The expectation of establishing an educational partnership with parents poses challenges for both parents and early childhood educators (ECEs). Structural conditions and diverging orientations often complicate cooperation between educators and parents. This exploratory qualitative interview study with 15 ECEs examines which situations in their interaction with parents they find challenging. Based on qualitative content analysis, tense situations in interactions with parents are interpreted through the lenses of vulnerability and dissonance theory. The results show that ECEs experience different dissonances, vulnerabilities, and varying forms of trust in their work with parents. While experienced ECEs report role-related tensions (dissonances), younger ECEs describe relational strains with parents. The findings highlight profession-specific challenges that are discussed in terms of their implications for ECEs’ (further) professional development.
Digital technologies are increasingly embedded in young children’s lives, yet uncertainty remains regarding their role in early childhood education and care (ECEC). This study explores Irish early years educators’ beliefs and perceptions concerning digital play, employing Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework to examine how policy, parental expectations and professional identity interact to shape children’s learning opportunities. Semi-structured interviews with 10 educators identified five themes: developmentalist beliefs prioritising ‘natural’ play, cautious openness to digital tools, professional identity and ethical tensions, perceptions of children and families and concerns about policy directives. Findings reveal a persistent policy–practice gap, where limited professional development and unclear guidance leave educators uncertain about how to define and implement quality digital play. The study emphasises that educators’ attitudes are closely associated with the extent and quality of children’s digital engagement, highlighting the need for sustained professional development and strengthened mesosystemic communication across home, school and policy contexts. Implications include the creation of context-sensitive frameworks that integrate digital and traditional play while supporting children’s holistic development. This study demonstrates that educators’ definitions of digital play are shaped by the interaction of professional identity, policy ambiguity, family expectations and resource conditions, offering new insight into the conditions that constrain digital play in Irish early years settings.
Background: Mouth breathing (MB) in children is a functional alteration characterized by the substitution of nasal breathing with oral or mixed breathing. Persistent MB, particularly when occurring during sleep (nocturnal MB), may be associated with sleep fragmentation, neurobehavioral disturbances, and alterations in craniofacial development. Although established sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), particularly obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), is well-recognized and addressed by international guidelines, children presenting with persistent or nocturnal MB without established diagnostic criteria for OSAS may remain outside conventional diagnostic pathways. The multifactorial nature of MB therefore requires the coordinated evaluation of nasal, allergic, upper airway, craniofacial, dental, and orofacial factors. Methods: This narrative review was based primarily on a structured search of the PubMed/MEDLINE database covering publications from database inception to June 2026, supplemented by manual screening of the reference lists of relevant articles and clinical guidelines. The literature was selected according to relevance to the review objectives, methodological robustness, clinical applicability, and contribution to pediatric, allergological, otorhinolaryngological, and dental/orthodontic perspectives. Priority was given to systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, clinical practice guidelines, consensus documents, and high-quality observational studies. A total of 80 references were included in the final manuscript. Results: The reviewed evidence indicates that MB may be associated with allergic and nasal conditions, upper airway obstruction, craniofacial and dental abnormalities, and orofacial functional alterations, and may coexist with SDB in selected children. The evidence was synthesized across pediatric, allergological, otorhinolaryngological, and orthodontic perspectives to develop a multidisciplinary care pathway based on the clinical identification of MB, targeted specialist assessment, objective evaluation of SDB when indicated, and individualized management and follow-up. Conclusions: MB may represent an important clinical entry point for the early recognition of potentially treatable conditions and associated SDB. The proposed multidisciplinary care pathway integrates pediatric, allergological, otorhinolaryngological, and dental/orthodontic expertise to support coordinated assessment, individualized management, and longitudinal follow-up of children with MB.
Luca Pecoraro, Martina Attanasi, Francesca Marra et al.
