mliječne žlijezde u kuja. Uzrok nastanka tumora je nepoznat, ali mnogi su hormonski inducirani. Uspješno se mogu prevenirati kastracijom u ranoj životnoj dobi (prije prvog tjeranja), čime pojavnost tumora smanjujemo za čak 99,5 %. Kada operiramo tumor mliječne žlijezde gotovo redovito prethodno napravimo ovarijektomiju ili ovarijohisterektomiju. Ovisno o smještaju tumora operativno se uklanja samo jedan mamarni kompleks (lumpektomija) ili radimo unilateralnu mastektomiju (uklanjanje cijelog reda mliječnih žlijezda). Benigni tumori su relativno rijetki, uglavnom adenomi i papilomi. Najčešći su tumori mliječnih žlijezda u kuja maligni i to karcinomi koji znaju metastazirati u pluća, jetru, slezenu ili udaljene limfne čvorove. Važn...

In recent decades, homosexuality has become a central topic in academic, social, and religious discourse. Many LGBTQ+ individuals experience emotional trauma because religious teachings (especially in Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism) are traditionally interpreted in ways that view same-sex attraction as morally incompatible with a spiritual life. This paper explored the emotional impact of religious-based stigmatization on LGBTQ+ individuals, using Stephen Chbosky's the Perks of Being a Wallflower as a case study. A qualitative literary analysis was employed because literature often reflects real-world tensions between faith and identity. The findings show that characters struggle with internalized guilt, repression, and psychological conflict because of religious and societal expectations. These experiences mirror emotional trauma found in real-life religious environments. This study is impactful because it encourages a more empathetic understanding of identity conflict and may inform inclusive educational, spiritual, and psychological approaches to LGBTQ+ mental well-being.

Purpose: To describe the challenges of using incentives for children in research. Organizing Framework: A discussion of incentives in the context of recruitment for research, including a review of the literature, a description of the types of incentives used with children and their families, factors influencing choice of incentives and ethical considerations. Recommendations to guide decisions about incentives are proposed. Conclusions: Since the 1997 mandate from the U.S. National Institutes of Health that investigators provide justification for excluding children, researchers have become more willing to include children. Whether all parts of the research process pertain to children without careful consideration and adaptation is unclear. One area lacking clarity is the use of incentives to encourage participation in research. The issue of incentives for children or parents should be considered early in the design of the research proposal, with attention to developmental age, ethic...

PROBLEM:  Little research has been done with children to determine effects of using various patterns of anger expression on trait anger. The purpose was to examine differences in trait anger of children who indicated high, moderate, or low use of three patterns of anger expression. METHODS:  A convenience sample of 1,060 third through sixth graders completed trait anger and patterns of expressing anger instruments. FINDINGS:  High users of anger‐out (anger expressed outwardly) had the highest trait anger for every grade while high users of anger‐reflection/control had the lowest. CONCLUSIONS:  Anger‐reflection/control may be more effective than anger‐out in reducing trait anger in school‐age children.

Purpose: To examine the effects of a theory-driven tobacco prevention program in sixth-grade children with a family tobacco cessation component implemented by school nurses in conjunction with the initiation of a statewide toll-free Quit Line.

Psychology is directly related to the human mind, thoughts, feelings, characters, and various aspects of human mental life. It plays a vital role in human personality. Islam itself is deeply interested in psychology. The purpose of psychology is to discuss human personality and behaviour. As time passed and with the advancement and classification of knowledge started, hundreds of branches came into existence. As such, one significant aspect of expertise is psychology.

