Child School Research Articles

Mother’s age at marriage and gender-differential in child schooling: Evidence from Pakistan

In this study, we provide empirical evidence in support of intergenerational effects of women’s marriage age on girl-specific child education outcomes using a nationally representative household survey of 24,809 households from Pakistan. Our key findings are four-fold: First, we find that mother’s age at marriage has no girl-specific impact on the education of children of school going age in terms of school enrolment, type of school (public/private) or education expenditure. However, there is a positive effect of delaying mother’s marriage on girls in terms of relative grade progression and primary school attainment, implying that late-marrying mothers are more likely to transfer their human capital advantages/disadvantages to the daughters. Second, the impact does not depend on whether the child is firstborn or later-order, youngest child or with no siblings. Sex of the previous child does not affect the relationship either. Third, the beneficial impact of mother’s marriage age on girls’ education is visible only in the cohort of women who got married in 2000 or later. Fourth, father’s marriage age is significantly associated with an increase in daughters’ school enrolment and primary completion. The impact of smaller spousal age difference is also positive. These findings are robust to the use of empirical strategies and specifications that address potential endogeneity, collider bias, recall bias, sample selection and confounding factors. These findings suggest that delay in women’s marriage is helping to narrow down gender disparities in education. The findings underscore the need to promote social and behavioural changes that encourage later marriages.

Short-term impact of a combination intervention on family cohesion: Results from a pilot cluster-randomized clinical trial in Northern Ghana.

Child labor remains a concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, evidence-based preventive efforts are limited. We analyzed longitudinal data from Ghanaian adolescent girls in a pilot randomized clinical trial testing the preliminary impact of a combination intervention on family cohesion as a protective factor against child labor and school dropout. While there was no statistical difference between the control and intervention groups at 9 months, the results show that family cohesion scores improved significantly from baseline to 9 months for the ANZANSI intervention group. Qualitative results indicated improved family cohesion in the intervention group. Hence, future studies should further examine this promising social work intervention.

Parent reported outcomes for idiopathic clubfoot children treated with the Ponseti technique: An analysis of 140 feet followed minimum 5 years

ObjectiveThe treated clubfoot children are often evaluated clinically during follow-up. However, patient reported outcomes (PROM) are seldom analysed for these children. We investigated 87 idiopathic clubfoot children (140 feet) treated by the Ponseti method and followed minimum 5 years to study their clinical outcomes and PROM. Material and methodsThis was a cross-sectional study, based on evaluating treated clubfoot children clinically (Pirani score) and PROM (Oxford Ankle and Foot Questionnaire – Parent Version) and comparing them with the age-matched healthy controls (n = 60). The questionnaire has four main domains related to the child's physical, school and play, emotional and footwear profile. The children having persistent deformity (residual/relapse) were specifically studied for their PROM scores. ResultsThe mean child age at initial treatment was 2.3 months and the mean follow-up duration was 6.9 years. The PROM score of clubfoot children was statistically lower than the healthy controls (p < 0.001). Of the individual domains, the physical domain was the most affected. On calculating the Pirani scores, 10 out of 140 feet (7 %) had some form of persistent deformity. The children with persistent deformity had lower Oxford scores than healthy children or those with corrected feet. The physical domain followed by the emotional domain scored low when persistent deformity was present. ConclusionsMost children (98 %) had a plantigrade foot following Ponseti treatment at follow-up. However, PROM score of the clubfoot children did not correspond to the clinical outcome. Persistent deformity, even minor, was a cause of parental concern and resulted in a low PROM score.

What Matters in Choosing School for Children’s Education? Experiences from Kottayam, Kerala

While the role of education in fostering social stability and increasing a country’s human capital is well recognised, there are debates on policies and institutional arrangements in this regard. In particular, parents’ choice of schools appears to be a critical issue as it can influence both educational outcomes and inclusiveness. Given that there is a broader homogeneity in infrastructure facilities available at both household and school levels, one would expect that household-related factors will influence the choice of schooling of children. This article examines such household-level factors that influence households’ choice of schools for children in selected areas of Kottayam District, Kerala. A primary survey was conducted in December 2021 comprising 300 households. Based on the results of the estimated binary logit and probit models, this article reports that the choice of school for children is significantly influenced by households’ ethnic background and economic status, and sex, education, and primary occupation of the family head. There is a higher likelihood of choosing public schools by households from the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe category, those living below the poverty line, or those with agriculture as the primary occupation. On the contrary, this likelihood is less for households with educated and male heads. However, the choice of school for children does not differ significantly between rural and urban households. Further, there is no gender inequality in choosing schools. The findings suggest that future government policies should emphasise infrastructure development and quality improvement in government schools to promote socio-economic inclusion in education.

