Search Results (63)

Background/Objectives: Uncooperative behavior in pediatric dental settings remains a significant barrier to effective treatment. Factors such as demographics, psychological variables, and family influences may impact children’s behavior, but their relative importance is not fully understood. This study explores the emotional, familial, and demographic factors influencing cooperation among children in dental clinics in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among children aged 6–11 years attending dental clinics in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants undergoing non-invasive dental procedures were recruited. Behavioral cooperation was assessed using the Frankl Behavior Rating Scale, and dental anxiety was measured using the validated Abeer Children Dental Anxiety Scale (ACDAS). Data on demographic characteristics, child cognitive factors, and parental dental anxiety were collected through structured interviews. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent determinants of cooperative behavior. Results: A total of 906 children were included in the analysis. Demographic variables, including gender, age, and income, were not significantly associated with child behavior (all p > 0.05). Fear of losing control emerged as the strongest predictor in the model. Children reporting fear of losing control had significantly lower odds of cooperative behavior (AOR = 0.14, 95% CI [0.10–0.22], p < 0.001). Shyness in the clinic was not statistically significant (p = 0.216). Maternal dental anxiety was significantly associated with child behavior, with higher maternal anxiety scores linked to lower odds of cooperative behavior (AOR = 0.96, 95% CI [0.93–0.997], p = 0.032). Paternal dental anxiety was not significantly associated with child behavior (p = 0.701). Conclusions: Fear of losing control and maternal dental anxiety were independently associated with children’s behavioral responses during dental visits. These findings highlight the relevance of children’s perceived control and maternal anxiety in understanding behavioral outcomes in pediatric dental settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Behavioral inhibition (BI) has been extensively studied as an early-appearing risk factor for adverse developmental outcomes. One pathway through which BI may confer risk is via reduced competence to interact effectively with peers. Research demonstrating concurrent relations between BI and social competence supports this pathway, yet not all inhibited children experience social difficulties. This study adopted a person-centered approach to examine heterogeneity of temperament traits within a highly inhibited preschool sample and to identify how broader temperament traits contribute to variability in social functioning. Methods: Parents of preschoolers (N = 254) who met criteria for BI (≥85th percentile on the Behavioral Inhibition Questionnaire) completed measures of their child’s temperament (Children’s Behavior Questionnaire) and social competence (Social Skills Improvement System). Latent Profile Analysis was conducted using six temperament traits reflecting regulation and reactivity (anger, attentional focusing, inhibitory control, high-intensity pleasure, perceptual sensitivity, and approach). Profile differences in social competence were examined using multivariate analyses controlling for age and gender. Results: A three-profile solution emerged: Regulated, Unregulated and Angry, and Typical BI. Profile membership accounted for almost 37% of the variance in social skills scores. The Regulated group, marked by high attentional and inhibitory control and low anger, demonstrated the strongest social skills and lowest internalizing and externalizing problems. The Unregulated and Angry group, characterized by high anger and poor regulation, exhibited the greatest social difficulties. BI level itself did not significantly differentiate profiles or predict social competence. Conclusions: Findings underscore that BI is not a uniform risk factor but joins with other temperamental traits to shape social outcomes. Level of BI did not differentiate profiles or relate to social functioning, highlighting the importance of considering co-occurring regulatory and reactive traits to explain variability in outcomes among inhibited children. Identifying specific temperamental constellations may enhance early identification and inform targeted interventions for socially at-risk inhibited children. Full article

