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Item Developmental changes in fact and source recall: Contributions from executive function and brain electrical activity(Elsevier Ltd., 2014-10-22) Rajan, Vinaya; Bell, Martha Ann; Vinaya Rajana, Martha Ann Bell; Rajan, VinayaSource memory involves recollecting the contextual details surrounding a memory episode. When source information is bound together, it makes a memory episodic in nature. Unfortunately, very little is known about the factors that contribute to its formation in early development. This study examined the development of source memory in middle childhood. Measures of executive function were examined as potential sources of variation in fact and source recall. Continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) measures were collected during baseline and fact and source retrieval in order to examine memory-related changes in EEG power. Six and 8-year-old children were taught 10 novel facts from two different sources and recall for fact and source information was later tested. Older children were better on fact recall, but both ages were comparable on source recall. However, source recall performance was poor at both ages, suggesting that this ability continues to develop beyond middle childhood. Regression analyses revealed that executive function uniquely predicted variance in source recall performance. Task-related increases in theta power were observed at frontal, temporal and parietal electrode sites during fact and source retrieval. This investigation contributes to our understanding of age-related differences in source memory processing in middle childhood.Item Perceived Neighborhood Characteristics and Cognitive Functioning among Diverse Older Adults: An Intersectional Approach(International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021-03-06) Thierry, Amy D.; Sherman-Wilkins, Kyler; Armendariz, Marina; Sullivan, Allison; Farmer, Heather R.Unfavorable neighborhood conditions are linked to health disparities. Yet, a dearth of literature examines how neighborhood characteristics contribute to cognitive health in diverse samples of older adults. The present study uses an intersectional approach to examine how race/ethnicity, gender, and education moderate the association between neighborhood perceptions and cognitive functioning in later life. We used data from adults ≥65 years old (n = 8023) in the 2010–2016 waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We conducted race/ethnicity-stratified linear regression models where cognitive functioning, measured using the 35-point Telephone Interview Cognitive Screen (TICS), was regressed on three neighborhood characteristics—cleanliness, safety, and social cohesion. We examine whether there is heterogeneity within race/ethnicity by testing if and how the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and cognitive functioning differs by gender and education. Among White adults, worse neighborhood characteristics were associated with lower cognitive functioning among those with less education. However, for Black adults, poor perceived quality of one’s neighborhood was associated with worse cognitive functioning among those with more years of education compared to those with fewer years of education. Among Mexicans, perceived neighborhood uncleanliness was associated with lower cognitive functioning among those with less education, but higher cognitive functioning for those with higher levels of education. Thus, this study contributes to the literature on racial/ethnic disparities in cognitive aging disparities by examining neighborhood contextual factors as determinants of cognitive functioning. In particular, we find that higher education in the context of less favorable neighborhood environments does not confer the same benefits to cognitive functioning among all older adults.Item Disseminating Resources Online for Teaching Sex Education to People with Developmental Disabilities(Sexuality and Disability, 2021-06-12) Curtiss, Sarah L.; Stoffers, MelissaSex education is important for individuals with developmental disabilities; however, it is difficult for educators to find resources to support them when teaching sex education. A website, asdsexed.org, was developed to disseminate sex education resources. Using analytic data from the website we explored how dissemination occurs online. We identified (1) how visitors were referred to the website; (2) what search terms were used to look for sex education resources; (3) what content was most frequently viewed; and (4) how visitors engaged with the content. Search engines were the top referrer. Variations on the phrase “body parts” were the most frequently recorded terms. Free lesson plans were the most viewed content. Privacy social stories were the most engaged with content. Online dissemination was a complex undertaking but did allow for potential sex educators to be connected with research-based resources.Item Black Adolescent Boys’ Perceived School Mattering: From Marginalization and Selective Love to Radically Affirming Relationships(Journal of Research on Adolescence, 2021-12-16) Carey, Roderick L.; Polanco, Camila; Blackman, HoratioInspired by Black Lives Matter activism, we used racialized lenses on social-psychological “mattering” to investigate how Black high school boys’ interactions shaped their perceived mattering. Researchers conducted interviews with 17 self-identified Black boys who were part of a larger school-based partnership called The Black Boy Mattering Project. Participants reported experiencing and resisting interpersonal marginal mattering (e.g., evidenced in negative interactions with educators and peers and fueled by racist stereotypes) and