A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry. School of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Johannesburg, 2017. / Introduction Although the prevalence of dental caries experience among the children in the world has decreased significantly in the last fifty years, dental caries is one of the most predominant chronic childhood diseases worldwide, and it is a public health problem, both for individual children and families who choose to deal with young children suffering from a toothache. Aims and objectives The purpose of this study was to determine caries experience and associated factors contributing to the condition among preschool children in Johannesburg. The objectives were to determine the dmft status, the pufa index of the children and to compare the prevalence of caries between age-groups. Furthermore, the association between demographic characteristics and the caries experience was assessed. Methodology A cross-sectional study was carried out at six sites in Johannesburg on children aged 2-5 years. Data was collected by means of a parental questionnaire covering demographic information and oral dietary habits. This was followed by an oral examination using two indices: Decayed Missing Filled Teeth (dmft) and Pulp Exposure Ulceration Fistula Abscess (pufa). Results Two hundred and twenty-two preschool children aged 2- 5 years participated in this study (n= 222): girls (n= 125) (56%), slightly outnumbering boys (n= 97) (44%). The mean dmft at 2, 3, 4 and 5 years was 0.96, 1.93, 3.44 and 3.38 respectively. The prevalence of dental caries of the children was 47.74% with a mean dmft of 2.41 (SD ± 3.60). The mean age of the children in the study was 3.5 years (SD ± 1.01 years). The results showed statistically significant difference among the age groups. The 4 and 5-year olds had higher levels of dmft than the 2 and 3 year olds (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences (P = 0.3566) in the mean dmft between the boys and girls in the study. There were negligible pufa scores, only 2.2% of the children had pufa scores. The largest contribution was the abscesses. The average dmft value for the children in Berea/Yeoville area was significantly higher (3.8; SD± 4.2) than the one for the children in OR Tambo Diepsloot immunization clinic (1.5; SD± 2.8), (P < 0.001). Household size and parental education had no significant influence on the dmft. Conclusion The prevalence of dental caries was found to be high among 2 to 5-year-old preschool children in Johannesburg, and the mean dmft was directly proportional to the age. / MT2018

Thesis (D.Ed. (Education Policy))-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

he purpose of this study was to determine if age and/or gender differences in the performances of typically developing preschool children on a measure of primary literacy skills (phonological awareness and alphabetic knowledge) were significant. A second purpose was to ascertain which primary literacy skills can be completed most successfully at specific age intervals. An additional purpose was to determine which predictor variables accounted for significant variance in performance on the primary literacy skills measure. Participants for this study were 91 typically developing preschool children ranging in age from 3 years 0 months to 5 years 11 months. Primary literacy skills, print concepts, and receptive vocabulary were assessed. Information about home literacy experiences were obtained by caregiver questionnaire. Differences in performance of primary literacy skills (measuring both phonological awareness and alphabetic knowledge) were significant for age but not for gender, with older children performing better than younger children. Differences in performance on phonological awareness tasks were also significant for age but not for gender. Differences in performance on alphabetic knowledge tasks were significant for age and also for gender, with girls outperforming boys. Primary literacy tasks completed most successfully by children at each of six 6-month age intervals were identified, with rhyme detection the only task that was completed successfully at all age levels. Results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that out of seven predictor variables (age, gender, receptive vocabulary, print concept skills, mother's education level, father's education level, and/or home literacy experiences), print concept skills accounted for the greatest amount of variance in children's performance on primary literacy tasks. Father's education level, receptive vocabulary, and age accounted for a small but significant additional variance. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, College of Health Professions, Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders. / "December 2006." / Includes bibliographic references (leaves 61-78)

The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC-2; Reynolds & Kamphaus 2004) is a behavior rating scale commonly used in preschool settings. In addition to measuring behavioral constructs such as hyperactivity, social skills, and adaptive functioning, the BASC-2 includes a Developmental Social Disorders (DSD) content scale that evaluates the presence of behaviors commonly associated with pervasive developmental disorders, including items related to self-stimulation, withdrawal and poor socialization. This study compared the T-scores of toddler and preschool-aged children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to children diagnosed with other developmental delays, and typically developing children using the BASC-2 Parent Rating Scales, Preschool form. Participants from the ASD group obtained significantly higher T-scores than the typically developing group on the Hyperactivity, Atypicality, Withdrawal, and Attention Problems scales, and obtained significantly lower T-scores on the Adaptability, Social Skills, Activities of Daily Living, and and Functional Communication scales. Significant differences were not observed between participants in the ASD group and those diagnosed with other developmental delays. However, the DSD scale was effective in distinguishing between groups, with participants in the ASD group obtaining significantly higher T-scores on the DSD scale than those diagnosed with other developmental delays and typically developing children.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Lehigh University, 2000. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-203).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Open University. BLDSC no. DX95402.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1929. / Vita. "Reprinted from Archives of psychology ... no. 108." Bibliography: p. 54-55.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-92).

Thesis (M.S. in human nutrition)--Washington State University, December 2009. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 19, 2010). "Program in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-66).

The present study attempts to further our understanding of peer exclusion in young children’s social interactions by answering the question, “What are the motivating factors behind children’s usage of exclusion.” Exclusion is very common amongst young children (Corsaro, 1985; Fanger, Frankel & Hazen, 2012), but can also cause harm to the victims (Juvonen & Gross, 2005; MacDonald, Kingsbury & Shaw, 2005). This study used modified grounded theory to examine data collected on the exclusionary behavior of 43 children (mean age 61 months). Extensive data on all incidents of peer exclusion occurring amongst the children, including audio recordings, as well as interviews on children’s relationships and social status were used. Results indicated that some exclusion is perpetrated by a particular child if they want be in control of a social situation or to help them be powerful or high status. An entirely different type of exclusion is the exclusionary behavior that occurs for social reasons; either to help a friendship or to support a group identity. Exclusion is sometimes simply the result of the particular context surrounding the interaction: either some aspect of the children’s school environment leads to exclusion, the exclusion has become an ongoing pattern for the children or the exclusion is perpetrated to protect the children’s play. Exclusion is also sometimes the result of the excludee’s behavior—either something they did immediately prior to the incident caused them to be excluded or the way they behave, in general, contributes to them being a target of exclusion. Finally, it appears that the overall social culture of a particular classroom or specific peer group can, itself, contribute to the frequency with which children use exclusion. Typically, exclusion occurs for a combination of these reasons and only rarely does an incident of exclusion have only one cause. Implications of these findings for future research as well as practical applications and interventions are discussed. / text