Showing papers in "Child Indicators Research in 2015"
TL;DR: This article examined how family, school, and community factors are related to children's subjective well-being, and examined the patterns of the relationships between family and school, school and community variables and children’s subjective wellbeing across nations.
Abstract: The primary purposes of this study are twofold: to examine how family, school, and community factors are related to children’s subjective well-being; and to examine the patterns of the relationships between family, school, and community variables and children’s subjective well-being across nations. We use the data from the pilot study of the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being for our analysis. We use multiple regression and multilevel methods in the study. We find that family, school, and community lives all significantly affect the levels of children’s subjective well-being. We also find that family, school, and community lives of children are important predictors of subjective well-being even after controlling for the country-specific cultural and contextual factors. We find that the economic variables of GDP and inequality are not significant factors predicting children’s subjective well-being. Rather it is the nature of children’s relationships with immediate surrounding environments, such as frequency of family activities, frequency of peer activities, and neighborhood safety, are most consistently related to the levels of children’s subjective well-being across the nations.
131 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined four different multi-item measures of children's subjective well-being, three of which have previously been proposed in the literature, and used multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to assess the extent to which it is valid to make cross-national comparisons using these measures.
Abstract: The potential to make cross-national comparisons is an important aspect of the growing global interest in subjective well-being. Such comparisons offer the prospect of understanding variations in levels of well-being and the factors contributing to it which can be useful for practical and policy initiatives to improve the lives of the population. However, relatively little is known about the extent to which such comparisons are reliable and valid, particularly in relation to children’s well-being. We make use of a large-scale pilot survey undertaken in 11 countries with over 16,000 children around the age of 12 to explore this issue. We examine four different multi-item measures of children’s subjective well-being, three of which have previously been proposed in the literature. We use multi-group confirmatory factor analysis to assess the extent to which it is valid to make cross-national comparisons using these measures. Overall, our results suggest that it should be possible to compare correlations and regressions between most of the countries in our survey using each of these measures. However, cross-national comparisons of mean scores on the measures is generally not supported by our analysis.
85 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used newly developed international measures in order to determine the prevalence of two types of bullying: Active (being hit by other children in school) and Passive (being left out by classmates), among 8, 10 and 12-year old Algerian school children.
Abstract: This study uses newly developed international measures in order to determine the prevalence of two types of bullying: Active (being hit by other children in school) and Passive (being left out by classmates), among 8, 10 and 12 year old Algerian school children. It also attempts to draw the profile of the victims and to assess the effects of bullying on children’s Subjective Well-being (SWB). Data have been obtained from a total of 1,452 school children. The results indicate that 15.1, 9.9 and 12.3 % of respectively 8, 10 and 12 year students have been victims of active bullying, and respectively 16.3, 15.8 and 20.6 % have been victims of passive bullying during the month that precedes data collection. It has been noticed that boys use more direct methods, with an increasing frequency with age, but both gender groups equally use indirect methods of bullying. Furthermore, the findings suggest that bullying victimisation is more present among children belonging to less advantaged families, families changing house and changing local area. Absenteeism, though found high in Algerian schools, is much frequent amongst victims of bullying. And, significant differences are found in most of the SWB ratings in favour of children who have not experienced bullying victimisation. Finally, regression analyses show that passive bullying and age have strong negative effects on satisfaction with life as a whole, but this effect has been reduced when lack of rewarding material facilities, gratifying living environments, good health and self-confidence were introduced in the second step. The results have been discussed on the light of previous international research.
59 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a qualitative study was conducted using a series of focus group discussions with 56 children between the ages of 13 and 15 from rural and urban geographical locations, with a specific focus on elucidating the discourses that children use to assign meaning to well-being.
Abstract: In the current South African socio-political framework children have been afforded the highest priority within government, via affirmation of their rights. Not only have the rights and needs of children been entrenched in the development strategies of the government, but children themselves have been guaranteed socio-economic rights and protection from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Subsequently, knowledge and information on the well-being of children have become important pursuits. It has also become increasingly important to obtain an understanding of what children regard as essential to their well-being. The current study explores children’s subjective perceptions of well-being, with a specific focus on elucidating the discourses that children use to assign meaning to well-being. A qualitative study was conducted using a series of focus group discussions with 56 children between the ages of 13 and 15 from rural and urban geographical locations. A discourse analysis reveals a complex interplay between the social environment and the children’s sense of well-being. Three key thematic domains were identified, namely, personal safety, infrastructural deficiencies, and psycho-social functioning. Central discourses to emerge from these thematic domains were closely interrelated and mutually influencing and focussed on, personal safety, the social environment and a stable self as ‘non-negotiables’ of well-being, helplessness and vulnerability, desensitisation, marginalisation, (non)acknowledgement and (dis)respect. A notable finding emerging from the study was the extent to which the participants’ discursive constructions of well-being were ideologically configured. The findings raise important considerations for educational and intervention programmes and policies aimed at children and youth.
