scholarly journals The Importance of Phonological Awareness in Learning Disabilities’ Prevention: Perspectives of Pre-School and Primary Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lurdes Veríssimo ◽  
Marisa Costa ◽  
Francisca Miranda ◽  
Catarina Pontes ◽  
Isabel Castro
Keyword(s):  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
Phonemic Awareness ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Learning Difficulties ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Primary Teachers ◽  
Main Research ◽  
The Impact

There is robust empirical evidence regarding predictors of success in reading and writing. However, pre-school and primary teachers are not always aware of this evidence and often do not know how to apply it in practice. Considering the importance of the role of these teachers and the importance of early school years in preventing learning difficulties, it is essential to study teachers’ attitudes, knowledge, and strategies for improving educational processes toward successful development of literacy skills. Particularly, recognizing the impact of phonological awareness on the development of reading skills, this study has two main research questions: What is the importance pre-school and primary teachers attribute to the promotion of phonological awareness? and Which strategies for promoting phonological awareness do they apply in their professional practice? This qualitative study includes individual interviews with 10 pre-school and primary teachers, seeking to understand the perspective of each participant about phonological awareness, its importance, and implementation in practice. Data were collected in a context of great adversity (e.g., child maltreatment, early life stress). The results reveal that both pre-school and primary teachers recognized the relevance of phonological awareness among other pre-academic skills. Regarding the activities teachers implement, in their perspective, the playfulness seems to better result to stimulate this specific skill. Preschool teachers tend to focus on the dynamics that promote syllabic, intrasyllabic and phonemic awareness. Despite recognizing the gaps in phonological awareness in the first graders, primary teachers seem not to prioritize activities that stimulate and consolidate this skill, privileging the fluency and comprehension processes. The collaborative work between professionals was highlighted as very important to optimize the stimulation phonological awareness as well as facing other learning difficulties teachers find in this context. The results are discussed considering the role of pre-school teachers and primary teachers in reading difficulties’ prevention in contexts facing multiple vulnerabilities.

The role of genetics in stress effects on health and addiction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony W Buchanan
Keyword(s):  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Stress Exposure ◽  
Stress Effects ◽  
Motivated Behavior ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Stress And Health

Advances in stress research have yielded insights into how stress exposure, in combination with genetics, can contribute to poor health outcomes. We review these topics with a special emphasis on early life stress and vulnerability to addiction. The direct effects of stress and our compensatory responses can modify our physiology and behavior during future stress episodes. These consequences can influence health, including an increased propensity for addiction. The relation between stress and health is not uniform across individuals. Some people succumb to stress-related disorders while others are resilient. Specific genetic variations can affect how an individual appraises and responds to stress, potentially mediating the impact of stress on health. These genetic vulnerabilities can influence responses to the external environment, shape motivated behavior, and have an impact on health throughout life.

scholarly journals Developing the Phonological Awareness of Pupils with Learning Difficulties: Montessori Activities

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eman Alhelal ◽  
Fahad Alnaim
Keyword(s):  
Phonological Awareness ◽  
Phonemic Awareness ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Learning Difficulties ◽  
Second Grade ◽  
Educational Framework ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Primary School Pupils ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to explore the impact of Montessori activities on developing the phonological awareness skills of second-grade primary school pupils with learning difficulties and also aimed to examine any academic and developmental difficulties. A qualitative approach with the case study design was used to achieve the study objectives. The study sample consisted of three female pupils, a teacher specialised in teaching learning difficulties, and a primary class teacher. A variety of tools were designed and used: a test to reveal phonological awareness skills, an intervention program based on the Montessori method for developing phonological awareness, observations, interviews, and document analysis. The study showed different results, mainly that Montessori activities provided an educational framework to meet the individual needs for developing phonological awareness skills, a sequential experience of these skills development, and educational opportunities to enhance the understanding of phonological awareness skills. This indicates that Montessori's activities effectively develop phonemic awareness and impact the academic and developmental difficulties of pupils with learning difficulties. In light of these results, some recommendations and suggestions were presented.

scholarly journals The impact of the severity of early life stress on diurnal cortisol: The role of puberty

