Search Results (3,864)

Parent–child discrepancies on educational expectations have a significant impact on the holistic development of children, which is crucial for building sustainable educational ecosystems. Based on 7080 samples from the 2019 OECD Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES) conducted in a Chinese city, this study uses the ordinary least squares model and propensity score matching to estimate the causal effect of parent–child discrepancies on educational expectations on children’s social and emotional skills—core competencies for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)—and further employs the bootstrap method to test its mechanism. The results show that parent–child discrepancies on educational expectations have a significant negative impact on children’s social and emotional skills, with stronger effects observed among boys and 15-year-olds. The parent–child relationship and test anxiety play a chain mediating role in this relationship. The results suggest that to advance the goals of sustainable education, parents should set reasonable educational expectations and pay attention to nurturing their children’s social and emotional skills to foster holistic development within supportive family microsystems. Full article

Background/Objectives: In the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, families express the need for dedicated clinical spaces to manage emotional overload and to develop effective relational skills. Parent training addresses this need by supporting the parent–child relationship and fostering the child’s development. This study proposes a clinical protocol designed for psychotherapists and behavior analysts, based on the Autism Open Clinical Model (A.-O.C.M.), which integrates the rigor of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with a phenomenological and embodied perspective. The model acknowledges technology—particularly artificial intelligence—as an opportunity to structure adaptive and personalized intervention tools. Methods: A multi-level prompt design system was developed, grounded in the principles of the A.-O.C.M. and integrated with generative AI. The tool employs clinical questions, semantic constraints, and levels of analysis to support the clinician’s reasoning and phenomenologically informed observation of behavior. Results: Recurrent relational patterns emerged in therapist–caregiver dynamics, allowing the identification of structural elements of the intersubjective field that are useful for personalizing interventions. In particular, prompt analysis highlighted how the quality of bodily and emotional attunement influences readiness for change, suggesting that intervention effectiveness increases when the clinician can adapt their style according to emerging phenomenological resonances. Conclusions: The design of clinical prompts rooted in embodied cognition and supported by AI represents a new frontier for psychotherapy that is more attuned to subjectivity. The A.-O.C.M. stands as a theoretical–clinical framework that integrates phenomenology and intelligent systems. Full article

Background: Parents’ dietary strategies shape children’s eating habits. This study investigated socio-demographic determinants of maternal feeding practices among school-aged children in the Pomeranian province of Poland. Using a cross-sectional survey conducted in July 2025, we compared feeding strategies based on family structure, maternal employment, and number of children, and identified distinct parenting profiles through cluster analysis. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2025 among 719 mothers of elementary school children in Pomeranian Voivodeship, using a convenience sampling design. An abbreviated version of the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) with 16 items across eight subscales was used. ANOVA compared feeding strategies between groups, Spearman correlations examined associations, and k-means cluster analysis identified maternal parenting profiles. Results: Encouragement and modeling were the most frequent strategies, while monitoring was least common. Mothers raising children with a partner and those employed used monitoring, modeling, and encouragement more often. Single or non-working mothers relied more on food as a reward and for emotion regulation. Mothers of only children applied control and monitoring less intensively than mothers with multiple children. All strategies were positively correlated. Cluster analysis identified three parenting profiles: intensely directive, moderate, and emotional-supportive. Conclusions: Maternal feeding strategies vary with socio-demographic factors. Educational interventions promoting healthy eating should be tailored to family structure and mothers’ employment status. Full article

The sustained accumulation of household debt may pose significant challenges to children’s mental health in China, particularly their depressive symptoms. However, limited research has examined this relationship. Using data from the 2020 and 2022 waves of the China Family Panel Studies, covering 805 respondents, we employed a pooled ordinary least squares (POLS) regression model to investigate the impact of household debt on children’s depressive symptoms. Our results show that higher household debt is associated with an increase in children’s depressive symptoms, primarily driven by housing debt and nonbank-sourced debt. These associations appear to operate through reduced parent–child intimacy and increased parent–child conflict. Notably, the adverse impacts are mitigated when fathers work longer hours to repay debt and when marital satisfaction is higher. Overall, our findings highlight important implications for enhancing child welfare and promoting family financial stability. Full article