In this research, a velocity analysis of the slider crank mechanism's (SCM) for the delta robot arm manipulation was carried out. For the slider crank mechanism, new velocity response models were created. Trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions are used in the novel Akozietic mathematical method, which is appropriate for kinematic analysis of intricate mechanisms like the four-bar mechanism (slider crank). The equilibrium conditions of the forces in a four-bar mechanism are used in the Akozietic mathematical technique to create simple mathematical models that enable user-written computer programs in Matlab and other programming languages. According to the velocity profile, the mechanism is under the most stress when the crank angle exceeds 300°, and the velocity is lowest at 180° and 0°.The crank angles where the slider shifts direction are the locations where the velocity passes zero. The novel mathematical procedure created in this study outperformed the other two kinematic analysis methods that were currently in use, according to a comparison of spreadsheets and this new mathematical method for mechanism analysis (Akozietic) with standard numerical solutions completed in Mathematica.

The aim of this paper is to explore the child psychology in Anita Desai"s "Games at Twilight" (1978), Rabindranath Tagore"s "Chuti" (1892-93) and William Golding"s Lords of the Flies (1954). This study is qualitative in nature and the data sources are secondary based like books, journal articles and websites. "Games at Twilight" portrays the psychology of a child as well as defeat and despair of man in the face of worldly justice, disillusion, pride, self-esteem, self-importance and innocence. On the other hand, "Chuti" depicts the mental state of a boy who left the world for good for mental torture. Lord of the Flies represents the internal conflict between good and evil through a group of boys. This study will also shed light on children"s mentality and peep into the heart of children with a view to exploring what goes on there. Finally this paper will explore the inner agony of Ravi, Phatik and Jack in Desai"s "Games at Twilight", Tagore"s "Chuti" and Golding"s Lord of the Flies.

Digital technology has transformed traditional art education, reshaping creativity, skill acquisition, and teaching methods. This study examines its effects through qualitative and quantitative data from students, educators, and institutions, highlighting enhanced accessibility and creative opportunities alongside challenges like reduced hands-on expertise and over-reliance on digital tools. It explores how instructors adapt to integrate both approaches and assesses impacts on artistic expression and cognition. Advocating a balanced curriculum, the research underscores the need to preserve tactile learning while leveraging digital advancements, ensuring students gain versatile skills for contemporary art practice. The results show that digital technologies improve accessibility to a variety of artistic styles, open up new creative possibilities, and promote online platform collaboration. But they also present problems, as less practical expertise with tangible materials, an excessive dependence on digital techniques, and the possible undervaluation of conventional artistic abilities. The study also looks into how technology changes the job of teachers and how they must modify their tactics to successfully combine digital and conventional approaches. This study assesses the effects of digital technology on students' artistic expression, skill development, and interaction with conventional media through case studies and surveys. Additionally, it talks about how digital learning affects artistic creativity and craftsmanship on a psychological and cognitive level. The study emphasizes the necessity of a hybrid approach that preserves the fundamental tactile and experience elements of conventional art instruction while utilizing digital innovations. In the conclusion, the study offers suggestions for incorporating digital technologies in a way that enhances conventional teaching strategies rather than takes their place. It recommends a well-rounded curriculum that encourages both digital competence and conventional method mastery, guaranteeing that art students acquire a broad range of skills appropriate for modern artistic endeavors.

Alice Malsenior Walker, born (February 9, 1944) in Eatonton, Georgia is the youngest of eight children to sharecroppers, Willie Lee Walker and Minnie Lou Tallulah Grant. After an early day's misfortune which blinded her in one eye, she went on to become valedictorian of her neighboring school, and attended Spellman College and Sarah Lawrence College on scholarship. Alice Walker volunteered in the voter registration drives of the 1960s in Georgia, and went to job after college in the Welfare Department in New York City. She was married in 1967, and unfortunately divorced in 1976. Her first volume of poems was published in 1968 and her earliest novel was published just after her daughter's birth in 1970. Her poems, novels and short stories dealt with the themes of troubled relationships, violence, rape, multi-generational perspectives, isolation, sexism and racism etc. About the themes and issues Gilbert and Susan say:

The great skill of speech therapists in diagnosing and treating language disorders has another side of the coin: that of having language blinders. We often tend to understand a patient through the necessarily reductive means of their language alone, neglecting the whole of the individual. We can make the analogy with Western medicine which tends to fragment the individual while Eastern medicine is much more holistic. It seems useful to remember that language disorders are sometimes comorbid and that it is the duty of speech therapists to detect them, although they do not necessarily fall within their field of expertise. Through this article, we will try to identify these disorders, in order to rule them out through the differential diagnosis of language disorders.

