<p>Рад је настао као резултат теоријског и ем-<br />пиријског истраживања ефекта похађања<br />предшколског програма у Републици Срп-<br />ској на учење и развој дјеце предшколског<br />узраста.<br />У теоријском дијелу разматрају се питања о<br />предшколском програму као основи инсти-<br />туционалног предшколског васпитања и об-<br />разовања, о појмовном разграничењу појмо-<br />ва програм и курикулум, (о одређењу) тради-<br />ционалног наспрам савременог предшкол-<br />ског програма/курикулума, систему пред-<br />школског васпитања и образовања у Репу-<br />блици Српској, као и о односу програма и<br />васпитне праксе. Такође, посматрана су и<br />питања која се односе на рано учење, почев<br />од тога шта је рано учење и како га дефини-<br />сати, преко схватања о раном учењу кроз<br />историју, карактеристика раног учења, одно-<br />са раног учења и васпитања, те друштвене<br />парадигме раног васпитања, као и питања<br />која се односе на везу дјечје активности,<br />игре и раног учења, па све до значаја и кори-<br />сти од раног учења за појединца и друштво.<br />У дијелу рада који се односи на емпиријски<br />приступ проблему истраживања приказани<br />су резултати истраживања и налази добијени<br />испитивањем међузависности похађања про-<br />грама предшколског васпитања и образова-<br />ња и развоја предшколске дјеце посматраног<br />кроз физички, социо-емоционални, интелек-<br />туални развој и развој говора, комуникације<br />и стваралаштва.<br />Истраживање се темељи на хипотези да из-<br />међу похађања предшколског програма и ра-<br />ног учења постоји значајна и изражена међу-<br />зависност. Другим ријечима, истраживањем<br />смо хтјели утврдити да ли похађање пред-<br />школског програма детерминише рано уче-<br />ње код дјеце. Постављени циљеви и задаци истраживања</p><p>реализовани су, како смо већ рекли, кроз те-<br />оријско истраживање, али и кроз емпиријско<br />неекспериментално истраживање, примје-<br />ном инструмената који су конструисани за<br />потребе овог рада. Први инструмент односи<br />се на утврђивање испољености развојних<br />аспеката дјеце, док се други инструмент од-<br />носи на прикупљање података о односу по-<br />родичних прилика и развојних аспеката дје-<br />це. Први инструмент био је намијењен учи-<br />тељима, а други родитељима.<br />Узорак је обухватио 1.439 дјеце која су кре-<br />нула у први разред (шест година), и то: дјецу<br />која су похађала неку предшколску установу<br />и дјецу која нису похађала предшколску<br />установу нити су била укључена у неки об-<br />лик предшколског васпитања и образовања.<br />Исто тако, у истраживању су учествовали и<br />родитељи испитиване дјеце, од којих смо до-<br />били податке о социјалном статусу породице<br />дјетета и њиховој посвећености родитељ-<br />ству.<br />Резултати које смо добили дијелом су потвр-<br />дили хипотезе које смо поставили, а тиме<br />нас и усмјерили на додатна размишљања о<br />ефектима похађања предшколског програма<br />на све аспекте развоја, понајвише на социо-<br />емоционални развој, јер је овај аспект разво-<br />ја високо развијен код обје групе дјеце: која<br />су похађала предшколски програм и која га<br />нису похађала.</p> / <p>Rad je nastao kao rezultat teorijskog i em-<br />pirijskog istraživanja efekta pohađanja<br />predškolskog programa u Republici Srp-<br />skoj na učenje i razvoj djece predškolskog<br />uzrasta.<br />U teorijskom dijelu razmatraju se pitanja o<br />predškolskom programu kao osnovi insti-<br />tucionalnog predškolskog vaspitanja i ob-<br />razovanja, o pojmovnom razgraničenju pojmo-<br />va program i kurikulum, (o određenju) tradi-<br />cionalnog naspram savremenog predškol-<br />skog programa/kurikuluma, sistemu pred-<br />školskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja u Repu-<br />blici Srpskoj, kao i o odnosu programa i<br />vaspitne prakse. Takođe, posmatrana su i<br />pitanja koja se odnose na rano učenje, počev<br />od toga šta je rano učenje i kako ga defini-<br />sati, preko shvatanja o ranom učenju kroz<br />istoriju, karakteristika ranog učenja, odno-<br />sa ranog učenja i vaspitanja, te društvene<br />paradigme ranog vaspitanja, kao i pitanja<br />koja se odnose na vezu dječje aktivnosti,<br />igre i ranog učenja, pa sve do značaja i kori-<br />sti od ranog učenja za pojedinca i društvo.<br />U dijelu rada koji se odnosi na empirijski<br />pristup problemu istraživanja prikazani<br />su rezultati istraživanja i nalazi dobijeni<br />ispitivanjem međuzavisnosti pohađanja pro-<br />grama predškolskog vaspitanja i obrazova-<br />nja i razvoja predškolske djece posmatranog<br />kroz fizički, socio-emocionalni, intelek-<br />tualni razvoj i razvoj govora, komunikacije<br />i stvaralaštva.<br />Istraživanje se temelji na hipotezi da iz-<br />među pohađanja predškolskog programa i ra-<br />nog učenja postoji značajna i izražena među-<br />zavisnost. Drugim riječima, istraživanjem<br />smo htjeli utvrditi da li pohađanje pred-<br />školskog programa determiniše rano uče-<br />nje kod djece. Postavljeni ciljevi i zadaci istraživanja</p><p>realizovani su, kako smo već rekli, kroz te-<br />orijsko istraživanje, ali i kroz empirijsko<br />neeksperimentalno istraživanje, primje-<br />nom instrumenata koji su konstruisani za<br />potrebe ovog rada. Prvi instrument odnosi<br />se na utvrđivanje ispoljenosti razvojnih<br />aspekata djece, dok se drugi instrument od-<br />nosi na prikupljanje podataka o odnosu po-<br />rodičnih prilika i razvojnih aspekata dje-<br />ce. Prvi instrument bio je namijenjen uči-<br />teljima, a drugi roditeljima.