When will Immersive Virtual Reality have its day? Challenges to IVR adoption in the home as exposed in studies with teenagers, parents and experts

In response to the pandemic, many countries have had multiple lockdowns punctuated by partial freedoms limiting physically being together. In 2020-21, during the COVID-19 pandemic parents were stressed and exhausted by the challenges of work, home schooling and barriers to typical childcare arrangements. Children were missing one another, their social lives and the variety of experiences that the world beyond the home brings. Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) offers tried and tested ways to enable children to maintain beyond-household family activities and dynamics. However, it is not viewed as a solution. Instead, as demonstrated through a multiple method study involving a Rapid Evidence Assessment; workshops with 91 teenagers; interviews with 15 experts; a Delphi study with 21 experts; 402 parent questionnaires pre-pandemic; 232 parent questionnaires during the pandemic; and longitudinal interviews with 13 parents during the first UK lockdown in 2020, IVR is not viewed as having value in the home beyond gaming. Results highlight limited consideration of IVR as a way to enhance family life or the home, with a lack of evidence and direction from current research, innovation and policy. The paper empirically demonstrates that experts, teenagers and parents have limited expectations for VR. Further, with parental resistance to adoption and a lack of ideas or innovations in how Immersive Virtual Reality could be used, the likelihood of VR-headset adoption remains low as does its potential as a means of educating, entertaining and socially engaging children and teenagers.

Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 and quality of life associated with functional constipation

Background: Functional constipation (FC) defines the form of constipation without an organic aetiology and influences the quality of life of the child in many aspects. In the present study, we aimed to compare the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) DSM 17938 and lactulose treatments on the health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) of constipated children and their families.Methods: Children with FC were divided into two groups to receive either L. Reuteri DSM 17938 (n = 25) or lactulose (n = 24), for four weeks. All patients and their parents completed the KINDL® HR-QoL questionnaire before and at the end of the treatment period.Results: The final total and disease perception scores and the subscale analyses of the probiotic and lactulose groups were comparable. The final mean total scores of parent questionnaires increased in both groups (68 % to 71.3 % in the probiotic group, 66.1 % to 70.9 % in the lactulose group), and the increase in the lactulose group was found statistically significant.Conclusion: In our study, L. reuteri DSM 17938 has showed to have comparable effects on the HR-QoL in children with FC, when compared to lactulose. Lactulose was more efficient regarding satisfaction of families and the family perception of HR-QoL.

Do parents see more? Parental perspective on adolescents’ personality predicting academic achievement

The Big Five have been shown to incrementally predict academic achievement even after controlling for intelligence and self-concept. Little is known, however, about the incremental validity of different perspectives on personality. To fill this gap, the present study examined self- and parental reports on the Big Five of adolescents (\textit{N} = 5,236) using latent multitrait-multimethod models regarding the lower bound of congruence. Results revealed substantial deviations between perspectives on Openness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism as well as relative congruence of ratings of Conscientiousness and Extraversion. Furthermore, the parental perspective on Openness was a positive predictor of level and change in grades as well as competences, over and above trait effects. Parental reports on Extraversion, on the other hand, negatively predicted level and change in grades and competences above trait effects. These findings illustrate the importance of multi-rater data on adolescent personality and demonstrate the use of analyzing the parental perspective in depth. Going further, large-scale studies can benefit from incorporating self- and parent questionnaires on the Big Five as information sources to help elucidate interindividual differences in academic achievement

Early Detection of Behavioral and Emotional Problems in School-Aged Children and Adolescents: The Parent Questionnaires

Introduction: Early detection of behavioral and emotional problems in children and adolescents is relevant. For this purpose, the use of questionnaires completed by parents is applicable. Parent questionnaires are also useful preliminary support to the clinical investigation. Methods: Validated tools for the analysis of behavioral and emotional problems suitable for school-age subjects are analyzed in their characteristics and possibilities of use. Results: The following are the main characteristics of the instruments examined. The Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory 4&5, Parent Checklist (CASI-4&5) and Behavior Assessment System For Children - Parent Rating Scales 2&3 (BASC-2&3) include a high number of questions, with exploration extended to almost all possible pathologies. The Child Behavior Check-List (CBCL) has less items (113), but only 48 refer to DSM pathologies. The use of CASI, BASC and CBCL carries a cost because they are copyrighted. The Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) has 35 items, but only 17 have a reference to 3 clinical areas. The Strength & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDA) is very short (25 items) and concerns only the main externalizing and internalizing disorders. The Child and Adolescent Behavior Inventory (CABI) has 75 items and explores a wide range of psycho-pathological issues, likewise CASI and BASC. PSC, SDA and CABI can be used free of charge. Conclusion: The comparison of the characteristics of the aforementioned questionnaires can guide the psychiatrist and the epidemiologist in choosing the most suitable tool for what is proposed to be assessed, in relation to practicability, extension of the areas explored and costs.

Comparison of Parent Questionnaires, Examiner-Led Assessment and Parents’ Concerns at 14 Months of Age as Indicators of Later Diagnosis of Autism

Parents participating in a prospective longitudinal study of infants with older siblings with autism completed an autism screening questionnaire and were asked about any concerns relating to their child’s development, and children were administered an interactive assessment conducted by a researcher at 14 months. Scores on the parent questionnaire were highest for children later diagnosed with autism. Parental concerns and scores from the examiner-led assessment distinguished children with later developmental difficulties (both autism and other developmental atypicalities) from those who were developing typically. Children about whom parents expressed concern scored higher on both the questionnaire and the interactive assessment than those without concerns. There were no significant associations between total or individual item scores from the questionnaire and interactive assessment.

