Higher Levels Of Socioeconomic Status Research Articles

The association between obesity and race among Brazilian adults is dependent on sex and socio-economic status.

To verify the association of race, independent of socio-economic status (SES), with obesity among Brazilian adults. We investigated data from the 2008-2009 Brazilian Household Budget Survey. Obesity was defined using the WHO classification. Self-declared race was classified as White, Black and 'Pardo' (Brown). Factor analysis with principal component extraction was used to derive the SES index. The association between race and obesity independent of SES, adjusted for demographic variables, was estimated using multiple logistic regression, accounting for the survey design. Interaction term between race and SES was tested. Brazilian households (n 55 970). Adults aged 20-65 years (n 80 702). The prevalence of obesity was 14·9 %. The first factor explained 51 % of the variance and was used as a SES indicator. Odds of obesity increased with increasing SES level for men and for Black women, whereas Brown and White women showed a decrease of obesity. The association between race and obesity was modified by SES level in both sexes. At lower level of SES (-2 sd), Black and Brown in comparison to White men had 35 and 27 % decreased odds of obesity, respectively. For women, at lower SES level, only Black compared with White women had 30 % decreased odds of obesity. At the higher SES level (+2 sd), Black women compared with White presented a threefold increase of obesity. Racial disparities in obesity are SES level- and sex-dependent in Brazil. Strategies exclusively targeting reductions in SES disparities are likely ineffective for decreasing racial disparities in obesity among women.

Satisfaction with Family Life in South Africa: The Role of Socioeconomic Status

This paper investigates the determinants of self-reported satisfaction with family life, applied to the South African context, with socioeconomic status (SES) as the main covariate and family functioning as the secondary covariate of interest. An individual-, household-, and subjective SES index is constructed via multiple correspondence analysis. Structural equation modelling (SEM) and multiple-group SEM (MGSEM) are used to analyse the role of SES in explaining satisfaction with family life. Higher levels of SES, especially household SES and subjective SES, are related to greater satisfaction with family life. Family functioning, in terms of better family flexibility, is associated with higher satisfaction with family life. The MGSEM results indicate that the role of family flexibility in explaining satisfaction with family life is similar across SES quartiles; family flexibility is an important predictor of family-life satisfaction, regardless of SES quartile.

Genetic and environmental influences on household financial distress

Heterogeneity of household financial outcomes emerges from various individual and environmental factors, including personality, cognitive ability, and socioeconomic status (SES), among others. Using a genetically informative data set, we decompose the variation in financial management behavior into genetic, shared environmental and non-shared environmental factors. We find that about half of the variation in financial distress is genetically influenced, and personality and cognitive ability are associated with financial distress through genetic and within-family pathways. Moreover, genetic influences of financial distress are highest at the extremes of SES, which in part can be explained by neuroticism and cognitive ability being more important predictors of financial distress at low and high levels of SES, respectively.

The Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome and the Most Powerful Components as Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome in Central Iran: A 10-Year Follow-Up in a Cohort Study

Background: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is rapidly growing in today's world as an important predictor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Objectives: The present study aimed at assessing the incidence of MetS and the most powerful components as predictors of MetS in a cohort study in central Iran. Methods: This cohort study was a follow-up of participants (n = 2000 and aged 20 to 74 years), who were selected using multistage random cluster sampling method from urban areas of Yazd, Iran, during year 2005 and repeated in 2015. Metabolic Syndrome was defined using a modified version of National cholesterol education program adult treatment panel III (NCEP III) definition. To assess hazard ratio of components of MetS for crude and adjusted values in two models, Cox proportional hazard regression was used. Results: Prevalence of MetS was 44.8% (n = 887) at baseline. Therefore, we followed subjects without MetS (n = 809) in 2015. After about 10 years, MetS was developed in 56.1% (n = 454) of subjects. Incidence of MetS in males and females was 56.1/1000 person-years and 58.7/1000 person-years, respectively. The analysis revealed that incidence of MetS significantly increased with age and higher level of socio-economic status and decreased with high level of education. In females and males the most powerful component for incidence of MetS was high fasting blood glucose (HR = 16.6, 95% CI: 1.91 - 22.82) and hypertriglyceridemia (HR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.02 - 2.6), respectively. Conclusions: The current study showed a high incidence of MetS in males and females residing in central Iran. Furthermore, community-based interventions that reduce MetS in the population are needed.

