Family Context Research Articles

초등학생용 수행형 디지털 리터러시 온라인 평가도구 개발

Objectives The purpose of this study is to develop a performance-based online assessment tool to measure the level of digital literacy of primary school students. Methods To achieve this, test items were developed based on several scenarios that reflected the context of schools, families, and communities that primary school students encounter in their daily lives, and an online as-sessment system was developed in the form of several sub-tasks being connected to perform one integrated task. The developed assessment tool consisted of 4 test modules and a total of 28 sub-task items. A preliminary test was conducted on 462 primary school students to verify the reliability and validity of the developed online as-sessment system. Results As a result of analyzing the preliminary test results, the test reliability was found to be good. As a result of correlation analysis with the multiple-choice assessment tool, it was found to be distinguished from the exist-ing tool as a performance-based assessment tool. In addition, as a result of item analysis, the overall discrim-ination and difficulty level was found to be at an appropriate level except for a few items. Conclusions This study is significant in that it developed a performance-based online assessment tool beyond self-reporting or knowledge-based multiple-choice assessment, and provided primary data for future research on measuring students’ digital literacy level using a performance-based online assessment tool based on the pre-liminary test results.

Self-Regulation of Student Learning in a STEAM Project

Self-regulated learning refers to the learner’s ability to regulate his or her behaviour, focusing on the acquisition of academic content, skill, or task. This concept includes aspects related to cognitive and emotional self-regulation. According to research studies, the aspect of STEAM education is a crucial determinant of academic success. Thus, in this type of education, attitudes towards science are also important, considering different aspects such as enjoyment, interest, usefulness, and self-efficacy and factors like age, educational stage, gender, family context, and self-concept. This study aims to analyse how Primary School students, who participated in a STEAM project, perceive their own learning process in aspects related to metacognition and self-efficacy, as well as their interest and enjoyment during the activities; furthermore, how the connections between these aspects are. In this project, 109 students between 9 and 11 years old from two different schools participated, using a questionnaire validated by experts. The results show that students show a high appreciation for STEAM work through this type of project as it enables problem-solving and critical thinking associated with the development of satisfaction and positive self-concept in doing it. These distinct aspects show significant correlations between them favoured by the designed STEAM project.

The Role of Family Functionality and Its Relationship with Psychological Well-Being and Emotional Intelligence in High School Students

Adolescence is acknowledged as a critical transition stage in human development, during which factors such as family environment, psychological well-being, and emotional competencies are deemed crucial for optimal growth. Objective: A descriptive study with a quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional approach was conducted to investigate: (1) how psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and levels of family functioning are associated with each other; (2) the presence of gender disparities in psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and family functioning; and (3) the identification of significant differences in psychological well-being and emotional intelligence based on family functioning. Methods: Participants were recruited from six different high schools in Spain. In total, 1092 secondary school students (584 females and 508 males) aged 12–17 years (M = 14.15) completed a series of instruments that were administered in person. Subsequently, data were statistically analysed and processed. Results: A positive correlation between family functioning, psychological well-being, and emotional intelligence was observed. In addition, significant gender differences were found in measures of psychological well-being, emotional intelligence, and family functioning. Finally, higher mean scores were identified for the high-functionality group when compared to the moderate-functionality and severe-dysfunctionality groups in both psychological well-being and emotional intelligence measures. Conclusions: The authors conclude by considering the family context as a key factor in adolescent development and propose future practical applications, such as programmes aimed at improving psychological well-being.

Relationship between learners’ L2 Motivational Self System and parental investment behavior in learners’ English learning

Students’ motivation and learning behavior are significantly impacted by parents’ participation and investment. It has been demonstrated that parental investment behavior could exert a direct effect on students’ L2 Motivational Self System (L2MSS) mediated by parental investment belief. Nevertheless, the relationship between components of parental investment behavior and students’ language learning motivation remains a topic necessitating further scholarly investigation. In response to this gap, we conducted a quantitative study involving a survey of 900 high school students to explore the relationship between students’ English learning motivation, as conceptualized by the L2 Motivational Self System and parental investment behavior based on a four-component model. The findings in this study indicated that high school students exhibited moderate levels of L2MSS and relatively low levels of parental investment behavior. Moreover, students’ L2MSS was found to have a significant positive correlation with the global parental investment behavior, with parental emotional investment behavior emerging as a positive predictor of high school students’ L2MSS. These results underscore the importance of parental provision of sufficient economic, relationship, knowledge, and emotional support in cultivating a nurturing and supportive familial context conducive to the development of students’ positive future selves.

