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Although liminal theory explains transitional periods in consumers' lives – such as preadolescence – the impact of these transitions on emotionally connected actors and the transformations that the latter endure have been largely overlooked. Through a qualitative study of the mothers of preteen girls, we show that liminality spills over and that mothers transform from fully needed to authoritative-friendly moms. During this process, these mothers engage in spilled-over liminal consumption (SOLC), which comprehends concomitantly loosely and creatively crafted rituals and new and re-signified routines. However, amid the process of assuming a new mother's role and helping their daughters' transformation, these mothers unreflectively reinforce traditional gender norms. Based on our findings, we discuss the process of SOLC and how it ends in reproducing gender and class-based stereotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The present study examined dream habits, and their relation to sleep patterns, in 1151 preteens (597 boys; 554 girls; 11.31 ± 0.62 years old). Dream questionnaires assessed the frequency of dream recall, nightmare, and lucid dream, as well as the intensity of emotions experienced in dreams. Sleep variables included sleep duration and efficiency, but also different measurements of nocturnal awakenings. Among the preteens, 49.21% of them reported that they recalled dreams several times a week or almost every morning over the past few months. In addition, 52.00% of the preteens reported that they experienced nightmares, and 45.48% lucid dreams, less than once a month or never over the past few months. No gender differences were observed in dream variables. Nocturnal awakenings were linked to all dream variables, while sleep duration and sleep efficiency were related to nightmare frequency and emotions in dreams. Importantly, sleep duration and sleep efficiency were not associated with dream recall nor lucid dream frequency, with Bayesian analyses supporting the null hypothesis. These findings offer a comprehensive understanding of preteens’ dreams and their connection to key sleep aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB) among preteen children have risen to the attention of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. To shed light on potential treatment/prevention targets, we sought to identify empirically derived emotional and behavioral problem profiles of preteens with SITB, and to determine whether these profiles differ by age, gender and society. Caregivers of 46,719 children aged 6 to 12 years from 42 societies across the world completed the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 6-18 (CBCL/6-18). There were 1,656 children whose caregivers indicated that their child experienced SITB. We conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) using scores from eight CBCL/6-18 problem scales to derive problem profiles of children with SITB. Multilevel modelling was used to estimate differences in the profiles by SITB, society, sex, and age. A 4-profile model provided the best fit to the data, with profiles reflecting low problems (39.7%), mild problems (42.6%), moderate problems (15.4%), and rule-breaking/thought problems (2.3%). The low problems profile had CBCL problem scale scores nearly indistinguishable from those of children without SITB. Children in the rule-breaking/thought problems group were mostly female, whereas children in the other profile groups were mostly male. Children with the rule-breaking/thought problems profile also were most likely to have both suicidal thoughts and self-harm behaviors. In this study, authors analyzed emotional and behavioral profile of preteens who experienced self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITB). Caregivers of over 46,000 children aged 6-12 from 42 countries completed the Child Behavior Checklist. The authors found that most preteens with SITB had low levels of other mental health problems. This study highlights the needs to screen all children for SITBs, not just those who have have significant mental health problems. Problem profiles of preteens with SITB are heterogeneous, with most having relatively low levels of other psychopathology. Selectively screening only children with clinically significant mental health problems for suicidal thoughts and self-harm behaviors (eg, asking about suicidal thoughts only among children with depression) risks missing many children experiencing SITB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In Ghana, we know little about the epidemiology of suicide ideation, plan and attempts among junior high school (JHS) students in Ghana including the years preceding high school. This study explores the onset, characteristics, and recent patterns of 12-month suicide behavior among Ghanaian junior high school (JHS) students. Materials and Methods: Paper-based surveys were administered to a sample (n = 800) of junior high school students in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Self-reported measures on suicide ideation, plan and attempt as well as several psychological and psychosocial factors related to mental health, substance use, poverty, sexual behavior, interpersonal relationships, and family structure were employed. Bi-variate, multivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 25). Results: This study found that 1 out of 5 adolescents have experienced suicide ideation in the last 12 months. Girls had significantly higher 12-month (χ2 = 3.5, p < 0.05) suicide ideation rates than boys. More importantly, the study found stress significantly increasing the odds of suicide behaviors in the last 12 months (β = 1.14; CI = 1.05–1.24, p < 0.05) and parental support significantly reducing the odds of suicide behaviors in the last 12 months (β = 0.86; CI = 0.81–0.91, p < 0.05). Additionally, we found significant associations between sexual intercourse, dating, hunger, substance use, suicide stigma and suicide behaviors. Conclusion: This finding highlights a potential emerging suicide crisis among preteens which warrants attention. Additional studies are needed to observe these increasing trends and identify risk, protective and precipitating factors to help prevent suicide among these children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the dominant presence of traditional gender portrayals on television, there is a growing effort to incorporate more diverse gender representations, including in youth television series. The impact of such counter-stereotypical portrayals on preadolescents’ gender attitudes and beliefs remains largely unexplored. This mixed-design experimental study among 75 mother-child dyads (Mage child = 10.69, SD = 1.37) examined the effects of watching an episode of an entertainment television program that positively portrays a transgender character, either alone or with the mother. The findings indicated that watching the episode lowered preadolescents’ gender essentialism, but did not increase acceptability of and willingness to befriend gender-nonconforming peers. Maternal presence did not further impact the findings. Perceived similarity to and liking of the transgender character did not act as moderators, but had a direct impact on preadolescents’ gender attitudes and beliefs. In conclusion, the results suggest that exposure to counter-stereotypes in entertainment television can influence components of preadolescents’ gender attitudes and beliefs. Gender-diverse television characters who are perceived as highly similar and likeable appear to be particularly influential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Maxillary canines are often impacted, which can result in tooth disorders and adversely affect occlusal and facial development. The case report describes complete bilateral impaction of maxillary canines and significant root resorption of a central incisor. The multidisciplinary approach is the optimal strategy for addressing impacted maxillary canines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite considerable examination of the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) in Western societies, there is no study about the ChEAT in Iran. The purpose of the current study was to translate and examine the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Farsi version of the ChEAT (F-ChEAT) among Iranian preadolescents. Iranian preadolescents (N = 717) completed the F-ChEAT and demographic information. Exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) was used to examine the factor structure and measurement invariance across gender and age. A 5-factor, 15-item ESEM model showed an excellent fit of the data. Tests of measurement invariance suggested that scores on the latent means could be meaningfully compared across gender and age. Girls had higher latent means on the Food Preoccupation and