The purpose of this study was to determine whether sex differences could be observed in computer use among preschool disadvantaged children. Each of the twenty-two three- and four-year-old children were administered the Bardwell- Sietsema Sex Stereotype Scale to obtain a measure of sex role identification. Subject's choice of a pre-programming or academic-oriented software program as well as actual time at the computer were also carefully recorded over a five week period. Data supports the following: there does not appear to be a relationship between sex role stereotyping and computer use among three and four year old disadvantaged children, stereotypical sex role identification exists between three and four year old disadvantaged children, the amount of time spent at the computer during free choice periods does not differ between boys and girls, and there is no difference between boys and girls in terms of choice of academic or pre-programming software.

The thesis followed up language of preschool children,that come from sociallly and culturallly disadvantaged environment. The aim of thesis was to describe language of socially and culturally handicapped preschoolers, specially the aspects of syntax, morphology, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Further to describe language of preschool children without the handicap. Thesis is divided into theoretical and practical part. Theoretical part researched children language development. It describes some of linguistic and sociolinguistic theories, follows up the development of specific linguistic aspects in preschool age and characterizes speech disorders. Thesis is also contains a description of social and cultural handicap, characterizes groups of social and cultural handicapped children and reviews of legislative documents about social and cultural handicap. Third chapter focuses on Roman minority language specifics. There is description of Roman language, Romany ethnolect of Czech language and some of communication specifics which are based on cultural differences. Practical part is description of qualitative research on language of preschool children. It is a multiple case study, which specifically describes language and speech of six socially and culturally handicapped children and six preschool...

This documents deals with a development of reader literacy as well as working with the story with preschoolers. In theoretical part we discuss concepts like preschool age, where we explain each segment of children development and its lawfulness. Next we discuss topics like literacy and pre-literacy and we'll also concentrate on a reader segment. Next up we will take a look on games and stories in general and how each of these concepts influence preschool education. Last part of theoretical part focuses on educational methods for development of children of preschool age. Goal of a practical part is: a) research focused on pre-reading abilities of preschool children in certain classes- research pattern and experimental pattern b) to create a suitable methodology for development of pre-reading abilities of preschool children c) to use these methods in practice with a follow-up diagnostic of ability level of preschool children d) evaluation of information from acquired results e) creation of a book containing stories created and illustrated by preschool children. My research indicates, that my methods led to an increase in pre-literacy abilities of children which participated in testing. Difference between children that were educated with my newly developed methods and those who were not are...

Thesis advisor: Betty Blythe / This dissertation is a secondary analysis of a preexisting dataset, the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), Assessments 0-4 produced by the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN) located in the Family Development Center at Cornell University (2001). This is a large scale dataset employing five sites across the United States. Three sites are used: the Northwest, South and Southwest as they contain the largest numbers exhibiting the behavior of interest, hurting animals by children. These sites have sample sizes of 261, 221 and 327 children, respectively. The samples were chosen for varying levels of risk for child abuse and neglect; data collection began in 1991 and is ongoing. The children were born between 1989 and 1996. The number of children who hurt animals at each site was as follows: 16 (South Site), 25 (Northwest Site) and 36 (Southwest Site). Hypotheses were that more males than females would hurt animals; females who hurt animals would show more internalizing problems than males who hurt animals; males who hurt animals would show more externalizing problems than females who hurt animals and children who hurt animals would experience higher rates of physical abuse than children who have not hurt animals. An additional hypothesis was that hurting animals would correlate with aggressive and delinquent behaviors and attention problems as measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, Achenbach, 1991). Only one hypothesis was fully supported: aggression, delinquent behavior and attention problems all correlate with higher rates of these behaviors exhibited by children who hurt animals. Aggression, in particular, was associated with the behavior of hurting animals. Physical abuse was not correlated with hurting animals and only one site (the Southwest) showed a statistically significant difference between males and females for this behavior with males more likely to do so. Other findings of interest show correlations between hurting animals and aspects of parenting, day care utilization and foster care placement at at least one site. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Social Work. / Discipline: Social Work.