Maternal depression has a number of adverse effects on children. In the present study, maternal depressive symptoms were assessed (using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) when their child was 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 4.25 years, 6 years, 7 years, 8 years, and 10 years of age. At 9.5 years of age, children's (94 females, 82 males) depressive symptoms as well as cardiovascular and cortisol levels during baseline and two psychologically stressful tasks were measured. Using multilevel modeling, maternal depressive symptom trajectories were considered in relation to their child's adrenocortical and cardiovascular responses to acute stress. Our goal was to determine maternal depressive symptom trajectories for children with elevated cardiovascular and cortisol reactivity to acute stress and elevated depressive symptoms. In general, those mothers with chronically elevated depressive symptoms over their child's life span had children with lower...

This exploratory, qualitative study examined risk and protective factors influencing drug and alcohol use and/or resistance of Native youth in the Southwest. Thirty-two Native middle school students participated in 10 focus groups that explored their experiences with alcohol and drugs in their school and reservation communities. The findings indicate a complex interaction of both risk and protective factors related to substance use. Respondents' cousins and siblings, in particular, played a key role in their decisions to use or resist drugs. Implications for social work practice are discussed.

This study examined the classification accuracy of the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS) in discriminating several attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) subtypes, including predominantly inattentive type (ADHD/I), combined type (ADHD/C), and combined type with behavioral problems (ADHD/ODD), between each other and a non-ADHD control group using logistic regression analyses. The sample consisted of 88 children ranging in age from 9.0 years to 12.8 years, with a mean of 10.9 years. Children were predominantly male (74%) and Caucasian (86%) and in grades 3-7. Results indicated that the UPPS performed well in classifying ADHD subtypes relative to traditional diagnostic measures. In addition, analyses indicated that differences in symptoms between subtypes can be explained by specific pathways to impulsivity. Implications for the assessment of ADHD and conceptual issues are discussed.

Although growing consensus supports the role of deficient behavioral inhibition as a central feature of the combined subtype of ADHD (ADHD/C; Barkley, 2007;, little research has focused on how this finding generalizes to the primarily inattentive subtype (ADHD/I). This question holds particular relevance in light of recent work suggesting that ADHD/I might be better characterized as a disorder separate from ADHD/C . The current paper describes major findings in the area of inhibitory performance in ADHD and highlights recent research suggesting important areas of divergence between the subtypes. In particular, preliminary findings point to potential differences between the subtypes with respect to how children process important contextual information from the environment, such as preparatory cues that precede responses and rewarding or punishing feedback following behavior. These suggestive findings are discussed in the context of treatment implications, which could involve differential intervention approaches for each subtype targeted to the specific deficit profiles that characterize each group of children. Future research avenues aimed toward building a sound theoretical model of ADHD/I and a better understanding of its relation to ADHD/C are also presented. Specifically, investigators are encouraged to continue studying the complex interplay between inhibitory and attentional processes, as this area seems particularly promising in its ability to improve our understanding of the potentially distinct pathologies underlying the ADHD subtypes.

