Search Results (20)

In China, grandparents play a significant role in childrearing. This study aims to identify latent profiles of intergenerational parenting styles and explore their impact on grandchildren’s behavioral outcomes. A total of 1432 Chinese children (M_age = 12.58 years; 45.25% boys) completed questionnaires assessing perceived grandparenting styles, while fathers and mothers independently reported their own parenting practices. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) identified three distinct parenting profiles: “Grandparents Positive–Parents Negative” (GP–PN, 18.37%), “Grandparents Positive–Parents Positive” (GP–PP, 59.15%), and “Grandparents Negative–Parents Positive” (GN–PP, 22.48%). Regression analyses revealed that the number of siblings, grade level, and grandparent type could significantly predict profile membership. Notably, consistent and positive intergenerational parenting styles were associated with fewer problem behaviors in children. Furthermore, the relationship between parenting profiles and problem behaviors was mediated by the quality of the grandparent–parent relationship. These findings suggested that grandparents and parents should coordinate their parenting styles when raising grandchildren together. Full article

The genus Rhododendron presents significant challenges for systematic classification due to extensive hybridization and adaptive radiation. Here, we employed double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) to resolve phylogenetic relationships among nine ecologically significant Rhododendron species (34 accessions) endemic to Zhejiang Province, China, a biodiversity hotspot for this genus. Using R. simsii as the reference genome, we generated 39.40 Gb of high-quality sequencing data with a Q30 score of 96.65% and a GC content of 39.63%, achieving an average alignment rate of 92.79%. Through stringent filtering (QD ≥ 2, MQ ≥ 40), we identified 14,048,702 genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), predominantly characterized by the mutation types T:A>C:G and C:G>T:A. The widespread R. simsii and R. simsii var. putuoense exhibited significant genetic diversity, whereas the low-altitude widespread R. molle and the endemic R. simiarum exhibited lower genetic diversity. Moderate genetic differentiation (F_st = 0.097) was observed between R. simsii and R. simsii var. putuoense, while substantial genetic differentiation was detected among the other Rhododendron species. Principal component analysis (PCA), combined with phylogenomic reconstruction, demonstrated that the Rhododendron genus can be stratified into six well-supported genetic clades. Furthermore, this study provides the first genomic validation of the sibling relationship between R. simsii and its variety, R. simsii var. putuoense, and clarifies the systematic position of R. huadingense, suggesting that it should be classified as a new subgenus. This study establishes ddRAD-seq as a cost-effective tool, providing both a theoretical framework for SNP-based phylogenetics and critical insights for conserving China’s azalea biodiversity. Full article

Neurotypical (NT) siblings of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience complex emotional, psychological, behavioral, and social challenges. Understanding the factors that influence their well-being is essential for developing tailored interventions. This systematic review examines the psychological and social functioning of NT siblings and identifies protective and risk factors that impact their adaptation. A systematic search was conducted across EBSCO, PubMed, and Google Scholar, covering studies published between 2013 and 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on research investigating NT siblings’ emotional, psychological, behavioral, and social well-being. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria and were synthesized narratively. Findings reveal heterogeneous experiences among NT siblings, ranging from increased empathy and resilience to heightened anxiety, depression, and social difficulties. The quality of sibling relationships and social support systems plays a pivotal role in moderating these outcomes. NT siblings represent a vulnerable group requiring family-centered interventions. Future research should adopt longitudinal and multi-informant approaches to explore long-term effects and culturally sensitive support strategies. Full article