Factors Associated With Unhealthy Snacks Consumption Among Adolescents in Iran's Schools.

Background: Well-informed interventions are needed if school-based health promotion is to be effective. Among other aims, the Iranian Health Promoting School (IHPS) program that was launched in 2011, has an important aim of promoting dietary behaviors of adolescents. The present study, therefore, aimed to investigate the factors affecting unhealthy snacking of adolescents and provide evidence for a more effective IHPS program. Methods: In a cross-sectional study design, 1320 students from 40 schools in Kerman city were selected using a proportional stratified random sampling method. A modified qualitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to gather data about unhealthy snacking behavior. Data about intrapersonal and environmental factors were obtained using a validated and reliable questionnaire. A mixed-effects negative-binomial regression model was used to analyze the data. Results: Taste and sensory perception (prevalence rate ratio [PRR]=1.18; 95% CI: 1.09-1.27), being a male (PRR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.05-1.38) and lower nutritional knowledge (PRR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99) were associated with higher weekly unhealthy snaking. Perceived self-efficacy (PRR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-1.00) negatively influenced the frequency of unhealthy snaking, with this approaching significance (P<.06). In case of environmental factors, high socio-economic status (SES) level (PRR=1.45; 95% CI: 1.26-1.67), single-parent family (PRR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.01-1.30), more social norms pressure (PRR=1.08; 95% CI: 1.01-1.17), pocket money allowance (PRR=1.21; 95% CI: 1.09-1.34), easy accessibility (PRR=1.06; 95% CI:1.01-1.11), and less perceived parental control (PRR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.92-0.99) all had a role in higher consumption of unhealthy snacks. Interestingly, larger school size was associated with less unhealthy snacking (PRR=0.79; 95% CI: 0.68-0.92). Conclusion: Unhealthy snacking behavior is influenced by individual, socio-cultural and physical-environmental influences, namely by factors relating to poor parenting practices, high SES level, family characteristics, improper social norms pressure, and less knowledge and self-efficacy of students. This evidence can be used to inform a more evidencebased IHPS program through focusing on supportive strategies at the home, school, and local community levels.

Association of Socio-Economic Status and Visual Impairment: A Population-Based Study in Iran.

To assess the role of socio-economic inequality in visual impairment (VI) in Varamin district, Iran. Using multistage cluster sampling method, 60 clusters (each with 50 subjects) were recruited and underwent clinical eye examinations. Socio-economic status (SES) was identified based on education, occupation, family assets and housing conditions that were measured at the participants' households using a semi-structured questionnaire and a two-step cluster analysis model. In addition, principal component analysis and the concentration index were used to identify the gap between high and low SES groups. Participants were categorized in high (522, 24.4%), moderate (974, 43.1%) and low (763, 33.7%) socio-economic levels. In these levels, the prevalence of VI was 5.9% (95% CI: 3.3 to 8.6), 10.4% (95% CI: 8.4 to 12.4), and 12.6% (95% CI: 10.1 to 15.1), respectively. The prevalence of VI in people with low SES was significantly greater than those in high SES level. The proportions of avoidable causes were relatively high in all SES levels (more than 80%) with no significant difference between different levels. There is significant inequality in VI prevalence in Varamin district. Avoidable causes are high in all SES groups. Therefore, community-based modalities and preventive programs with a specific notice to poorer SES groups are recommended to improve eye health in this district.

The Effects of a Health Partner Program on Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Factors.

Previous lifestyle intervention research targeting prediabetes has primarily focused on weight loss, blood glucose, and lipid abnormalities. Far less is known whether lifestyle interventions lower other biological and physical risk factors for cardiovascular disease in overweight/obese adults with or without prediabetes. The aim of the study was to determine if a health partner program reduced biological and physical cardiovascular risk factors in overweight/obese adults with and without prediabetes at 1 year. A secondary data analysis was performed using the Center for Health Discovery and Well Being database at Emory University in the United States. A total of 246 (30 prediabetics and 216 non-prediabetics) were included in the analysis. At the 1-year follow-up, compared with non-prediabetics, prediabetics had significant improvements in body mass index, fasting blood glucose, and insulin resistance. Prediabetics also had higher increases in cardiorespiratory fitness. However, the methodological limitations and predominately high socioeconomic status level prevent definitive conclusions and generalizations.