Increased intra-individual variability in response time (RTSD) has been observed reliably in ADHD and is often used as a measure of inattention. RTSD is assumed to reflect attentional lapses and distractibility, though evidence for the validity of this connection is lacking. We assessed whether RTSD is an indicator of inattention by comparing RTSD on the stop-signal task (SST) to performance on the Delayed Oculomotor Response (DOR) Task, a measure of distractibility. Participants included 30 adults with ADHD and 28 controls. Participants completed the SST and the DOR task, which measured subjects' ability to maintain attention and avoid distraction by inhibiting reflexive saccades toward distractors. On the SST, the ADHD group was slower to inhibit than controls, indicating poorer inhibitory control in ADHD. The ADHD group also displayed slower RTs, greater RTSD, and more omission errors. On the DOR task, the ADHD group displayed more premature saccades (i.e., greater distractibility) than controls. Greater variability in RT was associated with increased distraction on the DOR task but only in ADHD participants. Results suggest that RTSD is linked to distractibility among adults with ADHD and support the use of RTSD as a valid measure of inattention in ADHD. Along with deficits in response inhibition, increased intra-individual variability in response time has been reliably observed among individuals with ADHD, leading some theorists to describe this inconsistency in responding as a hallmark of the disorder . Whereas deficits in response inhibition are often linked to hyperactive/ impulsive symptoms of ADHD, variability in response time (RTSD) is frequently assumed to reflect inattention. More specifically, the greater RTSD values observed among

Language translates emotions, thoughts, and ideas. Linguists have long delved into how little ones learn their native language through diverse theories and perspectives, such as behavioral, cognitive, and nativist theories. This study, however, takes a unique perspective, seeking to understand how and why children learn and acquire their first language by examining child language acquisition through the lens of three major theories-Innate Theory, Behaviorist Theory, and Cognitive Development Theory. The study adopts a qualitative design, it assesses secondary data from earlier research via a thematic examination. Innate Theory considers the Language Acquisition Device as an inborn biological mechanism for language learning purposes. However, this study suggests that Willpower is what gets the LAD running. In contrast, Behaviorist Theory heavily focuses on the effects of outside influences on language learning. This paper contends that Willpower is necessary to prompt the child to respond with inhibitory control and, therefore, counteract the facilitation of performance that would otherwise follow from stimulus-response learning relationships between motivating and nonmotivating stimuli. Furthermore, the stages of language development by a child are explained, including how Piaget represented his Cognitive Development Theory. This study shows that strong Willpower gives children the emotional resilience to concentrate for a more extended period and use their brain power in learning a language. Moreover, this study provides an insightful understanding of Willpower and how it directs individuals to set realistic goals and helps one selfregulate in language acquisition-essential conduct for young learners to develop this motivation later.

Despite the health benefits, vegetable intake in youth remains below recommended levels. The purpose of our study was to compare two methods for increasing vegetable consumption. It was hypothesized that participants randomized to both the exposure-only and the pairing condition would increase their vegetable consumption and increase the variety of vegetables consumed. A total of 78 Mexican-American middle school-aged children from a charter school in Houston, TX, were randomized to a pairing condition (nϭ40) or an exposure-only condition (nϭ38) during the Spring 2009 semester. Children in the pairing condition were provided a preferred taste (peanut butter) paired with vegetables weekly at school during a nutrition class for 4 months. Children in the exposureonly condition received vegetables weekly during a nutrition class that covered the same material as the pairing condition. After 4 months, the pairing condition participants demonstrated significant increases in vegetable consumption (Fϭ13.40, PϽ0.001) as well as variety of vegetables eaten (Fϭ13.69, PϽ0.001) when compared to those in the exposure-only condition. The findings of this study suggest that the pairing of vegetables with a preferred taste, such as peanut butter, may be an effective technique in increasing consumption, especially in children who report being resistant to eating vegetables.

Summary in English (paper is in German):
Teaching is taking place in institutions. At the same time it requires competence in keeping expertise as well as founding a relationship with the teachers - those competences are seen as two aspects of the primary task of transference of knowledge. The article presents the concept of an interactive didactics within the scope of academic education of teachers. Students develop content as part of attended (reading) groups in 5 stages
- agora-panel, reading groups, self organised groups, seminars, reflexion. They prepare the content autonomously and hand it on to other students as part of a seminar unit. This seminar unit is going to be recorded on a video tape. During the reflexion phase both aspects- the expertise as well as the relational aspect- always remain reducible to a meaning unit even though they are going to be analysed separately.