<br />Uzorak je obuhvatio 1.439 djece koja su kre-<br />nula u prvi razred (šest godina), i to: djecu<br />koja su pohađala neku predškolsku ustanovu<br />i djecu koja nisu pohađala predškolsku<br />ustanovu niti su bila uključena u neki ob-<br />lik predškolskog vaspitanja i obrazovanja.<br />Isto tako, u istraživanju su učestvovali i<br />roditelji ispitivane djece, od kojih smo do-<br />bili podatke o socijalnom statusu porodice<br />djeteta i njihovoj posvećenosti roditelj-<br />stvu.<br />Rezultati koje smo dobili dijelom su potvr-<br />dili hipoteze koje smo postavili, a time<br />nas i usmjerili na dodatna razmišljanja o<br />efektima pohađanja predškolskog programa<br />na sve aspekte razvoja, ponajviše na socio-<br />emocionalni razvoj, jer je ovaj aspekt razvo-<br />ja visoko razvijen kod obje grupe djece: koja<br />su pohađala predškolski program i koja ga<br />nisu pohađala.</p> / <p>In search of the new answers to already known<br />questions concerned with discovering the causes<br />of different development of certain abilities in<br />children, this study ideas are focused on the interdependence<br />of stimulating learning environment<br />and early learning for children. This study<br />is a result of theoretical and empirical research<br />of the effect of attending preschool programme<br />in Republic of Srpska on learning and development<br />of children of preschool age.<br />The theoretical part investigates questions on<br />preschool programme as the foundation of institutional<br />preschool education, concept delimitation<br />of programme and curriculum, (definition<br />of) traditional versus contemporary preschool<br />programme/curriculum, system of preschool<br />education in Republic of Srpska, as well as questions<br />about relationship between children&rsquo;s activities,<br />play and early learning. Furthermore,<br />this paper investigates questions related to early<br />learning, starting from the notion of early learning<br />and how to define it, the understanding of<br />early learning throughout history, early learning<br />characteristics, the relationship of early learning<br />and education as well as social paradigm of<br />early education, questions related to the relationship<br />between children&rsquo;s activities, play and<br />early learning, to the importance and benefits of<br />early learning for an individual and a society.<br />A part of the study related to the empirical approach<br />to the research topic presents the research<br />results and findings obtained by examination<br />of the interdependence of attending the<br />preschool education and development of<br />preschool children, observed through physical<br />and socio-emotional development and development<br />of speech, communication and creativity.<br />This study is based on the hypothesis that there<br />is a significant and profound interdependence<br />between attending a preschool programme and<br />13<br />early learning. In other words, our intention was<br />to establish whether attending a preschool programme<br />determines early learning for children.<br />As mentioned before, the established research<br />goals and objectives have been accomplished<br />through theoretical research but also through<br />non-experimental empirical research, using instruments<br />constructed for this study. First instrument<br />refers to the expression of developmental<br />aspects of children while the second instrument<br />refers to data collection on relationship<br />between family context and developmental<br />aspects of children. First instrument was intended<br />for teachers and second one for parents.<br />The sample included 1 439 children who started<br />first grade (6 years) as follows: children who attended<br />a preschool institution and children who<br />did not attend preschool institutions nor were<br />involved in any form of preschool education.<br />Furthermore, the research included children&rsquo;s<br />parents who provided the information on child&rsquo;s<br />family social status and their own devotion to<br />parenthood.<br />The results obtained have partly confirmed the<br />hypothesis set and therefore directed us to further<br />reflection on the effects of attending a preschool<br />program on all aspects of development,<br />especially socio-emotional development since<br />this aspect is highly developed with both groups<br />of children: those who attended a preschoolprogramme and those who did not.</p>

