Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model Research Articles

Micro Knowledge as a Driver for Systemic Emergencies Management: The Case of Xylella in Italy

AbstractDuring emergency production systems, supply chain stakeholders’ interactions, media activities, government actions, community behaviors are stressed bringing, all, to a high-risk perception about safety. For agri-food products, it became in a variation of consumers’ purchasing behaviors, guided by uncertainty and influenced by trust. The extant knowledge about consumers’ willingness to buy for agri-food products in emergency condition does not provide evidences during a phytosanitary warning. The proposed study, considering the Xylella fastidiosa phytosanitary emergency as case study, aims to fulfill this gap analyzing the possible variations of consumers’ perception and willingness to buy of Apulian olive oil in the era of Xylella emergence by adopting a multi-perspective and systemic approach. For achieving this scope, the study follows a Process-Person-Context-Time perspective for conceiving a systemic psychological model based on the Bronfenbrenner ecological model. Seven hypotheses were tested through Structural Equation Modeling thanks to a survey in a representative sample of 779 Italian consumers. Results showed that Italian consumer’s willingness to buy the post-Xylella olive oil can fluctuate due to the hypothesized system vulnerability: family, friends, and colleague such as trust in farmers and the credibility of Italian food market are impactful; trust in processors, transporters, and government and media is not. The findings, from theoretical and sectorial perspectives, provide new knowledge on the topic, empirical evidences, and a multi-systemic model able to analyze consumers’ behaviors, understand and stimulate the search for new (or more appropriate) marketing and communication strategies to face Xylella serious economic shortages, and to act a requalification of territory at all.

International graduate students’ perspectives on sense of belonging in leisure

Sense of belonging (SB) has been linked to increased academic engagement, enjoyment, and motivation. This paper explored international graduate students(IGS)’ SB in leisure spaces and its lessons for leisure educators. The paper addressed the following questions: (a) How do IGS’ leisure experiences change after migrating to the US? Furthermore, (b) How does the orientation of IGS towards leisure spaces post-immigration impact their sense of belonging? In the context of leisure, three themes emerged from the intersectional autoethnographic vignettes of five doctoral students. Utilizing Bronfenbrenner's (1979) Ecological Model, we highlight how these themes relate to IGS’ different life systems and we propose a new model for studying IGSs' sense of belonging.

Exploring parental perspectives and engagement in shared reading with digital books: A comparison of urban and rural Chinese families during the Covid-19 pandemic

This research explored parental perspectives and engagement in the home literacy environment amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a theoretical framework integrating Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model and Bourdieu's Theory of Capital, the study conducted a case-study analysis involving eight parents, with reflexive thematic analysis applied to their interview data. The findings affirmed existing urban-rural literacy disparities while also shedding light on similar disparities in parental cultural capital. Further, the study revealed a more intricate reality of the Chinese home literacy environment, depicted as a multifaceted mosaic shaped by economic reforms, sociocultural shifts, and cross-generational influences. The evidence demonstrates that the formation and expression of cultural capital by individual parents are profoundly influenced by their socio-cultural contexts, leading to diverse home literacy practice. This suggests that the home literacy experience is intricately linked with various layers of socio-cultural contexts, revealing a dynamic and interconnected framework rather than a static or isolated view. This dynamic nature challenges the conventional notion propagated by large-scale quantitative projects, which tend to portray rural areas as inherently disadvantaged compared to urban areas. Instead, this study suggests that the home literacy environment holds the possibility to be conceptualized beyond simplistic urban-rural dichotomies, resisting an understanding of their relationship as comparable entities evaluated by quantifiable data. Therefore, this research underscores the importance of adopting ecologically comprehensive and culturally responsive approaches in promoting the Chinese home literacy environment. Furthermore, it calls for in-depth qualitative research to capture the vast and diverse facets of Chinese families, aiming not for conclusive definitions but rather for the exploration of alternative narratives that run parallel to each other.

Home away from home: international students' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of US higher education.

This study focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international students' overall experiences. We interviewed 22 international students from 11 countries and 17 universities in the US who participated in a large longitudinal study that aims to understand the physical and emotional wellbeing of young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Guided by Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, the findings suggested that students were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic at interpersonal, institutional, political, and personal levels. The results showed that the pandemic exacerbated existing stressors such as the lack of social support from family, various visa regulations, competitive and limited job opportunities, discrimination and xenophobia, particularly toward students from Asia, and financial burdens. Additionally, the findings highlighted students' perceived loss of the "American dream" and the uneven return on investment due to the pandemic. This study reveals the importance of US higher education institutions in supporting international students during the pandemic, particularly in terms of their sense of belonging. Recommendations for institutions drawn from the findings are proposed to better support international students during times of COVID-19 and beyond.