The transition from home to preschool is a very emotional and sometimes distressing period for both parent and child. The teacher plays a significant role, in that they are entrusted with the distressed and separation anxious child, and assist in helping both parent and child to adjust to the change. Research in the field of early childhood separation anxiety has suggested that, when the child has difficulty managing their anxiety, maladjustment can potentially predispose them to various other forms of pathology later in life. Thus, the potential implications of maladjustment simultaneously imply the importance of understanding and helping anxious and struggling preschoolers to adjust to developmental demands. This study qualitatively explored the perspectives and experiences of teachers, and how they have come to make sense of and respond to separation anxiety in children. Four private preschools in the Johannesburg area participated in the study and a sample of thirteen teachers were interviewed. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews which were audio-recorded. A thematic content analysis of the collected data revealed two core themes concerning teachers’ views on separation anxiety. The first theme addressed the ‘challenges encountered’ during the transitional period, which focused primarily on the presentation, impacts and predisposing factors of separation anxiety. The second major theme addressed ‘helpful qualities in the caregiver role’, which discussed useful qualities to be considered when engaging with a separation anxious child. Collectively, these findings presented an understanding of the various ways in which teachers make sense of and respond to separation anxiety during the transitional process. These qualitative insights also add to the existing body of literature, highlight areas for future research and attempt to offer thoughts on how separation anxiety can be managed, as to avoid further exacerbation and implications on later development.

O aprendizado motor pode ser considerado um processo sensório-cognitivomotor, que envolve a formação de representações neurais da tarefa, chamadas de modelos internos. Essa forma de entender o aprendizado motor permite que processos como o aprendizado por meio da prática mental, ou seja, sem a finalização do movimento pelos efetores e a realimentação sensorial conseqüente a isso, possam ser compreendidos. A prática mental mostra-se uma forma de treinamento tão eficiente quanto a prática física em adultos, porém com vantagens quanto à generalização, visto que favorece a formação de modelos internos mais flexíveis. Entre os 5 e 6 anos de idade, a despeito das imaturidades de funções cognitivas, como memória de trabalho e atenção, as crianças já são capazes de imaginar tarefas motoras dinâmicas, embora não haja evidências na literatura sobre a capacidade de aprendizado por meio da imaginação nem a comparação com o treino físico. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi comparar a capacidade de aprender, reter e generalizar uma nova habilidade motora de oposição seqüencial de dedos por meio do treino físico e mental, em crianças de 5 e 6 anos. Para tal, foi comparado o desempenho motor em uma tarefa de oposição seqüencial de dedos, em 3 diferentes condições: com treinamento físico da tarefa, com treinamento mental e sem treinamento. O grupo de prática física (PF) era composto por dezesseis crianças com média de idade de 6,5±0,2 anos, sendo doze meninas e quatro meninos; o grupo de prática mental (PM) composto por 12 crianças com média de idade de 5,7±0,5 anos, dentre elas 7 meninos e 5 meninas e o grupo sem prática (SP), por 12 crianças de 5,6±0,4 anos, das quais 8 eram meninos e 4 meninas, todos destros. Os grupos de PF e PM foram submetidos a uma sessão de treino com 2400 repetições, sendo avaliados, assim como o grupo SP, antes, depois, 4, 7, 14 e 28 dias após o treinamento. Os resultados mostram que independente da forma de treino, as crianças foram capazes de melhorar o seu desempenho em termos de velocidade ao longo do treinamento, sendo que o grupo PM foi mais rápido para concluir cada bloco de treino em comparação com o grupo PF. Quanto à aquisição, embora de forma mais lenta, as crianças do grupo PM atingiram o mesmo desempenho que o grupo PF ao final das reavaliações, enquanto que o grupo SP permaneceu com o desempenho semelhante ao da primeira avaliação e significativamente inferior aos grupos PF e PM. Já para a generalização, os grupos PF e PM apresentaram melhora do desempenho da seqüência reversa (SR) mais lenta em comparação à seqüência treinada (ST), porém ao final dos 28 dias de experimento o grupo PM manteve esta melhora, enquanto o grupo PF perdeu desempenho. O grupo SP não apresentou diferenças significativas no comportamento de nenhuma das 2 seqüências testadas. Com base nesses resultados, pode-se concluir