• Journal of the Korean Society of Child Welfare
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• 제54호
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• pp.79-111
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the structural models in which early cumulative risk factors affect children's language(indicated by expressive vocabularies) and social development(indicated by peer competence) at age 3 thorough their effects on the home learning environment. To examine the hypothesized models, the data of 1,725 families from the second and the fourth waves of the Panel Study of Korean Children was used. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted to test the models. First, the cumulative risk factors at age 1 and 3 were highly correlated, implying the stability of the risk factors over time. The more cumulative risk factors at age 1 predicted the lower level of the home learning environment at age 3, which, in turn, was significantly related to both language and social development at age 3. However, the early cumulative risk factors did not directly influence later developmental outcomes. Moreover, the cumulative risk factors at age 3 were directly related to the child's language development, but neither social development northe home learning environment. In addition, the mediational role of the home learning environment (i.e., cumulative risk factors at age 1${\rightarrow}$home learning environment${\rightarrow}$language and social development) was statistically supported. In conclusion, the early cumulative risk factors in infancy indirectly predicted children's development at age 3 through the home learning environment. The practical implications for the early intervention and support for the families with infants who are experiencing multiple risk factors were discussed.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.854-863
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• 2017

Purpose: The present study is a descriptive cross-sectional study of cause-and-effect relationship, which used the $7^{th}$ year data of the Panel Study on Korean Children, to investigate the effects of parenting stress, depression, and family interactions of the parents of early school-age children on children's subjective happiness. Methods: The present study included data of 1419 pairs of parents who participated in the mother and father survey of the Panel Study on Korean Children. The effects of parenting stress, depression, and parental family interactions on children's subjective happiness were analyzed as actor and partner effects using path analysis. Results: Parenting stress had an actor effect on depression; maternal parenting stress (${\beta}=-.21$, p<.001) and depression (${\beta}=-.30$, p<.001) had an actor effect on maternal family interaction; and paternal parenting stress (${\beta}=-.18$, p<.001) and depression (${\beta}=-.17$, p<.001) had a partner effect on maternal family interaction. Paternal parenting stress was found to have an actor effect on paternal family interaction (${\beta}=-.30$, p<.001), and parental depression was found to have actor effect (${\beta}=-.23$, p<.001) and maternal depression had a partner effect on paternal family interactions (${\beta}=-.22$, p<.001). Children's subjective happiness was found to have a statistically significant relationship with maternal family interaction (${\beta}=.40$, p<.001). Conclusion: The significance of the study is in its provision of basic data for adjusting parents' family interactions that are closely related to the growth and development of children by confirming the effect of parents' parenting stress, depression, and family interaction on children's subjective happiness.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
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• 제10권3호
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• pp.127-142
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• 2004

This paper examines the relationship between children's English proficiency in grade three and English learning environment and experiences before entering elementary school. In English learning environment and experiences, three influences consisting of children, home environment, and environmental influences of English learning are used to find out which influences contributed to children's English proficiency in grade three of elementary school. The result of this study shows that children with high interest in English have higher proficiency in all language skills reading, writing, listening, and speaking than that of children with low interests. For parents' influences, parents' high interests toward their children's English leaning and high monthly income result in children's high English proficiency. For English environmental influences, children who start at the early age and continue studying English have higher English proficiency.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.249-265
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• 2009

In this study we overviewed the early private learning for children in Korea. For last 20 years the number of children who were involved in it increased and the starting age had been lowered. Now more than 90% of the children are exposed to it before going to school. Mean number of private lesson per child is between three to four (33.6%). 32.7% of preschoolers take more than 5 kinds of private lesson per week. Because of the frantic enthusiasm of the parents, most preschools and kindergartens are providing extra curricula in their programs. The main problem of the learning in Korea is that it does not run by government or universities with educational purposes but by commercial companies for profit.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.111-124
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• 2009

The importance of information media in personal lives has increased rapidly, indicating the average ages of users are becoming younger. School-age children, despite the inconsequential differences, are reported to have used the internet for their free time, information search, communications, and education. Recent researches are focused on various variables affecting internet-addictions since these problems have become a major issue in education due to prolonged use of the internet or mobile. The regulations as a preventative measure and the setting of standard are also considered as major issues of research. In terms of policy, there should be revisions on laws and regulations about the internet and mobile in order to protect school-age children from vicious environments. For the education's part, there should be appropriate amount of education, for children and their parents, on how to use computers and the internet properly and how to prevent internet-addiction.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.74-80
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• 2011

