Background: Effective communication is a fundamental competency in veterinary medicine that shapes the quality of veterinarian–client relationships, shared decision-making, and animal welfare. However, consistent and systematic integration of communication training across veterinary curricula remains uneven worldwide. Methods: This scoping review mapped and analyzed educational programs aimed at developing communication competencies in veterinary education and professional practices. A systematic search was conducted according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, identifying 37 eligible studies published between 2005 and 2024. Results: Most publications were in English and originated from North America, particularly Canada (n = 15) and the United States (n = 8). Regarding target populations, 15 studies (40.5%) focused on veterinary students, 12 (32.4%) on practicing veterinarians, 8 (21.6%) on animal owners or clients, and 2 on veterinary educators. 18 studies (48.7%) described structured programs that used active learning strategies such as role-play, clinical simulations, peer-assisted learning, and formative feedback. The competencies frequently emphasized include empathy, active listening, nonverbal communication, conflict resolution, and rapport building. Notable best practices included the Calgary–Cambridge model, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and reflective video analysis. Conclusions: The available evidence indicates a growing emphasis on clinical communication within veterinary education, primarily implemented through experiential and practice-based approaches. However, substantial gaps persist in the representation of Latin American contexts and in the systematic, longitudinal integration of communication skills across veterinary curricula. Addressing these gaps may contribute to more coherent, equitable, and context-sensitive communication training in veterinary education.

Background: The development of motor competencies in childhood can enhance the trajectory of physical activity throughout life. However, few studies have examined the effects of physical activity programs on motor competencies in schoolchildren with special educational needs. Aim: Our aim was to analyze the effects of a video-guided active break program on motor competencies in schoolchildren aged 6 to 10 years with special educational needs. Methods: A prespecified subanalysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted with a sample of 161 schoolchildren (7.8 ± 1.1 years, 32% girls) with special educational needs from five public schools in Chile. Participants were assigned to a control group (CG, n = 85) with no active breaks or an experimental group (EG, n = 76) with active breaks. A 12-week video-guided active break program was implemented in the classroom twice daily, five days per week. The intervention was delivered via a web-based platform. Basic motor competencies were assessed using the MOBAK 1–2 and MOBAK 3–4 tests. Results: A significant time × group interaction was found for object control, F(1154) = 11.365, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.011; jumping, F(1154) = 11.047, p = 0.001, η²_p = 0.067; and running, F(1154) = 4.881, p = 0.029, η²_p = 0.031. These results indicate that the experimental group showed significantly greater improvements in object control, jumping, and running abilities compared to the control group. Conclusions: The active break program significantly improved motor skills in schoolchildren with special educational needs. The program proved to be both feasible and effective in enhancing students’ motor competencies. School-based guided active break programs may play a role in promoting motor competencies among schoolchildren with special educational needs. Clinical Trial ID NCT06423404

Aunque las investigaciones actuales indican que el modo activo de desplazamiento influye en la salud de los escolares, lo que se sabe sobre la relación entre la condición física autoinformada y su relación con la forma de desplazarse activamente hacia y desde la escuela (ACS, por sus siglas en inglés) se sabe menos. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron a) analizar la aptitud física autoinformada y la ACS, y b) determinar la asociación entre la aptitud física autoinformada con ACS a través de una encuesta realizada en el sur de Chile. Se realizó un diseño analítico transversal. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 733 escolares (de 10 a 16 años, 46,1% niñas) de colegios públicos chilenos. Se utilizó la International Fitness Scale (IFIS) para determinar la aptitud física autoinformada. Se evaluaron los modos de desplazamiento de los estudiantes a la escuela mediante preguntas separadas sobre ACS. Los principales resultados mostraron que los niños presentaron una mejor aptitud física autoinformada que las niñas, excepto en la autopercepción de flexibilidad (p= 0,041). Además, se observó asociación entre el tipo de ACS y la flexibilidad autoinformada (OR:1,53, p=0,022; OR:1,47, p= 0,036), asociación que se mantuvo al ajustar por sexo y la edad (OR:1,55, p=0,020; OR:1,50, p= 0,030), la velocidad y la agilidad autoinformada se asociaron sólo con el desplazamiento activo desde la escuela (OR:1,60, p=0,005), también después del modelo ajustado (OR:1,81, p=0,024). En conclusión, este estudio proporciona evidencia sobre la relación entre la aptitud física autoinformada y las formas de ACS. Para promover la salud en los escolares se deben buscar estrategias que favorezcan los ACS.