2017 ◽  
Vol 77 ◽  
pp. 68-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy S. King ◽  
Natalie L. Colich ◽  
Joelle LeMoult ◽  
Kathryn L. Humphreys ◽  
Sarah J. Ordaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Diurnal Cortisol ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Sexual dimorphic role of the glucocorticoid receptor in chronic muscle pain produced by early-life stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174480692110113
Author(s):  
Paul G Green ◽  
Pedro Alvarez ◽  
Jon D Levine
Keyword(s):  
Glucocorticoid Receptor ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Glucocorticoid Receptors ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Nociceptive Threshold ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold

Fibromyalgia and other chronic musculoskeletal pain syndromes are associated with stressful early life events, which can produce a persistent dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) stress axis function, associated with elevated plasm levels of corticosterone in adults. To determine the contribution of the HPA axis to persistent muscle hyperalgesia in adult rats that had experienced neonatal limited bedding (NLB), a form of early-life stress, we evaluated the role of glucocorticoid receptors on muscle nociceptors in adult NLB rats. In adult male and female NLB rats, mechanical nociceptive threshold in skeletal muscle was significantly lower than in adult control (neonatal standard bedding) rats. Furthermore, adult males and females that received exogenous corticosterone (via dams’ milk) during postnatal days 2–9, displayed a similar lowered mechanical nociceptive threshold. To test the hypothesis that persistent glucocorticoid receptor signaling in the adult contributes to muscle hyperalgesia in NLB rats, nociceptor expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was attenuated by spinal intrathecal administration of an oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) antisense to GR mRNA. In adult NLB rats, GR antisense markedly attenuated muscle hyperalgesia in males, but not in females. These findings indicate that increased corticosterone levels during a critical developmental period (postnatal days 2–9) produced by NLB stress induces chronic mechanical hyperalgesia in male and female rats that persists in adulthood, and that this chronic muscle hyperalgesia is mediated, at least in part, by persistent stimulation of glucocorticoid receptors on sensory neurons, in the adult male, but not female rat.

scholarly journals Correction: N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) Reverse the Impact of Early-Life Stress on the Gut Microbiota

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. e0142228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo M. Pusceddu ◽  
Sahar El Aidy ◽  
Fiona Crispie ◽  
Orla O’Sullivan ◽  
Paul Cotter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
The Impact

IMPACT OF EARLY LIFE STRESS ON ANTI-DEPRESSANT SENSITIVITY

2021 ◽  
pp. 123-132
Author(s):  
V.A. Vokina
Keyword(s):  
Open Field ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Anxiety Level ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Porsolt Test ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sexually Mature

Long-term consequences of impaired perinatal development are very significant. They appear during the neonatal period and in the first years of life, and persist during ontogenesis. There is little data on the impact of any prenatal factors on the sensitivity of a sexually mature organism to medications. The aim of the study is to assess the impact of early life stress on the development of individual antidepressant sensitivity. Materials and Methods. The authors conducted the experiments on sexually mature outbred male rats. To simulate the early life stress, a standard protocol was used. From the 2nd to 15th days of the postnatal period the pup rats were separated from their mother for 3 hours and kept in an incubator. The open-field test, Porsolt test and Sucrose consumption test were used to determine rat’s anxiety level as well as motor, orientation and exploratory activity at puberty. Then, for 14 days, the rats were intragastrically administered with a fluoxetine solution (10 mg/kg/daily), followed by their full examination. Statistical analysis of results was performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test to compare unrelated groups and Wilcoxon's test to compare related groups. Results. Fluoxetine did not have a pronounced antidepressant effect in animals that survived the early life stress. Such animals demonstrated passive floating during the Porsolt test, without any changes in immobility time. When testing in an open field, a sharp increase in the number of freezing behavior was observed, which was an indicator of an increased anxiety level in animals. Conclusion. The results obtained indicate that the long-term effects of neonatal stress may be associated with a change in antidepressant sensitivity or an increase in development of unwanted adverse reactions. Keywords: early life stress, depression, antidepressants, fluoxetine, rats. Отдаленные последствия нарушения перинатального развития весьма значительны и не только проявляются в период новорожденности и в первые годы жизни, но и сохраняются в период онтогенеза. Данные о влиянии каких-либо пренатальных факторов на чувствительность половозрелого организма к действию лекарственных веществ в доступной литературе представлены незначительно. Цель исследования – оценить роль стресса раннего периода жизни в формировании индивидуальной чувствительности к действию антидепрессантов. Материалы и методы. Эксперименты проведены на половозрелых беспородных крысах-самцах. Для моделирования стресса раннего периода жизни использовали стандартный протокол, подразумевающий отделение детенышей от матери со 2-го по 15-й дни постнатального периода на 3 ч в условиях инкубатора. В половозрелом возрасте проводили оценку уровня тревожности, двигательной и ориентировочно-исследовательской активности крыс в условиях теста открытого поля, теста Порсолта и теста «Потребление раствора сахарозы». Затем в течение 14 дней крысам внутрижелудочно вводили раствор флуоксетина (10 мг/кг/сут), после чего обследование повторяли в том же объеме. Статистический анализ результатов исследования проводили с использованием U-критерия Манна–Уитни для сравнения несвязанных групп и критерия Вилкоксона для сравнения связанных групп. Результаты. У животных, переживших стресс раннего периода жизни, флуоксетин не оказывал выраженного антидепрессантного действия. У данных животных в тесте Порсолта преобладало пассивное плавание, без изменения длительности иммобильности. При тестировании в открытом поле наблюдалось резкое повышение числа актов фризинга, что является показателем повышенного уровня тревожности у животных. Выводы. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют о том, что отдаленные последствия неонатального стресса могут быть связанны с изменением чувствительности к действию антидепрессантов или повышением риска развития нежелательных побочных реакций. Ключевые слова: стресс раннего периода жизни, депрессия, антидепрессанты, флуоксетин, крысы.

