Self-Esteem and Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review of Psychological, Social and Educational Interventions

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus is a major health challenge among older adults in Asia. Challenges include limited healthcare access and poor self-care adherence. Continuity of care has emerged as a key strategy to enhance diabetes self-management in this population.PurposeThis review aimed to identify the continuity of care strategies in improving diabetes self-management among older adults in Asian countries.MethodsThis systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and registered on PROSPERO (CRD420251017515). A comprehensive search was performed in five major databases, including CINAHL, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Taylor & Francis. Inclusion criteria covered full-text, english-language experimental studies in Asian countries. Studies were excluded due to lack of full-text access, non-English language, and secondary research. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive qualitative and thematic analysis.ResultsA total of 12 included studies were analyzed in this review. Three categories of continuity of care strategies were identified such as social support and educational interventions, community-based interventions and integrated health management, and technology-based interventions and health monitoring. Most of the studies analyzed in this review indicate that continuity of care improves medication adherence, self-efficacy, physical activity, glycemic control, patient satisfaction, and quality of life among older adults with diabetes. For instance, several interventions reported reductions in HbA1c ranging from 0.28% to 0.7%, indicating meaningful clinical improvements in glycemic control among older adults.ConclusionContinuity of care is an effective strategy for enhancing diabetes self-management among older adults, with a combination of educational, technological, and community-based interventions yielding optimal outcomes. Integrating technology into diabetes monitoring can improve medication adherence, while social support programs and community health services play a vital role in enhancing patients’ overall well-being. This study highlights the need for tailoring continuity of care strategies to the social and cultural contexts of Asian countries to maximize long-term effectiveness.

Structured antenatal education programs for childbirth or parenthood, or both, are commonly recommended for pregnant women and their partners by healthcare professionals in many parts of the world. Such programs are usually offered to groups but may be offered to individuals. To assess the effects of this education on knowledge acquisition, anxiety, sense of control, pain, labour and birth support, breastfeeding, infant-care abilities, and psychological and social adjustment. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (April 2006), CINAHL (1982 to April 2006), ERIC (1984 to April 2006), EMBASE (1980 to April 2006) and PsycINFO (1988 to April 2006). We handsearched the Journal of Psychosomatic Research from 1956 to April 2006 and reviewed the reference lists of retrieved studies. Randomized controlled trials of any structured educational program provided during pregnancy by an educator to either parent that included information related to pregnancy, birth or parenthood. The educational interventions could have been provided on an individual or group basis. Educational interventions directed exclusively to either increasing breastfeeding success, knowledge of and coping skills concerning postpartum depression, improving maternal psycho-social health including anxiety, depression and self-esteem or reducing smoking were excluded. Both authors assessed trial quality and extracted data from published reports. Nine trials, involving 2284 women, were included. Thirty-seven studies were excluded. Educational interventions were the focus of eight of the studies (combined n = 1009). Details of the randomization procedure, allocation concealment, and/or participant accrual or loss for these trials were not reported. No consistent results were found. Sample sizes were very small to moderate, ranging from 10 to 318. No data were reported concerning anxiety, breastfeeding success, or general social support. Knowledge acquisition, sense of control, factors related to infant-care competencies, and some labour and birth outcomes were measured. The largest of the included studies (n = 1275) examined an educational and social support intervention to increase vaginal birth after caesarean section. This high-quality study showed similar rates of vaginal birth after caesarean section in 'verbal' and 'document' groups (relative risk 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 1.21). The effects of general antenatal education for childbirth or parenthood, or both, remain largely unknown. Individualized prenatal education directed toward avoidance of a repeat caesarean birth does not increase the rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section.

