Search Results (557)

Some studies have shown that the identities of asexual individuals can be devalued and invalidated through processes of dehumanization. However, research examining dehumanization and attitudes toward asexual parents remains scarce. Drawing on the dual model of dehumanization, this experimental study aimed to investigate the denial of traits associated with human nature (HN; denial of basic human emotions) and human uniqueness (HU; denial of a rational mind), as well as perceptions of parenting competence and warmth attributed to different maternal targets. It was hypothesized that asexual mothers would be judged more negatively on the HN dimension, but not on the HU dimension, compared to allosexual mothers. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that perceived behavior toward children, assessed in terms of warmth, would be associated with the denial of HN (but not HU) for asexual mothers. The study involved 298 participants (M_age = 35.97, SD = 15.04), who read one of three scenarios that were identical except for the sexual orientation of the mother: (1) heterosexual allosexual mother; (2) lesbian allosexual mother; and (3) asexual mother. Participants were then asked to evaluate the target with dehumanization measures and perceived parenting behaviors. Results showed that the asexual mother was perceived more negatively than all other targets across all variables. Moreover, parallel mediation analyses revealed that the perception of a lack of warmth in the asexual mother (compared to the other targets) was mediated by the denial of HN, but not HU. In contrast, both HN and HU were found to mediate judgments of parental competence. These findings provide initial evidence of stigma faced by asexual parents, highlighting the need for further research into the attitudes directed toward them. Full article

This systematic literature review investigates how the concept of time is taught and learned in early mathematics education. While young children are commonly expected to learn how to tell time, this review explores what additional aspects should be emphasised to foster a deeper and more sustainable understanding of time. Using the EBSCO database, 36 relevant articles published up to December 2024 were identified. To cover different aspects related to the teaching and learning of time, peer-reviewed scientific articles as well as practice-based reports were included in the search. A majority of the articles focused on clock reading as an aspect of time. The aspects duration, sequencing, and measurement of time also frequently appeared whereas expressions of time, or cross-disciplinary aspects were seldom mentioned. Drawing on the findings, this review proposes a comprehensive framework outlining key aspects that should be included in early mathematics education to support the teaching and learning of time. Full article

This article reports on a Swedish study investigating how children aged 2–3 years experience mathematical concepts through representations in play-responsive teaching. Drawing on the semiotic–cultural theory of learning, this study examines how representations, such as spoken language, bodily action, and artifacts, are mediated. Video-recorded teaching sessions are analyzed to identify semiotic means of objectification and semiotic nodes at which these representations converge. The analysis distinguishes between children encountering concepts expressed by others and expressing concepts themselves. The results indicate that play-responsive teaching creates varied opportunities for experiencing mathematical concepts, with distinct modes of sensuous cognition linked to whether a concept is encountered or expressed. This study underscores the role of teachers’ choices in shaping these experiences and highlights bodily action as a significant form of representation. These findings aim to inform the use of representations in teaching mathematics to the youngest children in preschool. Full article

This study examines the relationships between job satisfaction, overtime hours, perceived stressors, and burnout symptoms among academic mid-level staff at German universities, with a particular focus on gender differences. Drawing on survey data from 1442 academics collected in April/May 2023, this study applies t-tests and regression analyses to examine the effects of structural and personal factors on job satisfaction. The findings suggest that job satisfaction is primarily shaped by psychosocial and institutional conditions. Negative predictors are perceived job insecurity, burnout symptoms, and excessive overtime, whereas a strong dedication to work buffers against these. Variables such as gender, age, parenthood, and participation in structured PhD programs did not show substantial effects. Notably, respondents who postponed having children for professional reasons reported lower job satisfaction, pointing to potential conflicts between career and personal life expectations. Full article