Kwok Man Ki. / Accompanying CD-ROM entitled: DRAGON program 2005. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-203). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; appendices also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Abstract (Chinese version) --- p.iii / Acknowledgement --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vi / List of tables --- p.xi / List of figures --- p.xviii / Presentations --- p.xix / Chapter Chapter one: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Hong Kong preschoolers' nutritional health situation --- p.1 / Chapter (I) --- Breastfeeding & complementary feeding practices --- p.1 / Chapter (II) --- "Diet, mealtime and physical activity patterns" --- p.3 / Chapter (III) --- Weight status --- p.6 / Health risk factors accumulated up to preschool age --- p.8 / Childhood Obesity Prevention: School-based intervention --- p.12 / Chapter (I) --- Primary obesity prevention and health promoting schools --- p.12 / Chapter (II) --- Feasibility of health promotion initiatives in Hong Kong kindergartens --- p.14 / Chapter (III) --- Nutrition and physical activity intervention studies --- p.18 / Chapter (IV) --- Hong Kong kindergarten health initiative: DRAGON Program --- p.23 / Aim and scope of the DRAGON Program --- p.28 / Chapter Chapter two: --- Methodology --- p.30 / Kindergarten recruitment --- p.30 / Formative preparatory stage --- p.32 / Chapter (I) --- Teaching kit development --- p.32 / Chapter (II) --- Teaching kit pretesting --- p.33 / Chapter (III) --- Parents' focus group --- p.35 / Chapter (IV) --- Questionnaires development --- p.35 / Chapter (V) --- Ethics approval --- p.37 / Subject recruitment --- p.37 / Pre-intervention stage --- p.37 / Chapter (I) --- Anthropometric measurements --- p.37 / Chapter (II) --- Parental questionnaires --- p.38 / DRAGON Program implementation --- p.38 / Chapter (I) --- Preschoolers' health curriculum --- p.38 / Chapter (II) --- Pre-intervention data management and analysis --- p.39 / Chapter (III) --- Booster activities planning and implementation --- p.40 / Chapter (IV) --- Parents' newsletters --- p.42 / Post-intervention stage --- p.42 / Chapter Chapter three: --- Results --- p.46 / Enrollment and response rate --- p.46 / Between schools baseline comparison --- p.50 / Education vs. Control Schools baseline comparison --- p.53 / Chapter (I) --- Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics --- p.53 / Chapter (II) --- Children's dietary patterns --- p.60 / Chapter (III) --- "Regular meals, snack patterns and other mealtime behaviors" --- p.65 / Chapter (IV) --- Usual activity patterns --- p.67 / Chapter (V) --- Parents' health knowledge and preferred communication channels --- p.72 / Chapter (VI) --- Child's height and weight measurements --- p.77 / Chapter (VII) --- Factors associated with children's weight status --- p.79 / Chapter (VIII) --- "Associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and children's dietary, mealtime and activity patterns" --- p.81 / Process and outcome evaluations of the Dragon Program --- p.90 / Part a) 1st follow up after finishing all health curriculum --- p.90 / Chapter (I) --- Children's dietary patterns --- p.90 / Chapter (II) --- Mealtime behaviors --- p.95 / Chapter (III) --- Usual activity patterns --- p.99 / Chapter (IV) --- Health curriculum effectiveness evaluation by AM/PM sessions --- p.103 / Part b) 2nd follow up after finishing promotional activities --- p.107 / Chapter (I) --- Children's dietary patterns --- p.108 / Chapter (II) --- Mealtime behaviors --- p.116 / Chapter (III) --- Usual activity patterns --- p.122 / Between subgroups comparisons --- p.131 / Chapter (I) --- First follow up --- p.131 / Chapter (II) --- Second follow up --- p.132 / Parent Focus groups (baseline) --- p.136 / Chapter (I) --- Awareness of local adults' and preschoolers' health status --- p.136 / Chapter (II) --- Children's dietary habits and lifestyle --- p.137 / Chapter (III) --- Factors affecting their children's health behaviors --- p.139 / Parent Focus groups (booster activities) --- p.140 / Teachers´ةquestionnaires --- p.142 / Teachers after class assessment --- p.149 / Teachers´ة focus groups --- p.155 / Principals´ة Interviews --- p.157 / Chapter (I) --- Importance of creating healthy school environment --- p.157 / Chapter (II) --- Students' & teachers´ة performance in first half-year DRAGON Program --- p.158 / Chapter (III) --- Comments on implementing second half-year DRAGON Program --- p.160 / Chapter (IV) --- Recommendations for the development of the Program --- p.161 / Chapter Chapter four: --- Discussion --- p.163 / Implications of the findings --- p.164 / Chapter (I) --- Socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with preschoolers' diet and lifestyle at baseline --- p.164 / Chapter a) --- Association between SES and children´ةs dietary habits --- p.164 / Chapter b) --- Association between SES and children's weight status and their mealtime interactions with parents --- p.166 / Chapter c) --- "Association between children's weight status and their dietary mealtime, and activity patterns" --- p.167 / Chapter (II) --- Local preschool age children´ةs health situation --- p.170 / Chapter (III) --- Program Effectiveness assessment --- p.173 / Chapter a) --- After the implementation of the one-term health curriculum --- p.173 / Chapter b) --- After the implementation of health curriculum and promotional activities --- p.179 / Chapter (IV) --- Program acceptability and feasibility --- p.186 / Limitations --- p.189 / Recommendation for future preschool health program --- p.190 / Chapter Chapter five: --- Conclusion --- p.192 / References --- p.193 / Appendices --- p.204 / Chapter A1 --- School invitation letter with program briefing details (English version) --- p.204 / Chapter A2 --- School invitation letter with program briefing details (Chinese version) --- p.209 / Chapter B1 --- School background information (English version) --- p.213 / Chapter B2 --- School background information (Chinese version) --- p.217 / Chapter C1 --- DRAGON Program Teacher's