Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal (SAECJ) [eISSN 2821-3149]</strong>, previously known as the International Journal of Early Childhood Education and Care (IJECEC) [2012-2018]. SAECJ is published <strong>twice (2) a year</strong> in <strong>April and October beginning 2024</strong>, scholarly peer-reviewed publication, with an Editorial Board comprised of eminent scholars and is managed by the National Child Development Research Centre (NCDRC) of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia) with the support of Penerbit UPSI (UPSI Press). SAECJ is a global voice for both research and practice concerning early childhood. This refereed journal extends across various social or cultural contexts and contributes to the international debate on holistic development for young children. This global voice for children explores a range of topics such as education and care, multicultural issues, indigenous early education, children’s learning, sustainable development, advocacy, and other issues involving early childhood for the world’s children. SAECJ accepts original Research Papers, Scientific Review Papers, and Short Communications (Letters) from scholars in Southeast Asia and other countries written in <strong>ENGLISH</strong> or <strong>MALAY</strong>. Every article will be peer-reviewed by double blind reviewers as well as independent Editor by SAECJ Editorial Members. SAECJ has no submission, processing and publication fees.<br /><img src="https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/public/site/images/admin/My_Cite127.png" /> <img src="https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/public/site/images/admin/eric_1.png" /></p> Pejabat Karang Mengarang UPSI en-US Southeast Asia Early Childhood Journal 2821-3149 The Great Danger in Digital Games: Sexual Abuse and Sympathetic Violence https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ/article/view/7906 <p>This research sets out to examine digital games containing sexuality and sympathetic violence. The study group of the research consists of 5 digital games; 3 digital games with sexuality and 2 digital games with sympathetic violence. A checklist developed by the researcher is used as a data collection tool in the study. The research has been carried out with the document review method, which is one of the qualitative research methods, and the digital games that constitute the study group of the research have been analyzed with the content analysis technique. As a result of the research, it has been determined that the digital games involving sexuality include explicit body lines, touching (sexually), flirting, kissing (sexually), hugging (sexually), wrong attitude (Begrudge, get angry, cry, sorrow, ridicule), body care (like adult) not suitable for their age and wearing clothes that are not suitable for their age. Punching, shooting, killing-dying, grappling-fighting, destroying-breaking-smashing-damaging, chasing-scaring, crashing, locking – imprisoning, hurt-pain have been determined in digital games containing sympathetic violence. Various recommendations have been presented in line with the results of the research. Being aware of the great danger in digital games and taking the necessary precautions will positively support children's development and guide families and educators.</p> Derya ATABEY Copyright (c) 2024 Derya ATABEY http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2024-04-03 2024-04-03 13 1 1 17 10.37134/saecj.vol13.1.1.2024 The Relationship between Preschool Children’s Anxiety and Life Skills: The Mediating Role of Self-Regulation https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ/article/view/8317 <p>The present study examined the mediating role of self-regulation in the relationship between preschool children's anxiety and life skills. Children's anxiety, self-regulation, and life skills were assessed using the "Children's Anxiety Scale-Mothers' Form," "The Self-Regulation Skills Scale for Children aged 4 to 6 (Mothers' Form)," "The Early Childhood Life Skills Scale," and the data obtained from 303 participants who participated in the survey were tested through PLS to SEM. Although preschool children's anxiety is not directly related to life skills, self-regulation fully mediates the relationship between anxiety and life skills. The results provided preliminary evidence for the mechanism by which children's anxiety affects self-regulation and life skills. These findings suggest that the relationship between anxiety and life skills varies according to children's self-regulatory abilities. The findings have practical implications for supporting the development of self-regulation in preschool children.</p> Aylin Sop Copyright (c) 2024 Aylin Sop http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2024-04-03 2024-04-03 13 1 18 32 10.37134/saecj.vol13.1.2.2024 The Dynamic of Demographic Characters on the Reading Seed Program of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ/article/view/8634 <p>Potentially serving as the primary national literacy initiative, the Reading Seed Programme (RSP) by PUSTAKA Negeri Sarawak aims to enculturate a reading culture from an early age. For instance, RSP was invented to promote reading culture by having the pregnant mother read to their infant until the child was three years old. The process is vital to helping children learn to read from a young age and eventually empower them to be independent readers for life. Particularly, the objectives of RSP are to promote reading habits by getting parents to read to their children, strengthen a child’s vocabulary, and develop their confidence, especially in reading. Thus, this paper is primarily designed to investigate the demographic differences between RSP participation and the programme’s objectives, i.e., reading habits, parent’s engagement, vocabulary ability, and confidence development. To assess how well the RSP achieved its goal of assisting toddlers in developing their confidence as readers. An online survey yielded 385 completed responses, representing a 92.33% response rate among RSP participants. The key findings indicated that the age of the child, mode of joining the programme, and year received the RSP’s kits are the most important indicators of the usefulness of the programme (RSP and RSP’s kits) and the programme’s objectives attainment, especially in straightening the child's vocabulary and comprehension and developing their confidence, especially in reading and knowledge. Nonetheless, the results of this study highlighted the novelty of the early literacy programme of the RSP in cultivating the reading culture, parent-child engagement in reading, and preparing children to acquire knowledge.</p> Awang Rozaimie Copyright (c) 2024 Awang Rozaimie http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2024-04-03 2024-04-03 13 1 34 69 10.37134/saecj.vol13.1.3.2024 Promoting Early Childhood Children's Collaborative Behaviours through Organising Experiences Based on the Engineering Design Process https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/index.php/SAECJ/article/view/7990 <p>The purpose of this research was to study and compare children's collaborative behaviours through organising experiences based on the engineering design process. This research was conducted in the context of Thai early childhood classroom. The study group used in this research was 30 students from Kindergarten 3/1 Anubansamsen School (The Government Lottery Office Support) studying in the second semester of the academic year 2022 using a cluster random sampling method. The instruments used in the research were: 1) an experience plan based on the engineering design process for early childhood children; and 2) an observational form of early childhood children's collaborative behaviours. Statistics used for data analysis were mean, standard deviation, and t-test dependent. The results of the research revealed that, before organising experiences based on the engineering design process, early childhood children showed collaborative behaviours at a moderate level (<em>M</em> = 19.06). After the experience, the collaborative behaviours of early childhood children overall were at a very good level (<em>M</em> = 42.46). When comparing the collaborative behaviour scores of early childhood children, it was found that after the engineering design experience, the scores were significantly higher than before, at a statistical level of.01.</p> Oramon Tuekkhow Sasitorn Hirun Kittima Boonyos Wanitcha Sittipon Copyright (c) 2024 Oramon Tuekkhow, Sasitorn Hirun, Kittima Boonyos, Wanitcha Sittipon http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 2024-04-03 2024-04-03 13 1 70 80 10.37134/saecj.vol13.1.4.2024