Background: Childhood obesity in Wales is a significant public health issue, with prevalence rates particularly high among socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. The Welsh Government has responded to this issue by launching the Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales strategy, which includes the Children and Families Programme. The Children and Families Programme takes a whole-systems approach to increase the proportion of children leaving the school foundation phase (aged between three and seven years) at a healthy weight. This study presents a process evaluation of the early-phase implementation of a childhood obesity-focused evaluation, the Children and Families Programme, across three contrasting localities in Wales: Anglesey, Cardiff, and Merthyr Tydfil. Methods: Thirteen stakeholders involved in the Children and Families Programme were recruited through purposive sampling. The participants represented key roles in public health, dietetics, and community engagement. Semi-structured interviews were co-produced with public health leads and conducted online. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Results: Four key themes were identified: (1) development of the whole-systems approach, (2) partnership working, (3) systemic challenges, and (4) recommendations for future implementation. The findings emphasised the importance of strong leadership, co-production, and cross-sector collaboration. Challenges emerged around system maturity, siloed working, cultural perceptions of weight, and limited time for embedding systemic change. Conclusion: This process evaluation not only highlights the potential of whole-systems approaches in tackling childhood obesity as a complex public health issue, but also underscores the need for time, trust-building, and deeper community engagement. These findings offer actionable guidance for future whole-systems approach initiatives, particularly in the early stages, aimed at reducing health inequalities and improving childhood health outcomes in and beyond Wales.
Abstract In dialogue with Sigmund Freud, D. W. Winnicott, Stuart Hall and Julia Kristeva, this article examines ASMR as phenomena, representational form and modality of performance. Through a close analysis of the high-school subgenre, it is argued that affect and storytelling are interlaced, re-presenting the ASMRtist as actor and performer, and demonstrating the interdependence of semiotic and symbolic dimensions of content. Themed videos presenting the ‘toxic best friend’ and the ‘girl who is obsessed with you’ (re)inscribe sensuality on feminine bodies, producing a form of ‘killjoy’ queering irreducible to a specific sexual identity. The subgenre creates a reiterative scene in which adolescent experience is traced on the body as sensory, sensual, and intimate.
What elements in our psychological make-up direct our behaviour, and what social influences mould our reactions from day to day? In Individual Development and Social Experience (originally published in 1975, reissuing the revised 1981 edition now with a new preface by the authors), two experienced psychologists explore the diverse influences that shape human behaviour and examine the psychological and social needs of individuals from birth to death. Psychology and sociology often over-compartmentalise or rely on unnecessary jargon. By describing how children, adolescents, middle-aged people, and the elderly respond to everyday situations, the authors present a comprehensive and absorbing analysis of human behaviour and the strains and stresses of modern life. Written in a remarkably readable and lucid manner, this book will appeal to anyone interested in human experience and behaviour. It provides an excellent introduction to social and individual psychology for psychology students as well as teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers, social workers, and all those who need an understanding of psychology in their professional lives.
Transitions from primary to secondary school can heighten anxiety, unsettle relationships, and challenge pupils’ sense of belonging. Schools increasingly deploy pastoral systems and universal wellbeing programmes, yet implementation varies and practice often lacks a clearly articulated evidence base. This literature review synthesises qualitative and mixed-methods studies (2017–2025) and examines how education staff can support pupils’ emotional wellbeing during primary‑to‑secondary transitions, with a focus on strategies informed by Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). Using a PICo framework, searches of ERIC, Education Source, CINAHL, and Psychology & Behavioral Sciences were conducted, applying inclusion criteria relevant to school contexts and transition stages. Studies were appraised with CASP tools. Findings cluster around three interrelated themes: (1) the centrality of relationships (teacher empathy and consistency; peer support; family partnership); (2) school belonging and connectedness (inclusive climate, pupil voice, and relational safety); and (3) emotional skills and resilience (structured psychoeducation, low-intensity CBT techniques, and peer-led emotion work). Methodological limitations across the literature include over-reliance on self-report, limited longitudinal designs, and conceptual ambiguity between belonging, connectedness, climate, and culture. The review proposes a practical pastoral framework that integrates CBT-informed strategies within universal and targeted supports and highlights priorities for professional development, co-production, and evaluation. Implications for pastoral care emphasise relationally attuned practice, actionable classroom tools, and multi-agency collaboration to scaffold emotionally safe, equitable transitions. Implications for pastoral care include embedding CBT-informed strategies within universal and targeted supports, prioritising relational safety, and fostering inclusive school climates to ensure emotionally secure transitions.
