This cross-sectional study examined whether structured sport participation is selectively associated with specific executive function (EF) components in preadolescent children. Participants were 120 Moroccan boys aged 8-12 years: soccer players (n = 30), taekwondo practitioners (n = 30), and non-athletes (n = 60). Seven EF indicators were analyzed separately (verbal and spatial updating, inhibitory control speed and accuracy, cognitive flexibility, and verbal and spatial storage) using culturally adapted neuropsychological instruments administered in Moroccan Arabic. ANCOVAs controlling for age revealed significant group differences in inhibition accuracy (η2p = .233), cognitive flexibility (η2p = .114), and both updating indicators (η2p = .074-.081), but not in passive storage (η2p < .03). A speed - accuracy trade-off emerged: athletes responded more slowly but committed significantly fewer Stroop errors. Soccer and taekwondo groups showed equivalent EF profiles on six of seven indicators, challenging the open-versus-closed-skill specificity hypothesis and consistent with a cognitive engagement account. Sport group explained 23.2% unique variance in inhibition accuracy beyond age. These findings indicate selective associations between structured sport and executive-demanding processes, not passive storage, and carry implications for neuropsychological assessment in sport-participating children. The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference; longitudinal and experimental research is needed.
Objectives For 20 years, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network's (NCTSN) data collection efforts have been a central mechanism for Clinical Quality Improvement (ClQI). The NCTSN is a federally funded initiative in the United States composed of programs dedicated to raising the standard of care and increasing access to services for children and families who have experienced traumatic events. Methods These efforts span three initiatives: the Core Data Set (CDS), the Clinical Improvement through Measurement Initiative (CIMI) Measurement Based Care (MBC), and CIMI Data Sharing (CIMI-DS) that collected and analyzed client-level data to improve care for children and families served at participating sites. Across the initiatives, information (e.g., behavioral assessments, trauma exposure, standardized clinical measures) was collected from nearly 26,500 participants at 91 sites. Results Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), we discuss the impact of external forces such as funding, policies, and societal changes and emphasize the importance of collaboration, technology, and flexible data collection methods in advancing ClQI initiatives as well as the field of child traumatic stress across decades. Conclusions We offer lessons learned and recommendations for future work to create large, query-able datasets across a network and insights to support use in clinical practice.
Background Behaviours that challenge are prevalent among children with intellectual disability and can limit their participation and inclusion in educational and community settings. Although previous research has highlighted the role of parental factors in these behaviours, little is known about how the child's level of required support may moderate these associations. This study aimed to examine the relation between parental attitudes, styles, mental health and the behaviours that challenge in their children with intellectual disability, considering the child's level of required support as a potential moderator. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted with 225 parents of school-aged children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Chile. Parental attitudes, styles, mental health and their child's behaviours were assessed. Structural equation modelling and multigroup analysis were used to evaluate direct and moderated effects. Results Parents reported elevated levels of anxiety compared to national averages. Parental attitudes were the strongest predictor of behaviours that challenge. Parental mental health was significantly related to children's internalizing but not externalizing behaviours. Parenting styles were not significantly associated with either type of behaviour. Moderation analysis showed a stronger effect of positive parental attitudes for children with lower support needs than for those with moderate or high. Conclusion Findings underscore the importance of fostering positive parental attitudes as a key intervention target for reducing behaviours that challenge in children with intellectual disability, particularly those with lower support needs. Given the high levels of anxiety among parents, providing mental health support may also be crucial. Future research should explore causal pathways using longitudinal designs and consider additional contextual factors influencing the relationship between parental variables and child behaviour.
Background Children's numeracy interest is increasingly recognized as an important affective dimension of early mathematical development. However, to the best of my knowledge, no empirical study has directly examined the association between parental math involvement and children's numeracy interest in Türkiye, and no validated Turkish-language instrument for assessing this construct has been reported. This study aimed to adapt the Children's Numeracy Interest Scale into Turkish and examine whether parental math involvement predicted children's numeracy interest. Methods The research comprised in two studies. Study 1 focused on the Turkish adaptation of the Children's Numeracy Interest Scale and evaluated its psychometric properties using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Study 2 examined whether overall parental math involvement and its domains predicted children's numeracy interest among parents of preschool children. The proposed models were tested using structural equation modeling, with relevant child and family characteristics included as control variables. Results The Turkish version of the Children's Numeracy Interest Scale demonstrated a one-factor structure, good reliability, and acceptable model fit. Parental math involvement was positively associated with children's numeracy interest and was a significant positive predictor in the structural model. When the domains of parental math involvement were examined simultaneously, only Numbers and Operations emerged as a significant positive predictor. Among the control variables, child age was also a significant positive predictor of children's numeracy interest.
