Development of number line estsimation in Chinese preschoolers: a comparison between numerical and non-numerical symbols.

To examine the level of number line estimation (NLE) in Chinese children with respect to representations of both numerical (Arabic numerals) and non-numerical symbols (dots), a total of 192 Chinese preschoolers aged between 4 and 5 years participated in four different NLE tasks. These tasks were paired to evaluate the accuracy and patterns of children's estimations in both numerical and non-numerical symbol contexts. Our findings indicate that, for Chinese preschoolers, relatively precise numerical symbol representations begin to emerge as early as 4 years of age. The accuracy of number line estimates for both 4- and 5-year-old children gradually increases in tasks involving both numerical and non-numerical symbols. Additionally, the development and patterns observed in the number line estimates of 4- and 5-year-old Chinese preschoolers are similar in both numerical symbol and non-numerical symbol tasks. These results indicate that the initiation of relatively precise numerical symbol representation and the turning point in the developmental trajectory, where the relatively precise representation for numerical symbols surpasses that of non-numerical ones, occur earlier in Chinese children than in their Western counterparts.

Study on the relationship and related factors between physical fitness and health behavior of preschool children in southwest China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the physical fitness level and health behavior status of preschool children in China, explore the relationship between physical fitness and health behavior, and further reveal the main factors affecting health behavior, to provide a reference for improving the physical fitness level of preschool children and maintaining healthy behavior. METHODS: A total of 755 preschool children (394 boys and 361 girls, aged 4.52 ± 1.11 years) were selected from Chongqing and Liupanshui in China by cluster random sampling method for questionnaire survey and physical monitoring, and SPSS21.0 software was used to process and analyze the data. RESULTS: (1) Heart rate (p = 0.015), protein content (p < 0.001), and time spent on the balance beam (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in boys than in girls, while BMI (p = 0.012), muscle mass (p < 0.001), and distance of standing long jump (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in boys than in girls. Meanwhile, systolic blood pressure (p = 0.004) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.001) of rural children were significantly higher than those of urban children, while BMI (p < 0.001) and sitting forward flexion (p = 0.019) were significantly lower than those of urban children. (2) The light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) of boys were significantly higher than that of girls (p < 0.001), and the MVPA of urban children was significantly higher than that of rural children (p = 0.001), and the former participated in sports classes more frequently (p < 0.001). (3) There was a significant correlation between physical activity (PA) and physical fitness indicators of preschoolers. Participating in sports interest classes was only significantly correlated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.08) and sitting forward flexion (r = 0.09). (4) The PA level of preschool children was related to gender, household registration, kindergarten nature, age, residence environment, parental support, and participation degree. Participation in sports interest classes was related to gender, the nature of the kindergarten, household registration, age, and parent participation. Daily screen time was related to household registration, the nature of the kindergarten, the environment of residence, and the value perception of parents. CONCLUSIONS: There were different degrees of correlation between preschool children's physical fitness and health behaviors, and children's health behaviors were closely related to gender, environment, parents, and other factors. Therefore, how to increase the protective factors of children's health behaviors and controlling the risk factors may be crucial to promoting the development of good health behaviors and improving the physical fitness of preschool children.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in cultural context II: a comparison of the links between ADHD symptoms and waiting-related responses in Hong Kong and UK.

The concept of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered to have cross-cultural validity, but direct comparisons of its psychological characteristics across cultures are limited. This study investigates whether preschool children's ADHD symptoms expressed in two cultures with different views about child behaviour and parenting, Hong Kong and the UK, show the same pattern of associations with their waiting-related abilities and reactions, an important marker of early self-regulation. A community sample of 112 preschoolers (mean age = 46.22 months; 55 from UK, 57 from HK) completed three tasks measuring different waiting elements - waiting for rewards, choosing the amount of time to wait, and having to wait unexpectedly when a task is interrupted. Participants' waiting-related behavioural and emotional reactions were coded. Parents rated their children's ADHD symptoms and delay aversion. Our findings revealed that the associations between ADHD symptoms and waiting-related responses were comparable in both UK and HK samples. This suggests that the core psychological characteristics of ADHD, particularly in relation to waiting behaviours, may exhibit similarity across cultural contexts. Future research can extend this cross-cultural analysis to other ADHD-related psychological domains and explore additional cultural settings.

Marital Conflict and Healthy Dietary Habits Among Preschoolers: A Study of the Experience of Coupled Women in Urban Mexico.

