The present study examined the relationship between sub-clinical depressive symptoms and children's anticipated cognitive and behavioral reactions to two written vignettes depicting emotion-eliciting stressors (i.e., fight with one's best friend and failure at a roller blade contest). Participants (N = 244) ranging in age between 10 and 13 were…

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot project was to evaluate the effect of the Improving Children's Health through Farming, Food, and Fitness Program (CHF3) on the dietary knowledge and habits of participating children. Methods: The CHF3 program aims to 1) establish salad bars and integrate nutrition messages into cafeteria activities; 2) develop…

Because of the perceived lack of youth physical fitness and/or concerns for increased obesity, physical education teachers are interested in youth fitness and physical activity levels. Statewide mandates are being developed that require school-based teachers to complete physical fitness testing. Data from the nationally representative School…

The critical incident that drove this article involved a single mother who was on probation for drug offenses. Her two daughters were sent home from their Title I urban elementary school on a frequent basis because of head lice. This situation prompted several questions: Can we and should we be able to legislate and enforce cleanliness? Is…

Environmental allergens are major triggers for pediatric asthma. While children's greatest exposure to indoor allergens is in the home, other public places where children spend a large amount of time, such as school and day care centers, may also be sources of significant allergen encounters. The purpose of this article is to describe schoolroom…

Regular physical activity participation throughout childhood provides benefits to physical (Malina, Bouchard, & Bar-Or, 2004), physiological (Andersen, Wedderkopp, Hansen, Cooper, & Froberg, 2003), and psychological health (Mutrie & Parfitt, 1998). In recognition of these benefits, guidelines have been published in the United States…

Enjoyment and mood affection are considered to be main targets of intervention to promote physical activity (PA). Health education based on PA is seeking to explore the factors that affect children to foster and retain healthy habits. This study recognizes that the teaching methodology is crucial and attempts to investigate the effect two…

The follow-up to Pianta & Cox's groundbreaking "The Transition to Kindergarten," this book updates readers on what has happened in early childhood education in the past seven years; clarifies influential changes in demographics, policies, and practices; and describes promising early education programs and policies. More than 30 highly respected…

Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in detecting emotional and behavioural problems among children with chronic illness (CI). Methods: Parents and teachers of a population of primary school children in Norway (n = 9430) completed a…

This policy brief is the fourth of a series of analyses of Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data by CLASP. Head Start, a federal early education program for low-income children and families, was scheduled to be reauthorized by Congress in 2003 and may still be considered in 2004. Today, these programs provide, directly or through…

Assessment and evaluation of children's physical fitness should be an educational process. This process is described as the "personalized self-testing" approach. This approach is a form of self-assessment that teaches children to assess their personal level of health-related physical fitness, interpret the results, and use the information (with…

Dysfunctional elimination may be learned, to some degree. Because children spend nearly half of their waking hours at school, there is the potential for school to have a significant impact on their elimination patterns. Surveys were mailed to 1,000 randomly selected Iowa public elementary school teachers; 467 of the surveys were returned. Findings…

This study compared the effect of physical activity and obesity on academic achievement and was based on the premise that the health of a child has an effect on his or her ability to learn and to achieve academically. Specifically, health-related topics of inactivity and obesity were considered. The participants included 12,607 third grade…

As adult office workers' use of computers has increased, the incidence of computer-related musculoskeletal complaints and injuries has also increased. Although the use of computers in the classroom is increasing, little attention has been paid by educators, furniture manufacturers, or researchers to the ergonomic design issues of educational…

The authors were asked to respond to the shortage of school psychologists from the perspective of the Division of School Psychology of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association (APA), and also chose to address the larger issue of the shortage and lack of accessibility of mental health services for children…