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Article History

Received: 23 May 2025

Accepted: 29 January 2026

First Online: 12 February 2026

Declarations

:

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Palestine Polytechnic University (PPU) (Reference No: EA/2025/32). This study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent was obtained from all the parents or legal guardians. For children and adolescents, age-appropriate verbal assent was obtained from participants aged 13–18 years. The study’s purpose, procedures, potential risks and benefits, and participants’ rights (including confidentiality and the right to withdraw without penalty) were thoroughly explained to both parents/guardians and the children before data collection commenced. Only children whose parents/guardians provided consent and who themselves provided assent (where applicable) were enrolled in the study.

: This study does not involve the publication of any individual’s personal data, including images, videos, or other identifiable information. All data presented in this study are anonymized and aggregated, ensuring that no participant can be identified. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants parents or legal guardians for their involvement in the study, and this included consent for the anonymized use of their responses in research publications.