Low-income Families Research Articles

The expanded Child Tax Credit and economic wellbeing of low-income families

The expanded Child Tax Credit and economic wellbeing of low-income families

Cash transfers and the Phillips curve: The case of Brazil during the pandemic

This paper investigates the linear and nonlinear effects of the pandemic period on the dynamics of the Brazilian inflation through the estimation of a hybrid Phillips curve. Despite the undisputed socio-economic benefits, cash transfers paid by the government to low-income families increased inflation, with an estimated coefficient similar in magnitude to the output gap. The backward-looking component decreased while the forward-looking component increased sharply, suggesting a shift in the price-setting behavior toward anticipating fluctuations in the business cycle. There was also a significant reduction in the flatness of the Phillips curve, as the output gap coefficient more than doubled during this period. These findings might be explained by the unprecedented combination of sectorial increases in demand, a decrease in aggregate supply, anticipated money supply growth, and loose monetary policy. They unveil an undesired side effect of cash transfers on inflation that adversely affected the purchase power of the program beneficiaries.

The Impact of Online Education on Gifted Mathematics Students from Different Family Backgrounds

Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education to achieve sustainability. It is well known that gifted mathematics education is crucial, but teachers for gifted mathematics education are extremely scarce. The promotion of sustainability in gifted mathematics education on a large scale is an important issue to ensure equity and quality in education. Mathematical competitions have always been an important method for gifted education and have received widespread attention from students and parents. Many high school students prepare for these competitions through extracurricular gifted mathematics tutoring. With the advancement of science and technology and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many tutoring courses have gradually turned to online courses. Online gifted mathematics education has become a model for developing gifted education. In this study, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the learning patterns, grades, and family backgrounds of students participating in mathematics competitions in 10 key high schools in Liaoning Province from 2018 to 2024. The research results are as follows: (1) Before the COVID-19 pandemic, extracurricular gifted mathematics education primarily consisted of offline courses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning resources developed rapidly and became prevalent, while offline education decreased. (2) Students from high-income families preferred offline courses when participating in extracurricular gifted education tutoring for mathematics. In contrast, students from middle- and low-income families were more inclined to choose online courses. Household registration and the place of residence had a weak correlation with the time spent participating in online gifted mathematics education. Among the influencing factors, material resources such as computers, smartphones, and broadband internet had a significant mediating effect. (3) With the advent of online education, the correlation between mathematics competition achievements and family income significantly decreased. However, students from rural families face challenges in accessing online education due to a lack of material resources consequent to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in lower mathematics competition achievements. The results show that online gifted education in mathematics breaks through the limitations of time, space, and resources; solves the problem of scarce teaching staff; and helps promote a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development in gifted education. At the same time, issues such as the digital divide, insufficient hardware, and limited internet access still need to be addressed.

Changing Dietary Habits Early in Life: A Field Experiment with Low-Income Families

Changing Dietary Habits Early in Life: A Field Experiment with Low-Income Families

Implementasi Metode AHP dalam Penentuan Penerimaan Bantuan Langsung Tunai (BLT) Berbasis Web

One of the government initiatives of the Sobawawi sub-district is Direct Cash Assistance, or BLT, which aims to lessen the financial strain on the population. Not everyone is eligible for direct cash assistance because it is meant to help low-income families fulfill their basic necessities. The government offers cash support to those who are considered impoverished through the Direct Cash support (BLT) program. This program is intended to help those who struggle to manage their financial situation. In order to help resolve and minimize errors when assessing who was eligible to receive BLT (Direct Cash Assistance) in the Sobawawi district, a decision support system was developed in response to the issues that arose throughout the selection process. The goal of this system is to support decision-making processes that employ the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The results of both system and manual computations demonstrate how the decision-making system uses the AHP method's notion to determine. Based on the method employed, the system delivers findings that are legitimate and accurate. Ultimately, alternate priority weights based on ranking are determined.

Changes in unhealthy food consumption among vulnerable elementary-aged children in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: a serial cross-sectional analysis.

Several studies suggest that during the early pandemic, amidst socioeconomic instability, children from underserved families were more likely to resort to consuming cheaper, lower-quality foods with longer shelf lives. This study investigated the change in unhealthy food consumption across different phases (pre, early, mid) of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether the strength of association between unhealthy food consumption and household socioeconomic disadvantage (HSED) varied across phases of the pandemic. This study utilized serial cross-sectional data collected from low-income families enrolled in a school-based food co-op, Brighter Bites. Secondary data analysis included 5,384 surveys from families who had complete data: 3422 pre-pandemic, 944 from the early pandemic, and 1,018 mid-pandemic. Outcome measures included sugary food intake and convenience/fast food intake, each of which was operationalized as a scale using pre-validated items from the surveys. HSED was operationalized as a composite of parent employment, parent education, food insecurity, and participation in government programs; responses were categorized into low, medium, and high HSED groups for analysis. We examined the interaction between HSED and time period to explore how HSED and its association with dietary measures changed over the course of the pandemic. A significant linear negative trend, i.e., a decrease in consumption from pre-to-mid-pandemic period was seen in sugary food intake (p < 0.001), but not in convenience food intake. In data pooled across time-periods, both sugary food and convenience/fast food consumption were inversely associated with HSED, and low unhealthy food consumption was observed among high-disadvantage groups. No significant interaction between time period and HSED was observed on either scale. However, the post-regression estimates from the adjusted interaction model showed a significant association between convenience/fast food consumption and HSED in pre- and mid-pandemic periods. The study highlights the nuances of socioeconomic dynamics on the diet behaviors of children from low-income families during a natural disaster.

