Bioecological Model Research Articles

Authors of child/adolescent sexual assault: risk factors and the bioecological model of human development

The study sought to identify and discuss risk factors based on the Bioecological Model of Human Development in the lives of Authors of Sexual Assault on Children and Adolescents. The research has a descriptive, exploratory character and involves a case study with five male participants, aged between 19 and 58 years (M=30.8), whose cases were processed in the Courts of Crimes against Children and Adolescents. A Questionnaire was used for characterization and a semi-structured interview script, carried out in a Prison Unit in Parauapebas - PA. The content analysis of the interview transcripts was carried out, considering pre-existing categories in the literature. Risk factors were identified in the five cases studied, such as cognitive distortion, physical violence, drugs/alcoholism, lack of sexual orientation, social prejudice, informal work/mining activity, child labor, number of children and recombined families, involvement in fights, never having studied, judicial sentence and perspective regarding their future life. The data corroborate the findings in the literature that signaled a diversity of risk factors present in the lives of the participants.

The Therapeutic Aspects of Embroidery in Art Therapy from the Perspective of Adolescent Girls in a Post-Hospitalization Boarding School.

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the experiences of adolescent girls with emotional disorders from post-hospitalization boarding schools who embroidered in an art therapy open studio group. A Youth Participatory Action Research approach and the bioecological model were used to shed light on the therapeutic process of embroidery. Through a thematic analysis of the focus groups and interviews with 13 participants, we identified five themes specifically related to embroidery: (a) control versus release/freedom; (b) calmness that comes from the repetitive action and focus; (c) the experience of being exceptional versus conventional; (d) the "stitch through time" experience, which involves a dialogue with the past, present, and future through embroidery; and (e) the overt-latent layers of consciousness. The findings suggest that embroidery has therapeutic benefits for this population and supports psychological development. This study reveals that embroidery, whose threads are intricately embedded in society and culture, and may provide a unique and meaningful activity for young people in post-hospitalization boarding schools and enables a social and cultural exploration of self and community. Limitations of this study and recommendations for further research are also discussed.

The Roles of Professional Socialization and Higher Education Context in Prosocial and Pro-Environmental Attitudes of Social Science and Humanities versus Business Students in Italy and Croatia

According to the bio-ecological model, individuals are highly influenced by the context and dynamic interactions occurring within their environment over time. Therefore, prolonged shared contexts that people are exposed to, such as the higher education system, should contribute to more similarities in their cognition. We examine two research models, specifying the influence of the national higher education system as a variable, that moderates the potential relationship between the students’ country of origin and their prosocial (Model 1) and pro-environmental (Model 2) attitudes. Two culturally similar countries (Croatia and Italy) and two student subsamples from both countries (one group with social science and humanities majors and another with business and economics major) are considered. We used A. F. Hayes’ PROCESS macro to estimate the results using the regression approach. The research results show statistically significantmoderated relationships between study major and prosocial and pro-environmental attitudes. However, the national HE contexts, when considered as moderating variables, suppressed the main effects in both models. We discuss possible explanations of the suppression of the main effect by the conditional one, outline implications of the present findings and provide guidelines for future research.

The potential role of social and familial networks in shaping the well‐being of children in shelters for women survivors of intimate partner violence

AbstractChildren living in households where severe intimate partner violence (IPV) exists sometimes move with their mothers to shelters for battered women. Although there is an increased interest in research exploring children's exposure to IPV, little is known about children's subjective experiences during their stay in shelters. The present study examines children's views of their disconnection from their social and familial networks during their stay in a shelter. Using qualitative methods, 32 children, ages 7–12 years, who resided in a shelter were interviewed. Thematic analysis was implemented to develop codes and themes. The following five themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) absence of grandparents, (b) worry about older siblings, (c) disconnection from the neighbourhood, (d) missing their house and (e) disconnection from previous school and classmates. Findings suggest that children's disconnection from previous formal and informal networks significantly affected their well‐being. The findings are discussed and interpreted in light of selected key concepts of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. The limitations of this study are discussed, along with implications for future research, as well as highlights for future intervention.