described mattering partially through selective love (e.g., inferring significance through athletics, yet deemed anti-intellectual). Our study exhibits how schools uphold systemic anti-Black racist notions that shape relationships between Black boys and their peers and educators and diminish adolescents’ self-concepts. Implications aim to support educators and researchers in radically affirming Black boys in school contexts.Item Child Temperament as a Moderator of Promoting First Relationships Intervention Effects Among Families in Early Head Start(Prevention Science, 2022-01-21) Hustedt, Jason T.; Hooper, Alison; Hallam, Rena A.; Vu, Jennifer A.; Han, Myae; Ziegler, MelissaAs availability of parent–child interaction curricula increases, Early Head Start (EHS) provides a relevant context to test research-based parenting models as part of everyday practice. We trained EHS staff to incorporate the Promoting First Relationships (PFR) intervention into ongoing weekly home visits with mothers and their young children (n = 102) enrolled in EHS. Children had a mean age of 19.75 months and were 56% Hispanic, 23% Black, and 14% White. Families were randomly assigned to an intervention group where they participated in PFR as an EHS enhancement, or to a waitlist-control group where they received only typical EHS services. To explore the possibility that effectiveness of parent–child curricula may differ based on child characteristics, we used linear regression to examine children’s temperament as a potential moderator of PFR efficacy on outcomes related to parenting stress, family functioning, and parent–child interaction. While we did not find a significant main effect of PFR for the full sample, there were several significant moderated effects. For families where children showed higher levels of surgency, mothers’ parenting stress was significantly reduced after PFR participation. Also, when children showed higher levels of negative affect, mothers demonstrated higher sensitivity in parent–child interactions after participating in PFR. Given findings from our exploratory study, agencies should consider the characteristics of families served and the match with intervention priorities, when selecting intervention programs. When delivered as a home visitation enhancement, PFR may be a valuable support for certain enrolled families, based on child characteristics including high levels of surgency or negative affect.Item Correlates of Elevated C-Reactive Protein Among Black Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study(Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2022-02-11) Farmer, Heather R.; Thorpe, Roland J.; Thomas Tobin, Courtney S.Objectives: Substantial evidence documents gender and racial disparities in C-reactive protein (CRP), a measure of systemic inflammation, among older adults. Yet, the comparative approaches of these studies may obscure distinct risk and protective factors associated with elevated CRP among older Black Americans. To pinpoint opportunities for intervention, this study utilizes a “within-group approach” to identify the sociodemographic, psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related correlates of elevated CRP among older Black women and men. Method:The sample consisted of 2,420 Black respondents aged 51 and older in the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2016). Gender-stratified, random effects logistic regression models were used to examine correlates of elevated CRP (>3.0 mg/L). Results: More than 50% of Black women had elevated CRP, and younger age, Medicaid, lower mastery, religiosity, overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, and activities of daily living (ADLs) contributed to elevated CRP among this group. In contrast, elevated CRP was reported among only 37.25% of Black men, for whom financial distress was associated with lower odds of elevated CRP; religiosity, less neighborhood cohesion, current smoking, overweight/obesity, ADLs, and more chronic conditions were associated with greater odds of elevated CRP among this group. Discussion: Sociodemographic factors had a limited association with elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Rather, a range of psychosocial, behavioral, and health-related factors were more influential determinants of elevated CRP among older Black Americans. Most notably, findings demonstrate distinct correlates of CRP among Black women and men, underscoring the critical need to further evaluate the risk and protective mechanisms undergirding disparities among this aging population.Item Toward A Just and Humanizing System: A Critical Structural Analysis of the Human Services Field(Journal of Progessive Human Services, 2022-03-06) Aviles, Ann M.This paper advances a critical conceptual discussion and paradigm shift regarding the preparation of human and social service students. This work looks to make apparent the racial and class realities of preparing a primarily white, female, upper/middle-class human service professional to work in a field that overwhelmingly serves poor Black and Brown communities. The frameworks/concepts of The Racial Contract, Structural Competency, and The nonprofit Industrial Complex are employed to examine and understand social systems and structures of pertinence to human services. Finally, implications for human services, both in terms of human service curricula and practice are considered.Item The promise and purpose of early care and education(Child Development Perspectives, 2022-07-11) Burchinal, Margaret; Whitaker, Anamarie A.; Jenkins, Jade MarcusEarly care and education (ECE) evolved around two goals: allowing parents of young children to work (the purpose) and promoting early childhood development (the