Zusammenfassung:
Gelehrt wird in der Regel in Institutionen. Dabei ist Kompetenz sowohl hinsichtlich des Fachlichen, als auch in der Herstellung der Beziehung zu den Lernenden gefordert – diese beiden Kompetenzen sind als zwei Aspekte der primären Aufgabe, der Vermittlung von Kenntnissen anzusehen. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt das Konzept einer interaktiven
Didaktik im Rahmen der universitären Lehrerausbildung vor. In fünf Phasen – Agora-Forum, Lesegruppen, Selbstleitende Gruppe, Seminar, Reflexion – erarbeiten Studenten in begleiteten (Lese)-Gruppen Inhalte, die von ihnen autonom aufbereitet und im Rahmen einer Seminareinheit an andere Studenten weitergegeben werden. Die Seminareinheit wird auf Video aufgezeichnet. In der Reflexionsphase bleiben beide Aspekte, der fachliche und der Beziehungsaspekt, immer auf eine Bedeutungseinheit zurückführbar, auch wenn sie getrennt analysiert werden.

Our objective was to estimate the prevalence and test the association between psychological well-being and overweight in children. We conducted a cross-sectional study using anthropometrical measures and interviews with 1048 6-10-year-old school children from a Brazilian town. Overweight was assessed by the body mass index and included obesity. Psychological data of children and their parents were collected using a face scale. Poisson regression models were used to test the associations and to obtain unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). The prevalence of overweight was of 15.3% (95% CI: 13.2-17.6) and of only obesity was 3.8% (2.8-5.2). After controlling for age, sex, school type and parental overweight, the prevalence of overweight was 52% and 44% higher in children who reported a psychological dissatisfaction in themselves and in their mothers when compared with those with positive self perception (PR = 1.52 95% CI = 1.02-2.28; P = 0.038) and (PR = 1.44 95% CI = 1.00-2.09; P = 0.049), respectively. The study suggests that actions aiming weight control of children should take into account psychological aspects of children and their families.

Researchers using social cognitive theory and employing built environment constructs to predict physical activity (PA) in inner-city African American children is quite limited. Thus, the purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the ability of important social cognitive variables (e.g., self-efficacy) and built environment constructs (e.g., neighborhood hazards) to predict African American children's PA. Children (N = 331, ages 10-14) completed questionnaires assessing social cognitive theory constructs and PA. Using multiple regression analyses we were able to account for 19% of the variance in PA. Based on standardized beta weights, the best predictors of PA were time spent outside and social support derived from friends. These findings illuminate the valuable role of PA support from peers, as well as the simple act of going outside for inner-city African American children.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the impact of the condom availability program in New York City public high schools by comparing rates of sexual activity and condom use for New York students and similar students in Chicago. METHODS: A total of 7119 students from 12 randomly selected New York schools and 5738 students from 10 Chicago schools participated in a cross-sectional survey. RESULTS: New York students, compared with Chicago students, reported equal rates of sexual activity but higher rates of condom use at last intercourse (odds ratio [OR] = 1.36). For higher-risk students (those with three or more sexual partners in the past 6 months), condom use was greater in New York (OR = 1.85) than in Chicago. CONCLUSIONS: Condom availability has a modest but significant effect on condom use and does not increase rates of sexual activity. These findings suggest that school-based condom availability can lower the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases for urban teenagers in t...

