A Preliminary Study of Computerized Cognitive Ability Enhancement Program Using Smart-Toy for Children

OBJECTIVES: This study was to examine the effectiveness of computerized cognitive ability enhancement program (CCAEP) using Smart-toy. The CCAEP using Smart-toy which can interact with children via bluetooth is a kids-friendly and convenient method for improving children's cognitive abilities by increasing their motivation for performing the program. We developed the CCAEP which designed to train auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, auditory-verbal working memory, and visual-spatial working memory. METHODS: Eighteen children aged 8 to 10 participated in CCAEP individual training composed of 8 sessions of 40 minutes each for 4 weeks. The effect of the training was measured with Smart Toyweb's cognitive assessment tasks (smart device based assessment) as well as traditional neuropsychological tests before and after the training. RESULTS: Children showed significant improvement in auditory-verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, auditory-verbal working memory and visual-spatial working memory abilities after the training. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated promising results suggesting the effectiveness of CCAEP using Smart-Toy in clinical settings as well as school and home situations. Further controlled study with larger sample size including various clinical groups is needed to confirm the present results.

A Cross-Sectioual Study of Attention Deficit Hyperactiviey Disorder in 6～16 Year-old Children in Northern Shangdong Province / 中国心理卫生杂志

Objective：To compare the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adolescents (12～16 years) and school-age children (6～11years) to provide reference data for a comprehensive intervention to children ADHD.Methods：A population-based questionnaire study was conducted among subjects aged 6～16 years sampled from schools in Northern Shandong.Totally 4263 children (adolescents 2358,school-age children 1905) were chosen by stratified-clustered-random sampling.The estimation of ADHD was investigated by asking the parents to complete ADHD questionnaires and subjects were followed up.The diagnosis for ADHD was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)cliterca,which was divided into three kinds of subtypes in accordance with distribution of symptom dimensions.Results：The total prevalence of ADHD was 6.4% in this sample,which was predominated by the inattentive type (ADHD-I ) (63.7％).The prevalence of ADHD was higher in males than in females (8.9% vs.4.1%,P<0.001),and lower in adolescents than in school-age children (5.3% vs.7.7%,P=0.002).Distribution of subtypes was different in ADHD children of different age.Compared with school-age children group,the hyperactive/impulsive type (ADHD-HI )and combined type (ADHD-C) were lower,and the inattentive type (ADHD-I )was higher in adolescent group (P<0.001).The prevalence of 3 symptomatic factors of inattention and 6 symptomatic factors of hyperactivity/impulsivity in adolescents ADHD was lower than that in school-age children ADHD.Conclusion：Inattention is central symptom for children ADHD.ADHD,symptom of hyperactivity/impulsivity especially in the elder groups have trends of lower prevalence rate.

Anger and Health Status in Late School-Age Children / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study was designed to identify anger-expression types in late school-age children and investigate the relation between the identified anger-expression types and their health status. METHOD: One thousand twenty seven children in elementary school fifth and sixth grades were recruited from November to December, 2004. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, cluster analysis, 2-test, ANOVA, Duncan's multiple comparison test, and Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: Three anger-expression types in late school-age children were found; Anger-out/in, Anger-control, and Low anger-expression types. Children frequently using the anger-out/in type among the three types and with a higher state anger reported higher psychosomatic symptoms and depression. Children from a divorced or separated family reported higher state anger. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a specific anger management program needs to be developed for late school-age children with high state anger and frequently using the anger out/in expression type. For understanding the anger level and the anger expression types of Korean school-age children, further research needs to be done with large samples using a randomized sampling method.