Guide for nursery grade (Chinese version) --- p.221 / Chapter C2 --- DRAGON Program Teacher's Guide for lower level (Chinese version) --- p.244 / Chapter C3 --- DRAGON Program Teacher's Guide for upper level (Chinese version) --- p.269 / Chapter D1 --- Parents´ة focus group (Jan) (English version) --- p.297 / Chapter D2 --- Parents´ة focus group (Jan) (Chinese version) --- p.301 / Chapter E1 --- Teachers´ة self-administered questionnaires (English version) --- p.305 / Chapter E2 --- Teachers´ة self-administered questionnaires (Chinese version) --- p.324 / Chapter F1a --- Parents´ة self-administered questionnaires [baseline] (English version) --- p.344 / Chapter F1b --- Parents´ة self-administered questionnaires [1st follow up] (English version) --- p.349 / Chapter F1c --- Parents' self-administered questionnaires [2nd follow up] (English version) --- p.354 / Chapter F2a --- Parents´ة self-administered questionnaires [baseline] (Chinese version) --- p.359 / Chapter F2b --- Parents´ة'self-administered questionnaires [1st follow up] (Chinese version) --- p.364 / Chapter F2c --- Parents´ة self-administered questionnaires [2nd follow up] (Chinese version) --- p.369 / Chapter G1 --- Parents´ة consent form (English version) --- p.374 / Chapter G2 --- Parents´ة consent form (Chinese version) --- p.376 / Chapter H1a --- Sample health lesson worksheet for nursery grade (Chinese version) --- p.378 / Chapter H1b --- Sample health lesson worksheet for lower level (Chinese version) --- p.379 / Chapter H1c --- Sample health lesson worksheet for upper level (Chinese version) --- p.380 / Chapter 11 --- Sample parents´ة newsletter (English version) --- p.382 / Chapter 12 --- Sample parents´ة newsletter (Chinese version) --- p.387 / Chapter J1 --- Questions for pretest parents´ة newsletter (Chinese and English version) --- p.392 / Chapter K1 --- Principals´ة interview (English version) --- p.395 / Chapter K2 --- Principals´ة interview (Chinese version) --- p.397 / Table A_1 to A_17 --- p.399 / DiscAl DRAGON Program: teaching materials for health lessons --- p.414 / DiscA2 DRAGON Program: materials for three booster activities --- p.414 / DiscA3 DRAGON Program: health lesson worksheets --- p.414 / DiscA4 DRAGON Program: parents´ة newsletters --- p.414

The topic of this diploma thesis is Interaction between parent and child with autistic spectrum disorder. The theoretical part is about mental development neurotypical preschool child and child with ASD, focused on social skills, speech and play. Emphasis is placed on reciprocity in parent-child socio-communication interaction. Next chapter is devoted to the specifics of raising a child with ASD. Empirical part contains qualitative research to investigate individual variability in social-communication behaviour in dyadic interaction parent-child with ASD. Videos were taken from which the socio-reciprocal skills, frequency and quality of interactions and initiation of contact on the part of the child and its response to parental initiation were analysed. Special attention was paid to making eye contact. The output of the thesis is practical recommendations for mothers, detailed qualitative analyses of observed interactions and a more detailed description of the socio-communicative behaviour of children with PAS. Keywords: interaction parent-child with ASD, social skills, social reciprocity, reciprocity in social communication, reciprocal-social behavior, play of preschool child, preschool child with ASD

Chan, Yun Kwan. / Accompanying CD-ROM contains appendix H, I, J, and K. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-170). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; three appendixes in Chinese only. / Library's copy: lacks accompanying CD-ROM. / Acknowledgement --- p.i / Abstract --- p.ii / Abstract (Chinese) --- p.iv / List of publications --- p.vi / Table of Contents --- p.viii / List of Figures --- p.xvi / List of Tables --- p.xvii / List of Abbreviations --- p.xxv / Chapter CHAPTER ONE: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Global prevalence of childhood overweight --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Preschool health situation in HK --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Breastfeeding --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Diet and physical activity patterns --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Prevalence of childhood overweight --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.3.1 --- Definition of childhood overweight --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.3.2 --- Local prevalence of childhood overweight --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Consequences of childhood overweight --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Health consequences of childhood overweight --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Economic consequences of childhood overweight --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4 --- Risk factors of childhood overweight and obesity --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Family Socioeconomic status --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Parental overweight --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Breastfeeding --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Birth order --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.5 --- Breakfast consumption --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.6 --- Beverage consumption --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4.7 --- High calcium intake --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.8 --- Fruit and vegetable consumption --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.9 --- Physical inactivity --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4.9.1 --- Physical activity recommendations for preschoolers --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4.9.2 --- Screentime recommendations for preschoolers --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5 --- Child development --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Onset of overweight --- p.18 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Early establishment of lifelong habits at preschool age --- p.19 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Interaction with parents --- p.20 / Chapter 1.6 --- Justification of preschool multi-component health intervention in Hong Kong --- p.22 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Local health promotion initiative at preschool --- p.22 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Justification for DRAGON2006 modifications --- p.23 / Chapter 1.6.2.1 --- Inclusion of family-home component in school- based health intervention --- p.24 / Chapter 1.6.2.2 --- Child BMI monitoring and health report to parents --- p.24 / Chapter 1.7 --- Present school-based preschool health intervention --- p.25 / Chapter 1.8 --- Summary --- p.27 / Chapter 1.9 --- Aims and objectives --- p.27 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO: --- METHODOLOGY --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1 --- Recruitment of preschools and preschoolers --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2 --- Development of DRAGON2006 --- p.33 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Ethics approval --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Focus groups with parents --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Amendment and pretest of the questionnaires --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Health lessons --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- Development and adaptation of the health lessons --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.4.2 --- Improvement of the teaching materials --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.4.3 --- Lyrics reproduction and CD production --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.4.4 --- Worksheets --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.4.5 --- Process evaluation --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Teachers´ة training --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3 --- Intervention Activities and Components --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Opening ceremony --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Health Talks --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Health report --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Parental newsletters --- p.41 / Chapter 2.4 --- Outcome evaluation --- p.42 / Chapter 2.5 --- Data collection --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.1 --- Recruitment of subjects --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.2 --- Anthropometric measurements --- p.43 / Chapter 2.5.3 --- Parental baseline and evaluation questionnaire administration --- p.44 / Chapter 2.5.4 --- Teachers´ة pre- and post-intervention evaluation and process evaluation --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6 --- Data management --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6.1 --- Verification of data from the questionnaires --- p.44 / Chapter 2.6.2 --- Data coding --- p.45 / Chapter 2.6.3 --- Data entry and verification --- p.45 / Chapter 2.6.4 --- Data analysis --- p.45 / Chapter 2.5.4.1 --- Descriptive and association analysis --- p.45 / Chapter 2.5.4.2 --- Construction of BMI-for-age percentile and z- score curves --- p.46 / Chapter 2.5.4.3 --- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the program --- p.47 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE: --- RESULTS --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1 --- Organization of the results --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2 --- Baseline comparability between the EG and CG --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- General sociodemographic characteristics --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Preschoolers' diet and meal behaviors --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Preschoolers´ة dental health --- p.61 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Parental child feeding behaviors --- p.62 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Preschoolers´ة physical activity and sedentary behaviors --- p.66 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Summary --- p.67 / Chapter 3.3 --- Baseline comparability between the completes and dropouts --- p.69 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Participant flow in the EG and CG --- p.69 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- General sociodemographic characteristics --- p.70 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- "Preschoolers´ة diet, meal and physical and sedentary activity behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Summary --- p.75 / Chapter 3.4. --- Evaluation of the effectiveness of the DRAGON2006 --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- General demographic characteristics --- p.76 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Effects on preschoolers´ة anthropometry and weight status --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Effects on preschoolers' diet and meal behaviors --- p.79 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Effects on parental child feeding behaviors --- p.89 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Effects on preschoolers´ة physical and sedentary activities --- p.92 / Chapter 3.4.6 --- Summary --- p.94 / Chapter 3.5 --- "Teaching staff members´ة attitudes, perceptions and practices with respect to addressing childhood overweight" --- p.95 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- General demographic characteristics --- p.95 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Teachers' attitude toward addressing childhood overweight --- p.98 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Teachers' behaviors toward addressing childhood overweight --- p.99 / Chapter 3.5.4 --- Teachers' perceived abilities to deal with some childhood overweight topics --- p.100 / Chapter 3.5.5 --- Teachers´ة reported helpful factors to implementing a new preschool health program --- p.101 / Chapter 3.5.6 --- Teachers´ة reported helpful factors for and barriers to parents´ة participation --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.7 --- Comparisons between staff with and without self-reported weight and height --- p.103 / Chapter 3.5.8 --- Summary --- p.105 / Chapter 3.6 --- EG teachers´ة evaluation of the program --- p.106 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Teachers' perception of DRAGON2006 program before the intervention --- p.106 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- DRAGON teachers´ة process evaluation of the DRAGON2006 curriculum --- p.113 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- DRAGON teachers´ة evaluation of DRAGON2006 program after the intervention --- p.118 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR: --- DISCUSSION --- p.127 / Chapter 4.1 --- "Baseline findings about the preschoolers' weight status, diet, meal and physical and sedentary activity situation" --- p.127 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Preschooler and parental overweight and obesity --- p.127 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Preschoolers´ة diet and meal behaviors --- p.128 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Preschoolers´ة physical and sedentary activity behaviors --- p.130 / Chapter 4.2 --- "Gender associations with preschoolers´ة diet, meal and physical and sedentary activity behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.131 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Gender associations with preschoolers´ة diet and meal behaviors --- p.132 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Gender associations with parental child feeding behaviors --- p.134 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Gender associations with preschoolers´ة physical and sedentary activity behaviors --- p.135 / Chapter 4.3 --- "Age associations with preschooler diet, meal and physical and sedentary activity behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.136 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Preschoolers' age associations with their anthropometry --- p.137 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Preschoolers´ة age associations with their diet and meal behaviors --- p.137 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Preschoolers' age associations with their dental health --- p.139 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Preschoolers´ة age associations with parental child feeding behaviors --- p.139 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Preschoolers´ة age associations with their physical and sedentary activity behaviors --- p.140 / Chapter 4.4 --- "Family income associations with preschooler diet, meal and physical and sedentary activity behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.141 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Family income associations with some general demographic characteristics of the sample --- p.143 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Family income associations with preschoolers´ة diet and meal behaviors --- p.144 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Family income associations with parental child feeding behaviors --- p.147 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Family income associations with preschoolers' physical and sedentary activity behaviors --- p.148 / Chapter 4.5 --- Factors associated with preschool overweight and obesity --- p.148 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- Preschooler overweight and obesity associations with some general demographic characteristics of the baseline participants --- p.149 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Preschooler overweight and obesity associations with parental overweight and obesity --- p.150 / Chapter 4.5.3 --- Preschooler overweight and obesity associations with preschoolers' meal behaviors --- p.150 / Chapter 4.5.4 --- Preschooler overweight and obesity associations with