Caloric Awareness and Control factors, and older preadolescents had higher latent means on all the F-ChEAT factors, except for the Dieting factor. Findings suggest that a 5-factor, 15-item ESEM model of the F-ChEAT was a useful assessment tool to understand disordered eating symptoms in Iranian preadolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the accuracy of artificial intelligence‐assisted growth prediction using a convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithm and longitudinal lateral cephalograms (Lat‐cephs). Materials and Methods: A total of 198 Japanese preadolescent children, who had skeletal Class I malocclusion and whose Lat‐cephs were available at age 8 years (T0) and 10 years (T1), were allocated into the training, validation, and test phases (n = 161, n = 17, n = 20). Orthodontists and the CNN model identified 28 hard‐tissue landmarks (HTL) and 19 soft‐tissue landmarks (STL). The mean prediction error values were defined as 'excellent,' 'very good,' 'good,' 'acceptable,' and 'unsatisfactory' (criteria: 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, and 2.0 mm, respectively). The degree of accurate prediction percentage (APP) was defined as 'very high,' 'high,' 'medium,' and 'low' (criteria: 90%, 70%, and 50%, respectively) according to the percentage of subjects that showed the error range within 1.5 mm. Results: All HTLs showed acceptable‐to‐excellent mean PE values, while the STLs Pog', Gn', and Me' showed unsatisfactory values, and the rest showed good‐to‐acceptable values. Regarding the degree of APP, HTLs Ba, ramus posterior, Pm, Pog, B‐point, Me, and mandibular first molar root apex exhibited low APPs. The STLs labrale superius, lower embrasure, lower lip, point of lower profile, B′, Pog,' Gn' and Me' also exhibited low APPs. The remainder of HTLs and STLs showed medium‐to‐very high APPs. Conclusion: Despite the possibility of using the CNN model to predict growth, further studies are needed to improve the prediction accuracy in HTLs and STLs of the chin area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractEarly substance use initiation among children represents a significant risk to public health. Research suggests that early positive perceptions and cognitions of elementary students toward substance use may predict later use during adolescence. Studies among adolescent populations have shown an inverse relationship between substance use and risk perceptions. To gain insight into alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana risk perceptions prior to adolescence, we analyzed data from the Chilean Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey (ELPI). In a sample of 5,278 families (mean age of preadolescents 10.63 years, SD = .64; 50.5% males), our findings showed that an important proportion of Chilean 10 years old did not perceive occasional tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana use to be high-risk activities. However, the majority of respondents did consider daily substance use to be a high-risk activity, with some variation across substances. Overall, older preadolescents were more likely to consider substance use to be less risky compared to their slightly younger counterparts. Our analysis also demonstrated that past month substances use by caregivers were all found to be predictive of low-medium risk perceptions among preadolescents surveyed, while conversely, caregivers’ negative reactions to finding out their child had used a substance decreased the likelihood of holding low-medium risk perceptions. Individuals from single-parent households were less likely to consider substance use as being high-risk compared to their peers. Preadolescents with caregivers reporting higher average incomes were also more likely to hold lower risk perceptions of occasional substance use. Implications for public policies to prevent substance use in the pre-adolescent population are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social participation in school, including schoolyard interactions, is considered important for all aspects of child development. Students with disabilities, such as those who are deaf and hard‐of‐hearing, are at risk of experiencing inaccessibility and social exclusion in mainstream classes, yet this has been hard researched in the schoolyard context. We exploratively compared preadolescents (M = 10.48, SD = .93) with (N = 8) and without (N = 207) hearing loss in their continuous schoolyard interactions during 21 recess assessments, using proximity sensors and field observations, alongside measurements of peer acceptance, friendships and sense of connectedness, based on peer nominations and self‐reports. Deaf and hard‐of‐hearing preadolescents spent less time interacting in the schoolyard, a trend which was stable throughout recess. Deaf and hard‐of‐hearing students interacted with the same number of partners as their classmates, but posthoc analyses suggest that towards the end of long recess periods they had a sharper drop in the number of their interaction partners. Field observations suggest that deaf and hard‐of‐hearing preadolescents who were socially active became more isolated the longer the break lasted, and that physical proximity did not necessarily indicate positive interactions. Findings underscore the importance of using multimethod designs that assess various dimensions of social participation and account for the temporal dynamics of recess interactions. Proximity sensors, combined with qualitative observations, enabled to detect social difficulties not detected by more traditional measures, hence valuable for social inclusion research and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, nine amphiphilic acrylamide copolymers were synthesized using three surface-active co-monomers based on polyethoxylated sorbitan monoesters. The prepared co-monomers and copolymers were characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and viscosity average molecular weight. Surface/interfacial activities, contact angles, and rheological properties for aqueous solutions of the prepared copolymers were determined. Also, the influence of salts' concentration and temperature variation was investigated. The results showed that incorporating the prepared co-monomers into the copolymers backbone enhanced their properties and capabilities. This improvement was enlarged by increasing the feed ratio and chain length of the attached co-monomers. The copolymers PT20S-3, PT40S-3, and PT60S-3 showed better results and the latter exhibited the best values. They were 37.6 mN.m−1, 6.4 mN.m−1, 15.678° and 338.48 mPa.s for γST, γIFT, CA, and ηapp respectively. The copolymer PT60S-3 was expected to have a prospective use as a chemical EOR agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During preadolescence the sleep electroencephalography undergoes massive qualitative and quantitative modifications. Despite these relevant age-related peculiarities, the specific EEG pattern of the wake-sleep transition in preadolescence has not been exhaustively described. The aim of the present study is to characterize regional and temporal electrophysiological features of the sleep onset (SO) process in a group of 23 preadolescents (9–14 years) and to compare the topographical pattern of slow wave activity and delta/beta ratio of preadolescents with the EEG pattern of young adults. Results showed in preadolescence the same dynamics known for adults, but with peculiarities in the delta and beta activity, likely associated with developmental cerebral modifications: the delta power showed a widespread increase during the SO with central maxima, and the lower bins of the beta activity showed a power increase after SO. Compared to adults, preadolescents during the SO exhibited higher delta power only in the slowest bins of the band: before SO slow delta activity was higher in prefrontal, frontal and occipital areas in preadolescents, and, after SO the younger group had higher slow delta activity in occipital areas. In preadolescents delta/beta ratio was higher in more posterior areas both before and after the wake-sleep transition and, after SO, preadolescents showed also a lower delta/beta ratio in frontal areas, compared to adults. Results point to a general higher homeostatic drive for the developing areas, consistently with plastic-related maturational modifications, that physiologically occur during preadolescence. • Preadolescents show the same electrophysiological spatiotemporal SO dynamics of adults, but with age-related peculiarities. • In preadolescents, the delta activity increases widely after SO with central maxima, and maximal values in the slowest bins. • Preadolescents have higher low beta PostSO, likely due to peculiar characterization of sleep spindles in term of frequency. • Compared to adults, preadolescents have more slow delta in occipital sites, both before and after SO. • Preadolescents