Your feelings are reasonable: Emotional validation promotes persistence among preschoolers.

Persistence is a critical factor that significantly predicts life outcomes. Although individual differences in persistence emerge early in life, the knowledge of effective strategies for cultivating persistence in young children remains limited. Based on these two studies, we suggest that emotional validation, defined as the acceptance of emotions without judgment, is a beneficial technique for promoting persistence in the wake of frustration. Study 1 examined 150 parents of children aged 4-6 years and found that parents' tendency to validate their children's emotions was positively associated with children's trait persistence. We conducted a randomized experiment (N = 93, aged 4-6 years) in Study 2 to establish a causal relationship between emotional validation and persistence in preschoolers. Children who received emotional validation feedback (n = 31) exhibited higher levels of persistence than those who received emotional invalidation (n = 31) and no feedback (baseline, n = 31) on a frustrating task. The persistence between the emotional invalidation and no-feedback conditions was not statistically different. This finding highlights the vital role of emotional validation in promoting persistence in children at trait and state levels. In summary, this study offers a compelling strategy for empowering young children with resilience and determination when they encounter challenges. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Parental emotional validation predicts the trait-level persistence of children aged 4-6 years. Children who received emotion-validation feedback persisted longer on a task than those who received emotion-invalidation feedback or no feedback. Children in the emotion invalidation condition did not differ from those in the no-feedback condition in terms of persistence. Future studies are required to investigate the mechanisms underlying emotional validation in promoting task persistence in children.

Sparking Virtuous Cycles: A Longitudinal Study of Subjective Well-Being and Grit During Early Adolescence.

In cross-sectional research, subjective well-being and grit are found to be positively correlated. Their mutually reinforcing effects are particularly relevant for youth entering early adolescence because, during this developmental period, both well-being and grit have been shown to predict consequential outcomes later in life. However, their mutual relation has not yet been investigated in early adolescence. This study, therefore, examined the possibility of a virtuous cycle linking subjective well-being and grit during early adolescence. Self-report questionnaires of grit and subjective well-being were completed by N = 5291 children in China (47.6% girls; initial Mage = 9.69, SDage = 0.59) on six occasions over 3 academic years. In random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs), within-person changes in grit predicted within-person changes in subjective well-being 6 months later, and vice versa. Notably, analyses revealed an asymmetry in this cycle: paths from subjective well-being to grit were stronger and more reliable than the converse. Likewise, facet-level analyses showed that the predictive power of the perseverance component (of grit) and the affective component (of subjective well-being), respectively, was greater than the passion and cognitive components, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of boosting happiness for catalyzing positive youth development and, in addition, foreground the utility of studying these composite constructs at the facet level.

Peer network in math anxiety: A longitudinal social network approach.

Regardless of age, math anxiety (i.e., adverse affective reactions in situations involving math) is associated with lower math achievement. Previous studies have investigated the role of adult figures (e.g., parents, teachers) in the development of children's math anxiety. However, given the importance of peer relationships during adolescence, we examined friendship selection and social influence on children's math anxiety using longitudinal peer network analyses. Throughout the academic semester, we found that children became more similar to their peers in math anxiety levels but did not form new peer networks based on their levels of math anxiety. These findings highlight the importance of peers' emotional reactions to math, which could influence future academic achievement and career aspirations considerably.

The development of grit and growth mindset in Chinese children.

In a recent longitudinal study of U.S. adolescents, grit predicted rank-order increases in growth mindset and, to a lesser degree, growth mindset predicted rank-order increases in grit. The current investigation replicated and extended these findings in a younger non-Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (non-WEIRD) population. Two large samples totaling more than 5000 elementary school children in China completed self-report questionnaires assessing grit and growth mindset five times over 2 years. As in Park et al. (2020, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 198, 1048892020), we found reciprocal relations between grit and growth mindset. Grit systematically predicted rank-order increases in growth mindset at each subsequent 6-month interval. Growth mindset also predicted small rank-order increases in grit over the same period. These findings suggest that, over time, behavior may exert as much an influence on beliefs as the reverse-a dynamic possibly observable as early as in elementary school and not just in WEIRD cultures.

