搜索结果：Journal of experimental child psychology

Autistic people with communication support needs can benefit from the use of augmentative and alternative communication. While research has considered the use of AAC to supplement communication and improve communication effectiveness, less is known about other potential outcomes across the lifespan such as wellbeing and social interaction. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise current research regarding the use of AAC for autistic adults and children; exploring how AAC supports the individual's communication, adaptive functioning and quality of life. A systematic search was conducted across six databases; PsychINFO, Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Educational Resources Information Centre (ERIC), and Google Scholar. Eligibility criteria included experimental design, peer-reviewed publications and papers published in English after 2013. Relevant papers were exported to Covidence; screening, full text review and data extraction were conducted in duplicate and quality appraisal was completed for all papers using the Scientific Merit Rating Scales (SMRS). Included studies were grouped by age, intervention types, AAC types and reported outcomes, and described qualitatively. The 69 included papers focused on a range of AAC types. The majority investigated speech-generating devices and low-tech picture exchange. Most used behavioural intervention techniques. Most papers focused only on children, with only three papers investigating outcomes of AAC use with adults. The results were largely descriptions of proximal outcomes, such as simple requests, with few considering generalisation of skills or distal outcomes such as quality of life. The quality of the papers was generally low, with limitations in study design and diagnostic ascertainment noted. AAC has the potential to be an important support for autistic people, however, evidence regarding the impact on the broad range of communication functions and quality of life is very limited. A greater focus on the impact of AAC on these areas is needed in both research and practice along with a stronger focus on adults and a greater range of AAC types. PROSPERO number: CRD42023473247 WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject The use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) with autistic adults and children is an established practice. Previous research has shown some effectiveness related to the specific goals being studied but it has centred mostly on children, and most research has focused on making requests, rather than broad communication or life outcomes. What this paper adds to existing knowledge This study explores the literature about autism and AAC and seeks to specifically examine the range of outcomes reported. We found that most of the research on this topic continues to focus on children, aided rather than unaided communication, and on outcomes related directly to the intervention, such as making requests. Very few studies included measures of generalisation or considered broader outcomes of AAC supports, such as quality of life, or enhanced social interactions. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Clinicians and researchers should consider the potential for broader impacts of AAC and ensure that goals focus on skills beyond immediate functions to areas such as quality of life, well-being, learning and employment, and the development of social relationships. Clinicians and researchers should also ensure that AAC interventions are offered to not only children, but also to autistic adults who may benefit from communication supports.

Though studies have highlighted the effect of social information (i.e., verbal messages/preaching and social modeling) on children's moral reasoning and behaviors, the simultaneous presentation of two contradictory social messages has yet to be studied in the moral context. Parents, as primary socializers, often provide conflicting information about honesty and lie-telling, yet how this incongruence influences children's moral reasoning remains unclear. Using moral vignettes, this study investigated the influence of congruent and incongruent social information from a parent on children's moral evaluations and beliefs. Participants were 127 children (age range: 5-12 years, M = 116.46 months, SD = 24.85). Children's moral evaluations of vignette parents were significantly influenced by whether the parent told a lie or told the truth, and whether their words and actions were consistent. However, children's trust evaluations of parents were only significantly influenced by parents' moral behaviors. Findings indicate that when both verbal and behavioral information from parents are presented, they influence aspects of children's moral reasoning in distinct ways. In cases of verbal-behavioral inconsistency, most children found parents' moral behaviors to be more salient than the verbal messages they shared about honesty and lie-telling. Results also highlight the importance that everyday parent-child interactions may have for informing not only children's moral reasoning, and likely their own future moral behaviors, but also how children view their parents.

Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders text-revised fifth edition (DSM-5-TR) and in the International Classification of Diseases Eleventh Edition (ICD-11). While PGD screening instruments exist for adults, these instruments are not applicable to children. Caretakers play a crucial role in screening for PGD in children. We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Traumatic Grief Inventory-Kids-Caregiver-Report (TGI-K-CR) to screen for DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 PGD in children. On a website with information about grief, 196 Dutch caregivers (82% woman; Mage = 44) completed questions about their own and their child's (47% girls; Mage = 11; 44% lost a parent) background and loss-related characteristics (77% of deaths resulted from illness). Caregivers completed the TGI-K-CR and a self-report measure about their own PGD intensity. Factor structure and internal consistency of DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 PGD items were examined separately. T-tests and correlation analyses examined whether caregiver-ratings of PGD intensity in children differed as a function of background- and loss-related characteristics. Provisional cut-offs for both criteria sets were determined. Confirmatory factor analyses showed support for two distinct, but related, factors for DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 PGD items. We found strong internal consistency (ω = .85 for DSM-5-TR; ω = .87 for ICD-11), while some factor loadings were poor. In support of known-groups validity, DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 PGD intensity were higher in children when caregivers reported higher PGD intensity for themselves and when deaths occurred more recently. ROC analyses showed optimal cut-off scores of ≥46 and ≥52 to determine probable caseness for DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 PGD, respectively, when summing all 16 items. The psychometric properties of the TGI-K-CR seem promising, but more research among larger samples is needed. This caregiver screening tool for PGD in children (aged 8-18) may advance child bereavement research and care. The Traumatic Grief Inventory-Kids-Caregiver-Report (TGI-K-CR) screens for DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 PGD in children based on caregiver reports.The TGI-K-CR shows promising psychometric properties for screening for PGD in children aged 8–18 using caregiver reports.This caregiver screening tool for PGD in children may advance child bereavement research and care. Antecedentes: El trastorno de duelo prolongado (TDP) se incluyó en el Manual Estadístico y Diagnóstico para Trastornos Mentales, quinta edición texto revisado (DSM-5-TR) y en la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades, decimoprimera edición (CIE-11). Mientras que los instrumentos de tamizaje para TDP existen para adultos, estos instrumentos no son aplicables para niños. Los cuidadores juegan un papel crucial en el tamizaje de TDP en niños. Objetivo: Se evaluaron las propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Duelo Traumático para Niños-Reporte del Cuidador (TGI-K-CR por sus siglas en inglés) para detectar el TDP en niños según el DSM-5-TR y la CIE-11. Método: En un sitio web con información acerca de duelo, 196 cuidadores holandeses (82% mujeres; Medad = 44) completaron preguntas acerca de sus propios antecedentes y las de sus hijos (47% niñas; Medad  = 11; 44% perdieron a un progenitor) y de las características relacionadas con la pérdida (77% de las muertes fueron por enfermedad). Los cuidadores completaron la TGI-K-CR y una medida de autorreporte sobre la intensidad de su propio TDP. La estructura factorial y la consistencia interna de los ítems del TDP según el DSM-5-TR y la CIE-11 se examinaron separadamente. Las pruebas T y los análisis de correlación examinaron si la valoración de los cuidadores sobre la intensidad del TDP en los niños difería en función de los antecedentes y las características relacionadas con la pérdida. Se determinaron puntos de corte provisionales para ambos conjuntos de criterio. Resultados: Los análisis de factor confirmatorio respaldaron la existencia de dos factores distintos, pero relacionados para los ítems del TDP del DSM-5-TR y la CIE-11. Se encontró una fuerte consistencia interna (ω = .85 para el DSM-5-TR; ω = .87 para la CIE-11), mientras que algunas cargas factoriales fueron deficientes. En apoyo de la validez de grupos conocidos, la intensidad del TDP del DSM-5-TR y de la CIE-11 fue mayor en los niños cuando los cuidadores reportaron mayor intensidad de TDP para sí mismos y cuando las muertes ocurrieron más recientemente. Los análisis ROC mostraron puntuaciones de corte óptimas de ≥46 y ≥ 52 para determinar la probable casuística para el TDP del DSM-5-TR y de la CIE-11 respectivamente, al sumar los 16 ítems. ConclusionesLas propiedades psicométricas del TGI-K-CR parecen prometedoras, pero se requiere más investigación con muestras más grandes. Este instrumento de tamizaje para el TDP en niños (edades 8–18) para cuidadores podría impulsar la investigación y la atención en duelo infantil.