Indoor fungal communities, found in household dust, significantly influence indoor air quality and health. These communities are shaped by environmental, socioeconomic, and household factors. However, studies on indoor mycobiomes, particularly in Croatia, remain limited. This study investigates the relationship between environmental and household factors and indoor fungal communities, focusing on their diversity, composition, and potential health impacts in Croatian households. Dust samples from 66 Croatian households were analyzed using fungal ITS sequencing. Statistical analyses, including alpha diversity measures, were conducted to evaluate the influence of variables such as pet ownership, number of siblings, and cleaning habits on fungal diversity and abundance. Dominant genera included Malassezia, Cladosporium, and the family Didymosphaeriaceae. Pet ownership and sibling presence were linked to higher fungal diversity, with outdoor-associated genera such as Aureobasidium being more abundant in these households. Cleaning practices selectively altered fungal communities, with frequent cleaning reducing diversity, but not eliminating resilient taxa like Malassezia. This study highlights the interplay between environmental, household, and socioeconomic factors in shaping indoor fungal communities. The findings underscore the importance of addressing indoor fungal diversity to improve air quality and health, particularly in households with vulnerable populations. Full article

This systematic review addresses the gap in the literature regarding sibling relationship quality among Latinx families, a topic that has not been comprehensively examined to date. This study aimed to synthesize current research on sibling relationship quality in Latinx families, focusing on the influence of cultural factors, identifying key variables associated with sibling relationship quality, and evaluating the methodological approaches used. This paper is a systematic review based on a recently published evidence and gap map (EGM) that identified and visually presented all published studies investigating sibling relationship quality. Additional inclusion criteria were applied to select articles that specifically examined sibling relationship quality in the United States samples with at least 50% Latinx participants. The review included 12 articles representing 6 distinct studies, revealing significant findings on the roles of familism, simpatía, and gender in shaping sibling dynamics. Results indicated that cultural values such as familism and simpatía positively influence sibling intimacy and warmth, while gender dynamics further moderate these relationships. Methodologically, the articles employed longitudinal and cross-sectional designs, utilizing various quantitative measures. The findings underscore the importance of culturally sensitive approaches in studying sibling relationships and highlight the need for further research to explore these dynamics in diverse Latinx subgroups. Full article

Suboptimal micronutrient intake in children remains a public health concern around the world. This study examined the relationship between a previously defined dietary carbohydrate quality index (CQI) and the risk of micronutrient intake inadequacy in a pediatric cohort of Spanish preschoolers. Children aged 4–5 years old were recruited at their medical center or at school, and information on sociodemographic, dietary, and lifestyle variables were collected through a self-administered online questionnaire. Dietary information was obtained from a validated 147-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. We calculated the CQI and categorized participants into quartiles according to their scores. We assessed the intakes of 20 micronutrients and evaluated the probability of intake inadequacy by using the estimated average requirement cut-off point. Generalized estimating equations were used to adjust for potential confounders and account for the intra-cluster correlations between siblings. The adjusted proportions of children with an inadequate intake of ≥three micronutrients were 23%, 12%, 11%, and 9% in the first, second, third, and fourth quartiles of the CQI, respectively. Children in the highest quartile of the CQI had 0.22-fold lower odds (95% CI 0.10–0.48) of having ≥three inadequate micronutrient intakes than their peers in the lowest quartile. These findings reinforce the relevance of carbohydrate quality in children’s diets. Full article

The quantity and quality of environmental stimuli and contexts are crucial for children’s development. Following the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), restrictive measures have been implemented, constraining children’s social lives and changing their daily routines. To date, there is a lack of research assessing the long-lasting impacts that these changes have had on children’s language and emotional–behavioral development. In a large sample of preschoolers (N = 677), we investigated (a) the long-lasting effects of changes in family and social life and in daily activities over the first Italian nationwide COVID-19-pandemic-related lockdown upon children’s linguistic and emotional–behavioral profiles and (b) how children’s demographic variables and lifelong family characteristics moderated these associations within a multiple-moderator framework. Our findings showed a relationship between the time spent watching TV/playing video games and affective problems that was moderated by the number of siblings. Our findings showed that children who could be at high risk in more normal circumstances, such as only children, have been particularly harmed. Therefore, assessing the long-term effects of lockdown-related measures and how these could have been moderated by potential risk/protective factors added significant information to the existing literature. Full article