promise). An extensive body of research has examined how ECE promotes child development. A much sparser body of research has studied how ECE access affects families' economic and psychological well-being, particularly from a developmental perspective. These imbalanced literatures have created an incomplete picture of the role of ECE in developmental science, and this gap in knowledge limits the extent to which both the purpose and the promise of ECE can be fulfilled. In this article, we argue that developmental researchers should pay more attention to the parent and family outcomes, processes, and mechanisms that depend on stable, high-quality care (the purpose), and how these downstream cascades influence child development in the short and long term (the promise). While these issues are international, in this article, we focus on the development of and research on ECE in the United States to illustrate how the focus on both the purpose and promise of ECE could expand policies and research in the area.Item Do Early Care and Education Programs Improve When Enrolled in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems? Longitudinal Evidence from One System(Early Education and Development, 2022-08-15) Gomez, Celia J.; Whitaker, Anamarie A.; Cannon, Jill S.Quality rating and improvement systems (QRISs) are designed to assess, improve, and communicate the quality of early care and education programs. Using administrative data, we investigated whether providers that participated in a county-level QRIS saw increases to their global quality (tier) rating, domain-specific quality ratings, and scores on an observation measure of classroom quality. Research Findings: On average, participating providers increased their overall tier ratings; this pattern was particularly true for providers with lower initial tier ratings. We found more consistent evidence of increases on indicators of structural quality components (e.g., teacher and director qualifications), and limited evidence of improvement on process quality indicators (e.g., measure of teacher–child interaction). This finding suggests structural quality improvements may be driving global tier rating changes. In addition, providers saw average increases on a measure of classroom quality, with larger increases seen in domains that measure classroom organization and emotional support. Practice and Policy: We discuss implications for how QRISs can promote quality improvement for participating providers and suggest avenues for future research.Item Racial/ethnic variations in inflammatory markers: exploring the role of sleep duration and sleep efficiency(Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2022-08-27) Farmer, Heather R.; Slavish, Danica C.; Ruiz, John; Dietch, Jessica R.; Ruggero, Camilo J.; Messman, Brett A.; Kelly, Kimberly; Kohut, Marian; Taylor, Daniel J.Individuals from minoritized racial/ethnic groups have higher levels of circulating inflammatory markers. However, the mechanisms underlying these differences remain understudied. The objective of this study was to examine racial/ethnic variations in multiple markers of inflammation and whether impaired sleep contributes to these racial/ethnic differences. Nurses from two regional hospitals in Texas (n = 377; 71.62% White; 6.90% Black; 11.14% Hispanic, 10.34% Asian; mean age = 39.46; 91.78% female) completed seven days of sleep diaries and actigraphy to assess mean and variability in total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE). On day 7, blood was drawn to assess 4 inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Results from regression models showed differences in inflammatory markers by race/ethnicity, adjusting for age and gender. The associations between sleep parameters and inflammatory markers also varied by race/ethnicity. Among White nurses, lower mean and greater variability in actigraphy-determined TST and greater variability in diary-determined TST were associated with higher levels of IL-6. Among Black nurses, lower mean diary-determined SE was associated with higher levels of IL-6 and IL-1β. Among Hispanic nurses, greater diary-determined mean TST was associated with higher CRP. Among Asian nurses, greater intraindividual variability in actigraphy-determined SE was associated with lower CRP. Among nurses, we did not find racial/ethnic disparities in levels of inflammation. However, analyses revealed differential relationships between sleep and inflammatory markers by race/ethnicity. Results highlight the importance of using a within-group approach to understand predictors of inflammatory markers.Item The Relationship Between Mental Illness Stigma and Self-Labeling(Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 2022-11-07) Fox, Annie B.; Earnshaw, Valerie A.Objective: One way that stigma may interfere with treatment-seeking is its impact on whether an individual self-labels as someone with mental illness (MI). While identifying and labeling oneself as experiencing MI is an important early step in seeking treatment, self-labeling may also make individuals more susceptible to the negative effects of internalized, anticipated, and experienced stigma. In the present study, we examined the relationship between MI stigma and self-labeling. We hypothesized that endorsement of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination would be higher among those individuals who do not self-label and that those who did self-label would endorse higher levels of anticipated, internalized, and experienced stigma. Method: We conducted a survey of stigma and mental health via MTurk. The sample included 257 individuals who met criteria for a current probable diagnosis of depression, generalized anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We