There is widespread agreement that offspring are shaped by the parenting they receive in early childhood. This development is intertwined with offspring’s biological functioning, evidenced by their telomeres length (TL)—a key biomarker of aging. Until recently, most studies have focused on the detrimental implications of negative parenting for offspring’s TL. Contemporary research is oriented toward exploring the possible resilience-promoting effect of positive parenting on the biological aging of the offspring. We conducted a meta-analysis synthesizing the findings regarding the association between parenting quality and offspring’s TL. It examines whether positive parenting delays aging processes and whether such processes are exacerbated by exposure to negative parenting. An analysis of 15 studies (k = 23; N = 3,599, Mmean cohort’s age = 15.5, SD = 17.5) revealed a significant association between positive parenting and offspring’s longer TL (r = .16, 95% CI [.11, .20]). Negative parenting was associated with an increased risk of TL erosion (r = −.17, 95% CI [−.28, −.06]). Moreover, this negative association became more robust as offspring grew older (β = −.01, p < .001). Future investigations would benefit from probing associations between parental quality and offspring’s development. Interventions fostering positive parenting might also scaffold these biological processes.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged the mental health of children and adolescents, with existing research highlighting the negative effects of restrictive measures to control the virus’s spread. However, in the specific context of this pandemic, there is limited understanding of how these difficulties have persisted over time after the situation was fully restored. This study sought to evaluate the pandemic’s impact on psychological symptoms in children from Italy, Spain, and Portugal across five-time points (2, 5, and 8 weeks, 6 months, and three and a half years after the pandemic’s onset). A total of 1613 parents completed the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 and Confinement on Children and Adolescents Scale, reporting symptoms in their children aged 3–17 years (39.2% female). The findings reveal an initial surge in psychological difficulties—anxiety, mood, sleep, behavioral, eating, and cognitive disturbances—followed by improvements in these domains three and a half years later. By September 2023, Spanish children experienced more significant reductions in symptoms compared to their Italian and Portuguese peers. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been a prolonged crisis, with varying impacts over time and across regions depending on the strictness of restrictions, the trends suggest a gradual improvement in the psychological well-being of children and adolescents.

In 2022, an increase in invasive group A streptococcal (iGAS) infections was observed in the Netherlands. A particular increase was seen among children; therefore, we aimed to assess risk factors for iGAS infection in children aged 6 months to 5 years. A prospective case–control study was conducted between February and May 2023. We approached parents of notified iGAS cases to complete a questionnaire on exposures during 4 weeks prior to disease onset. Controls were recruited via social media and matched to cases on sex and birthyear. Conditional logistic regression was performed to estimate odds ratios (OR) of exposures. For the analysis, we included 18 cases and 103 controls. Varicella prior to onset of iGAS disease was reported in two (11%) cases and one (1%) control (OR: 12.0, 95% CI: 1.1–139.0). Exposure to group A streptococcal (GAS)-like illnesses such as impetigo, pharyngitis, and scarlet fever was reported in 8 (44%) cases and 15 (15%) controls (OR: 7.1, 95% CI: 1.8–29.0). Our findings are in line with previous studies by identifying varicella as a risk factor for iGAS among young children and highlight the association with non-invasive GAS infections in the community as a possible source of transmission.

There are few studies on what diet mothers following a vegan diet (VD; or strict plant-based diet) choose for their children and how the child’s diet is implemented in everyday life. The present study aimed to explore choices that mothers following a VD make regarding their child’s diet and feeding practices, and what determines these choices. Mothers on a VD whose youngest child was <4 years old were recruited via social media or newsletters about a VD. Participants (N=28) were between 27 and 45 years old and had been adhering to a VD between 0.5 and 23 years. Online semi-structured interviews based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A hybrid thematic analysis approach was used to identify themes that emerged from the data. Mainly driven by ethical considerations of eating animal products, 21 (75%) women chose a VD for their child(ren). When the participant’s partner followed a vegetarian diet (VEGD) or omnivorous diet (OMD), most women chose a VEGD (N=4) or OMD (N=3) for their child as well. Overall, women indicated to make well-considered choices regarding children’s diet and related feeding practices. Determinants for the dietary choice for their children involved various motivations, attitudes, norms, facilitating/hindering factors and knowledge. In conclusion, driven mainly by ethical motivations, most women on a VD chose this diet for their children as well. Despite experiencing several hindering factors and acknowledging the potential negative effects of a VD, mothers seemed to make well-considered choices concerning their child’s diet.