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder with an onset of symptoms before 7 years of age, often starting as early as the preschool years. The off-label use of methylphenidate (MPH) for 3- to 6-year-old preschool children with ADHD is being more common, although MPH is not licensed for use in children younger than age 6 years, in most countries. Despite the limited data, the review of the literature suggests that MPH meets evidence based criteria as beneficial and safe for carefully diagnosed ADHD preschool children. Carefully monitored administration of evidence-based psychotropic medication in preschool children with ADHD may be indicated if psychosocial treatments are ineffective.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제51권9호
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• pp.922-934
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• 2008

Developmental language disorder is the most common developmental disability in childhood, occurring in 5-8% of preschool children. Children learn language in early childhood, and later they use language to learn. Children with language disorders are at increased risk for difficulties with reading and written language when they enter school. These problems often persist through adolescence or adulthood. Early intervention may prevent the more serious consequences of later academic problems, including learning disabilities. A child's performance in specific speech and language areas, such as phonological ability, vocabulary comprehension, and grammatical usage, is measured objectively using the most recently standardized, norm-referenced tests for a particular age group. Observation and qualitative analysis of a child's performance supplement objective test results are essential for making a diagnosis and devising a treatment plan. Emphasis on the team approach system in the evaluation of children with speech and language impairments has been increasing. Evidence-based therapeutic interventions with short-term, long-term, and functional outcome goals should be applied, because there are many examples of controversial practices that have not been validated in large, controlled trials. Following treatment intervention, periodic follow-up monitoring by a doctor is also important. In addition, a systematized national health policy for children with speech and language disorders should be provided.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.49-60
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• 2010

This study sought to investigate and assess the development patterns of children, aged from 3 to 5, by means of a longitudinal approach. The children's developmental patterns are classified according to five curriculum areas; physical health, social skills, expression, language, and exploration-. The developmental patterns are analyzed in detail according to the observation period, children's ages, and their genders. The subjects consisted of 108 children in A city. A research assistant was asked to observe and keep records of the children's behaviors at three distinct times -early, middle, and late in the school year. The 'observational scale for children' was used as the measurement tool. The data which was thus collected was then subject to statistical analysis. The major findings of the study are as follows. First, there were significant differences in all five curriculum areas according to the children's age and observation period. That is, five-year-old children showed higher scores than three- and four-year-old children. Second, there were significant differences in the social development within five curriculum areas according to the children's gender and the observation period. That is, girls exhibited higher scores than boys.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.35-57
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• 2015

The present study employed a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design model in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Respected Parents & Respected Children (RPRC) parent education program for mothers of early school-age children. Ninety mothers were randomly assigned to an intervention (n=45) group or a control group (n=45). Mothers in the intervention group participated in 8 weekly sessions of the parent education program. After the termination of the program, the differences between pretest and posttest were analyzed in terms of both maternal parenting characteristics (i.e., parenting behavior, parenting efficacy, parenting stress, and co-parenting) and children's social competence. The results indicated that only in the intervention group, self-reported positive parenting characteristics were significantly improved and negative parenting characteristics were significantly decreased. There were no significant effects of the program on children's social competence as rated by the mothers. These findings suggest that the RPRC parent education program is effective in changing parenting characteristics known as crucial predictors of child outcomes.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제63권6호
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• pp.219-225
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• 2020

Background: There is increasing concern that moderate preterm (32-33 weeks' gestation) and late preterm (34-36 weeks' gestation) birth may be associated with minor neurodevelopmental problems affecting poor school performance. Purpose: We explored the cognitive function, cognitive visual function, executive function, and behavioral problems at school age in moderate to late preterm infants. Methods: Children aged 7-10 years who were born at 32⁺⁰ to 36⁺⁶ weeks of gestation and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit from August 2006 to July 2011 at the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital were included. We excluded children with severe neurologic impairments, congenital malformations, or chromosomal abnormalities. Neuropsychological assessments consisted of 5 neuropsychological tests and 3 questionnaires. Results: A total of 37 children (mean age, 9.1±1.2 years) participated. The mean gestational age at birth was 34.6±7.5 weeks, while the mean birth weight was 2,229.2±472.8 g. The mean full-scale intelligence quotient was 92.89±11.90; 24.3% scored between 70 and 85 (borderline intelligence functioning). An abnormal score was noted for at least one of the variables on the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnostic system for 65% of the children. Scores below borderline function for executive quotient and memory quotient were 32.4% and 24.3%, respectively. Borderline or clinically relevant internalizing problems were noted in 13.5% on the Child Behavior Check List. There were no significant associations between perinatal factors or socioeconomic status and cognitive, visual perception, executive function, or behavior outcomes. Conclusion: Moderate to late preterm infants are at risk of developing borderline intelligence functioning and attention problems at early school age. Cognitive and executive functions that are important for academic performance must be carefully monitored and continuously followed up in moderate to late preterm infants.