Background/Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly disrupted the daily lives of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Lockdowns, therapy interruptions, and reduced access to educational and healthcare services significantly affected developmental progress and family functioning. This pilot study aimed to assess the long-term impact of the pandemic on children with ASD and ADHD in Northern Greece and to explore consequences for their families in the post-pandemic period. Methods: Parents or legal guardians of 72 children (ages 2–17 years) with confirmed diagnoses of ASD (n = 57) or ADHD (n = 15) participated. A structured 25-item questionnaire captured information on developmental, psychological, and social functioning, family well-being, therapy disruption, screen use, and access to online support. Data were collected across urban, semi-urban, and rural areas of Northern Greece over six months. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed. Results: Most participants were boys (77.8%) and in primary school (73.6%). Common co-occurring conditions included learning difficulties (33.3%), anxiety (8.3%), and epilepsy (6.9%). Nearly half of families (45.8%) reported therapy reductions exceeding 70%, while 29.2% accessed online therapy, often with limited perceived effectiveness. New behavioral symptoms emerged in 45.8% of children, including irritability, anxiety, and emotional instability. Parental psychological distress was reported by 29.2% of caregivers. Screen time increased in over 90% of cases, and 87.5% of parents perceived the pandemic as negatively affecting their child. Financial strain was noted by 37.5% of families. Conclusions: The findings highlight the significant developmental, psychological, and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for children with ASD and ADHD and their families. Service disruptions, unmet therapeutic needs, and increased caregiver burden emphasize the urgency of sustainable, flexible care models. Strengthening telehealth, integrating community-based interventions, and enhancing educational accommodations are essential for resilience in the post-pandemic era. Full article

Background: There is a growing gap between the increasing prevalence of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and the limited availability of developmental services. This raises an urgent need for effective and accessible intervention models. Hybrid intervention offers an innovative and practical solution, yet evidence regarding its feasibility and efficacy for children remains limited. This study aimed to adapt an evidence-based occupational therapy (OT) intervention model for remote delivery and to examine its feasibility and preliminary efficacy among children with NDDs. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental pre–post, mixed-methods design, children aged 5–8 years with NDDs were recruited from child development units in southern Israel. The intervention comprised 12–15 weekly video-conference sessions utilizing the Cognitive Orientation to (daily) Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach. Standardized outcome measures assessed feasibility and preliminary efficacy. Focus groups with parents and therapists explored facilitators and barriers to implementation. Results: Of the 26 participants enrolled, 14 children (71% boys) completed the intervention and reported high satisfaction. Clinically significant improvements were observed in personal goal training, reported by both children (80%) and parents (73.68%). Content analysis identified three key themes: parents’ engagement, ecological intervention, and technological literacy. Conclusions: Tele-CO-OP intervention was found to be feasible for children with NDDs and showed potential to improve occupational performance in personal goals. Findings provide a practical foundation for developing hybrid OT services as a valuable complement to in-person care for this growing population. Full article