In Mexico social dynamics are changing toward less traditional arrangements. With a qualitative interview study, we explore the link between marital conflict and mothers' ability to foster healthy dietary habits. Sample consisted of 21 middle-class cohabitating mothers of preschoolers. Results suggests that marital conflict leads women to experiences of tension, ambivalence, or inaction on fostering healthy eating habits. Parents' mismatch in gender beliefs, food preferences, time orientation, and risk aversion play a role in creating disagreements. When men participate, women feel "helped" and grateful, but the forms and extent of desired participation may vary among traditional, ambivalent and non-traditional women.

Is higher adherence to the mediterranean diet associated with greater academic performance in children and adolescents? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to synthesize the available evidence from the relationship between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and academic performance in children and adolescents. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted, which adhered to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) were examined from inception to April 8th, 2024. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included in the current systematic review and sixteen in the meta-analysis. The relationship between adherence to the MedDiet and academic performance among children and adolescents was statistically significant (Pearson's correlation coefficient [r] = 0.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14 to 0.21, p < 0.001; inconsistency index [I2] = 56.7%). The influence analysis revealed that removing individual studies one at a time did not result in any changes to the overall results (p < 0.05 in all cases). CONCLUSIONS: A higher adherence to the MedDiet could play a relevant role in academic performance among children and adolescents.

Comparison of synchronous reinforcement and accumulated reinforcement for increasing on-task behavior in preschoolers.

In synchronous-reinforcement schedules, the duration of behavior directly controls the duration of reinforcement on a moment-to-moment basis. We replicated and extended Diaz de Villegas et al. (2020) by comparing the effects of synchronous reinforcement with two accumulated-reinforcement schedules for increasing on-task behavior for seven preschoolers. One accumulated schedule was the same as the one used in Diaz de Villegas et al. and did not include tokens, whereas the other accumulated schedule included the delivery of tokens within session. Furthermore, we assessed preference for the three reinforcement schedules. The results showed that synchronous reinforcement was effective for increasing on-task behavior for all seven participants. Furthermore, it was most effective for increasing on-task behavior for three out of seven participants and preferred by all participants. For some participants, other schedules were also similarly effective. The results are discussed with respect to implications for application.

Exposure to Violence and Mental Health Outcomes Among Pre-schoolers in a South African Birth Cohort.

Little is known about the relationship between violence exposure and mental health in preschoolers living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Multiple regression analyses investigated associations between violence exposure and mental health in the Drakenstein Child Health Study (N = 978), a South African birth cohort. Lifetime violence exposure was assessed at age 4.5 years using the parent-report Child Exposure to Community Violence Checklist (CECV). Mental health was assessed at age 5 years using the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL 1.5-5). Eighty-three percent of the children were exposed to some form of violence. Internalising and externalising behaviours were positively associated with overall violence exposure (ß per one unit change in the overall score = 0.55 [0.16, 0.94] and ß = 0.53 [0.23, 0.84], respectively), domestic victimisation (ß per one unit change in the subscore = 1.28 [0.28, 2.27]; ß = 1.14 [0.37, 1.90]) and witnessing community violence (ß = 0.77 [0.15, 1.39]; ß = 0.68 [0.19, 1.18]). There was a positive association between polyvictimisation and externalising (ß = 1.02 [0.30, 1.73]) but not internalising (ß = 0.87 [-0.06, 1.80]) behaviour problems. Evidence for an association of witnessing domestic violence with internalising (ß = 0.63 [-0.97, 2.24]) or externalising (ß = 1.23 [-0.04, 2.50]) behaviours was less robust. There was no association between community victimisation and internalising or externalising behaviours (ß = 0.72 [-1.52, 2.97; ß = 0.68 [ -1.06, 2.41]). Observations highlight the risk for mental health problems among preschoolers living in high-violence contexts and emphasize the need for early interventions.

The relationship between video games and social-emotional delay in Chinese rural preschoolers: A comparison of five types of media video games and social-emotional delay.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have revealed a negative relationship between children's digital media use and social-emotional development. However, few studies distinguish between different digital devices and the different functions they provide that may lead to different outcomes. METHODS: This study explored the relationship between young children's time spent on various digital devices and their social-emotional delay based on a survey of 1182 preschoolers (3 to 6 years old) in rural China. Children's social-emotional delay was assessed through a validated screening tool (ASQ-SE II). RESULTS: Children's time spent on television, computers, tablets, or smartphones was not associated with their social-emotional delay. However, their risk of social-emotional delay increased as their time spent on game consoles increased. This relationship was reflected in five of the seven behavioural areas of children's social-emotional development (i.e., self-regulation, compliance, affect, social communications, and interactions with people). Moreover, it did not vary between children with different socioeconomic statuses. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a possible relationship between children's social-emotional delay and video games, which might need to be paid more attention to than other media types.