We aimed to assess the moderating role of context processing (i.e., context-encoding and -memory) in the association between maternal posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and the changes in maternal sensitivity in reaction to a separation from their toddler. Thirty-one mothers and their toddlers participated in the study in Switzerland. Mothers reported their current PTSS and performed a context processing task where they had to recognize contexts that they had previously seen paired with emotional faces. Maternal sensitivity was assessed during free play with their child and following a 3-min separation and was coded using the CARE-Index. A ratio score was calculated to assess the change in maternal sensitivity. Although the recognition of contexts previously associated with angry faces did not significantly moderate the relationship between maternal PTSS and the changes in maternal sensitivity, the recognition of contexts previously associated with neutral faces did. More PTSS led to a greater improvement of maternal sensitivity for mothers who had a better recognition of such contexts. This may be due to the ambiguity of neutral faces, which individuals with PTSS tend to focus on more closely, potentially due to their hypervigilance. Enhancing context processing may therefore help mothers use vigilance to improve sensitive caregiving.
This study explores the effects of residential separation among married couples on marital stability and the well-being of women and children in Ikara Local Government Area, Kaduna State. As more couples live apart due to economic pressures, job-related migration, or personal conflict, the research investigates how such arrangements influence emotional, social, and economic outcomes within the family unit. Anchored on Attachment Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study sought theoretical explanation to the issues. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data using questionnaires from surveys administered to 150 selected respondents and qualitative data sourced from 6 interviewees of in-depth interview sessions conducted. The findings indicate that living separately places a significant emotional and financial burden on women, who often face increased stress, anxiety, and a lack of support. Children in these households are also adversely affected, exhibiting signs of emotional insecurity, behavioural issues, and reduced academic performance. Marital relationships are strained by distance, leading to weakened communication, trust issues, and disruptions in parenting roles. The study recommends the provision of counseling and psychosocial support services, economic empowerment programs for women, and communitydriven initiatives that promote healthy family relationships. These measures are crucial for addressing the negative impacts of residential separation and enhancing the resilience of families in similar socio-cultural settings.
Family mealtime is a recurring everyday context for parent-child interaction, typically involving family members sitting together with the shared purpose of eating and socializing. However, little is known about the quality of parent-child interaction in this context, as this is often assessed during play or structured tasks. The aim of this study was to examine whether family mealtime constituted a context evoking specific parent-child interaction quality. Participants were 110 families with 24–36-month-old toddlers from the Copenhagen metropolitan area. Parent–toddler interactions during free play, clean-up, and mealtime were video-recorded in the home. Interactions were coded using the Coding Interactive Behavior manual to assess parental Acknowledging, Overriding, and Dyadic Reciprocity. We assessed mean-level differences (contextual continuity) and rank-order consistency (contextual stability) across the three contexts. Means for Overriding and Dyadic Reciprocity were significantly lower during family mealtime than during both play and clean-up, suggesting contextual discontinuity; i.e., that at the group level, mealtime interactions involve less inappropriate parental disruption and redirection, but also lower mutual responsiveness within the dyad. Acknowledging, Overriding, and Dyadic Reciprocity showed no significant correlations across family mealtime and the other contexts, indicating contextual instability, i.e., that within families, interaction quality during mealtime is not necessarily associated with interaction quality in other contexts. Our results suggest that interaction quality cannot be assumed to generalize across contexts. Family mealtime appears to elicit distinct interaction patterns on more parameters and may be an important setting for observational assessment. Clarifying for whom and under what conditions mealtime fosters positive or negative interaction patterns may guide future research and intervention design.
Julie Elisabeth Warberg Mohr, Ida Egmose, Anne Christine Stuart et al.
