Document is current

Article History

Received: 22 March 2025

Accepted: 31 October 2025

First Online: 17 December 2025

Competing interests

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: This study was approved by the Departmental Research Committee and endorsed by the PolyU Institutional Review Board at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Approval Number: HSEARS20201106002). Approval was granted on 01-Jan-2022 and is valid until 31-Dec-2024, which covers the entire period of research and data collection. All research procedures were conducted in accordance with relevant institutional guidelines and regulations for research involving human participants, including the Declaration of Helsinki. The scope of approval covered participant recruitment in public playgrounds, on-site questionnaire surveys, non-interventional behavioural observation, audio-assisted field records, anonymised data analysis, and the publication of anonymised findings. Non-interventional behavioural observation was conducted in public spaces where no personal identifiers were collected, and no interaction occurred beyond voluntary survey consent. No additional experimental manipulation or intervention was performed.

: Written informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to data collection. Participants were informed of the purpose of the study, the procedures involved, and the voluntary nature of their participation, as well as their right to withdraw from the study or request removal of their data at any point without penalty. No minors were involved in this research. Anonymity was ensured by not collecting personally identifying information, and quotations or observational records used in the publication were anonymised. Participants were informed that non-interventional behavioural observation would take place in public playgrounds, and that no interaction would occur beyond voluntary survey consent. Consent covered participation, anonymous publication of findings, and the use of data for academic dissemination. No financial or material incentives were provided for participation. The consent procedure was approved on January 1, 2022, and remained valid until December 31, 2024, covering the entire research and data collection period. On the on-site questionnaire survey, the consent information was obtained between February and June 2023 and clearly indicated the study’s purpose, how the data would be used, and the right to withdraw at any time. Prior to completing the questionnaire, participants were fully informed that their anonymity would be ensured and that the study’s purpose, data usage, and any potential risks were clearly explained.