Enhancing language and print-concept skills by using interactive storybook reading in kindergarten

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Einat Nevo ◽  
Vered Vaknin-Nusbaum
Keyword(s):  
Emergent Literacy ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Storybook Reading ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Print Concepts ◽  
Motivation To Read

The effectiveness of a short interactive storybook-reading intervention programme delivered by a kindergarten teacher to develop language and print-concept skills was examined in 30 Hebrew-speaking kindergarten children exhibiting different levels of emergent literacy skills. Post-intervention, the intervention group showed a clear advantage over a control group on most measures, including vocabulary, morphology, phonological awareness and print concepts. Pre-test motivation to read was predictive of post-test performance in these same language and print-concept skills. The study suggests that a short intervention programme, using stories and embedded activities, can enhance language and print concepts in kindergarten children; and that motivation to read is equally important in the development of their language and literacy abilities.

Responses to a Learning Task at 6 Months and I.Q. Test Performance During the Preschool Years

1989 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale C. Farran ◽  
Lucy Ann Harber
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
Day Care ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Subsequent Test ◽  
Assessment Tests ◽  
Care Intervention ◽  
Standard Assessment

This research focused on 45 6-month-olds who were at risk for developmental delay due to poor socioeconomic circumstances, their responses to a learning task, and the subsequent prediction to performance on standardised tests during the preschool years. A rank classification for qualitative differences in learning proved preferable to a more complex behavioural count system. Task Rank was used to predict subsequent test performance on the Stanford Binet at 24, 36, and 48 months. Half the infants had been randomly assigned at birth to a day care intervention programme. Both Task Rank and the Bayley MDI at 6 months were good predictors of later test scores for the control group but not the day care intervention group. Responses to the learning task added significantly to the predictions obtained from the Bayley. These results suggest that tasks measured in infancy involving information processing in a novel situation are related to later functioning on standard assessment tests for children reared in less than optimal circumstances.

scholarly journals Revisit the Effectiveness of Educational Kinesiology on Stress and Anxiety Amelioration in Kindergarteners With Special Needs Using Biological Measures

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Pui-Lun Tai ◽  
Way Kwok-Wai Lau
Keyword(s):  
Special Needs ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Small Samples ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Brain Functioning ◽  
Educational Kinesiology ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Background: Educational kinesiology is a popular intervention that aims to improve brain functioning via physical movements. Yet, it lacks supporting scientific evidence and is regarded as pseudoscience. Given the popularity of educational kinesiology in school settings, it is important to revisit its effectiveness through scientific research. Previous studies that evaluated the effectiveness of educational kinesiology relied mainly on subjective measures, in which subjective bias is inevitable. Cortisol and oxytocin levels in saliva have been reported to be reliable stress and anxiety markers that provide unbiased objective data. This study explores the effect of educational kinesiology on the changes in salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels in kindergarteners with special needs.Methods: A quasi-experimental design was adopted in this study. Thirty-seven kindergarteners (3.5–6.5 years old) who were either diagnosed with one type of special needs or referred by school principals due to the requirement of special supports at school were assigned to either the intervention group, which received 1-h educational kinesiology intervention weekly for a total of 10 weeks, or the wait-list control group. Saliva samples were collected at baseline and after the completion of intervention programme for the measurement of cortisol and oxytocin levels. Scores of Parent-rated Preschool Anxiety Scale (PAS-TC) were also collected at pre- and post-intervention. Because of the small samples, non-parametric tests such as Mann-Whitney U test, Quade test, and Fisher's exact tests were used in this study where appropriate.Results: After controlled for the effect at baseline, gender and types of special needs, the changes in oxytocin levels were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with control [F(1, 35) = 4.747, p = 0.036, eta2 = 0.119], whereas no significant between-group difference in changes of cortisol levels was observed [F(1, 35) = 0.306, p = 0.584, eta2 = 0.009]. Results from PAS-TC showed significant improvement in anxiety levels after the intervention in the intervention group (p = 0.048, ϕ = 0.344, p = 0.037).Conclusions: Our findings suggest a plausible anti-anxiety effect of educational kinesiology in kindergarteners with special needs by elevating the oxytocin levels. Future studies are warranted to further confirm our findings with a larger sample.