Background: Several studies suggest that the number of risk factors rather than their nature is key to mental health disorders in childhood. Method and design: The objective of this multicentre randomized controlled parallel trial (PROBE methodology) is to assess the impact in a multi-risk French urban sample of a home-visiting program targeting child mental health and its major determinants. This paper describes the protocol of this study. In the study, pregnant women were eligible if they were: living in the intervention area; able to speak French, less than 26 years old; having their first child; less than 27 weeks of amenorrhea; and if at least one of the following criteria were true: less than twelve years of education, intending to bring up their child without the presence of the child's father, and 3) low income. Participants were randomized into either the intervention or the control group. All had access to usual care in mother-child centres and community mental health services free of charge in every neighbourhood. Psychologists conducted all home visits, which were planned on a weekly basis from the 7 th month of pregnancy and progressively decreasing in frequency until the child's second birthday. Principle outcome measures included child mental health at 24 months and two major mediating variables for infant mental health: postnatal maternal depression and the quality of the caring environment. A total of 440 families were recruited, of which a subsample of 120 families received specific attachment and caregiver behaviour assessment. Assessment was conducted by an independent assessment team during home visits and, for the attachment study, in a specifically created Attachment Assessment laboratory. Discussion: The CAPEDP study is the first large-scale randomised, controlled infant mental health promotion programme to take place in France. A major specificity of the program was that all home visits were conducted by specifically trained, supervised psychologists rather than nurses. Significant challenges included designing a mental health promotion programme targeting vulnerable families within one of the most generous but little assessed health and social care systems in the Western World. Trial registration: Current Clinical trial number is NCT00392847.

BACKGROUND: Findings are presented of the third phase of a longitudinal study of children conceived by assisted reproduction procedures involving surrogacy and/or donor conception. METHODS: At the time of the child's third birthday, 34 surrogacy families, 41 donor insemination families and 41 oocyte donation families were compared with 67 natural conception families on standardized interview and questionnaire measures of the psychological well-being of the parents, mother-child relationships and the psychological well-being of the child. RESULTS: The differences found between family types reflected higher levels of warmth and interaction between mothers and their 3-year-old children in assisted reproduction families than in families with a naturally conceived child. A higher proportion of surrogacy parents than donor conception parents had told their children about the nature of their birth. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the absence of a genetic and/or gestational link between parents and their child does not have a negative impact on parent-child relationships or the psychological well-being of mothers, fathers or children at age 3.

This opinion piece challenges common beliefs about how technology and media negatively affect children. The author, based on his experience raising his son, argues that early, guided exposure to technology can be beneficial. It refutes myths like that screen time is inherently harmful or that strict parental control is the only solution. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of parental involvement, teaching critical thinking, and fostering children's passion and creativity through technology. The author suggests that, with proper guidance, children can take advantage of technology to learn, express themselves, and develop holistically.

Possible mediators of the relation between maternal depressive symptomatology and parenting behavior were examined for 96 children with ADHD and their mothers drawn from the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD (MTA) as part of an add-on investigation conducted by two of the six MTA sites. General cognitions (i.e., maternal locus of control and selfesteem) and parenting-specific factors (i.e., maternal parenting efficacy and parenting stress) were examined as possible mediators. Findings provide initial support that maternal parenting stress, as well as maternal locus of control and self-esteem mediate the relation between maternal depressive symptomatology and parenting behavior. This provides support for the argument that some families of children with ADHD may benefit from an expanded version of parent management training that includes sessions directly targeting affective and cognitive factors in parents, similar to treatment programs used to treat childhood conduct problems.

Media is the 4th pillar of the government its reflection of our society and it depicts what and how society works. There are three mediums of media, printed, electronic & internet is the only medium, which helps in making people informed. Today media helps in entertaining, educate and make people aware of the current happenings in country as well as world. Media has voice of our society at the present time. There is a variety of media platform that has stimulated thoughts of the young generation and other sections of our society, more eloquently. The research study, objectives at analyzing the role of media and its effectiveness at the time of demonetization. The main objectives of this research work are to study the role of media in awarding people about demonetization and its impact. This research will help in studying the nature of media in disseminating information on current important issues & how people get information about related to current events and issues. To get the information researcher prepared an interview schedule for the data collection, keeping in mind the role & nature of media, in the present time for the people. The research study was conducted through convenience sampling. The research work focuses on the behavior and the access pattern of media at the time of demonetization.

Computational models are increasingly used to explore possi-ble mechanisms underlying infant capability in various tasks. Often, such models do not work directly on perceptual data, but on hand-computed features of images; such models are open to the criticism that these high-...