Curiosity is a powerful engine of learning that shapes how people explore, acquire knowledge, and adapt to their environments. Though the implications of curiosity are clear, we know little about what drives curiosity. One widely-held view is that satisfying curiosity is intrinsically rewarding. Yet there is limited direct evidence supporting this claim, particularly during early childhood-a period characterized by heightened curiosity. Here, we provide an empirical test of whether satisfying curiosity is intrinsically valuable to children by asking whether they will forego hard-earned rewards to obtain information. To examine the limits of costly curiosity, we ask whether children will give up hard-earned rewards to learn something new, even when the information to be gained is unknown and offers no immediate or long-term benefit. Critically, we test what factors (i.e., age, gender, cultural background, trait curiosity, reward availability) shape children's willingness to engage in costly curiosity. In a sample of 226 children aged 3-6 years in the United States and Turkey, nearly all children (87%) gave up rewards to obtain information. However, costly curiosity was limited, most children gave up only a few rewards (i.e., the smallest amount possible), and the extent of trading varied by gender and culture: boys traded more than girls and children in the United States traded more than in Turkey. These findings provide evidence that children's curiosity is not driven by sheer impulse, but instead, a decision-making process that weighs both costs and benefits, and is shaped by broader individual and cultural factors.

Math anxiety impairs learning and academic development. During primary school, environmental factors-particularly parents' math anxiety-play an important role in its development and may contribute to intergenerational transmission. Through daily interactions, parents influence children's beliefs and emotions, while children may also shape parental emotions over time. However, research on this intergenerational process among Chinese children remains limited. Grounded in the control-value theory of achievement emotions and the triadic reciprocal causation framework of math anxiety, this study examined whether children's math learning involvement mediates this transmission. A total of 1,765 third- and fourth-grade students (Mage = 8.84 years; 1,055 girls) participated in four waves of data collection across two school years at six-month intervals. A cross-lagged panel model was used to examine intergenerational associations, and longitudinal mediation models were estimated to test indirect effects. Results showed that intergenerational transmission of math anxiety emerged during the T3-T4 period. Children's math anxiety also predicted subsequent increases in parents' math anxiety, indicating a bidirectional and transactional process. Math learning involvement served as a longitudinal mediator: higher parents' math anxiety at T1 and T2 predicted lower children's math learning involvement at T2 and T3, which predicted higher children's math anxiety at T3 and T4. These findings support theoretical perspectives emphasizing dynamic interactions between environmental and individual factors. They also highlight children's math learning involvement as a key pathway linking parental and children's math anxiety and suggest that reducing parents' math anxiety and promoting children's active involvement in math may reduce children's math anxiety.

Food rejection is most likely to occur during early childhood, with most rejected foods being vegetables and fruits. Consequently, many young children do not meet the recommended intake levels of these foods. Confirmation bias may be a cognitive factor contributing to low intake of novel vegetables and fruits. This study aimed to examine confirmation bias at two stages-information seeking and information evaluation-regarding novel foods in young children and investigate the differences in the strength of these confirmation biases based on the levels of everyday food rejection. Experiment 1 identified novel foods perceived as appetizing or unappetizing. Using these stimuli, Experiment 2 (N = 34) examined confirmation bias during the information search stage, whereas Experiment 3 (N = 34) examined it during the information evaluation stage. The results showed that, for appetizing novel foods, children sought more positive than negative information (Experiment 2) and evaluated positive information as more credible (Experiment 3). However, for unappetizing novel foods, children sought more negative than positive information (Experiment 2) and evaluated negative information as more reliable (Experiment 3). Thus, children demonstrated confirmation bias at both the information-seeking and information-evaluation stages concerning novel foods. Furthermore, in Experiment 3, children with higher levels of food rejection showed lower trust in positive information relative to negative information when evaluating unappetizing foods. These findings deepen our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying food rejection and may inform the development of more effective, child-centered interventions to promote healthy eating in early childhood.

This study aims to explore for the first time the knowledge, understanding and management of sleep problems in children with ADHD among clinicians who specialise in sleep and ADHD. The aim was to inform the development of digital sleep awareness training for clinicians. Fifteen clinicians who work with children with ADHD and sleep difficulties in the United Kingdom participated in semistructured qualitative interviews. Data were analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach to generate and guide the content of digital sleep awareness training. Four core themes were developed: 'It's a Problem' highlighted the extent to which children with ADHD were reported to struggle with sleep difficulties and the impact this has on the child and family. Clinicians also discussed the difficulty they had in finding evidence-based information they could share with caregivers. With little to no formal training, most of the advice they gave came from 'learning on the job'. When discussing ADHD specific sleep difficulties and disorders, clinicians reflected on their own 'insight into limitations of knowledge'. 'Learning for practice' highlighted the divergence in the methods of learning preferred by clinicians, despite convergence of learning content needed. Sleep problems in children with ADHD are common, and clinicians often struggle to support these due to lack of formal training. There is a need for accessible, authoritative training for UK practitioners who work with children with ADHD.

