Introduction Continuing education programs play an important role in promoting women's employability and social inclusion. However, satisfaction with these programs is influenced not only by participants' individual characteristics but also by broader social contexts, including family responsibilities, decision-making autonomy, and access to educational opportunities. This study examined the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, different forms of decision-making autonomy, and overall satisfaction with the Diploma in Digital Skills for Employment, implemented by Universidad Alberto Hurtado within the framework of the project Transfer, Training, and Promotion of Women's Employment in Urbanized Areas of the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, funded by the Regional Government of Santiago, Chile. Methods A quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional design was employed. The study included 1,794 adult women who completed a structured questionnaire at the end of the diploma program. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Internal consistency of the satisfaction scale was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega, and the assumptions underlying the regression models were verified. Results Participants reported very high levels of overall satisfaction with the diploma program (M = 4.44; SD = 0.71). The satisfaction scale demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.864; McDonald's ω = 0.868). The regression model explained a small proportion of the variance in satisfaction (R 2 = 0.035), although educational attainment, number of children, household headship, and autonomy in decisions regarding the use of family income were significantly associated with satisfaction, all with small effect sizes. Discussion The findings indicate that individual characteristics and autonomy-related dimensions account for only a limited proportion of women's satisfaction with the program. Rather than suggesting that gender inequalities have been overcome or that participants' broader social conditions have changed, the high levels of satisfaction appear to reflect a positive evaluation of the educational experience within their specific personal and social contexts. These results suggest that program-related factors-such as pedagogical quality, institutional support, perceived relevance, and alignment with participants' expectations-are likely to play a more influential role in shaping satisfaction than individual sociodemographic characteristics alone. Future research should incorporate contextual, motivational, and institutional variables to develop more comprehensive explanatory models of satisfaction in continuing education programs for adult women.
Álvarez-Maldonado D, Labbé Cid J, Barrientos Oradini NP et al.
Introduction Some of the most vulnerable psychiatry patients are children under 18, as they can’t protect themselves and their rights from unethical behaviour of mental health professionals. There is a gap between theoretical knowledge and application of ethics at the workplace. Continuous education in ethics is necessary to address this gap. Objectives The objective of the study was to compare various forms of education in ethics and develop training for mental health practitioners. Methods The study had 2 groups (356 participants, aged 23 to 67, average age – 41.3) – staff of the main and oldest children’s mental health clinic in Moscow, Russia. The control group (124 participants) of mental health professionals received written materials on ethics (such as ethical codes and ethical decision-making protocols). The test group (232 people) participated in a several trainings on ethics. The trainings included 3 parts – discussing the code of ethics, creating examples of potential ethical challenges and role-plays. Participants reported that the topics on the quality of care, common ethical dilemmas and relationships between the practitioners, young patients and legal guardians, were the most helpful for them. Results The survey was conducted to evaluate the results. 70.8% of staff members that participated in training shared that they feel confident about applying the Code and the decision-making protocols in unclear cases. Only 32.6% from the control group reported the same level of confidence. Conclusions Hands-on training in ethics for continuing education has shown to be more beneficial, as compared to theoretical instructions
Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent difficulties in language acquisition, affecting both comprehension and production, and typically emerging in early childhood through deficits in morphosyntax, vocabulary and phonology. Although distinct from Specific Learning Disabilities, particularly in reading, the two conditions often co-occur, sharing underlying mechanisms and leading to overlapping challenges such as impaired phonological processing, limited vocabulary, weak narrative skills, and reading comprehension difficulties. This study examined the effects of two intervention programs-semantic versus phonological-on oral language skills in 107 Greek children with DLD aged 4;1-5;10. Participants were randomly assigned to a phonological (n = 35), a semantic (n = 35), or a control group (n = 37). Interventions were delivered individually twice weekly over 16 weeks (32 sessions). Language performance was assessed at baseline, immediately post intervention, and at a four-month follow-up using standardized measures. Repeated-measures ANOVAs evaluated within- and between-group differences. Results indicated differential but complementary effects of the two interventions: phonological training enhanced greatly phonological awareness (d = 0.80) and was associated with short-term gains in vocabulary, whereas the semantic intervention produced sustained improvements in vocabulary (d = 0.45). While the semantic group performed slightly better than the control group, no statistically significant difference was found between the two intervention groups, suggesting broadly comparable but domain-specific benefits. These findings highlight the value of systematic interventions and indicate that combining semantic and phonological approaches may optimize language and literacy development, providing evidence-based guidance for early intervention in preschool children with DLD.
OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: In combination with 3 waves of individual-level data on children age 5–18 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we exploit exogenous variation at the level of the state to determine whether SNAP generosity modifies the effect of SNAP participation on overweight/obesity status. We do so using a newly created and powerful data set including information on state-level SNAP generosity between the years 1996 to 2011. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Data and sample. We drew individual-level data from the Child Development Supplements of the Panel of Income Dynamics (PSID), a nationally representative longitudinal study gathering data since 1968 on US individuals and the families in which they reside. Aged 0–12 years in 1997, these children of PSID sample members were surveyed roughly every 5 years through 2007. The total number of observations over the study period is just over 8093, representing 3563 children. We drew state-level data from the State Welfare Generosity Index. This is a decomposable index of State welfare generosity capturing state policy variation across 4 programs (TANF, SNAP, Unemployment Insurance and Medicaid/CHIP) and 2 dimensions (eligibility requirements and benefit levels). Measures. Child weight status was determined using the Center for Disease Control (CDC) body mass index (BMI)-for-age gender-specific growth charts: underweight (BMI <5th percentile), healthy weight (BMI >5th percentile and BMI <85th percentile), overweight (BMI >85th percentile and BMI <95th percentile) or obese (BMI >95th percentile). From this, we constructed an indicator for overweight/obese Versus normal or underweight status. SNAP participation is a dichotomous indicator based on the head-of-households or their spouses reported receipt of SNAP benefits during the previous calendar year from the interview. SNAP generosity is scored on a scale of 0–100, with more generous states receiving higher scores than less generous states. Covariates include sex, race, age, head-of-household years of education and a continuous measure of household income adjusted for family size. Estimation techniques. We merged the child, parent/caregiver, family and main PSID files to obtain the most comprehensive data on each sample child. We first generated, descriptive statistics for the Wave 1 sample of 3563 children. We then present the mean, standard deviation and the ratio of the 2 (coefficient of variation) for state-level variables. We present χ2 tests of difference for non-SNAP compared to SNAP participants in terms of overweight/obesity, and pairwise correlation coefficients among the 3 state-level variables. Next, we conducted a series of simple and multivariate logistic regressions estimating the odds of being overweight or obese. As we are assessing the risk of adverse weight status, those of normal or underweight status are the reference group for all regression analysis. Because height and weight reports are known to be unreliable below the age of 5, regression analyses impose an age restriction of greater than 5 years old. We include adjustment for the clustered nature of data. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The individual-level statistics indicate that roughly one-third of the CDS sample is overweight or obese at Wave I in 1997. About a fifth of them live in families receiving SNAP. The mean SNAP generosity score is 10 on a possible range of 0 to 1 (observed range of 0.037 to 0.290 not shown). Variation across state-years is greatest for the SNAP participation variable, as reflected by the coefficient of variation. In the period 1997–2007, the proportion of children who are overweight or obese is 5% higher among those in families receiving SNAP program benefits than among those in families not receiving SNAP benefits. Similarly, SNAP participation is positively, moderately and significantly (with an α of 0.05) correlated with overweight/obesity. Examines the relationship between overweight/obesity and the SNAP measures using individual-level data on overweight/obesity and SNAP participation and state-level data on SNAP generosity. Model 1 estimates and exponentiates the log odds of overweight/obesity based on individual-level SNAP participation. Model 2 does the same using state-level SNAP generosity as the predictor. Results indicate that both variables are positively associated with a child’s chance of being overweight/obese. But only in the case of SNAP participation is the SNAP variable statistically significant. Children living in families receiving SNAP benefits are more likely to be overweight/obese by a factor of 1.23. A set of potential confounders to the analysis and tests for interaction effects between SNAP participation and SNAP generosity (Model 3). Controlling for a variety of demographic and socio-economic factors, the positive effect of SNAP participation on overweight/obesity is rendered negative. The nonsignificant effect of SNAP generosity remains. In Model 3, the interaction effect for SNAP participation and generosity is positive and marginally significant. This suggests that the generosity of benefits changes the basic relationship between SNAP participation and overweight/obesity among children in families receiving benefits. To help convey the meaning of this coefficient, we generated marginal effects of SNAP participation based on SNAP generosity, setting all covariates equal to their means. This figure shows a small negative effect of SNAP participation at the lowest levels of generosity (a score of around 4, the sample minimum). This negative effect crosses 0 at a score of around 12, then becomes positive. The magnitude of the positive effect grows up to the sample max (index=28), although with widening confidence intervals. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The focal interest of this study lies in the potential interaction effect between SNAP generosity and SNAP participation on overweight/obesity. Although the effects were only marginally significant, we find that SNAP generosity does interact with SNAP participation. More specifically, the effects of SNAP participation appear negative at lower levels of generosity, becoming positive as generosity scores exceed the sample mean (index=10). In other words, state-level SNAP generosity appears to exacerbate the adverse effects of SNAP participation on overweight/obesity. Although we submit that our current findings contribute to the literature on the SNAP-health link, we intend to strengthen our analysis in several ways. First, we will fit models that exploit the strengths of the PSID and the welfare generosity index in terms of causal inference. We will use fixed effects models to control not only for potential unobserved confounders related to the child but also observable baseline characteristics. Leveraging the fact that PSID samples up to 2 children from each family, we will further refine our estimates towards a causal interpretation with the use of sibling fixed effects, in which we additional account for unmeasured time-invariant family-level variables that encapsulate a variety of factors including learned behaviors, cultural influences, genetic predispositions that contribute to child health outcomes. Second, research has clearly shown that compared with higher-SES individuals, lower-SES individuals have higher BMI regardless of welfare program participation. These selection effects are addressed somewhat by the PSID’s intentional over-representation of low-income individuals. But we can much more convincingly address these potential problems with endogeneity by refining our analyses to compare SNAP participants to SNAP-eligible nonparticipants, thereby isolating the effect of the SNAP “treatment.” Lastly, we intend to include a wide array of state-level covariates that may be related to our independent and dependent variables of interest, such as poverty rate, unemployment rate, and racial/ethnic composition.
