Studying people in real-life situations, such as making music in a vocal group, requires flexible and integrative measurement technology. Therefore, a digital browser-based survey instrument was developed for this study. It was designed to seamlessly introduce questions on participants\' mobile devices through external control immediately after relevant events, aiming to achieve high accuracy in self-administered situational questions. In addition, chronological synchronization with supplementary measurements (here eye-tracking and audio recording) was incorporated. Digital features of this web app offer convenient integration into everyday situations, synchronous interviewing of multiple people, and gathering time-based data. Due to the numerous possibilities of the browser-based development interface, various other application areas can be opened up. The contribution of this article is:-App - explanation and offer for use-Feasibility report on the implementation of the app in an eye-tracking study with vocal groups.

BACKGROUND: Although some existing models propose that attention may be crucially implicated in placebo/nocebo effects, empirical research on this aspect remains limited and scattered.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to provide an inclusive overview of studies that have either directly manipulated or assessed attention within the context of placebo and nocebo procedures so to gain a synthetized picture of the role of this variable in placebo/nocebo effects. Importantly, only studies in which attention represented a mechanism or mediator of the placebo/nocebo response, and not a primary outcome, were included.
METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Embase, to identify peer-reviewed studies. These studies were subjected to methodological evaluation and eligibility criteria for inclusion.
RESULTS: We identified and classified 12 studies into three categories based on their focus: (i) those that directly assessed attention, (ii) those that directly manipulated participants\' attention, and (iii) those that combined both a direct manipulation and assessment of attention. In all selected studies attention acted as a mechanism or mediator of the placebo/nocebo response, and was not considered a primary outcome of the placebo/nocebo manipulation.
CONCLUSIONS: The synthesis of the included studies reveals that the role of attention in placebo and nocebo effects is still a topic of debate, marked by variations in how attention is conceptualized and measured. Results suggest that attention has significant clinical implications, particularly in optimizing therapeutic efficacy by directing patients\' focus toward signs of healing and away from indicators of illness or distress. To advance our understanding, future research should explore these attentional mechanisms, in conjunction with neurophysiological correlates.
To date, empirical research on the role of attention in placebo/nocebo effects remains scarce and inconclusive. The aim of this systematic review is to offer an overview of studies that have either directly manipulated or assessed attention as a mechanism or mediator of placebo/nocebo responses. Peer-review studies were subjected to methodological evaluation and eligibility criteria, and 12 studies were selected and classified into 3 categories based on their focus: (i) those that directly assessed attention, (ii) those that directly manipulated participants’ attention, and (iii) those that combined both a direct manipulation and assessment of attention. The synthesis of the included studies points to the nuanced methodological approaches to the study of the role of attention in placebo and nocebo effects, marked by variations in how this variable is conceptualized and measured. Overall, results support the idea that placebo/nocebo effects are not always a direct byproduct of expectations, with attention acting as an important factor to consider when exploring this relationship. Particularly, attention plays an important role in optimizing therapeutic efficacy by directing patients’ focus toward signs of healing and away from indicators of illness or distress.

OBJECTIVE: Accurate assessment of cognitive development of young children is a vital component of developmental evaluations. Direct assessment of developmental skills is not always feasible, but there is limited information on the agreement between direct assessment and caregiver-reported cognitive skills. There is limited information regarding the accuracy of the parent-reported Developmental Profile 4 (DP-4) in comparison to the widely-used developmental measure, the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition (Bayley-4). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether a standardized parent interview can effectively identify children at risk for cognitive developmental delays.
METHODS: We compared the agreement between the Bayley-4 Cognitive and the Developmental Profile 4 (DP-4) in young children being evaluated in-person for early developmental delays. 182 children (134 with an autism diagnosis), ages 6-42 months, completed both assessments.
RESULTS: Results showed that Bayley-4 Cognitive scores had a moderately strong correlation with DP4-Cognitive scores (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). A cutoff of 70 or 69 on the DP-4 Cognitive was determined as ideal for identifying developmental delay based on diagnosis of global developmental delay or the Bayley-4 Cognitive.
CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses revealed good agreement between DP-4 and Bayley-4 Cognitive scores, even after controlling for confounding variables such as degree of ASD characteristics, age, and sex. These results suggest that caregiver-report measures can be a valid and useful tool in the assessment of young children, particularly when direct developmental assessment is not feasible.

Lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are neurodevelopmental toxicants that pose risks to cognitive and behavioral health. Given early childhood\'s vulnerability to these metals, understanding their sources and pathways of exposure during infancy is crucial for public health. During the weaning process, infants may be exposed to metals through the baby food they consume. We aimed to assess metal exposure through homemade weaning foods by analyzing 288 samples consumed by 157 Korean infants aged 6-, 9-, 12-, 15-, and 24-27 months. Pb was detected in 65 % of samples, with levels reaching up to 169 ng/g. Notably, 58 % exceeded the Maximum Level (ML) of 10 ng/g, with a median concentration of 14.7 ng/g fresh weight. Total Hg was found in 88 % of samples, with a median concentration of 4.56 ng/g fresh weight. Estimated median daily intakes of Pb and Hg were 0.29 and 0.09 μg/kg/d, respectively. Considering a benchmark dose for Pb (0.5 μg/kg/d by EFSA), 94 % (the margin of exposure <10) of all age groups was estimated to have a potential health concern associated with homemade baby food consumption. For Hg, only 6 % exceeded a hazard quotients of 1 compared to a provisional tolerable weekly intake for Hg (4 μg/kg/week by WHO). This study marks the first direct assessment of daily Pb and Hg intake through homemade baby food among Korean infants. Our findings underscore the urgent need for heightened awareness regarding metal exposure through homemade baby food.

Practical lab skills are rarely directly assessed. To improve constructive alignment between the described learning outcomes of practical skills and assessment, we developed and tested a certification procedure for microscopy skills. The procedure was embedded into the ordinary learning activity, so no additional time was needed. Three slightly different protocols were developed within the framework of sociocultural learning theory and built like a skill ladder, including direct peer assessment and elements of gamified learning. The protocols varied slightly in the way students were prepared for the certification, the number of steps/levels of achievement, and the consequences of failing. We tested the protocols at three different academic institutions and within 11 courses of varying sizes and academic levels in biology or geology. Feedbacks were collected through online surveys (n = 207) or orally after sessions. One protocol provided instruction videos as preparation material. Instruction videos provided increased understanding of the task, but tactile training was most important for learning. Regardless of institution, type of preparation, and level of former experience, the certification procedure made students clearly more engaged in the exercise. The majority reported that the certification procedure increased their motivation to learn, increased their perceived learning outcome, and was appropriate for assessing practical skills. Students with no or little experience in microscopy before the exercise were more positive about the certification procedure compared to skilled students, and the level of engagement and preparation was higher when there were some consequences of failing. Most students felt comfortable being certified by peers, but some students expressed concern about peers making mistakes. The presented certification procedure can easily be adapted to assess other practical skills and, with some adjustments, be an efficient method for assessment-as-learning, merging formative- and summative assessment.

The current study examined differences between parent report and diagnostician direct assessment of receptive language, expressive language, and fine motor abilities in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other delays. Additionally, this study examined whether parent-diagnostician consistency varied by child diagnosis and sex assigned at birth (SAB). Initial mixed analysis of variances (ANOVAs) were conducted using data from a sample of 646 toddlers to examine whether parent-diagnostician consistency differed by child diagnosis. Matched samples (using child age, SAB, and nonverbal IQ) were then created within each diagnostic group and mixed ANOVAs were conducted to examine if consistency was similar in matched diagnostic subsamples and whether it differed by SAB. Findings from the full sample mostly replicated previous research that has documented consistency between parent report and direct observation regardless of child diagnosis. However, when examined in matched diagnostic subgroups, more nuanced patterns were observed. Parent report of receptive language was lower in ASD and ASD features subgroups and parent report of fine motor skills was lower than direct observation in the ASD, ASD features, and developmental delay groups. When examining the moderating effect of SAB, only expressive language was impacted for children in the ASD group. Results indicate the importance of considering child demographic characteristics and that child SAB may impact parent report and/or diagnostician perception of expressive language.

