A team lead by Vanderbilt University Medical Center has developed the Perceptions of Research Trustworthiness (PoRT) scale to gauge minority populations’ perceptions of the reliability of scientific research. By enabling researchers to assess the degree of trust or mistrust in their work, the tool, as published in JAMA Network Open, intends to increase engagement in research. The historical perspective on trust in science has changed, and by emphasizing the trustworthiness of research and investigators, the responsibility of trust is moved from the participant to the researcher. A member of the research team’s leadership, Wilkins, said that research organizations should own responsibility for being trustworthy and measure their performance in gaining and keeping trust.

The goal of the research team is to assess and analyze how trust affects outcomes across the nation using PoRT. Although it took many years to develop and validate, PoRT is now regarded as essential for selecting study participants who are representative of the general population. Using this tool, researchers can actively better themselves prior to starting the study, putting their commitments to conducting equitable studies into practice.

Teaching empathy in schools can help young people retain it as a social skill, enhancing their learning and preparing them for adulthood.
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https://phys.org/news/2023-04-team-scale-rebalance-burden-science.html
Hsin-Yu Huang
UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Empathy is often seen as a fixed trait, but research shows it can be taught. Reading is one-way children can develop empathy, as they can experience and reflect on situations different from their own and reflect on them. Empathy Week is a program that shows pupils documentary films with scenarios from different cultures to inspire empathy, and early findings suggest that as little as one week of empathy lessons can improve pupils’ emotional awareness. 

Levels of empathy vary depending on personality traits, genes, and environment. Research shows that only about 10% of our empathy is genetic, suggesting that a large amount of empathy can be acquired from everyday interactions. However, empathy can also decrease as we age, and biases can reduce empathy. 

Empathy helps children build relationships, engage with learning, and work and play together. Teaching empathy can also enhance creativity. In a study, pupils who were taught empathy and asked to design a product for children with asthma and their families showed increased levels of creative responses. 

Teaching empathy in schools can help young people retain it as a social skill, enhancing their learning and preparing them for adulthood.

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

According to new research published in the journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, harsh discipline by parents on young children puts them at a higher risk of developing long-term mental health problems. Physical or psychological punishment, as well as hostile parenting, can increase the likelihood of children experiencing mental health symptoms. The study followed over 7,500 Irish children at three, five, and nine years old, tracking their mental health symptoms. 10% of the children were discovered to be at high risk for poor mental health. Children who had experienced hostile parenting were significantly more likely to fall into this category. Although many factors influence children’s mental health, the study emphasizes the significance of parenting in a child’s upbringing.

Multiple risk factors influence children’s mental health, including gender, physical health, and socioeconomic status. Mental health professionals, teachers, and other practitioners should be aware of the potential impact of parenting on a child exhibiting symptoms of poor mental health. According to the study, providing additional support to parents of children who are already considered at risk could help prevent these issues from developing.

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

A study was conducted to see if a school-based sexual health education program called High School FLASH could reduce homophobia and transphobia while also preventing unintended pregnancy and STIs. The study assessed the program’s impact on 20 schools in the Midwest and South of the United States. LGBTQ students are frequently subjected to discrimination and victimization at school, which has a negative impact on their academic and mental health outcomes. By providing inclusive curricula that affirm all identities and orientations, schools can help to create safe and inclusive environments for all students. Even curricula that claim to be inclusive may not accurately represent LGBTQ people.

 

FLASH employs a systematic approach to instill inclusivity throughout the curriculum by providing visibility, normalizing a diverse range of identities, portraying LGBTQ individuals in positive situations, and employing nuanced language. It was discovered that the program reduced homophobic and transphobic beliefs in both straight cisgender and LGBTQ students. The decrease in prejudice among straight cisgender students reflects an improvement in how they perceive LGBTQ peers, potentially leading to a better school climate. FLASH is the first evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program to address prejudice against LGBTQ people.

 

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Hsin-Yu Huang

Joel Baraka grew up in the Kyangwali refugee camp in Uganda. He became the founder of a nonprofit with the mission of making education accessible to refugee children in Uganda after he left the camp. In this ted talk, he spoke about how fun educational board games can be effective to help improve a child’s access to learning in a refugee camp.

