Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “school functioning”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

The relationship between static occlusion and functional occlusion in a dental school population.

The relationship between static occlusion and functional occlusion was evaluated in 101 dental and dental hygiene students. The sample was selected from a population of 467 students who were enrolled at one dental school during the 1987-1988 academic year based upon the following criteria: age range 18 to 32 years; caucasian race; no prior orthodontic treatment; at least 28 natural teeth present; no occlusal adjustments; and no large restorations, crowns or bridges. Fifty-two (52) of the subjects possessed "normal" static occlusion, 26 had a Class I malocclusion, 16 were found to have a Class II malocclusion, and 7 had a Class III malocclusion. The majority (i.e., 75%) of the 101 subjects possessed non-working (balancing) functional contacts. Seventy-five (75) of the subjects possessed balanced occlusion, nine had canine-protected occlusion, nine possessed group function occlusion, and eight had mixed canine-protected/group functional occlusion. This study found no statistically significant relationship between static occlusion and functional occlusion, however, there was a trend for balanced occlusion to be more often associated with "normal" (ideal) static occlusion.

Adult↗

What school nurses really do--a study of school nurse utilization.

The functions of twelve school nurses in a large metropolitan school district were examined in relation to utilization of health services and student time lost from school using health problem categories. Findings suggest absentee data and utilization are valuable outcome measures supporting the importance of school health programming.

Absenteeism↗

The relationship between motor coordination, executive functioning and attention in school aged children.

Given the high level of comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD), deficits in executive function (EF), shown to be present in children with ADHD, may also be implicated in the motor coordination deficits of children with DCD. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between EF and motor ability. A sample of 238 children, 121 girls and 117 boys, aged between 6 and 15 years was recruited for this project. Motor ability was assessed using the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND), level of inattention using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Verbal IQ (VIQ) was estimated using subtests of the WISC-III. A reaction time task and three EF tasks measuring response inhibition, working memory and the ability to plan and respond to goal-directed tasks were administered. It was found that motor ability significantly accounted for variance in tasks measuring speed of performance, whereas inattention appeared to influence performance variability. Despite past evidence linking poor motor ability with inattention, there was little overlap in the processes that are affected in children with motor coordination or attention problems.

Adolescent↗

School phobia: patterns of family functioning.

Seventy-six families of children with school phobia were evaluated with the Family Assessment Measure. Mothers and fathers, as separate groups, rated clinically significant dysfunction in the parent-child relationship in the areas of role performance and values and norms. There were no significant differences between intact and single-parent families on ratings of family dysfunction. There was significantly less family dysfunction as rated by mothers and by children if the child had a diagnosis of pure anxiety disorder compared to families of school phobic children in other diagnostic categories.

Adolescent↗

Quantitative analyses of schooling effects on executive function in young children.

Developmental studies have demonstrated the utility of select executive function (EF) tasks for the early diagnosis of specific learning-related problems (e.g., Snow, 1998). However, previous data demonstrating schooling effects on EF measures suggests potential pitfalls in clinical interpretation. In the present study three common EF measures, (Wisconsin Card Sort, Thurstone Word Fluency, and a mazes task) in addition to a VIQ estimating task, were administered to a cross-section of 115 children aged 7 to 9. Using a school-entrance cut-off design the unique contributions of formal schooling versus age-related changes to performance on the EF measures were examined. Schooling effects were both task and age-dependent supporting the conclusion that the proper use of EF measures with children in this age range depends upon consideration of factors beyond that usually depicted in net-effect models.

Age Factors↗

Airway function among Inuit primary school children in far northern Quebec.

The study of the prevalence and determinants of asthma and allergy in different populations may provide clues to their etiology. We describe airway function and its determinants among Inuit schoolchildren living in far Northern Quebec. We assessed the presence of airways hyperresponsiveness (AHR), defined as a 15% drop in FEV1 with exercise, airflow obstruction, as judged by a reduced FEV1/FVC, and atopy, as evidenced by skin test positivity to inhaled aeroallergens, among 509 Inuit aged mostly from 6 to 13 yr. Smoking by the children (31.9%) and their parents was common, including maternal smoking during pregnancy (79.5%). Atopy was found in only 5.3% of children. Apart from age, there were no significant associations between AHR and any of the determinants examined. Airflow obstruction was present among 7.7% of children and occurred most commonly among children with higher levels of salivary cotinine and in those with four or more lower respiratory illnesses in the first 2 yr of life. Asthma and atopy were uncommon in this population whereas evidence of chronic airflow obstruction was frequently found. Measures to reduce the spread of respiratory infection and prevention of smoking are likely to be of most benefit in improving respiratory health in these isolated communities.

