Three experiments tested preschoolers' use of abstract principles to classify and label objects by shape or function. Three- and 4-year-olds were instructed to match objects by shape or function. Four-year-olds readily adopted either rule, but 3-year-olds followed only the shape rule. Without a rule, 4-year-olds tended to match by shape unless object function was shown during matching (Experime...

Although the concept of multi-agency working has been pursued and adopted as the most appropriate way to improve child care provision and health workforces in recent years, both in the UK and more globally, research suggests that participation in such work can be problematic. This article examines current developments in inter-professional education and collaborative professional practice. Draw...

OBJECTIVES This study investigates the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Salut Programme, a universal health promotion intervention, compared with care-as-usual, over the periods of pregnancy, delivery and the child's first 2 years of life. METHOD We adopted a register-based retrospective observational design using existing data sources with respect to both exposures and outcomes. H...

Measuring time use in households with more than one person The U.S. Government's first-ever national time-use survey will collect time diary data from one respondent per household, forgoing the opportunity to provide information about how nonmarket time is allocated between husbands and wives; Canada's General Social Survey, similar in approach, uses stylized questions to elicit that very infor...

A series of experiments examined how summary assessment measures influence people’s ability to detect change in behavior over time and across situations. Two measures that are often used to assess child behavior (Teacher Report Form) and adult personality (Five Factor Inventory) were examined. Each instrument led perceivers to focus on the overall frequency of targets’ behavior, even when targe...

Malnutrition related to illness and inadequate nutrition remains a matter of relevant interest in the member countries of the European Union because of its elevated prevalence and high costs. It is estimated to affect 30 million patients and cost 170 billion euros annually. The 2008-2013 strategy "Together for Health" put forward in the European Parliament urges Member States to develop, togeth...

The purposes of this qualitative study were to understand the meaning of the interactions experienced by the family during a child's hospitalization, identify the family's demands and construct a theoretical model representing this experience. Symbolic Interactionism was adopted as a theoretical and Grounded Theory as a methodological reference framework. Data were collected by means of observa...

BACKGROUND Some studies show orphanhood to be associated with increased sexual risk-taking while others have not established this relationship, but have found factors other than orphanhood as predictors of sexual risk behaviours and outcomes among adolescents. This study examines community members' perceptions of how poverty influences adolescent sexual behaviour and outcomes in four districts ...

In September 2000, world leaders came together at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and adopted the far-reaching Millennium Declaration. Heads of State and Government committed their countries to achieving eight specific development targets by 2015, collectively known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs aim to: 1) end extreme poverty and hunger, 2) provide universal prima...

BACKGROUND Parents can influence the health behaviors of their children by engaging in supportive behaviors (e.g., playing outside with their child, limiting recreational screen time). How, and the extent to which parents engage in supportive behaviors may be influenced by perceived barriers. The purpose of this study is to explore whether the frequency, and types, of barriers to providing pare...