scholarly journals Effect of Smartphone App’s Intervention on Consumers’ Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, and Perception of Food Poisoning Prevention When Dining Out at Selected Rural Areas in Terengganu

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 10294
Author(s):  
Nur Afifah Mursyida Zaujan ◽  
Asma’ Ali ◽  
Malina Osman ◽  
Hui Yee Chee ◽  
Nur Raihana Ithnin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Poisoning Prevention

(1) Background: Lack of food safety awareness and preventive behaviour when dining out increases the risk of food poisoning. Furthermore, food poisoning cases among rural communities have been rising in recent years. However, the health-related mobile application is a promising tool in improving food poisoning prevention knowledge, attitude, practice, and perception (KAP2) among consumers. Therefore, the current study developed a novel smartphone app, MyWarung©, and determined its efficacy in increasing awareness, attitude, practice, and perception of food poisoning and its prevention when dining out, especially among rural consumers. (2) Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-and post-intervention study with a control and intervention group were performed on 100 consumers in Terengganu. (3) Results: The intervention’s inter-group outcomes were analysed using the Mann–Whitney test, while the within-group effects were ascertained using the Wilcoxon sign rank test via the SPSS software. It was found that the control group had higher median scores in knowledge (30.0, IQR 7.0), attitude (46.0, IQR 5.0), and practice (34.0, IQR 3.0) than the intervention group before intervention. After the intervention programme, the intervention group showed significant improvement in food poisoning knowledge (p = 0.000), attitude (p = 0.001), and practice (p = 0.000). However, the intervention group’s perceived barriers (p = 0.129) and susceptibility (p = 0.069) and the control group’s perceived barriers (p = 0.422) did not show any significant improvement. (4) Conclusion: The findings indicated that the MyWarung© mobile app usage enhanced the food poisoning knowledge, preventive attitude, and practice among consumers when dining out.

scholarly journals Substance abuse prevention among Greek emerging adults: Evaluation of a psycho-educational counselling intervention

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothea Loizou ◽  
Ariadni Stogiannidou
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Substance Abuse Prevention ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Abuse Prevention ◽  
Intervention Programme ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Counselling Intervention ◽  
Group Skills

The present study investigated the effect of a preventive substance abuse counselling intervention on Greek emerging adults (18-28 years old). It‘s main purpose was to examine changes in emerging adults’ views, knowledge about substances and their group skills after their participation in the intervention; it also examined their perceptions about the group climate created as well as their evaluation of the intervention. The interactive intervention, lasting 30 hours, consisted of topics such as: emerging adulthood, addiction, causes and consequences of substance abuse, prevention and some training on personal and social skills related to substance abuse. Pre and post intervention measurements explored these changes in a sample of 75 University students (38 in the intervention and 37 in the control group). Students in the intervention group reported high levels in the scale of engagement and lower levels in the scales of conflict and avoidance. Their evaluation of the intervention programme overall was very positive. Additionally, results showed that emerging adults’ views about substances changed positively after the intervention. In terms of how much they learned about substances, the results revealed a significantly important change after the intervention, whereas at the same time, members’ group skills improved. It is concluded that such interventions have an impact on emerging adults’ views and knowledge about substances, a fact which reinforces the need for research-based interventions.

scholarly journals Effect of “Spatially Separated Speech in Noise Training” on speech perception in noise in children with bimodal fitting

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Younes Lotfi ◽  
Mahdieh Hasanalifard ◽  
Abdollah Moossavi ◽  
Enayatollah Bakhshi ◽  
Mohammad Ajalloueyan
Keyword(s):  
Speech Perception ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Auditory Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Interventional Study ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Speech Perception In Noise ◽  
Speech In Noise ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Recognition Ability

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of “Spatially separated speech in noise” auditory training on the ability of speech perception in noise among bimodal fitting users. The assumption was that the rehabilitation can enhance spatial hearing and hence speech in noise perception. This study was an interventional study, with a pre/post-design. Speech recognition ability was assessed with the specific tests. After performing the rehabilitation stages in the intervention group, the speech tests were again implemented, and by comparing the pre- and post-intervention data, the effect of auditory training on the speech abilities was assessed. Twenty-four children of 8–12 years who had undergone cochlear implantation and continuously used bimodal fitting were investigated in two groups of control and intervention. Results The results showed a significant difference between the groups in different speech tests after the intervention, which indicated that the intervention group have improved more than the control group. Conclusion It can be concluded that “Spatially separated speech in noise” auditory training can improve the speech perception in noise in bimodal fitting users. In general, this rehabilitation method is useful for enhancing the speech in noise perception ability.

