Ecological Model Of Human Development Research Articles

The critical role of class tutor in family-school partnership

In the Portuguese school system the class tutor is a teacher who plays a pivotal role in bridging schools and families. The purpose of this study is to describe the innovative project of school-family partnership at class level implemented by a class tutor through an entire academic year. A qualitative case study research focused on the understanding of the relationship processes and of the solutions to the problems identified was adopted in order to grasp the meanings each actor (class tutor, parents, students and class teachers) ascribed to the events and processes related to school-family partnership, while connecting those meanings to the social context in which they lived. The analytical framework was mainly constituted a priori by categories derived from the ecological model of human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), the framework of six types of involvement (Epstein, 1997), and the theory of overlapping spheres of influence (Sanders and Epstein, 1998), complemented by data-driven categories and particular auxiliary theories.The findings of this study emphasized the importance of the frequency and diversity of school-family partnership activities in order to accommodate the specific needs of every family. The quality of communication and interpersonal relationships between the class tutor and parents plays a critical role in the development of trust and subsequently in partnership efficacy. Face-to-face contexts of communication are particularly effective.

Concurrent and Longitudinal Associations Between Parent Math Support in Early Childhood and Math Skills: A Meta-Analytic Study

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to summarize evidence about the relations between parent math support in children aged 3–5 years (from several countries in America, Asia, and Europe) and concurrent and longitudinal math outcomes. The (bio)ecological model of human development guided our hypotheses. The design and reporting of this meta-analysis used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We screened 2,163 abstracts, from which 135 full-text studies were assessed for eligibility. Forty-five studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria and were retained (representing 244 effect sizes); 90 studies were discarded as they did not include preschool children or measures of both parent math support and children’s math skills. Meta-analysis using Correlated and Hierarchical Effect (CHE) models showed a significant positive association between parent math support and child math skills for both concurrent and longitudinal studies. On average, higher parent math support was associated with better math skills in children, albeit these being small effect sizes. We found non-significant or inconclusive moderator effects related to formal vs. informal parent math support, type of children’s math skills, participants’ characteristics (e.g., child age and child/parent gender), parent education, and study characteristics. There was a significant moderator effect of the specificity of parent math support, with global assessments showing higher correlations with math outcomes than specific assessments. The publication bias analysis showed small-study effects for longitudinal but not for concurrent studies. Conclusions are drawn regarding the importance of promoting parent math support and informing future intervention studies.

Ecological correlates of adolescents' sense of agency: Are there differences for boys and girls?

Although the literature recognizes the relevance of sense of agency during adolescence, little is known about which factors can promotes or undermines this belief. Identifying the factors that determine adolescents' sense of agency is a challenging task that must consider influences assessed at both the individual and structural levels for a more comprehensive understanding. Guided by assumptions of the ecological model of human development, this study analyzes the contribution of adolescents' age, cumulative family disadvantage, peer relationships, student-teacher ratio, and school's goal structure to adolescents' sense of agency and explore if these links vary according to their sex. The sample comprised 1189 adolescents (15–18 years) and 18 school heads. Family disadvantage and peer alienation were associated with a lower sense of agency regardless of sex. Trustful peer relationships were linked to a stronger sense of agency for boys. Schools with a high student-teacher ratio and a strong focus on performance can undermine girls' sense of agency. Regardless of sex, adolescents who attended schools with lower performance and higher mastery goals showed a stronger sense of agency than adolescents who attended schools with both low performance and mastery. Findings are discussed based on ecological approach of human agency and attachment theory.

Exploring Students’ Experiences of an Internationalized University Through a Person-in-Context Lens

The aim of this article is to provide better understanding around the challenges facing university internationalization by exploring students’ experiences of an internationalized university through a Person-in-Context lens. The article reports on a study that took place at a metropolitan university in Australia and which utilized both a quantitative questionnaire and qualitative individual interviews to explore students’ expectations, experiences, and perceptions of their internationalized university. Main findings have been applied to Volet’s person-in-context adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development in order to address the research question, “What influences students’ experiences of an internationalized university?” This article presents the application of findings to the person-in-context model and discusses implications that can be drawn about the student experience of internationalized universities.