Undergraduate student perceptions of stress and mental health in engineering culture

BackgroundMental health for engineering undergraduates is an urgent topic for engineering educators. Narratives of engineering education requiring suffering may create or exacerbate problematic perceptions around stress and mental health in engineering. This study explored the roles of stress and mental health in engineering culture. We sought to explore: (1) how engineering students describe their experiences related to stress and mental health and (2) norms and expectations engineering students share about stress and mental health. Qualitative interview data were collected from 30 students who had previously responded to a college-wide survey.ResultsCodes related to experiences with stress and mental health in engineering were organized in a bioecological systems model and analyzed for emergent themes depicting engineering culture. The study identified three themes related to stress and mental health in engineering culture: (1) engineering workload as a defining stressor, (2) specific barriers that prevent engineering students from seeking help for mental health concerns, and (3) reliance on peers to cope with stress and mental health distress.ConclusionsOur analysis provided insight into how engineering students perceive norms around stress and mental health in engineering and how this impacts help-seeking for mental health challenges. These findings have important implications for developing interventions and positive cultures that support student mental health.

Student-athletes’ perceptions of relationship quality and life skills development

Positive developmental outcomes for youth are likely to occur when adults intentionally design environments to facilitate that development. However, in sport, studies typically examine only one adult relationship at a time, as opposed to the many that exist. The purpose of this study was to examine high school student-athletes’ perceptions of how a variety of stakeholders in their sport-ecosystem contribute to their life skills development and well-being. Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-Ecological Model and Prilleltensky’s concept of psychopolitical validity served as a guiding framework for interviews conducted with student-athletes (N = 46) in three different states in the United States of America. Themes suggested that the student-athletes’ relationships have a reciprocal interaction with their developmental experiences to create three different forms of development. Student-athletes had basic life skills recognition when learning without meaning was fostered by low-engagement relationships, development through adverse experiences when learning through necessity occurred through challenging relationships, and meaningful development when anchored learning experiences were supported by transformative relationships in their sport world. Lay summary: High school student-athletes were asked about their life skills development and how adults in their sport system influenced or hindered that development. Student-athletes favored highly engaged adults that supported opportunities by anchoring their learning in meaningful experiences. The relationship with the adult and the meaningful experience reciprocally influenced each other. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Coaches, parents, and athletic directors should aim to provide opportunities for athletes to practice life skills in a meaningful way. Fostering positive relationships with student-athletes and being highly engaged in their development is favored by student-athletes. Transformative relationships and meaningful learning experiences may promote a better sense of community well-being.

A bioecological perspective on mindset

Mindset—beliefs about the malleability of intelligence—has been traditionally conceptualized as an individual-level construct. The present study adapts, proposes, and applies a bioecological model to examine how learners perceive the intelligence mindset beliefs possessed by important socializing agents—parents, teachers, and peers—and whether and how these perceived mindset beliefs shape individuals’ own understanding of intelligence and intelligence mindset. Inductive coding of focus group data from 42 undergraduate students in the United States revealed six themes reflecting the dynamic interplay between person and context: (1) Definitions of intelligence reflect resource, force, and demand characteristics, (2) Students largely endorse growth mindset beliefs, but not unconditionally, (3) Supports and supportive environments shape intelligence mindset, (4) Individual differences in perspective taking shape perceptions of intelligence mindset, (5) The impact of age and generational status on intelligence mindset depends on socializing agent, and (6) Identity markers shape student perceptions of intelligence and intelligence mindset. Findings demonstrate the utility in applying a bioecological model for the study of mindset and point to new directions for examining the synergistic impact of person-context interactions on student motivation, learning, and achievement.