have higher delta/beta ratio posteriorly Pre and PostSO; PostSO frontal ratio is lower, compared to adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to compare physical activity measured by the wearable device Xiaomi Mi2 Band and self-reported physical activity by YPAQ in preadolescent school children. A pilot cross-sectional study was performed on a subsample (5%=n=60) of preadolescent children within a parallel-group feasibility intervention trial (n=1000). All children aged 9-11 years enrolled in the schools were included in the study and children with any physical disability were excluded. Self-reported physical activity was recorded through the modified version of the Youth Physical Activity Questionnaire (YPAQ) and automatic physical activity was measured by the Xiaomi Mi2 band over 7 days. Data from the Xiaomi Mi2 band was synchronized with its mobile application from where data was transferred to an excel sheet. Data on 7-day total physical activity in minutes and 7-day total step count were recorded by the Xiaomi Mi2 band. Student’s t-tests were used to determine whether significant differences were present between self-reported physical activity and by Xiaomi Mi2 band. A Bland-Altman method was also used to assess the degree of agreement between the two methods of measuring physical activity. Mean ± SD age of the children was 9.6 (± 1.0) years and 31 (51.7 %) were boys. The mean ± SD time spent in physical activity reported by YPAQ was 457.5 (± 136) minutes and by the Xiaomi Mi2 band was 594.7 (± 183) minutes. The Bland-Altman plot identified a mean bias between the methods (YPAQ and Xiaomi Mi2 band) of -157.6 (95% CI: 296.3, -611.0) minutes of 7-day physical activity. Physical activity measured by a wearable device, the Xiaomi Mi2 band can give overestimated values of physical activity compared to self-reported physical activity in preadolescent school children. However, when PA is measured through step counts by the Xiaomi Mi2 band converted to minutes, it is comparable to PA measured by YPAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sicilian protohistory was characterized by a progressive flow of indigenous populations towards the hills of the western Sicilian hinterland. Especially during the Late Bronze Age and the Iron Age, the island's hinterland was marked by isolated settlements due to Siculi, Ausoni, Morgeti, and Elimi invasions and Phoenician and Greek colonization. In this scenario, Mokarta is an example of territorial autonomy and ethnic isolation (Sicanian) within an area of Elimi colonization. Its demise in the 11th century B.C.E, presumably at the hands of the Elimi, was rapid and violent as the settlement was suddenly abandoned following its destruction by fire. Symbolic of this event is an individual found at the entrance of a burned and collapsed hut who appears to have died from a cranial injury. This paper focuses on the osteological analysis of this skeleton, highlighting the perimortem injury, related to his death, and places the results within a forensic archeological context. The morphological pattern of the lesion is the result of a high‐energy impact by a circular blunt object. The fracture, involving both the meningeal vessels and the brain, could have led to a fatal neurological trauma. The analysis of the cranial fracture and an anatomical evaluation of the affected area led us to conclude that the perimortem injury, inflicted on the right parietal, probably was the cause of death. The case proposed highlights how an integrated approach based on bioarcheology and forensic anthropology helps in interpreting an archeological scenario and formulating hypotheses about the circumstances of an individual's death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Childhood obesity and hypertension are growing concerns globally, especially in developing countries. This study investigated the association between overall and central obesity at baseline, and prehypertension or hypertension at follow-up among preadolescent school children in urban Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: This is a sub study with cohort design embedded within a feasibility trial on School Health Education Program in Pakistan (SHEPP) in preadolescents aged 6–11 years, attending two private schools conducted from 2017 to 2019. Hypertension or prehypertension at follow-up were the outcomes and obesity or central obesity at baseline were the exposure variables. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 95th percentile for age, sex, and height. Obesity was defined as body mass index for-age and sex ≥ 95th percentile, whereas central obesity was determined by waist circumference measurements ≥ 85th percentile of age, sex, and height specific cut-offs. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to identify risk factors for hypertension and prehypertension. Results: Analysis was conducted for 908 participants, evenly distributed with 454 boys and 454 girls. Hypertension was observed in 19.8% of the preadolescents, with rates of 18.5% in boys and 21.0% in girls. Prehypertension was found in 16.8% of preadolescents, with 18% among boys and 16% among girls. Additionally, 12.8% of preadolescents were classified as obese and 29.8% had central obesity. Obesity at baseline was associated with hypertension at followup (OR 8.7, 95% CI 3.5, 20.4) in the final model after adjusting for age, gender, physical activity, sedentary behavior, fruits, vegetable intake and hypertension at baseline. Central obesity at baseline also yielded high odds, with prehypertension (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4, 2.8) and hypertension (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.9, 3.9) at follow up in the final model. Conclusion: This study highlights a concerning prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension among preadolescent school-going children. Obesity and central obesity at baseline emerged as significant predictive factors for hypertension or prehypertension at followup within this cohort. The findings emphasize the urgency of implementing comprehensive school health education programs aimed at early detection and effective management of hypertension during childhood and adolescence in school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience and social support are variables related to life satisfaction. Nonetheless, these relationships could be different for boys and girls. This study aimed to analyze the links among life satisfaction, resilience (novelty seeking, emotional regulation and future positive orientation) and social support in early adolescents by exploring possible gender differences. In this study, 552 adolescents aged 10–13 years (52% girls) participated. The results showed stronger positive correlations between life satisfaction and novelty seeking in boys, and positive correlations between life satisfaction and emotional regulation only for girls. Social support was a significant predictor of life satisfaction for both genders, but some resilience dimensions showed differences in their predictive capacity according to gender. Emotional regulation and future positive orientation were predictors of life satisfaction, but only for girls, while novelty seeking was a predictor of life satisfaction for boys. These results highlight the importance of maintaining a gender perspective in research on life satisfaction in early adolescence, and the need to consider gender differences in interventions to enhance their positive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive function and general psychopathology are two important classes of human behavior dimensions that are individually related to mental disorders across diagnostic categories. However, whether these two transdiagnostic dimensions are linked to common or distinct brain networks that convey resilience or risk for the development of psychiatric disorders remains unclear. The current study is a longitudinal investigation with 11,875 youths from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study at ages 9 to 10 years at the onset of the study. A machine learning approach based on canonical correlation analysis was used to identify latent dimensional associations of the resting-state functional connectome with multidomain behavioral assessments including cognitive functions and psychopathological measures. For the latent resting-state functional connectivity factor showing a robust behavioral association, its ability to predict psychiatric disorders was assessed using 2-year follow-up data, and its genetic association was evaluated using twin data from the same cohort. A latent functional connectome pattern was identified that showed a strong and generalizable association with the multidomain behavioral assessments (5-fold cross-validation: ρ = 0.68–0.73 for the training set [ n = 5096]; ρ = 0.56–0.58 for the test set [ n = 1476]). This