The Influence of Preschool Teachers’Social Skills on Job Burnout:A Moderated Mediation Model

Background:Teacher burnout is a serious issue in the field of education,particularly in early childhood education,where teachers face high levels of work stress and emotional labor,leading to emotional exhaustion and job burnout.However,past research has not sufficiently explored the mechanisms of social skills,empathy,and mindfulness in mitigating teacher burnout.Therefore,this study aims to investigate the relationship between preschool teachers’social skills,empathy,and mindfulness with job burnout,in order to provide theoretical basis and practical guidance for reducing teacher burnout.Methods:This research utilized a convenience sampling approach to target preschool teachers for a questionnaire survey.A total of 1109 questionnaires were collected.To ensure the quality of the data,we excluded questionnaires that were not carefully filled out in terms of lie scale questions,those with abnormal demographic variables,and outliers identified based on response time.Ultimately,901 valid questionnaires were obtained,achieving a valid response rate of 81.2%.Participants’levels of social skills,empathy,mindfulness,and job burnout were assessed using the Social Skills Scale(SKS),Empathy Scale(Measure of Empathy,ME),Mindful Attention Awareness Scale(MAAS),and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey(MBI-ES),respectively.Data analysis was conducted using SPSS.Results:After controlling for gender,age,teaching experience,educational level,grade taught,and location of the kindergarten,the study found:(1)There is a negative correlation between preschool teachers’social skills and the level of job burnout(r=−0.238);(2)Empathy has a dual-track effect on job burnout,where cognitive empathy negatively affects job burnout(r=−0.245),while emotional empathy has a positive effect(r=0.045);(3)Cognitive empathy partially mediates the relationship between social skills and job burnout(β=−0.124);(4)Mindfulness significantly impacts social skills,cognitive empathy,and job burnout(r=0.278;r=0.286;r=−0.539),and plays a moderating role in the mediation model(β=0.003;β=−0.023).Conclusion:These findings provide theoretical support for the development of burnout prevention and intervention strategies targeted at preschool teachers.They also point out new directions for future research and potential intervention targets,suggesting that enhancing preschool teachers’social skills and cognitive empathy,as well as increasing their mindfulness level,can help them cope with work-related stress and emotional labor,thereby alleviating job burnout.

Effectiveness of sensory integration therapy in children,focusing on Korean children:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Sensory integration intervention is highly related to the child's effective interaction with the environment and the child's development.Currently,various sensory integration interventions are being applied,but research methodological problems are arising due to unsystematic protocols.This study aims to present the optimal intervention protocol by presenting scientific standards for sensory integration intervention through meta-analysis.AIM To prove the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy,examine the latest trend of sensory integration studies in Korea,and provide clinical evidence for sensory integration therapies.METHODS The database of Korean search engines,including RISS,KISS,and DBpia,was used to search for related literature published from 2001 to October 2020.The keywords,“Children”,“Sensory integration”,“Integrated sensory”,“Sensorymotor”,and“Sensory stimulation”were used in this search.Then,a meta-analysis was conducted on 24 selected studiesRISS,KISS,and DBpia,was used to search for related literature published from 2001 to October 2020.The keywords,“Children”,“Sensory integration”,“Integrated sensory”,“Sensorymotor”,and“Sensory stimulation”were used in this search.Then,a meta-analysis was conducted on 24 selected studies.RESULTS Sensory integration intervention has been proven effective in children with cerebral palsy,autism spectrum disorder,attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,developmental disorder,and intellectual disability in relation to the diagnosis of children.Regarding sensory integration therapies,1:1 individual treatment with a therapist or a therapy session lasting for 40 min was most effective.In terms of dependent variables,sensory integration therapy effectively promoted social skills,adaptive behavior,sensory processing,and gross motor and fine motor skills.CONCLUSION The results of this study may be used as therapeutic evidence for sensory integration intervention in the clinical field of occupational therapy for children,and can help to present standards for sensory integration intervention protocols.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Social Skills Training and Anger Management on Adjustment of Unsupervised Girl Adolescents

This study aimed at a comparison of the effectiveness of social skills training and anger management on adjustment of unsupervised girl adolescents between 15 - 18 years old in Tehran. This research was an experimental one with plan of pre-test and post-test control groups. The statistical universe of this research was consisted of all unsupervised girl adolescents between 15 - 18 years old in Tehran. The subject was 35 unsupervised girl adolescents who are assigned to two groups: experimental and control group. Data were collected by using the Adjustment Inventory for School Students (AISS). Multivariate analysis of covariance showed that the social skills training and anger management significantly increased social, emotional and educational adjustment on the experimental group (P < 0. 05). But Tukey’s follow-up test showed that there wasn’t significant difference between effectiveness of training anger control on compatibility and effectiveness of training social skills on individuals’ total compatibility. Findings showed that both trainings could be used in the same extent in order to enhance compatibility level.