compared those individuals who responded “yes” to ever experiencing MI (n = 202) to those who responded “no” (n = 52) on demographic variables, mental health symptoms and treatment history, and stigma. Results: Individuals who did not self-label as having MI were more likely to be younger, male, and single. They also endorsed higher levels of stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and experienced stigma. Self-labelers endorsed more internalized stigma than those who did not self-label. Conclusions and Implications for Practice: Findings suggest that associations between stigma and self-labeling are complex. Consistent with modified labeling theory, stigma may both act as a barrier to adopting a label of MI and increase vulnerability to stigma if the label is adopted. Impact and Implications: Individuals who do not self-label as having a mental illness (MI) endorse higher levels of stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and experienced stigma; individuals who self-label as having MI endorse higher levels of internalized stigma compared to non-self-labelers. Stigma may therefore act both as a barrier to adopting a label of MI and increase vulnerability to stigma if the label is adopted.Item “I want the doctors to know that I am as bright as a candle”: Experiences with and Hopes for Doctor Interactions Among Malaysian Key Populations and People Living with HIV(AIDS and Behavior, 2022-12-06) Earnshaw, Valerie A.; Cox, Jon; Wong, Pui Li; Saifi, Rumana; Walters, Suzan; Azwa, Iskandar; Omar, Sharifah Faridah Syed; Collier, Zachary K.; Hassan, Asfarina Amir; Lim, Sin How; Wickersham, Jeffrey; Haddad, Marwan S.; Kamarulzaman, AdeebaStigma in healthcare settings is a pernicious barrier to HIV prevention and treatment in contexts with strong HIV-related structural stigma. Previous work has documented substantial stigma towards key populations and people living with HIV (PLWH) among Malaysian doctors. The perspectives of Malaysian key populations and PLWH, however, remain understudied. In 2021, 34 Malaysian participants representing key populations and PLWH engaged in a photovoice study designed to qualitatively explore their experiences with and hopes for doctor interactions. Many participants reported stigma from their doctors, perceiving that doctors view them as not normal, sinful, misguided, and incapable. Several emphasized that they wear figurative masks to conceal aspects of themselves from doctors. Yet, many also remain hopeful for constructive relationships with doctors. They want their doctors to know that they are bright, capable, kind, and valuable. Interventions are needed to address stigma among doctors working in contexts with strong structural stigma. Resumen El estigma en los ambientes de atención médica es una barrera perniciosa en la prevención y el tratamiento del VIH. Investigaciones anteriores han documentado un estigma sustancial hacia los grupos de población clave y las personas que viven con el VIH (PLWH por sus siglas en inglés) entre los médicos de Malasia. Sin embargo, las perspectivas de los grupos de población clave y las PLWH en Malasia siguen sin estudiarse. En 2021, 34 participantes que representaban los grupos de población clave y PLWH en Malasia participaron en un estudio de fotovoz diseñado para explorar cualitativamente sus experiencias y esperanzas en las interacciones con los médicos. Muchos participantes describieron el estigma de sus médicos, percibiendo que los médicos los ven como no normales, pecaminosos, equivocados e incapaces. Varios enfatizaron que usan máscaras figurativas para ocultar aspectos de ellos mismos a los médicos. Sin embargo, muchos también mantienen la esperanza de tener relaciones constructivas con los médicos. Quieren que sus médicos sepan que son inteligentes, capaces, amables y valiosos. Se necesitan intervenciones para abordar el estigma estructural entre los médicos que trabajan en la prevención y el tratamiento del VIH.Item Unpacking the social-emotional health of education support professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic(Psychology in the Schools, 2022-12-09) Naples, Lauren H.; Cipriano, Christina; Eveleigh, Abigail; Stoffers, Melissa; Barnes, Tia N.This study sought to understand education support professionals' (ESPs) experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic, including how they were feeling about their roles in education, strategies they were using to cope with unprecedented times, barriers they encountered toward maintaining SE health at work, and opportunities they identified as critical for creating safe and supportive school environments. This study employed a convergent parallel (QUAN + QUAL) mixed methods research design to capture ESPs' affective experiences and use of social and emotional learning (SEL). Data were collected in partnership with the National Education Association across 4 weeks through a survey including open and closed-ended questions. A total of 175 participants responded to the quantitative portion of the survey and at least one qualitative survey question. Findings suggest ESPs were feeling frustrated and experiencing very little SEL support in their daily work. ESPs would benefit from increased communication, inclusion, recognition, and well-being promotion in their schools. This study offers new insight into how schools and districts can provide better SEL support to ESPs. Practitioner points: - Education support professionals were feeling frustrated and experiencing very little social and emotional support in their daily work early in the COVID-19 pandemic. - Education support professionals would benefit from increased communication, inclusion, and recognition in their