functional connectome pattern was highly heritable (h 2 = 74.42%, 95% CI: 56.76%–85.42%), exhibited a dose-response relationship with the cumulative number of psychiatric disorders assessed concurrently and at 2 years post–magnetic resonance imaging scan, and predicted the transition of diagnosis across disorders over the 2-year follow-up period. These findings provide preliminary evidence for a transdiagnostic connectome–based measure that underlies individual differences in the development of psychiatric disorders during early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Factors such as low self-concept and anxiety have been shown to negatively impact mathematical achievement and spatial skills, as well as enjoyment of math-related subjects. Understanding these factors is crucial for promoting STEM interest and performance, particularly among primary school students. Methods: This cross-sectional study examines the influence of gender, childhood development stage, maths self-concept, spatial anxiety, perceived difficulty, mental rotation performance, and STEM preferences in a sample of 144 primary school students (mean age M = 8.47), comprising 70 girls and 74 boys. Data were collected through four questionnaires and a computerized Mental Rotation Task (MRT). Results: Girls and tweens (9-to-11-year-olds) exhibit lower maths self-concept, impacting their preference for maths as a STEM subject. Girls also demonstrate higher spatial anxiety and perceived difficulty of the MRT compared to boys. Maths selfconcept is significantly associated with spatial anxiety and perceived difficulty, while gender is not. Maths self-concept shows marginal effects on students' accuracy on the MRT, with evidence of a mediating effect of spatial anxiety. Discussion: These findings underscore the importance of maths self-concept in shaping STEM preferences, particularly among girls and tweens. Additionally, maths self-concept serves as a mitigating factor for spatial anxiety and perceived difficulty in spatial tasks among primary school children. The study also suggests that spatial anxiety may contribute to gender disparities in mathematics and STEM-related domains. Further research is needed to explore interventions targeting maths self-concept and spatial anxiety to promote equitable STEM engagement amongst primary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to generate localized knowledge by investigating the perceptions and experiences of preadolescent grandchildren and grandparents regarding grandparenting and intergenerational interactions and how these processes were related to the social skills of preadolescents from three ethnic groups in Malaysia. Using a concurrent quantitative–qualitative mixed method research design, Chinese, Malay, and Indian preadolescents (N = 465; ages 9–12 years old; M = 10.27 years; SD = 1.03) from rural areas in Malaysia completed a self‐administered quantitative survey; furthermore, 25 grandparents participated in one‐on‐one interviews. Survey findings showed that preadolescent grandchildren who reported higher grandparental warmth and support had greater social skills, mediated by positive grandparent–grandchildren (GP–GC) relationships. The GP–GC relationship and preadolescent social skills association was stronger for skipped generation compared to three‐generation households. Interview findings revealed that grandparents expressed unconditional love and autonomy support in their grandparenting roles by guiding and encouraging their preadolescent grandchildren to make decisions. The GP–GC interactions served as a dynamic force in promoting preadolescents' social skills. By employing a decolonized approach and drawing on the lived experiences of grandparents from three ethnic backgrounds in rural Malaysia, the study provided an understanding of grandparenting practices and their general implications across the three ethnic groups. The interview responses highlighted both commonalities and specificities in grandparenting practices and relationship dynamics shaped by religious, class, and sociocultural dimensions in rural Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and their caregivers endorse high diabetes distress (DD). Limited studies have documented the impact of DD on Black youth. The aims of the present study were to (1) describe DD among a sample of Black adolescents with T1D and their caregivers, (2) compare their DD levels with published normative samples, and (3) determine how DD relates to glycemic outcomes, diabetes self-management, parental monitoring of diabetes, and youth depressive symptoms. Methods Baseline data from a multicenter clinical trial were used. Participants (N  = 155) were recruited from 7 Midwestern pediatric diabetes clinics. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and measures of DD, parental monitoring of diabetes care, youth depression and diabetes management behaviors were obtained. The sample was split into (1) adolescents (ages 13–14; N  = 95) and (2) preadolescents (ages 10–12; N  = 60). Analyses utilized Cohen's d effect sizes, Pearson correlations, t -tests, and multiple regression. Results DD levels in youth and caregivers were high, with 45%–58% exceeding either clinical cutoff scores or validation study sample means. Higher DD in youth and caregivers was associated with higher HbA1c, lower diabetes self-management, and elevated depressive symptoms, but not with parental monitoring of diabetes management. Conclusions Screening for DD in Black youth with T1D and caregivers is recommended, as are culturally informed interventions that can reduce distress levels and lead to improved health outcomes. More research is needed on how systemic inequities contribute to higher DD in Black youth and the strategies/policy changes needed to reduce these inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social exclusion, a pervasive and impactful phenomenon particularly prominent during preadolescence, has traditionally been construed through a moral deficiency lens. This study departs from prevailing research trends, casting a novel light on the phenomenon in the context of normative moral development. It elucidates the role of social exclusion in shaping moral growth during the preadolescence period. Through a series of 12 focus group discussions involving 140 children, this study unveils a nuanced perspective. Most participants perceived social exclusion as a requisite mechanism safeguarding group cohesion against uncooperative individuals, whose actions could impede the crystallization of distinct social norms. This article highlights how preadolescents apply social exclusion to those who have yet to transitioned from a juvenile moral stance characterized by dependence on authority figures to a more sophisticated, adaptable moral outlook factoring into social contexts when making decisions. Beyond its theoretical contributions to the moral development discourse, this study offers implications for identifying children prone to social exclusion and suggests innovative avenues for devising intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning (ML) has been widely used to predict suicidal ideation (SI) in adolescents and adults. Nevertheless, studies of accurate and efficient models of SI prediction with preadolescent children are still needed because SI is surprisingly prevalent during the transition into adolescence. This study aimed to explore the potential of ML models to predict SI among preadolescent children. A total of 4691 Chinese children (54.89 % boys, M age = 10.92 at baseline) and their parents completed relevant measures at baseline and the children provided 6-month follow-up data for SI. The current study compared four ML models: Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), to predict SI and to identify variables with predictive value based on the best-performing model among Chinese preadolescent children. The RF model achieved the highest discriminant performance with an AUC of 0.92, accuracy of 0.93 (balanced accuracy = 0.88). The factors of internalizing problems, externalizing problems, neuroticism, childhood maltreatment, and subjective well-being in school demonstrated the highest values in predicting SI. The findings of this study suggested that ML models based on the observation and assessment of children's general characteristics and experiences in everyday life can serve as convenient screening and evaluation tools for suicide risk assessment among Chinese preadolescent children. The findings also provide insights for early intervention. • This study employed machine learning models for prediction of suicidal ideation among preadolescent children. • The random forest model achieved the highest discriminant performance with an AUC of 0.92, accuracy of 0.93. • Key predictors: internalizing/externalizing problems, neuroticism, childhood maltreatment, and subjective well-being in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