The time sensitive and dose-responsive association between parental corporal punishment and sleep disturbances in preschoolers: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To examine whether parental corporal punishment is associated with increased risk of concurrent and later sleep disturbances among preschoolers, and whether the association is time-sensitive or dose-responsive. METHODS: This 3-year prospective cohort study used data from the Shanghai Children's Health, Education and Lifestyle Evaluation, Preschool(SCHEDULE-P). Participants were newly enrolled preschoolers in November 2016(wave 1) and followed up in April 2018(wave 2) and April 2019(wave 3). Parents reported the children's corporal punishment experiences and sleep disturbances at each wave survey. Children's risk of sleep disturbances in relation to corporal punishment was examined using logistic regression, adjusting for children's age, gender, emotional/behavioral problems, family annual income, and maternal educational level. RESULTS: The participants of 19,668 children included 9436(47.98 %) females, with a mean age of 3.73(SD = 0.29) years at wave 1. Exposure to corporal punishment was associated with increased odds of concurrent sleep disturbances at wave 1, 2, and 3 (aOR,1.57; 95 % CI, 1.40-1.75; P < .001; aOR,1.60; 95 % CI, 1.43-1.80; P < .001; aOR,1.74; 95 % CI, 1.54-1.95; P < .001), respectively. Exposure to corporal punishment at any wave of preschool was associated with increased odds of sleep disturbances at wave 3, and the risks were greater for proximal and accumulative corporal punishment exposure. CONCLUSION: There is a time-sensitive and dose-responsive association between corporal punishment and sleep disturbance among preschoolers, with greater risk of sleep disturbances for proximal and accumulative exposure of corporal punishment. Promoting positive parenting strategies and avoiding corporal punishment can be a promising strategy to prevent and intervene sleep disturbances in preschoolers.

Rehabilitation including structured active play intervention for preschoolers with cancer during treatment: A RePlay qualitative study of parents' experiences.

PURPOSE: Preschool children receiving cancer treatment experience decreased gross motor function and challenges in personal and social development. For preschoolers, parents are critical for their child's cancer treatment trajectory, including their participation in physical activity. This study aimed to explore the parents' experiences with a novel rehabilitation intervention, including structured active play for preschoolers with cancer during treatment. METHOD: Through criterion sampling, 23 parents of 18 preschool children diagnosed with cancer were interviewed from August 2021 until April 2023. A hermeneutic-phenomenological-inspired inductive thematic analysis was performed. RESULTS: Based on 19 interviews with parents, three themes emerged: 1) pushing in the right direction, 2) sharing the responsibility, and 3) creating joyful experiences. The parents experienced that participation in the intervention resulted in physical progress for their child, and the child generally could develop personally and socially. The parents shared a common goal with a healthcare professional, who led the way in their child's physical development and gave them the space to participate with their child. The child actively chose to participate in structured active play, resulting in an altered perception of the hospital experience for both parents and children. CONCLUSION: The parents' experiences showed that with the support, knowledge, and expertise of an exercise professional, rehabilitation including structured active play can be a way to integrate movement and physical activity for preschoolers in their cancer treatment trajectory. The repetitive structure of the active play sessions was experienced as motivating for the children and simultaneously challenging their physical, social, and personal development. TRIAL AND PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04672681. Registered December 17, 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04672681.

Intervention effects on low performing preschoolers' early mathematical skills: Adding fundamental motor skill practice as a supporting method.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of (1) combined early numeracy and fundamental motor skills (MovEN), (2) early numeracy, and (3) fundamental motor skills intervention programs on children's early mathematical and fundamental motor skills, and how individual background variables affect the effectiveness of these interventions. PROCEDURE: Together 50 preschoolers participated in the interventions (16 × 45 min sessions). Children's early numeracy, mathematical problem-solving, and fundamental motor skills were measured once before and twice after the interventions. MAIN FINDINGS: The results showed that the MovEN and early numeracy -interventions were effective in improving children's early numeracy, and mathematical problem-solving. Whereas the MovEN and fundamental motor skills interventions improved children's fundamental motor skills. From individual factors, only updating ability predicted the intervention's effectiveness over and above prior performance. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that children's early mathematical and fundamental motor skills can be supported effectively at the same time with the MovEN -intervention.

Neural correlates of unconventional verb extensions reveal preschoolers' analogical abilities.

