Reading Process of Arab Children: An Eye-Tracking Study on Saudi Elementary Students

Many previous eye-tracking studies were conducted to examine how adult readers process different written languages. Relatively, only few eye-tracking studies have been conducted to observe the reading process of Arab children. This study investigated the influence of orthographic regularity on Saudi elementary grades’ English and Arabic words recognition. The eye movements of 15 grade-four students and 15 grade-six students were recorded while they read words that differ in frequency and regularity. Analysis of the visual information from the word-recognition process shows differences in the students’ eye movements for the two languages. There were statistically significant differences in the total fixation duration and fixation count between the two languages and between both groups. All the students showed longer processing time for English sentences than Arabic ones. However, Arabic-speaking students were influenced by English orthography with more processing difficulty for English irregular words. The visual information shows that more cross-linguistic differences are found in grade-four students’ results. Grade-four students transferred their first language (L1) reading strategies to read English words; however, Arabic reading methods cannot be effectively applied to reading irregular orthographies like English. This explains the increased eye-movement measurements of grade-four students compared to grade-six students, who fixated more on unfamiliar English words. Although orthographic regularity had a major effect on the word-recognition process in this study, the development of the students’ Arabic and English orthographic knowledge affected the progress of their visual word recognition across the two levels.

A GRIN3A polymorphism may be associated with glucocorticoid-induced symptomatic osteonecrosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Aim: To evaluate the association between candidate genetic polymorphisms and glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis in Arab children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Methods: A total of 189 children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia were genotyped for four SNPs with allele discrimination assays. The incidence and timing of radiologically confirmed symptomatic grade 4 osteonecrosis were classified based on the Ponte di Legno toxicity working group consensus definition. Results: Thirteen children developed grade 4 osteonecrosis (6.8%), of whom 12 received the intermediate/high-risk treatment protocol. GRIN3A variant allele carriers had to stop dexamethasone therapy earlier resulting in significantly shorter duration of dexamethasone treatment (mean [95% CI]: 75.17 [64.28–86.06] vs 85.90 [81.22–90.58] weeks; p = 0.054) and lower cumulative dose (mean [95% CI]: 1118.11 [954.94–1281.29] vs 1341.14 [1264.17–1418.11] mg/m2; p = 0.011). Conclusion: This is the first pharmacogenomics evaluation of the association between GRIN3A variants and glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis in Arab children.

The Reliability, Validity and Normative Scores of the Bene-Anthony Family Relations Test for Use With Arab Children

Background: The Bene-Anthony Family Relations Test (BAFRT) is one of the most widely used measures of family dynamics seen from a child’s perspective. However, the most common issue surrounding this test is the lack of accurate normative scores for use with non-white ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the BAFRT’s reliability and validity for use with Arab children, as well as to provide normative data for this group. Methods: The BAFRT was translated into Arabic and back-translated to ensure accuracy. The test was administered to a cohort of 394 Arab children, consisting of both cognitively normal children (n = 269) and children diagnosed with a psychological disorder (n = 125), all aged 5–8 years old. Test-retest reliability was assessed using a sub-set of children and validity was tested against clinical status as well as CBCL and SDQ measures. Normative measures were calculated after examining the impact of influencing variables such as age and gender. Results: Statistical analyses showed that in our cohort of Arab children the BAFRT has good test-retest reliability, correlates well with measures of emotional and behavioral adjustment, and discriminates accurately between clinical and non-clinical children. Age, gender, and clinical status all significantly impacted upon BAFRT scores and therefore normative values are presented from our cohort when considering these variables. Conclusion: The normative scores we present will provide researchers and clinicians an appropriate reference point for the comparison of scores from Arab children and a starting point for future research into this area.

“Yes, My Uncle, I’ll Do Whatever You Say”: Experiences of Israeli Muslim Arab Children During Forensic Interviews Following Child Sexual Abuse

Children from Arab society in Israel have been overlooked in previous studies and efforts in the area of forensic interviews. The current study provides an in-depth thematic analysis of 30 forensic interviews with Israeli Muslim Arab children following child sexual abuse (CSA), all conducted by Arab forensic interviewers. In multicultural Israeli society, Muslim Arabs make up 18% of the population. In addition to the religious and cultural difference, this minority is involved in an ongoing conflict with the majority Jewish society in Israel and tends to have low trust of government authorities. This background necessarily affects the area of forensic interviews with children. The research explores the unique encounter between maltreated children from Israeli Muslim Arab society and forensic interviewers, highlighting its particular characteristics and challenges. Data analysis revealed a central theme of a clash of worlds. The forensic interviewers, although hailing from a similar background as the children, followed best practices developed in western societies. The children, on the other hand, faced enormous conflict in addressing CSA terminology and complying with the requirements of the forensic world in ways that are forbidden to the them in their own. Moreover, having been educated to accept the authority of adults unquestioningly, the children were torn between the difficulty of disclosing the abuse to someone outside the family, and the obligation to communicate candidly with the adult interviewer as required in the forensic context. The findings highlight the urgent need to reform the services these children receive and to dedicate future efforts to further assessment of cultural context and its impact on maltreated children, particularly in the forensic context.