Three realities and a new-found focus: parenting and disability in a time of a pandemic

PurposeFramed within the bioecological model, this autoethnographic case study explores the author’s experiences as a working mother of two children with disability prior to, during and after emerging from compulsory remote learning arrangements in Victoria, Australia due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue. The intention of this paper is to share the author's experiences.Design/methodology/approachBronfenbrenner’s bioecological model was overlaid on the author’s experiences to explore direct and indirect impacts on her agency, educational priorities and personal values through each level of the model.FindingsThis research presents a new perspective for examining how the global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the equilibrium typically experienced by individuals across the education system.Originality/valueThis research presents a new perspective for examining how the global COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the equilibrium typically experienced by individuals across the education system.

Highlighting gaps in puppy research using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory of human development

Abstract The use of an ecological model in puppy development research can help to capture the real-world complexity of development factors and outcomes. Using a modified version of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, we explored the real-world experiences of 20 Australian adults who had acquired and were subsequently raising a puppy in their home for companionship purposes. Our participants’ experiences offered insights into several gaps in the current literature and potential opportunities for future research. These insights included: (1) researchers should be wary of viewing a puppy’s household as uniform, or static. Each individual within a household provides unique interactions and development opportunities and therefore cannot be a reliable representative of the household at large; (2) knowledge is unlikely to be uni-directional, or deriving from only a single source, even in environments such as puppy classes. How knowledge is transferred, trusted, interpreted, and applied is likely affected by the individual’s own ecological system (such as biases), as well as the characteristics of the relationship between the individuals involved; and (3) puppies both are affected by, and have an effect on, those around them. The arrival of a puppy into a household is likely to change the existing dynamics of that household. These changes may be positive or negative in nature, or both simultaneously. Further research into these findings may help researchers better understand the complex nature of puppy development.

Online Psycho-educational Intervention in Mathematical Learning Difficulties

The present study shows the results of six case studies referring to an intervention applied to mathematical learning difficulties. Participants were 8 to 12 years old. The intervention considered mathematics as a language and it is theoretically based on Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Peircean semiotics. The objective was to work on the development of academic skills associating mathematics with interactional social skills. The analysis was based on qualitative data collected during the intervention process and quantitative data from scales and instruments with pre- and post-intervention measures. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic context, some methodological issues were affected, mainly because the evaluations took place before and in the midst of the pandemic. Social impacts of the pandemic have unevenly affected participants, especially adolescents and children. The pandemic had a worse effect on adolescents than on children, especially regarding procedures that involve memory, and those with attentional problems also had worse results.

The Relationship between Young Children's Graphomotor Skills and Their Environment: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The current study aimed to examine the unique contribution of personal and environmental factors to explain graphomotor skills in typically developing preschoolers and first-year elementary school students. A convenience sample of 136 Israeli children aged three-seven years was recruited. Graphomotor skills were assessed using the Gilboa Functional Test (GIFT); personal and environmental factors were assessed using a demographic questionnaire and the Home Literacy Experiences Questionnaire (HLEQ). A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis revealed that home literacy and educational approach accounted for 43.1% of the variance of graphomotor skills (R2 = 40.4, p < 0.000), each providing a unique contribution to the explained variance after controlling for age, gender, and spoken language. Generally, our results supported the bioecological model, with proximal factors (home literacy and educational approach) having a greater influence on child graphomotor skills than distal factors (parental socioeconomic and immigration status). By highlighting the role of environmental factors in graphomotor development, these results can be used as a conceptual framework for developing early intervention programs.

Environmental neurodevelopment toxicity from the perspective of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model: a case study of toxic metals.