Objectives Autistic individuals face a substantially elevated risk of suicidality, including suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts compared to the general population. This heightened vulnerability is often linked to co-occurring psychiatric conditions, social exclusion, and unmet support needs. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize evidence on risk and protective factors for suicidality in autistic individuals, focusing exclusively on studies that reported Odds Ratios or Relative Risks. Methods The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number: The PROSPERO registration number will be provided at a later stage.) and conducted under PRISMA guidelines (Page et al. 2021). A comprehensive search was carried out on SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using qualitative synthesis. Results Across studies, up to 90.6% of autistic individuals who died by suicide had at least one psychiatric comorbidity. Suicide attempt risk was consistently higher in autistic women than in autistic men. Key protective factors included fewer support needs, stronger academic performance, family and social support, access to adequate mental health care, and developing coping and resilience skills. Risk factors identified included psychiatric comorbidities (e.g. depression, anxiety, personality disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), later diagnosis of autism, social communication difficulties, and experiences of marginalization. Conclusions Identifying and addressing both risk and protective factors associated with suicidality in autistic individuals is essential for designing tailored suicide prevention strategies. These findings highlight the importance of nuanced assessment and intervention approaches considering comorbidity profiles and support needs. PROSPERO registration number CRD42024541633.

Parents' involvement is one factor that contributes to implementing career transition for students with learning disabilities (SLD) in the Special Education Integration Program (SEIP). The involvement in educating children at school could also nurture their psychological growth, sharing learning experiences, supporting and respecting the teachers' effort. This research explored parents' involvement and the obstacles they face in implementing career transition for students with learning disabilities (SLD) in Special Education Integration Program (SEIP) from a teacher's perspective in Malaysia. This research uses a qualitative and case study design. Data collection is through interviews with vocational subject teachers at SEIP. Four teachers at three secondary schools in Johore and Malacca were chosen based on a purposeful sampling technique. The data were analyzed using the ATLAS.ti 8 software. Findings show that parents' involvement at suburban schools is better than in urban schools. Parent's involvement in career transition for SLD in SEIP is from the execution of the Individual Education Program (IEP), supports and encouragement, the contribution of ideas and needs, commercializing works from SLD, and seeking job opportunities after finishing their work school. Besides that, the parents face a few obstacles in implementing career transition for SLD, such as not being interested in the activities held by the school, being busy with work and transferring all the responsibilities of educating SLD to the teachers at SEIP. Hopefully, this research could open up our minds to the importance of parents' involvement in accomplishing the career transition for SLD at SEIP. Parents' involvement in the career transition is vital to prepare the SLD with various skills before entering the workplace.

ABSTRACTThe authors compared the relations between general psychological difficulties and dimensions of temperament in children with and without learning disability (LD). The main aim was to analyze whether and to what extent children's temperament dimensions contribute to their general psychological difficulties when LD diagnosis, age, and gender are taken into account. Participants were 52 elementary school children 7–11 years old (M age = 8.61 years, SD = 1.21 years). Twenty-six of them had been diagnosed with LD. Six teachers rated their pupils with and without LD in relation to their general psychological difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and temperament dimensions (Italian Questionnaires of Temperament). In children with LD, the main dimensions of temperament with the power to predict general psychological difficulties (i.e., emotionality and social orientation) concern these students' relationships with others (teachers and peers). The findings of the current study draw educators' and practitioners' attention to the fact that children's temperamental characteristics may affect how they experience their LD, with significant implications for their later social adjustment.

This study investigated the relationship between parental involvement and the perceived quality of life of students with learning disabilities. Using quantitative methods, data were collected on parental involvement actions, the roles of special education teachers and principals, perceived challenges, and various aspects of students’ quality of life, including emotional well-being, self-esteem, peer relationships, and school experience. Results revealed a high level of parental involvement and a low level of quality of life among students. A significant positive correlation was found between parental involvement and quality of life, with parental involvement explaining approximately 19% of the variance in students’ quality of life. These findings suggest that strong parental engagement contributes to improvements in students’ emotional and educational experiences, but additional support was needed to enhance other areas of well-being. The study highlights the importance of fostering collaborative family-school partnerships to promote the overall development and quality of life of learners with disabilities.

ABSTRACTGiven the arduous course of heart transplantation and follow-up care, recipients and their families face complex challenges and stressors warranting supportive interventions. This study explored the impact of a family camp as an intervention of education and social support for pediatric transplant recipients and their families. A total of 49 individuals participated in this evaluation, including eight children and nine youth with heart transplants, five siblings, 19 parents, and 13 health care providers. Participants ranked and described the 3-day family camp experience. Analysis of pre/post intervention measures on knowledge, social support, and coping revealed statistically significant improvements in knowledge, social support, self-esteem, and psychological stability. Satisfaction surveys revealed the camp to be an important resource for education, family fun, and peer support among transplant recipients, their families, and the health care team. Implications and recommendations are offered for clinical and community practice.