Exploring The College Enrollment of Students from Rural Areas: Considerations for Scholarly Practitioners

Rural students graduate high school at a rate comparable to their urban and suburban peers; however, people from rural areas attend college at the lowest rate. Due to this discrepancy and the ever-growing importance of postsecondary education, this article summarizes and synthesizes works on the college enrollment of students from rural areas. The article begins with background information on the benefits of postsecondary education, definitions of rurality, the educational attainment of rural people, as well as institutional type and attendance patterns of rural students. Next, using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development as a guiding framework, literature about the individual, family, and school factors associated with the college enrollment of rural people is reviewed. Based upon these discussions, recommendations for educational practices are explored, providing ways to promote the postsecondary enrollment of people from rural areas. These sections are then summarized within one table as a quick guide and resource for student affairs and higher education practitioner-scholars. Recommendations for educational research are also included towards the end of the article.

Access, Advocacy, and Impact: How Public Libraries Are Contributing to Educational Equity for Children and Families in Underserved Communities

ABSTRACT This article details the findings from Project LOCAL (Library Outreach as a Community Anchor in Learning),a mixed-methods study that explored how public libraries contribute to educational equity by going into community locations to reach and serve families and children in underserved communities who cannot come into the library due to a variety of barriers. The data revealed four main aspects to this outreach work: program types, locations, goals, and partnerships. Public libraries offer a variety of program types – literacy programs, summer meal programs, STEAM programs – in various locations, like schools, shelters, housing developments, barbershops, and others. These programs and services are developed with an array of goals in mind, broadly categorized as related to access, advocacy, and impact, to serve a variety of underserved communities. Furthermore, libraries are forming complex, fruitful partnerships with different community organizations to build trust, relationships, and goodwill in these communities. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development provides a lens for situating these four aspects within the various environmental systems in families’ lives and reveals how, through outreach work, librarians are moving from outer, less visible systems to more central ones that reinforce their relevance and importance in the lives of families in underserved communities.

Understanding the determinants of postnatal care uptake for babies: A mixed effects multilevel modelling of 2016\u201318 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey

BackgroundPapua New Guinea (PNG) recorded 22 neonatal deaths out of every 1,000 livebirths in 2019. Some of these deaths are related to complications that arise shortly after childbirth; hence, postnatal care (PNC) utilisation could serve as a surviving strategy for neonates as recommended by the World Health Organisation. National level study on determinants of PNC uptake in PNG is limited. Utilising the Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Human Development, the study aimed at assessing determinants of PNC utilisation for babies by their mothers aged 15–49 in PNG.MethodsThe study used data from the women’s file of the 2016–18 PNG Demographic and Health Survey (2016–18 PNGDHS) and a sample of 4,908 women aged 15–49 who had complete information on the variables of interest to the study. Nineteen (19) explanatory variables were selected for the study whereas PNC for babies within first two months after being discharged after birth was the main outcome variable. At 95% confidence interval (95% CI), six multilevel logistic models were built. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was used to assess models’ fit. All analyses were carried out using STATA version 14.0.ResultsGenerally, 31% of the women utilised PNC for their babies. Women with primary education [aOR = 1.42, CI = 1.13–1.78], those belonging to the middle wealth quintile [aOR = 1.42, CI = 1.08–1.87], working class [aOR = 1.28, CI = 1.10–1.49], women who had the four or more ANC visits [aOR = 1.23, CI = 1.05–1.43], those with twins [aOR = 1.83, CI = 1.01–3.29], women who belonged to community of medium literate class [aOR = 1.75, CI = 1.34–2.27] and those of moderate socioeconomic status [aOR = 1.60, CI = 1.16–2.21] had higher odds of seeking PNC for their babies. The odds to seek PNC services for babies reduced among the cohabiting women [aOR = 0.79, CI = 0.64–0.96], those at parity four or more [aOR = 0.77, CI = 0.63–0.93], women who gave birth to small babies [aOR = 0.80, CI = 0.67–0.98] and residents in the Highlands region [aOR = 0.47, CI = 0.36–0.62].ConclusionsMaternal education, wealth quintile, occupation, partner’s education, ANC visits, marital status, parity, child size at birth, twin status, community literacy and socioeconomic status as well as region of residence were associated with PNC uptake for babies in PNG. Variation in PNC uptake for babies existed from one community/cluster to the other. There is the need to strengthen public health education to increase awareness about the benefits of seeking PNC services for babies among women in PNG. Such programs should consider maternal and community/cluster characteristics in their design.