Socioeconomic status, psychological resources, and inflammatory markers: Results from the MIDUS study.

Our objective was to investigate interactions of psychological resources and socioeconomic status (SES)-as well as potential gender differences and the explanatory role of childhood and adult stress exposures, health behaviors, and negative and positive affect-in predicting markers of systemic inflammation. We utilized a sample of adults from the Midlife Development in the U.S. (MIDUS) study who provided biomarker data (N = 1,152). SES was operationalized as a composite of education, income, and occupational prestige, and the psychological resources construct was operationalized as a latent factor measured with optimism, perceived control, and self-esteem. Linear regression models examined these 2 factors and their interaction in predicting interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) measured on average 2 years later, as well as 3-way interactions involving gender and the impact of covariate adjustment. Psychological resources interacted with SES in men (for IL-6: p < .001; for CRP: p = .04) but not in women. In men, greater psychological resources was associated with lower concentrations of IL-6 at lower levels of SES but higher concentrations of both markers at higher levels of SES. The inverse association between resources and IL-6 at low SES was moderately attenuated upon adjustment for negative affect. Socioeconomic status might modulate the linkage between psychological resources and systemic inflammation in men. At lower levels of SES, resources may be related to lower inflammation in part through lower negative affect. Associations with higher inflammation at higher SES add to growing evidence suggesting that adaptive psychological characteristics may be associated with markers of poorer physiological function under certain conditions. (PsycINFO Database Record

Association between HIV infection and socio-economic status: evidence from a semirural area of southern Mozambique.

To analyse the association between socio-economic status (SES) and HIV in Manhiça, a district of Southern Mozambique with one of the highest HIV prevalences in the world. Data were gathered from two cross-sectional surveys performed in 2010 and 2012 among 1511 adults and from the household census of the district's population. Fractional polynomial logit models were used to analyse the association between HIV and SES, controlling for age and sex and taking into account the nonlinearity of covariates. The inequality of the distribution of HIV infection with regard to SES was computed through a concentration index. Fourth and fifth wealth quintiles, the least poor, were associated with a reduced probability of HIV infection compared to the first quintile (OR=0.595, P-value=0.009 and OR=0.474, P-value<0.001, respectively). Probability of HIV infection peaked at 36 years and then fell, and was always higher for women regardless of age and SES. HIV infection was unequally distributed across the SES strata. Despite the high HIV prevalence across the entire population of Manhiça, the poorest are at greatest risk of being HIV infected. While women have a higher probability of being HIV positive than men, both sexes showed the same infection reduction at higher levels of SES. HIV interventions in the area should particularly focus on the poorest and on women without neglecting anyone else, as the HIV risk is high for everyone.

Age-Related Differences in Cortical Thickness Vary by Socioeconomic Status.

Recent findings indicate robust associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and brain structure in children, raising questions about the ways in which SES may modify structural brain development. In general, cortical thickness and surface area develop in nonlinear patterns across childhood and adolescence, with developmental patterns varying to some degree by cortical region. Here, we examined whether age-related nonlinear changes in cortical thickness and surface area varied by SES, as indexed by family income and parental education. We hypothesized that SES disparities in age-related change may be particularly evident for language- and literacy-supporting cortical regions. Participants were 1148 typically-developing individuals between 3 and 20 years of age. Results indicated that SES factors moderate patterns of age-associated change in cortical thickness but not surface area. Specifically, at lower levels of SES, associations between age and cortical thickness were curvilinear, with relatively steep age-related decreases in cortical thickness earlier in childhood, and subsequent leveling off during adolescence. In contrast, at high levels of SES, associations between age and cortical thickness were linear, with consistent reductions across the age range studied. Notably, this interaction was prominent in the left fusiform gyrus, a region that is critical for reading development. In a similar pattern, SES factors significantly moderated linear age-related change in left superior temporal gyrus, such that higher SES was linked with steeper age-related decreases in cortical thickness in this region. These findings suggest that SES may moderate patterns of age-related cortical thinning, especially in language- and literacy-supporting cortical regions.

An Observational Study to Evaluate Associations Between Low-Level Gestational Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides and Cognition During Early Childhood.

Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides, which is ubiquitous, may be detrimental to neurological development. We examined 327 mother/infant pairs in Cincinnati, Ohio, between 2003 and 2006 to determine associations between prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and neurodevelopment. Twice during pregnancy urinary concentrations of 6 common dialkylphosphates, nonspecific metabolites of organophosphate pesticides, were measured. Aggregate concentrations of diethylphosphates, dimethylphosphates, and total dialkylphosphates were calculated. Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition-Mental and Psychomotor Developmental indices were administered at ages 1, 2, and 3 years, the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool, Second Edition, at age 4, and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Third Edition, at age 5. Mothers with higher urinary total dialkylphosphate concentrations reported higher levels of socioeconomic status and increased fresh fruit and vegetable intake. We found no associations between prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides and cognition at 1-5 years of age. In our cohort, exposure to organophosphate pesticides during pregnancy was not associated with cognition during early childhood. It is possible that a higher socioeconomic status and healthier diet may protect the fetus from potential adverse associations with gestational organophosphate pesticide exposure, or that dietary exposure to the metabolites is innocuous and not an ideal measure of exposure to the parent compound.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Dietary and Physical Activity Habits of Iranian Children and Adolescents: the CASPIAN-IV Study.

This study aims to compare the dietary and physical activity (PA) habits in a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents based on their family and regional socioeconomic status (SES). This nationwide study was conducted on 14,880 students, aged 6-18 years, and one of their parents living in urban and rural areas of 30 provinces in Iran. Data regarding PA, screen time and dietary habits were recorded using two sets of questionnaires for both students and their parents. The results were compared according to the SES of the family and the living region. Overall, 13,486 students completed the study (90.6% participation rate) with a mean age of 12.5 (95% CI: 12.3-12.6) years. Comparing family SES, the level of PA was similar in the three SES groups. The total screen time, working computer with and watching TV was significantly higher in those with higher family SES (P < 0.05). Consumption of meat, dairy products, rice, fruit, and vegetables was significantly higher in families with higher SES. Consumption of salty snacks and sweet drinks was significantly lower in families with higher SES level. Sedentary lifestyle was more prevalent in regions with higher SES. The dietary habits of inhabitants of regions with low SES was similar to that reported for individuals with low family SES. Both family and regional SES might impact lifestyle habits from early life. Participants with higher SES had healthier dietary habits but lower PA level than their counterparts with lower SES. Socioeconomic disparities should be considered for public health interventions aiming to improve lifestyle habits.

Exposure to Hookah and Cigarette Smoke in Children and Adolescents According to Their Socio-Economic Status: The CASPIAN-IV Study.

BackgroundExposure to smoking or passive smoking is one of serious health problems especially in the pediatric age group.ObjectivesTo compare the prevalence and determinants of passive smoking in a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents according to their socioeconomic status (SES).Materials and MethodsThis nationwide study was conducted in 2011 - 2012 among 14880 students aged 6 - 18 years, living in 30 provinces in Iran. Exposure to the smoke of hookah or cigarette was documented by using validated questionnaires. Possible influencing factors were determined and the frequency of passive smoking was compared according to the regional and familial SES.ResultsParticipants consisted of 13,486 children and adolescents including 49.2% girls and 75.6% urban inhabitants (90.6% participation rate). The mean age of participants was 12.47 ± 3.36 years. Overall, 43.87% of them (44.07% of boys and 43.66% of girls) were exposed to second hand smoke at home. Exposures to hookah or cigarette smoke at home were respectively reported in 21.46% and 34.49% of participants. The prevalence of passive smoking was lower in children of families with higher SES level, but higher in high SES regions of the country than in low SES ones, and ranged from 39.2% in the region with lowest SES to 49.05% in the highest SES region. Higher education levels of fathers and mothers were significantly associated with lower frequency of passive smoking.ConclusionsExposure to second hand smoke is a major problem among Iranian children and adolescents. Low family SES and low parental education increased the frequency of passive smoking. Appropriate public health education and legislation for smoke free home as well as family-centered counseling should be strengthened.