Children's ability to visually categorise objects emerges early in development. However, the use of relevant object features from other modalities, or contextual scene cues, on categorisation across development is poorly understood. In particular, children's categorisation may benefit from any associated cue to categorisation or may be specific to the availability of object-relevant sensory information. We tested children between the ages of 5-13 years on their categorisation of familiar objects, which were presented either as images-only (V), sounds-only (A) or bimodal AV objects. In addition, the objects were presented either in isolation or within a scene context that was either semantically congruent or incongruent to the object category. Whilst categorisation performance improved with age, children were better able to categorise object images than sounds, and there was no overall advantage for combined AV information over images only on either accuracy or response times. A semantically congruent context did not further improve categorisation accuracy, although response times were fastest to objects presented within a congruent scene context, particularly when an object's sound was presented. Our findings suggest that visual information dominated the categorisation of familiar objects over sounds in children, with no evidence that these cues are combined at any age. However, children's categorisation of objects benefitted from the associative scene context, particularly when the object information was impoverished. Our findings have important implications for understanding how children adaptively use available information in the categorisation of familiar objects.

Nonverbal behaviours are social tools, used to signal our intentions and feelings to our social partners. Successful communication should therefore depend upon our 'readability': how interpretable these nonverbal signals are. However, while children's ability to reliably interpret their social partners has been well researched, there is a lack of research into the development of readability. To address this gap, 36 typically developing 5- to 11-year-old children were covertly video recorded interacting with a researcher. This captured their naturalistic responses to four different social scenarios. Five-second, silent video clips of each child's reactions to each scenario were created and shown to 27 adult perceivers. These perceivers were then asked to infer which of the four potential scenarios each child was reacting to in each clip, allowing us to measure how 'readable' each child was. Perceivers were further asked to rate how expressive they felt each child was against a five-point Likert scale. This study was pre-registered on the OSF. This is the first study to demonstrate that children between 5 and 11-years-old are readable social actors. Contrary to our expectations, we found no significant effect of age on target readability. On the other hand, target's expressivity was significantly associated with their readability. These results have implications for our understanding of how children become successful communicators and suggest that readability might be a stable trait over this age range - varying between individuals in a similar manner to that previously observed in facial expressivity.

Guided parent-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (GPD-CBT) is an evidence-based, low-burden treatment programme for childhood anxiety disorders with demonstrated efficacy, cost-effectiveness and accessibility. However, it has been tested primarily in Western countries, and the efficacy and cost-effectiveness have not been evaluated in Japanese families. The current study aims to examine GPD-CBT's efficacy and cost-effectiveness in Japanese samples and explore potential cultural adaptations of the programme. This study is designed as a Bayesian single-blind randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups: GPD-CBT (intervention group) and a waitlist control group. The primary outcome is remission of primary anxiety disorders evaluated through diagnostic interviews by independent evaluators. Secondary outcomes include child and parent-reported child anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and life interference. Additionally, measures of parental psychological characteristics, programme acceptability and quality of life are collected. We will conduct qualitative interviews with parents who participated in the programme and therapists who delivered the intervention to explore potential cultural adaptations. We aim to recruit 54-170 families, depending on the results of sequential Bayesian analyses. GPD-CBT consists of seven weekly 20 min sessions and a 1-month follow-up session. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, 13 weeks post randomisation (primary endpoint for between-group comparison), with an additional 25 weeks post randomisation. The waitlist control group will receive GPD-CBT after the 13-week assessment. This study has been approved by the Ethics Review Committees of Chiba University and the University of Tokyo. We will disseminate results through academic conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications. If the GPD-CBT intervention proves efficacious, we will promote wider implementation in Japan through the development of training programmes for mental health professionals and key stakeholders. jRCT1032250421 (https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCT1032250421) and jRCT1030250422 (https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCT1030250422) registered on 9 October 2025.