54 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the concept of stress in a group of 14-15 year-olds (grade 8 in two Stockholm schools) using a multiple methods approach, and found that adolescent girls experience more stress than boys.
Abstract: In many Western countries adolescents, especially girls, report high levels of stress and stress-related health complaints. In this study we investigate the concept of stress in a group of 14–15 year-olds (grade 8 in two Stockholm schools) using a multiple methods approach. The aim is to analyse stress, and gender differences in stress, as indicated by a measure of perceived stress (questionnaires, n = 212), the diurnal variation in the biomarker cortisol (saliva samples, n = 108) and the students’ own accounts of stress (semi-structured interviews, n = 49). The results were generated within the traditional framework of each method and integrated at the point of interpretation. The hypothesis that adolescent girls experience more stress than boys was confirmed by all methods used. In the questionnaire, the most commonly experienced aspects of perceived stress were the same among girls and boys, but girls consistently reported higher frequencies. The saliva samples showed that girls had greater cortisol output in the morning. In the individual semi-structured interviews, girls and boys discussed stress in similar ways but both acknowledged a gender gap to the disadvantage of girls. The results as a whole suggests an interpretation of gender differences that focuses girls’ attitudes, perceived expectations and coping strategies in relation to school performance, with their focus on achievement, marks, hard work, and worries about the future. The findings point to a need of an increased awareness about the role of perceived expectations in the stress process, and that these expectations and their impact on stress may differ by the gender of the student.
53 citations
TL;DR: The authors explored similarities and differences in the lives of 12-year-old children from 11 diverse countries around the world by focusing on their own evaluations of their lives in four main categories: the context of children's lives, time use, satisfaction with life and particular aspects of life.
Abstract: This study explores similarities and differences in the lives of 12 year-old children from 11 diverse countries around the world – Algeria, Brazil, Chile, England, Israel, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Uganda, and USA – by focusing on their own evaluations of their lives in four main categories: the context of children’s lives, time use, satisfaction with life and particular aspects of life. Furthermore, potential cross-cultural methodological and analytical issues are raised, and their implications for cross-national research comparisons are discussed. The results are obtained from the international Children’s Worlds (ISCWeB) world-wide research survey on children’s subjective well-being. Our findings reveal considerable variations between countries in the context of children’s lives, in the ways that they spend their time and in their satisfaction and evaluations of aspects in their lives. Our analysis also suggests potential cultural differences in response patterns in some of the countries. Ways to overcome these issues are detailed and demonstrated along with the great potential of comparative research of children’s subjective well-being.
53 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explore the relationship between subjective well-being and social policy and conclude that exploration of this subject is in its infancy and we need more research, concluding that there probable is one and presenting some evidence in support.
Abstract: This paper explores the relationship between subjective well-being and social policy. It reviews efforts to study well-being and then presents some international comparisons of subjective well-being and national UK trends in subjective well-being and discusses what might explain them. It then explores why we might not see a relationship between policy and subjective well-being. Then it asserts that there probable is one and presents some evidence in support. It concludes that exploration of this subject is in its infancy and we need more research.
53 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the relationship between children's perception of their available material resources and their subjective well-being and found that children in Uganda had limited access to material resources, and the lowest average of wellbeing.