Background Families of children with learning disabilities often face multidimensional challenges that affect their economic stability, psychological well-being, and social functioning, yet limited empirical evidence exists on how these burdens vary across socioeconomic and educational contexts in developing settings. This study aimed to examine the level, prevalence, and determinants of family burden among mothers of children with learning disabilities, and to assess differences based on child disability severity, maternal education, and economic status. Methods A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, with data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to mothers of children with learning disabilities. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression to examine relationships among variables. Results The findings indicated a moderate to high level of overall family burden, with economic and psychological problems being the most prominent, while social problems were comparatively lower. Significant differences were observed across disability severity, maternal education, and economic status, with higher burden associated with severe disability and lower socioeconomic conditions. Regression results confirmed that economic status was the strongest predictor of family burden, followed by maternal education and learning disability level, with strong and acceptable model fit indices supporting the proposed framework. Conclusion The study concludes that family burden among mothers of children with learning disabilities is multidimensional and strongly shaped by socioeconomic and contextual factors, particularly financial capacity, educational attainment, and disability severity. The findings highlight the need for integrated policy interventions including financial assistance, parental counseling, and educational support programs to reduce family burden and improve coping and well-being among affected families.
Adolescent depression and anxiety are common, heterogeneous, and often recognized late. Young people may present with sleep disturbance, irritability, somatic complaints, school refusal, social withdrawal, attentional difficulties, or functional decline before they meet clear diagnostic thresholds. Artificial intelligence has been proposed as a way to improve early identification, monitoring, triage, and treatment planning. However, predictive accuracy alone does not establish clinical value. This Mini Review examines what artificial intelligence can realistically add to the care of adolescents with depression and anxiety, with emphasis on decision support rather than automated diagnosis. Current evidence suggests potential value in prospective risk prediction, digital phenotyping, measurement-based monitoring, conversational interfaces, and early detection of poor treatment response. These tools may help clinicians identify young people who need closer follow-up, structured assessment, safety planning, or treatment adjustment. However, the evidence remains limited by retrospective designs, selected samples, inconsistent outcome definitions, weak external validation, limited calibration, uncertain incremental value over standard clinical assessment, and insufficient testing in real workflows. Digital and conversational tools also raise concerns about privacy, consent, safeguarding, equity, and over-monitoring. Clinically useful artificial intelligence should therefore be evaluated by whether it improves concrete decisions: who is assessed earlier, monitored more closely, escalated for safety concerns, or offered a different treatment pathway. Future research should prioritize measurement precision, cultural transportability, realistic comparators, and evidence that model-guided care improves outcomes for young people.
Children diagnosed with autism face many barriers to learning. Animal Assisted Services and Interventions (AAS/AAI) have been adopted to support children within schools. The Dog Mentor is a UK-based organisation that provides training for handlers and assesses dogs to be integrated within schools. It adopts a rigorous and continuous training package and ensures the safety and welfare of all involved by adopting a whole school approach. This research uses content analysis to understand the types of activities and outcomes in The Dog Mentor programme, as established by teachers and dog handlers, across 58 schools. Teachers and dog handlers perceived that The Dog Mentor successfully supported children with autism, using a variety of sessions. This variability is seen as a benefit as it enables the intervention to be tailored to meet the needs of the students. Handler-reported benefits include creating a calm environment, promoting engagement, and supporting learning. Improved self- and emotion regulation, mental health, and resilience were also noted by the handler reports. Future research needs to investigate these perceived benefits using quantitative data, as well as look into outcomes relating to the dogs supporting others with bereavement and trauma. This topic was briefly mentioned by two of the schools, but there was not enough data to understand the impact in depth.