Recent advances in medical care have increased the number of children with medical complexity (CMC) requiring daily support, yet their opportunities for social participation remain limited. We involved a 6-year-old CMC in circus performances held in three Japanese cities. Despite medical challenges, the child safely participated and experienced psychological growth through nervousness, ambition, and communication. This initiative required close interdisciplinary collaboration and highlighted the importance of trust between families and healthcare providers. Our experience illustrates how creative, community-based efforts can reduce barriers and promote inclusion for CMCs, contributing to a more equitable and supportive society.
Abstract This study set out to explore, in depth, how mothers of moderate-to-late preterm children aged 3–6 experience their children's development, school life, their own sense of the parenting role, and the rhythms of everyday life. Eight mothers who had given birth moderate-to-late preterm and whose children fell within the 3–6 age range made up the study sample. Adopting a qualitative design, the research gathered data through a demographic information form prepared by the researchers, a semi-structured interview form, and a digital diary kept over a ten-week period. Interview data were examined using thematic analysis, while diary entries were analyzed through content analysis. The findings showed that mothers tended to view their moderate-to-late-preterm children as more vulnerable to health problems compared with their peers. What stands out as one of the most noteworthy results, however, is that this perceived vulnerability pushed mothers into an early-intervention role, which in turn acted as a protective factor against school-absenteeism. Most mothers rated their children's learning abilities and academic performance as age-appropriate, though they noted that attention skills varied depending on the child's interest and motivation. Another key finding was that the difficulties moderate-to-late-preterm children encountered most frequently in school life centered on school adjustment, bullying, peer interactions, and social skills. In some cases, challenges with fine and gross motor skills were also found to interfere with participation in school activities. Overall, the mothers in this study were seen to take on both supportive and guiding roles in order to meet their children's developmental needs.
BACKGROUND: Although recommended for the early identification and intervention for developmental impairments, monitoring of preterm infants over several years is hampered by loss of follow-up that inevitably occurs. This study aimed to assess the non-participation of preterm infants in their two- and five-year visits as well as associated factors. METHODS: Infants born before 33 weeks of gestational age, who were enrolled between 2016 and 2022 in a prospective, population-based cohort in Paris area, France, and were eligible for their two- and five-year visits were selected. Among factors reflecting parental socio-economic characteristics, medical characteristics of the mother and her pregnancy, perinatal characteristics of the child, and contextual variables, those associated with the likelihood of non-participation in the two- or five-year visit were investigated using univariate and multivariable logistic regression models and multiple imputations. RESULTS: Of the 12,685 and 6,661 preterm infants followed-up at two- and five-years, respectively, 4,871 (38.4%) and 4,069 (61.1%) did not participate in the two- and five-year visits. Factors associated with non-participation in the two-year visit were more recent year of birth, younger maternal age, several children at home, lower educational level, mother unemployed or on parental leave, father with an intermediate occupation, tobacco during pregnancy, appropriate or large birth weight for gestational age, and birth in maternity unit other than inclusion. Conversely, factors associated with participation in the two-year visit were a pregnancy achieved by assisted reproductive technology, lower gestational age, postnatal corticosteroid prescription, administration of monoclonal antibodies against respiratory syncytial virus, a bronchopulmonary dysplasia, breastfeeding at discharge, a private or nonhospital referring physician, and living more than 10 km from the referring physician. Factors associated with non-participation in the five-year visit were almost identical. CONCLUSION: Factors associated with non-participation of preterm infants within a healthcare network were found to be multidimensional. These findings are critical for the development of more intensive and individualized follow-up strategies for preterm infants. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The SEV-IDF program is registered with the French data protection authority for clinical research (CNIL, No.1003270/1802983/1802601/1800966/1800657).
Background Despite universal health coverage and longstanding child-safety initiatives, socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in childhood injury remain pronounced in Israel. Unintentional childhood injuries (UCI) function as a proxy for health inequity, reflecting structural gaps in preventive infrastructure and access to safe environments. Methods This study examines two case studies that illustrate how differential public investment contributes to unequal injury risks: (1) public playgrounds availability, and (2) participation in school-based swimming lessons. Both are analyzed within a social-determinants-of-health framework, emphasizing the interaction of environment, education, and municipal capacity. Data on fatal childhood injuries in public spaces and drowning incidents were drawn from Beterem Safe Kids Israel's national media-based mortality database (2008-2025). Playground availability was assessed through triangulated sources, including OpenStreetMap, field validation, and Standards Institution of Israel records. Swimming-participation data were obtained from Ministry of Education responses to Freedom of Information requests for 2022-2023. Associations between infrastructure and training and child mortality were tested using Spearman's rank correlation. Results Across 62 municipalities with child populations above 10,000, a significant positive correlation was found between children per playground and UCI (Unintentional Child Injury) mortality in public spaces (ρ = 0.290, p < 0.05). Swimming participation displayed a inverse, though non-significant, relationship with drowning mortality (ρ = - 0.357, p = 0.08). Participation inequalities were substantial: only 25% of children from low-SES clusters (1-3) and 20.5% of Arab children participated in swimming instruction, compared with 60% in affluent and Jewish municipalities. Between 2021 and 2025, Arab children were more than twice as likely to die from drowning as Jewish children (rate ratio = 2.43, χ² = 14.83, p < 0.001). Conclusions These findings point to a shared structural mechanism behind injury inequalities: persistent underinvestment and institutional barriers that restrict access to preventive infrastructure in low-income and minority municipalities. Although playgrounds and swimming lessons are distinct domains, both exemplify how inequitable distribution of safety-enhancing resources produces measurable health risks. Addressing these gaps requires coordinated policy reforms that integrate public health, education, and urban planning; establish equity-weighted funding for preventive infrastructure; and institutionalize monitoring of child-safety environments. Equitable investment in prevention is essential for reducing injury and advancing child health equity in Israel.