Abstract: The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between children’s perception of their available material resources and their subjective well-being. Participants (n = 13,953) resided in eight countries and were largely female (57 %), between the ages of 10–14 (M = 12.05; SD = 0.59). Each child completed a culturally appropriate country-survey that included demographic information and validated measures from the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being project (ISCIWeB), which included the Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS) and material resources items. We tested a relational model for predicting subjective well-being and applied structural equation modelling (SEM) to the data. Results indicated that children in Uganda had limited access to material resources and the lowest average of well-being. Together with Algeria and South Africa, Uganda also had the strongest associations between the access to material resources and the SLSS. Even with access to all material resources evaluated, well-being scores are also lower in the case of South Korea, probably due to the so-called “Asian bias”. Children from Israel, Brazil, Spain, and England were similar in their levels of satisfaction and well-being. Our model fit the data well and revealed significant relationships between material resources and child subjective well-being in each country. Preliminary results underscore the importance of assessing material well-being in children and highlight the role material resources have in influencing children’s subjective well-being, especially in cases of children experiencing severe resource deprivation. Our model warrants further testing to replicate and extend our findings. Recommendations for future research are provided.
52 citations
TL;DR: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the importance of taking into account children's views in matters that affect their lives heavily contributed to this recent trend as discussed by the authors, which has received growing attention, both from academia and the political world.
Abstract: Subjective well-being (SWB) here understood as a person’s cognitive and affective evaluations of his/her life as whole and with regard to particular aspects of his/her life (Rees et al. 2010) is an important concept. Its relevance arises for a number of reasons, including its important role in understanding variations in the well-being of populations and in identifying what aspects and factors are most salient in people’s lives. As such, SWB has received growing attention, both from academia and the political world. Most SWB studies have, however, focused on adults’ SWB, whereas interest in children’s SWB is quite recent (Casas 2011; Ben-Arieh 2012). The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child’s acknowledgment of the importance of taking into account children’s views in matters that affect their lives heavily contributed to this recent trend. Current studies on the SWB of children have produced evidence on how children’s life satisfaction seems to be important to their positive development, but also in identifying possible risks and vulnerabilities (Rees et al. 2010). Moreover, children’s SWB can act as an important buffer against negative outcomes. On the other hand, studies focusing on what may affect children’s SWB have suggested that children’s happiness may be influenced by factors such as housing, safety, bullying, school achievements or social interactions (Bradshaw et al. 2013). However, much is still to be learned about these relationships and deeper research is necessary in order to grasp a Child Ind Res (2015) 8:1–4 DOI 10.1007/s12187-015-9305-7
44 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored psychometric properties and constructed validity of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) in a sample of 809 Portuguese adolescents.
Abstract: Despite the growing study of adolescents' emotion regulation (ER) and its importance for developmental trajectories, research has focused mainly on psychopathology by contrast with positive functioning. The lack of adequate age measures on emotion regulation has been also largely recognized. The present study aims to explore psychometric properties and construct validity of the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (ERQ-CA) (Gullone and Taffe, 2012) in a sample of 809 Portuguese adolescents. The Portuguese version (QRE-CA) showed adequate reliability and the Confirmatory Factorial Analysis presented a good fit confirming the two-factor model found by Gullone and Taffe (2012). Measurement invariance tests showed intergroup invariance for gender and school grade. Additionally, convergent validity showed positive associations between the reappraisal strategy and measures of positive psychological functioning (self-esteem and satisfaction with life). The suppression strategy presented negative associations with those same variables. Findings suggest that the QRE-CA is a valid and reliable measure for evaluating strategies of ER. Final considerations highlight the importance of extending research on adolescents' emotion regulation and positive functioning.
44 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored different elements of family dynamics that may contribute to adolescents' participation in the family and its relationship with subjective well-being, and found that adolescents who perceive that they participate at home score higher than boys on two of the three scales used to measure wellbeing.
Abstract: Although several authors (Casas 1994) and international organizations (Council of Europe 1998) have emphasized the importance of promoting the participation of children in families, scientific studies on this topic are scarce. Even fewer studies address the link between participation and subjective well-being (SWB). The aim of the present study is to explore different elements of family dynamics that may contribute to adolescents’ participation in the family and its relationship with SWB. Participation in the family context refers to the possibilities given to children and adolescents to openly communicate their opinions and interests in their families, to involve themselves in decisions that affect both them and their family, and to assume some responsibilities in the home that are consistent with their stage of development (Casas et al. 2008; UNICEF 2003). Data have been collected from a representative Spanish sample of 5934 adolescents in the 1st year of compulsory secondary education (M = 12.09, SD = 0.69). The results show that girls report more participation in the family than boys. Participation in the family context is related to: (a) the frequency of having a good time as a family; (b) the frequency of learning things with the family; (c) children’s perception of having their own space at home; (d) their evaluation of having a good time as a family; (e) satisfaction with the space they have at their disposal at home; and (f) satisfaction with the people they live with. Unlike girls, for boys the frequency of having a good time as a family predicts their perception of participation in the family context. Adolescents who perceive that they participate more in decisions taken in the family home display higher scores on well-being. Girls who perceive that they participate at home score higher than boys on two of the three scales used to measure well-being. Results will be discussed in the light of their implications for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the development of childhood policies.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the cross-cultural applicability of the AMS among Singapore secondary students using both within-network and between-network approaches to construct validation, and also examined the invariance of AMS across students of different genders and academic abilities.