Exploring Black parents’ critical consciousness in relation to their engagement with their children's schools

AbstractDespite consensus that parent involvement is integral to children's educational success, Black parents’ involvement remains largely characterized from a deficits‐based perspective. Using critical race and critical consciousness theories, this study explored parents’ analysis of educational inequities and their school engagement. Using interview data from a sample of Black parents (n = 20), emergent understandings of parents’ thoughts, motivations, and actions to engage with their child's school were explored. Findings revealed that Black parents held both critical and traditional views, expressed themes of internal and external efficacy in their motivation, and engaged critically and traditionally in their child's education. Results are consonant with literature on Black parents’ engagement and to the nascent understanding of how parents' beliefs about structural racial oppression within schools impacts how they engage in that space.

(Joint) Bank Savings, Female Empowerment, and Child Labor in Rural Ethiopia

Abstract This study examines whether the random allocation of single and joint savings accounts to cash crop farmers in rural Ethiopia is associated with increased savings and changes in decision-making authority and control over resources that could ultimately affect child labor and schooling resource allocations. Consistent with posited channels of intrahousehold bargaining models, women from households assigned to the joint saving treatment group show significant gains in autonomy and control of savings resources, broader financial empowerment, and increased labor participation. Positive effects on school participation and attendance are reported for girls, although point estimates are measured imprecisely. In a setting where schooling and child labor are not mutually exclusive, children work more when joint deposit accounts are available. In the absence of impacts on household income, this increase in child labor is explained by complementarities between adult farm labor and child labor in the household production function, which is reinforced by lumpy investments in labor-intensive agricultural inputs that likely increased the opportunity costs of children's time.

Maternal thyroid function in early pregnancy and offspring school performance and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Thyroid hormones are critical for neural development, and during the first trimester of pregnancy the fetus relies fully on maternal thyroid hormone production. To investigate the associations between maternal thyroid hormone levels in the first trimester with the child's school performance, risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). From the Copenhagen Primary Care Laboratory Pregnancy Database information on first trimester TSH and fT4 measurements in mothers of children born in 2000-2014 were linked with information on the child's standardized test scores in school, ADHD (patient record diagnoses and medication) and ASD (patient record diagnoses) until end of 2018. Associations of TSH and fT4 with the outcomes were individually assessed by linear mixed models and Cox regression models. The analyses were stratified by preexisting maternal thyroid disorders. TSH measurements were available for 17,909 mother-child dyads. Among those with children born in 2000-2009, 6,126 had a standardized school test score and were analyzed for the association between maternal thyroid hormone levels and child's school performance, and no support for an association was found. The association between thyroid hormone levels and child's risk of ADHD and ASD were analyzed for the 17,909 dyads and with no support for an association between thyroid hormone levels and these neurodevelopmental disorders. Stratification by preexisting maternal thyroid disorders did not affect the results. We found no evidence for associations between first trimester maternal thyroid hormone levels and child's school performance, or risk of ADHD or ASD.

Developing a Whole Child School Screening Instrument: Evaluating Perceived Usability as an Initial Step in Planning for Consequential Validity

