Purpose: This exploratory study aims to investigate the potential of ChatGPT in mitigating loneliness among older adults. Design/methodology/approach: 20 participants aged 60 and above engaged in three conversational sessions with ChatGPT over two weeks. Data collection involved pre- and post-intervention assessments using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, analysis of conversation transcripts, and semi-structured interviews. Findings: Our findings indicate that ChatGPT shows promise in alleviating loneliness among older adults. Participants found the tool easy to use, engaging, and emotionally supportive. They established an emotional connection with ChatGPT, suggesting its potential to provide comfort and companionship to those experiencing loneliness. Conclusion: ChatGPT demonstrates potential as a tool to address loneliness in older adults, offering emotional support and engagement. However, it should be viewed as a complement rather than a replacement for human interaction. Future research should explore its long-term efficacy and its integration with other interventions.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between social isolation, ChatGPT usage, and social support perceptions among older adults. A sample of 65 participants aged 50 and above completed self-report questionnaires assessing social isolation, ChatGPT usage, and social support perceptions. The results indicated that social isolation is moderately prevalent among older adults, and ChatGPT usage is significantly related to social support perceptions, independent of age, gender, education, and employment status. The findings suggest that ChatGPT may be a useful tool for addressing social isolation among older adults. The study provides insight into the potential benefits of using ChatGPT as an alternative source of social support for older adults experiencing social isolation.

This study examines inclusive education practices for children with disabilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by examining teachers' attitudes towards inclusion. The study sample consisted of 310 mainstream and special education teachers from all over the UAE. Statistical analyses were used to examine the relationships between predictors. The findings showed that all adult target groups demonstrated positive attitudes towards educational inclusion; however, female teachers had a more positive attitude towards inclusion than male teachers. The results also show that special education teachers had a more positive attitude than mainstream education teachers. There was a relationship between the knowledge, skills and attitudes towards inclusion of regular teachers and special education teachers; all teachers with knowledge, skills and training in special education received high scores for positive attitudes towards inclusion.

No prevalence statistics for articulation and phonological problems in Arabic children with Down syndrome (DS) have been published. The goal of this study was to see how common consonant production errors and phonological processes are in Emirati Arabic-speaking children with DS, and how they relate to their intellectual level and hearing status. Thirty Emirati children with DS, aged 9–12 years, and a control group of the same age, participated. An informal linguistic assessment was used to diagnose all the participants. All the participants were found to have phonological and articulation problems. On total words in mistake and typical segmental errors, there were significant disparities between the normal hearing group and the mild conductive hearing loss group. On the total number of wrong words and normal and atypical segmental errors, there were similar significant disparities between mild and severe intellectual impairments. Furthermore, as the age of the participants increased, the percentage of errors reduced.

This study examines how sustainability is integrated into the secondary physics curriculum in the UAE, focusing on teachers' perceptions, curricular coverage, and student motivation. Using a mixed-methods approach, surveys were conducted with 200 physics teachers and 250 secondary students in Al Ain. The results showed that while teachers recognize the importance of sustainability, its coverage in the curriculum is limited. Teachers reported moderate confidence in teaching sustainability topics, emphasizing the need for professional development. Students demonstrated strong awareness of sustainability issues, high motivation to engage in related activities, and an understanding of physics' relevance to environmental challenges. The study highlights the need for curricular reforms in UAE secondary education, professional development for teachers, and the integration of interdisciplinary and active learning approaches to foster critical thinking and environmental responsibility. These steps will help prepare students to address both local and global sustainability challenges effectively.