Recruitment of family caregivers of persons with dementia: Lessons learned from a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Family caregivers play an essential role in supporting the health and well-being of older adults with dementia, a population projected to increase rapidly over the coming decades. Enrolling caregivers of people with dementia (PWD) in research studies is vital to generating the evidence necessary to support broader implementation of efficacious intervention programs in real-world care delivery, but a range of challenges impede recruitment and enrollment of sufficiently large and representative sample sizes. In this article, we characterize the challenges and lessons learned from recruiting caregivers of PWD to participate in a pilot randomized control trial. We utilize Bronfenbrenner's ecological model to categorize the challenges into three levels: individual (i.e., understanding caregivers' time constraints and motivations), community (i.e., reaching underrepresented populations and accessing caregiver support groups) and institutional (i.e., obtaining informed consent and navigating research registries). We found that establishing rapport and maintaining flexibility with participants was crucial for motivating individuals to enroll in our study. Building trust with local communities by collaborating with support group leaders, appointing a co-investigator who is already embedded within a given community, and establishing equitable partnerships with organizations increased recruitment rates. At the institutional level, engaging experts in regulatory affairs and geriatrics may help overcome barriers in obtaining approval from institutional review boards. We also recommend using research registries of individuals who offer their contact information to researchers. The lessons learned from our research-including the challenges and potential solutions to overcome them-may promote more effective and efficient recruitment in future research.

Housing insecurity and adolescent behavioral outcomes: The mediating role of aggression in parenting

BackgroundHousing insecurity impacts millions of families with children each year and is linked with a range of adverse outcomes. Greater understanding of pathways linking housing insecurity with emotional and behavioral problem is needed to prevent enduring mental health problems. The Family Stress Model and Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model contribute understanding to the complex dynamics underlying development from childhood to adolescence in the context of economic hardship and parental strain. ObjectiveThe present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of harsh parenting in the relationship between childhood housing insecurity and adolescent behavior problems. Participants and settingData from the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study, and included a sample of at-risk mothers with children from 20 large U.S. cities (N = 2719). MethodsStructural equation modeling with latent variables tested direct and indirect pathways from housing insecurity at age 5 with emotional and behavioral problems at age 15 via intermediary harsh parenting at age 9. ResultsHousing insecurity directly predicted adolescent anxious/depressive behaviors (β = 0.14, p < 0.01); and indirectly predicted rule-breaking (β = 0.04, p < 0.01), aggressive (β = 0.05, p < 0.01), and anxious/depressive (β = 0.03, p < 0.05) behaviors via psychological aggression in parenting. ConclusionsFailure to address housing hardship among families with young children increases maltreatment risk and subsequent enduring mental health problems. Efforts to identify and mitigate housing hardship and maltreatment among at-risk families offer promise to promote long-term mental health in the transition from childhood to adolescence.

Co-creating inclusive spaces and places: Towards an intergenerational and age-friendly living ecosystem.

Evolving aging societies, ongoing digitalisation and circumstances of COVID-19 are changing living conditions for growing older. There is an increased urgency to view public health with a focus on integrating people of all ages into the matrix of opportunities afforded in their communities. This study initiates the conceptualization of an intergenerational, age-friendly living ecosystem (AFLE) to enhance public health planning. A participatory study was conducted using a multi-methods approach. Six virtual co-creation sessions (n = 35-50 participants), alongside a mainly open-ended INTERGEN survey designed specifically for this study (n = 130) were conducted to conceptualize multilevel ideas for building intergenerational age-friendly places using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model. At the height of COVID-19, virtual applications (Zoom, Moodboard) and case studies, creative methods (drawing, photography, storytelling and spotlight sessions) were applied to engage academic and non-academic participants between ages 5 - 80+ years, across eight countries. Sessions were video-recorded with visual themes captured by a graphic facilitator. The survey covered issues of multigenerational interactions; intergenerational and age-friendly place features; place safety; and necessary stakeholders required for creating intergenerational and age-friendly places. Data were reflexively analyzed using a team approach to thematic analysis. Findings present both the thematic analysis of Virtual Co-creation Camps (VCCs) and the INTERGEN survey results. These findings are addressed in three overarching categories that highlight the necessary characteristics of AFLEs as suggested by the VCC participants and survey respondents: (i) Sensory factors: feeling and emotion as starting points for physical design; (ii) Physical and digital factors in designing AFLE spaces and places; and (iii) Socio-cultural factors: tackling ageism and exclusion as part of the solution. The analysis resulted in a pathway toward enhanced understandings on how multi-generations can better interact with fluctuating organizational domains (industry, voluntary, academic and public sectors) in urban and rural settings to facilitate intergenerational connectivity. Through processes of co-creation, an AFLE proof of concept and roadmap for public health planning was developed to support and provide opportunities for people as they age to reap the socioeconomic benefits of their local and virtual communities and help them become well integrated, valued and contributory members of society.