This study examined the early pragmatic language skills in typically developing (TD) preschool-age children, children with language impairment (LI) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Two hundred and sixty-two TD children, 73 children with LI, and 16 children with ASD were compared on early pragmatics through direct assessment (DA). Post hoc analysis revealed that children in two clinical groups displayed significant pragmatic language deficits. Children in the ASD group who were older exhibited comparable degree of impairments as their LI peers, suggesting a relatively stagnant development of pragmatic language skills in children with ASD. Findings also supported the use of DA in identifying pragmatic language deficits, which have implications for the adoption of this assessment approach in clinical settings.

The last 15 years have seen an explosion of measurement tools for assessing the development of young children in low- and middle- income countries. This paper builds on and contributes to that literature by identifying a core set of caregiver-report items and a core set of direct assessment items that measure key developmental domains for children aged 4-6 (48-83 months) and that demonstrate adequate psychometric properties across diverse contexts, the first in this age group to the authors\' knowledge. Data were harmonized from previous early childhood measurement efforts in 12 countries that all used the same base measurement tool. Data analyses yielded 20 caregiver report items and 84 child direct assessment items (grouped into 16 tasks) that show strong item-level statistics across countries and that cover the domains of early literacy, early numeracy, executive functioning, and social-emotional competencies. Next steps include adding data and items from other measurement tools to the same analytical framework and field testing across a number of contexts and early childhood measurement efforts. The vision is for the resulting core sets of items, along with guidance on data collection, management, and analysis, to serve as global public goods so that they can (i) present a starting point for linking across different early childhood measurement tools for children aged 4-6; (ii) increase quality across measurement efforts; and (iii) facilitate the scale up of early childhood measurement. When supplemented with items that capture local contexts and their measurement needs, these core sets of items should help to advance understanding of universal and context-specific factors that underlie child development and thus help policymakers make decisions that ensure children receive the quality early childhood care and education they need in order to reach their full potential.

Self-esteem stability describes fluctuations in the level of self-esteem experienced by individuals over a brief period of time. In recent decades, self-esteem stability has repeatedly been shown to be an important variable affecting psychological functioning. However, measures of self-esteem stability are few and lacking in validity. In this paper, we present the Self-Esteem Stability Scale (SESS), a unidimensional and very brief scale to directly assess self-esteem stability. In four studies (total N = 826), we describe the development of the SESS and present evidence for its validity with respect to individual outcomes (life satisfaction, neuroticism, and vulnerable narcissism) and dyadic outcomes (relationship satisfaction in self- and partner ratings) through direct comparisons with existing measures. The new SESS proved to be a stronger predictor than the existing scales and had incremental validity over and above self-esteem level. The results also showed that all cross-sectional measures of self-esteem stability were only moderately associated with variability in self-esteem levels assessed longitudinally with multiple administrations of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. We discuss this validity issue, arguing that direct and indirect assessment approaches measure relevant, yet different aspects of self-esteem stability.

BACKGROUND: There are unique challenges associated with measuring development in early childhood. Two primary sources of information are used: parent report and direct assessment. Each approach has strengths and weaknesses, particularly when used to identify and diagnose developmental delays. The present study aimed to evaluate consistency between parent report and direct assessment of child skills in toddlers with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across receptive language, expressive language, and fine motor domains.
METHODS: 109 children were evaluated at an average age of two years; data on child skills were collected via parent report and direct assessment. Children were classified into three groups (i.e., ASD, Other Developmental Disorder, or Typical Development) based on DSM-IV-TR diagnosis. Mixed design ANOVAs, with data source as a within subjects factor and diagnostic group as a between subjects factor, were used to assess agreement. Chi square tests of agreement were then used to examine correspondence at the item level.
RESULTS: Results suggested that parent report of language and fine motor skills did not significantly differ from direct assessment, and this finding held across diagnostic groups. Item level analyses revealed that, in most cases of significant disagreement, parents reported a skill as present, but it was not seen on direct testing.
CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that parents are generally reliable reporters of child language and fine motor abilities in toddlerhood, even when their children have developmental disorders such as ASD. However, the fullest picture may be obtained by using both parent report and direct assessment.