schools. - Schools must do better to promote the professional and personal well-being of education support professionals.Item “Teachers think the kids around here, don't really want to learn”: Street-identified black men and women's attitudes toward teachers and schooling(Sociology Compass, 2022-12-21) Payne, Yasser Arafat; Aviles, Ann M.; Yates, Nefetaria A.This street participatory action research project explored the reflective schooling experiences of street identified Black men and women (ages 18–35) in two small low-income neighborhoods. Secondary analysis of survey (N = 520) and interview (N = 46) data examined: (1) How are attitudes toward schooling and teachers affected by race, gender and age?; and (2) How do students utilize a street-identity as a site of resilience inside schools? Overall, street-identified study participants held positive attitudes toward schooling, but generally performed poorly in schools and had negative experiences with educators. No significance was found as a function of gender and age regarding attitudes toward schooling and attitudes toward teachers. Also, interview results, across gender and age, suggest school-related structural challenges and poor teacher-student relationships contributed to severe conflict between students and teachers; and between students. Interviewees argued some Black students internalized a street identity or became disruptive and even engaged in school violence as a protective mechanism to endure hostile schooling environments. Moreover, Street PAR is discussed as a method and intervention to improve student performance and resolve concerns between students and educators.Item Pandemic-Era WIC Participation in Wilmington, Delaware: Participants’ Experiences and Challenges(Nutrients, 2023-01-19) Halverson, McKenna M.; Karpyn, AllisonSpecial Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants faced unprecedented challenges during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic including financial concerns, a national infant formula shortage, and rising food costs. To mitigate these challenges, the United States Department of Agriculture implemented WIC program waivers and flexibilities aiming to simplify program operations (e.g., remote appointments and food package substitutions). However, little is known about WIC participants’ perceptions of these changes and their impact on in-store benefit redemption. As such, this study aimed to characterize how pandemic-related events impacted Delaware WIC participants’ shopping experiences and program perceptions. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 51 WIC participants in Wilmington, Delaware. Survey measures included demographic questions, the Hunger Vital Sign, and open-ended questions regarding WIC program participation experiences during the pandemic. Data were analyzed using a hybrid inductive and deductive coding approach. The results demonstrate that WIC participants benefitted from the pandemic program’s flexibilities. However, they continued to experience burdensome shopping trips as well as concerns about their ability to feed their families due to infant formula shortages and inflation. These findings indicate the importance of extending existing WIC flexibilities and providing continued support for both participants and WIC-authorized retailors.Item A qualitative study of healthcare providers’ attitudes toward assisted partner notification for people with HIV in Indonesia(BMC Health Services Research, 2023-01-24) Levy, Judith A.; Earnshaw, Valerie A.; Milanti, Ariesta; Waluyo, Agung; Culbert, Gabriel J.Background Assisted partner notification (APN) is recommended as a public health strategy to increase HIV testing in people exposed to HIV. Yet its adoption in many countries remains at an early stage. This qualitative study sought the opinions of HIV health service providers regarding the appropriateness and feasibility of implementing APN in Indonesia where such services are on the cusp of adoption. Methods Four focus group discussions totaling 40 health service providers were held in Jakarta, Indonesia to consider APN as an innovative concept and to share their reactions regarding its potential implementation in Indonesia. Voice-recorded discussions were conducted in Bahasa, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed. Results Participants recognized APN’s potential in contacting and informing the partners of HIV-positive clients of possible viral exposure. They also perceived APN’s value as a client-driven service permitting clients to select which of three partner notification methods would work best for them across differing partner relationships and settings. Nonetheless, participants also identified personal and health system challenges that could impede successful APN adoption including medical and human resource limitations, the need for specialized APN training, ethical and equity considerations, and lack of sufficient clarity concerning laws and government policies regulating 3rd party disclosures. They also pointed to the job-overload, stress, personal discomfort, and the ethical uncertainty that providers might experience in delivering APN. Conclusion Overall, providers of HIV services embraced the concept of APN but forecast practical difficulties in key service areas where investments in resources and system change appeared necessary to ensure effective and equitable implementation.Item Service models for providing sex education to individuals with intellectual disabilities in the United States(Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 2023-03-16) Curtiss, Sarah L.; Stoffers, MelissaIndividuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities face barriers to accessing sex education, including