Computational Thinking (CT) has been an important concept for the computer science education community in the last 20 years. In this work we performed a systematic review of the literature regarding the computational thinking of children from kindergarten to primary school. We compiled a large dataset of one hundred and twenty (120) studies from the literature. Through analysis of these studies, we tried to reveal important insights and draw interesting and valid conclusions. We analyzed various qualitative and quantitative aspects of the studies, including the sample size, the year of publication, the country of origin, the studies’ design and duration, the computational tools used, and so on. An important aspect of the work is to highlight differences between different study designs. We identified a total of 120 studies, with more than half of them (>50%) originating from Asian countries. Most studies (82.5%) conducted some form of intervention, aiming to improve their computational thinking in students. A smaller proportion (17.5%) were assessment studies in which the authors conducted assessments regarding the children’s computational thinking. On average, intervention studies had a smaller number of participants, but differences in duration could not be identified. There was also a lack of large-scale longitudinal studies. Block-based coding (i.e., Scratch) and Plugged and Unplugged activities were observed in high numbers in both categories of studies. CT assessment tools showed great variability. Efforts for standardization and reaching a consensus are needed in this regard. Finally, robotic systems have been found to play a major role in interventions over the last years. Full article

This study examines how U.S. immigration policies enact legal violence and multigenerational punishment through the spousal reunification process, particularly in mixed-status, transnational families. Building on the concept of “deportability,” we introduce “importability” to describe a beneficiary’s potential to secure permanent residency, which varies according to social markers such as race, gender, and region of origin. Drawing from a content analysis of threads on the Immigration Pathways (IP) web forum, we analyze discussions among U.S. citizen petitioners navigating marriage-based green card applications, with a focus on experiences involving administrative processing (AP) (i.e., marriage fraud investigations). Our findings show that couples who do not align with the state’s conception of “proper” family—particularly U.S. citizen women petitioning for Black African partners—face intensified scrutiny, long delays, and burdensome requirements, including DNA tests and surveillance. These bureaucratic obstacles produce prolonged family separation, financial strain, and diminished sense of belonging, especially for children in single-parent households. Through the lens of “importability,” we reveal how legal violence and multigenerational punishment of immigration policies on mixed-status families beyond deportation threats, functioning as a gatekeeping mechanism that disproportionately affects marginalized families. This research highlights the understudied consequences of immigration policies on citizen petitioners and contributes to a broader understanding of inequality in U.S. immigration enforcement. Full article

This study investigates how demographic characteristics, severity of intimate partner violence (IPV), social support, gender equality awareness, and demographic factors (e.g., living with children at home) influence help-seeking behaviors among 2527 IPV-experienced women in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Drawing on the help-seeking model and conservation of resource theory, the study distinguishes between formal (e.g., police, legal aid) and informal (e.g., family, friends) help-seeking. Logistic regression results reveal that greater violence severity, stronger perceived social support, and higher gender equality awareness significantly increase both formal and informal help-seeking. Notably, living with children is associated with a higher likelihood of seeking formal help, possibly due to increased concerns for children’s safety and the desire to change the abusive environment. While help-seeking behavior is on the rise overall, particularly among women with strong support networks and progressive gender attitudes, structural and cultural barriers remain. The findings underscore the need to improve public education, reduce stigma, and enhance accessibility of support systems. This study contributes to the growing literature on IPV in China and provides evidence for refining policy interventions and service delivery. Full article

This study presents an analysis of England’s 2023 national assessment of assistive technology (AT) access and use, with a particular focus on the qualitative impact of AT as described by users. It aims to address limitations in conventional AT impact assessments, which often prioritize clinical outcomes or user satisfaction, by offering a deeper account of how impact is experienced in everyday life. Drawing on data from a nationally representative survey of 7000 disabled adults and children, as well as six focus group discussions and 28 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across the WHO 5Ps framework (People, Providers, Personnel, Policy, and Products), the study applies Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum’s Capability Approach to explore these experiences. Using inductive thematic analysis, we identify three main domains of user-reported impact: Functions and Activities (e.g., mobility, communication, vision, leisure, daily routines, and cognitive support), Outcomes (e.g., autonomy, quality of life, safety, social participation, wellbeing, and work and learning), and Lived Experience (e.g., access barriers, essentiality, identity and emotional connection, peace of mind, and sense of control and confidence). These findings offer a more user-centered understanding of AT impact and can inform the development of future measurement tools, research design, and government-led interventions to improve AT provision. Full article