Background Children's psychological problems frequently appear, and the exploration of coping schemes without drugs, physical and mental integration and cultural depth has attracted academic attention. The intangible dance contains rhythmic movements, group cooperation, emotional expression and cultural implications, which make it a powerful tool for psychological intervention. The research on the educational application of dance in the field of intangible cultural heritage mainly focuses on conventional art therapy and music intervention. It is still a relatively new research direction to apply dance to children's mental health. Target In this study, an orderly framework of dance therapy for intangible cultural heritage was built. This framework examines its effects on children's emotional regulation, anxiety, signs of depression, self-worth and social adaptability, and explores the actual impact and mechanism of this treatment model. Way In this study, a randomized comparative test program was carried out. A total of 100 children aged 6 to 12 with mild emotional sensitivity, social maladjustment, increased stress level or attention disorder were randomly assigned to the experimental group (receiving ICH dance therapy intervention) and the control group (receiving routine psychological group counseling), and each group included 50 subjects. The intervention period is 16 weeks, including 12 weeks of structured dry expectation and 4 weeks of follow-up observation, so the implementation of intervention measures will be carried out three times a week, and the time will be maintained in the range of 35-45 min. The intervention scheme used in this study is composed of six links, including rhythmic exercise, emotional expression dance, rhythm relaxation exercise, collective dance interaction, cultural element integration and self-emotional examination. Emotional detection covers adjustment, anxiety level (GAD-7), depression score (PHQ-9), self-esteem status, social integration, participation consistency and emotional stability standards. In the field of data analysis, the implementation of repeated measurement analysis of variance is carried out, and the correlation is discussed with the help of Pearson correlation coefficient. Result After carrying out the experimental program, the members of the treatment group showed better promotion compared with the reference group in many aspects. Its emotional management has been improved, anxiety has been reduced, depression has been alleviated, self-worth has been enhanced, and social integration ability has also improved. Statistical tests have proved that these differences are significant. The study observed significant time effect and interaction effect between groups and time, and the improvement of emotional adjustment ability was positively correlated with the improvement of social adaptability and self-esteem, and the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.70, and the statistical test results were significant. There was no obvious bad mood or physical symptoms in the intervention stage. Conclusion The dance therapy mode of intangible cultural heritage has a significant positive impact on children's emotional adjustment ability and psychological and social development. This intervention will integrate physical activities, emotional release, group participation and cultural identity to enhance children's mental health, and open up a non-medical intervention path with structure, safety and cultural connotation. This study provides the necessary theoretical basis and practical support for the integration of mental health cultivation, aesthetic cultivation and the persistence of intangible cultural heritage in the child growth intervention system.
Home visiting programs enhance parental capacities in fostering their children's development. Home visitors navigate the dual responsibilities of advancing program objectives and individual family needs, all while cultivating trusting relationships. Effective practice requires distinct competencies, which can be fostered through professional development activities. This study outlines an initiative designed to strengthen home visitors' self-awareness, reflective capacity, and practices. The initiative incorporated (1) training in a validated home visiting quality assessment tool; (2) equipment to record and observe oneself delivering home visits; (3) four one-on-one reflective, performance-based coaching sessions with individualized goal setting and feedback; and 4) four coach-facilitated peer learning sessions. Thirty home visitors in one state in the United States participated in the project. Home visitors implemented one of five home visiting models. The study used a one-group design. Home visitors were White (54%), Black (21%), Hispanic (18%), and multiracial (7%). Home visitor participants reported high levels satisfaction, citing strong collaborative relationships with their coaches and enhanced reflective practice skills. Analyses comparing participants' initial and final recorded visits indicated a marginally significant strengthening of the Relationship Building with Families scale. Findings contribute to the growing body of literature examining reflective, performance-based coaching in home visiting.
