Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday!

This week’s question is… True or false: “When people feel coerced into a certain behavior, they will react against the coercion, often by demonstrating an increased preference for the behavior that is restrained, and may perform the behavior opposite to that desired.” (American Psychological Association, 2018) This experience is called Reactance Theory.

A. True
B. False 

Last week’s question was “True or false: Cognitive Dissonance is defined by the American Psychological Association (2018) as ‘an unpleasant psychological state resulting from inconsistency between two or more elements in a cognitive system.’” The answer was true!

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this week’s question!

 

What is known about socio-emotional learning (SEL) is early childhood SEL skills are strongly associated with social, academic, and cognitive outcomes later in life. However, there is not much known about how a large scale SEL program would impact children. The research on SEL interventions in school suggested short term benefits, but there needs to be more longitudinal research for the long-term benefits. 

The current framework for SEL was organized by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL); this includes five core areas of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. 

This article reviewed a few intervention methods. A highlight of this article is based on past evidence that having a sensitive and responsive caregiver is associated with healthy development. It was found that programs with high-quality teacher- child relationships (ex. Smaller class sizes) and safe learning environments are more likely to have positive impacts on children’s SEL. 

This paper concluded that investments should be made to support a child’s SEL at many levels. One way this can be done is to add SEL skills into the curriculum, along with the literacy and numeracy skills. 

All in all, the benefits of SEL on childrens’ well being is well known but there is much to be studied on the possible benefits of a large skill SEL intervention.

If you want to read more, click here!

Kaitlyn Vitucci
UConn KIDS, Research Assistant

Sixto Cancel, founder of the Think of Us organization, talked about his own lived experience in foster care since he was 11 years old. It was not a pleasant experience as the US foster care system is flawed, and the adoption process is not as good as it could be with placing children into loving homes. The consequences of this can greatly impact the well-being of children. 

Youth in foster care are more likely to experience negative outcomes, like PTSD, homelessness, and incarceration, among other outcomes. However, the prominent consequence of the flawed system is the severe mental health impact it has on the children. Not growing up in a loving, supportive environment can worsen their mental health. This is why Sixto Cancel started his organization, to help the children in the system find a good home. 

His main goal is to transform foster care into kinship care. In other words, he focuses on finding any extended family members or kin that can raise the child. By doing so, this positively impacts the child, especially with their mental health! His work can change the lives of many children and bring the one thing they all want most: a loving family. 

To watch the full Ted Talk, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

Generally, parents enroll their children in organized sports to help them make friends, get active, or simply have fun. However, what some parents might not initially consider is the impact that sports games can have on children’s motor skills, such as balance, coordination, and control! After analyzing multiple studies, researchers Shengchuan Sun and Changzhou Chen found that structured sports significantly improved these skills in children compared to unstructured activities. 

What factors influence this improvement in motor skills? The researchers found that both the intensity and consistency of structured programs, especially when combined with high-energy sessions, were effective. The hope is that organized sports will continue to be incorporated into children’s daily routines as a fun way to build those essential motor skills they’ll need later in life. 

Interested in learning more? Click here to read the full article! 

 

Rachel Silverman 

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday!

True or false: Cognitive Dissonance is defined by the American Psychological Association (2018) as “an unpleasant psychological state resulting from inconsistency between two or more elements in a cognitive system.” 

A. True
B. False

Last week’s question was “‘during various phases of brain development through the onset of puberty, the process in which excess or redundant neurons and synaptic connections are eliminated to enable more efficient neural processing’ (American Psychological Association, 2018) is the process of:” The answer was pruning!

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this week’s question!

For many parents, reading books and stories, whether fictional or nonfictional, is a great joy for them to do. Of course, that is not the only benefit both parties get from storytelling, reading to children is one of the greatest sources of linguistic and phonological knowledge! 

In the study, researchers conducted a comparison of how well young children can learn words/vocabulary with picture books or child directed speech conversations. They found that the picture books contained more detailed, unique words than child directed speech conversations with adults. 

Therefore, using picture books with children can advance their mechanism of language learning and learn various, new vocabulary words. Child directed speech is still useful in linguistic input, however, there is more to learning language than simply talking to your child. 

To read more, click here! 

Ashley Bejar, UConn KIDS Research Assistant 

Art therapy is defined by the American Psychological Association as “therapeutic interventions that use artistic endeavors or mediums, such as music, poetry, dance, and drama, to facilitate communication and emotional expression, enhance self-awareness, and foster health and change.” The aim of art therapy is to facilitate children’s personal growth through the use of different medias; such as drawing, painting, digital art, etc. 

A major challenge when it comes to mental health is a person’s limited understanding and ability to safely express their feelings, and this can be enhanced in children due to their limited vocabulary and knowledge. When children are not able to express their negative feelings, not only emotional, but behavioral issues arise. A potential solution is art therapy!

This article referred to multiple studies. One included focused on the realization of one’s self concept and transformation. This included mask making to express feelings, transform clay volcanoes into mountains to relieve anger, and coloring. The results suggested improvements from the parent’s and child’s perspective. 

Overall, there are still a lot of unknowns of the benefits and factors affecting art therapy. This leaves a lot of room for future studies on the effectiveness of art therapy for children! 

If you want to read more about other studies of art therapy, click here!

Kaitlyn Vitucci
UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

What builds a connection between people that fosters an environment where learning can prosper? In her TED Talk, Rita Pierson says that the key to building a connection between educators and students is belief. Genuine connections are what makes learning meaningful. She claims that no significant learning can occur without significant relationships.  

Pierson reminds educators that the most effective teaching happens when students know someone genuinely cares and is there to support them. She compares teachers to champions, and she insists that what every kid needs are a champion to be there for them. Pierson discusses how impactful it was to hear about her mother’s teaching techniques by being students’ biggest supporter, and how it made a true difference in those kids’ lives. 

 

Interested in learning more? Click this link here! 

 

Rachel Silverman 

UConn KIDS, Research Assistant 

Welcome back to Trivia Tuesday!

This weeks question is… “during various phases of brain development through the onset of puberty, the process in which excess or redundant neurons and synaptic connections are eliminated to enable more efficient neural processing” (American Psychological Association, 2018) is the process of:

A. Pruning
B. Maturation
C. Habituation
D. Object permanence 

Last week’s question was… “True or False: As defined by the American Psychological Association (2018), those with an external locus of control ‘tend to behave in response to internal states and intentions and to perceive their life outcomes as arising from the exercise of their own agency and abilities.’” The answer was false, that is an internal locus of control. An external locus of control is defined as those who “tend to behave in response to external

Tune in next week to find out the answer to this weeks’ question!

Occupational therapy is a very powerful tool that can and should be utilized to help children grow and develop. In the article “Role of Occupational Therapy in Pediatric Primary Care: Promoting Childhood Development” by Bonnie Riley and Stephanie de Sam Lazaro, occupational therapy is highlighted as a key support in early childhood development. The authors discussed multiple examples of how influential OT can be.  

By incorporating OT early on, developmental screenings can be done to detect potential challenges in the future. An advantage that OT provides is that practioners are able to adapt to each family cultural and personal needs to ensure meaningful support. Overall, the article discusses advocacy to integrate OT into primary care so that there is easier access to families. 

Interested in learning more? Click here! 

 

Rachel Silverman, UConn KIDS, Research Assistant