Tobacco initiation often occurs early in life, yet evidence on school-based prevention for children remains fragmented. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined randomized controlled trials of school-based smoking prevention interventions initiated among children aged 6–12 years, evaluating smoking initiation and knowledge. PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched without date restrictions. The review followed PRISMA2020 and was registered (PROSPERO: CRD420251090900). Risk of bias was assessed using RoB2, and results were pooled with heterogeneity quantified using I². Thirty-two studies were included, predominantly involving children aged 10–12 years from different countries. Most studies reporting sex distribution included approximately 45–55
Organized activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular activities, have been touted as settings that promote youth’s academic outcomes. However, no meta-analysis has included both activity types to assess this claim. The purpose of this study was to test associations between activity participation and four academic outcomes. We analyzed the findings of 117 studies released between 2007 and 2024 (k = 327 effect sizes; N = 332,930; 49
Theory and research suggest close links between executive functioning and children’s problem behaviors. However, evidence regarding the direction of these developmental pathways remains mixed, and whether the longitudinal associations differ between boys and girls is unclear. To address these gaps, the present study used cross-lagged panel models to examine longitudinal associations between three subcomponents of executive functioning (inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) and internalizing and externalizing problems separately among boys and girls. Participants were 621 children (MageT1 = 9.84 years, 51.4
Hopelessness theory has traditionally conceptualized hopelessness as a cognitive vulnerability for depressive symptoms, yet the relationship may be more dynamic, with depressive symptoms also contributing to subsequent hopelessness and interpersonal processes potentially shaping this association. The present study examined the bidirectional within-person associations among depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and loneliness, as well as the potential mediating role of loneliness. Participants were 1,154 Chinese college students (Mage = 18.53 years, SDage = 0.74; 58.67
