Digital Commons Network^™

How To Help Young Children Regulate Their Emotions And Behaviours During The Pandemic, Cathrine Marguerite Neilsen-Hewett, Steven J. Howard

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

With governments around the world asking their citizens to avoid places, activities and gatherings to save lives, this just might be the largest ever international effort to self-regulate our actions against competing desires and impulses. To achieve this, we must overcome our desire to enjoy the sun and sand, go shopping or to the pub, and even embrace family and friends. Of course, it's not so easy for young children, who must forego activities they previously enjoyed and may be confused by contradictions - like being able to see friends at, but not after, school. But there are ways parents …

Concurrent Validity Of The Actigraph Gt3x+ And Activpal For Assessing Sedentary Behaviour In 2-3-Year-Old Children Under Free-Living Conditions, Joao Rafael Rodrigues Pereira, Eduarda Sousa-Sa, Zhiguang Zhang, Dylan P. Cliff, Rute Santos

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives

ActiGraph accelerometer cut-points are commonly used to classify sedentary behaviour (SB) in young children. However, they vary from 5counts/5 s to 301counts/15 s, resulting in different estimates and inconsistent findings. The aim was to examine the concurrent validity of ActiGraph GT3X + cut-points against the activPAL for measuring SB in 2–3-year-olds during free-living conditions.

Design

Observational validation-study.

Methods

Sixty children were fitted with the activPAL and ActiGraph simultaneously for at least 2 h. Nine ActiGraph cut-points ranging from 60 to 1488 counts per minute were used to derive SB. Bland & Altman plots and equivalent tests were performed to …

5 Tips To Help Parents Navigate The Unique Needs Of Children With Autism Learning From Home, Amanda A. Webster

Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities - Papers

Children on the autism spectrum will face unique challenges as they learn from home during the COVID-19 shutdown. These children process information and learn in different ways to their peers. They may find it more difficult to independently complete tasks and struggle with managing their time. They are also more likely to have difficulty in writing tasks or ones involving high amounts of language and communication with others. Children on the autism spectrum often associate specific tasks with locations. This might mean they resist doing schoolwork at home. Anxiety levels, which are often high in this group of students, may …

Screen Time And Sleep Of Rural And Urban South African Preschool Children, Simone Tomaz, Trina Hinkley, Rachel A. Jones, Estelle Watson, Rhian Twine, Kathleen Kahn, Shane Norris, Catherine Draper

Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities - Papers

This study aimed to investigate the extent to which preschool children meet guidelines for screen time (/day) and sleep (10–13 h/24-h) and explored home factors that affect these behaviors. Parents of preschoolers across income settings in South Africa (urban high-income n = 27, urban low-income n = 96 and rural low-income n = 142) completed a questionnaire. Urban high-income children had higher rates of exceeding screen time guidelines (67.0%) than children from urban low-income (26.0%) and rural low-income (3.5%) settings. Most children (81.0%) met sleep guidelines on weekdays and on weekends (75.0%). More urban high-income children met the sleep guideline, …

'Sticky' Foods: How School Practices Produce Negative Emotions For Mothers And Children, Claire E. Tanner, Janemaree Maher, Deana Leahy, Jo Lindsay, Sian Supski, Jan Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper addresses health messages that are carried home from school - a space where childhood obesity prevention measures are being transmitted to families, and mothers in particular. We consider what emotions are being produced for mothers and children in the enactment of current school health initiatives, especially those aimed at 'improving' family food practices. Our analysis draws on interviews with parents and primary-school-aged children (n = 50) in Australia collected as part of a project on children's role as health advocates in family contexts. Using Sara Ahmed's work on emotions and John Law's concept of 'collateral realities', we consider …

Active And Safe: Preventing Unintentional Injury To Aboriginal Children And Young People In Nsw: Guidelines For Policy And Practice, Kathleen F. Clapham, Keziah R. Bennett-Brook, Kate Hunter, Karen J. Zwi, Rebecca Q. Ivers

Australian Health Services Research Institute

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide a resource to assist organisations, communities and individuals to work together to prevent unintentional injury to Aboriginal children in New South Wales in a way that reflects the values, attitudes and priorities of Aboriginal people.