Cómo desarrollar el pensamiento reflexivo y qué herramientas psicopedagógicas resultan más apropiadas para contribuir a tal desenlace, son asuntos que inquietan de manera permanente tanto en el campo de la psicología como en el campo de la educación. Numerosas investigaciones han abordado el tema de la formación del pensamiento reflexivo; sin embargo, es preocupante la brecha que existe entre las producciones científicas y su aplicación en la escuela para mejorar los procesos de aprendizaje. Este artículo presenta un análisis reflexivo respecto a una investigación realizada desde la psicología histórico-cultural (Vygotsky, 1984) y la teoría de la actividad (Leontiev, 1975; Talizina, 2000) en donde se tenía como objetivo la aplicación del método de juego de roles en la formación del pensamiento reflexivo en una población preescolar colombiana. El estudio es de diseño mixto, que incorpora elementos de diseño cuasi-experimental pre-post y tipo descriptivo, orientado por principios de m...

Educational activities employed with preschool children<br />have significance in their development and preparation for<br />school learning. For this reason, it is necessary to analyze<br />the relationship established between educational policies<br />and educational activities for the preschool population in the<br />Colombian context. In this paper, these two aspects interact to<br />contribute to its conclusion. The teacher’s task is to promote<br />the integral development of children and ensure an optimal<br />level of preparation for schooling. Considering current<br />pedagogical practice, this task is not successfully carried out<br />as required by the objectives of educational policy. However,<br />monitoring this psychological and pedagogical approach<br />based on cultural-historical theory highlights both theoretical<br />foundations and methodological pathways for innovating with<br /&gt...

2002) obtenidos de una muestra de 665 niños del grupo indígena yaqui (México) entre los 5 y los 11 años de edad y los resultados de la comparación de estas normas con las de Koppitz. Los resultados indican: a) la presencia de ítems evolutivos, b) una correlación significativa de baja a moderada entre el funcionamiento en el DFH y el Test de Matrices Progresivas Coloreadas (Raven, 1993), c) una consistencia interna alta entre los ítems y d) diferencias entre las normas obtenidas y las de Koppitz. Se concluye que este sistema es útil para evaluar el nivel de madurez mental de los niños de esta comunidad indígena, pero con el uso de normas locales que aseguren la realización de interpretaciones correctas de las puntuaciones que obtienen estos niños.

Author, poet, essayist, biographer, and activist, Alice Malsenior Walker is a multi-faceted African-American literary figure. This Pulitzer Prize-winning author has written extensively about racial and gender problems. Her best-known work is The Color Purple (which won her the Pulitzer Prize for fiction). Alice Walker's personal experiences as a representative of African American women authors have influenced her distinct psychological perspective. In her work, she often employs the symbolism that is popular in dark literary works. Presently in domestic academia, there are only a small number of research on the novel's creative features and expression approaches that concentrate only on the novel's symbolic meanings of the colour picture. The book has an overall focus on the construction of language, the execution of voice, the evaluation of sexual orientation, and the redefining of identity of the narrative's female characters, particularly heroine Celie. The Bildungsroman thesis states that a character's environment, experiences, issues, and oppression all contribute to his or her psychological strength. A bildungsroman is a novel that aims to mould the reader's mind and soul via their experiences in the world. She draws inspiration from Alice Walker's The Color Purple.

The aim of this study was to examine whether there was variation in levels of psychological adjustment among children conceived through Assisted Reproductive Technologies using the parents’ gametes (homologous), sperm donation, egg donation, embryo donation and surrogacy. Information was provided by parents about the psychological functioning of 769 children aged 5 to 9 years who had been born using ART (from the five groups described). Comparisons were made between the different conception groups, to UK national norms and, for a sub-sample of multiple births, to an age-matched twin sample. No differences were found between the conception groups except that fathers from the egg donation group rated children higher in conduct problems compared to other ART groups. No effects were observed by ART treatment type (ICSI vs. IVF, GIFT and IUI). There was some evidence of lower conduct problems and prosocial behaviour among children conceived through homologous IVF compared to national nor...