their physical and sedentary activity behaviors --- p.150 / Chapter 4.6 --- The evaluation of the effectiveness of DRAGON2006 --- p.151 / Chapter 4.6.1 --- Baseline comparison between the education (EG) and control group (CG) --- p.151 / Chapter 4.6.2 --- Baseline comparison between completers and dropouts --- p.151 / Chapter 4.6.3 --- Follow up comparison between the education (EG) and control groups (CG) --- p.152 / Chapter 4.6.3.1 --- The changes in preschooler anthropometry --- p.153 / Chapter 4.6.3.2 --- The changes in preschooler diet and meal behaviors --- p.154 / Chapter 4.6.3.3 --- The changes in preschooler physical and sedentary activity behaviors --- p.155 / Chapter 4.6.3.4 --- Parental child feeding behaviors --- p.156 / Chapter 4.7 --- The teachers´ة evaluation results of DRAGON2006 and of Color Me Healthy --- p.156 / Chapter 4.7 --- Strengths and limitations of the study --- p.157 / Chapter 4.8 --- Suggestions for improvement of DRAGON --- p.159 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE: --- CONCLUSION --- p.160 / References --- p.161 / Appendices / Chapter AI --- Invitation letter for preschool (English) --- p.171 / Chapter AIII --- Invitation letter for preschool (Chinese) --- p.172 / Chapter AIII --- Invitation letter for CG preschool (Chinese only) --- p.173 / Chapter BI --- Research proposal (English) --- p.174 / Chapter BII --- Research proposal (Chinese) --- p.178 / Chapter CI --- Purpose and structure of DRAGON2006 health lessons (English) --- p.181 / Chapter CII --- Purpose and structure of DRAGON2006 health lessons (Chinese) --- p.185 / Chapter DI --- Teacher evaluation Part A (pre-intervention) (English) --- p.189 / Chapter DII --- Teacher evaluation Part A (pre-intervention) (Chinese) --- p.191 / Chapter EI --- Teacher evaluation Part B (process evaluation) (English) --- p.193 / Chapter EII --- Teacher evaluation Part B (process evaluation) (Chinese) --- p.205 / Chapter FI --- Teacher evaluation Part C (post-intervention) (English) --- p.218 / Chapter FII --- Teacher evaluation Part C (post-intervention) (Chinese) --- p.222 / Chapter GI --- Child health report (English) --- p.224 / Chapter GII --- Child health report (Chinese) --- p.226 / Chapter H --- Teaching kit --- p.228 / Chapter I --- Music sound track --- p.228 / Chapter J --- Curriculum worksheets (Chinese only) --- p.228 / Chapter K --- Parents´ة newsletters (Chinese only) --- p.228 / Chapter LI --- Focus group study questions (English) --- p.229 / Chapter LII --- Focus group study questions (Chinese) --- p.231 / Chapter MI --- Consent form for EG parents (English) --- p.233 / Chapter MII --- Consent form for EG parents (Chinese) --- p.235 / Chapter MII --- Consent form for CG parents (English) --- p.237 / Chapter MI --- Consent form for CG parents (Chinese) --- p.238 / Chapter NI --- Pre-internvetion parental questionnaire (English) --- p.239 / Chapter NII --- Pre-intervention parental questionnaire (Chinese) --- p.245 / Chapter OI --- Post-intervention parental questionnaire (English) --- p.250 / Chapter OII --- Post-internvetion parental questionnaire (Chinese) --- p.256 / Chapter PI --- Post-intervention staff survey (English) --- p.262 / Chapter PII --- Post-intervention staff survey (Chinese) --- p.264 / Chapter Q --- "Gender differences in preschoolers´ة diet, meal, physical and sedentary behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.266 / Chapter R --- "Age differences in preschoolers´ة diet, meal, physical and sedentary behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.296 / Chapter S --- "Income differences in preschoolers' diet, meal, physical and sedentary behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.313 / Chapter T --- Factors associated with preschooler weight status --- p.334 / Chapter U --- "Maternal education level differences in preschoolers´ة diet, meal, physical and sedentary behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.352 / Chapter V --- "Maternal birth place differences in preschoolers´ة diet, meal, physical and sedentary behaviors and parental child feeding behaviors" --- p.374 / Chapter W --- Test-retest reliability of DRAGON2006 questionnaire --- p.394

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 2005. / Typescript (photocopy).

This thesis is dealing with the issues associated with the transition from pre-primary to primary education, with the understanding and cooperation of the family, which results in a trouble free admission of a child to primary school. The theoretical part of this thesis focuses on the aspects affecting the transition of a child from pri-primary to primary school, primarily the schools readiness and experience. Also focusing on the topic diagnosis, communication and types of cooperation between all participants involved. The practical part is produced on research of regional surveys, which reveal which actives are offered by primary schools for future entry students. How those activities are guiding and supporting the parents prepare their child for the start of compulsory school attendance which is seen as prevention of school failure. The aim of this thesis is to analyze the usual forms of activities offered by primary schools supporting cooperation between primary, pre-primary schools and the family. It Also presents how parents evaluate activities supporting trouble free admission of a child to first class primary school.