scholarly journals Effects and Responsiveness of a Multicomponent Intervention on Body Composition, Physical Fitness and Leptin in Overweight/Obese Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7267
Author(s):  
Leticia Borfe ◽  
Caroline Brand ◽  
Letícia Schneiders ◽  
Jorge Mota ◽  
Claudia Cavaglieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Interleukin 10 ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽  
Obese Adolescents ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Multicomponent Program

Physical exercise reduces the biochemical markers of obesity, but the effects of multicomponent interventions on these markers should be explored. The present study aimed to elucidate how overweight/obese adolescents respond to a multicomponent program approach on body composition, physical fitness, and inflammatory markers, using a quasi-experimental study with 33 overweight/obesity adolescents (control group (CG) = 16; intervention group (IG) = 17). The intervention consisted of 24 weeks with physical exercises and nutritional and psychological guidance. Both groups were evaluated at the pre/post-intervention moments on body mass index (BMI); body fat (%Fat); waist circumference (WC); waist/hip ratio (WHR); waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF); abdominal strength, flexibility; leptin; interleukin 6; interleukin 10; and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Mixed-analysis of variance and generalized estimation equations were used for statistical analysis. There was an interaction effect between groups and time on %Fat (p = 0.002), WC (p = 0.023), WHR (p < 0.001), WHtR (p = 0.035), CRF (p = 0.050), and leptin (p = 0.026). Adolescents were classified as 82.4% responders for %Fat, 70.6% for WC, 88.2% for WHR, and 70.6% for CRF. Further, there was an association between changes in %Fat (p = 0.033), WC (p = 0.032), and WHR (p = 0.033) between responders and non-responders with CRF in the IG. There was a positive effect on body composition, physical fitness, and leptin. In addition, reductions in body composition parameters were explained by CRF improvements.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of “Hand Hygiene Fun Month” for Kindergarten Children: A Pilot Quasi-Experimental Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 7264
Author(s):  
Lorna Kwai Ping Suen ◽  
Janet Pui Lee Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
School Health ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
School Level ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Experimental Group

Early childhood is a formative period during which healthy habits are developed, including proper hand hygiene practices. The aim of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effectiveness of a 4-week series of educational sessions that consider the cognitive developmental stage of children on increasing their knowledge and promoting hand hygiene practices. The intervention group (n = 33) observed the hand hygiene program, whereas another group served as the waitlist control (n = 20). Creative activities were planned for the illustration of hand hygiene concepts in terms of “right moments”, “right steps”, and “right duration”. Hand sanitizer coverage was evaluated using a hand scanner. After the intervention, the experimental group had higher knowledge level toward hand hygiene than the control group (p < 0.001). Significant improvements in hand hygiene performance at the left palm and dorsum (p < 0.05), right palm (p < 0.05), and overall hand coverage (p < 0.05) were observed in the experimental group. The study demonstrated that the knowledge and proper hand hygiene (HH) practice of children can be positively influenced by the use of an age-appropriate education program. The results of this study have implications for school health educators and parents for promoting HH practices among children at home and at the school level.

scholarly journals Tempe Nuggets Provision Improves Energy Adequacy and Protein Intake in Underweight Underfive Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oktavina Permatasari ◽  
Retno Murwani ◽  
M. Zen Rahfiludin
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Protein Intake ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Control Group Design ◽  
Soybean Food ◽  
And Control