Emotional competencies are a set of strategies to identify, comprehend, express and regulate emotions. They are particularly relevant in the educational context. In spite of their important, low emotional competencies have been reported in secondary students. This scoping review aims to synthesize the impact of emotional education programs on secondary students. The PRISMA Scoping method was used by using the Web Of Science, Scopus and Scielo databases. 23 studies were identified, out of which five articles were selected as they met the determined inclusion criteria. The main findings reveal significant improvement of emotional and social skills following school interventions. Specifically, progress was observed in areas such as emotional awareness, emotional regulation, interpersonal skills and emotional knowledge. The results highlight the efficacy of social-emotional learning programs in fostering social-emotional skills and psychosocial health of secondary education students. However, limitations, such as heterogeneity, were identified in the study of such research in Ibero-American countries.

Background and Objective: The availability of money to purchase food within the school setting has been identified as a factor associated with children’s nutritional status. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between spending on snacks and the nutritional status of Chilean schoolchildren living in a region in the far south. Methods: This was a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study. A total of 596 schoolchildren and adolescents (12.1 ± 1.3 years) from three public schools in the Magallanes Region, Chile, participated. Nutritional status was assessed using body mass index (BMI) for age, and a validated questionnaire was applied to assess frequency and type of food purchases within the school environment. To determine associations, ANOVA and Chi-square tests were used, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Among boys, 25.8% were overweight, 36.4% with obesity, and 8.6% severely with obesity; among girls, 34.9% were overweight, 30.5% with obesity, and 5.5% severely with obesity. The average snack expenditure was 642.7 ± 658 CLP (Approximately USD 0.67). Weekly purchase frequency was once in 29.5% and twice in 26.9% of cases (p < 0.001), with no differences across BMI categories (ANOVA p = 0.469). Food preferences were unhealthy snacks in 46.5% and healthy snacks in 24.0% of cases, with no association with nutritional status (χ² = 6.073; df = 10; p = 0.728). Conclusion: Although no direct association was found between snack spending and nutritional status, high consumption of unhealthy foods reflects a persistent risk. The results highlight the importance of strengthening public and educational policies regarding school meals. A comprehensive approach is needed that combines regulation, nutrition education, and family involvement. This study provides novel evidence for the design of interventions in southern and isolated regions.

Introduction: Reading comprehension is a fundamental process in school learning; however, it is particularly challenging for students with special educational needs (SEN). In this context, video-guided active breaks emerge as an innovative pedagogical strategy that integrates movement and learning. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a video-guided active break (AB) program, implemented through the online platform "Active Classes," on the cognitive skills involved in reading comprehension in school-aged children with special educational needs (SEN). Methodology: A sub-analysis of a multi-center randomized controlled trial (2022–2024) was conducted in public schools in the Biobío region (Chile). 161 students aged 6 to 10 years, enrolled in the School Integration Program (Programa de Integración Escolar, PIE), with diagnoses of intellectual disability, language disorders, and autism spectrum disorder, among other conditions, participated. The study consisted of incorporating active breaks with curricular content, lasting between five and ten minutes, twice a day for twelve weeks. Reading comprehension was assessed using the Comprehensive Learning Assessment (Diagnóstico Integral del Aprendizaje, DIA) in its three dimensions: locating, interpreting, and reflecting. Results: ANCOVA analyses, adjusted for covariates (school, gender, age, and participation in team sports), revealed significant improvements in the experimental group for "locating" (p = 0.002) and "reflecting" (p < 0.001), but not for "interpreting." Conclusions: Video-guided active breaks could improve specific reading comprehension skills in students with special educational needs and promote inclusive education through active and accessible pedagogical strategies.