Background: Recent research still focuses on the psychological impact on siblings and the problematic relationships in families with children with chronic illnesses. Our study evaluates the dynamics in sibling relationships in families with a child diagnosed with a chronic disease. Methods: We comparatively evaluated the degree of empathy, involvement, friendship, and rivalry in sibling relationships in two groups of families who have a child with a chronic pediatric disorder versus a chronic mental disorder. Results: The levels of involvement/friendship, empathy/care/concern, and education/learning were significantly higher in the pediatric group. Where there were siblings under the age of 10, rivalry scores tended to be higher in both groups. Conclusions: Coping strategies, emphatic interactions, and implications in common activities are difficult to identify in the relationship between siblings when one of them has a chronic mental disorder. All of these negative aspects entail poor quality sibling relationships and draw alarm signals regarding the need for monitoring and intervention familial programs. Full article

(1) Background: The onset and duration of the child’s illness is a difficult test for the entire family. The stress, in which the family lives from this moment, influences the relationships within it, as well as external relations with the environment. The child’s cancer fundamentally changes the way the family functions, the quality of interactions within the family, and life plans. (2) Patients and Approach: A population survey was run between 2015 and 2020. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 800 family caregivers of children with cancer during active treatment. The aim of the study was to assess changes in the family functioning in the opinion of parents of a child with cancer. (3) Results: Parents experience chronic anxiety (67%), nervousness (60%), and worry (64%). For 50% of parents, the illness of their child entirely changed their plans. As many as 75% of parents feel guilty for exposing their child to carcinogens. According to the parents, the child’s illness is a psychological (89%), somatic (49%) and financial (77%) burden for them. Only 7% of children cause behavioural problems and 16% have trouble learning due to their sibling’s illness. (4) Conclusions: Cancer is a great difficulty for all members of a family system. The disease disturbs the balance within the family and relations in the family, as well as more distant psychological, social, and material consequences. Full article

According to attachment theory, the quality of the early child-parent bond determines the child’s interpersonal relationships later in life. Utilising data from The First Experimental Study of Transference Work-In Teenagers (FEST-IT), the current paper investigated the connection between the self-reported quality of bonding with mother and father and the self-reported importance of relationships with friends and siblings in adolescents with depression. The scales employed were the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Adolescent Relationship scale (ARS). A Pearson’s correlation tested the relationship between the reported levels of maternal and paternal care and control, and the reported importance of friendship and relationship with siblings. Results revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between high levels of maternal control and importance of friendship, and a statistically significant positive correlation between high levels of paternal care and importance of relationships with siblings. The results are in line with Bowlby’s theory of attachment. Full article

Ethnic prejudice is one of the most studied topics in social psychology. Empirical research on its development and intergenerational transmission is increasing but still scarce. This systematic review collected and analyzed psychosocial studies focused on the transmission of ethnic prejudice within families with adolescents. Specifically, it aimed at addressing the following research questions: (a) To what extent is there a vertical (between parents and children) and horizontal (between siblings) transmission of ethnic prejudice within the family? (b) Is this process unidirectional (from parents to children) or bidirectional (between parents and children)? (c) Which individual and/or relational variables influence this process? (d) Can adolescents’ intergroup contact experiences affect the family influence on adolescents’ ethnic prejudice? The literature search of four databases (Ebsco, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science), carried out from February 2021 to May 2021, following the PRISMA guidelines, yielded 22 articles that matched the eligibility criteria. The findings highlighted a moderate bidirectional transmission of ethnic prejudice between parents and adolescents, which was influenced by several individual and relational variables (e.g., the adolescents’ age and sex and the family relationship quality). Moreover, the adolescents’ frequent and positive contacts with peers of different ethnicities reduced the parents’ influence on the adolescents’ ethnic prejudice. The findings are discussed, and their limitations and implications for intervention and future research are considered. Full article