Association of Socio-economic Status with Injuries in Children Andadolescents:the CASPIAN-IV Study

Background:Childhood and adolescence injuries are still frequently occuring in developing countries. This study aims to assess the association of socio-economic status (SES) with injuriesin Iranian children and adolescents. Materials and Methods: This multicentricsurvey was part of a national surveillance program, which was conducted in 2011-2012 amongst 14,880 students aged6-18 years. Participants were randomly selected from urban and rural areas of 30 provinces in Iran. Socio- economic status (SES) of participants was categorized to “low”, “middle” ,and “high” by using principle component analysis method by considering parental job and education as well as family assets. Prevalence, types and places of injuries were based on the questionnaire of the World Health Organization- Global School-based student Health Survey (WHO-GSHS).Multivariate modelwas used for comparison of variables between SES groups. Results: Overall, 13486 out of 14880 invited students (response rate: 90.6%) participated in this study.Their mean (SD) age was12.47 (3.36) years.Boys and urban residents constituted the majority of participants (50.8% and 75.6%, respectively). Compared with low SES group, odds of sport injury was higher in students with middle (OR=1.44; 95%CI: 0.92-2.26) and highSES (OR=1.96; 95%CI: 1.27-3.01). Compared to participants withlow SES,odds of home injuries was significantly lower in high SES group (OR=0.78; 95%CI: 0.64-0.95). Conclusion: This study revealedconsiderable differences in injuries of children and adolescents according to their SES, with higher prevalence of home injuries in low SES families and higher prevalence of sport injuries in middle and high SES levels. When implementing injury prevention programs, such differences should be taken into account.

Socioeconomic status as a moderator of the genetic and shared environmental influence on verbal IQ: A multilevel behavioral genetic approach

An expansive literature has revealed that human intelligence is under genetic influence. In an effort to further elucidate the role of genetic influences on intelligence, studies have examined the potential role that family-level socioeconomic status (SES) plays in the moderation of genetic factors. Results have been mixed, but the majority of studies have found that genetic factors have greater influence on IQ in the presence of higher levels of SES. The current study aims to contribute to this line of research by examining the role of school-level SES in moderating genetic and environmental influences on verbal intelligence at the individual level. A sample of sibling pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) was used to estimate a series of genetically informed multilevel statistical models. The results indicate that genetic factors have a greater influence on verbal IQ for students who attend schools with higher levels of SES, and shared environmental factors have a greater influence on verbal IQ for students who attend schools with lower levels of SES, but only at extremely high and low levels of SES (scoring within the top or bottom 10th percentiles).

Parental socioeconomic status and the neural basis of arithmetic: differential relations to verbal and visuo-spatial representations.

We examined the relation of parental socioeconomic status (SES) to the neural bases of subtraction in school-age children (9- to 12-year-olds). We independently localized brain regions subserving verbal versus visuo-spatial representations to determine whether the parental SES-related differences in children's reliance on these neural representations vary as a function of math skill. At higher SES levels, higher skill was associated with greater recruitment of the left temporal cortex, identified by the verbal localizer. At lower SES levels, higher skill was associated with greater recruitment of right parietal cortex, identified by the visuo-spatial localizer. This suggests that depending on parental SES, children engage different neural systems to solve subtraction problems. Furthermore, SES was related to the activation in the left temporal and frontal cortex during the independent verbal localizer task, but it was not related to activation during the independent visuo-spatial localizer task. Differences in activation during the verbal localizer task in turn were related to differences in activation during the subtraction task in right parietal cortex. The relation was stronger at lower SES levels. This result suggests that SES-related differences in the visuo-spatial regions during subtraction might be based in SES-related verbal differences.

Racial Discrimination, John Henryism, and Depression Among African Americans.

Evidence from previous studies indicates that racial discrimination is significantly associated with depression and that African Americans with higher levels of socioeconomic status (SES) report greater exposure to racial discrimination compared to those with lower SES levels. Coping strategies could alter the relationship between racial discrimination and depression among African Americans. This study first examined whether greater levels of SES were associated with increased reports of racial discrimination and ratings of John Henryism, a measure of high-effort coping, among African Americans. Second, we examined whether high-effort coping moderated the relationship between racial discrimination and depression. Data were drawn from the National Survey of American Life Reinterview (n = 2,137). Analyses indicated that greater levels of education were positively associated with racial discrimination (p < .001) and increased levels of racial discrimination were positively related to depression (p < .001), controlling for all sociodemographic factors. Greater levels of John Henryism were associated with increased odds of depression but there was no evidence to suggest that the relationship between discrimination and depression was altered by the effects of John Henryism.