With Apartment Living On The Rise, How Do Families And Their Noisy Children Fit In?, Sophie-May Kerr

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A growing number of Australians live in apartments. The compact city model presents many benefits. However, living close to each other also presents challenges. Rapid growth in apartment developments in recent decades has led to a rise in noise-related complaints and disputes across urban Australia. Households with children are on the front line of such tensions. They are one of the fastest-growing demographics living in apartments. Analysis of the latest census data show, for instance, that families with children under the age of 15 comprise 25% of Sydney's apartment population. Apartment design and cultural acceptance of families in the vertical …

Normative Data For Children And Adolescents Referred For Specialist Pain Management In Australia, Hilarie Tardif, Megan B. Blanchard, Meredith P. Bryce, Janelle M. White

Australian Health Services Research Institute

This paper aims to provide normative data for the PaedePPOC measures used by specialist paediatric pain management services. This information will provide a description of the children and adolescents referred for specialist pain management in Australia during the period from January 2014 to June 2018, allowing pain management services to compare scores for individuals seen at their service to these group values.

Wrist-Based Accelerometer Cut-Points To Identify Sedentary Time In 5-11-Year-Old Children, Jessica Chandler, Michael W. Beets, Pedro Saint-Maurice, Robert Glenn Weaver, Dylan P. Cliff, Clemens Drenowatz, Justin B. Moore, Xuemei Sui, Keith Brazendale

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: The objective of this paper is to derive a wrist-placed cut-point threshold for distinguishing sedentary behaviors from light-intensity walking using the ActiGraph GT3X+ in children. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional study design, typically used in measurement-related studies. A sample of 167 children, ages 5-11 years (mean ± SD: 8.0 ± 1.8 years), performed up to eight seated sedentary activities while wearing accelerometers on both wrists. Activities included: reading books, sorting cards, cutting and pasting, playing board games, eating snacks, playing with tablets, watching TV, and writing. Direct observation verified sedentary behavior from light activity. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) …

How To Get Children To Eat A Rainbow Of Fruit And Vegetables, Yasmine Probst, Ruth Crowe

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: Part B

Worldwide, people are not eating enough fruit and vegetables. In Australia, less than 4% of us meet the Australian Dietary Guideline recommendations for vegetables by age group. Worryingly, children and teenagers are even less likely than adults to be eating enough vegetables.

Electroencephalogram Theta/Beta Ratio And Spectral Power Correlates Of Executive Functions In Children And Adolescents With Ad/Hd, Dawei Zhang, Hui Li, Zhanliang Wu, Qihua Zhao, Yan Song, Lu Liu, Qiujin Qian, Yufeng Wang, Steven J. Roodenrys, Stuart J. Johnstone, Frances M. De Blasio, Li Sun

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

OBJECTIVE: The electroencephalogram (EEG) has been widely used in AD/HD research. The current study firstly aimed to replicate a recent trend related to EEG theta/beta ratio (TBR) in children and adolescents. Also, the study aimed to examine the value of resting EEG activity as biomarkers for executive function (EF) in participants with AD/HD. METHOD: Fifty-three participants with AD/HD and 37 healthy controls were recruited. Resting EEG was recorded with eyes closed. Participants with AD/HD additionally completed EF tasks via the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. RESULTS: TBR did not differ between groups; however, TBR was positively correlated with inattentive symptoms …

Results Of The First Steps Study: A Randomised Controlled Trial And Economic Evaluation Of The Group Family Nurse Partnership (Gfnp) Programme Compared With Usual Care In Improving Outcomes For High-Risk Mothers And Their Children And Preventing Abuse, Jacqueline Barnes, Jane Stuart, Elizabeth Allen, Stephen Petrou, Joanna Sturgess, Jane Barlow, Geraldine Macdonald, Helen Spiby, Dipti Aistrop, Edward Melhuish, Sungwook Kim, Joshua Pink, Jessica Datta, Diana Elbourne

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Inspiring Environmentally Responsible Preschool Children Through The Implementation Of The National Quality Framework: Uncovering What Lies Between Theory And Practice, Krista Pollock, Jane D. Warren, Peter J. Andersen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FOR environmental sustainability (ECEfES) has become significant in the early years, as highlighted by the inclusion of ECEfES in Australia's first and current National Quality Framework (NQF) for early childhood education and care (ECEC). This article reports on the major findings from a case study (Pollock, 2014), which aimed to uncover what lies between theory and practice, as ECEC educators attempt to support young children to become environmentally responsible, through the implementation of the NQF. This article discusses some of the findings from an analysis of the documents central to the NQF as well as semi-structured interviews …