Abstract: Motivation, which refers to the force that drives a person to act, has been recognized as a crucial factor in promoting general well-being, along with a multitude of cognitive and psychological outcomes essential to thrive in varied domains and socio-cultural contexts. Motivation researchers have applied the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), which emerged out of the work of self-determination theorists, in numerous studies that were set in Western contexts. It includes seven dimensions of motivation: amotivation, extrinsic motivation (external regulation, introjection and identification), and intrinsic motivation (to know, to experience stimulation and to accomplish). The purpose of the present study was to examine the cross-cultural applicability of the AMS among Singapore secondary students using both within-network and between-network approaches to construct validation. To examine the within-network aspect of validity, we used confirmatory factor analyses. We also examined the invariance of the AMS across students of different genders and academic abilities. To assess the between-network aspect of validity, we correlated AMS scores with two constructs that are entwined with academic well-being: teacher autonomy support and academic engagement. Our results supported the proposed seven‐factor structure of AMS and this structure was found to be invariant across gender and ability groups. We failed to find empirical support for the simplex structure of ordered AMS subscales. Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation scores were highly positively correlated, while amotivation negatively correlated with academic engagement and teacher autonomy support. Cross-cultural implications are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the locus-of-hope model has been used to predict wellbeing in young people. But, the results are discussed in terms of how hopeful thoughts may be shaped by developmental processes that relate to broader culture-specific societal processes and orientations.
Abstract: Hope is known to be an important predictor of wellbeing, especially in young people. The current study draws from the locus-of-hope model, which proposes internal and external locus-of-hope dimensions. External locus-of-hope refers hopeful thoughts based on conjoint forms of agency that relate to other persons and external forces, which are distinct forms of hopeful thoughts compared to dispositional hope that is typically measured in the research literature. Data were gathered from 825 young adolescents (ages 12–15) from the Philippines who completed the Locus-of-Hope Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit between the four-factor model of locus-of-hope and the data. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis further indicated strong measurement invariance across boys and girls. The young adolescent sample reported higher external-family and external spiritual locus-of-hope thoughts compared to the internal and external-peer locus-of-hope, and girls reported higher hope in the first two dimensions, as well. Internal and external-spiritual locus-of-hope also increased in the later years (14 & 15). The results are discussed in terms of how hopeful thoughts may be shaped by developmental processes that relate to broader culture-specific societal processes and orientations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explored adolescents' subjective well-being in relation to critical changes in their lives during the last year in 8 countries: Brazil, England, Israel, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Uganda and the US.
Abstract: The aim of this article is to explore adolescents’ subjective well-being (SWB) in relation to critical changes in their lives during the last year in 8 countries: Brazil, England, Israel, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Uganda and the US. Furthermore, interactions between gender and critical changes are also examined. Data collection was conducted between 2011 and 2012 with 12 year-old boys and girls, as part of the ISCWeB project. Number of changes experienced was measured using five possible changes (moved house, changed local area, changed school, living in another country for over a month and change in the parents or carers they live with). The adolescents were then divided into three groups according to the amount of changes: ‘had not experienced any change’, ‘had experienced 1–2 changes’, and ‘had experienced three or more changes’. SWB was evaluated using satisfaction with five different life domains: school, material conditions, leisure time, oneself and social relationships along with the children’s overall life satisfaction. The findings indicate the negative effect of critical changes on adolescents’ SWB in most countries, with the exception of Uganda. The findings concerning the interaction between gender and critical changes show the complexity of the impact of gender, emphasizing the variation across life domains and cultures.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provided further support for the validity of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS) using a sample of 1904 Chinese elementary school students (Grades 4-6).