In the current event-related potential (ERP) study, we assessed 4-year-olds' ability to extend verbs to new action events on the basis of abstract similarities. Participants were presented with images of actions (e.g., peeling an orange) while hearing sentences containing a conventional verb (e.g., peeling), a verb sharing an abstract relation (i.e., an analogical verb, e.g., undressing), a verb sharing an object type (i.e., an object-related verb, e.g., pressing) with the action, or a pseudoverb (e.g., kebraying). The amplitude of the N400 gradually increased as a function of verb type-from conventional verbs to analogical verbs to object-related verbs to pseudoverbs. These findings suggest that accessing the meaning of a verb is easier when it shares abstract relations with the expected verb. Our results illustrate that measuring brain signals in response to analogical word extensions provides a useful tool to investigate preschools' analogical abilities.

A comprehensive analysis of anthropometric indicators in preschool children suffering from recurrent respiratory infections.

OBJECTIVE: Aim: To determine the state of relationship between anthropometric indicators and susceptibility to recurrent respiratory infections in preschool children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and Methods: A total of 143 children (73 boys and 70 girls) aged 12-59 months, undergoing inpatient treatment on acute respiratory infection, were involved in the clinical study. The number of acute respiratory infection episodes during a previous year of their lives was taken into account. Besides, the basic indicators of physical development were assessed in the children, including: 1) body weight; 2) body length; 3) chest circumference; 4) body mass index; 5) body surface area; 6) Vervek's index. RESULTS: Results: Cross-tabulation and rank correlation analysis did not demonstrate any interdependence between the susceptibility of the children examined to recurrent respiratory infections and their anthropometric indicators. Simultaneously, linear regression analysis showed that in the children aged 12-23 months, resistance index depended on their age and body length. The relative importance of the combined effect of the two above-mentioned indicators among all other potential risk factors for recurrent respiratory infections was 32.2%. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The detailed analysis of the findings outlined the methodological basis for further studies of the association between the incidence of acute respiratory infections in preschool children and their physical development. Multivariate statistical calculations of various risk factors for recurrent respiratory infections, including abnormal anthropometric indicators, are likely to increase the informational value of subsequent examinations.

Physical Activity and Motor Skill Development During Early Childhood: Investigating the Role of Parent Support.

PURPOSE: This study examined the relationship between parent physical activity (PA) support and children's motor skill development and PA during early childhood and explored the potential moderating effect of child PA and motor skills on these relationships. METHODS: Participants (N = 589, 250 girls, meanage = 4.93 [0.59] y) were part of a larger, longitudinal cohort study. Motor skills were assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition. Moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) was measured using ActiGraph accelerometers. Five items were used to measure parent support frequency (1 = none, 3 = 3-4 times, 5 = daily). Moderation analyses were conducted to examine the moderating effect of MVPA and motor skills on the relationship between parent support and motor skills and MVPA, respectively. RESULTS: Parent support was significantly related to motor skills (B = 14.45, P = .007), and child MVPA significantly moderated this relationship (B = -0.17, P = .021). The relationship between parent support and child MVPA did not reach significance (B = 2.89, P = .051); however, motor skills had a significant moderating effect (B = -0.08, P = .022). CONCLUSIONS: These novel findings suggest parent PA support is related to child motor skills and PA during early childhood, but this relationship is context dependent. Child-level characteristics should be considered in future parent PA support research.

The 24-h movement behaviours composition is associated with parasympathetic modulation in preschoolers.

AIM: To investigate the associations between 24-h movement behaviours and heart rate variability (HRV) in preschool children. METHODS: A total of 123 preschoolers (4.52 ± 0.25 years old; 62 girls) were assessed for physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) using an accelerometer (Actigraph WGT3x). Sleep duration (SD) was parent-reported. Children were laid down in a supine position for 10 min to assess HRV data. The R-R intervals recorded during the last 5 min of this period were analysed. We conducted compositional analysis in R studio, and the significance level was 95%. All ethical procedures were followed, and the study had the approval of the local ethical board. RESULTS: When considered as a composition, adjusted for age, body mass index and sex, the 24-h movement composition (PA, SB and SD) significantly predicted better parasympathetic modulation (Root mean square of the successive differences [RMSSD] [p = 0.04; r2 = 0.13]), but not high frequency (HF) (nu) (p = 0.51, r2 = 0.01), low frequency (nu) (p = 0.52, r2 = 0.02),or standard deviation (standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals) (p = 0.55, r2 = 0.02), respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest the 24-h movement composition predicted the RMSSD time-domain index related to parasympathetic activity.

Decoding Early Childhood Caries: A Comprehensive Review Navigating the Impact of Evolving Dietary Trends in Preschoolers.