The thesis focuses on the issues concerning meeting individual needs of the preschool-aged children in kindergartens. In the theoretical part the attention is paid to defining the term "need" and to the description, analysis and comparison of various theories about fulfilling the children's needs. Next part deals with physical development of a child and its successful education as well. Followingly, there are described the possibilities how to fulfil individual needs of children in a family and in a kindergarten. The final topic in the theoretical part is the description of risks arising from dissatisfying the children's needs. The empiric part is based on the case study. investigative research being realized by the combination of several methods (observation, interview, questionnaire), targeting at finding if the inner conditions in kindergartens cope with RVP PV. The empiric part also followed several children which started attending the kindergarten, their appraisal was done and this was accomplished by planning activities leading to fulfilling their needs and easier adaptation. KEYWORDS preschool child, individual needs of child, family, kindergarten, preschool education, nursery school teacher, adaptation of preschool age children at the beginning of attendance kindergarten

Objetivo: este estudo teve por objetivo verificar a eficácia de um procedimento para a identificação da deficiência auditiva em crianças pré escolares de uma comunidade de baixa renda por pessoas não especialistas. Casuística e métodos: funcionários da creche e da unidade de saúde foram treinados para aplicarem um questionário para triagem auditiva nos pais de 224 crianças de 3 a 6 anos de idade, que foram submetidas à triagem audiométrica e imitanciométrica. Resultados: verificou-se alta concordância na coleta de dados por meio do questionário entre a pesquisadora e os não especialistas. O questionário apresentou melhor sensibilidade e pior especificidade. Os não especialistas relataram aprendizado com a pesquisa e conscientização sobre a importância da audição. Conclusão: é possível treinar agentes comunitários a identificarem a deficiência auditiva em suas comunidades com instrumentos de baixo custo. / Aim: this study aimed to access the efficacy of a low cost instrument used by non professionals to identify hearing loss in pre-school children in a low income community. Methods: employees of a nursery school and a health unit were trained to use a hearing screening questionnaire with parents of 224 children aged 3 to 6 years. The children underwent audiological screening. Results: the results showed that the non - specialists were capable of reproducing the evaluation of the professional regarding the use of the questionnaire. The questionnaire presented better sensitivity than specificity. The non - specialists reported learning and awareness of the importance of hearing in children. Conclusion: the questionnaire offers a low cost option for hearing screening, specially if it is administered by non professionals resources

Objetivo: este estudo teve por objetivo verificar a eficácia de um procedimento para a identificação da deficiência auditiva em crianças pré escolares de uma comunidade de baixa renda por pessoas não especialistas. Casuística e métodos: funcionários da creche e da unidade de saúde foram treinados para aplicarem um questionário para triagem auditiva nos pais de 224 crianças de 3 a 6 anos de idade, que foram submetidas à triagem audiométrica e imitanciométrica. Resultados: verificou-se alta concordância na coleta de dados por meio do questionário entre a pesquisadora e os não especialistas. O questionário apresentou melhor sensibilidade e pior especificidade. Os não especialistas relataram aprendizado com a pesquisa e conscientização sobre a importância da audição. Conclusão: é possível treinar agentes comunitários a identificarem a deficiência auditiva em suas comunidades com instrumentos de baixo custo. / Aim: this study aimed to access the efficacy of a low cost instrument used by non professionals to identify hearing loss in pre-school children in a low income community. Methods: employees of a nursery school and a health unit were trained to use a hearing screening questionnaire with parents of 224 children aged 3 to 6 years. The children underwent audiological screening. Results: the results showed that the non - specialists were capable of reproducing the evaluation of the professional regarding the use of the questionnaire. The questionnaire presented better sensitivity than specificity. The non - specialists reported learning and awareness of the importance of hearing in children. Conclusion: the questionnaire offers a low cost option for hearing screening, specially if it is administered by non professionals resources

BACKGROUND: Many women of reproductive age are employed in industries involving exposure to organic solvents. Animal toxicological studies and human case reports demonstrate that exposure to organic solvents can cause neuropsychological deficits in exposed offspring; however, there is limited data from prospective controlled human studies. OBJECTIVE: To compare neuropsychological functioning between children whose mothers were occupationally exposed to organic solvents during pregnancy with a non-exposed matched comparison group. METHODS: Participants were 48 women who had previously contacted the Motherisk Program in Toronto, Canada during pregnancy regarding occupational exposure to organic solvents and a matched comparison group of women with no known exposure to teratogens during pregnancy. Children (18 months to 8 years 11 months at time of study) were compared in areas of cognitive, language, motor, and behavioral functioning. RESULTS: Children whose mothers were exposed to organic solvents during pregnancy displayed a lower level of functioning when compared with their matched peers in areas of cognitive, language, motor, and behavioral domains. Although the scores on measures of behavioral functioning were not in the clinical range, the mothers of exposed children reported more challenging behavioral problems. In order to determine whether exposure predicted neuropsychological outcomes above and beyond maternal intellectual functioning, hierarchical regressions were run with maternal IQ and maternal education at Step 1and exposure status added at Step 2. In utero exposure to organic solvents predicted lower sores on global measures of Verbal IQ, receptive and expressive language scales above and beyond maternal intellectual functioning. Factors associated with higher levels of exposure (detecting odor, longer duration and total number of toxicity symptoms) was associated with poorer outcome on behavioral and motor functioning tests. CONCLUSION: Despite the fact that the exposed mothers experienced minimal symptoms of toxicity, detrimental effects were still evident in their offspring. Current safety standards for exposure were designed for adults and need to be reevaluated. Further studies addressing exposure to specific organic solvents, dose, and gestational timing of exposure are warranted.