Work-to-Family Conflict and Children's Problems with School, Friends, and Health: Household Economic Conditions and Couple Relationship Quality as Contingencies.

What is the relationship between work-to-family conflict (WFC) and children’s problems with school, friends, and health? And does that association depend on household economic conditions and couple relationship quality? Using four waves of longitudinal data from the Canadian Work, Stress, and Heath Study (2011–2017), the present study finds that—overall—both fathers’ and mothers’ levels of WFC are associated with elevated levels of children’s problems over time. However, we also discover that household income and spousal disputes moderate this focal relationship—and they do so differently for mothers and fathers. First, the positive association between WFC and children’s problems is stronger for mothers (but not fathers) in households with lower income. Second, the positive association between WFC and children’s problems is stronger for fathers (but not mothers) who report more frequent disputes with their spouse. We discuss the implications of these patterns for current theorizing about stress amplification dynamics and situate that discussion within broader ideas in the ecological model of human development.

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.

Podrška u vaspitanju porodicama u riziku u okviru organizacije civilnog društva - iskustva korisnika udruženja MoSt

Introduction. Some families need additional support in performing a demanding parenting role, especially families at risk who do not have suffcient capacity to adequately respond to the child's needs. The functioning of such families is infuenced by risk factors arising from the family, but also from the wider social environment. Sometimes, the support and the role of a protective factor are taken over by civil society organizations that base their interventions mainly on quality interpersonal relationships and fully and timely meet the needs of children and families at risk. Objective. This research aimed to identify and understand the factors that families at risk perceive as support and assistance. Methods. The theoretical framework of the research is Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development. The interview method was used to collect data from 14 participants (mothers, fathers and children), users of the MoSt association from Split. Results. The results obtained by thematic analysis provide insight into: manifest forms of behavioral problems in children in the sample, service providers to families at risk, risk factors leading to the problem, assessment of support by civil society organizations and outcomes of the intervention. Research participants particularly emphasize the feeling of support that arises from the experienced, perceived feeling of comfort, security, friendliness, recognition and acceptance, and even the feeling of "as if you are in a family." Both children and parents value the values behind support, which are respect, friendship, acceptance, and polite, decent communication. Conclusion. It has been shown that the organization of civil society is a kind of "bridge", i.e. that it moderates and facilitates between the family and state institutions. What is visible in the testimony of the participants is the perceived availability of the organization itself, its resources, services and people, as well as the specifcity of the services provided to the family.

Children Born of Sexual and Gender‐Based Violence in Conflict: The International Criminal Court, Ecological Environments and Human Development

Children born of sexual and gender‐based violence in conflict have slowly gained international attention, even featuring in international criminal justice processes, such as those at the International Criminal Court (ICC). These children suffer unique harms due to the circumstances surrounding their birth, with a burgeoning literature documenting the long‐term and multigenerational impact on their development. This article contributes to this existing literature by applying Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development to ICC responses to these children, yielding a more nuanced understanding of the ICC as part of the ecological environment in which child development occurs.