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to provide further support for the validity of the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS), using a sample of 1904 Chinese elementary school students (Grades 4–6). Toward this aim, we first performed item analysis and factor analyses to investigate the structure of the BMSLSS. Second, we examined its internal consistency reliability, convergent and discriminant validity, test-retest reliability and predictive validity. Last, we tested its measurement invariance across gender using multi-group analysis. The results provided preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the BMSLSS in assessing Chinese elementary school students’ life satisfaction. The potential applications of the BMSLSS for future research were discussed.
TL;DR: This paper examined children's subjective well-being in a rural Midwestern United States sample of children (N = 1,286) and found that the strongest predictors of child wellbeing were relationships, school, and gender (males had higher scores) and the reliability of the regression models were assessed by bootstrap resampling.
Abstract: This study examined children’s subjective well-being in a rural Midwestern United States sample of children (N = 1,286). Fifth grade (M
age = 10.66, SD = .55, range 10–12 years) and 7th grade (M
age = 12.63, SD = .55, range 12–14 years) children completed an adapted version of the previously tested Children’s Worlds survey, measuring children’s subjective well-being. Surveys included individual factors (age, gender, number of residences), contextual factors of home and family (home environment, family relationships, parent involvement), life and neighborhood (financial resources, life stress, neighborhood quality), school (teacher relationships, school climate, school satisfaction), and peers (peer relationships), and subjective well-being measures for life satisfaction, mental health, and self-image. Though children’s subjective well-being was predicted by a number of individual, home and family, life and neighborhood, school, and peer variables, the strongest predictors of child well-being were relationships, school, and gender (males had higher scores). The reliability of the regression models were assessed by bootstrap resampling. Results are discussed in the context of an ecological, relationship-based framework of child well-being.
TL;DR: The findings show that the composite scores for the three scales show a general trend towards high levels of subjective well-being; however, these scores are incongruent to objective indicators of well- being which point to a range of adverse childhood realities.
Abstract: In the current socio-political framework in South Africa children have been afforded the highest priority within government, affirming their legal status of right holders. Not only has the rights and needs of children been entrenched in the development strategies of the government, but children themselves have been guaranteed socio-economic rights and protection from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Subsequently, knowledge and information on the well-being of children have become important pursuits. More specifically, current trends in international literature point to the critical importance of subjective perceptions of well-being in developing measuring and monitoring initiatives. The aim of the study was to determine the subjective well-being of children in the Western Cape region of South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was employed with the use of stratified random sampling to select a sample of 1004 twelve year old children attending primary schools within the Western Cape Metropole. Descriptive statistics were used to present the findings across the different domains of well-being. The study forms part of the International Survey of Children’s Well-Being (Phase 1: Deep Pilot) and follows a cross-sectional survey design. The survey included a number of internationally validated scales. This paper reports on some of the findings of the Student Life Satisfaction Scale, the Personal Well-Being Index-School Children, and the single-item scale on Overall Life Satisfaction. The findings show that the composite scores for the three scales show a general trend towards high levels of subjective well-being; however, these scores are incongruent to objective indicators of well-being which point to a range of adverse childhood realities. Another key finding was the significant difference in the composite mean scores on the Student Life Satisfaction Scale of children from low and middle-income communities. Finally a significant difference was found between mean composite scores on the Student Life Satisfaction Scale (65.60) and the Personal Well-Being Index- School Children (81.90). The findings raise important considerations for the conceptualisation and measurement of child well-being in South Africa.
TL;DR: In this paper, a comparative analysis of subjective well-being (SWB) measures among a large sample of 12-year-old Arab and Israeli children (N = 1081) is presented.
Abstract: Research points to a need to further test subjective well-being (SWB) measures with children, examining their applicability in different languages and cultural contexts. This study begins to fill this gap by presenting a comparative analysis of SWB measures among a large sample of 12-year-old Arab and Israeli children (N = 1081). It tests five SWB measures: overall life satisfaction (OLS); happiness in the last two weeks (HLTW); Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS); Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS); and Personal Well-Being Index (PWI-SC). The results show that the children in this sample score relatively highly in terms of SWB. Although demographics are usually only weakly correlated with SWB, the results here reveal some significant differences by gender, family type, location (rural/urban), and parent’s employment status. Two shorter versions of the SLSS and the PWI-SC show good reliability and good fit at SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) in their ability to predict the global one-item measures (OLS and HLTW). The BMSLSS also showed good fit in models with the OLS and HLTW, but its reliability, while still acceptable, should be further examined for use in Israel.