Pubertal Stage, Body Mass Index, And Cardiometabolic Risk In Children And Adolescents In Bogota, Colombia: The Cross-Sectional Fuprecol Study, Robinson Ramírez-Velez, Antonio García-Hermoso, Cesar A. Agostinis-Sobrinho, Jorge Mota, Rute Santos, Jorge Enrique Correa-Bautista, Carlos Andres Pena-Guzman, María Andrea Domínguez-Sanchez, Jacqueline Schmidt-Riovalle, Emilio Gonzalez-Jimenez

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study explored the association between pubertal stage and anthropometric and cardiometabolic risk factors in youth. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2877 Colombian children and adolescents (9¿17.9 years of age). Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A biochemical study was performed to determine the cardiometabolic risk index (CMRI). Blood pressure was evaluated and pubertal stage was assessed with the Tanner criteria. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. The most significant variable (p < 0.05) in the prognosis of cardiometabolic risk was found to be the BMI in both boys and girls. In the case of girls, the pubertal stage was also a CMRI predictive factor. In conclusion, BMI was an important indicator of cardiovascular risk in both sexes. Pubertal stage was associated with cardiovascular risk only in the girls.

A Randomized Controlled Trial To Evaluate The Impact Of A Geo-Specific Poster Compared To A General Poster For Effecting Change In Perceived Threat And Intention To Avoid Drowning 'Hotspots' Among Children Of Migrant Workers: Evidence From Ningbo, China, Yinchao Zhu, Xiaoqi Feng, Hui Li, Yaqin Huang, Jieping Chen, Guozhang Xu

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

Drowning among children of migrant workers is a major, though neglected public health issue in China.

Methods

A randomised controlled trial was used to examine the potential impact of viewing a preventive health poster with/without geo-located drowning events on perceptions of drowning risk among Chinese migrant children. A total of 752 children from three schools in Jiangbei district were selected by multi-stage sampling and randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 380) or control (n = 372). Multilevel models were used to analyse changes in responses to the following questions after viewing the assigned poster for 10 …

Are Big Food's Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies Valuable To Communities? A Qualitative Study With Parents And Children, Zoe Richards, Lyn Phillipson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: Recent studies have identified parents and children as two target groups whom Big Food hopes to positively influence through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies. The current preliminary study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of parents and children's awareness and interpretation of Big Food's CSR strategies to understand how CSR shapes their beliefs about companies. Design: Community-based qualitative semi-structured interviews. Setting: New South Wales, Australia. Subjects: Parents (n 15) and children aged 8-12 years (n 15). Results: Parents and children showed unprompted recognition of CSR activities when shown McDonald's and Coca-Cola brand logos, indicating a strong level of …

The Relationship Between Neighbourhood Green Space And Child Mental Wellbeing Depends Upon Whom You Ask: Multilevel Evidence From 3083 Children Aged 12-13 Years, Xiaoqi Feng, Thomas E. Astell-Burt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Recent reviews of the rapidly growing scientific literature on neighbourhood green space and health show strong evidence for protective and restorative effects on mental wellbeing. However, multiple informants are common when reporting mental wellbeing in studies of children. Do different informants lead to different results? This study utilised nationally representative data on Goodman’s 25-item Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire reported by 3083 children (aged 12–13 years old), and their parents and teachers. Multilevel models were used to investigate whether similar associations between child mental wellbeing (as measured using the total difficulties score and the internalising and externalising subscales) and neighbourhood green …

Stress, Depression And Anxiety During Pregnancy: How Does It Impact On Children And How Can We Intervene Early?, Nicole M. Reilly

Australian Health Services Research Institute

There is now a strong body of evidence confirming that antenatal mental health issues are a major cause of maternal morbidity, with a number of potentially adverse consequences for pregnant women, as well as for their children and family. However poorer outcomes for children are not inevitable, and can be addressed at least in part by prevention and early intervention strategies which integrate perinatal mental health, child health and public health.

