Education Commons^™

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 …

'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 …

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 …

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) …

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 …

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 …

Correlates Of Children's Objectively Measured Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior In Early Childhood Education And Care Services: A Systematic Review, Karen Tonge, Rachel A. Jones, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To systematically review the correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior among children in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services. Appropriate levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior are important to promote in ECEC services. Methods: A systematic search of 8 databases identified 27 studies published between 1992 and 2015 that met the inclusion criteria. The data were collected and analyzed in 2014 and 2015, and variables were categorized using a Social Ecological Framework. Results: Sixty-six variables were identified. The domains of child characteristics (18 studies) and physical environmental factors (17 studies) were most consistently studied, and, for …

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 …

Personality And Body-Mass-Index In School-Age Children: An Exploration Of Mediating And Moderating Variables, Mark S. Allen, Stewart A. Vella

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study explored longitudinal associations between personality and body-mass-index (BMI) in school-age children, including the potential mediating role of screen time and physical activity, and the potential moderating roles of child demographics and neighbourhood socioeconomic position. Participants were the parents (and teachers) of 3857 ten-year-old children, who completed questionnaires at baseline with a two-year follow-up. After controlling for child demographics (e.g., sex, pubertal status), we found that personality was unimportant for concurrent BMI, but was important for subsequent BMI and change in BMI over two years. Low levels of introversion and persistence at baseline, and decreases in persistence over time, …

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, …

How Schools Avoid Enrolling Children With Disabilities, Linda J. Graham, Helen Proctor, Roselyn M. Dixon

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Children with disabilities are frequently discriminated against in Australian schools. It's an issue that has been ongoing for years, with reports showing that little has improved since 2002. Exclusion practices - dubbed as "gatekeeping" - include advising parents to send their child to another school that could better support them; only allowing a child to attend a school on the days that funding is available; and asking parents to pay extra money so the school can employ support staff or purchase equipment. Although this happens across all school types, it tends to be more prominent in, and easier for, non-government …

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 …

Efficacy Of Gross Motor Skill Interventions In Young Children: An Updated Systematic Review, Sanne Veldman, Rachel A. Jones, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective The objective of this study was to provide an update of the evidence on the efficacy of gross motor development interventions in young children (0-5 years) from 2007 to 2015. Methods Searches were conducted of six electronic databases: PUBMED, Medline (Ovid), ERIC (Ebsco), Embase, SCOPUS and Psychinfo. Studies included any childcare-based, preschool-based, home-based, or community-based intervention targeting the development of gross motor skills including statistical analysis of gross motor skill competence. Data were extracted on design, participants, intervention components, methodological quality and efficacy. Results Seven articles were included and all were delivered in early childhood settings. Four studies had …

Energy Cost Of Physical Activities And Sedentary Behaviors In Young Children, Anja Grobek, Christiana Van Loo, Gregory E. Peoples, Markus Hagenbuchner, Rachel A. Jones, Dylan P. Cliff

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: This study reports energy expenditure (EE) data for lifestyle and ambulatory activities in young children. Methods: Eleven children aged 3 to 6 years (mean age = 4.8 ± 0.9; 55% boys) completed 12 semistructured activities including sedentary behaviors (SB), light (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities (MVPA) over 2 laboratory visits while wearing a portable metabolic system to measure EE. Results: Mean EE values for SB (TV, reading, tablet and toy play) were between 0.9 to 1.1 kcal/min. Standing art had an energy cost that was 1.5 times that of SB (mean = 1.4 kcal/min), whereas bike riding (mean = …

Augmenting Instructional Animations With A Body Analogy To Help Children Learn About Physical Systems, Wim T. J. L Pouw, Tamara Van Gog, Rolf A. Zwaan, Fred Paas

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

We investigated whether augmenting instructional animations with a body analogy (BA) would improve 10- to 13-year-old children's learning about class-1 levers. Children with a lower level of general math skill who learned with an instructional animation that provided a BA of the physical system, showed higher accuracy on a lever problemsolving reaction time task than children studying the instructional animation without this BA. Additionally, learning with a BA led to a higher speed-accuracy trade-off during the transfer task for children with a lower math skill, which provided additional evidence that especially this group is likely to be affected by learning …

Sedentary Time, Physical Activity And Compliance With Iom Recommendations In Young Children At Childcare, Yvonne Ellis, Dylan P. Cliff, Xanne Janssen, Rachel A. Jones, John J. Reilly, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The aim of this study was to report patterns of sitting, standing and physical activity (PA) and compliance with Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations for sedentary behavior (SB) and PA among children aged 1 to 5 years at childcare, and examine sociodemographic variations. Sitting, standing and PA time was assessed using an activPAL inclinometer over a period of 1 to 5 days in 301 children (49% boys; mean age = 3.7 ± 1.0 years) across 11 childcare services in Illawarra, NSW, Australia. Breaks and bouts of sitting and standing were calculated and categorized. Height and weight were assessed and parents …

Transition Of Children With Disabilities Into Early Childhood Education And Care Centres, Jane D. Warren, Wilma Vialle, Roselyn M. Dixon

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This paper reports on findings from research which sought to understand, in the New South Wales (NSW) context, the factors impacting on the transition into early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres for children with disabilities from the perspective of both parents of children with disabilities and educators in ECEC centres. The study aimed to identify successes and barriers, and consider potential interventions and procedures that might increase the participation of children with disabilities in ECEC centres. This paper will discuss findings from the educator perspective only, including 37 completed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from 10 teacher participants. Thematic analysis …