Adolescent↗

Executive functions and achievements in school: Shifting, updating, inhibition, and working memory.

Links have recently been established between measures of educational attainment and both verbal and visuo-spatial aspects of working memory. Relationships have also been identified between specific executive functions-shifting, updating, and inhibition-and scholastic achievement. In the present study, scholastic attainment, shifting, updating, inhibition, and verbal and visuo-spatial working memory were assessed in 11- and 12-year-old children. Exploratory factor analysis identified two executive factors: one associated with updating functions and one associated with inhibition. Updating abilities were closely linked with performance on both verbal and visuo-spatial working memory span tasks. Working memory was closely linked with attainment in English and mathematics, and inhibition was associated with achievement in English, mathematics, and science. Domain-specific associations existed between verbal working memory and attainment in English, and between visuo-spatial working memory and attainment in English, mathematics and science. Implications of the findings for the theoretical analysis of executive functioning, working memory and children's learning are discussed.

Child↗

Prevalence of hyperactivity in elementary school children as a function of social system definers.

This study seeks to reconcile the widely varying estimates of prevalence of hyperactivity in children. Parents, teachers, and physicians were asked to identify hyperactive children in a sample of some 5000 elementary school children. Approximately five percent were considered hyperactive by at least one defining system; only one percent were considered hyperactive by all three definers. Prevalence rates were relatively constant from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

Lead absorption and psychological function in Zagreb (Croatia) school children.

A cross-sectional study was performed on 275 pupils from the third and fourth grade of three elementary schools (three urban areas with different traffic conditions) in Zagreb. Lead exposure was environmental, mostly through leaded gasoline. The difference in traffic density around the schools was consistent with biological indicators of lead absorption. The aim of the study was to clarify the relationship between characteristic biological indicators of lead absorption including indicators of hematological status with some psychological functions. Lead absorption in pupils was relatively low (mean blood lead: 70.8 +/- 17.88 microgram/L). Pupils' socio-economic status was evaluated by parents' education. The results obtained indicate that gender and school were associated with both biological and psychological variables. After adjusting for age, parental education, and gender, lead appears to have no association with cognitive or psycho-motor measures. The nonstandardized regression coefficients for blood lead-as a measure of the size of lead effect on VIQ, NIQ, and IQ-were -0.016, -0.031, and -0.025, respectively, all nonsignificant.

Child↗

[Lung function reference data in school-age children].

UNLABELLED: The practical interpretation of lung function data depends to a very great extent on the quality of reference values. METHODS: From a population of n = 2615 schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years of age 15,404 lung function measurements were taken in accordance with commonly accepted guidelines. In the present study the validity of reference equations from the literature is examined with regard to our measured data. RESULTS: Employing linear regression analysis, the natural logarithm (ln) of forced vital capacity in ml (FVC) and expiratory volume in one second in ml (FEV1) were explained on the basis of the equation ln y = a + b* ln x (y = FVC, FEV1 (ml); x = height (cm)). Analyses were performed for girls (lnFVC = -4.8789 + 2.5504* lnheight, lnFEV1 = -4.3078 + 2.4070* lnheight) and boys (lnFVC = -4.5241 + 2.4917* lnheight, lnFEV1 = -3.7338 + 2.2985* lnheight), separately. Our coefficients correspond best to the literature dealing with a population of the same age group. On the other hand, for example, if reference values are derived from equations from the literature for the age group 6 to 18 years, they result at 6 years in an underestimation of the volume measured by us (FVC -150 ml) and at 12 years to an overestimation (FVC + 120 ml). CONCLUSIONS: The extent of the proven systematic deviations of the reference values from the measured values is of clinical and epidemiological relevance. To avoid misinterpretations, special reference values should be applied for preadolescents, at least with regard to FVC and FEV1.