Growing Up In New Zealand: A Longitudinal Study Of New Zealand Children And Their Families. Now We Are Four: Describing The Preschool Years, Susan Morton, Cameron Grant, Sarah D. Berry, C G. Walker, Maria Corkin, Kien Ly, Teresa G. De Castro, Polly E. Atatoa Carr, Dinusha K. Bandara, Jatender Mohal, Amy L. Bird, Lisa Underwood, Jacinta Fa'alili-Fidow

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Now we are Four gives us a comprehensive look at how kiwi kids from the Growing Up in New Zealand study are faring. In particular, we can see how the situation of mothers changes when children pass from infancy to early childhood. The biggest shift for most children is that they now attend early childhood education, and most are reported to be generally happy and healthy and spending time getting to know their peers. This means that we also see greater employment of mothers, leading to improved economic circumstances for these households. Nearly half of this generation of mothers live …

Preparing The Family And Children For Surgery, Ahmad Al-Sagarat, Haytham Mohammad Al-Oran, Hala Obeidat, Adlah Mohammad Hamlan, Lorna Moxham

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The focus of this literature analysis is the concept of preparing the family and children for surgery. As posited in the literature, surgery causes stress and anxiety that have a negative impact on both parents and their children. Therefore, the need for health care professionals to facilitate positive preparation for surgery to minimize anxiety and enhance postoperative recovery is important. Preparing the family and children for surgery is discussed in depth under the following themes: Preoperative Anxiety in Children, the Impact of Preoperative Anxiety on the Pediatric Patients and Parents, Preoperative Psychological Preparation for Children and Parents, and the Role …

A Review Of Recruitment, Adherence And Drop-Out Rates In Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation Trials In Children And Adolescents, Inge S. M Van Der Wurff, Barbara J. Meyer, Renate H. M De Groot

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Introduction: The influence of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) supplementation on health outcomes has been studied extensively with randomized controlled trials (RCT). In many research fields, difficulties with recruitment, adherence and high drop-out rates have been reported. However, what is unknown is how common these problems are in n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in children and adolescents. Therefore, this paper will review n-3 LCPUFA supplementation studies in children and adolescents with regard to recruitment, adherence and drop-out rates. Methods: The Web of Science, PubMed and Ovid databases were searched for papers reporting on RCT supplementing children and adolescents (2¿18 …

Children Talking About Writing: Investigating Metalinguistic Understanding, Honglin Chen, Debra Myhill

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Much of the literature on explicit teaching about language has suggested that equipping students with metalinguistic knowledge is as an important means of enhancing students' participation in learning. Yet in the context of international jurisdictions which are placing a renewed emphasis on knowledge about language, there is a notable lack of research into the nature of learners' metalinguistic understanding about writing, as evident in their ability to reflect on written language. Using an analytical framework shaped by Vygotsky's and Hallidayan theories of concept formation and language learning, this paper provides insights into the nature of metalinguistic understanding as manifested in …

Listening To Children And Young People And Empowering Them - Some New Techniques Using Philosophical And Spiritual Listening. An Educational Psychologist's Story, Irvine Gersch

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article outlines one area of research which I, as an educational and child psychologist, have been involved in for more than 30 years. The area is 'listening to children and young people (CYP): helping to empower them through giving them a voice'. The work has involved the development of various materials, including the Student Report and a version for students excluded from school, to the more recent spiritual listening tools, inviting children and young people to discuss their views about the big questions of life; namely, life's purpose and meaning. Fundamentally, such aspects are felt to be keys to …

Increasing Physical Activity Among Young Children From Disadvantaged Communities: Study Protocol Of A Group Randomised Controlled Effectiveness Trial, Rebecca M. Stanley, Rachel A. Jones, Dylan P. Cliff, Stewart Trost, Donna Berthelsen, Jo Salmon, Marijka Batterham, Simon Eckermann, John J. Reilly, Ngiare J. Brown, Karen J. Mickle, Steven J. Howard, Trina Hinkley, Xanne Janssen, Paul A. Chandler, Penny L. Cross, Fay L. Gowers, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Participation in regular physical activity (PA) during the early years helps children achieve healthy body weight and can substantially improve motor development, bone health, psychosocial health and cognitive development. Despite common assumptions that young children are naturally active, evidence shows that they are insufficiently active for health and developmental benefits. Exploring strategies to increase physical activity in young children is a public health and research priority. Methods Jump Start is a multi-component, multi-setting PA and gross motor skill intervention for young children aged 3-5 years in disadvantaged areas of New South Wales, Australia. The intervention will be evaluated using …

Objectively Measured Sedentary Behaviour And Health And Development In Children And Adolescents: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Dylan P. Cliff, Kylie Hesketh, Stewart A. Vella, Trina Hinkley, Margarita D. Tsiros, Nicola D. Ridgers, Alison Carver, Jenny Veitch, Anne-Maree Parrish, Louise L. Hardy, Ronald Plotnikoff, Anthony D. Okely, Jo Salmon, David R. Lubans