Forgiveness is one critical way in which we repair and maintain our cooperative relationships after transgressions. Young children are more forgiving of remorseful than unremorseful transgressors. However, it remains unknown whether children also consider the nature of the remorse. Specifically, are children more forgiving of transgressors who express deep remorse, and thus convey greater regret and cooperative intent, than those who show perfunctory remorse? In the present study, 5- and 6-year-old U.S.-based children (N = 51) viewed two videos of a transgressor intentionally tearing a victim's drawing. Transgressors provided either a simple or elaborate apology. Children at both ages evaluated the elaborate apologizer more positively and distributed more resources to her than the simple apologizer, and their justifications often referenced the nature of the transgressors' apology. Thus, already by age 5, children are sensitive not only to whether a transgressor expressed remorse but also to the depth of that remorse, and, at least after intentional transgressions, they judge transgressors who show deeper remorse to be more forgivable.

Previous research suggests interindividual variability in the location of the genital representation field and use-associated structural variation of genital field thickness associated with normative sexual activity in adult women. Using a sensory-tactile fMRI paradigm, we individually mapped genital fields of 128 women with and without exposure to childhood sexual abuse. We assessed whether structural variation of the individual genital field is driven by exposure to childhood sexual abuse or sexual frequency in the past year. We show that exposure to childhood sexual abuse associated with reduced thickness of individually-mapped genital cortex. Earlier abuse onset predicted greater reductions of genital field thickness. There was no effect of sexual frequency in the past year on genital field thickness. Classic neuroplasticity research indicates amplifying effects of stimulation on sensory cortex. In contrast, our results show long-lasting damaging effects of inappropriate stimulation during early development, emphasizing the need to protect children from sexual adversity.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among females worldwide. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2023, we provided an updated comprehensive assessment of the epidemiological trends, disease burden, and risk factors associated with breast cancer globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2023. Breast cancer incidence, mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were estimated by age and sex for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023. Mortality estimates were generated using GBD Cause of Death Ensemble models, leveraging data from population-based cancer registration systems, vital registration systems, and verbal autopsies. Mortality-to-incidence ratios were calculated to derive both mortality and incidence estimates. Prevalence was calculated by combining incidence and modelled survival estimates. YLLs were established by multiplying age-specific deaths with the GBD standard life expectancy at the age of death. YLDs were estimated by applying disability weights to prevalence estimates. The sum of YLLs and YLDs equalled the number of DALYs. Breast cancer burden attributable to seven risk factors was examined through the comparative risk assessment framework. The GBD forecasting framework was used to forecast breast cancer incidence and mortality from 2024 to 2050. Age-standardised rates were calculated for each metric using the GBD 2023 world standard population. In 2023, there were an estimated 2·30 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2·01 to 2·61) breast cancer incident cases, 764 000 deaths (672 000 to 854 000), and 24·1 million (21·3 to 27·5) DALYs among females globally. In the World Bank low-income group, where a low age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) was estimated (44·2 per 100 000 person-years [31·2 to 58·4]), the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) was the highest (24·1 per 100 000 [16·8 to 31·9]). The highest ASIR was in the high-income group (75·7 per 100 000 [67·1 to 84·0]), and the lowest ASMR was in the upper-middle-income group (11·2 per 100 000 [10·2 to 12·3]). Between 1990 and 2023, the ASIR in the low-income group increased by 147·2% (38·1 to 271·7), compared with a 1·2% (-11·5 to 17·2) change in the high-income group. The ASMR decreased in the high-income group, changing by -29·9% (-33·6 to -25·9), but increased by 99·3% (12·5 to 202·9) in the low-income group. The increase in age-standardised DALY rates followed that of ASMRs. Risk factors such as dietary risks, tobacco use, and high fasting plasma glucose contributed to 28·3% (16·6 to 38·9) of breast cancer DALYs in 2023. The risk factors with a decrease in attributable DALYs between 1990 and 2023 were high alcohol use and tobacco. By 2050, the global incident cases of breast cancer among females were forecast to reach 3·56 million (2·29 to 4·83), with 1·37 million (0·841 to 2·02) deaths. The stable incidence and declining mortality rates of female breast cancer in high-income nations reflect success in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. In contrast, the concurrent rise in incidence and mortality in other regions signals health system deficits. Without effective interventions, many countries will fall short of the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative's ambitious target of achieving an annual reduction of 2·5% in age-standardised mortality rates by 2040. The mounting breast cancer burden, disproportionately affecting some of the world's most vulnerable populations, will further exacerbate health inequalities across the globe without decisive immediate action. Gates Foundation, St Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Mental disorders can impact parenting negatively, thus placing their children at risk of adversity. The current service support for parents in adult mental health (AMHS) service is limited. The objective of this randomized clinical trial will be to evaluate the effects of a transdiagnostic mentalization-based parenting program (Lighthouse MBT Parenting Program) versus care as usual (CAU) for parents with mental disorders in AMHS in Denmark. This trial is designed as an investigator-initiated single-center open-label randomized clinical superiority trial of the Lighthouse MBT Parenting Program compared to CAU for parents with mental disorders. Participants will be recruited from Danish outpatient mental health clinics by the local service providers and will be included if they have a child 0-17 years of age, whom they are in regular contact with. We plan to randomize 170 parents with a 1:1 allocation ratio stratified by parental gender and baseline parenting stress score. The primary outcome will be level of parenting stress (Parenting Stress Index version 4 - Short Form). Secondary outcomes will be child psychological problems and functioning (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire - Extended version), parental quality of life (brief abbreviated version of the World Health Organization Questionnaire of Life), family functioning (McMaster Family Assessment Device - General Functioning), exposure to child adversity in offspring (Adverse Child Experiences Questionnaire), parenting competence (Parenting Sense of Competence), parental psychiatric symptom severity (Brief Symptom Inventory), parental health-related quality of life and functioning (European Quality of Life - 5 Dimensions - 3 Levels), and parental use of drugs and alcohol (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test - Extended). The primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed before randomization and at 6, 12, and 24 months after randomization. The primary time-point of assessment will be 6 months after randomization for all randomized participants. Exploratory outcomes include key theoretical concepts, including parental mentalizing (Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire), mind-mindedness (representational Mind-Mindedness), and epistemic trust (Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire). Exploratory outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 6 months follow-up. Adverse events will be systematically monitored throughout the trial period using the e-journal system. This trial will provide evidence of the effects of a transdiagnostic mentalization-based parenting intervention (Lighthouse MBT Parenting Program) compared to care as usual for parents with mental disorders in adult mental health services in Denmark. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06315114. Registration on 01-03-2024.