Background: Although progress has been made, substantial barriers exist in the development and implementation of pediatric palliative care (PPC) in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Possible explanations include the idea that cultural taboos erect barriers that short-circuit PPC discussions among stakeholders, and secondly, regional guidelines intended to support PPC fail to do so effectively. Here, we aimed to identify and document the scope of barriers to and facilitators of PPC practices in these regions and to explore to what extent and how regional PPC guidelines address these barriers/facilitators. Methods: We identified and compared two kinds of documents: (1) recent journal articles reporting on empirical studies of barriers to/facilitators of PPC practices in mainland China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan and (2) published PPC regional guidelines from the three regions. International and regional databases were searched to identify articles, along with PPC professional organizations in the three regions to identify PPC guidelines. Inductive content analysis was used for data analysis, synthesis, and document comparison. Results: Seventeen relevant articles on PPC barriers/facilitators and 16 documents with PPC guidelines were identified. Barriers/facilitators were reported on three organizational levels: micro, meso, and macro levels. Micro refers to children and parents, meso to medical institutions and healthcare providers (HCPs), and macro to policy/guidelines and networks. Most barriers were addressed by PPC guidelines, and most facilitators were acknowledged and endorsed in the guidelines. For instance, HCPs reported that insufficient PPC-related knowledge among stakeholders was a barrier, while PPC guidelines provided detailed information to address this shortfall. Unaddressed barriers in the guidelines were also uncovered, such as the cultural taboo of discussing death, suggesting that HCPs often struggled to have effective PPC conversations with parents and the child. Conclusions: Our finding that PPC guidelines addressed most barriers/facilitators while HCPs still struggled with implementing PPC indicates that mature PPC guidelines are necessary but not sufficient for PPC practices to improve in these three regions. The wide availability of PPC guidelines and PPC education/training for HCPs and families needs to improve. Full article

Childhood immunization is one of the most effective public health measures, yet inequities remain in marginalized populations across Asia, where parental adherence is essential to sustaining the Expanded Program on Immunization. This narrative review examines determinants of adherence among under-five children in disadvantaged communities. Following PRISMA guidelines, searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar identified studies published between 2015 and 2025, with earlier key works included as relevant. Twenty-one studies from South, Southeast, and East Asia were analyzed. Five domains were associated with adherence: socioeconomic and access factors, where maternal education, household income, and possession of immunization cards were positive predictors, while remote residence was a barrier; trust, cultural beliefs, and social norms, with misinformation and vaccine controversies reducing uptake, and provider trust and supportive norms improving it; migration and mobility, as migrant, stateless, and left-behind children had lower coverage due to weak registration and disrupted caregiving; household and caregiver dynamics, where decision-making by family or community members shaped uptake, while large family size and maternal employment limited adherence; and health system capacity, with inadequate infrastructure and follow-up hindering coverage and integration with maternal–child health services facilitating it. Addressing these intersecting barriers through equity-focused strategies is critical to achieving universal immunization coverage. Full article

Background/Objectives: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience high anxiety and low physical activity (PA). While the influence of parenting styles on these outcomes is well-documented in typically developing children, their role in autistic youth remains underexplored. The study examines how parenting style and parental encouragement of physical activity relate to anxiety and activity levels in ASD youth. Methods: The sample consisted of 76 parents of school-aged children diagnosed with ASD, including 54 parents of boys and 22 parents of girls (Aged 6–18; Mage = 10.75, SD = 3.67). The parents’ ages ranged from 23 to 65 years (M = 42.96, SD = 7.01). Results: Using a path model analysis, we found that authoritarian and permissive parenting were directly associated with elevated child anxiety. Authoritative and permissive parenting were inversely associated with child anxiety indirectly via parental encouragement of PA. Furthermore, authoritative and permissive parenting were inversely associated with the child’s PA score via encouragement of PA. Conclusions: The study establishes links between parenting styles and anxiety and physical activity in ASD children and adolescents, while identifying a specific mechanism that partially explains these associations. Full article

ToM (ToM) and empathy, integral components of children’s social cognitive development, are shaped by multifaceted factors. The developmental trajectories of ToM and empathy in kindergarten children have long been focal points of inquiry for researchers and educators. Among these determinants, environmental factors emerge as significant predictors of children’s ToM and empathetic abilities. In contemporary society, digital screens have transformed into a ubiquitous medium for kindergarten children, deeply embedded in their daily life, learning, and recreational activities. Consequently, screen exposure has become a novel and distinctive environmental context for childhood development, diverging from traditional settings. This shift raises critical questions that have become focal in recent developmental media research: Does screen exposure correlate with children’s ToM and empathy? And how do key dimensions of screen use (e.g., duration, content) influence the development of these social cognitive skills? To address these queries, this study employed a two-phase experimental approach. Initially, a total of 642 parental questionnaires were collected to comprehensively investigate the current status of digital screen usage among Chinese kindergarten children. Subsequently, the ToM and empathy levels of 126 children were systematically evaluated. The findings revealed that the average daily duration of children’s screen time exhibited a significant negative predictive effect on their ToM level, consistent with prior longitudinal studies that linked early excessive screen exposure to poorer later ToM performance. Conversely, engagement with child-friendly content (e.g., prosocial narratives) and parent–child discussions regarding character emotions during screen exposure (e.g., dialogic questioning while co-viewing) emerged as positive predictors of ToM. Notably, no significant predictive relationships were identified between various dimensions of screen exposure and children’s empathy. This research elucidates the impact of screen exposure on crucial aspects of children’s social cognition, offering practical implications for optimizing screen device utilization to foster children’s holistic development. Full article