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Sedentary behaviour has emerged as a unique determinant of health in adults. Studies in children and adolescents have been less consistent. We reviewed the evidence to determine if the total volume and patterns (i.e. breaks and bouts) of objectively measured sedentary behaviour were associated with adverse health outcomes in young people, independent of moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity physical activity. Four electronic databases (EMBASE MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, PubMed and Scopus) were searched (up to 12 November 2015) to retrieve studies among 2- to 18-year-olds, which used cross-sectional, longitudinal or experimental designs, and examined associations with health outcomes (adiposity, cardio-metabolic, fitness, respiratory, bone/musculoskeletal, …

Use Of Mobile And Cordless Phones And Cognition In Australian Primary School Children: A Prospective Cohort Study, Mary Redmayne, Catherine L. Smith, Geza Benke, Rodney J. Croft, Anna Dalecki, Christina Dimitriadis, Jordy Kaufman, Skye Macleod, Malcolm R. Sim, Rory Wolfe, Michael J. Abramson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Use of mobile (MP) and cordless phones (CP) is common among young children, but whether the resulting radiofrequency exposure affects development of cognitive skills is not known. Small changes have been found in older children. This study focused on children's exposures to MP and CP and cognitive development. The hypothesis was that children who used these phones would display differences in cognitive function compared to those who did not. Methods: We recruited 619 fourth-grade students (8-11 years) from 37 schools around Melbourne and Wollongong, Australia. Participants completed a short questionnaire, a computerised cognitive test battery, and the Stroop colour-word …

Children's Exposure To Food Advertising On Free-To-Air Television: An Asia-Pacific Perspective, Bridget Kelly, Lana Hebden, Lesley King, Yang Xiao, Yang Yu, Gengsheng He, Liangli Li, Lingxia Zeng, Hamam Hadi, Tilakavati Karupaiah, Ng See Hoe, Mohd Ismail Noor, Jihyun Yoon, Hyogyoo Kim

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There is an established link between food promotions and children's food purchase and consumption. Children in developing countries may be more vulnerable to food promotions given the relative novelty of advertising in these markets. This study aimed to determine the scope of television food advertising to children across the Asia-Pacific to inform policies to restrict this marketing. Six sites were sampled, including from China, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. At each site, 192 h of television were recorded (4 days, 16 h/day, three channels) from May to October 2012. Advertised foods were categorized as core/healthy, non-core/unhealthy or miscellaneous, and by …

Digital Storytelling: Capturing Children's Participation In Preschool Activities, Lisa Kervin, Jessica Mantei

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Children should be active participants in the environments in which they engage. However in the prior to school setting, it is not necessarily clear to educators how children understand their role and place within that community. Lave and Wenger's (2005) situated learning theory provides a useful frame to consider this developing sense of membership and the connections children make between home and their prior to school centre. In the spirit of belonging, being and becoming (COAG, 2009), a cohort of 27 children (aged 4-5 years) transitioning to the first year of formal schooling were invited to create a digital story …

Australia And Other Nations Are Failing To Meet Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines For Children: Implications And A Way Forward, Leon Straker, Erin Kaye Howie, Dylan Paul Cliff, Melanie T. Davern, Lina Engelen, Sjaan R. Gomersall, Jenny Ziviani, Natasha K. Schranz, Tim Olds, Grant Ryan Tomkinson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Australia has joined a growing number of nations that have evaluated the physical activity and sedentary behavior status of their children. Australia received a "D minus" in the first Active Healthy Kids Australia Physical Activity Report Card. Methods: An expert subgroup of the Australian Report Card Research Working Group iteratively reviewed available evidence to answer 3 questions: (a) What are the main sedentary behaviors of children? (b) What are the potential mechanisms for sedentary behavior to impact child health and development? and (c) What are the effects of different types of sedentary behaviors on child health and development? Results: …

How Well Are Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Doing Academically At School? An Overview Of The Literature, Deb Keen, Amanda Webster, Greta Ridley

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The academic achievement of individuals with autism spectrum disorder has received little attention from researchers despite the importance placed on this by schools, families and students with autism spectrum disorder. Investigating factors that lead to increased academic achievement thus would appear to be very important. A review of the literature was conducted to identify factors related to the academic achievement of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 19 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria for the review. Results indicated that many individuals demonstrate specific areas of strength and weakness and there is a great …