Evaluating the Inheritance Risk: Epilepsy Prevalence among Offspring of Adults with Epilepsy in a Tertiary Referral Epilepsy Center.

While significant strides have been made in comprehending the pathophysiology and treatment of epilepsy, further investigation is warranted to elucidate the factors impacting its development and transmission, particularly within familial contexts. This study sought to explore the prevalence and risk factors associated with epilepsy in the offspring of patients with epilepsy who were treated at a tertiary epilepsy center. Adult patients with confirmed epilepsy (PWE) receiving outpatient care were consecutively enrolled, starting from January 2021 to January 2023. Data were recorded for various variables, including age, gender, epilepsy pathophysiology, cognitive impairment, and family history of epilepsy. Descriptive statistics, various statistical tests, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to analyze the data. A total of 1456 PWE were included. Among them, 463 patients (31.8%) had children. Twenty-five patients had offspring diagnosed with epilepsy, representing a prevalence of 5.4%. Analysis of the offspring with epilepsy revealed older ages, a higher proportion of parents with idiopathic epilepsy, and a greater prevalence of a positive family history of epilepsy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between a family history of epilepsy and increased epilepsy risk in offspring. Genetic syndrome-immanent predisposition, advanced age, and a family history of epilepsy were identified as significant risk factors for epilepsy in offspring by means of this mono-center study.

Farming is charming: Informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

AbstractThe agricultural sector in India has come to prominence as a source of employment and livelihood. It is one of the most significant informal sectors in the country, and one in which informal learning plays a major role. This article analyses the informal learning of farmers in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. In the course of this research, qualitative interviews with 34 farmers in Coimbatore were conducted and analysed with regard to informal learning. The findings show that informal learning is lifelong and chiefly takes place at home in a family and peer group context. Informal learning is facilitated by training courses specifically adapted to farmers’ needs, which can help them improve their situation on their respective farms. However, not every farmer attends these courses, indicating a need to strengthen the programmes, conduct information campaigns to raise awareness, and improve accessibility, especially for farmers and agricultural labourers.

Early Childhood Development Programs in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges

This article presents a comprehensive examination of the contemporary landscape of Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiatives in Nepal, focusing on both their quality and accessibility. Through a meticulous analysis of secondary data, this study scrutinizes the current state of Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) centers, the pivotal roles of educators, and the efficacy and caliber of ECD programs, thereby elucidating the prevailing opportunities and obstacles. A high-quality ECD program is fundamental in extending developmental prospects to all children, including those facing adversities, by furnishing them with requisite care, support, and safeguarding. Realizing this necessitates concerted efforts from diverse stakeholders, entailing heightened investments in ECD and the advocacy of its developmental imperatives. Paramount among these stakeholders is the family, serving as the primary gateway to ECD interventions, underscoring the imperative for tailored interventions within familial contexts. Moreover, communities wield significant potential in augmenting ECD initiatives. Thus, a decentralized approach to ECD delivery across all strata of governance emerges as imperative. The realization of quality ECD hinges upon the convergence of multifaceted inputs, harmonized across various domains. By fostering synergy among these inputs, ECD programs can achieve their utmost efficacy and impact, thereby fostering holistic child development.