Effects of music therapy on mood,language,behavior,and social skills in children with autism：A meta-analysis

Objective：To investigate the effects of music therapy on mood,language,behavior,and social skills in children with autism.Methods：A literature search was conducted using the following Chinese databases：the China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI）,Wanfang Data,the Chinese Biomedical Literature（CBM） Database,and the VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database.The search terms were ＂autistic children＂ or ＂children with autism＂ and ＂music therapy＂ or ＂music treatment.＂ Studies of randomized controlled trials（RCTs） were included,and each publication included was assessed for quality.A meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.1.Results：Publications were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Six research articles describing RCTs were included;the total sample size was 300 patients.The results of meta-analysis showed that music therapy improved mood[Risk ratio（RR） = 3.02,95%confidence interval（CI）=1.93-4.11,Z=5.45,P〈 0.000 01]and behavior（RR=7.36,95%CI=4.28-10.44,Z=4.69,P=0.00001） in children with autism.Additionally,music therapy improved language（RR=4.05,95%CI=3.38-4.73,Z=11.71,P=0.000 01）,sensory perception（RR=4.62,95%CI=1.55-7.69,Z=2.95,P=0.003）,and social skills（RR=4.66,95%CI=1.90-7.42,Z=3.31,P=0.000 9） in children with autism.Conclusions：Music therapy can improve mood,language,sensory perception,behavior,and social skills in children with autism.

Social Skills and Behavioral Problems in Adolescents with Child Sexual Abuse, and Their Relation to Basal Cortisol

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a stressful associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenal (HPA) axis and behavioral problems. Children and adolescents with history of CSA could have higher cortisol levels, as these have been associated with deleterious changes in brain regions involved in controlling social behavior and self-control. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship among basal cortisol levels, social skills and behavioral problems in adolescents with CSA by evaluating two groups: one consisting of 12 - 15-year-old girls with CSA (n = 23), the other healthy comparison adolescents with no history of child abuse (n = 23). Social skills and behavioral problems were assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System. Three saliva samples were collected from each participant. The girls with CSA had lower social skills and more behavioral problems, as well as, higher cortisol concentrations. Besides, these participants showed significant negative correlations among cortisol levels and social skills, as well as, positive correlations with behavioral problems scales. It is feasible to suggest that the social deficiencies observed in these participants with CSA are related to alterations of the HPA.

Common outcome,different pathways:Social informationprocessing deficits in autism spectrum disorder and attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder

Social functioning is a key domain of impairment in both autism spectrum disorder(ASD)and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).This review adopts the social information-processing model as the theoretical framework to compare and contrast the deficits of ASD and ADHD at each of the six steps of social information-processing.Both disorders show deficits at each step,but the nature and origins of the deficits are different.Thus,while both disorders exhibit a common outcome of social impairment,the exact pathways that each disorder traverses along the six steps of social information-processing are different.For ASD,there is a social knowledge/behaviour deficit arising from difficulties in social/emotional cue detection,encoding,and interpretation,leading to problems in joining and initiating social interaction.For ADHD,there is a performance deficit incurred by disruption arising from the ADHD symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity,while its acquisition capacity on social knowledge is relatively intact.The inattentive,intrusive,and impulsive behaviours of ADHD unsettle social interaction.Finally,this review proposes training targets for intervention along the six steps of the social information-processing model for ASD and ADHD,as well as areas for future research in further elucidating the social impairment of the two disorders.

Monkey's Best Friend——A mother's social skills may affect her child's health

美国三位科学家通过对几头狒狒的“追踪”调查发现,母狒狒的社交技能居然可能会影响到其后代的健康状况。“社会关系”良好的母狒狒后代的生存发展似乎要远远好于“猴际”关系较差的母狒狒的后代。尽管原因尚无定论,但人类,尤其是对子女的成长关注程度极高的国人似乎可以从中得到一点启迪。