Background: Early cognitive abilities such as memory and executive function (EF) emerge rapidly in infancy and may provide a foundation for later language development. However, large-scale longitudinal evidence linking early cognition to subsequent receptive and expressive outcomes remains limited. Methods: Data were drawn from 6652 children in the Kids in Taiwan (KIT) longitudinal database. Hierarchical regression models tested whether memory and EF at 12 months predicted language comprehension and expression at 24 months, and whether cognition at 24 months predicted outcomes at 36 months, controlling for parental education, involvement, responsiveness, child gender, temperament, and previous language ability. All language variables were standardized to ensure comparability across ages and to minimize potential floor or ceiling effects. Results: Early memory consistently predicted receptive and expressive language at 24 and 36 months, whereas EF predicted expressive language at 24 months and both receptive and expressive language at 36 months. The overall inclusion of cognitive variables significantly increased model fit (all ΔFs, p < 0.001), indicating that early cognitive functioning contributes uniquely to subsequent language development beyond language stability. Conclusions: Findings from this large community-based Taiwanese cohort highlight the importance of early cognitive abilities in supporting subsequent language growth. Incorporating assessments of memory and EF into early developmental monitoring may help identify children who would benefit from enriched language experiences or targeted educational support. Integrating assessments of memory and EF into early developmental screening and intervention programs may enhance the early identification of children at risk for delayed language development and guide the design of play-based activities that strengthen cognitive foundations for language. Full article

Background/Objectives: The opioid epidemic and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are two major concerns for child welfare systems. Little is known, however, regarding the mechanisms that perpetuate intergenerational cycles of ACEs and insecure/disorganized parent–young child attachment patterns in the context of parents’ opioid use. Methods: A high-risk sample of 101 parents (75 mothers and 26 fathers) who were opioid-involved, who had a child in the 0- to 5-year age range, and who were receiving medication-assisted treatment in the United States of America participated in this study. Parents were mostly White/Caucasian and single. Direct pathways between parents’ reported ACEs and their perceived parent–young child attachment patterns, as well as indirect pathways through substance use severity, depression, and trauma symptoms, were examined. Results: PROCESS analyses suggested that mothers’ ACEs significantly predicted their ratings of disorganized attachment patterns with their young children, with depression and trauma symptoms explaining greater variance than ACEs alone. The results indicated that fathers’ ACEs were not predictive of insecure/disorganized attachment patterns with their young children. Substance use severity was not predictive of parent–child attachment patterns for mothers or fathers. Conclusions: Generally, these findings highlighted different patterns among mothers and fathers’ ACEs, their ratings of parent–young child insecure/disorganized attachment, and their psychological sequelae. These findings further suggested the utility of trauma- and attachment-informed parenting interventions for high-risk mothers and fathers in breaking intergenerational cycles of risk. Full article

