Volume 99

In an era where animations significantly influence children’s development, My Little Pony has become a globally popular children’s animation. This study focuses on how the positive values in the series affect children’s mental health. Drawing on social learning theory, this study examines how these values influence children’s mental health through content analysis on specific episodes such as Hearth’s Warming Eve and the stories of Applejack and Fluttershy. The analysis finds that the animation improves three key mental health outcomes in the domain of social-emotional skill development, emotion regulation, and self-awareness. However, the paper also has limitations. The real-world social complexity and emotional problems are oversimplified and may lead to children’s unrealistic self-awareness. In conclusion, given these findings, educators should integrate My Little Pony into mental health education programs while supplementing these programs with real-world examples to address risks of unrealistic self-awareness. The study also provides a foundation for future research on utilizing animated content to support children’s psychological education.

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China’s policy-driven approach to higher education emphasizes the cultivation of strategic engineering and technical talent to serve national development goals, differing significantly from the United States’ market-oriented model, which prioritizes individualized innovation and entrepreneurship. While China excels in producing professionals for critical industries, it often encounters challenges in workforce adaptability and practical application. In contrast, American universities demonstrate strength in fostering entrepreneurial capabilities through robust partnerships with industry. These institutions integrate venture capital, intellectual property (IP) management, and startup incubation into academic programs, facilitating a dynamic link between research and commercialization. China has made significant progress in promoting innovation-driven education, supported by government initiatives, but it still lacks curricular flexibility and hands-on training that align with rapidly evolving industry demands. This paper conducts a comparative analysis using literature review and case studies to examine these differing models and proposes strategic recommendations for improving talent cultivation, enhancing cross-sector cooperation, and aligning education with innovation ecosystems.

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