Tempe is a well known fermented soybean food, inexpensive, and a good source of dietary protein and energy. To improve fresh Tempe as an attractive food to children, Tempe is processed into nugget. A study using pre and post control group design was conducted to determine the effect of the Tempe nugget provision on energy and protein intake, and body weight/age (W/A) of 24-59 months old children. Forty six subjects were selected according to inclusion criteria from local Community Health Center (Puskesmas) and grouped into intervention (provision of Tempe nugget) and control group (no provision). Data of energy and protein intake of subjects before intervention were obtained by 2x24 food recall to determine deficiency in intake for the respective age. The amount of the nugget given to each underweight child in intervention group was calculated on the basis of deficiency in energy and protein intake of each child (W/A) per day. Body weight was recorded pre and post intervention. The deep-fried nuggets contained 276.53 calories per 100 g, 8.60% protein, 28.41% carbohydrate, 13.28% lipid, and 44.28% fiber. The mean age of the subjects in intervention and control group were homogeneous i.e. 40.52±10.88 months and 42.39±12.35 months respectively. Tempe nugget provision for 30 days improved significantly energy intake (p 0.001) in intervention compared to control group. Protein intake and W/A in intervention group were higher compared to control although not significant and further study with higher amount of Tempe nugget provision is needed. This study provides evidence that deep fried Tempe nugget can be used as inexpensive and nutritious food to improve protein and energy intake for underweight underfive children.

scholarly journals Equol effects on AGE skin products, visceral fat and climacteric symptoms in post-menopausal women: A randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remi Yoshikata ◽  
Khin Zay Yar Myint ◽  
Hiroaki Ohta ◽  
Yoko Ishigaki
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Visceral Fat ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Climacteric Symptoms ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Menopausal Women ◽  
Post Menopausal

Abstract Introduction: Equol, an isoflavone derivative whose chemical structure is similar to estrogen, is considered as a potentially effective agent for relieving climacteric symptoms, for the prevention of the lifestyle-related diseases, and for aging care in post-menopausal women. We investigated the effect of an equol-containing supplement on metabolism and aging, and climacteric symptoms, with respect to internally-produced equol in post-menopausal women.Methods: A single center, randomized controlled trial (registration number: UMIN000030975) on 57 post-menopausal Japanese women (mean age: 56±5.37 years), was conducted. Twenty-seven women received the equol supplement, while the remaining received Control. Metabolic and aging-related biomarkers were compared before and after the 3-month intervention. Climacteric symptoms were assessed every month using a validated self-administered questionnaire in Japanese post-menopausal women. Results: Three months post intervention, the treatment group showed significant improvement in climacteric symptoms, when compared to the Control group (81% vs. 53% respectively, p=0.045). We did not observe any beneficial effect on metabolic and aging-related biomarkers in the intervention group. However, in certain populations significant improvement in skin auto-fluorescence, which is a measurement of AGE skin products, and visceral fat area was observed, especially among equol producers. Conclusion: Women receiving equol supplement showed improved climacteric symptoms. This study offered a new hypothesis that there may be a synergy between supplemented equol and endogenously-produced equol to improve skin aging and visceral fat in certain populations.

scholarly journals The Efficacy of Transdiagnostic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Migraine Headache: A Randomized Clinical Trial

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Forouzandeh Soleimanian-Boroujeni ◽  
Negin Badihian ◽  
Shervin Badihian ◽  
Vahid Shaygannejad ◽  
Yousef Gorji
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Cognitive Behavioral ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Therapy Termination ◽  
Protocol Registration ◽  
And Control

Abstract Introduction: Psychological interventions are shown to be effective in migraine, but not utilized routinely yet. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (TCBT) on people with migraine (PwM). Method: This study was conducted on 40 PwM aged 20-50 years. We randomly assigned participants to two groups of intervention, receiving 10 sessions of TCBT, and control. Days with headache, headache severity, migraine-related disability and effects on daily life, number of pain-relivers taken for headache, depression, and anxiety were assessed pre-intervention, post-intervention (three-month follow-up), and one-month after TCBT termination (four-month follow-up).Results: Thirty-five participants suffering moderate to severe migraine completed the study (16 and 19 in TCBT and control groups, respectively). TCBT improved all measured items between study time-points (p<0.05) in the intervention group, while such an improvement was not observed in the control group. Between group comparisons revealed superiority of TCBT group compared to the control group in most measured items at three- and four-month follow-ups (p<0.05).Conclusion: Ten sessions of TCBT improved migraine severity, associated disability, anxiety, and depression in PwM, with persistent effects after one month of therapy termination. TCBT is an affordable, practical, and feasible intervention to be utilized for PwM.Protocol registration: The study protocol was registered in clinicaltrial.gov (NCT03701477) prior to enrollment.

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