Background: Siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are considered biologically at risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) that may involve sensorimotor, adaptive, and social–communication domains. Previous studies have highlighted the potential value of early intervention programs during the first year of life, when symptoms may not yet be evident. This study explores the impact of pre-emptive and early interventions on the developmental trajectories of infants at risk for NDDs. Methods: This case-series study included four children (one at low risk and three at high risk) who participated in the ERI-SIBS Project (Early Recognition and Intervention in Siblings at High Risk for Neurodevelopmental Disorders), an ongoing, innovative, and ecological early recognition and intervention program for siblings of children with ASD. Intervention frequency was personalized based on the presence or absence of early risk indicators and continued for six months. Data on global functioning, social-communication abilities, and mother–child interactions were collected over one year. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed four distinct developmental trajectories and treatment responses, emphasizing the need for a multidimensional approach and the active engagement of parents in the intervention process. Conclusions: Findings from this case series provide an in-depth understanding of how biological and environmental factors may interact to influence the outcomes of early interventions in children at risk for NDDs. These results underscore the importance of early, individualized, and family-centered approaches to support optimal developmental outcomes. Full article

Objective: Our objectives were as follows: (1) to compare cognitive, motor, language, and social performance, parenting skills, and mother–child interactions among preterm children exposed to different feeding practices (exclusive breastfeeding, mixed feeding, and formula feeding) during the first two years of life; and (2) to examine the associations between the feeding type, risks and protective factors, and neurodevelopmental outcomes (cognitive, motor, language, and social domains) in these population in the first two years of life. Method: A total of 116 preterm children (<32 weeks gestational age—GA) and their mothers were recruited from a public hospital in southern Brazil and followed at a neonatal clinic. Children were organized into three groups based on feeding at NICU discharge (exclusive breastfeeding, formula, or mixed feeding). Assessments were conducted at 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 months of corrected age using the BSITD-III and additional validated instruments measuring environment stimulation, daily activities, maternal knowledge, breastfeeding experience, and mother–child interactions. Results: Clinical and sociodemographic factors were similar across feeding groups. Group comparisons showed that exclusive breastfeeding was associated with higher motor scores at 12 (p = 0.015) and 24 (p = 0.026) months, higher cognitive scores at 12 (p = 0.049) and 18 (p = 0.013) months, and higher language scores at 12 (p < 0.001) and 18 (p = 0.014) months compared to formula feeding. In the social domain, the exclusive breastfeeding group consistently outperformed the formula group across most time points, although a temporary dip was observed at 18 months. Mixed feeding showed intermediate patterns. Children in the exclusive breastfeeding group also demonstrated higher maternal parenting skills and stronger mother–child interactions across time. Longitudinal analyses revealed that the quality of mother–child interactions predicted better motor, cognitive, language, and social outcomes, while clinical vulnerabilities (e.g., prolonged NICU stay, BPD, leukomalacia) negatively influenced trajectories. Conclusions: Exclusive breastfeeding and responsive mother–child interactions emerged as consistent protective factors across developmental domains, buffering the adverse effects of clinical risks. Breastfeeding not only enhances maternal engagement but also contributes to more favorable motor, cognitive, language, and social outcomes in preterm children. Supporting breastfeeding and promoting sensitive caregiving practices are essential strategies for optimizing developmental trajectories and improving the quality of life in this vulnerable population. Full article

Although widely used across disciplines, the terms emotion and feeling remain conceptually ambiguous, particularly within developmental science. Emotion is defined as an evolutionarily conserved, biologically embedded system of action readiness and intersubjective communication, shaped by attentional, neural, and physiological reactivity to environmental salience. In contrast, feeling is conceptualized as the consciously experienced, representational outcome of emotional activation, emerging through cognitive appraisal and symbolic processing. Building upon this distinction, the review explores how emotion develops within parent–child dyads through coregulated neurocognitive and psychophysiological mechanisms. Drawing on empirical evidence from eye-tracking studies of visual attention to emotional faces, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) research on social-emotional activation in prefrontal brain regions, and cortisol-based assessments of hormonal synchrony, the paper highlights how emotional attunement and transmission are embedded in early caregiving interactions. The review also emphasizes the moderating role of environmental sensitivity—both in children and parents—in shaping these developmental pathways. By positioning emotion as a dynamic, intersubjective process and feeling as its emergent experiential correlate, this review offers a novel developmental framework for understanding affect and proposes directions for future research on resilience, dysregulation, and intervention. Full article