YouTube unboxing videos have become a popular genre among youth, and hosts often receive financial or other incentives for showcasing products. Although sponsored relationships must be explicitly disclosed per legal regulations, not all videos comply. This study assesses US tweens' reactions to unboxing videos with varying cues of a sponsored relationship between the host and product manufacturer, using a 3 (sponsored; non-sponsored; sponsorship unaddressed cue) x 2 (advertising training; no advertising training) randomized experimental design. The sample consisted of 215 tweens between ages 8–13 years. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to watch an advertising literacy training video before the unboxing video. Tweens detect a higher selling intent within the sponsored video (relative to the non-sponsored video), only after viewing the advertising literacy training video. The training video enhances the positive relationship between perceived informative intent and purchase intention, while weakening the positive relationship between perceived selling intent and purchase intention. Findings suggest tweens may have a unique mental schema for unboxing-style online videos which is a hybrid of informational and advertisement. Brief training videos could be used on video streaming platforms to develop and cue tweens' advertising literacy. Children's advertising literacy develops with age, but identifying native forms of online advertising is especially difficult. Tweens need cues to apply advertising literacy skills. Displaying sponsorship disclosures has shown mixed success at activating their advertising knowledge in online advertising contexts. Tweens differentiate selling intent between sponsored and non-sponsored unboxing videos only after prior training. The training does not help them detect selling intent in videos without sponsorship disclosures, or reduce tweens' perceptions of the informative intent of sponsored content. Embedding advertising literacy training videos within YouTube could help counter vulnerability to native advertising. Advertising literacy training content may need to closely match persuasive tactics within sponsored content, as tweens did not generalize concepts from the training video. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the widespread adoption of social media has immersed users in content dominated by conventional beauty ideals and the relentless pursuit of perfection. This pervasive influence has significantly altered the perceptual landscape for young individuals, particularly pre-adolescents and adolescents, shaping their self-evaluations and contributing to distorted notions of beauty. The virtual realm, saturated with carefully curated and idealized images promoting unattainable beauty standards, has intensified concerns about body image. This study aims to comprehensively examine the intricate interplay between social media use and the body image of preadolescents and adolescents. Through a meticulous systematic review of 16 studies, a consistent consensus emerges, highlighting a noteworthy correlation between key variables such as the duration of social media usage, problematic engagement patterns, specific activities within these platforms, and heightened levels of body dissatisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Method Results Conclusions Young children involved in the child welfare system (CWS) are at high risk for suicidal ideation (SI) at a time when overall rates of suicide death in this age group are rising. Yet risk factors for and changes in SI over time are poorly understood in this population.We combined data from two large representative longitudinal studies of children involved in the United States CWS. We examined patterns of SI among children who were between ages 7 and 12 years at the initial survey wave (N = 2,186), assessed at three waves using a measure of SI in the past 2 weeks. We conducted a multinomial regression to understand the baseline demographic, child maltreatment, and mental health characteristics that distinguish the trajectories.There were eight different subgroups (Non‐Ideators, Late Ideators, Boomerang Ideators, Delayed Ideators, Desisters, Boomerang Non‐Ideators, Late Desisters, and Persisters). Differences in race, type of maltreatment, sex, and mental health symptoms were identified when comparing Persisters (SI at all three waves) to other groups.These findings can help researchers and practitioners to develop strategies for better identifying CWS‐involved children who are in greatest need of suicide risk monitoring and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper explores the integration of technology and virtual spaces into preadolescents' lives, blurring the boundaries between the digital and physical worlds. It emphasises the profound implications of this integration on various aspects, including perception, reality, and interactions. The younger generations, deeply immersed in this reality, experience a transformation in their perception of the world, well-being, identity, and selfhood due to technology's pervasive influence. The fusion of online and offline experiences gives rise to a new form of existence, shaping a hybrid identity that can be manipulated and reconstructed in the virtual realm. However, this fluidity and transience of virtual life also pose risks and challenges to personal identity and societal ruptures. Educators face the dual challenge of effectively integrating technology into education while understanding its impact on the new generations. Social media usage influences the interlink between body and identity processes, challenging traditional notions of embodiment and raising questions about the malleability and multiplicity of identities in technologically mediated spaces. The proposed reflections seek to provide valuable guidance for educators in navigating this complex digital reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and idiopathic short stature (ISS) are the most common types of short stature (SS), but little is known about their pathogenesis, and even less is known about the study of adolescent SS. In this study, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic analysis combined with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were performed to identify the biomarkers of different types of SS (including 94 preadolescent GHD (PAG), 61 preadolescent ISS (PAI), 43 adolescent GHD (ADG), and 19 adolescent ISS (ADI)), and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was further used to evaluate the predictive power of potential biomarkers. The results showed that fourteen, eleven, nine, and fifteen metabolites were identified as the potential biomarkers of PAG, PAI, ADG, and ADI compared with their corresponding controls, respectively. The disturbed metabolic pathways in preadolescent SS were mainly carbohydrate metabolism and lipid metabolism, while disorders of amino acid metabolism played an important role in adolescent SS. The combination of aspartate, ethanolamine, phosphocholine, and trimethylamine was screened out to identify PAI from PAG, and alanine, histidine, isobutyrate, methanol, and phosphocholine gave a high classification accuracy for ADI and ADC. The differences in metabolic characteristics between GHD and ISS in preadolescents and adolescents will contribute to the development of individualized clinical treatments in short stature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric disorders in youths and emerge during childhood. This is also a period of rapid white matter (WM) development, which is critical for efficient neuronal communication. Previous work in preadolescent children with anxiety disorders demonstrated anxiety disorder–related reductions in WM microstructural integrity (fractional anisotropy [FA]) in the uncinate fasciculus (UF), the major WM tract facilitating prefrontal cortical–limbic structural connectivity. Importantly, this association was found only in boys with anxiety disorders. To confirm this finding and more comprehensively understand WM changes in childhood anxiety, this mega-analytic study characterizes WM alterations related to anxiety disorders and sex in the largest sample of preadolescent children to date. Diffusion tensor imaging data from published studies of preadolescent children with anxiety disorders and healthy volunteers (ages 8–12) (N=198) were combined with a new data set (N=97) for a total sample of 165 children with anxiety disorders and 132 healthy volunteers. Children with anxiety disorders met DSM-5 criteria for current generalized, separation, and/or social anxiety disorder. Analyses of tractography and voxel-wise data assessed between-group differences (anxiety disorder vs. healthy volunteer), effects of sex, and their interaction. Tract-based and voxel-wise analyses confirmed a