que crianças de 5 e 6 anos vii são capazes de aprender, reter e generalizar uma nova habilidade motora envolvendo movimentos seqüenciais de oposição de dedos por meio da prática mental, sem diferenças em comparação com a prática física, porém com vantagens quanto à generalização. / Motor skill learning (MSL) is a sensory-cognitive-motor process that involves the formation of neural representations of a task, known as internal models. This way of understanding the MSL allows processes such as motor learning through mental practice, which is, without end-movements from muscles and the subsequential sensorial feedback to those movements, to being understood. Mental practice is shown as a form of training as efficient as the physical practice in adults, however with advantage on generalization since it favors the formation of more flexible internal models. Between 5 and 6 years of age, in spite of immature cognitive functions such as working memory and attention, children are already capable to imagine dynamic motor tasks, although there is no evidence in literature regarding motor learning through imagination neither a comparison with physical training. Therefore, the objective of this study is to compare the ability of learning, retaining and generalizing a fresh motor ability of sequential opposition of fingers by physical and mental practice in children of 5 and 6 years. To do so, motor performance in a task of sequential opposition of fingers was compared in 3 different conditions: by (1) physical training of the task, (2) mental training and (3) no training at all. The physical practice group (PF) was composed by sixteen children with an average of 6,5±0,2 years, with twelve girls and four boys; the mental practice group (PM) was composed by 12 children with an average of 5,7±0,5 years, amongst them 7 boys and 5 girls and finally the notraining group (SP), composed with 12 children of 5,6±0,4 years, 8 boys and 4 girls, all dexterous. The PF and PM groups were submitted to one session of training with 2400 repetitions; they were evaluated, as well as group SP, before the training and 4, 7, 14 and 28 days after the training. The results have shown that regardless the form of training the children were capable to improve their speed performance throughout the training, with PM group concluding each block of training faster when compared to group PF. Regarding acquisition, although being slower, the children of PM group have reached the same performance as PF group in the end of the reevaluations, whereas SP group remained with the same performance as the one on the first evaluation and thus significantly inferior performance compared to PF and PM groups. As for generalization, groups PF and PM presented improvement in performance of the reversal finger opposition sequence (SR), both slower in comparison to the trained finger opposition sequence (ST), however in the end of 28 days of experiment the PM group kept this improvement while PF group lost performance. SP group did not present significant performance differences in neither of the 2 tested sequences. Based on these results, we conclude that children of 5 and 6 years are capable to learn, to retain and to generalize a new motor ability involving sequential movements of ix opposition of fingers through mental practice, without differences in comparison with physical practice, however with advantages in generalization.

A eficácia de uma suplementação semanal com sulfato ferroso foi avaliada em uma coorte controlada de 1015 crianças de 4 a 59 meses de idade, divididos em dois grupos: Controle e Intervenção. No Grupo Controle (n=583 crianças), após avaliação da hemoglobina inicial, a mãe era informada do resultado e, no caso de diagnóstico de anemia a mãe era orientada a procurar serviço de saúde para tratar. As crianças do Grupo Intervenção (n=432 crianças) receberam solução com sulfato ferroso, acompanhado de colher-medida para ingestão de uma quantidade de solução com aproximadamente 4 mg/kg/semana, suficiente para 6 meses de suplementação. Após período aproximado de 7 meses, a variação da concentração média de hemoglobina (delta) do Grupo Intervenção era significativamente maior do que do Grupo Controle. O risco do delta variar foi proporcional ao grau de adesão à suplementação, exceto para adesão \"nula\". A concentração média de hemoglobina do Grupo Intervenção foi significativamente maior do que no Grupo Controle após os 30 meses de idade. Além disso, a incidência de anemia a partir dos 14 meses de idade foi significativamente menor entre as crianças que receberam intervenção, mas a incidência de superação de um quadro anêmico independeu da intervenção proposta. A suplementação semanal foi eficaz para prevenir, evitando o declínio e estabilizando os níveis de hemoglobina, mas não esteve associada com elevação desse indicador. A adesão plena