Voices of Indigenous Parents on Learning, Class, and Literacy Practices: Agency, Authority, and Empowerment

Drawing on interviews with parents of indigenous communities, this article presents insights into indigenous parenting aspects related to inside-and-outside classroom learning, cross-cultural complexities, and literacy practices by taking perspectives of Malaysia’s indigenous parents as an example. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological model on how individuals navigate complex interactions in a particular society, indigenous parents' authority and agency play important roles in navigating competing issues of indigenous learners' literacy, learning, and class. Implications on parenting practices, particularly on uplifting indigenous parents with sociocultural, learning, and literacy engagement within changing and challenging expectations of indigenous learners inside and outside their homes, are presented.

Rural Children's Well-Being in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives from Children in the Midwestern United States.

Children in rural areas are more likely to experience a variety of risk factors that increase their vulnerability to physical and mental health disparities. Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (1986) was used as a framework for understanding rural children's perceptions and well-being within multiple interactive contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic. This phenomenological study was designed to explore rural children's perceptions of their well-being and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their contexts and well-being. This sub-study of the Children's Understandings of Well-Being project followed the standard qualitative interview protocol with additional prompts related to the pandemic. Rural children (age 8 to 18, N = 72) from the Midwestern United States participated from March 2020 to November 2021 via teleconferencing. Phenomenological analyses of transcripts focused on the essence of children's understanding of well-being and their perception of the impact of the pandemic on their contexts and well-being. Each transcript was coded by author 1 and verified by author 2, and discrepancies were identified, discussed, and resolved. The third author served as an external auditor to enhance trustworthiness. First-cycle coding focused on children's specific references to well-being experiences during COVID-19. Second-cycle selective coding focused on specific well-being experiences and contexts that were impacted by COVID-19. These codes were used to develop two broad themes, "Well This Kinda Stinks, But We Just Adapt" and "Safety Means Something Different to Me Now." The meaning of themes and subthemes are explored, with implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

To identify and limit the risks of neglect in orphaned students: Can France manage it?

Orphans' needs are barely identified, barely acknowledged, and barely treated notably in France. Yet, parental loss might generate specific needs associated with cognitive, relational/behavioral, and emotional difficulties. In turn, such difficulties are likely to give rise to lower academic achievement. In this theoretical paper, we argue that, due to the detrimental impact of parental loss on academic achievement, orphaned students should be considered as students with special educational needs. This is important to provide appropriate educational responses consistent with inclusive education. The present paper aims to identify different specific needs of orphaned children, as a way to limit neglect of orphans. We discuss various ways to reduce the risks of neglecting orphans in French schools by using Bronfenbrenner's ecological development model and propose avenues for relevant pedagogical responses.

Influences on Infant Feeding Practices: An Ecological Perspective

Nutrition in infancy contributes to a significant portion on the notion of the importance of nutrition during the first 1000 days of life. A vast pool of literature exists on the importance of nutrition during this phase of life with future diseases, obesity and mental health. However, despite the availability of many guidelines and policies revolving around infant feeding practices, adherence to it remains poor. This review explains factors that influence infant feeding practices from an ecological point of view. A Bronfenbrenner ecological model was used to argue the influence and interaction of various ecological factors on infant feeding practices. The review highlights that the way these factors affect infant feeding differs according to populations and settings. This review suggests the need for more robust and population sensitive interventions to improve infant feeding practices globally.

Mature-aged students' experiences of learning online in regional and remote Australia: an ecological systems perspective

University students who live and work in regional, rural and remote areas face challenges in studying at a distance from their institution's metropolitan or satellite campus. For mature-aged students in particular, relocating to a city campus is unrealistic, due to their family and employment commitments, and travel time and costs. A pragmatic alternative embraced by high proportions of mature-aged students is to study online. However, learning online has welldocumented difficulties. This article explores the online learning experiences of mature-aged university students in regional and remote Australia via students' individual stories in the form of three vignettes . Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model is employed to analyse the vignettes for systemic and structural factors that condition the students' experiences. This theoretical frame affords new insights into the challenges of learning online. We found that influences beyond the actions of individual students and staff, such as students' internet access and the casualisation of the university workforce, help explain why staff working 'on the ground' may not always be able to provide 'quality' curriculum and support for online students. Placing experiences of individual students within larger contexts uncovers how institutional elements and broader higher education policy can influence the learning for students studying online.