a lack of professional ownership over providing sex education. Limited information exists regarding educator training background, funding structure, and who they serve. We interviewed 58 sex educators of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We integrated thematic analysis and composite narratives to identify service models and the benefits and challenges associated with them. We identified seven service delivery models: clinic-based board-certified behavior analysis; mental health therapists; small businesses; public health not-for-profits; disability programs; high school-based educators; and university-based educators; and three themes that addressed the strengths and challenges of these service models: Instructional Implications of the Short-term, Drop-in Approach; Getting on the Same Page; and Questioning Who Should Teach Sex Education. Understanding these typologies and their strengths and challenges provide insights into how we can build capacity for sex education services.Item Investigating the Psychological Risk and Protective Factors Related to Fear of COVID-19 During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran(Practice in Clinical Psychology, 2023-04-01) Abasi, Imaneh; Farzin, Azin; Sohrabzadeh Fard, Amin; Masjedi Arani, Abbas; Poursharifi, Hamid; Ebrahimzadeh Mousavi, Mohammad; Mehrabi, AliObjective: The current COVID-19 pandemic is associated with numerous psychological issues, such as anxiety and distress as a result of individual, health-related, social, and economic issues. This study aims to assess the general population in Iran for the negative impacts of the current pandemic on psychological well-being and to find possible protective and risk factors when facing such situations in the current COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 317 people participated in an online survey in Iran from August 3, 2020, to September 20, 2020. Anxiety, depression, fear of COVID-19, emotion regulation, intolerance of uncertainty, illness perception, neuroticism, social support, and self-efficacy were evaluated. Results: The results showed that measures that assess anxiety, depression, emotion regulation, intolerance of uncertainty, illness perception, neuroticism, social support, and self-efficacy were significantly related to fear of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the results of regression analysis demonstrated that neuroticism, intolerance of uncertainty, and illness perception could predict fear of COVID-19 beyond and above anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Some factors, including neuroticism, illness perception, and intolerance of uncertainty are considered risk factors for mental health during this pandemic.Item Gifts, growing, and love: A qualitative analysis of children’s literature depicting breastfeeding(Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2023-04-27) Bianca, Kelsey PalmerChildren’s literature on the topic of breastfeeding is a niche form of media that has the potential to present breastfeeding in a different light because of a difference in audience and intent, but this media form is understudied. The aim of this study was to explore the portrayal of breastfeeding in English language children’s literature published between 1985 and 2020. This cross-sectional qualitative study explored the written and visual content of children’s literature on the topic of breastfeeding. This qualitative study utilized content analysis to explore 49 children’s books that depict breastfeeding as a major theme or story. Children’s books depict breastfeeding as an act of love that confers benefits beyond nutrition including being a symbolic gift, and conferring growth, and love. Breastfeeding is presented in these books by teaching how mammals feed their young or by teaching children about the function of breasts. These books also often include information for parents. Children’s literature depicting breastfeeding provides a unique avenue for the dissemination of breastfeeding resources and information. This research can inform lactation education practices in healthcare settings by normalizing breastfeeding.Item Can an intensive professional development on play change child care providers’ perspectives and practice on play?(International Journal of Play, 2023-05-17) Han, Myae; Buell, Martha; Liu, Di; Pic, AnnetteEarly childhood teachers need knowledge and skills to support play and learning. However, the child care workforce often has limited or no preservice training on play, relying instead on in-service training. With policy shifts towards a standards-driven curriculum in the U.S., there is limited in-service play training available, creating a need for high quality in-service training on play. This study introduces a model of intensive professional development (PD) on play – a group workshop coupled with a group coaching model – implemented in the Mid-Atlantic area in the U.S. The play training focused on three areas: self-active play experience, the knowledge and skills needed to support children's learning through play. The group coaching component included feedback on self-recorded video practice and an opportunity for participants to share reflections on supporting play with each other and the coaches. We conducted an interview study with the participants about their perspectives on play and practice after the intensive PD. Qualitative data analysis revealed that: (1) all participants changed their perspectives on play after the play PD; (2) participants implemented strategies from the training and supported more play in practice; and (3) despite increased knowledge and skills, participants continued to experience challenges when implementing play strategies.