e parcial somou 62% das crianças e foi semelhante entre os anêmicos e eutróficos. A ocorrência de efeitos benéficos foi quase o dobro (58%) do observado de efeitos deletérios (31%). Esses efeitos secundários, no entanto, podem ter sido superestimados pela forma de indagação. Além disso, os efeitos negativos, quando observados, não estavam relacionados à diminuição da adesão. A intervenção proposta apresenta-se, portanto, como uma alternativa viável no cumprimento do compromisso do Brasil junto às Nações Unidas com vista ao controle da anemia ferropriva. / The efficacy of a weekly ferrous sulfate supplementation was evaluated in a controlled cohort of 1015 children 4 to59 months of age assigned into two groups - Control and Intervention. At Control Group (n = 583), after an initial hemoglobin evaluation, the mother was informed of the result and, if the child was anemic, instructed to seek a health service for treatment. The children in the Intervention Group (n = 432) were given a ferrous sulfate solution, together with a measure-spoon, for the ingestion of an amount of solution equal to approximately 4 mg Fe / kg / week, enough for a 6-month treatment. After approximately 7 months, the mean hemoglobin variation (delta) of the Intervention Group was higher than the Control. The risk of delta variation was proportional to the degree of treatment compliance, except for the \"null\" compliance. The mean hemoglobin concentration of the Intervention Group, after 30 months of age, was significantly higher than the Control. In addition, the anemia incidence after 14 months of age was significantly lower among the children who received intervention, but the reversion of a inicial anemia status did not depend on the proposed treatment. The weekly supplementation was efficient as prevention, avoiding the hemoglobin declining and stabilizing it levels, but was not associated with the rise of this indicator. The \"broad\" or \"partial\" compliance was observed in 62% of the children, and was similar among anemics and eutrophics. The occurrence of beneficial effects was almost double (58%) the deleterious observed (31%). The type of questioning, however, may have overestimated these secondary effects. Even so the negative effects, when observed, were not related to any reduction of compliance. The proposed intervention seems to be, in fact, as a viable alternative in accomplishment with Brazil commitment vis-à-vis the United Nations to control iron deficiency anemia.

Introdução: Estudos em creches e pré-escolas têm verificado um aumento na incidência de excesso de peso em pré-escolares, daí a importância do monitoramento do estado nutricional e de intervenções. Objetivos: Avaliar o grau de aceitação dos alimentos em pré-escolares de acordo com o estado nutricional, identificar o estilo de vida e a alimentação habitual. Método: Participaram 124 crianças de 4 a 6 anos das Creches e Pré-escolas COSEAS/USP. Sessenta e duas crianças com risco/excesso de peso (IMC>p85 por cento) e 62 com peso adequado para idade. Utilizou-se questionário de freqüência alimentar (QFA), questionário sobre estilo de vida e teste afetivo com escala hedônica. As crianças foram familiarizadas com o teste por uma história. Teste t-Student foi utilizado para análise do QFA, ANOVA e Tukey para aceitação dos alimentos. As associações do grau de gostar dos alimentos e o estado nutricional por regressão logística. Resultados: As atividades das crianças em casa são mais sedentárias. Os meninos do grupo de risco/excesso de peso estão menos expostos a TV do que as demais crianças. Na pré-escola as crianças brincam mais do que em casa. Não houve diferença significante no consumo habitual de calorias e macronutrientes entre os grupos. Destacaram-se 13 alimentos com maior aprovação e a batata frita foi o preferido das crianças nos dois grupos. As crianças com risco/excesso de peso gostam mais de feijão (p=0,010) e macarrão (p=0,034) que as eutróficas. Gostar de peixe e leite diminuiu a Odds para excesso de peso, sendo que o leite diminuiu mais (0,442) que o peixe (0,660). Conclusão: Os dados sugerem uma preferência das crianças por alimentos ricos em gordura e açúcar. As evidências de que consumir leite está negativamente relacionado com a massa corporal sugerem que gostar de leite possa diminuir as chances do ganho excessivo de peso quando consumido em quantidade suficiente / Introduction: Studies in daycare centers and pre-schools have verified an increase in the incidence of overweight in preschool children, for that reason the importance of the monitoring of the nutritional status and of interventions. Objectives: Evaluate the preferences and the degree of food acceptance by preschool children according to the nutritional status, identify the lifestyle and the usual eating. Methodology: One hundred twenty four children aged 4-6 from daycare centers and