The role of the parent during a whole-class beginner instrumental programme: an investigation into the attitudes of pupils and their parents towards parental support in relation to different models of practising

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the parent as a supporter of practice during a whole-class beginner violin programme and whether it is considered most beneficial for practice to be undertaken at home, at school or in no formal manner. This mixed-methods research project involved a year-group of 31 pupils aged 6–7 years from a preparatory school in an affluent area of the south of England over a 10-week period. Two parent questionnaires were administered at the start and end of the programme and analysed together with pupil focus groups and teacher assessment. It was discovered that most pupils played at home only once a week, and this was only with parental help. Many challenges to practising at home were identified, and by the end of the programme parents considered that their children could have made as much progress without practising at home. Pupils considered the most desirable ways for their parents to support them were to watch and listen, and to play together. Parents were unsure what to do except for offering encouragement. Pupils were very clear that playing together at school was preferable to playing at home, and it was evident that finding a way to establish school practice sessions between lessons would be the most enjoyable arrangement and support the most progress.

Agreement between parental and student reports on respiratory symptoms and school environment in young Romanian children – evidence from the SINPHONIE project

Background Environmental research involving children often relies on the self-report or parental report of symptoms and environmental issues. While previous studies explored the agreements between child and parental reports, few of them were conducted in younger children and in developing countries. In this study, we addressed the research gaps by assessing the agreement between child and parental report on respiratory symptoms and school environment in Romanian primary schools. Methods Two hundred and eighty students from five schools and their parents participated in this study. Information on child’s respiratory symptoms and perceptions of school environment was collected via both student and parent questionnaires. Agreement between the two questionnaires was assessed by absolute agreement rates and kappa statistics. Prevalence index (PI), bias index (BI) and maximum attainable kappas were calculated to identify potential sources of disagreements. Results The agreement between student and parent questionnaires was low. Compared to the student’s report, parents often reported more symptoms than their children, particularly flu-like symptoms, and school environment problems. Parent and child tend to agree when there was no symptom reported, but disagreements often occurred when symptoms were reported. After adjusting for the PI, the agreements for asthma and allergic symptoms improved substantially. Disagreement on reporting of flu-like symptoms was strongly affected by pre-existing causes, such as different understandings of the questions between students and parents. Conclusion Parental report may have a higher sensitivity in capturing a child’s respiratory symptoms and school environment problems compared to self-report among young children in developing countries.

Specialist provision for language disorder: Staff and service user views of a preschool language unit

Language units are specialist educational settings that provide integrated speech and language therapy and curriculum delivery for children with severe language disorders within mainstream schools. This study presents an account of a preschool language unit (PLU) from the perspectives of children with language disorders currently in attendance, their parents, and teaching staff. Six child-led, multi-modal interviews, six parent questionnaires, and interviews with three members of staff were analysed using Framework Analysis (Ritchie et al., 2003). Results showed that staff and parents perceive that attending the PLU positively impacts the children, but raised concerns that accessing PLUs can be difficult due to number restrictions. Children valued play and friendships within the PLU, while parents valued the PLU’s role in supporting communication and socialization. This study offers a unique account of how a PLU supports children with language disorders from the perspectives of children, parents and staff.

Parent Report of Amplification Use in Children with Mild Bilateral or Unilateral Hearing Loss

Amplification is considered to be one of the most important interventions for children with hearing loss. However, achieving consistent use of hearing technology in young children is an important problem, particularly when hearing loss is of mild degree. Little information is available about amplification use specifically for children with mild bilateral or unilateral hearing loss when such losses are targeted and identified early because of the availability of newborn hearing screening.We examined amplification use in a contemporary cohort of early-identified children with mild bilateral and unilateral hearing loss.As part of the Mild and Unilateral Hearing Loss in Children Study, we collected parent reports on their child’s use of amplification during the preschool years.A total of 69 children (38 unilateral and 31 bilateral mild) enrolled in the study from 2010 to 2015. Children entered the study at various ages between 12 and 36 mo of age and were followed up to age 48 mo. The median age of the children at enrollment was 16.5 mo (interquartile range [IQR] = 9.5, 26.8). Hearing loss was confirmed in these children at a median age of 3.6 mo (IQR = 2.4, 5.7).Baseline characteristics related to the child and family were collected through an intake form at study enrollment. Data on amplification fitting and use were collected via parent questionnaires at each assessment interval. Information from parent questionnaires was summarized descriptively and amplification use was grouped into categories. Through logistic regression, we examined the relationship between amplification use and laterality of hearing loss, sex, and maternal education.Amplification was recommended for 59 (85.5%) children at a median age of 6.5 mo (IQR = 3.6, 21.2) and children were fitted at a median age of 10.9 mo (IQR = 6.0, 22.1). Based on parent report, hearing aid use was consistent for 39 (66.1%) of 59 children who had amplification recommended. Parent questionnaires showed very little change in use for most of the children over the study period. More children with bilateral hearing loss used their amplification consistently than those with unilateral hearing loss. After adjusting for maternal education and sex of the child, the odds for consistent use in children with mild bilateral loss was almost seven times higher (odds ratio = 6.75; 95% confidence interval = 1.84, 24.8) than for those with unilateral loss.Although 85.5% of children with mild bilateral or unilateral hearing loss received amplification recommendations, only two-thirds achieved consistent use by age 3–4 yr based on parent report. Children with mild bilateral loss were more likely to use amplification during the preschool years than those with unilateral loss.