WHEN THE WILDEBEEST GETS YOUR BERRIES: ADOLESCENT ANGER MANAGEMENT BY PATRESA HARTMAN August, 2002 This Research Paper by: Patresa Hartman Entitled: WHEN THE WILDEBEEST GETS YOUR BERRIES: ADOLESCENT ANGER MANAGEMENT Date Approved has been approved as meeting the research paper requirement for the Degree of Master of Ans in Education: Educational Psychology Director of Research Paper Graduate Faculty Advisor Head, Depart Psychology & Foundations Donald W. Schmits

This article presents long-term effects of a randomized trial evaluating 2 standardized, manual-based prevention strategies for families with parental mood disorder: informational lectures and a brief, clinician-based approach including child assessment and a family meeting. A sample of 105 families, in which at least 1 parent suffered from a mood disorder and at least 1 nondepressed child was within the 8-to 15-year age range, was recruited. Parents and children were assessed separately at baseline and every 9 to 12 months thereafter on behavioral functioning, psychopathology, and response to intervention. Both interventions produced sustained effects through the 6th assessment point, approximately 4.5 years after enrollment, with relatively small sample loss of families (Ͻ14%). Clinician-based families had significantly more gains in parental child-related behaviors and attitudes and in childreported understanding of parental disorder. Child and parent family functioning increased for both groups and internalizing symptoms decreased for both groups, with no significant group differences. These findings demonstrate that brief, family-centered preventive interventions for parental depression may contribute to long-term, sustained improvements in family functioning.

Objective. Depression in parents is a prevalent and impairing illness that is encountered frequently in medical practice. Children of depressed parents are at risk for psychopathology and other difficulties. A series of recent national reports have recommended the development of prevention efforts targeting children of depressed parents. Yet, to date, few controlled prevention studies of depression in children and adolescents have been conducted. In this study, we report the evaluation of 2 preventive intervention strategies that target children living in homes with depressed parents. Both are public health approaches that were designed to be used by a wide range of practitioners from a variety of disciplines, including pediatricians, internists, school counselors, nurses, and mental health practitioners. We adopted a developmental perspective and intervened with families when children were entering the age of highest risk for depression onset (ie, adolescence). We chose a family-ba...

Background: Combat-exposed veteran populations are at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula have been implicated in both autonomic arousal to emotional stressors and homeostatic processes, which may contribute to cardiovascular dysfunction in combat veteran populations. The aim of the present study was to explore the intersecting relationships of combat experiences, rostral ACC and posterior insula volume, and cardiovascular health in a sample of combat veterans. Method: Twenty-four male combat veterans completed clinical assessment of combat experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Subjects completed a magnetic resonance imaging scan and autosegmentation using FreeSurfer was used to estimate regional gray matter volume (controlling for total gray matter volume) of the rostral ACC and posterior insula. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was conducted to assess cardiovascular health. Theil-sen robust regressions and We...

Se analiza la relación existente entre los niveles de conflicto trabajo-familia, autoeficacia parental y estilos parentales percibidos en un grupo de 43 niños estudiantes y ambos padres trabajadores, controlando las variables sociodemográficas. Así mismo, se identifican las diferencias por género en las variables, y la relación que existe entre ellas con respecto al número de hijos. A la muestra le fueron aplicados tres instrumentos de medición de las variables referidas. Se observa una relación significativa y negativa entre los niveles de conflicto trabajo-familia y la autoeficacia parental (r= -0,484; p<0,001). El estilo parental autoritario presenta mayor asociación con autoeficacia (r=0,301; p=0,005). Se reporta una relación significativa y negativa entre autoeficacia y número de hijos (r=-0,257; p=0,017). Finalmente se reporta que las mujeres presentan mayor conflicto trabajo-familia que los hombres.