We are developing the Equitable Screening to Support Youth (ESSY) Whole Child Screener to address concerns prevalent in existing school-based screenings that impede goals to advance educational equity using universal screeners. Traditional assessment development does not include end users in the early development phases, instead relying on a psychometric approach. In working to develop the ESSY Whole Child Screener, we are integrating a mixed methods approach with attention to consequential validity from the outset of measure development. This approach includes end users in measure development decisions. In this study, we interviewed a diverse sample of school staff (n = 7), administrators (n = 3), and family caregivers (n = 8) to solicit their perceptions of the usability of the initial draft of the ESSY Whole Child Screener. We identified three overarching themes: (1) paving the road for implementation of a whole child screener, (2) potential roadblocks to use, and (3) suggested paths forward to maximize positive intended consequences. Paving the road for implementation of a whole child screener includes subthemes related to alignment with existing initiatives, comprehensive yet efficient design, and potential positive consequences of assessing the whole child. Potential roadblocks to use includes subthemes of staff buy-in, family comfort with contextual screening items, teacher accuracy, and school capacity to provide indicated supports. Suggested paths forward to maximize positive intended consequences include clear and precise messaging to staff and families, optimizing instrumentation and data collection procedures, and strengthening connections to data interpretation and use. We discuss next steps in the design and testing of the initial measure as well as assessment development more broadly.

The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement in the Association Between Maltreatment and Bullying Perpetration: Testing the Differences of Gender and Household Registration

ABSTRACTAlthough previous studies have indicated that adverse childhood experiences profoundly impact children's psychological and behavioural development, comprehensive investigations into the direct and indirect mechanisms through which maltreatment affects bullying perpetration among Chinese children are lacking. This study aims to explore the effect of maltreatment on children's bullying perpetration and the potential mediating role of moral disengagement. Moreover, the gender and household registration differences in the associations are also investigated. Employing a multistage cluster sampling method, 1318 questionnaires were collected (612 males, 706 females, mean age = 15). Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the hypothesized theoretical model. The findings reveal that the experiences of maltreatment in early childhood directly influence children's bullying perpetration, with moral disengagement potentially mediating this association. Furthermore, substantial gender disparities exist in the effect of maltreatment on bullying perpetration, and notable variations based on household registration are observed in the association of maltreatment on children's moral disengagement. These findings enhance our understanding of how childhood maltreatment affects children's bullying perpetration and offer valuable insights for the development of social policy and intervention programmes targeting child maltreatment and school bullying.

Child Labor Bans, Employment, and School Attendance: Evidence from Changes in the Minimum Working Age

Abstract This paper investigates the effect of a unique child labor ban regulation on employment and school enrollment. The ban, implemented in Mexico in 2015, increased the minimum working age from 14 to 15, introduced restrictions to employing underage individuals, and imposed stricter penalties for violation of the law. Our identification strategy relies on a DiD approach that exploits the date of birth as a natural cutoff to assign individuals into treatment and control groups. The ban led to a decrease in the probability to work by 1.2 percentage points, resembling a 16 percent decrease in the probability to work relative to the pre-reform mean, and an increase in the probability of being enrolled in school by 2.2 percentage points for the treatment group. These results are driven by a reduction in employment in paid work, and in the manufacturing and services sectors. The effects are persistent several years after the ban.

Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of supportive parents – coping kids (SPARCK)—a transdiagnostic and personalized parent training intervention to prevent childhood mental health problems

BackgroundTo meet the scientific and political call for effective prevention of child and youth mental health problems and associated long-term consequences, we have co-created, tested, and optimized a transdiagnostic preventive parent-training intervention, Supportive parents – coping kids (SPARCK), together with and for the municipal preventive frontline services. The target group of SPARCK is parents of children between 4 and 12 years who display symptoms of anxiety, depression, and/or behavioral problems, that is, indicated prevention. The intervention consists of components from various empirically supported interventions representing different theorical models on parent–child interactions and child behavior and psychopathology (i.e., behavioral management interventions, attachment theory, emotion socialization theory, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and family accommodation intervention). The content and target strategies of SPARCK are tailored to the needs of the families and children, and the manual suggests how the target strategies may be personalized and combined throughout the maximum 12 sessions of the intervention. The aim of this project is to investigate the effectiveness of SPARCK on child symptoms, parenting practices, and parent and child stress hormone levels, in addition to later use of specialized services compared with usual care (UC; eg. active comparison group).MethodsWe describe a randomized controlled effectiveness trial in the frontline services of child welfare, health, school health and school psychological counselling services in 24 Norwegian municipalities. It is a two-armed parallel group randomized controlled effectiveness and superiority trial with 252 families randomly allocated to SPARCK or UC. Assessment of key variables will be conducted at pre-, post-, and six-month follow-up.DiscussionThe current study will contribute with knowledge on potential effects of a preventive transdiagnostic parent-training intervention when compared with UC. Our primary objective is to innovate frontline services with a usable, flexible, and effective intervention for prevention of childhood mental health problems to promote equity in access to care for families and children across a heterogeneous service landscape characterized by variations in available resources, personnel, and end user symptomatology.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID: NTCT05800522