Exploring parents’ perceptions of preschoolers’ risky outdoor play using a socio-ecological lens

ABSTRACT Outdoor play with its risks is necessary for optimal child development. Increasing attention is being paid to factors influencing children's opportunities for risky outdoor play, with parent/guardian (hereafter parent) perceptions being an important, under-researched topic. This research explored parents’ perceptions of preschoolers’ risky outdoor play. Interviews were held with 19 parents of preschoolers in Nova Scotia, Canada. Bronfenbrenner's ecological model was used to consider levels of influence related to parents’ perceptions of risky outdoor play. A qualitative descriptive approach identified key themes from interviews. Microsystem-level factors influencing parents’ perceptions included children's age, size, ability to self-assess, and comfort with risk. Mesosystem-level factors were children's companions and supervision during play. Exosystem-level factors included neighborhood location, perceived safety, and house type. Macrosystem and chronosystem-level factors included how parents’ perceptions of weather and season affected children's play, and the influences of higher societal expectations of injury avoidance on children's play over time. Findings can be used to inform strategies to promote children's quality outdoor play through understanding the factors influencing parents’ perceptions of preschoolers’ risky outdoor play.

Family: Pacific perspectives

AbstractModels that conceptualize family are employed by psychologists, governments, legislators, and policymakers to inform professional practice and formulate public policy. However, extant models are notably Western‐centric in both origin and context. Given the cultural diversity of today's globalized world, it is timely to question whether such models can adequately represent populations within their ambit. This paper takes Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems model as one representative way of thinking about family and employs it as the point of contrast with Pacific family arrangements. Particular consideration is given to Indigenous Fijian (iTaukei), Tongan, and Māori perspectives. The model was found to be inadequate for representing Pacific family arrangements. This finding has important implications as it creates a space for new insights and possibilities. To this end, key family‐related metaphors common among Pacific peoples have been incorporated to conceptualize one potential alternative.

An ecological approach to understanding the scholarship of advising practice and administration

AbstractIn order to further the argument for the consideration of advising as a high‐impact practice, there is a need for the organization of knowledge surrounding advising. This chapter contributes to the ongoing efforts to chronicle the landscape of literature on the scholarship, administration, and practice of advising. Summarization of the major themes found in empirical and best practices literature, as well as a synthesis of learning from advising‐related reports is provided alongside the introduction of a typology that draws from Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model in an effort to organize research approaches to advising in the field of higher education.

Determinants of urban cycling from the perspective of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model

Purpose: Human behavior is complex, resulting from dynamic person-environment interactions. The study of determinants in an ecological model can be useful to understand this complexity. When it comes to bicycle commuting, previous research has identified several individual and environmental determinants that can influence behaviour and likelihood to cycle. The purpose of this article is to provide an analytical framework integrating the determinants of cycling in an analysis from the perspective of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model. Methodology: Through a literature review, we select scientific articles that include studies conducted from a variety of cities in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Findings: As a result, the article presents the determining factors for bicycle commuting in a diagram based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model. Research limitation: Further research, which may include a systematic or an umbrella review, could be conducted to confirm the determining factors that influence bicycle commuting in urban areas. In addition, broader work is needed to understand which factors influence the adhesion of shared bicycles and how they fit into the ecological model proposed by Bronfenbrenner. Originality: Our article provides guidelines for an analytic framework that can be a useful tool in case studies or comparative research on mobility and urbanism.

Gender and Power Dynamics of Social Relationships Shape Willingness to Participate in Biomedical HIV Prevention Research Among South African Adolescents and Young Adults.