Friends know you: Peer nomination of self-control predict changes in academic achievement and friendship among adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Self-control predicts academic achievement and social outcomes in adolescents. Despite the increased role of peers in the lives of adolescents, little is known about whether peers' views of an individual's self-control have predictive validity for academic and social outcomes. METHOD: In a longitudinal study involving over 1500 adolescents (Mage = 13.74), we examined whether peer nomination of self-control provides incremental predictive validity over and above self-reports for rank-order changes in academic achievement and friendship (i.e., the total number of nominations received as a best friend). To do so, we followed 8th graders through the 9th grade, measuring self-reported self-control (academic vs. social), peer-nominated self-control (academic vs. social), grade point average, and friendship. RESULTS: Peer-nominated academic self-control predicted rank-order changes in grade point average and peer-nominated interpersonal self-control predicted rank-order changes in friendship over and above self-reported academic and interpersonal self-control. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate the predictive utility of peer nominations in research on self-control.

Aggravation of asthmatic inflammation by chlorine exposure via innate lymphoid cells and CD11cintermediate macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Chlorine is widely used in daily life as disinfectant. However, chronic exposure to chlorine products aggravates allergic TH 2 inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) in airways contribute to the inception of asthma in association with virus infection, pollution, and excess of nutrient, but it is not known whether chronic chlorine exposure can activate innate immune cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of chlorine inhalation on the innate immunity such as ILCs and macrophages in relation with the development of asthma by using murine ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization/challenge model. METHODS: Six-week-old female BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA in the presence and absence of chronic low-dose chlorine exposure by inhalation of naturally vaporized gas of 5% sodium hypochlorite solution. AHR, airway inflammatory cells, from BALF and the population of ILCs and macrophages in the lung were evaluated. RESULTS: The mice exposed to chlorine with OVA (Cl + OVA group) showed enhanced AHR and eosinophilic inflammation compared to OVA-treated mice (OVA group). The population of TH 2 cells, ILC2s, and ILC3s increased in Cl + OVA group compared with OVA group. CD11cint macrophages also remarkably increased in Cl + OVA group compared with OVA group. The deletion of macrophages by clodronate resulted in reduction of ILC2s and ILC3s population which was restored by adoptive transfer of CD11cint macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic chlorine inhalation contributes to the exacerbation of airway inflammation in asthmatic airway by mobilizing pro-inflammatory macrophage into the lung as well as stimulating group 2 and 3 ILCs.

The development of grit and growth mindset during adolescence.

Individual differences in grit and growth mindset predict effort and achievement in the face of challenges, but little is known about how the two traits influence each other during adolescence. In the current investigation, we analyzed data on grit and growth mindset collected from 1667 adolescents and their teachers on four occasions over 2 academic years. In autoregressive cross-lagged models, grit predicted rank-order increases in growth mindset and growth mindset predicted rank-order increases in grit. These findings suggest that during adolescence, grit and growth mindset are distinct but mutually reinforcing.

Don't Want to Look Dumb? The Role of Theories of Intelligence and Humanlike Features in Online Help Seeking.

Numerous studies have shown that individuals' help-seeking behavior increases when a computerized helper is endowed with humanlike features in nonachievement contexts. In contrast, the current research suggests that anthropomorphic helpers are not universally conducive to help-seeking behavior in contexts of achievement, particularly among individuals who construe help seeking as a display of incompetence (i.e., entity theorists). Study 1 demonstrated that when entity theorists received help from an anthropomorphized (vs. a nonanthropomorphized) helper, they were more concerned about negative judgments from other people, whereas incremental theorists were not affected by anthropomorphic features. Study 2 showed that when help was provided by an anthropomorphized (vs. a nonanthropomorphized) helper, entity theorists were less likely to seek help, even at the cost of lower performance. In contrast, incremental theorists' help-seeking behavior and task performance were not affected by anthropomorphism. This research deepens the current understanding of the role of anthropomorphic computerized helpers in online learning contexts.