Genetic and environmental factors contribute to depression. Among the latter, early life adversity and immune dysregulation have been consistently linked with depression. Childhood maltreatment (CM) is believed to induce immune dysregulation later in life. However, it is not known how CM might interact with genetic immune factors to contribute to the occurrence of depression. We investigated how genetic variability in 2370 genes from 20 immune pathways associates with a broadly-defined lifetime depression phenotype at gene- and pathway-level, and how this variability interacts with CM. Depression analysis was carried out in 13,309 individuals (1867 cases) from Generation Scotland (GS). CM interaction analysis was carried out in a subset of 749 individuals (99 cases) from GS and an independent sample of 509 individuals (96 cases) from the German BiDirect (BD) Study for which both genetic and CM data was available. Interactions with different types of CM were tested using the subscales of the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). These results were meta-analyzed to obtain general gene-CM interactions. We found association of the GHR gene (false discovery rate -FDR-&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.03, z&#x2009;=&#x2009;4.2) and Reactome "RUNX1-regulated transcription of genes involved in myeloid cell differentiation pathway" (FDR&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.016, beta&#x2009;=&#x2009;1.2) with depression in GS. After meta-analysis, 56 immune gene-CM interactions were associated with depression (FDR&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05) in both GS and BD. These exert functions in hematopoiesis, pathogen recognition and stress responses, among others. Network analysis suggested macrophages as main expressing cell types. Our results underscore the involvement of hematopoietic alterations and immune gene-CM interactions in the development of depression.