TL;DR: In this article, a multidimensional child and adolescent poverty index (MCAP) was developed for assessment and policy design in Colombia using a mixed-method design that combines quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Abstract: This study presents the design and development of a multidimensional child poverty index in Colombia that can be used for assessment and policy design. Using a mixed-method design that combines quantitative and qualitative research methods, we developed a multidimensional measure of child poverty. Based on these results as well as empirical evidence on deprivations that are determinant for human development, we constructed a Multidimensional Child and Adolescent Poverty Index (MCAP). We used nationally representative household survey data to estimate the MCAP for 2008, 2010 and 2011 in order to measure changes over time. We found that overall, 34 % of children and adolescents in Colombia are living in poverty. This represents a 10 percentage-point reduction in comparison with 2008. As per the critical dimensions, we found that for all age groups lack of access to potable water, overcrowding and lack of access to parks or green areas contribute the most to child poverty. In addition, for children under five and adolescents, lack of access to education is a critical area and for children and adolescents, lack of access to recreational or time use services contribute significantly to poverty. We show how the MCAP can be used as a policy design tool for child poverty reduction that is sensitive to the needs of children from different age groups and regions through the design of benefit packages. Both the mixed-method research design and study findings are expected to have a significant impact across sectors including both academic national and international policy circles.
TL;DR: In this article, a study aimed at validating psychometric properties for the English and the Hindi translated version of Personal Well-being Index-school children (PWI-SC) in Indian context.
Abstract: The Personal Well-being Index-school children (PWI-SC; Cummins and Lau 2005) measures well-being of adolescents. The study aimed at validating psychometric properties for the English and the Hindi translated version of PWI-SC in Indian context. Data from 1,301 students, aged 13–18 years (mean age = 15.40 years, SD = 1.33) was collected. The English and Hindi version confirmed one-factor solution of the PWI-SC. The convergent validity was supported through positive correlations with Flourishing Scale (FS; Diener et al. 2010) and Brief Multidimensional Students Life Satisfaction Scale (BMSLSS; Huebner et al. 2004). The effect of demographic variables on different domains of PWI-SC indicated that adolescents who resided in rural areas and those who attended private school possessed a significantly higher score on PWI-SC. Well-being declined as age increased from early adolescent to middle adolescence to late adolescence. The results of this study are in agreement with the previous literature.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated three challenges related to the inclusion of children in surveys: 1) selection bias in the sample through parent and child refusal; 2) measurement equivalence of parent reports; and 3) the effect of parental presence during the interview on child reports.
Abstract: The growing acknowledgment of children’s agency has increased the use of child reports in family research. This study investigates three challenges that are related to the inclusion of children in surveys: 1) selection bias in the sample through parent and child refusal; 2) measurement equivalence of parent and child reports; and 3) the effect of parental presence during the interview on child reports. These challenges are investigated with the multi-actor data of the Divorce in Flanders study. The study shows that divorced parents more often refuse child participation than married parents. A parental refusal is also more likely in case of less frequent open communication with the child. The results further indicate that children answer as reliably as their parents on survey questions, but also that children report less frequent parental conflict, a less problematic communication with their mother, and a less open communication with mother and father, than their parents. This suggests that children’s perspectives on family relations are different from their parents. Therefore, including child reports in family research may enhance the understanding of family life. Finally, children tend to report slightly different on family relations when parents are present. It is concluded that processes of social desirability and selection are important to take into account when investigating children’s reports on their family life, as they can bias results and limit generalizability of the findings.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the trend in child poverty and its contributory factors and showed that the poverty gap between single-parent and married-couple families has widened in the past 30 years.
Abstract: Over the past few decades, the number of single-parent families in Hong Kong has increased substantially. Single-parent families consistently account for the second-largest number of social security claims, after the elderly. It is well established that children who grow up in single-parent families are more vulnerable to poverty and development problems compared to their counterparts in married households. To assess the child poverty risk for single-parent families and its policy implications, this paper analyzes Census data from the period 1981–2011 to gauge the trend in child poverty and its contributory factors. The results show that the poverty gap between single-parent and married-couple families has widened in the past 30 years. The main reason for this is that the risk factors affecting married-couple families, including parental education and labor market participation, are more effective in reducing their poverty level than the poverty level of single-parent families. Moreover, the changes in social context over the past three decades have also been more favorable to married couples as their family characteristics make them more adaptable to the economic restructuring in Hong Kong. These results suggest that the government’s belief in the trickle-down effect for poverty reduction may not apply to single-parent families, who may find themselves even worse off despite the overall economic growth.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed data on around 4,000 10-15 years olds from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) to test the effects of sibship size, child-sibling relationship quality, and other sibling characteristics (e.g. sibling type and birth order) on two outcomes: educational aspirations and socio-emotional development.