Beliefs About Stress Attenuate the Relation Among Adverse Life Events, Perceived Distress, and Self-Control.

Prior research has shown that adverse events in the lives of adolescents precipitate psychological distress, which in turn impairs self-control. This study (N = 1,343) examined the protective effects of stress mindsets-beliefs about the extent to which stress might be beneficial or strictly detrimental. The results confirmed that increasing the number of adverse life events across the school year predicted rank order increases in perceived distress, which in turn predicted rank order decreases in self-control. Adolescents who believed in the potential benefits of stress were less prone to feeling stressed in the wake of adverse life events. These findings suggest that changing the way adolescents think about stress may help protect them from acting impulsively when confronted with adversity.

IL-23 secreted by bronchial epithelial cells contributes to allergic sensitization in asthma model: role of IL-23 secreted by bronchial epithelial cells.

IL-23 has been postulated to be a critical mediator contributing to various inflammatory diseases. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) is one of the most common inhalant allergens. However, the role of IL-23 in Der p-induced mouse asthma model is not well understood, particularly with regard to the development of allergic sensitization in the airways. The objective of this study was to evaluate roles of IL-23 in Der p sensitization and asthma development. BALB/c mice were repeatedly administered Der p intranasally to develop Der p allergic sensitization and asthma. After Der p local administration, changes in IL-23 expression were examined in lung tissues and primary epithelial cells. Anti-IL-23p19 antibody was given during the Der p sensitization period, and its effects were examined. Effects of anti-IL-23p19 antibody at bronchial epithelial levels were also examined in vitro. The expression of IL-23 at bronchial epithelial layers was increased after Der p local administration in mouse. In Der p-induced mouse models, anti-IL-23p19 antibody treatment during allergen sensitization significantly diminished Der p allergic sensitization and several features of allergic asthma including the production of Th2 cytokines and the population of type 2 innate lymphoid cells in lungs. The activation of dendritic cells in lung-draining lymph nodes was also reduced by anti-IL-23 treatment. In murine lung alveolar type II-like epithelial cell line (MLE-12) cells, IL-23 blockade prevented cytokine responses to Der p stimulation, such as IL-1α, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-33, and also bone marrow-derived dendritic cell activation. In conclusion, IL-23 is another important bronchial epithelial cell-driven cytokine which may contribute to the development of house dust mite allergic sensitization and asthma.

How do generic statements impact performance? Evidence for entity beliefs.

Generic statements about the abilities of children's social groups (e.g. 'Girls/Boys are good at this game') negatively impact children's performance - even if the statements are favorable towards children's own social groups. We explored the mechanism by which generic language impairs children's performance. Across three studies, our findings suggest that generic statements influence children's performance by creating an entity belief (i.e. a belief that a fixed ability determines performance). Children who were exposed to a generic statement about their social group's ability performed worse than children in control conditions. This effect hurt children's performance even when the person who made the generic statement was no longer present and a new person not privy to the statement replaced them. However, when children heard a generic statement paired with an effort explanation (i.e. 'Girls/Boys are good at this game because they try really hard when they draw') they performed better than children who heard the generic statement with no explanation (i.e. just 'Girls/Boys are good at this game') and children who heard the generic statement paired with a trait explanation (i.e. 'Girls/Boys are good at this game because they are smart and really good at drawing'). This work uncovers when and how generic statements that refer to the ability of one's social group hinder performance, informing the development of practices to improve student motivation and learning.

Effect of 1.8-Cineole in Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus-Stimulated Bronchial Epithelial Cells and Mouse Model of Asthma.