Feasibility, appropriateness, meaningfulness and effectiveness of nursing interventions on the well-being of people with Parkinsonʼs disease and their caregivers living in the community: a mixed-methods systematic review protocol

For most of this century, the potential influence of the family on intellectual development has been largely overlooked. This state of affairs is understandable because, when the nation entered the era of universal public education, the major responsibility for educating all children in society was transferred from the home and assigned to a social institution, the school. In the early 1960s and 1970s, the primacy of the school's role in promoting language and cognitive growth began to be challenged. During this period, sociologists (e.g., Majoribanks, 1972) identified a number of childrearing practices that they believed would stimulate cognitive growth in children. Their studies revealed a high correlation between home variables, such as reading to children, and achievement in school. Combined with the classic investigations by Hess and Shipman (1965), which also suggested that parental childrearing behavior could have an impact on cognition, this research led social scientists to reevaluate the role that families play in promoting cognitive growth. According to an ecological model of human development, academic competence among children and adolescents is influenced not only by factors such as teaching practices and social processes in their immediate classroom environments, but also by aspects of their family environments. In the ecological model the family is conceptualized as a context that directly influences child and adolescent behavior by contributing to the development of competencies that increase the likelihood of academic success. The family also plays a mediational role in linking factors such as social class to adolescent academic competence (Bronfenbrenner, 1989; Garbarino, 1982). Factors, such as family financial resources and parental educational attainment, that contribute social class status also affect family relationships and parental involvement in school activities; these family processes in turn are linked to youths' academic competence (Bronfenbrenner, 1989; Garbarino, 1982). To date, the research examining this mediational sequence has linked economic hardship to troubled family relation ships, and troubled family relationships to child and adolescent adjustment problems (Conger et al., 1992, 1993; McLoyd, 1989, 1990). We extend this work by focusing on the links among family financial resources, parents' educational attainment, family processes, and academic competence among African American youths in rural, two-parent families. Little is known about the ways in which the over one million rural African American families facilitate their children's academic competence-measured, for example, y reading and mathematics grades, or by performance on the vocabulary and mathematics subscales of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). McAdoo (1982) has argued that many African Americans view education as the only means to upward mobility, given the restriction of opportunities that exists for them. Research indicating that African American parents living in rural areas named educational attainment as an important developmental goal for their children (Stoneman et al., 1991) supports this position. Ethnic minority researchers have argued that a knowledge base placing development in a broad ecological context is essential for the development of culturally sensitive prevention and intervention efforts targeting children and adolescents (Harrison, Wilson, Pine, Chan, & Buriel, 1990; McLoyd, 1990). In recognition of the emphasis that African American parents place on educational attainment and of the importance of obtaining information that is sensitive to the ecological-cultural context, we focus on the ways in which sociocontextual factors affect academic competence among rural African American youths. In our study we obtained data from mothers, fathers, teachers, and the youths themselves, using multi-method measures and procedures that were designed with the assistance of African American community members. …

(2003) JAMA 289, 3145. Gilbody S, Whitty P, Grimshaw J, et al. . Educational and organizational interventions to improve the management of depression in primary care: a systematic review. ....

