Systemic disparities in mental health and social-emotional learning (SEL) resources disproportionately affect children in low-income, racially marginalized communities, contributing to lower SEL outcomes. Although yoga and meditation strengthen coping and regulation, these practices rarely reach underserved children. This study examined whether a synchronous online yoga and meditation programme could serve as a scalable equity approach in a community-driven afterschool setting. Using a quasi-experimental mixed-methods design, we assessed 93 Black/African American children (Mage = 7.55, SD = 1.28; 55.9% girls) and 12 teachers in Jackson, Mississippi. Linear mixed-effects models tested intervention effects, and reflexive thematic analysis explored teacher perspectives. The intervention significantly reduced behavioural difficulties (d = 1.10) and improved SEL (d = 1.33) compared to a control group. Teachers highlighted the programme's cultural relevance and digital accessibility in overcoming barriers to participation. Findings suggest synchronous online yoga and meditation programmes offer a feasible and potentially sustainable model for expanding mental health and SEL support in under-resourced school districts.
Increasing exposure to digital media has raised concerns about its developmental correlates. This cross-sectional study examined screen time duration and problematic media use in relation to literacy-related motor skills in 196 first-grade children. Parents reported weekday and weekend screen time and completed the Problematic Media Use Scale, while teachers rated motor performance. Nearly half of the children exceeded two hours of screen time on weekdays, rising to 77% on weekends. Weekday screen time above two hours was associated with lower fine motor scores (B = -1.67, p = 0.011). Higher problematic media use scores were also associated with poorer fine motor performance (B = -0.061, p = 0.006), including after adjustment for hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. Associations with body awareness were inconsistent. These findings suggest that screen duration and problematic media use capture partly distinct aspects of media engagement, with problematic use showing a more consistent association with fine motor performance.