pre-schools of COSEAS/USP were selected. Sixty-two children with risk/overweight (BMI>p85 per cent) and 62 with adequate weight for the age. It utilized food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), questionnaire about lifestyle and affective test with hedonic scale. The children were familiarized with the test through a story. t-Student test and factorial analysis for the analysis of the results of the FFQ, ANOVA and Tukey for food acceptance analysis. The associations of the degree of liking and the nutritional status by logistic regression. Results: The activities of the children at home tend to be more sedentary. The boys from the risk/overweight group spend less time in front of TV than the others. The environment of the preschool favors more opportunities for fun and activity. There was no difference in usual consumption of calories and macronutrientes among the children. It stood out 13 foods with more approval and the fried potato was the favorite one in both groups. Children with risk/overweight like more bean (p=0,010) and macaroni (p=0,034) than the others. Like fish and milk decreased the Odds for the risk/overweight group, being that the milk decreases more (0,442) than the fish (0,660). Conclusion: The data suggest a childrens preference for high fatty and sugar foods. The evidences that consuming milk is negatively related with the corporal fat mass suggest that liking milk might decrease the chances of gaining excessive weight when consumed in sufficient quantity

O objetivo do presente estudo foi conhecer a prevalência da dor de dente e fatores associados na população de crianças de 3 e 4 anos de idade, residentes na região oeste do município de São Paulo, SP. A dor de dente foi associada à prevalência da cárie dentária, necessidade de tratamento, condições socioeconômicas e o impacto na Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde Bucal (QVRSB) das crianças. Para isso foi realizado um estudo epidemiológico transversal de saúde bucal, no mês de novembro de 2014. A amostra de 485 crianças foi determinada pela fórmula de Kirkwood (1988). Os dados sobre a presença de dor de dente, prevalência e gravidade de cárie dentária, necessidade de tratamento, aspectos socioeconômicos e de qualidade de vida da criança e dos pais foram coletados durante o dia de Campanha Nacional de Multivacinação Infantil. As crianças foram selecionadas de forma sistemática na fila de vacinação. O Termo de Consentimento Livre e Esclarecido foi assinado pelos responsáveis legais dos participantes. Agentes comunitários treinados coletaram dados sobre a presença de dor de dente por cárie dentária utilizando a versão brasileira do Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ-B), dados socioeconômicos e dados de qualidade de vida pela versão brasileira do Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS). Posteriormente, as crianças foram examinadas em consultórios odontológicos de 15 Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBSs) por 15 cirurgiões-dentistas treinados e calibrados para o diagnóstico de cárie dentária pelos indíces ceo-d e para coletar as necessidades de tratamento pelos critérios da Organização Mundial da Saúde. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente utilizando regressão de Poisson com variância robusta (IC 95%) para associar o desfecho do escore total do DDQ-B com prevalência de cárie dentária, necessidade de tratamento e condições socioeconômicas. Como análise complementar foi feita a associação do desfecho qualidade de vida com a presença de dor de dente. Na população estudada foi encontrada uma prevalência de dor de dente de 11,8% considerado o ponto de corte maior ou igual a 3 no escore total do DDQ-B e foi associada com a presença de cárie dentária (RTR=1,85; p<0.001). A média ± desvio padrão do DDQ-B total da amostra foi 0,81 ± 1,46. Dentre as necessidades de tratamento, a necessidade de tratamento pulpar com restauração foi a única necessidade de tratamento associada à dor de dente (RTR = 2,81; p < 0,001). As condições socioeconômicas não foram associadas com a dor de dente (p> 0,05). Adicionalmente, a baixa gravidade (ceo-d entre 1 e 5) e a alta gravidade de cárie dentária (ceo-d >=6), tanto quanto os maiores níveis de dor, foram associados a uma pior QVRSB em pré-escolares e suas famílias (RTR= 3,86, p<0,001; RTR= 9,17, p<0,001 e RTR=1,38, p<0,001, respectivamente). Portanto, na população estudada, a dor de dente é associada a presença de cárie dentária, necessidade de tratamento pulpar com restauração, e pior QVRSB em pré-escolares e suas famílias. / The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental pain and associated factors in preschool children 3-4 years old, living in the western district of São Paulo City, Brazil. Dental pain was associated with prevalence of dental caries, treatment needs, socioeconomic status