'I hold on to my teddy bear really tight': children's experiences when they are home alone

Impact of Reduced School Exposure on Adolescent Health Behaviors and Food Security: Evidence From 4-Day School Weeks

BACKGROUND

Four-day school week (FDSW) use has increased substantially among US districts in recent years, but limited data exist on health impacts of this school schedule. This study examined associations of reduced school exposure via FDSWs with adolescent health and risk behaviors, obesity, and food security.

METHODS

Self-report data from 8th- and 11th-grade students from the Oregon Healthy Teens survey across 5 survey years (odd years 2007-2015, total N = 91,860-104,108 respondents depending on the survey question) were linked to a FDSW indicator. Regression analyses controlling for student and school characteristics compared outcomes between students in 4- and 5-day schools overall (without school fixed effects) and outcomes associated with switching to a FDSW (with school fixed effects).

RESULTS

When controlling for multiple student- and school-level factors, we observed adolescents in FDSW schools report they consume sugar sweetened beverages more frequently and water less frequently, have access to fewer days of physical education, are more likely to be food insecure, and are more likely to report the use of any drugs and specifically marijuana than 5-day school week students.

CONCLUSIONS

Limiting exposure to the school environment via FDSWs may impact adolescent health behaviors, including diet, physical activity, and drug use.

Being left alone at home and dental caries of children aged 6-7 years

BACKGROUND

Leaving children alone at home is considered child neglect in some countries but is not prohibited in Japan. We investigated the association between being left alone at home and dental caries of children aged 6-7 years in Japan.

METHOD

The data on first graders in all 69 public elementary schools in Adachi, Tokyo, obtained from repeated cross-sectional surveys in 2015, 2017, and 2019 were analyzed. Caregivers answered the questionnaire, and the data were linked to the information on children's dental caries evaluated in school dental health checkups (N = 12,029). Poisson regression analysis with propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to account for confounders.

RESULTS

Leaving children alone at home for ≥1 hour during the weekdays was reported by 46.4% of the caregivers, which did not vary across years. The PSM analysis showed that, compared with children never being left alone at home, children being left alone at home for ≥1 time per week had more dental caries (mean ratio (MR) 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.21; P-value 0.016), while <1 time per week was not associated (MR 0.97; 95% CI, 0.92-1.03; P-value 0.345). The difference between those being left alone at home for <1 time per week and those being left alone for ≥1 time per week was not significant after applying Bonferroni correction (MR 1.12; 95% CI, 1.00-1.26; P-value 0.041).

CONCLUSION

Leaving children alone at home for ≥1 hour every week might be a risk factor for dental caries of children aged 6-7 years.

What activities individuals with intellectual disabilities do for fun: exploration into self-care

Participation in enjoyable activities is instrumental to improving individuals' quality of life. Previous studies have indicated engagement in community-based activities and physical exercise are beneficial to individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The purpose of this study was to understand, from their perceptions, fun activities in which individuals with ID engaged. One hundred and sixty-nine participants with ID provided 561 responses, which described what they do for fun. A multidisciplinary research team utilized a Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) approach to differentiate responses into a list of categories that fit into six central domains. Domains (with frequency of responses) included: Community and Relationship Building Activities (130), Sports and Other Physical Activities (123), Technology and Gaming (105), Music and Other Preforming Arts (69), Mentally-Stimulating Activities (51), and Categories Outside of a Domain (82). These findings indicate that individuals with ID have a variety of interests. Our discussion, which reviews literature on individuals with and without ID, suggests similar leisure activity engagement among both groups. This literature also suggests individuals with ID experience similar benefits to their peers without ID when engaging in leisure activities. Our results provide a framework to explore self-care routines that can improve quality of life for individuals with ID.