Studying the context of psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE): Protocol paper

Background Global evidence on psychosis is dominated by studies conducted in Western, high-income countries. The objectives of the Study of Context Of Psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE) are (1) to generate rigorous evidence of psychosis experience, epidemiology and impacts in Ethiopia that will illuminate aetiological understanding and (2) inform development and testing of interventions for earlier identification and improved first contact care that are scalable, inclusive of difficult-to-reach populations and optimise recovery. Methods The setting is sub-cities of Addis Ababa and rural districts in south-central Ethiopia covering 1.1 million people and including rural, urban and homeless populations. SCOPE comprises (1) formative work to understand care pathways and community resources (resource mapping); examine family context and communication (ethnography); develop valid measures of family communication and personal recovery; and establish platforms for community engagement and involvement of people with lived experience; (2a) a population-based incidence study, (2b) a case-control study and (2c) a cohort study with 12 months follow-up involving 440 people with psychosis (390 rural/Addis Ababa; 50 who are homeless), 390 relatives and 390 controls. We will test hypotheses about incidence rates in rural vs. urban populations and men vs. women; potential aetiological role of khat (a commonly chewed plant with amphetamine-like properties) and traumatic exposures in psychosis; determine profiles of needs at first contact and predictors of outcome; (3) participatory workshops to develop programme theory and inform co-development of interventions, and (4) evaluation of the impact of early identification strategies on engagement with care (interrupted time series study). Findings will inform development of (5) a protocol for (5a) a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of interventions for people with recent-onset psychosis in rural settings and (5b) two uncontrolled pilot studies to test acceptability, feasibility of co-developed interventions in urban and homeless populations.

Engaging Story-Linking Through Conversations Between Mother and Daughter: Explorations in the Hermeneutics of Experience and Christian Religious Education

This article seeks to engage the often-overlooked voices of mothers and daughters in the face of patriarchal dominance. Conversations between mothers and daughters are important spaces for the exploration of faith experiences and provide transformative power. Through these conversations, the practice of story-linking comes to life, enabling re-listening to and re-telling Christian faith stories in the Bible entrenched in church tradition. This endeavor promotes a life-affirming approach to transformative learning. Reflecting on these conversations, this study contributes to Christian religious education within the family context, casting ripples of transformation throughout the church and society.

Reflections on Recidivism and Relapse Prevention among Italian Justice-Involved Juveniles: A General Overview

Research interprets antisocial and illegal behavior among juveniles as an expression of needs, as a conscious action, or as an adherence to family, cultural, and social contexts. Professionals and researchers interested in the topic could benefit from reflections and insights on relapse prevention among justice-involved juveniles (JIJs). In light of these considerations, we investigated the criminal conduct of JIJs, identifying their background, individual characteristics, and the educational and rehabilitative programs of the 17 Italian youth detention centers from a sample of 234 JIJs (214 males and 20 females, 14–25 years old). The sample completed the following questionnaires: the high-risk situation checklist, deviant behavior questionnaire (DBQ), and the neighborhood perception questionnaire (NPQ). The study aims to provide a general overview of the justice-involved adolescents and young adults in Italian youth detention centers, focusing on perpetrator profiles, family systems and the quality of life in the Italian youth detention centers. To achieve our goals, we investigated their occupations and education, the perceived quality of life in their neighborhoods, the use of drugs, and the tendency to commit illegal or antisocial behaviors before incarceration. The study also explored the awareness related to the personal perception of the risk factors in relapse, with the aim of stimulating reflections on behavior and crime-related cognitions to promote relapse prevention. We discuss the main findings and future implications.

Uso de substâncias psicoativas em alunos de um curso de Odontologia do estado do Ceará - instrumento DUSI-R

Analyzing the pattern of psychoactive substance use by dentistry students at the University of Fortaleza, as well as its relation to family and social aspects and its repercussions on academic performance. The research was conducted at the University of Fortaleza, targeting students regularly enrolled in the current year's dentistry course. The survey was carried out in April and May of 2016, covering all students from the first to the last semester of the course, with a total of 257 participating students. Data collection was conducted using the DUSI-R instrument, applied via Google Drive and remotely. Consumption of nearly all psychoactive substances was observed, although some only in small percentages. The most widespread drugs among the university students were non-prescription painkillers, at 68.3%, and alcohol at 61.4%, followed by marijuana at 7.5%, tobacco at 7.4%, and non-prescription tranquilizers at 6.7%. It was noted that, regarding alcohol consumption, 35.4% reported enjoying games that involve drinking when at parties. In terms of family relationships, 17.3% of the participants reported that their parents/guardians often argue with each other. Concerning academic performance, 18.8% of the participants reported having grades below average. The pattern of illicit drug use was present in the studied sample with direct repercussions on the academic process and possibly related to the family context.