Background: Understanding young women and men's perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in biomedical HIV prevention research is important for designing youth friendly services (YFS) and acceptable technologies, which are necessary for preventing high sustained HIV incidence in South Africa. This study explores the multileveled barriers and facilitators to young men and women's willingness to participate in hypothetical biomedical HIV prevention research.Methods: Eight age- (16–18 and 19–24 years) and gender-stratified focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted using semi-structured interview guides to explore young South African women and men's willingness, perceived barriers, and facilitators to participating in biomedical HIV prevention research. FGD transcripts were uploaded to NVivo and coded collaboratively with youth study team members. Thematic analysis using Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (individual, inter-personal, community, and societal) was used to guide a deductive coding procedure, which was documented and compared by gender.Results: Thirty-one participants from Durban and 34 from Soweto participated in FGDs. Individual facilitators for participation were discussed more by young men and included financial incentives and altruism. Concerns about side-effects of biomedical products were a common barrier. Interpersonal relationships with peers, intimate partners and caregivers influenced young people's willingness to participate in HIV prevention research, more so among young women. For young women, gendered power dynamics and distrust of intimate partners and parents influenced both communication regarding participation and willingness to participate in research that is often stigmatized, due to societal norms around women's sexuality. On a societal level, participants expressed distrust in medical and research institutions, however a sense of community that was developed with the study staff of this project, was a motivator to participate in future studies.Discussion: At each level of the ecological model, we found participants expressed gendered barriers and facilitators for participation. Gender norms as well as distrust of partners, parents, and health care professionals were key barriers that cut across all levels. At each level participants discussed facilitators that were youth-engaged, underscoring the need to implement YFS, establish trust and address gender inequities within future biomedical HIV prevention studies wishing to engage and retain South African youth.

How Cognitively Coached Teachers Design and Facilitate Self-Directed Learning in General Education Classrooms

The purpose was to describe how cognitively coached teachers design and facilitate instruction for self-directed learning in general education classrooms. Vygotsky's social development theory and Bronfenbrenner's development ecological model of human development provided the theoretical frameworks for this study. The two sources of data that were utilized in this study were semi-structured individual interviews and a lesson plan artifactual document review. The results indicated that cognitively coached teachers design and facilitate instruction for self-directed learning through a description of the following five themes: 1) developing individualized learning with challenging expectations, 2) preparing meaningful and transferable content, 3) establishing an active learning environment, 4) engaging learners in authentic tasks, and 5) supporting student responsibility for learning.

Multilevel Correlates of Immunosuppressive Nonadherence in Kidney Transplant Patients: The Multicenter ADHERE BRAZIL Study.

Immunosuppressive nonadherence is a risk factor for worse outcomes after kidney transplantation (KT). Brazil, having the world's largest public, fully covered transplantation system and the second-highest KT volume worldwide, provides a unique setting for studying multilevel correlates of nonadherence (patient, healthcare provider, transplant center, and healthcare system levels) independent of patients' financial burden. By applying a multistage sampling approach, we included 1105 patients from 20 KT centers. Nonadherence to immunosuppressives (implementation phase) was defined as any deviation in taking or timing adherence and dose reduction assessed by the Basel Assessment of Adherence to Immunosuppressive Medications Scale. Based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological model, we assessed multilevel factors using established instruments and measures specifically developed for this study and analyzed their independent contribution to nonadherence by performing sequential logistic regression analysis. The nonadherence prevalence rate was 39.7%. The following factors were independently associated with nonadherence: Patient level-having a stable partner (odds ratio [OR]: 0.75; confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-0.97), nonadherence to appointments (OR: 2.98; CI: 2.03-4.39), and nonadherence to physical activity recommendations (OR: 1.84; CI: 1.38-2.46); and transplant center level-satisfaction with the waiting room structure (OR: 0.54; CI: 0.42-0.71), consultation >30 minutes (OR: 1.60; CI: 1.19-2.14), adequacy of the consultation frequency (OR: 0.62; CI: 0.43-0.90), and centers with >500 beds (OR: 0.58; CI: 0.46-0.73). As the first multicenter study assessing multilevel correlates of nonadherence in KT, our findings point to the need for multilevel interventions beyond the patient level, targeting transplant center practice patterns as an approach to tackle nonadherence.

Factors influencing silencing of women who experience intimate partner violence: An integrative review

Abstract Although researchers have explored factors that reinforce the silencing of women who experience intimate partner violence, integrated understanding of how factors at each level ofan ecological subsystem interact to reinforce the silencing is missing. So, we used an ecological lens to synthesize the evidence base to examine the factors influencing the silencing of women who experience intimate partner violence. We used the integrative review method. We included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies published in the English language that focused on women above 16 years of age experiencing intimate partner violence and discussed reasons for their silencing on the issue. We extracted qualitative data on factors reinforcing the silencing and coded the data into the subsystems of the Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (macro-, meso-, exo-, and microsystem). Twenty-one articles met the inclusion criteria. Microsystem factors (self-blame, concern for family, concern for children) were the most common factors that reinforced the silencing of women irrespective of the country of origin. Macrosystem factors (societal expectations, normalization of violence, religious values, immigration policies) followed in the second position. Service provider's knowledge of these factors is crucial to facilitate women's disclosure respectfully and empathetically.