The growing social gap between people of different generations has led to a greater interest in the study of intergenerational interactions. Digital technologies have become necessary for people of all ages to perform daily activities, increasingly including older people. The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and virtual tools can provide older people with excellent opportunities to connect with other generations, improving their quality of life and well-being. The aim of this study was to examine the benefits, satisfaction, and limitations of intergenerational interactions generated by the use of virtual tools. The participants are subjects of any age and different social groups residing in Spain and have completed an online survey. The analysis of sociodemographic data of the respondents showed that there is a significant correlation between the use of social networks and all the variables analyzed, except for their level of autonomy. Most participants who participated in intergenerational virtual activities reported the benefits of their social participation, relationships, mood, mental health, and academic education. Moreover, most participants were quite or very satisfied with the person with whom they used the virtual tools, especially if the person was a friend, their partner, sibling, another relative, or colleague. Except for grandparents, people who participated in intergenerational virtual activities and who had no limitations or disabilities were more frequently reported by the participants. In conclusion, intergenerational interactions through the use of virtual tools can contribute to improving the social inclusion and relationships of all people involved. Full article

The normative transition to formal schooling confronts children with social challenges but also opportunities. Longitudinal research on how school entry impacts children’s family and friend-ship relationships is scarce. This study investigated social relationship qualities with parents, siblings, and friends among 1110 children (49.9% female) from the prospective, population-based Bavarian Longitudinal Study at 6 years (before school entry) and 8 years using a forced-choice card-sorting task. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed significant effects of age (i.e., school entry) on social relationship qualities with mothers (Pillai’s Trace (PT) = 0.28, F(9, 1101) = 47.73, p < 0.001), fathers (PT = 0.14, F(9, 1101) = 19.47, p < 0.001), siblings (PT = 0.27, F(9, 1101) = 46.14, p < 0.001), and friends (PT = 0.21, F(9, 1101) = 32.57, p < 0.001). On average, children reported higher levels of parental comfort after school entry. Companionable qualities increased in relationships with friends, whereas sibling relationships became more conflictual from preschool to early school age. Findings provide unique insights into how social relationships develop from preschool to early school age, supporting evidence of the growing importance of friends. Conflict was predominant and increasing in sibling relationships and should be considered more in future research. Full article

Sleep problems have a bi-directional impact on the daytime performance of children, parental well-being, and overall family functioning in the general population. Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at a high risk of sleep problems, yet the relationship between sleep problems, adaptive functioning, and family stress in children with DS is not well documented. We examined the relationship between sleep (i.e., duration and quality) and child and parent/family functioning. Sixty-six children with DS wore an actigraph for a week to assess their sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Their parents completed ratings on child sleep duration and parasomnias, child adaptive functioning, parental depression and sleep, and family stress. The parents’ reports of their children’s sleep duration were associated with parental depressive symptoms. The parents’ reports of their children’s restless sleep behaviors were associated with poorer performances in child-compliant/calm behaviors, worse parental sleep, and negative parental feelings and sibling relationships. The findings from actigraph measures of the children’s sleep demonstrated that greater sleep efficiency was associated with greater child adaptive functioning and fewer parental depressive symptoms. The study findings provide preliminary evidence that sleep problems are related to child adaptive functioning, parental functioning, and family stress in children with DS. Full article

This research investigated the effects of social isolation on frailty and health outcomes and tested whether these associations varied across different levels of frailty. We performed a multivariate analysis of the first wave of Frailty: A longitudinal study of its expressions (FRéLE) among 1643 Canadian older adults aged 65 years and over. We assessed social isolation using social participation, social networks, and support from various social ties, namely, friends, children, extended family, and partner. Frailty was associated with disability, comorbidity, depression, and cognitive decline. Less social participation was associated with limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), depression, and cognitive decline. The absence of friends was associated with depression and cognitive impairment. Less social support from children and partner was related to comorbidity, depression, and cognitive decline. Overall, social isolation is linked to mental health rather than physical health. The associations of having no siblings, receiving less support from friends, and participating less in social activities with ADL limitations, depression, and cognitive decline were higher among frail than prefrail and robust older adults. This study corroborates the pivotal role of social connectedness, particularly the quality of relationships, on the mental health of older adults. Public health policies on social relationships are paramount to ameliorate the health status of frail older adults. Full article