Background: Elevated heart rate (HR) reactivity to psychomotor challenge mirrors greater proneness to acute stress, which is a disadvantage in competitive sports. This study investigated whether temperament and adiposity predict HR reactivity during a reaction time (RT) task in adolescent athletes, with a focus on identifying their role in psychophysiological vulnerability. Participants and procedure: The participants were 20 adolescent canoe athletes (15 boys, 5 girls; mean age = 14.3 ± 1.88 years). They were volunteers recruited from a canoe club, with the permission of their coaches and parents. The study was conducted in a controlled laboratory setting, where participants underwent anthropometric tests, completed a questionnaire, had a HR monitor fitted, and rested in an armchair until a relatively stable HR (±5 beats per minute) was recorded. Subsequently, their HR was monitored across three 5 min phases: baseline, RT task, and recovery. Reactivity was calculated as the difference between task and recovery, because pre-task HR was influenced by anticipation. Data analyses were performed using AI-assisted and verified Bootstrapped Spearman correlations, Lasso regression with five-fold cross-validation, and stability analysis with 25 repeated cross-validations. Results: Shyness and body fat percentage were positively related to HR reactivity, whereas other temperament traits and RT performance showed no statistically significant associations. The Lasso regression results revealed shyness and adiposity as significant predictors, with their interaction consistently identified as the strongest effect (selected in 76% of models). The independent measures did not affect HR in the recovery phase. Conclusions: Shy adolescents with higher adiposity demonstrate heightened stress responses, as evidenced by HR reactivity, underscoring the importance of addressing stress vulnerability in young athletes and extending this line of inquiry to a broader spectrum of junior athletes. Full article

Rodent damage significantly affects agriculture around the world. Rodenticides can sometimes control pests, but they are costly, may cause secondary poisoning to nontarget wildlife, and can become less efficient over time due to bait shyness and resistance. Using wildlife as biological pest control agents, particularly barn owls (Tyto spp.), has been suggested as an alternative. Barn owl nest boxes and hunting perches have been added to increase predator pressure, yet few studies have examined their effectiveness. We conducted a field study in forty-five 10 × 10 m² plots to compare three treatments (biological pest control by adding hunting perches, 1080 rodenticide, and control) on rodent (vole) activity and crop health (alfalfa, Medicago sativa) using unmanned aerial system (UAS) remote sensing and ground surveys. Additionally, we used 24/7 video cameras and a machine learning (YOLOv5) object detection algorithm to determine whether hunting perches increase the presence of diurnal and nocturnal raptors. Rodent activity increased during the study and did not vary among the treatments across all three treatment groups, indicating that neither the biological pest control nor the rodenticides prevented the rodent population from increasing. Moreover, the vegetation indices clearly showed that the alfalfa has become increasingly damaged over time, due to the rising damage caused by rodents. There were significantly more raptors in plots with hunting perches than in control plots and those treated with rodenticides. Specifically, barn owls and diurnal raptors (mainly black-shouldered kites) spent 97.92% more time on hunting perch plots than rodenticide plots and 97.61% more time on hunting perch plots than control plots. The number of barn owls was positively related to vole activity, indicating a bottom-up process, while the number of black-shouldered kites was unrelated to vole activity. Even though hunting perches effectively increased the presence and activity of diurnal and nocturnal raptors, rodent populations increased. Future research should investigate whether hunting perches can increase raptor populations and improve crop health in crops beyond alfalfa, which is known to be particularly challenging to control for voles. Full article

Background: Analyses based on a dual-processing approach can contribute to a better understanding of the processes involved in food fussiness in children. This approach combines reactive or automatic avoidance responses together with regulatory processes, such as inhibitory control. Previous research has mainly focused on the avoidance response rather than both avoidance and regulatory control. Objective: The main purpose of the research was to investigate possible processes associated with food fussiness in children older than early childhood and into middle childhood (here, 5-to-12-year-olds) based on a dual-processing approach. Methods: The food fussiness subscale of the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ) and the impulsivity, fear, shyness and inhibitory control subscales of the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) were used. Multivariable regression examined bottom–up/top–down temperament measures as components of the food fussiness process, with the main effects and interactions. ANOVA examined differences in the temperament measures for non-fussy, moderately fussy and severely fussy children. Results: The regression analysis showed that higher food fussiness was associated with lower impulsivity and lower inhibitory control. There also was a significant interaction between impulsivity and inhibitory control, suggesting that higher food fussiness for some children was associated with a combination of low impulsivity (more behavioral inhibition) and low inhibitory control. Conclusions: The results suggest that an analysis of food fussiness in terms of higher bottom–up avoidance in tandem with lower top–down inhibitory control is a helpful approach to the interpretation of the core processes involved in food fussiness in children. A better understanding of the fussiness processes can guide approaches to preventive interventions, including for parents of children with food fussiness. Full article