“It Was Really Tough”—Exploring the Feelings of Isolation and Cultural Dissonance With Black American Males at a Predominantly White Institution

Black American males and low socioeconomic status students face a gauntlet of obstacles when pursuing their college degrees. These young men do not earn degrees at the same rate as their peers. As campus engagement, recreation, and leisure play pivotal roles in students’ experiences, investigating their influence relative to social integration might facilitate a better understanding of the issues they face. This study explored how Black American male undergraduates from low socioeconomic status backgrounds perceived the roles that campus engagement, recreation, and leisure played in their social integration. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development guided the qualitative approach to this study. Seventeen participants were interviewed, and interwoven themes related to feelings of isolation and cultural dissonance emerged. Theorizing about the complex roles leisure plays, in some cases, creating isolation and cultural dissonance and, in others, helping students navigate the challenges of college are presented.

A Cross-Cultural Year of Service Theoretical Model

Growing numbers of young people in diverse nations are participating in cross-cultural year of service programs. This paper provides an overview of global trends in the cross-cultural year of service, and a more detailed literature review of two such programs: AmeriCorps*NCCC and the Peace Corps. Drawing upon the ecological model of human development, the theory of emerging adulthood, and the lens model of service-learning, this paper proposes a cross-cultural year of service theoretical model to inform the work of researchers, policymakers, and community development practitioners concerned with year of service programs.

The Role of School Counselors in the Career and College Readiness of Foster Care Youth: An Ecological Systems Theory Approach

ABSTRACTSchool counselors are in a position to facilitate the educational needs of foster care youth who often face numerous barriers to higher education. In this article, the author proposes using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Human Development and the four themes of the American School Counselor Association to conceptualize the role school counselors have in enhancing the career and college readiness of foster care youth. School counselors as leaders and advocates is emphasized.

The Ecology of Volunteerism Among College Women: Identifying Campus Environments that Inform Volunteering Behaviors

This study explores the relationship between campus environments, female college student peer culture, and the tendency to volunteer while in college. The authors used Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development (1977, 2005) as a framework to (a) identify one multi-faceted campus environment that is linked to volunteerism among college women and (b) investigate the experiences of both those who do and do not volunteer in college. Findings suggest that females who participate in student clubs/groups, leadership training, and racial/cultural awareness workshops are over 10 times more likely to volunteer compared to students who do not engage in these three specific campus environments. The authors also show that the relationships between some academic and co-curricular experiences are vastly different between women who volunteer and women who do not volunteer. The results of this study not only shed light on the importance of using a more nuanced approach toward examining patterns of volunteerism but also offer a template for researchers and practitioners to apply the ecological model to their own unique campus populations and settings.

Connecting Cultures: A training model promoting evidence-based psychological services for refugees.

Training clinical psychology graduate students in providing effective psychological services to refugees can be extremely complex. The training approach requires a culturally sensitive framework, potential modification of empirically validated techniques, and flexibility on the part of trainees and supervisors. Connecting Cultures is a program that creates a culturally sensitive context from which trainees can learn to effectively work with refugees within a social justice framework and the ecological model of human development. Connecting Cultures graduate students provide both community-based outreach and direct clinical services to meet the mental health needs of refugees in the Northeast region of the United States. The primary aim of this manuscript is to provide an overview of Connecting Cultures' training and supervision model, highlight the importance of working with cultural consultants, interpreters, and community elders, and discuss the impact this work has on clinical psychology graduate students. A secondary aim is to describe our method for evidence-based psychological assessment and to present preliminary outcome data from our graduate students. Strengths of the Connecting Cultures program include its clinical and research efforts with refugees from over 20 countries, and its ability to flexibly incorporate alternative therapeutic frameworks such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Finally, the manuscript concludes by providing the implications of our work in attempting to meet the mental health needs of refugees after resettlement.