We develop a new design for the experimental beauty-contest game (BCG) that is suitable for children in school age and test it with 114 schoolchildren aged 9–11 years as well as with adults. In addition, we collect a measure for cognitive skills to link these abilities with successful performance in the game. Results demonstrate that children can successfully understand and play a BCG. Choices start at a slightly higher level than those of adults but learning over time and depth of reasoning are largely comparable with the results of studies run with adults. Cognitive skills, measured as fluid IQ, are predictive only of whether children choose weakly dominated strategies but are neither associated with lower choices in the first round nor with successful performance in the BCG. In the implementation of our new design of the BCG with adults we find results largely in line with behavior in the classical BCG. Our new design for the experimental BCG allows to study the development of strategic interaction skills starting already in school age.

This is a collection of original articles on diverse vulnerable populations in Japan in the wake of the new coronavirus pandemic. The effects of COVID-19 are felt differently, with some among us at much greater risk of infection due to preexisting health and welfare conditions. For others, perhaps more than the risk of infection, it is the precautions taken to mitigate the risk for the whole population, such as lockdowns and business closures, that have pulled away the already fragile safety net of state and civil society organization (CSO) support, leading to increased marginalization and social exclusion. The goal of this set of papers is to document the conditions of those that have been most directly affected by the virus and to provide background on the conditions that made them vulnerable in the first place, notably chronic conditions that are brought into more obvious relief in light of emergency measures. Each of the authors had a pre-established relationship with those affected populations and employed various ethnographic approaches, some face to face, others digitally via Zoom interviews and SNS exchanges. In this moment of what appears to be relative calm, we hope that our collection, quickly compiled in an attempt to capture the ever-changing situation, will give some insight into how those most vulnerable are faring in this time of crisis and provide information that will allow us to prepare better before the next wave comes our way.

We study the willingness to compete of 588 children and teenagers aged ten to seventeen. We replicate the gender difference in tournament entry choices usually found in the literature for adults. We then show that policy interventions like quotas and preferential treatment help to close down the gender gap without leading to losses in efficiency, during or after a tournament. Given that differences in competitive behavior are prevalent from an early age, the application of interventions to promote females in competitions may be desirable already at early ages to promote equal chances for women on labor markets later on.

Studies on longitudinal associations between diet quality and lipid and amino acid metabolism in children and adolescents are limited. We studied associations between diet quality and serum markers of lipid and amino acid metabolism in the Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children (PANIC) study. These analyses included 403 children aged 6–9 years at baseline, 360 re-examined 2 years later at age 9–11 years and 219 eight years later at age 15–17 years. Food intake was recorded over 4 days, and diet quality was assessed using the Finnish Children Healthy Eating Index (FCHEI). Fasting serum fatty acids, amino acids, apolipoproteins and lipoprotein particle sizes were analysed via NMR spectroscopy. Linear mixed-effects models, adjusted for sex, age, body fat percentage, pubertal stage and physical activity were used to analyse the associations. Better diet quality was linked to increased serum PUFA and reduced saturated and MUFA, alanine and VLDL particle size. Consuming more vegetables, fruits, berries, vegetable oils and margarine with at least 60 % fat, fish and whole grains is associated with higher serum PUFA, lower SFA and smaller VLDL particles. Conversely, consuming higher-fat dairy products and sugary products is associated with higher saturated and MUFA, branched-chain and aromatic amino acids and larger VLDL particles. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, unsaturated fats and fibre, with reduced sugar consumption, promotes favourable metabolic changes relevant to cardiometabolic health.