Parent-school collaboration based on the frequency of visits to their child's school

This study examines parent-school collaboration in primary schools. School administrators, teachers, and parents are the stakeholders of the school, together with the students. Coordinated and harmonious work by all stakeholders increases the success of the school. The family plays an important role in raising a child, and the importance of collaboration between school and family is increasing day by day. Therefore, we expect parents to collaborate with teachers and school administrators in this process. The sample consists of 336 primary school parents randomly selected from 4 schools in Edirne, Turkey. We used the "parent-school collaboration scale" to collect research data. The scale contains 30 items and 5 subscales. ANOVA (Analysis of variance) was used in the analysis of the data, and in cases where the difference between population means was significant, LSD (the least significant difference) test statistical techniques were used to determine the source of the difference. Interdimensional relationships were determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient technique. There is a recursive relationship between the parents' collaborative attitude and their communication with the school. If the level of communication between parents and other stakeholders in the school increases, the attitude towards collaboration with the school will also be more positive. According to the research findings, the importance of parents sharing information about their children is emerging.

Entrepreneurship and human capital development in children: The case of Tanzania

ABSTRACT This paper examines the contribution of household non-farm enterprises (NFEs) to human capital development in children, measured through child labour and schooling. We use nationally representative panel data from Tanzania and control for observed and time-invariant unobserved factors in pooled least squares and household fixed effects estimations. Both contemporaneous and dynamic analyses are performed separately for boys and girls and for different types of NFEs, including those with and without employees, as well as father- and mother-owned NFEs. We find that father-owned and NFEs without employees are associated with less child labour on average. The impacts on schooling are not consistently estimated, except for girls and father-owned NFEs. Less child labour among boys is associated with father’s NFEs and among girls with NFEs hiring employees. Our findings indicate that NFEs may contribute to reducing the child labour problem, but they may be insufficient for resolving low school attendance.

FEASIBILITY OF SCHOOL-BASED SCREENING FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN CHILDREN: THE HEALTHY HEARTS @ SCHOOL STUDY

Objective: High blood pressure (BP) in childhood is associated with end organ damage and cardiovascular events in mid-adulthood. Community-based BP screening may improve equitable access and awareness, but robust methodology is required. Accordingly, our aim was to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a two-stage school-based BP screening program incorporating targeted 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Design and method: One-hundred-ninety-eight children (59% male, 7.6–12.7 years) in grades 3-6 were recruited from three primary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Following an education session for all children in these grades, BP was measured five times in students after parental consent, using the auscultatory method, alternating between arms and after five minutes of rest. Those with an average BP &gt;85th percentile (AAP thresholds) or a risk factor for high BP had these measurements repeated two weeks later, along with ABPM. Families and students also completed an optional questionnaire post-program. Results: At the first assessment, 11 (5.6%) and 10 (5.0%) had elevated or hypertensive BP respectively (14.6% combined if using just the first measure). Fifty-nine (29.8%) were selected for the second assessment (including 10 with obesity, 15 born premature, four with a history of congenital heart disease, and nine with BP &gt;85th percentile, but &lt;90th percentile), of which 52 attended. ABPM indicated that 11 (5.6%) and five (2.5%) had white coat hypertension based on assessment one and two respectively, three (1.5%) had sustained hypertension (based on either assessment stage), and two (1%) had masked hypertension. Three additional participants each had either high BPs during school assessment but did not undertake, or had inconclusive, ABPMs. Overall, 11 (5.6%) were referred to a doctor for medical follow-up. The majority of students (67%) reported that ABPM was tolerable (‘bothersome’ score &lt;8/10 for day and/or night). 96% of families approved of the program and 90% welcomed it as part of their child's schooling. Conclusions: These data indicate that a school-based BP screening program is acceptable and feasible, and that measuring BP on multiple occasions, and with targeted ABPM, is pivotal for minimising false positives and unnecessary referrals.