Mental Health, Physical Health and Other Individual Risk Factors for Elder Maltreatment: Findings from the National Study

OBJECTIVES: The first Macedonian National Prevalence study of elder maltreatment in private settings was conducted in 2011 and 2012. This article provides an overview of the risk factors on individual level regarding the ecological model of human development. METHOD: The study involved 960 respondents who provided answers to a face-to-face survey questionnaire and a Geriatric Depression Scale. The Mini-Mental State Examination test was used as a pre selection criterion. The achieved sample was weighted to be representative on the Macedonian population aged 65 and over. RESULTS : Being women, being married, with elementary school education, suffering from certain chronic diseases, sensory impairment, are potential risk factors on individual level for elderly Maltreatment. CONCLUSION: The findings support the previous quantitative data obtained in other countries, as well as the concept of ecological framework.

Dilemmas Related to the Professional Self-Identity of Russian-Speaking Teachers in Estonia: Adapting and Accommodating to Changes in the Language-in-Education Domain

Inspired by the ecological model of human development and inter-subjectivist perspective of identity formation, the article addresses the complexity of professional interactions and highlights the spectrum of possible reactions of Russian-speaking teachers in Estonia to changes in the domain of language-in-education. The qualitative research demonstrates different models of the teachers’ self-views that are constructed and practiced in the interaction within significant layers identified by the ecological approach and reveals the diversity of the dilemmas teachers as professionals face in their everyday working lives.

Behavioral and Emotional Problems on the Teacher’s Report Form: A Cross-National, Cross-Clinic Comparative Analysis of Gender Dysphoric Children and Adolescents

For gender dysphoric children and adolescents, the school environment may be challenging due to peer social ostracism and rejection. To date, information on the psychological functioning and the quality of peer relations in gender dysphoric children and adolescents has been studied via parental report, peer sociometric methods, and social interactions in laboratory play groups. The present study was the first cross-national investigation that assessed behavior and emotional problems and the quality of peer relations, both measured by the Teacher's Report Form (TRF), in a sample of 728 gender dysphoric patients (554 children, 174 adolescents), who were referred to specialized gender identity clinics in the Netherlands and Canada. The gender dysphoric adolescents had significantly more teacher-reported emotional and behavioral problems than the gender dysphoric children. In both countries, gender dysphoric natal boys had poorer peer relations and more internalizing than externalizing problems compared to the gender dysphoric natal girls. Furthermore, there were significant between-clinic differences: both the children and the adolescents from Canada had more emotional and behavioral problems and a poorer quality of peer relations than the children and adolescents from the Netherlands. In conclusion, gender dysphoric children and adolescents showed the same pattern of emotional and behavioral problems in both countries. The extent of behavior and emotional problems was, however, higher in Canada than in the Netherlands, which appeared, in part, an effect of a poorer quality of peer relations. Per Bronfenbrenner's (American Psychologist, 32, 513-531, 1977) ecological model of human development and well-being, we consider various interpretations of the cross-national, cross-clinic differences on TRF behavior problems at the level of the family, the peer group, and the culture at large.

An ecological approach to seeking and utilising the views of young people with intellectual disabilities in transition planning

Transition planning using a person-centred approach has, in the main, failed to shape service provision. We offer an alternative based on an ecological understanding of human development linked to public health approaches that prioritise whole system planning. A total of 43 young people with intellectual disabilities, in Bradford, England, who were approaching transition from school or college were recruited to a qualitative study. Their ethnic breakdown was as follows: 16 white British, 24 Pakistani, 2 Bangladeshi and 1 Black African. Each young person was interviewed twice, at recruitment and a year later, to observe any changes in their social networks during transition. Interviews were undertaken with a semi-structured interview schedule and with the pictorial approach of Talking Mats. Both the networks the young people live within, and their sense of what the future might hold for them, are described and linked to Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development. The importance of the family and school is emphasised, as is the absence of engagement in leisure activities and work. Transition planning needs to start with mapping the systems individuals live within, areas of strength should be supported and parts of the system, which are not fit for purpose for these young people, should be prioritised for interventions.