Body Height↗

Development of a magnocellular function in good and poor primary school-age readers.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal functioning of the transient visual pathway (the M-pathway) has been implicated in specific reading disability (SRD). The aim of this study is to examine the contrast thresholds for flicker-defined form discrimination in primary school children, and to compare its development with reading and mentation development as a means of identifying children at risk of SRD. METHODS: One hundred eighty-seven children (aged 4 to 13 years) and 22 adults (aged 18 to 45 years) were assessed for contrast sensitivity to an illusory, flicker contrast-defined form (the letter 'E')--a task which was designed to rely to a large extent on magnocellular pathway function. Reading age (Neale Analysis of Reading) and mental age (Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices) were assessed in the children, who had been previously screened for clinically normal binocular vision and refractive anomalies. RESULTS: The ability of primary school-age children to discriminate the orientation of the low contrast flickered letters (from a choice of 4) showed a significant improvement from kindergarten (ages 4 to 6 years) to grade 3 (ages 8 to 10 years) and older age groups. No significant difference was found between good and disabled readers (at least 1-year lag in reading readiness for the kindergarten group and 2-year lag in reading performance for 8 to 10 and 10 to 12-year-olds). CONCLUSIONS: It appears that there is a developmental improvement in perceptual capacity for tasks attributed to magnocellular function, which plateaus at the age of about 8 to 10 years. However, despite the reported reduction of magnocellular function in specific reading disabled children, no significant difference in contrast threshold for flicker-defined letter discrimination was found between good and poor readers.

Adolescent↗

Pulmonary function in children of school age is related to the number of siblings in their family.

It has been suggested that the number of siblings in a family is a surrogate variable for exposure to early infections. Since there may be an association between early respiratory infections and impaired lung function in later life, the aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the number of siblings and pulmonary function. We analyzed pulmonary function data from 677 schoolchildren living in 431 nuclear families. Our results show that forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) expressed as a percentage of deviation from the predicted values (FVC%, FEV(1)%) increase significantly in line with the number of siblings in a family (FVC%: no sibling = reference, 1 sibling = +1.3%, 2 siblings = +1.9%, 3 siblings = +4.0%, 4 or more siblings = +5.1%; P-value for trend = 0.01; FEV(1)%: no sibling = reference, 1 sibling = +1.6%, 2 siblings = +2.0%, 3 siblings = +4.3%, 4 or more siblings = +6.5%; P-value for trend = 0.007). Pulmonary function values were no more strongly related to the number of older siblings than to the number of younger siblings (difference between the trend for older and younger siblings for FCV%: P = 0.7; FEV(1)%: P = 0.9). The association between pulmonary function and number of siblings can be explained neither by the child's atopic status, prevalence of asthma, or history of pneumonia, nor by former or current cigarette smoke exposure. This suggests that pulmonary function status of the child appears to be related to the number of siblings, and is unlikely to be explained solely by exposure to infections early in life. Our data therefore adds strength to the hypothesis that factors which cause the size of a sibship to influence a child's respiratory health have not yet been adequately explained.

Adolescent↗

[The effect of inhalable dust particles (PN10) on lung function and respiratory symptoms of school children in Lower Austria].

The effect of PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter) on respiratory symptoms and lung function was evaluated in 881 children (aged 8 to 11 years) in 8 communities in Lower Austria. In each community, air pollution data (PM10, SO2, NO2, O3) were collected. The examination of each child included a questionnaire (spring 1996), and two lung function tests (autumn 1995, spring 1996). Statistically significant relationships were observed between PM10 levels (annual mean, 15.8-26.9 micrograms/m3) and parameters of lung function (adjusted for sex, height, atopy, passive smoking, altitude, temperature). A 10 micrograms/m3 increase in the last two weeks' mean PM10 in spring 1996 was associated with a 0.05% decrease in FVC, a 0.05% decrease in FEV1, a 0.15% decrease in MEF50, and a 0.13% decrease in MEF75-25. Furthermore, a 10 micrograms/m3 increase in last year's mean PM10 was associated with a 0.07% decrease in FVC. No association between the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and the last year's mean PM10-exposure was found. Our study demonstrates a small effect of low-level particulate air pollution on lung function of healthy school children.

Age Factors↗