Child labour and schooling in Tanzania

Child labour and schooling in Tanzania

Mental health and professional outcomes in parents of children with chronic kidney disease.

This study evaluated parenting stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms and their associated factors in parents of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This cross-sectional study compared parents of patients with CKD (0-18years) with a matched control group of parents of healthy children. Both groups completed the Parenting Stress Index - Short Form, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The study group consisted of 45 parents (median age 39; 32 mothers) of CKD patients (median age 8; 36% female). Nearly 75% of children had CKD stages 2, 3, or 4, and 44.5% had congenital anomaly of the kidney and urinary tract. Five children (11%) were on dialysis, and 4 (9%) had a functioning kidney graft. Compared with parents of healthy children, more stress and anxiety symptoms were reported. Since the CKD diagnosis, 47% of parents perceived a deterioration of their own health, and 40% reduced work on a structural basis. Higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms were associated with a more negative perception of own health, and more child medical comorbidities and school absence. This study showed higher levels of parenting stress and anxiety symptoms in parents of children with CKD compared with parents of healthy children. This was associated with a less positive perception of their own health, especially if the child had more medical comorbidities or more absence from school. Psychosocial interventions to reduce the parental burden should be integrated in the standard care of pediatric nephrology departments.

“It Wasn’t Just in My Head”: A Qualitative Study on Nurturing the Racial Literacy of Mexican American Aspiring School Leaders in South Texas

This qualitative study centers on interview data from ten Mexican American aspiring school leaders as they developed their racial literacy across two sociocultural foundations courses in a principal preparation program at a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. The theoretical perspectives framing this study include notions of racial literacy and the subtractive schooling of Mexican school children in the United States. Findings illustrate how coursework strengthened Mexican American participants’ racial literacy in several ways. The discussion elaborates on racial literacy from theory to practice and the contextual elements that promote anti-racial literacy in P-20 settings in South Texas.

A Currency of Love: Illuminating Motherhood Across Immigrant, Cultural, and Socioeconomic Lines During COVID-19

The school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the work and home lives of families. Drawing on data from 19 interviews with Brazilian and non-Brazilian mothers in one urban elementary school, we explore how mothers negotiated their roles as caregivers, breadwinners, and teachers during this unprecedented time. Braiding Oliveira's concept of the currency of love with Yosso's concept of community cultural wealth, we argue that mothers across immigrant, cultural, and socioeconomic lines enacted similar care practices to sustain their children's learning. This study advances the literature by illuminating the sometimes invisible efforts of mothers to nurture their children's schooling.

Too Hard, Too Easy, or Just Right: The Productivity of Schooling and the Match between Child Skill and School Complexity

Abstract This study proposes a novel way of modeling the heterogeneous effects of schooling based on the notion that learning is maximized when the skill of the child matches the complexity of the learning experiences at school. It offers direct evidence about the importance of this match using longitudinal information on test scores and schooling attained by children from Peru, India, and Vietnam. Using data from Peru, it also finds that the relation between the effect of schooling and early childhood skill can follow an inverted-U shape. Increasing early childhood skill will raise the productivity of the school up to the point where it matches school complexity. Further increases in child skill, however, will reduce the productivity of schooling as they will widen the mismatch. If one relates the quality of schools to the amount of learning they produce, this framework predicts that quality gains can be achieved by reducing these mismatches.

Parental Involvement in Secondary Education: A Comparative Study Between Private and Government Schools

This paper explores parental involvement in secondary education through a comparative study between private and Government schools in India. Acknowledging the crucial role of parental engagement in children's educational journey, the study seeks to understand how parents contribute to their children's schooling experiences in different educational settings. Drawing upon historical contexts, the emergence of private schools in India, and the objectives of the study, the research employs a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, and academic performance analysis. The results reveal differences in the extent and nature of parental involvement between private and Government schools, influenced by factors such as socioeconomic status, parental education level, and school culture. While both types of schools benefit from parental involvement, private schools often exhibit more direct engagement from parents in shaping school policies and programs. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing variations in parental involvement to promote equitable opportunities for all students to thrive in school. Government