This comprehensive review delves into the intricate relationship between evolving dietary trends in preschoolers and the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC). The investigation meticulously analyzes ECC epidemiology, etiology, and preventive strategies. The review unveils the multifaceted nature of ECC, highlighting microbial, dietary, and environmental factors contributing to its development. Significantly, the study explores the global prevalence of ECC and its substantial implications for the overall health, nutrition, and development of preschool-aged children. The implications for public health and policy are deliberated, advocating for targeted interventions and collaborative efforts among healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators, and parents. The conclusion presents a compelling call to action, urging collective engagement to mitigate the impact of ECC and prioritize the well-being of preschoolers. This review offers valuable insights for healthcare professionals, policymakers, educators, and parents to inform evidence-based strategies for addressing ECC and promoting early childhood oral health.

Corrigendum: Establishment of noncycloplegic methods for screening myopia and pre-myopia in preschool children.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1291387.].

Verbal and non-verbal skills in early childhood: dimensionality, developmental trajectories, and gender differences.

This study examines the dimensionality of and relationships between two subscales from the British Ability Scales - Third Edition, measuring verbal (expressive vocabulary) and non-verbal (reasoning) cognitive skills for toddlers (age three) and preschoolers (age five), in a Norwegian context across genders. Descriptive statistics revealed item selection criteria that included specific items within each subscale. Subsequently, Confirmatory Factor Analysis established the subscales' dimensionality (Naming Vocabulary and Picture Similarities; N = 1094) and confirmed measurement invariance across genders. Further, the relationships between the verbal and non-verbal factors were investigated using correlation analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. The findings revealed that the verbal factor at age three strongly predicted the verbal factor at age five and significantly influenced the non-verbal factor at age five. The non-verbal factor at age three exhibited a moderate predictive relationship with the non-verbal factor at age five, and did not significantly predict the verbal factor at age five. In terms of gender differences, girls showed higher scores on the verbal factor at age three, and a stronger correlation between the non-verbal factor at age three and the verbal factor at age five. In summary, this research provides valuable insights into cognitive skill measurement and development in a Norwegian context and highlights possible variations across gender. The study's findings, limitations, and implications are discussed.

Metacognition as a mediator of the relation between family SES and language and mathematical abilities in preschoolers.

The effect of family socioeconomic status (SES) on academic achievement in literacy and numeracy has been extensively studied with educational inequalities already witnessed in preschoolers. This is presumably explained by the effect of family SES on cognitive and socioemotional abilities associated with academic achievement. Metacognition which refers to knowledge and regulation skills involving reflexivity about one's own cognitive processes is one of these abilities. However, most of the studies investigating the association between metacognition and academic achievement have focused on school-aged students and studies with younger students are only emerging. Meanwhile, the association between family SES and metacognition abilities has surprisingly received little attention regardless of participants' age. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between family SES, metacognition, language and mathematical abilities in preschoolers aged 5 to 6. We provide the first evidence that the effect of family SES on preschoolers' language and mathematical abilities is mediated by the effect of family SES on their metacognitive abilities. The implications for future research, education and policies aiming at reducing educational inequalities are discussed.

Perceptual subitizing performance in 3- and 4-year-olds: The impact of visual features of sets.

Perceptual subitizing is a pivotal skill in children's mathematical development. It is defined as the rapid identification of small numerosities. Previous studies pointed to the contribution of visual features of sets to perceptual subitizing performance in adults. Insights into the contribution of visual features to subitizing performance in the critical 3- to 4-year age range are scant. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating the impact of visual features on perceptual subitizing performance (accuracy and response time) in 3- and 4-year-olds. Participants (119 3- and 4-year-olds) were offered a subitizing task that incorporated pictures of sets of three to five objects. The pictures systematically varied across four visual features: (a) pictorial context (distractors present vs. absent), (b) set homogeneity (homogeneous vs. heterogeneous objects), (c) set arrangement (linearly vs. randomly arranged objects), and (d) set differentiation (distinct vs. overlapping objects). Pictures with distractors, heterogeneous objects, randomly arranged objects, or overlapping objects were associated with lower subitizing accuracy and longer response times compared with pictures without distractors, homogeneous objects, linearly arranged objects, or distinct objects, respectively. Pictures with randomly arranged or overlapping objects along with distractors were associated with even lower subitizing accuracy. Pictures featuring a simple visual design-without distractors and with homogeneous, linearly arranged, and distinct sets-yielded the best subitizing performance in terms of accuracy and response time. Our findings might be explained by the cognitive processes underlying 3- and 4-year-olds' subitizing performance. The findings offer building blocks for future research in the domain and preschool educational practice.