 

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Preschoolers were asked whether they would rather learn from a competent robot or an incompetent human. The study found that five-year-olds preferred learning from a competent robot over a human, while three-year-olds had no preference. To see if the morphology of the robot affected the children’s trust strategies, the researchers used two different robots, one with humanoid characteristics and one with a truck shape. The results were similar, indicating that the appearance of the robot has no effect on children’s selective trust. The research expands on prior findings that children attribute certain human-like characteristics to robots.

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Children from low-income families have better outcomes when both parents view their co-parenting relationship positively, according to a study by Ohio State University. Outcomes were worst when both parents viewed their relationship negatively. However, when co-parenting was seen as moderately good, and mothers and fathers had different views on their co-parenting relationship, children were almost as well-adjusted as those whose parents saw their relationship positively. When fathers had negative views, child outcomes were poorer, indicating psychological distress may affect parenting duties and lead to more conflict and poorer engagement with children. Practitioners working with parents may need to pay special attention when fathers are less positive than mothers about their co-parenting relationship.

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

 

According to the study, as Stockholm’s air has become cleaner, the younger generation’s lungs have become more robust. Cleaner air could benefit everyone’s health, which could have ramifications for cities worldwide. The harmful health effects of air pollutants on children’s lungs are well documented, but little is known about the impact of changes in air quality on lung development.

The health of children’s lungs is critical for their future risk of developing chronic lung diseases. According to the study’s co-authors, air quality in Stockholm has improved over the last 20 years, leading to decreased air pollutants and improved air quality in the city’s lungs. Between 2016 and 2019, air pollution levels in Stockholm fell by 60%, and there was a 20% reduction in the risk of having impaired lung function. People who live in areas with lower levels of air pollution have better lung development in childhood and early adulthood.

Poor air quality has a significant impact on children’s lung function because their lung function develops throughout their lives. Improving air quality can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases in children in the future.

 

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Several researches indicate that children can learn more effectively through game-based learning activities. Kids who participated in these activities showed improved knowledge, leadership, and creative abilities. These abilities are crucial in the digital age, and employing game-based learning activities can make it easier for kids to pick them up and improve them. Nevertheless, playing video games for entertainment and using them to learn is the same. Game-based learning is a method of using games to accomplish particular educational objectives; it is not thought of as entertainment.

This type of learning uses games to help students learn more effectively. Games are more engaging than traditional methods, making them a good choice for students who struggle to stay focused in class or need more motivation to learn. Research has shown that game-based learning can lead to improved learning outcomes, including increased engagement and motivation. Additionally, game-based learning apps often use repetitive play, reinforcement, and goal-based learning to help students learn specific skills more effectively. This makes them especially suited for students who are interested in pursuing a career in a specific field. Finally, game-based learning is accessible to students from anywhere, making it a great choice for families who travel frequently or have difficulty accessing traditional learning resources. 

However, some may find that using game-based learning techniques can have negative consequences and may not be as effective as other learning methods. Children spend too much time playing video games, which can be frustrating for parents and caregivers and lead to tiredness in students. This can be hard to predict, as children can get frustrated when new levels or badges are not reached quickly. This can also lead to tension between students, as some are not as successful as others.

In conclusion, game-based learning can help children develop skills that will be useful in their future careers, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. These skills are learned through online game-based learning, which is a form of learning that takes place in a digital world. Teachers and researchers see many benefits to using game-based learning in the digital age, with a positive outlook on what’s ahead for children.

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant

Humans all sigh. Most of the time, it’s a reflexive action that few consciously consider. Sighing is merely an expression of our out-breath and an exhalation. 

Our body undergoes some amazing changes as a result of managing this exhalation. The ability to sigh is linked to how the body adapts after experiencing stress because when we concentrate on the exhale, we can inhale more deeply. Giving emotions the ability to change allows us to literally breathe more deeply.

Sighing is important, it’s a way to release stress from your body. The change might not be immediate, however in the long term, researchers believe that practicing this skill is beneficial. Through sighing we can learn to eliminate unwanted material from our bodies and minds by using our exhalation and opening ourselves up to new feelings like happiness, relief, vitality, enlivenment, and contentment.

 

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Hsin-Yu Huang

UConn KIDS Research Assistant