LATINA/O WHITENING?

AbstractSome scholars argue that Latina/os in the United States may soon become White, much like the supposed Whitening of Eastern European immigrant groups in the early twentieth century. High rates of White racial identification on surveys among Latina/os is one explanation provided for this assertion. However, personal identification is but one element of racial boundary maintenance. It is when personal identification is externally validated that it is most closely associated with group-based experiences. This article maps components of the White-Latino racial boundary that may be permeable to White expansion by examining conditions under which Latina/os self-identify as Whiteandreport that they are externally classified as White by other Americans. Employing novel data from the 2006 Portraits of American Life Study, this article shows that nearly 40% of Latina/os sometimes self-identify as White, yet a much smaller proportion—only 6%—report being externally classified as White by others. Moreover, logistic regression analyses suggest that for those with light phenotypical features and high levels of socioeconomic status, the odds of reported external Whitening are increased. Interestingly, phenotypically light Latina/os with low-socioeconomic-status levels have low probabilities of reporting external classification as White when compared to their phenotypically light and high-socioeconomic-status counterparts, suggesting that the combination of both skin color and class may be central to the White-Latino racial boundary. Results also indicate that many who report external Whitening do not prefer to self-identify as White. In sum, multidimensional measures of racial classification indicate that only a very small minority of Latina/os may be “becoming White” in ways that some previous researchers have predicted.

Gene×Environment interactions in early externalizing behaviors: parental emotional support and socioeconomic context as moderators of genetic influences?

This study uses longitudinal population-based samples of young siblings to examine the effects of two hypothesized moderators of early externalizing behaviors: parental emotional support and family socioeconomic status. The first sample, a twin sample from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), was composed of approximately 600 twin pairs measured on externalizing at ages 4 and 5. Results indicated stronger genetic influences on externalizing at lower levels of parental emotional support but higher levels of socioeconomic status; only the latter interaction remained significant when the two moderators were simultaneously modeled. These moderation effects were not replicated in our analyses of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Supplement (CNLSY) data, which contained 1939 pairs of full and half siblings measured on externalizing at ages 4-5 and ages 6-7. Our results highlight the need for replication in quantitative behavior genetics research on externalizing behaviors. Potential causes for non-replication are discussed.

Soccer Moms UNITE! Affluent Families and the Utilization of Grassroots Strategies for Education Reform

Research exploring the impact of social class on family and school relationships indicates that families with high levels of socioeconomic status (SES) possess resources that enable participation in traditionally accepted forms of family engagement (Henderson and Mapp, in, A new wave of evidence: The impact of school, family, and community connections on student achievement, 2002; Lareau, in, Home advantage: Social class and parental involvement in elementary education, 2000; in, Unequal childhoods: The importance of social class in family life, 2003). Despite these capital based advantages there is a small, but growing number of affluent families seeking alternative forms of family engagement through participation in community based organizations (CBOs) (Winton and Evans in Canadian J Edu Admin Policy 156:1–30, 2014; Winton in Canadian J Edu Admin Policy 114:69–92, 2010). This article explores the experiences of affluent parents in one community-based organization in order to better understand their motivations and the benefits of participation. This study utilized a qualitative case study approach to examine the research questions. Drawing upon data from a larger multi-group case study (Evans in J Family Diver Edu 1:21–39, 2014), this article focuses on the experiences of families who participated in the Lexington, Massachusetts chapter of Stand for Children (SFC). Data sources include interviews with SFC members, observations of meetings and public events, and organization documents. The findings indicate that while affluent participants in SFC were actively involved in traditional forms of family engagement, their perceptions of individual power and efficacy were limited to the classroom or school level. Efforts to impact education beyond the micro-level required the acquisition of new skill sets and the expansion of social networks, which was facilitated through participation in SFC. Members reported that participation in SFC resulted in both the acquisition of technical advocacy skills and increased feelings of empowerment. This study challenges commonly held assumptions regarding the power of affluent families, discusses the appeal of CBOs to these same families, and raises the possibility of cross-class coalition building as a means to influence district, state, and national level reforms.