Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40310064›Full record

ArticleChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Where Do Our Children Go? Understanding the Impact of Institutionalization on Emotion Regulation, Attention, and Sleep.

Sandra Figueiredo, Patrícia Silvestre

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Sandra FigueiredoPsychology Research Centre (CIP and University Research Centre in Psychology (CUIP)), Department of Psychology, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa Luís de Camões, Palácio Dos Condes Do Redondo, R. de Santa Marta 56, 1169-023 Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-5152-4467
Patrícia SilvestrePsychology Research Centre (CIP and University Research Centre in Psychology (CUIP)), Department of Psychology, Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa Luís de Camões, Palácio Dos Condes Do Redondo, R. de Santa Marta 56, 1169-023 Lisbon, Portugal.

Funding

Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia UIDB/04345/2020
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesEmotional regulation and attention are markedly underdeveloped in institutionalized children (IC) relative to non-institutionalized children (NIC). Caregivers in temporary institutional settings tend to exhibit contingency-responsive behaviors with limited affective engagement, which may restrict optimal socio-emotional development. Despite the critical role that sleep routines play in child development, their association with emotional regulation and attention in the context of institutionalization remains insufficiently explored. The present study aimed to assess the impact of institutionalization on emotional regulation, attention, and sleep hygiene in childhood, as well as to investigate whether sleep mediates the relationship between emotional regulation and attention.

methodsA total of 110 children aged 7 to 11 years (N = 55 IC; N = 55 NIC) were assessed using the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC), the Cancellation Test (Toulouse-Piéron), and the Children's Chronotype Questionnaire.

resultsRegression analyses and parametric tests revealed significant differences between IC and NIC groups. IC exhibited lower emotional regulation (β = 8.018,

conclusionsThese findings suggest that prolonged institutionalization impairs socio-emotional development, with downstream effects on cognitive functioning, particularly attention. While differences in sleep routines between IC and NIC were observed, sleep did not appear to directly mediate the relationship between emotional regulation and attention, nor did it present a primary risk factor compared with the broader developmental challenges associated with institutional care.

Indexed as

attentionchildhood careemotional regulationinstitutionalizationsleep routines

Identifiers

PMID40310064
PMCPMC12025378

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