ObjectiveBreast cancer survivors (BCS) often experience declines in physical and psychosocial well-being post-treatment, making supportive interventions essential. Dragon boating(team-based paddling in a long boat) has emerged as a promising, popular exercise for BCS. However, no comprehensive reviews exist on its impacts or participation factors. This scoping review addressed these gaps by examining two research questions (RQ): RQ1) the impacts of dragon boating on BCS’ well-being, and RQ2) facilitators and barriers influencing their participation.MethodsSeven databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Scopus, CNKI) were used to search for eligible studies from January 1996 to November 2025 involving BCS engaging in dragon boating. Screening from 245 records, 33 articles (18 quantitative, 14 qualitative, 1 mixed-methods) were identified.ResultsAmong studies addressing RQ1 (n = 27), 24 studies reported at least one benefit on well-being. Dragon boating improved BCS’ physical functioning (e.g., upper limb strength, range of motion), psychosocial well-being(e.g.,mental health, posttraumatic growth), and health behaviors(healthier lifestyle), without increasing lymphedema risk. Benefits on biochemical indicators (e.g., anti-inflammatory markers/antioxidant capacity) were less conclusive. For RQ2 (n = 10), common facilitators for joining dragon boating were social support, focus away from cancer, information sharing, and being physically active/competitive; common barriers included feeling not fit enough to participate, reminders of death/cancer recurrence, concerns about cancer identity disclosure, time commitment, and location constraints.ConclusionsMost studies demonstrated the benefits of dragon boating for BCS' physical and psychosocial well-being, but evidence did not support its superiority to other activities. To maximize impacts, addressing facilitators/barriers of participation will be important when designing and implementing dragon boating programs for BCS.

ABSTRACTPregnant women living with HIV represent one of the most high-priority groups for HIV treatment and health assessment. Although social support has been shown to be a protective factor for improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and depression and anxiety have been identified as two major causes of psychological distress among people living with HIV, it is still unclear how social support, anxiety, and depression interact to influence HRQoL. The objective of our study was to demonstrate the nature of predictors, direct effects and mediator effects among social support, anxiety, depression symptoms and HRQoL in pregnant women living with HIV. We investigated a total of 101 pregnant women living with HIV in Yunnan province in China from April 2016 to June 2016. All participants completed the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), the Chinese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS) and Quality of Life instruments (EuroQoL Five Dimensions Questionnaire, EQ-5D). The relationships between the variables were examined by Pearson's or Spearman's correlation analysis. Predictor effects were tested using separate multiple regressions, controlling for demographic variables and HIV diagnosis variables. Direct and mediation effects of social support on HRQoL were tested using a structural equation model (SEM). Anxiety and depression symptoms were negatively correlated with subjective social support, support utilization, social support and HRQoL. Social support significantly predicted better HRQoL, and anxiety and depression symptoms significantly predicted poorer HRQoL. Anxiety and depression symptoms partially mediated the associations between social support and HRQoL. Anxiety and depression symptoms completely mediated the associations of objective support and support utilization with HRQoL. Interventions to improve HRQoL in pregnant women living with HIV must consider the mediation effect of anxiety and depression symptoms on the association between social support and HRQoL. Social support interventions are valid only when anxiety and depression symptoms are managed effectively.

The mental health impacts of COVID-19 on frontline healthcare workers have been reported globally; however, there is limited evidence from low-income countries such as Ethiopia. We reviewed the literature to understand how COVID-19 impacted the mental health of frontline healthcare workers, including the associated risk and protective factors. A scoping review of peer-reviewed research was conducted between 2020-2025 to explore the mental health and well-being of frontline healthcare workers in Ethiopia during COVID-19. The process adhered to the guidelines for data extraction outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. Our search identified 35 studies, of which 29 studies were included in the final synthesis. Three online databases, PubMed, Web of Science and PsycInfo, were systematically searched for data. Studies were considered for inclusion in the review if they focused on mental health conditions and psychosocial well-being among healthcare workers during COVID-19 in Ethiopia. Studies were only included if published in English and excluded if they were conference abstracts, case studies, reviews, commentaries, contained incomplete data or lacked variables of interest. Data extraction was conducted manually by two reviewers by using a data extraction sheet created in Excel. Most frontline healthcare workers experienced symptoms of insomnia, psychological distress, stress, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression during COVID-19. Female frontline healthcare workers, nurses, midwives and laboratory technicians reported higher rates of adverse mental health outcomes. Our results found that being married, living together with a spouse and having a high educational level were risk factors for adverse mental health outcomes. The mental health and well-being of frontline healthcare workers is at risk during a global health crisis; however, there is a limited understanding of how to protect the mental health of frontline healthcare workers in low-income countries, such as Ethiopia, at such a critical time. Additional research is needed to better inform mental health preparedness interventions for frontline healthcare workers in these contexts, particularly given predictions of another pandemic occurring within the next decade.

A systematic review of social support interventions for youth in foster care

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