significant reduction in UF FA in boys but not girls with anxiety disorders. Results also demonstrated other significant widespread anxiety disorder–related WM alterations specifically in boys, including in multiple commissural, association, projection, and brainstem regions. In addition to confirming male-specific anxiety disorder–related reductions in UF FA, the results demonstrate that anxiety disorders in boys and not girls are associated with broadly distributed WM alterations across the brain. These findings support further studies focused on understanding the extent to which WM alterations in boys with anxiety disorders are involved in pathophysiological processes that mediate anxiety disorders. The findings also suggest the possibility that WM microarchitecture could serve as a novel treatment target for childhood anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By relying on diverse scholarly works within several fields – such as communication, cultural, feminist media, film and tweenhood studies – on the one hand, and conducting audience research with Hungarian informants on the other, this interdisciplinary study, as part of a bigger project, examines Hungarian tweenagers' negotiation of gender. It does so by investigating the concept of 'the' princess, including but not limited to Disney Princesses, while offering unique contributions on both theoretical and methodological levels. Theoretically, it shines a light on the limitations of applying Western, post-feminist, liberal theories in a non-Western, post-socialist and 'illiberal' environment, and it discusses complexities of the Princess Phenomenon which have been overlooked in academia. From a methodological perspective, it presents innovative short-term ethnographic approaches, specifically in terms of conducting a gender-centred audience study with young people in an anti-gender milieu. To achieve these objectives, this work first introduces the historical, social and political contexts in contemporary Hungary. This is followed by a discussion of the theoretical and methodological approaches which it was necessary to consider before undertaking the fieldwork in Hungary. The article then analyses Hungarian children's notions of gender by discussing their ideas about 'the' princess as a concept. Finally, as a summary, this study outlines its contributions to diverse academic disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between temperament—i.e., negative affectivity (NA) and effortful control (EC)—and depression in preadolescents, considering emotion regulation (ER) strategies as mediating mechanisms in this relationship. We examined data from 535 children aged 8–12 years (M ± SD = 10.01 ± 1.42) who completed self-report measures related to NA, EC, ER strategies, depressive symptoms, and depressive mood. The results demonstrated that NA was significantly positively related to both depressive symptoms and depressive mood, while EC was significantly negatively related to both depressive symptoms and depressive mood. The structural equation model of latent variable analysis showed that cognitive reappraisal mediated the relationship between NA and depressive symptoms and depressive mood. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal was also identified as a mediator of the association between EC and depressive symptoms and depressive mood. However, expressive suppression only mediated the relationship between NA and depressive symptoms. Interventions aimed at ER strategies would be an effective program for preadolescents with depression and further improve preadolescents' social-emotional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Physical literacy (PL) is theorized to be an important determinant of physical fitness (PF) and physical activity levels (PALs), but studies have rarely examined possible correlations between PL, PF, and PAL in preadolescent children. This study aimed to evaluate age-specific and gender-specific correlations between the affective and cognitive domains of PL (PLAC), PF, and PAL in preadolescents. Additionally, the test–retest reliability of the applied PF tests was examined. The participants were 107 children (9 to 11 years of age; 53 girls). Apart from gender and school age (third graders, fourth graders), the variables included PLAC, PAL, and PF. PF was evaluated by anthropometrics and body composition indices, sit-ups, push-ups, PACER tests, torso lifts, and broad jump. PLAC was evaluated using the PLAYself questionnaire, and the PAQ-C was used to evaluate PAL. The test–retest reliability of the PF tests was appropriate to high (ICC: 0.65–0.91). Analyses showed nonsignificant associations between PLAC and PAL in both genders and age groups. PAL was significantly correlated with PL in girls (low correlation) and fourth graders (moderate correlation). The nonsignificant associations between PLAC and PF could be a consequence of the influence of biological maturity on PF in this age group. The correlation between PAL and PLAC can be explained by the differences in physical activity habits between genders and age groups, with participation in structured physical activities (organized sports and physical education) being the most important source of PAL in girls and older children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Italian Journal of Health Education, Sport & Inclusive Didactics is the property of Edizioni Universitarie Romane and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Surgical treatment of irreducible distal radius diaphyseal- metaphyseal junction fractures involves difficulties as the fracture remains too proximal for K-wire fixation and too distal for the elastic stable intramedullary nail. Our study aims to present the clinical results of applying an elastic stable intramedullary nail with a poller K-wire to achieve both reduction and stable fixation. Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 26 patients who underwent ESIN with a poller K-wire for distal radius diaphyseal-metaphyseal region fracture. Reduction parameters such as residual angulation and alignment were evaluated on postoperative follow-up radiographs. Changes in angular and alignment parameters on follow-up radiographs were recorded. Wrist and forearm functions were evaluated at the last follow-up. Result: There were 17 male and nine female patients with an average age of 10.9. The residual angulation in coronal and sagittal planes on immediate postoperative radiographs was 4.0 ± 1.62° and 3.0 ± 1.26°, respectively. The mean translation rate on immediate postoperative radiographs was 6.0 ± 1.98% and 5.0 ± 2.02% in the coronal and sagittal planes, respectively. No change was observed in translation rates in the last follow-ups. The mean angulation in the coronal and sagittal planes measured on 6th-week radiographs was 4.0 ± 1.72°and 3.0 ± 1.16°, respectively. No significant difference was observed in angular changes in the sagittal and coronal planes at the last follow-up (p > 0.05). No tendon injury or neurovascular injury was observed in any of the patients. Conclusion: In the surgical treatment of pediatric DRDMJ fractures, applying ESIN with poller K-wire is an effective, safe, and novel method for achieving reduction and stable fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While psychopathology emerges during late childhood and becomes more evident during adolescence, limited research has examined the associations between personality types and the risk of clinical-level adaptation problems in preadolescents. This study identified personality types based on the five-factor model and evaluated the risk of clinical-level behavioral problems according to personality type. Participants consisted of 1,332 preadolescents (mean age = 11.356 years) from the Panel Study on Korean Children. Latent profile analyses were conducted to identify the personality types of preadolescents. The links between the personality types and the risk of clinical-level behavior problems were tested with multinominal logistic regressions. The participants were classified into four personality types: ordinary (42.3%), resilient (17.0%), undercontrollers (32.3%), and overcontrollers (8.5%). The overcontrollers had a greater risk of clinical-level total behavior problems when compared to the ordinary type. The undercontrollers demonstrated a greater risk of clinical-level external behavior problems as compared to the ordinary type. These findings highlight the potential usefulness of personality typology as a practical transdiagnostic tool for identifying preadolescents who may be at risk of experiencing clinical-level adaptation problems associated with specific personality types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few prevention investigations undergo testing of mechanistic hypotheses. To date, no published study has reported the processes underlying the effectiveness of a prevention