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, often reported by individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), may impair functionality and exacerbate behavioral symptoms. Gut dysbiosis has been identified as a potential environmental factor influencing these symptoms through gut-brain axis dysregulation. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising therapeutic strategy with potential to alleviate symptoms. This review systematically evaluates the efficacy and safety of FMT in GI and ASD-related symptoms. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. The review included clinical trials on FMT in children and adolescents with ASD, published up to October 2024. The bias assessments were performed using Cochrane tools. Outcomes focused on changes in GI and ASD-related symptoms using scales selected by the authors. Results: This systematic review included two RCTs and seven before-and-after studies. Improvements in GI and ASD-related outcomes were reported in all before-and-after studies, whereas the results of RCTs were inconsistent. The before-and-after studies showed a high risk of bias, while the RCTs demonstrated a low risk. Conclusions: Although many studies have been conducted, the methodological limitations of some and contradictory findings of others make it difficult to draw clear conclusions about the effectiveness of FMT in children with ASD. Variations in intervention protocols underscore the importance of establishing standardized FMT procedures in future rigorously designed trials. Full article

The research on teaching scaffolding for preschool children’s oral language development (OLD) has become an important topic in the academic world. However, there remains a lack of evidence-based research on the integration of scaffolding strategies integrated into creative art contexts to support children’s creative expression and language production. In this study, a qualitative case study was conducted to analyze the non-participatory observation and artwork analysis of five-year-old children’s drawing activities in a kindergarten in China based on socio-cultural and scaffolding theories. Three types of core scaffolding strategies were summarized. The findings reveal that the three strategies work together dynamically within the children’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): (1) the visual prompt strategy enriches the vocabulary diversity of metaphors, adjectives, and ordinal words; (2) dialogic narrative co-construction effectively improves narrative coherence across exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution; and (3) emotional engagement strategies foster a safe expressive environment, promoting the integration of affective vocabulary with intrinsic motivation. Accordingly, a three-dimensional integrated “visual-linguistic-emotional” scaffolding model was constructed, emphasizing the practical guidelines of simultaneous scaffolding and gradual scaffolding withdrawal during the warm-up, creation, and sharing sessions of the drawing activity. This study expands the application of scaffolding theory in unstructured art contexts, and provides a systematic practical framework for the design of cross-contextual language support strategies and teacher training in preschool education. Full article

The quality of children’s early childhood education (ECE) experiences significantly impacts their long-term outcomes and wellbeing. While extensive research has explored quality from the perspectives of adult stakeholders, including educators and authorities, there remains a paucity of studies prioritizing the viewpoint of children, the main beneficiaries of ECE. This study sought to address this gap by investigating children’s preschool experiences at an Australian inner-city preschool center. Using child-friendly interview techniques, researchers engaged 32 children aged 3–4 years in discussions about their likes, dislikes, and desired changes in their preschool settings. Open-ended questions such as “What do you love about preschool?” and “What do you think makes a good preschool?” were used to encourage reflection and storytelling. To complement verbal responses, children were invited to illustrate their thoughts through drawings, offering a visual dimension to their perspectives. Deductive thematic analysis identified eight themes within the dimensions of structural and process quality. The findings highlight the unique and insightful ways young children interpret their experiences, shedding light on aspects of preschool life they value most. By amplifying children’s voices, this study highlights the importance of integrating their perspectives into the design and evaluation of ECE environments, promoting practices that better align with their needs and support their wellbeing. Full article

This qualitative study examines how children living in a public housing neighborhood engage in multimodal, embodied meaning-making to restory their community. Focusing on two participants and in partnership with The Kids Club, this paper explores children’s spatial reclamation through embodied and spatialized literacies, complicating stories where children assert whose stories matter and why. Drawing on nexus analysis and narrative inquiry, this study conceptualizes the body as central to cognition and comprehension through texts in action. The sisters spatially reclaim neighborhood narratives via walking tours, heart maps, and photographs that function as multimodal action texts. These practices invite a rethinking of comprehension beyond traditional textual modes, illuminating how children navigate and transform literacy landscapes. This work contributes to conversations about equity in literacy environments and calls on educators and researchers to honor children’s multimodal literacy practices as vital forms of critical comprehension, storytelling, and belonging. Full article