Children frequently explain the world using teleological reasoning, which is the assumption that things happen for a purpose. However, it is unclear if such reasoning is applied equally across domains, or how contextual characteristics such as valence might influence children's explanatory choices. In this study, we examined 5- to 7-year-old's teleological preferences for explaining events in nature (e.g., a tree shedding its leaves), and we investigated if valence affected children's endorsement of teleological versus physical-causal explanations. Overall, children showed a clear preference for physical-causal explanations of natural events. Although less common, endorsements of teleological explanations did vary significantly by age and valence with five-year-olds showing a stronger preference for teleological explanations than seven-year-olds and positive teleological explanations being preferred over negative or neutral ones. These findings diverge from children's broad teleological tendencies observed in other domains (e.g., living organisms, artifacts, natural objects) and support a nuanced view of teleology that can be sensitive to domain and context. These results have important implications for science education, suggesting that children may be receptive to science-based explanations of some natural phenomena from an early age.

Parental scaffolding during parent-child interactions plays a critical role in children's academic ability. However, limited studies have examined the costs and benefits of specific parental scaffolding behaviors. This study examined how parental verbal and nonverbal scaffolding relates to elementary school children's mathematics ability across three domains: computation, fluency, and problem-solving. Participants included 78 children (6.47-11.17&#xa0;years, Grades 1-5) and their father or mother. Twelve parental scaffolding behaviors (verbal/non-verbal) were coded during two parent-child dyadic tasks (map/block-building task). Verbal scaffolding mainly included open-ended questions, multiple choice questions, closed-ended questions, observational leading questions, explanatory questions, and procedural questions. Nonverbal scaffolding mainly included manual help, demonstration, pointing, asserts control, onlooking, and off-task. Results showed that, after controlling for child gender, parent gender and parental education, pointing was negatively associated with both computation and problem-solving. Moreover, children's age negatively moderated the relationships of both open-ended and procedural questions with math fluency: procedural questions were negatively associated with fluency for older children, while open-ended questions showed a negative relationship for older children but a positive one for younger children. This study contributes to our understanding of the functions of scaffolding in children, highlighting that directive scaffolding behaviors (e.g., pointing and procedural questioning) may hinder rather than support children's mathematical learning.

According to coercion theory, children's expressions of negative affect impede adaptive parent-child conflict resolutions. Recent emotion-focused extensions of this theory suggest that parents' negative affect also motivates them to end conflicts quickly and limits their ability to engage in the cognitive flexibility required to socialize positive problem-solving. This brief report responds to a call to test this theory extension with behavioral observations. In a sample of 190 mother-child dyads (mean child age&#xa0;=&#xa0;6.47&#xa0;years), we observed discussions of relevant conflict topics in the laboratory and rated mother and child negativity, as well as conflict resolution (compromise, win/loss, standoff). We used a logistic regression accounting for covariances between mother and child negativity to test whether each uniquely related to conflict resolution type. Both mother and child negativity predicted conflict resolution but in different ways. When children displayed more negativity, dyads were more likely to reach a standoff than a compromise. When mothers displayed more negativity, dyads were more likely to reach a win/loss resolution than a compromise or a standoff. Findings are discussed in terms of parent and child negativity contributions to power differentials and disengagement, respectively, as well as how these findings relate to coercion theory tenets.

Language and executive function (EF) are correlated in preschool years. However, whether language plays a causal role in supporting EF development remains unclear given that language development cannot be experimentally manipulated. The present study recognizes that deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children's language development represents a natural quasi-experimental proxy, in the common case where children's access to spoken language is delayed until they receive an assistive hearing device. We investigated whether DHH children's delayed EF development, relative to typically hearing (TH) children, is accounted for by DHH children's delayed access to spoken language. Preschoolers (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;108, 38 oral DHH and 70 TH, 3.0-6.5&#xa0;years) completed an EF task that primarily indexes inhibitory control and a standardized receptive language assessment. We also computed each DHH child's length of language access as the time that had elapsed since receiving their first assistive hearing device (at ages that varied widely from 1.5&#xa0;months to 48&#xa0;months). Replicating prior findings, TH children outperformed DHH children in EF (&#x3b7;2p&#xa0;=&#xa0;.17). Crucially, a mediation model revealed that length of language access fully mediated the link between DHH/TH status and EF. A second mediation model indicated that receptive vocabulary also fully mediated this link, further supporting the claim that EF delays among DHH children reflect delayed access to language rather than any cognitive deficit. Results provide strong evidence that language facilitates EF development and highlight the importance of early intervention to support language and EF. Theoretical implications for the nature and development of EF are discussed alongside practical implications for supporting DHH children.