scholarly journals Maternal separation in rodents: a journey from gut to brain and nutritional perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Rincel ◽  
Muriel Darnaudéry
Keyword(s):  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Maternal Separation ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Early Life Adversity ◽  
Critical Window ◽  
Beneficial Impact ◽  
The Impact

The developmental period constitutes a critical window of sensitivity to stress. Indeed, early-life adversity increases the risk to develop psychiatric diseases, but also gastrointestinal disorders such as the irritable bowel syndrome at adulthood. In the past decade, there has been huge interest in the gut–brain axis, especially as regards stress-related emotional behaviours. Animal models of early-life adversity, in particular, maternal separation (MS) in rodents, demonstrate lasting deleterious effects on both the gut and the brain. Here, we review the effects of MS on both systems with a focus on stress-related behaviours. In addition, we discuss more recent findings showing the impact of gut-directed interventions, including nutrition with pre- and probiotics, illustrating the role played by gut microbiota in mediating the long-term effects of MS. Overall, preclinical studies suggest that nutritional approaches with pro- and prebiotics may constitute safe and efficient strategies to attenuate the effects of early-life stress on the gut–brain axis. Further research is required to understand the complex mechanisms underlying gut–brain interaction dysfunctions after early-life stress as well as to determine the beneficial impact of gut-directed strategies in a context of early-life adversity in human subjects.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Adolescent Mental Health: Preliminary Findings From a Longitudinal Sample of Healthy and At-Risk Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zsofia P. Cohen ◽  
Kelly T. Cosgrove ◽  
Danielle C. DeVille ◽  
Elisabeth Akeman ◽  
Manpreet K. Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
The Impact ◽  
At Risk Adolescents

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on far-reaching consequences for adolescents. Adolescents with early life stress (ELS) may be at particular risk. We sought to examine how COVID-19 impacted psychological functioning in a sample of healthy and ELS-exposed adolescents during the pandemic.Methods: A total of 24 adolescents (15 healthy, nine ELS) completed self-report measures prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of COVID-19 on symptoms of depression and anxiety were explored using linear mixed-effect analyses.Results: With the onset of the pandemic, healthy but not ELS-exposed adolescents evidenced increased symptoms of depression and anxiety (ps < 0.05). Coping by talking with friends and prioritizing sleep had a protective effect against anxiety for healthy adolescents (t = −3.76, p = 0.002).Conclusions: On average, this study demonstrated large increases in depression and anxiety in adolescents who were healthy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, while ELS-exposed adolescents evidenced high but stable symptoms over time.

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