Introduction to the Special Issue on “The Political and Economic Contexts of Families’ Financial Lives”

Introduction to the Special Issue on “The Political and Economic Contexts of Families’ Financial Lives”

‘I need to learn Vietnamese to speak to my grandma’: the place of family relationships in family language policy

ABSTRACT This study focuses on family relationships and their potential to successfully impact family language policy. The interview data with two bilingual Vietnamese immigrant families in Australia were analysed to show examples of successful versus unsuccessful family language policy practices. Using Bourdieu’s (1986) notion of capital, the study explored the reciprocal relationships between family relationships (family social capital) and the children’s language competence (linguistic capital) through the families' accounts of their language use and practices, and the children’s aspirations for their future languageuse. Findings point to the significant role in fostering connectedness among family members, and its importance to home language interaction within immigrant families. The study reinforces the role of the family context as an important environment that influences immigrant children’s positive bilingual development.

Resilience in residential care: A qualitative study based on the voices of adolescents

Young people placed in residential care are at an increased risk of a wide range of emotional and behavioral difficulties. Some of them deteriorate in psychological outcomes, some show no changes, and some show healthy psychological outcomes. Recent research has identified protective factors of adolescents’ psychological health outcomes in residential care, framed on the Resilience Portfolio Model. However, to the best of our knowledge, studies using qualitative designs are scarce.This qualitative study aimed to identify adolescents’ perspectives on the concept of resilience and identify their perspectives on protective factors for psychological health. Nineteen adolescents (12–17 years old;M = 14.21; 57.9 % male) from three non-specialized residential care settings in Portugal participated in this study, answering to a semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed using content analysis, and the results revealed that our participants identified specific factors in residential care (e.g., staff and peer support) and out-of-care (e.g., family) contexts that are relevant to their resilience outcomes. The childcare system should consider adolescents’ resilience portfolios by fostering individual assets and contextual protective factors to promote positive outcomes.

Heritage Bread in the UAE

Heritage Bread in the UAE

Digital technologies and reported language practices in Russophone families in Estonia, Germany, and Sweden

Forty-five Russophone families in Estonia, Germany and Sweden answered semi-structured questionnaires about their sociolinguistic characteristics and participated in in-depth interviews regarding language use, language transmission and maintenance, and attitudes to all these processes. This comparative analysis of the family context helps to explain the variation in the development of linguistic identities and language-use strategies. We identified clear similarities and differences between these families, especially regarding reported digital language practices among immigrant families. The data analysis showed that the use of digital technologies has an impact on the reported language practices among the families but not necessarily on the use of Russian as a heritage language. Most families highlighted the intensification of internet-based communication with extended family members and the supportive effect of digital technologies on intergenerational heritage language transmission, since younger family members gained more access to Russian via the internet. But the role of digital technologies alone is limited when it comes to intergenerational heritage language transmission and other factors, such as the efforts of parents and the agency of children, seem to be more important. Still, the joint use of digital technologies has a positive effect, especially in those families where the children are actively involved in digital communication.

Psychotherapy for Families with Adolescent Children: Clinical Practice Guidelines

Family therapy is often indicated in the treatment of adolescents with mental health difficulties. The family context is often seen as a predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, or a protective factor for a wide range of child and adolescent mental health concerns. Several approaches to family therapy are now recognized as evidence-based treatments for different psychiatric presentations. In this article, we hope to describe the relevance of family therapy for families with adolescents in India, present case illustrations on commonly used approaches to family therapy, and propose clinical practice guidelines.

Social Support Postpartum: Bengali Women from India on Their Coping Experiences following Childbirth.