Non-adult child supervision practices in Lao People's Democratic Republic

Researchers have paid little attention to non-adult child supervision and the prevalence and factors influencing this practice in low-income countries. A better understanding of this phenomenon is needed to inform the development and implementation of policies and interventions to enhance child supervision in those settings. This study explores the prevalence and factors associated with young children being home alone or under the care of another young child in Lao People's Democratic Republic. Using the 2011-2012 Lao Social Indicator Survey (N = 10,740 for the subsample of 'child was home alone' and N = 10,539 for the subsample of 'child cared by another child < 10 years of age'), multi-level Poisson regressions were performed to determine the number of days children under five years of age were home alone or under the care of another child younger than 10 years of age. Large discrepancies across provinces and between urban and rural populations within each province were found. Children living in rural areas were more than five times more likely to be unsupervised than children living in urban settings (incidence rate ratio, IRR 5.2; 95% CI: 1.8-15.2), and children living in rural areas were nearly twice more likely to be under the care of another child than children living in urban settings (IRR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.3-2.8). Age was also a common factor in explaining variation in both dependent variables. Policies aimed at facilitating adequate child care and supervision should consider rurality to increase children's protection.

Relationship Between Leaving Children at Home Alone and Their Mental Health: Results From the A-CHILD Study in Japan

Leaving children at home alone is considered a form of "neglect" in most developed countries. In Japan, this practice is not prohibited, probably because this country is considered to have relatively safe communities for children. The impact of leaving children at home alone on their mental health is a controversial issue, and few studies have examined it to date. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of leaving children aged 6 or 7 years at home alone on their mental health, focusing on both the positive and negative aspects; that is, resilience, difficult behavior, and prosocial behavior. Data from the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study were used. The caregivers of all children in the first grade in Adachi City, Tokyo, were targeted, of whom 80% completed the questionnaire (n = 4,291). Among the analytical sample which comprises those who completed both exposure and outcome variables (n = 4,195), 2,190 (52.2%) children had never been left at home alone, 1,581 (37.7%) children were left at home alone less than once a week, and 424 (10.1%) children were left at home alone once a week or more. Child resilience was measured using the Children's Resilient Coping Scale, and difficult behavior (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and peer relationship problems) and prosocial behavior using the Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine the dose-response association between leaving children at home alone and child mental health, followed by propensity-score matching as a pseudo-randomized controlled trial to reduce potential confounding. The results showed that leaving children at home alone once a week or more, but not less than once a week, was associated with total difficulties scores, especially conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, and peer relationship problems. These findings indicate that leaving children at home alone should be avoided in Japan, as is recommended in North America.

Children's Sense of Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction, After-School Care

The study examined the loneliness and social dissatisfaction of elementary school students in relation to type of after-school care. 358 students completed the Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Scale and an information form that included age and the students' after-school care arrangements. Results indicated that children who were in self or sibling care had greater loneliness and social dissatisfaction compared to their peers under formal center care.

Supervisory neglect and risk of harm. Evidence from the Canadian Child Welfare System

OBJECTIVE

This study explores prevalence and characteristics associated with supervisory neglect and physical harm in children in the child welfare system in Canada.

METHODS

The sample included all substantiated primary maltreatment investigations in the 2008 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect excluding cases where exposure to intimate partner violence was the sole reason for investigation (n=3,380). Bivariate tests were used to assess differences across types of maltreatments and to compare supervisory neglect cases with and without physical harm on factors related to child injury and supervision.

RESULTS

Supervisory neglect was the primary concern in an estimated 12,793 cases of substantiated maltreatment across Canada in 2008. Compared to other types of maltreatment, cases of supervisory neglect involved more overcrowded housing conditions and children who were younger and less likely to have any functioning issue. Injuries were noted in only 2% of cases supervisory neglect and half of these injuries were not severe enough to require medical treatment. Other physical health conditions were noted in 2% of supervisory neglect cases. Physical harm was noted most often for toddlers (1-2 years old) and adolescents (12-15 years old). Household and caregiver characteristics were not associated with greater rates of physical harm. In contrast, 7% of children with any risk factor suffered physical harm as a result of supervisory neglect mainly related to substance abuse, self-harming behavior, and multiple incidents of running from care.

CONCLUSIONS

Child risk factors are often present in cases of supervisory neglect with physical harm. Nonetheless, 96% of all cases of supervisory neglect substantiated by Canadian child welfare authorities do not involve physical harm. Clearer guidelines are needed for the assessment of supervisory neglect. Alternative response systems may be more suitable for low-risk cases.