and the impact on the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) in preschool children. In November 2014, a cross-sectional epidemiological study of dental caries was carried on. Representative sample of 485 children was calculated by Kirkwood formula (1988). Data on dental pain prevalence, caries prevalence and severity, dental treatment needs, socioeconomic status and impact on OHRQoL were collected during the Children´s Multivaccination National Campaign Day. Children were selected systematically in the vaccination queue. The Informed Consent was signed by the participant´s parents. Trained external interviewer collected data on dental pain related to caries using the Brazilian version of Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ-B), data on socioeconomic status, and data on quality of life using the Brazilian version of Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (B-ECOHIS) . After that, the children were examined in dental units of the 15 health centers, by 15 trained dentists. Dental caries was assessed according to the dmf-t criteria. The codes and criteria for dental treatment needs were those based on the WHO manual. Data analyses were performed using Poisson regression (95% CI) to associate the total DDQ-B scores to dental caries prevalence, treatment needs and socioeconomic conditions. A complementary analysis assessed the association between dental pain and impact on quality of life. In the population studied, the prevalence of dental pain was 11.8%, considering the cut-off point greater than or equal to 3 in the total DDQ-B score and it was associated with caries prevalence (RR = 1.85; p <0.001). The mean ± standard deviation of total DDQ-B was 0.81 ± 1.46. Regarding dental treatment needs, the need for pulp treatment with restoration was the only treatment need associated with dental pain (RR = 2.81, p <0.001). Socioeconomic factors were not associated to dental pain (p> 0.05). In addition, the low (dmf-t between 1 and 5 ) and high caries severity (dmft >=6), as the highest pain levels; were associated with a worse OHRQoL in preschool children and their families (RR= 3.86, p<0.001; RR= 9.17, p<0.001 e RR=1.38, p<0.001, respectively). Therefore, in this population, dental pain was associated with caries prevalence, need for pulp treatment with restoration, and a worse oral health-related quality of life in preschool children and their families.

I conducted two experiments to investigate the emergence of Naming in a second language by monolingual English-speaking preschool children who demonstrated Naming in English with non-contrived visual stimuli. In Experiment I, I tested for the presence of full echoic responses in Chinese with 32 monolingual English-speaking children. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups. Group I received echoic probes in Chinese phonemes with English approximations, while Group II received echoic probes in distinctive Chinese phonemes. Participants in both groups were probed for their echoic responses in English. Results showed that Group I outperformed Group II in the numbers of correct echoic responses in Chinese phonemes, suggesting that the numbers of correct echoic responses in Chinese were affected by the distinctiveness of the phonemes as well as participants’ echoic responses in English. In Experiment II, I tested the effects of echoic training on the acquisition of Naming in Chinese with contrived and non-contrived visual stimuli by eight monolingual English-speaking preschool children. A multiple probe design was implemented for experimental control. I conducted naming probes in English with contrived and non-contrived visual stimuli, as well as naming probes in Chinese with contrived and non-contrived visual stimuli with all participants. Six out of eight participants received echoic training, while the other two participants went through repeated probes due to a lack of stable responding. The intervention consisted of the experimenter teaching the participants to echo Chinese consonant-vowel combinations that shared the same phonemes with the probes sets but with different consonant-vowel combinations. The participants were taught to say the target consonant-vowel combinations independently without an echoic model with 100% accuracy across three sessions during delayed probes in order to master a training set. Prior to the intervention, all participants demonstrated naming in English with non-contrived stimuli, but none of the participants demonstrated naming in English with contrived stimuli, or in Chinese with contrived or non-contrived stimuli. The results from post-intervention probes showed that echoic training was functionally related to the emergence of naming in Chinese with non-contrived stimuli for six participants, as well as naming in Chinese with contrived stimuli for five out of six participants.