This article uncovers the journey of a Nepal educator, poet, and writer who found inspiration in a Japanese philosopher's search for the self through love, care, happiness, and the “golden” moments of life. Nandu Uprety opened Kenji's International School to follow Miyazawa Kenji's philosophy of humanity, working for people experiencing poverty, developing society, and nurturing nature. This is not to say that Nandu Uprety did not face challenges, as he sold all his property for this school and never sought donations. Yet he adored the blooming flowers in the gardens, the echoes of Sirbuba, and the happiness in the children's smiles.

While previous research has shown that social preferences develop in childhood, we study whether this development is accompanied by reduced use of deception when lies would harm others, and increased use of deception to benefit others. In a sample of children aged between 7 and 14, we find strong aversion to lying at all ages. Lying is driven mainly by selfish motives and envy. Children with stronger social preferences are less prone to deception, even when lying would benefit others at no monetary cost. Older children lie less than younger children and use self-justification to lie.

In this paper we examine how risk attitudes change with age. We present participants from age 5 to 64 with choices between simple gambles and the expected value of the gambles. The gambles are over both gains and losses, and vary in the probability of the non-zero payoff. Surprisingly, we find that many participants are risk seeking when faced with high-probability prospects over gains and risk averse when faced with small-probability prospects. Over losses we find the exact opposite. Children's choices are consistent with the underweighting of low-probability events and the overweighting of high-probability ones. This tendency diminishes with age, and on average adults appear to use the objective probability when evaluating risky prospects.

The summer of 2018 saw an unprecedented series of LGBT-led political demonstrations in Japan involving thousands of people. They emerged in reaction to an article written by conservative Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Sugita Mio which stated that LGBT couples “did not have productivity” because they could not have children. The article engendered an unprecedented backlash, as LGBT activists argued that Sugita's notion of productivity attacked not only LGBT people but other so-called “unproductive” groups. This paper analyzes the political context and significance of the 2018 protests and shows how LGBT activist strategies have evolved and responded to changing social and political conditions in Japan.

Other-regarding preferences are important for establishing and maintaining cooperative outcomes. In this paper, we study how the formation of other-regarding preferences during childhood is related to parental background. Our subjects, aged 4–12 years, are classified into other-regarding types based on simple binary-choice dictator games. The main finding is that the children of parents with low education are less altruistic, more selfish, and more likely to be weakly spiteful. This link is robust to controlling for a rich set of children’s characteristics and class fixed effects. It also stands out against the overall development of preferences, as we find children to become more altruistic, less selfish, and less likely to be weakly spiteful with increasing age. The results, supported by a complementary analysis of World Values Survey data, suggest an important role of socialization in the formation of other-regarding preferences.

This paper, co-authored by two adult academics and three young researchers aged 11 to 16, investigates the authors’ collective experiences in a participatory research project about growing up multilingual with Chinese heritage and migration background, where race and racism emerged as key themes. Drawing on critical dialectical pluralism and the concept of “reflexivities of discomfort,” we explore how co-constructing research with children and young people can enrich the research process. Despite the intricate and often opaque nature of discussing racism, especially anti-Asian racism, with children from migration backgrounds, this study advocates for participatory research as a critical tool for uncovering these complexities, paving the way for more open and meaningful conversations. In collaboration with young researchers, we reevaluate the role of research and researchers in discussing racism, (de)construct children as experts of their racialized experiences, and imagine the future of researching racism with children through what we call “collective reflexivity”—a practice of open discussions that highlight young people’s positionalities, experiences, and insights. Through practices that protect individuality and value personal experience, our work makes a methodological contribution by offering “collective reflexivity” and co-authorship as a pathway that ensures children are not viewed as “representatives,” but valued for their positionalities, encouraging more engaged and critical conversations on race and racism with them.