Abstract: Most prior research on siblings has focused on the quantity of siblings, and explored siblings’ effects on educational and cognitive outcomes. In this study, we analyze data on around 4,000 10-15 years olds from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS) to test the effects of sibship size, child-sibling relationship quality, and other sibling characteristics (e.g. sibling type and birth order) on two outcomes: educational aspirations and socio-emotional development. The results suggest that sibship size has no effect on either outcome. Sibling relationship quality, however, has a significant and positive effect on socio-emotional development. Lastly, adolescents with adopted or foster siblings are less likely to aspire for college, whereas adolescents with half- and step-siblings and those with younger siblings are more likely to have lower socio-emotional development. Overall, these results appear to indicate that sibling characteristics and relationship quality influence adolescents’ well-being more than the quantity of siblings does.
TL;DR: Overall, children reported more high frequency corporal punishment than their mothers did; this discrepancy was seen in both African-American and Hispanic families (but not White families), and was evident for both boys and girls.
Abstract: This paper provides new evidence on parent and child reporting of corporal punishment, drawing on data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort study of families in 20 medium to large US cities. In separate interviews, 9 year olds and their mothers (N = 1,180 families) were asked about the frequency of corporal punishment in the past year. Mothers and children were asked questions with slightly different response categorize which are harmonized in our analysis. Overall, children reported more high frequency corporal punishment (spanking or other physical punishment more than ten times per year) than their mothers did; this discrepancy was seen in both African-American and Hispanic families (but not White families), and was evident for both boys and girls. These results suggest that the reporting of the frequency of corporal punishment is sensitive to the identity of the reporter and that in particular child reports may reveal more high frequency punishment than maternal reports do. However, predictors of high frequency punishment were similar regardless of reporter identity; in both cases, risk of high frequency punishment was higher when the child was African-American or had high previous levels of behavior problems.
TL;DR: Unplanned pregnancy was related to modest increases in the risk of adverse family socioeconomic outcomes, family dysfunction, and poorer parent–child relationship outcomes, and programs designed to reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancy may help to reduce risks in these areas for families and children.
Abstract: This study examined the associations between a measure of unplanned pregnancy and outcomes related to family socioeconomic conditions, family functioning, parent–child relationships, and child educational and behavior outcomes in a New Zealand birth cohort studied to 18 years. Associations were modelled between a measure of pregnancy planning (planned; unplanned) and 12 outcomes using multiple regression, negative binomial regression and logistic regression. The associations were adjusted for a series of factors related to parental characteristics, birth family characteristics, and maternal family background. After adjustment for sources of confounding, there were statistically significant (p < 0.05) and marginally significant (p < 0.10) associations between pregnancy planning and: family socioeconomic outcomes; family functioning; and measures of parent–child relationship quality. Estimates of Cohen’s d ranged from 0.12 to 0.38, with a median value of 0.16, suggesting relatively weak associations after adjustment. Adjustment for confounding reduced the magnitude of the association between pregnancy planning and achieving secondary school qualifications, and between pregnancy planning and childhood conduct problems to statistical non-significance. The results suggest that even after accounting for potential sources of confounding, unplanned pregnancy was related to modest increases in the risk of adverse family socioeconomic outcomes, family dysfunction, and poorer parent–child relationship outcomes. Programs designed to reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancy may help to reduce risks in these areas for families and children.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors advocate for more transdisciplinary activities integrating multiple scientific perspectives on the concept of children at risk for poor educational outcomes, including individual characteristics including both biological and psychological features, contextual factors, as well as dynamics defined by time changes and interactions between individual and contextual categories of risk factors.