Academic procrastination is a prevalent issue among children, often linked to poorer developmental outcomes. Prior research has uncovered cognitive, motivational, and dispositional antecedents of procrastination, yet its emotional correlates remain underexplored. Given the central role parenting plays in children’s emotional development, examining the emotional pathways through which parenting influences academic procrastination may deepen the understanding of emotional processes underlying academic development. Grounded in the Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions, the present study examined the extent to which emotional resilience and school emotional engagement mediate, both individually and sequentially, the relationship between perceived positive parenting styles and academic procrastination in children. Drawing on three waves of data, this study employed structural equation modeling to assess a chain mediation model. The sample comprised 728 primary school students (Mage = 9.84, SD = 0.77, 49.22% female, range = 8 to 12 years) from Guangzhou, China. Participants completed the assessment at three time points (i.e., November 2021, May 2022, May 2023). The results reveal that perceived positive parenting styles significantly predict lower levels of academic procrastination. Both emotional resilience and school emotional engagement independently mediate the relationship between positive parenting style and academic procrastination. Moreover, this relationship is sequentially mediated by emotional resilience and school emotional engagement. While the mediation effect sizes were relatively small, the study identifies the emotional mechanism through which the perceived positive parenting influences children’s academic procrastination. The preliminary findings contribute to a richer understanding of the emotional underpinnings of academic procrastination and propose potential directions for future research and intervention. Full article

Drawing on data from a three-year longitudinal study of 56 Chinese–Canadian families with early elementary school-aged children, this study explores Chinese immigrant parents’ lived-through emotional experiences of heritage language maintenance (HLM). Informed by Vygotsky’s concept of perezhivanie, thematic analysis of annual interview data reveals the mixed and refracted nature of parental emotions involved in Chinese language preservation and bilingual child-rearing. These emotional experiences were profoundly shaped by the intersection of environmental, personal, and situational factors and were deeply entangled with parents’ perceptions of and attitudes toward their children’s heritage language learning and use at home. The emotional work involved significantly influenced the parents’ language and literacy planning and HLM practices. By foregrounding the emotional dimensions of heritage language education, this study offers important implications for educational stakeholders seeking to support immigrant parents both emotionally and practically in raising bilingual children in the host country. Full article

The Draw-A-Person Intellectual Ability test for children, adolescents, and adults is a widely used tool in psychology for assessing intellectual ability. This test relies on human drawings for initial raw scoring, with the subsequent conversion of data into IQ ranges through manual procedures. However, this manual scoring and IQ assessment process can be time-consuming, particularly for busy psychologists dealing with a high caseload of children and adolescents. Presently, DAP-IQ screening continues to be a manual endeavor conducted by psychologists. The primary objective of our research is to streamline the IQ screening process for psychologists by leveraging deep learning algorithms. In this study, we utilized the DAP-IQ manual to derive IQ measurements and categorized the entire dataset into seven distinct classes: Very Superior, Superior, High Average, Average, Below Average, Significantly Impaired, and Mildly Impaired. The dataset for IQ screening was sourced from primary to high school students aged from 8 to 17, comprising over 1100 sketches, which were subsequently manually classified under the DAP-IQ manual. Subsequently, the manual classified dataset was converted into digital images. To develop the artificial intelligence-based models, various deep learning algorithms were employed, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and state-of-the-art CNN (Transfer Learning) models such as Mobile-Net, Xception, InceptionResNetV2, and InceptionV3. The Mobile-Net model demonstrated remarkable performance, achieving a classification accuracy of 98.68%, surpassing the capabilities of existing methodologies. This research represents a significant step towards expediting and enhancing the IQ screening for psychologists working with diverse age groups. Full article