program aimed at reducing social anxiety in a population-based sample of preadolescents. A parallel multiple mediator model was used to examine the mediation of outcomes from the Norwegian Universal Prevention Program for Social Anxiety (NUPP-SA) by five intermediary variables that well approximate established DSM-5 social anxiety disorder diagnostic criteria. The NUPP-SA works differently for preadolescents with subsyndromal versus syndromal social anxiety. Among the former, the NUPP-SA intervention works via public performance, avoidance, physical/cognitive, and assertiveness factors. For the latter, the NUPP-SA works via the public performance factor. The intervention did not work for either group via the social encounter factor. Universal prevention programs are essential for reducing the impacts of chronic disorders at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Introducing a universal prevention program in school settings requires validation, including these results demonstrating that the NUPP-SA affects both those with syndromal and subsyndromal social anxiety symptoms via public performance. These results support the notion that many children with subsyndromal social anxiety disorder can be impacted with adequate intervention, which is both feasible and, given the widespread problem with public speaking, suggests a target for universal implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We provide proof-of-principle for a mental health risk calculator advancing clinical utility of the irritability construct for identification of young children at high risk for common, early onsetting syndromes. Method: Data were harmonized from two longitudinal early childhood subsamples (total N = 403; 50.1% Male; 66.7% Nonwhite; Mage = 4.3 years). The independent subsamples were clinically enriched via disruptive behavior and violence (Subsample 1) and depression (Subsample 2). In longitudinal models, epidemiologic risk prediction methods for risk calculators were applied to test the utility of the transdiagnostic indicator, early childhood irritability, in the context of other developmental and social-ecological indicators to predict risk of internalizing/externalizing disorders at preadolescence (Mage = 9.9 years). Predictors were retained when they improved model discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] and integrated discrimination index [IDI]) beyond the base demographic model. Results: Compared to the base model, the addition of early childhood irritability and adverse childhood experiences significantly improved the AUC (0.765) and IDI slope (0.192). Overall, 23% of preschoolers went on to develop a preadolescent internalizing/externalizing disorder. For preschoolers with both elevated irritability and adverse childhood experiences, the likelihood of an internalizing/externalizing disorder was 39–66%. Conclusions: Predictive analytic tools enable personalized prediction of psychopathological risk for irritable young children, holding transformative potential for clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the concept of family language policy (FLP), this paper reports on how four Chinese–English interlingual families maintain the minority language of Chinese with their preteenager children in Australia. The study takes an integrative approach to explore both parents' and children's perspectives on language development. While highlighting the increasing role that preteenagers play in the maintenance of a minor heritage language, the findings reveal that successful language maintenance in interlingual families is influenced by many other interacting factors, like language practice, attitude and support from each parent, language status, and the role of community schools. The study has clear implications for bilingual parenting and heritage language education in terms of the importance of a consistent FLP, preteenagers' self-efficacy, and actual language use in language maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Identification of clinically significant irritability in preschool age is important to implement effective interventions. However, varying informant and measurement methods display distinct patterns. These patterns are associated with concurrent and future mental health concerns. Patterns across multi‐informant methods in early‐childhood irritability may have clinical utility, identifying risk for impaired psychosocial functioning. Methods: Using data from the Multidimensional Assessment of Preschoolers Study (N = 425), latent profile analysis identified irritability patterns through the parent‐reported Multidimensional Assessment Profile Scales–Temper Loss (MAPS‐TL), parent‐reported interviewer‐rated Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA), and observer‐rated Disruptive Behavior Diagnostic Observation Schedule (DB‐DOS). These profiles were characterized on protective factors, global functioning, and mental health syndromes, concurrently and at early school age and preadolescent follow‐up. Results: Fit indices favored a five‐class model: Low All, High Observation with Examiner (high DB‐DOS Examiner Context), High All, High Parent Report (high MAPS‐TL/PAPA), and Very High Parent Report (very high MAPS‐TL/PAPA). Whereas Low All and High Observation with Examiner exhibited strong psychosocial functioning, remaining profiles showed impaired psychosocial functioning, with the Very High Parent Report group showing higher impairment at follow‐ups, ds = 0.37–1.25. Conclusions: Multi‐informant measurements of irritability may have utility for clinical prediction, and future studies should test utility for diagnostic precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Anticipatory anxiety and heightened responses to uncertainty are central features of anxiety disorders (ADs) that contribute to clinical impairment. Anxiety symptoms typically emerge during childhood, and even subthreshold‐AD symptoms are associated with distress and risk for future psychopathology. This study compared facial emotional response to threat and uncertainty between preadolescent girls with ADs, girls with subthreshold‐AD symptoms, and controls. Methods: Facial emotional responding was characterized in preadolescent girls (age 8–11) with a range of anxiety symptoms: no/low anxiety (controls, n = 41), subthreshold‐AD (n = 73), and DSM‐5 diagnoses of separation, social, and/or generalized ADs (n = 45). A threat anticipation paradigm examined how image valence (negative/neutral) and image anticipation (uncertain/certain timing) impacted activity of the corrugator supercilii, a forehead muscle implicated in the "frown" response that is modulated by emotional stimuli (negative > neutral). Corrugator magnitude and corrugator timecourse were compared between groups. Results: Findings demonstrate greater corrugator activity during anticipation and viewing of negative stimuli, as well as increased corrugator reactivity in subthreshold‐AD and AD girls. Timecourse analyses of negative versus neutral stimuli revealed that AD and subthreshold‐AD girls had greater uncertainty‐related increases in corrugator activity compared to controls. Conclusion: Results extend the physiological characterization of childhood pathological anxiety, highlighting the impact of subthreshold‐AD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon a longitudinal study tracking a group of Jewish children from the start of elementary school (ages 5–6) through the end of middle school (ages 13–14), this article examines how young Jews develop an initial understanding of Israeli politics. It outlines four distinct stages in the development of political understanding. First, in early elementary school, children develop an awareness of civic issues at a stage that might be understood as pre-political. Second, in the upper elementary grades, children develop new knowledge of political issues and political leaders in the USA, but their understanding of the parallels in Israel often lags behind their developmental capacities for understanding political systems. Next, in the transition from late childhood to early adolescence, this gap in children's understanding begins to narrow as tweens and young teens begin to make sense of politics in Israel and politics about Israel in the USA. Fourth, as children near the end of middle school, many begin to understand the ways that their own personal decisions can also be political, especially as they attempt to navigate how Israel functions in online, often hostile discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the quali-quantitative research, conducted in the spring of 2021 (still during the ongoing Covid-19 emergency), was to analyze the relationship between the expectations towards future life of 260 preadolescents aged 10-12 from two cities in the Emilia-Romagna region (the capital, Bologna, and Parma) and the influence that media contents can have on it, with a particular focus on social media. The main research hypothesis was to consider that the dreams of preadolescents reflect the culture of the contemporary society to which they belong. Specifically, the prevailing values and lifestyles characterizing their subculture were observed (they belong to the so-called Generation Z, a hyper-connected generation). Another interesting aspect of this research was the possibility of comparing the results with those of a similar study on preadolescents imaginary conducted in 1995, involving 590 boys and girls from Milan and Bologna (belonging to the Millennial generation) to observe the social and cultural macro-changes in Italian society over the last decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was investigated whether test anxiety (TA), mathematics anxiety (MA), and reading anxiety (RA) can be traced back to some type of general academic anxiety or whether these are separable. A total of 776 fifth graders (Mage = 10.9 years) completed questionnaires on TA, MA, and RA, as well as a mathematics test. Also, mathematics and reading performance results from the National Tracking System were requested. The sample was randomly split into two halves. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a three-factor model (factors: TA, MA, RA) had superior model fit compared with a one-factor model (factor: "Academic anxiety"), in both halves. The resulting anxiety factors were related to math performance measures using structural equation models. A scarcity of data on reading performance prevented the analysis of links between anxiety and reading performance. Anxiety–math performance relations were stronger for MA than for TA and MA. We concluded that TA, MA, and RA are separable constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We explore how parental health and stress shape the rearing of preteen children in the rural Ozark Mountains. Background: Identifying concerns that impact preteen parents' health and stress levels may facilitate understanding ways to promote resilience and happiness for families in underserved rural communities. Methods: Using an interpretive phenomenological approach grounded in Lazarus's stress and coping paradigm, the current qualitative study used semistructured interviews with 20 White parents in the rural area of the Ozark Mountains who had at least one child born between 2008–2011. Results: Study participants' stories revealed that stressors related to parenting preteen children were rooted in stress from mental health or indirectly tied to social roles, such as occupational stress or financial constraints. Conclusion: Interventions and tools need to be developed that are specific to the culture of rural areas and that focus on families as an essential part of developing resilience and happiness and mitigating the adverse effects of stress. Implications: Interventions focused on families need to include diverse social factors that impact family resilience and happiness and include education to increase health literacy, family supports related to improving connections between parents and their preteen children, family tax credits to reduce hardships for parents, a tool for screening parents for stress, and expansion of telehealth opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental associations that children have with the natural environment can be referred to as their natural representations. These representations encompass a blend of shared consensus and individual differences, playing a pivotal role in shaping human relationships with nature and influencing attitudes and behaviours. However, comprehending children's natural representations, particularly among preadolescents with limited verbal narrative abilities, remains a challenge.To address this challenge, we conducted a study employing a draw‐and‐write task and a questionnaire survey. Our investigation aimed to understand how the level of nature experiences and demographic variables affects the multidimensional representations of nature among preadolescents (aged 9–12) in China. Specifically, we examined the impacts of direct, indirect and vicarious nature experiences on their natural representations. These representations included dimensions such as the level of wildness, cognitive complexity, extent of elaboration, expression of emotion and representation style. These dimensions were based on literature review and supported by empirical data collected from children's drawings.Our findings showed that children's drawings of nature not only share similarities but also display significant variations. Most of their drawings include natural components, such as living and non‐living elements, while a notable proportion of drawings depicts human activities. Interestingly, we observed notable differences in the level of wildness, elaboration and representation style among preadolescents from different regions. Additionally, we found that vicarious nature experiences have a significant positive impact on the cognitive complexity, extent of elaboration and positive emotional expression in children's drawings, while direct nature experiences also have a weaker but still significant positive effect on the elaboration. Moreover, female students exhibit greater proficiency in these three aspects compared to their male counterparts.The study highlights the significance of the surrounding environment and nature experiences, especially vicarious nature experience, in shaping the natural representations of preadolescents. Using draw‐and‐write mapping is recommended as a valuable approach to understanding the children's mental representations of the natural environment. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concurrent global events such as political changes, natural disasters, climatic changes, protests, wars, and pandemics are factors that help with defining a generation. What are the characteristics of Generation Z and what are the problems its members face? Preadolescence is a period during which individuals strongly feel the need to reflect deeply on what is happening to them. Several questions arise: “Who am I? Am I a normal person? Am I a competent person? Am I worthy of being loved?” 191; “How do I manage my emotions (e.g. fear, anger, and sadness)?”. Anxiety and depression disorders are two of the most common issues that arise during adolescence. The project ZETgeneration - Smile, Empathy, Therapy aims to facilitate access to culture for generation Z preadolescents affected by depression disorders, with the help of art and therapy. This is achieved through four contemporary art productions based on interviews and questionnaires conducted with 300 children from Iași. This article, an interdisciplinary perspective between art, education and mental health, explores how cinema, theater, and art therapy can prevent depression and encourage conversations between adults and children on topics related to mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed at examining the transactional effects between parental styles and adolescent externalizing problems. The total sample included 868 students, 410 preadolescents (Mage = 10.63, SD = 0.63) attending the last two grades of elementary school and 458 early adolescents (Mage = 12.65, SD = 0.67) attending the first two grades of high school. Participating schools (N = 15) were purposefully selected to be diverse in terms of urban/rural residence of families they serve, as well as their socioeconomic status, and came from three different Districts of Cyprus. In terms of gender, 451 (52.0%) were girls and 410 (47.5%) were boys. The self‐report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire was used for measuring externalizing problems and the Parental Authority Questionnaire was used for measuring parental style. A short‐term longitudinal design was used, with the data collected at two points in time having 5‐month intervals. By means of a cross‐lagged model, and in contrast to prior studies claiming that certain parental styles influence positively or negatively externalizing problems, the current study found that the opposite effect is true. That is, externalizing problems affected positively authoritarian parenting and negative authoritative style. Also, a multigroup analysis revealed that age/developmental phase moderated these relationships. Specifically, T1 authoritarian parenting seemed to be a risk factor for preadolescents, but not for adolescents. Practitioner Points: Even though both parenting and child effects were found, adolescent externalizing problems were the most important influencing variable.Authoritarian parenting was found to be a risk factor for preadolescents, but not for older adolescents.The externalizing behavior of the adolescent and his or her parents' rearing style reciprocally predicted each other over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]