Abstract: In most western countries, the number of ‘children at risk’ for poor educational outcomes seems to have been increased in recent years. Nearly 20 % of the students in those countries meanwhile fail to acquire the levels of literacy, mathematics and science achievement that are required to effectively participate in today’s knowledge-based society. Thus, there is a strong need to extend research focusing on the identification of risk factors associated with these undesired educational outcomes in children. Although attempts have been made to conceptualize the issue of ‘children at risk’ for poor educational outcomes from the perspective of different scientific disciplines, the interplay of multiple risk factors located on the different levels focused by different disciplines has been rarely addressed. Thus, we advocate for more transdisciplinary activities integrating multiple scientific perspectives on the concept of ‘children at risk’ for poor educational outcomes. These activities should include at least three dimensions affecting developmental trajectories being important for children’s individual academic outcomes: (1) individual characteristics including both biological as well as psychological features, (2) contextual factors, as well as dynamics defined by (3) time changes and interactions between individual and contextual categories of risk factors.
TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors examined the effects of schools and parents, two of the most important sources of influence, on views of the human nature relationship (HNR) of 6th grade primary school children in China.
Abstract: We examine the effects of schools and parents, two of the most important sources of influence, on views of the human-nature relationship (HNR) of 6th grade primary school children in China. Adopting five items of the modified New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale, we validate the HNR scale using both preadolescent and adult populations. On average, children score higher on the HNR indicators than their parents but both are correlated. Attending a green school and parents’ HNR scores have significant positive impact on children’s HNR scores. Furthermore, obtaining higher education is associated with parents’ HNR scores, which can evidently be transmitted to children. Thus, the study makes a strong case for more equitable education, and environmental education in particular, that nurtures environmentally friendly worldviews among the future generations in China.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed a multidimensional measure of child deprivation using individual level data, which includes 16 indicators of deprivation encompassing child, parental, familial, and environmental conditions associated with poor outcomes in childhood and adulthood.
Abstract: Comparatively little work has been done in the United States to develop multidimensional measures of child deprivation using individual level data. Our research, using Panel Study of Income Dynamics/Child Development Supplement data for a sample of older children and adolescents, introduces an experimental measure to demonstrate the new insights in child well-being that can be gained by looking beyond family income. Besides low income, our measure includes 16 indicators of deprivation encompassing child, parental, familial, and environmental conditions associated with poor outcomes in childhood and adulthood. We describe the surprisingly high incidence of deprivation among the sample children and examine differences by demographic characteristics. We calculate correlations among low income and other indicators of deprivation to understand how children are likely to be exposed to multiple deprivations. Using multivariate modeling, we examine the joint association of income and non-income contextual indicators with three child outcome deprivations: poor health, low social/emotional well-being, and poor basic learning skills. We find that the multidimensional measure provides valuable information about children at risk for poor development outcomes not captured by more standard income poverty and material hardship measures. The paper concludes with suggestions for public policy initiatives that may help reduce child exposure to these risk factors and ameliorate their effects.
TL;DR: The Personal Well-being Index-School Children version (PWI-SC) by Cummins and Lau (2005) is among the few instruments devoted to assessing the subjective well-being of children.
Abstract: The Personal Well-being Index-School Children version (PWI-SC) by Cummins and Lau (2005) is among the few instruments devoted to assessing the subjective well-being of children. However, only a handful of studies have used this instrument and in a limited number of countries. This article presents an extended version of the 7-item version of the PWI-SC. The instrument was administered to a sample of children aged 10–12 in Spain (N = 371) together with a single-item scale on overall life satisfaction (OLS) and an additional item on satisfaction with food. The responses obtained were analysed in order to determine its psychometric properties and check whether one additional item would improve its qualities. The models we present here resulting from Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) show good fit statistics with both 7 and 8 items. Our analysis confirms that the inclusion of a domain on satisfaction with food – a proposed new indicator to study subjective well-being in this age group - contributes to the PWI-SC with unique variance (6.7 %), displaying an increase of 3.6 % in shared variance.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined five different methodologies that have been used to construct an overall index of child well-being and found that all five of the approaches to index construction produced very similar results.
Abstract: Growing numbers of researchers are combining individual indicators of child well-being into overall indices. This research note examines five different methodologies that have been used to construct an overall index of child well-being. All five methods are applied to four datasets and the results are examined in terms of consistency of results across methods. The datasets reflect child well-being indicators at the country, state, county, and neighborhood levels. The results show that all five of the approaches to index construction examined here produce very similar results. This is reflected in very high correlation coefficients with index values and rankings across geographic units. The findings suggest that rankings of geographic units on child well-being indices are likely to be robust regardless of the particular index methodology used.