Undertaken in Kolkata, India, our study aimed to explore the experiences of Bengali middle-class women on perceived stressful events, social support, and coping experiences following childbirth. Becoming a mother following childbirth is a shared phenomenon irrespective of culture, social strata, or country, while stress during the postpartum period or depression is not. Discrete medical intervention does not sufficiently address the complexities of postpartum experiences since influencing factors also include economic, political, cultural, and social backgrounds. Adopting a feminist and phenomenological approach, individual in-person interviews were conducted with twenty women recruited via snowball sampling. Our findings revealed that events experienced as stressful may lead to poor postpartum well-being. Underpinned by gendered discourse and biases, stressful events included familial imperatives for a male child, poor social and emotional support from the family, mostly partners and fathers, and systemic workplace barriers. The women in our study commonly resided with their mothers postpartum. They expressed feeling sheltered from these experiences, cared for, and supported. We discuss the women's experiences from a feminist pragmatic worldview, which advocates for a flexible feminism recognizant of the unique and nurturing relationship experiences between Bengali middle-class women and their mothers. In conclusion, we advocate for culturally sensitive, women-centered postpartum care practices that may entail the inclusion of intergenerational care during this critical phase of maternal well-being. These insights underscore the necessity of tailoring postpartum support systems to align with the cultural and familial contexts of the individuals they serve.

“The person was like the glue in the cracked pot which was no longer there”: co-production of the web-based Families and Friends in Bereavement intervention

Background Families, friends and support networks are key to managing bereavement. COVID-19 social restrictions prevented families and friends from being with the dying and participating in usual rituals to honour the dead. This resulted in social disconnection, feelings of guilt, and difficulty in making sense of the death and reconstructing relationships. In response to this context a theoretically informed, co-produced web-resource to facilitate meaning-making, which situates bereavement in the context of family and friends, was developed. This paper describes the development of the web-based intervention. Study aims To co-produce a web-based intervention theoretically informed by the family level extension Dual Process Model and Family Sense of Coherence, and pilot the intervention gaining user feedback to inform refinements in readiness for adoption and implementation. Methods Following a scoping review, a mixed methods study was undertaken using an online survey via questionnaire and virtual co-production workshop with bereaved people and bereavement professionals. Results Survey respondents (n=32) reported the pandemic negatively affected bereavement (guilt, isolation, inability to bear witness) but also presented new opportunities to celebrate the deceased and support the bereaved (new funeral rituals, technology, remote contact, social acknowledgement of grief). Sense-making and managing bereavement were helped through information-giving, support networks, and relocating the person within the family context. A web-resource to facilitate collective grief was viewed positively and endorsed. Key content including family activities to stimulate support, information regarding the range of grief experience and dealing with the practicalities, along with other sources of support was agreed by workshop participants (n=5) to form the basis of the intervention. Conclusion The publicly accessible Families and Friends in Bereavement intervention encourages consideration of bereavement in the context of close social networks. It enables grief to be understood and managed within a shared experience by promoting communication and meaning-making.

Nowhere to Launch? County-Level Correlates of Home-Leaving and Home-Returning

Coresidence with parents is now the most common living arrangement among young adults (ages 18–29) in the United States. For many, coresidence comes after first leaving home and living in an independent household. Recent shifts in these residential transitions has spurred renewed research in this area, with a focus on contemporaneous young adult characteristics, individual well-being, and the family context. Largely overlooked in this research is a consideration of the geographic context where young adults make home-leaving and home-returning decisions. Drawing on residential mobility theory and research that emphasizes features of local housing and labor markets, the present study explores if county-level characteristics are associated with the likelihood of either leaving or returning to the parental home. Using data from the 1997 cohort of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, results indicate that youth are less likely to leave home, and more likely to return to it, if they live in areas with higher rental costs. Housing market characteristics also appear to be more important for home-leaving and home-returning for youth who stay in the same county, as opposed to launching to different counties. Findings thus demonstrate that contextual features should be emphasized alongside individual and family features as pathways to independent living.