1.8-Cineole (eucalyptol) is a phytoncide, a volatile organic compound derived from plants. Phytoncides are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the effects of 1.8-cineole in house dust mite (HDM)-stimulated bronchial epithelial cells are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of 1.8-cineole in HDM-stimulated bronchial epithelial cells and in the HDM-induced murine asthma model. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism of 1.8-cineole action in HDM-induced airway inflammation. Human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs) were cultured with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) and 1.8-cineole. Cytokine protein levels, phosphorylation of protein kinases, and intracellular Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expressions were measured. In the murine model, BALB/C mice were sensitized with Der p and were exposed to Der p via intranasal route during the challenge period. 1.8-Cineole was given by inhalation 6 h before the each challenge. Treatment with 1.8-cineole inhibited the Der p-induced cytokine protein expression, phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Akt and intracellular TLR4 expression in HBECs. In the Der p-induced mouse model, airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) and the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was also significantly reduced by 1.8-cineole treatment. The treatment of 1.8-cineole inhibited the increased production of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-13 and IL-17A in BALF after Der p challenge. These results suggest that 1.8-cineole suppresses Der p-induced IL-8, IL-6 and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production in HBECs. Finally, we confirmed that 1.8-cineole decreases AHR and eosinophilic airway inflammation in Der p-induced asthma mice.

Mobile-Based Video Learning Outcomes in Clinical Nursing Skill Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Mobile devices are a regular part of daily life among the younger generations. Thus, now is the time to apply mobile device use to nursing education. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a mobile-based video clip on learning motivation, competence, and class satisfaction in nursing students using a randomized controlled trial with a pretest and posttest design. A total of 71 nursing students participated in this study: 36 in the intervention group and 35 in the control group. A video clip of how to perform a urinary catheterization was developed, and the intervention group was able to download it to their own mobile devices for unlimited viewing throughout 1 week. All of the students participated in a practice laboratory to learn urinary catheterization and were blindly tested for their performance skills after participation in the laboratory. The intervention group showed significantly higher levels of learning motivation and class satisfaction than did the control. Of the fundamental nursing competencies, the intervention group was more confident in practicing catheterization than their counterparts. Our findings suggest that video clips using mobile devices are useful tools that educate student nurses on relevant clinical skills and improve learning outcomes.

Similarity in functional connectome architecture predicts teenage grit.

Grit is a personality trait that encapsulates the tendency to persevere and maintain consistent interest for long-term goals. While prior studies found that grit predicts positive behavioral outcomes, there is a paucity of work providing explanatory evidence from a neurodevelopmental perspective. Based on previous research suggesting the utility of the functional connectome (FC) as a developmental measure, we tested the idea that individual differences in grit might be, in part, rooted in brain development in adolescence and emerging adulthood (N = 64, 11-19 years of age). Our analysis showed that grit was associated with connectome stability across conditions and connectome similarity across individuals. Notably, inter-subject representational similarity analysis revealed that teenagers who were grittier shared similar FC architecture with each other, more so than those with lower grit. Our findings suggest that individuals with high levels of grit are more likely to exhibit a converging pattern of whole-brain functional connectivity, which may underpin subsequent beneficial behavioral outcomes.

Parental intrusive homework support and math achievement: Does the child's mindset matter?

Prior research shows that when parents monitor, check, and assist in completing homework without an invitation, their children's motivation and academic achievement often decline. We propose that intrusive support from parents might also send the message that children are incompetent, especially if they believe their intelligence is fixed. We tested whether children's mindsets moderate the negative link between parents' intrusive homework support and achievement among first- and second-grade students followed for one academic year (Study 1, N = 563) and middle and high school students for two academic years (Study 2, N = 1,613). The samples were obtained from large urban areas in the United States. In both studies, intrusive homework support more strongly predicted a decrease in achievement over time for children with a fixed mindset. These findings suggest that the belief that intellectual ability cannot be changed may exacerbate the detrimental effects of uninvited help on academic work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Tranglutaminase 2 contributes to the asthmatic inflammation by modulating activation of alveolar macrophages.