Dimolareva M, Doolan-Dransfield E, Duckworth J et al.
Rapid urbanization and unequal urban-rural development have driven large-scale internal migration in low- and middle-income countries, placing internal migrant children at increased risk for psychological distress and sociocultural marginalization. Although schools are critical settings for prevention, targeted interventions that support migrant students' psychological ("feeling well") and sociocultural ("doing well") adaptation remain limited. Mindfulness training shows promise for youth mental health, yet its feasibility among socioeconomically disadvantaged migrant youth remains underexamined. This randomized controlled trial evaluated a 16-week school-based mindfulness program against an active psychoeducation control among 259 internal migrant students in China (ages 9-12; 47.1% female; 68.7% low-income) at risk for anxiety-depression. Psychological outcomes (anxiety-depression symptoms, resilience, emotional states) and sociocultural outcomes (school and sociocultural adjustment), along with parent-reported behavioral functioning, were assessed at baseline, midpoint, postintervention, and 1-year follow-up. Both programs were implemented with high fidelity. Between-group differences were not statistically significant for most outcomes. Compared with psychoeducation, mindfulness showed greater improvements only in positive affect and learning autonomy at mid-test and mindful acceptance at follow-up. Subgroup analyses indicated that effects were confined to a few outcomes in specific groups: reduced internalizing problems among students with clinical-level symptoms and selective sociocultural gains among fifth graders and girls. As schools worldwide serve growing numbers of migrant and immigrant students, equitable approaches are needed to support their adaptation amid structural disadvantage. In internal migrant students, mindfulness training showed no consistent advantage over psychoeducation and only modest, outcome- and subgroup-specific benefits, highlighting the need for context-sensitive, targeted prevention strategies.
Objectives Efforts to reduce health care-associated conditions (HACs) have increased over time, with notable success. Still, opportunities remain to reduce preventable harm in hospitalized children. The integration of both retrospective and proactive safety frameworks can enhance these efforts. We aimed to optimize our ability to learn from and prevent events of harm in hospitalized children at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia by developing and implementing a comprehensive, standardized tiered event review continuum. Methods Using quality improvement methodologies, we launched a multiyear initiative to develop a standardized approach to HAC reviews, incorporating learning from events after they occur and proactive planning for at-risk patients before harm events. Measures included adherence to process, analysis of attendance trends, and longitudinal outcomes following reviews. Data were analyzed following full implementation of the review process, beginning in 2017. Results From 2017 to 2023, 2217 retrospective reviews were completed with an adherence rate of 95%. Attendees were captured across disciplines, with a majority representing nursing. One thousand two hundred eighty-six proactive reviews were completed from January 2022 to June 2024; of these, 75% of patients did not experience a subsequent harm event during their hospitalization. Conclusions We successfully developed and implemented a tiered event review framework that spanned the continuum of retrospective and proactive approaches to safety. This structure has been fully implemented with high reliability across all inpatient areas, and has yielded important insights in patient-level, unit-level, and system-level HAC improvement efforts. Future directions include enhancing provider engagement and better capturing the longitudinal impact of proactive safety huddles on patient outcomes.
Abstract Parents of children diagnosed with brain tumors report high levels of stress at diagnosis and feelings of “being lost” on transition to outpatient follow-up care (Jackson AC, et al, 2007). Ssori is a Japanese form of free-style weaving that encourages people facing life-limiting challenges to discover inner strengths. We report our experience with Saori weaving with brain tumor patients and their families in a pediatric oncology outpatient clinic at a major university medical center. During 2019, we offered weaving sessions twice a week. We had a total of 151 encounters with hematology/oncology patients (age 5–18 years), siblings, or parents. Among these patients there were 20 with primary brain tumor diagnoses. Weaving was offered in the art therapy area of the clinic. After creating a fabric, the weavers had the opportunity to have their work sewn into functional objects, such as pillows, bags, purses, or healing pouches filled with beans that can be heated or cooled for comfort. Brain tumor patients readily engaged in weaving, despite various degrees of neurologic disability including hemiparesis or low vision. In the words of an 8 y/o weaver. “This is so cool. Daddy, can we always come when the weavers are here, so I can weave?” And from a mother: “This is great. She’s focused and busy!” Case studies, including a presentation of Legacy work, will be reported. In conclusion, Saori weaving can be an impactful intervention for childhood brain tumor patients and their families in an outpatient clinic setting.