Aim: Our aim was to survey people with dementia and their carers with respect to their propensity to join a randomized trial of community singing in dementia, in the context of uncertainty following the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: We employed an online anonymous questionnaire, comparing activities before and after lockdown, worries about COVID-19, whether people would attend a singing group and what measures might make this more likely. With a target sample of 100, the survey was distributed to the general population of people with dementia and carers in the UK between June and August 2022. Results: We had a total of 168 respondents, of whom 30% were people living with dementia and 70% were carers. Those who were not worried (roughly 62%) were more likely to go out to groups. Worries about COVID-19 affected 38% of respondents but some judged the risk of going out to be worthwhile. Most felt able to take adequate precautions against infection. However, COVID-19 transmission was not the main impediment to attending a singing group and 19% of respondents were simply not interested in doing so, while mobility and shyness deterred others. Conclusions: Given recruitment problems, quantitative studies of singing in dementia need to take account of individual preferences as well as contextual barriers, including fear of virus transmission, individual perceptions of the intervention and logistical obstacles to participation. Full article

This study addresses gender inequality in rural areas, focusing on the structural and socio-cultural constraints faced by women, despite the increasing feminisation of agriculture. The research question posed is: what are the leadership experiences of rural women in the cocoa production chain in Tibú, Norte de Santander, Colombia? The objective is to unveil the leadership experiences of rural women in the cocoa production chain in Tibú, Norte de Santander, Colombia. Using a qualitative and interpretative approach and a case study design, the experiences of ten women cocoa producers were analysed. The coding technique was based on theoretical material, generating two subcategories and the respective theoretical codes. The subcategories are associativity and time use. The findings reveal barriers such as shyness or fear of rejection, low participation in community groups, limited education, decision-making restrictions, unpaid work overload, lack of leisure time, and gender-based violence, factors that perpetuate poverty and hinder their community leadership. However, it highlights how women’s leadership and associativity positively impact sustainable agriculture and community cohesion. Although public policies recognise their key role, their implementation remains insufficient. This study highlights the need for comprehensive strategies that overcome inequalities and promote inclusive rural development. Full article

The aim of the current study was to examine the unique relations between introversion and indices of well-being while accounting for aspects of solitude (i.e., time spent alone, shyness, affinity for solitude, and negative thinking while alone). Participants were n = 1036 adolescents (15–19 years of age, M = 16.19 years, SD = 0.58; 67% girls) who completed a series of self-report measures assessing introversion, time spent alone, negative thinking while alone, motivations for solitude (shyness, affinity for solitude), and indices of well-being (i.e., loneliness, positive/negative affect, general well-being). Overall, results from correlational analyses indicated that introversion was associated with poorer functioning across all indices of well-being. However, when controlling for aspects of solitude, results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated a complex set of associations that varied across indices of well-being. Introversion remained associated significantly and negatively with well-being and positive affect, was no longer related significantly to loneliness, and became related significantly and negatively to negative affect. Findings are discussed in terms of how personality characteristics and aspects of solitude can impact the well-being of adolescents. Full article

Past research suggests that expressions of shyness are associated with several distinct behaviors that may differ between Eastern and Western cultures. However, this evidence has largely been derived from subjective ratings, such self-, teacher-, and parent-report measures. In this study, we examined between-country differences on measures of directly observed shyness-related behaviors during a speech task in children. Participants were 74 Chinese (M_age = 4.76 years old, SD_age = 0.62 years old; 77.0% male) and 189 Canadian (M_age = 4.80 years old, SD_age = 0.82 years old; 48.1% male) children aged 4–6 years. As predicted, the results reveal that Chinese children exhibit a higher frequency of gaze aversion and lower total time speaking compared to Canadian children. Additionally, significant interactions between country and gender were found for fidgeting and smiling behaviors, indicating that cultural expectations and norms influence how boys and girls express some shyness-related behaviors in social situations. These preliminary findings extend prior cross-cultural research on shyness-related behaviors indexed using subjective report measures to directly observed measures, highlighting the importance of cultural context in shaping children’s responses to social evaluation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age. It is associated with an increased risk of somatic and mental health problems. The prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) in women with PCOS is higher than in the healthy population. The co-occurrence of PCOS and BED increases the risk of negative health outcomes and may worsen patient compliance. For both groups of disorders, specific personality traits have been described in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess temperament and character in PCOS women with and without BED, in search of specific personality traits that may distinguish PCOS patients with a higher predisposition to BED. Methods: 128 women diagnosed with PCOS according to the modified Rotterdam criteria were included in the study. All completed the Temperament and Character Inventory by R.C. Cloninger (TCI). The collected data were statistically analyzed. Results: The PCOS–BED subgroup was characterized by specific personality traits in comparison with PCOS subgroup: statistically significantly higher scores of harm-avoidance dimensions (in anticipatory worry, shyness, and fatigability subscales) and statistically significantly lower scores of persistence and self-directedness dimensions (in purposeful, resourcefulness, self-acceptance, and enlightened second nature subscales). Conclusions: PCOS–BED women have certain personality traits. Screening PCOS patients for the presence of certain personality traits could identify those at risk. PCOS–BED women may be at higher risk of health problems and treatment failure and may require a different therapeutic approach to treatment, including psychotherapeutic interventions. Full article