A growing body of literature reports the need for an integrated approach to study the effects of the physical environment on the neurodevelopment of children. Assessment of the true neurotoxicity of pollutants cannot be performed separately from the ecological and multidimensional contexts in which they act. In this study, from the perspective of the Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, a conceptual model was developed that encompasses the social and biological characteristics of children from the gestational period to childhood, considering exposure to toxic metals. First, we present the toxicity of the main metals and some concept notions that we used in our framework, such as social and structural determinants of health, allostatic load, embodiment, and epigenetic concepts. Then, the main aspects of the Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, which allow integration of the gene-social relationship in addition to the physical environment, where these metals act, are explained. Finally, we present and discuss the conceptual framework showing how, in real life, biological and social factors may together influence the neurodevelopment of children. Although this model is based on a group of contaminants, it opens new horizons on how environmental sciences, such as neurotoxicology and environmental epidemiology, can articulate with the theoretical models from human sciences to provide a broader approach to study the effects on human neurodevelopment.

Primary to high school transition planning for students with disability: A systematic review

Transition to high school is a turbulent time for any student, but arguably more so for students with disability who have increased risk of challenges in academic, socio-emotional, self-determination skills, and other domains. This systematic literature review comprises a systematic search locating relevant international research studies published in English in peer-reviewed journals between 2012 and 2022. Thirty-nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Transition planning facilitators and barriers from included studies were analysed and synthesised employing Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological model and Kohler et al.’s Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0. The findings emphasise that effective support for students with disabilities requires a personalised, student-centred, and collaborative approach supported by systemic factors (e.g., policies, needs-based resources, and high-quality training for school staff).

Continuing education on child development in primary care: healthcare workers' perspectives.

To analyze the contributions of a continuing education with Primary Health Care professionals that promotes child development. A continuing education intervention, utilizing a qualitative approach, was conducted among healthcare workers at a Primary Health Care facility in a low-income neighborhood in the city of Recife. The intervention consisted of eight workshops conducted between July and October 2019, with the participation of fifteen healthcare workers. All data from the focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically using Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model as the theoretical framework. Through the continuing education intervention, healthcare professionals were able to reflect on their work processes and personal lives and propose actions to improve child development. The study findings highlight the significant impact of such interventions in changing perceptions and professional practices related to child development. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of continuing education interventions for promoting healthy child development in primary care settings.

Distinguishing Children From ISIS-Affiliated Families in Iraq and Their Unique Barriers for Rehabilitation and Reintegration

Over 25,000 Iraqis (90 percent of which are women and children) currently reside in al-Hol camp in Northeastern Syria, and the government of Iraq has started to return some of these families back to Iraq via a rehabilitation and reintegration programme. This population is perceived to have an ISIS affiliation, along with thousands of other persons across Iraq. But what exactly does having an ‘ISIS affiliation’ mean practically for children from these families, and what are the implications of it for their rehabilitation and reintegration? Building off a gap in the literature around children with perceived affiliation to terrorist groups, this article utilises Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological systems model to help distinguish the current challenges faced by children from ISIS affiliated families in Iraq. It considers the implications of familial affiliation in areas including family life, education, camp and detention settings, media coverage, returning to their communities, and legal aspects. It also considers which of these features are shared with ISIS-affiliated children outside of Iraq. The aim is to create a stronger and shared baseline for understanding the unique features of such children, and how their healthy development may be negatively or positively impacted on multiple levels when their family is affiliated with a terror group. In turn, this understanding can better shape and target the interventions or support they may receive in response to these.

Parenting of mothers of children in early childhood during the COVID-19 pandemic: qualitative research.

to understand practices of mothers of children in early childhood who live in contexts of poverty in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. an exploratory, descriptive and qualitative study. Participants were selected in the community context, composing an intentional sample to be collected through semi-structured online interviews. Data were analyzed inductively and anchored in the Bioecological Model of Human Development. eight mothers participated in the research. Mothers highlighted pleasure in taking care of their children, although they were overloaded with activities and comprehensive care at the time of the pandemic. Children, in mothers' perception, showed a higher frequency of challenging behaviors, which may be related to negative parenting practices, such as punishment and physical violence. interventions to support parenting become urgent in the face of changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in families living in a context of poverty.

SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TEACHER RELATED BARRIERS TO CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

Ponte Academic JournalMay 2023, Volume 79, Issue 5 SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TEACHER RELATED BARRIERS TO CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAuthor(s): Mohammed I. ,Cishe E.N., Lukman Y.J. Ponte - May 2023 - Volume 79 - Issue 5 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2023.5.1 Abstract:This study sought to investigate school district and teacher related barriers to continuous professional learning and development through university education in the Elliotdale Circuit of the Dutywa Education District, South Africa. The research was a qualitative study based on Bioecological Model of Human Development Theory. A sample size of twenty-two (22) respondents (principals, teachers and subject advisors) was used. Face-to-face in-depth individual interviews were conducted using an open-ended interview schedule. Data were analysed thematically. The study found the following to be the barriers to teacher continuous professional learning and development through university education in the Elliotdale Circuit: long hours of travel to and from school by teachers, long distance between the Elliotdale Circuit and cities where Higher Education Institution are situated, deprived and underdeveloped nature of the circuit, teacher workload, insufficient time for further studies, inadequate support from the education district, inadequate information on sources of financial support and bursaries, laziness on the part of teachers and teachers’ self-sufficiency with their current qualifications. Recommendations made were that the Department of Education should make provisions for continuous self-improvement of all teachers in the circuit; the Education Circuit should work with all school principals to support teachers financially to embark on further studies. School Management Teams should work hand in hand with the District Education to organize career guidance workshop for all teachers focusing on the need for teachers to move from their comfort zones and to upgrade their teaching qualifications in the education system. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

The role of family and football academy in developing

This study aimed to examine the influence of families and football academies on the pathway to football expertise of Brazilian players. Built on the ‘contextualised skill acquisition research’ framework, data were generated through the triangulation of three methods: contextual analysis; participant-observation, and; interviews, with the latter providing substantial information for the present study. Data were organised according to the mesosystemic context of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development, thematically analysed, and explained through the perspective of the framework of the ecological dynamics. The findings highlight how players navigate through their environment in relation to the social, emotional, psychological, and educational support they receive, as well as in relation to the clubs' supply of quality football training programmes. The findings provide the basis for practical recommendations to help clubs and their coaches in the task of developing and nurturing their human talent.

Parents’ experiences of investigations and interventions by Child Healthcare, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Child and Youth Habilitation

ABSTRACT This study examines parents’ experiences of support, investigation and treatment from child healthcare/psychiatry and habilitation in children with ESSENCE symptoms (neurodevelopmental symptoms). Data were collected through focus interviews, with 13 parents. A conventional qualitative analysis revealed four main categories: confidence, information, competence and collaboration, affecting parents. While waiting for an investigation parents experience anxiety, frustration, lack of information and confidence and doubts about their parenting ability, which also affects the child. The categories were interpreted using Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model to illustrate the effects on the family’s interaction with the context. Parents demand a greater insight and participation in the ongoing process and improved collaboration between the various professionals Trial registration: Retrospectively registered clinical Trials 2021, PLUSS identifier, NCT04815889.

Implications of time and space factors related with youth substance use prevention: a conceptual review and case study of the Icelandic Prevention Model being implemented in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT Purpose: This research examines the implementation of the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) in Canada to identify opportunities revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic to re-design our social eco-system to promote wellbeing. This paper has two objectives: 1) to provide a conceptual review of research that applies the bioecological model to youth substance use prevention with a focus on the concepts of time and physical space use and 2) to describe a case study that examines the implementation of the IPM in Canada within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Study data were collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews with key stakeholders involved in implementing the IPM. Results: Findings are organized within three over-arching themes derived from a thematic analysis: 1) Issues that influence time and space use patterns and youth substance use, 2) Family and community cohesion and influences on developmental context and time use and 3) Opportunities presented by the pandemic that can promote youth wellbeing. Conclusion: We apply the findings to research on the IPM as well as the pandemic to examine opportunities that may support primary prevention and overall youth wellbeing. We use the concepts of time and space as a foundation to discuss implications for policy and practice going forward.