BACKGROUND: Transglutaminase 2 (TG2), a multifunctional calcium-dependent acyltransferase, is upregulated in asthmatic airways and reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of TG2 in alternative activation of alveolar macrophages by using murine asthma model. METHODS: TG2 expression was assessed in induced sputum of 21 asthma patients and 19 healthy controls, and lung tissue of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine asthma model. To evaluate the role of TG2 in asthma, we developed an OVA asthma model in both TG2 null and wild-type mice. The expression of M2 macrophage markers was measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) after OVA sensitization and challenge. To evaluate the effect of TG2 inhibition in vitro, interleukin 4 (IL-4) or IL-13-stimulated expression of M2 macrophage markers was measured in CRL-2456 cells in the presence and absence of a TG2 inhibitor. RESULTS: The expression of both TG2 and M2 markers was increased in the sputum of asthmatics compared with that of healthy controls. The expression of TG2 was increased in macrophages of OVA mice. Airway hyperresponsiveness, and the number of inflammatory cells, including eosinophils, was significantly reduced in TG2 null mice compared with wild-type mice. Enhanced expression of M2 markers in OVA mice was normalized by TG2 knockout. IL-4 or IL-13-stimulated expression of M2 markers in alveolar macrophages was also attenuated by TG2 inhibitor treatment in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that TG2-mediated modulation of alveolar macrophage polarization plays important roles in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Stress mindset predicts job turnover among preschool teachers.

Teaching is one of the most challenging jobs, with a high turnover rate. Unfortunately, we know very little about how to retain teachers. This longitudinal field study (N = 310) examined whether preschool teachers' stress mindset-that is, whether they believe stress is harmful or beneficial-predicted their job stress and turnover within a school year. The results suggested that teachers who believe in the potential benefits of stress experienced less job stress, and were therefore less likely to leave their jobs as quickly. These findings suggest that teachers' stress mindsets predict their psychological well-being and professional development.

The mindful adolescent: Developmental changes in nonreactivity to inner experiences and its association with emotional well-being.

Little is known about the naturalistic development of mindfulness in adolescence and how it relates to changes in emotional well-being. The current longitudinal study examined the development of one dimension of mindfulness, nonreactivity to difficult inner experience (or in more colloquial terms, being able to notice, but "take a step back" from distressing thoughts), in a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample (N = 1,657) during the transition from middle school to high school. Students participated in up to four assessment waves, from fall of 8th grade through spring of 9th grade, in which they completed self-report measures assessing nonreactivity, perceived stress, and positive and negative affect. Latent growth curve models indicated that levels of nonreactivity increased during the 2-year study period. Developmental change in nonreactivity varied minimally by gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and race/ethnicity. Parallel process latent growth curve models showed that changes in nonreactivity were associated with concomitant reductions in perceived stress and negative affect, and increases in positive affect. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models showed that within-person nonreactivity prospectively predicted changes in perceived stress and positive affect, but not negative affect. This study is among the first to track the naturalistic development of mindfulness during adolescence. Results suggest that the nonreactivity dimension of mindfulness is associated with aspects of emotional well-being during the transition from middle school to high school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Role of interleukin-23 in the development of nonallergic eosinophilic inflammation in a murine model of asthma.

Nonallergic eosinophilic asthma (NAEA) is a clinically distinct subtype of asthma. Thus far, the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying NAEA have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine the role of IL-23 in the pathogenesis of NAEA. We developed a murine model of NAEA using recombinant IL-23 (rIL-23) plus a nonspecific airway irritant [polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) or diesel exhaust particles (DEPs)] and investigated whether IL-23 plays an important role in the development of NAEA. Intranasal administration of rIL-23 (0.1 µg/mouse) plus polyI:C (0.01 µg/mouse) or DEPs (10 µg/mouse) without allergen resulted in methacholine bronchial hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic airway inflammation in mice, which are characteristic features of NAEA. rIL-23 plus a low dose nonspecific airway irritants induced the release of innate cytokines from airway epithelium, including IL-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin and IL-1ß; these factors activated types 2 and 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s and ILC3s). ILC2s and ILC3s, but not CD4+ T cells (i.e., adaptive immune cells), were important in the development of NAEA. In addition, we observed that IL-23 receptor expressions increased in airway epithelial cells, which suggests the existence of a positive autocrine loop in our murine model of NAEA. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which administration of rIL-23 plus a nonspecific airway irritant (polyI:C or DEPs) without allergen resulted in features of NAEA in mice similar to those found in humans. IL-23 may constitute a therapeutic target for NAEA in humans.