The centrality of social competence to children’s well-being has sparked interest in documenting its correlates and precursors. Behavioral Inhibition (BI) is studied extensively as an early appearing, biologically based, temperamental disposition that places children at increased risk for maladaptive social functioning. Children with BI are characterized by the tendency to react to unfamiliarity or uncertainty with fear and to respond with avoidance or withdrawal, eventuating in missed opportunities to gain social competence (SC). Early interventions that aim to interrupt this negative cycle often rely on parents or teachers to observe BI, but they often disagree in their ratings, raising understudied but basic questions about how to translate the research findings into effective interventions. In this study, parents and teachers rated kindergarteners’ (N = 174) disposition toward fear and shyness, underpinnings of BI and SC. As expected, we found modest overlap in the classification of children into relatively High, Average, and Low BI groups based on parent and teacher ratings. Whereas about 40 percent were classified similarly, about 33 percent were discrepant in their classification by more than one category. Yet, the High BI group was at a social disadvantage (lower SC) compared to the Low BI group, even when the comparison groups only included children whose classification was discrepant. In line with the Realistic Accuracy Model of person perception, we describe a context/informant-specific conceptualization of the BI–SC connection with implications for intervention. Full article

This study aimed to examine distinct loneliness trajectories and to explore the roles of group-level peer preference and individual-level social withdrawal (i.e., unsociability and shyness) as predictors of these trajectories. Participants were 1134 Chinese elementary school students (Mage = 10.44 years; 565 boys). Data were collected from self-reports and peer nominations. Latent class growth analysis (LCGA) was employed to identify distinct trajectories of loneliness, and multinomial logistic regression was subsequently used to examine the relationships between these trajectories and their predictors. Results showed that three loneliness trajectories were identified: high increasing, moderate decreasing, and low decreasing. Participants at baseline with higher peer preference were more likely to belong to the low decreasing trajectory subgroup rather than the other two subgroups. Furthermore, those at Time 1 with higher unsociability had lower odds of being classified into the moderate or low decreasing trajectory subgroup compared to the high increasing trajectory subgroup. Additionally, participants at baseline with higher shyness had reduced likelihoods of following the low decreasing trajectory subgroup as opposed to the other two subgroups. These results have implications for how we understand both the different subgroups of loneliness trajectories and the predictions of peer preference and social withdrawal on these trajectories in Chinese early adolescents. Full article

The relations between shyness and internalizing problems have been mainly explored at the individual level, with little known about its dynamics at the group level. This study aims to examine the mediating effect of individual-level sport engagement and the moderating effect of class-level sport participation in the relations between shyness and internalizing problems. The participants were 951 children attending primary and middle school from grade 3 to grade 7 (Mage = 11 years, 509 boys) in urban areas of China. Cross-sectional data were collected using self-report assessments. Multi-level analysis indicated that (1) shyness was positively associated with internalizing problems; (2) sport engagement partially mediated the relations between shyness and internalizing problems; and (3) class sport participation was a cross-level moderator in the mediating relations between shyness, sport engagement, and internalizing problems. Shy children in classes with a higher level of sport participation tend to have less sport engagement and more internalizing problems than those in classes with a lower level of sport participation. These findings illuminate implications from a multi-level perspective for shy children’s adjustment in a Chinese context. The well-being of shy children could be improved by intervening in sport activity, addressing both individual engagement and group dynamics, such as class participation. Full article