Teenage childbearing and the welfare state

Abstract Teenage childbearing is a common incident in developed countries. However, teenage births are much more likely in the USA than in any other industrialized country. Most of these births are delivered by female teenagers from low-income families. The hypothesis put forward here is that the welfare state (a set of redistributive institutions) has a significant influence on teenage childbearing behavior. We develop an economic theory of parental investments and the risky sexual behavior of teenagers. The model is estimated to fit stylized facts about income inequality, intergenerational mobility, and the sexual behavior of teenagers in the USA. The welfare state institutions are introduced via tax and public education expenditure functions derived from US data. In a quantitative experiment, we impose Norwegian taxes and education spending in the economic environment. The Norwegian welfare state institutions go a long way in explaining the differences in teenage birth rates between the USA and Norway.

THE CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY-BASED EDUCATION IN CREATING INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR MARGINALIZED GROUPS. A CASE STUDY OF MASJID TERMINAL SCHOOL, DEPOK CITY

The MASTER School (terminal mosque) is a free school founded by community representatives focusing on inclusive schools for marginalized people from low-income families in the Depok area, West Java. This school is considered to support the government's strategic plan to provide education for all. However, realizing the lack of the government's role in equalizing access to education, this paper attempts to answer the question: What factors are initiatives for MASTER schools to consider when developing inclusive education for marginalized groups through community-based education? How does MASTER school develop inclusive education for marginalized groups through community-based education? The method in this research is qualitative with a case study approach. The data was collected from interviews and observations of schools and classes, as well as from relevant journals and articles, sist research analysis. The findings of this paper show that several factors contributed to the establishment of the MASTER school, including social awareness, which is generated by self-designed school founders motivated by the surrounding social environment. In addition, the inclusive education implemented at the MASTER school is based on a narrow understanding of the differences between children in the same room and pro. It provides education without the support of adequate facilities and teachers. In addition, there still needs to be more understanding of educational inclusion, which is also a challenge for its implementation.

Navigating the ecosystem of summertime activity choices for youth: a multiple case study analysis

ABSTRACT Summer in the United States is a complicated time for youth and families. While youth are free from the strictures of school and ripe with opportunities for personal growth, cobbling together summer experiences for them can be challenging, especially for low-income families. Currently, there is little research on summer as a developmental time and space and how parents and families decide to shape summer for their children. To address this gap in the literature, this study used a multiple case study approach, focusing on six families with different socioeconomic and racial backgrounds to understand the roles that structured and unstructured activities fill in their families’ summers. Using Bronfenbrenner’s process-person-context-time model, the authors explore how summer choices are shaped by a) parental attitudes, beliefs, values and experiences, b) child interests, needs, and opportunities for development of autonomy and independence, and c) other contextual factors such as logistic and cost constraints.

Cumulative risk predicting differential effectiveness of the incredible years parent-training

The evidence on whether socioeconomic status moderates the effectiveness of parent-training programs for disruptive child behaviors is inconclusive. These varied results may stem from differences in the programs or the studies themselves. We applied an equivalence test paradigm to test the hypothesis of equal benefit from the Incredible Years Parent-Training (IYPT) across family risk on disruptive child behaviors. During the Danish roll-out of the IYPT, 1203 families were recruited across 20 different municipalities. The isolated and cumulative effect of five markers of low socioeconomic status, specifically single parent household, parental unemployment, low family income, low parental educational level, and teen parenthood, were analyzed as predictors of pre-to-post treatment response. Results showed equal benefit among families experiencing from zero to four accumulated socioeconomic risks (99 % of our sample). Our findings suggest that the IYPT brings equal benefit across socioeconomic backgrounds and risk levels in Danish community settings.

Baltimore community resident and collaborator perspectives on the influence of guaranteed income on health: a formative qualitative study

BackgroundGiven increased interest and investment in guaranteed income initiatives across North America, it is critical to understand the impact of guaranteed income on health, an understudied outcome. As part of Baltimore, Maryland’s guaranteed income pilot, we conducted formative research to understand the influence of increased income on health and develop concrete recommendations for implementation and evaluation of the pilot.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with Baltimore community residents (n = 8) and community collaborators (n = 8), probing on familiarity with guaranteed income; effect of guaranteed income on overall health and specific health outcomes (e.g., mental health, nutrition); and recommendations for program structure (e.g., eligibility, target population). Data were analyzed thematically using a framework analysis approach.ResultsRespondents agreed that guaranteed income could have beneficial effects on health though some were unsure of specific mechanisms. Respondents emphasized pathways through which guaranteed income could improve health: (1) reduced financial-related stress; (2) improved nutrition through purchase of healthier foods; (3) improved family well-being including child health and parent-child relationships; (4) increased utilization of health services; (5) improved community health through increased community cohesion and decreased violence. Respondents described decreased feelings of time scarcity as a social determinant of health. Most respondents reported that Baltimore’s guaranteed income program should prioritize young, low-income families with $1,000/month or more for at least one year.ConclusionsThis formative research on the potential health impacts of guaranteed income in Baltimore highlights important health outcomes and pathways, such as social cohesion and decreased feelings of time scarcity, to prioritize for evaluation.

The Challenges and Opportunities of Implementing Montessori Education in the Public Sector

Over the past two decades, Montessori education in the United States has rapidly expanded from the private to the public sector. This expansion has created important questions about whether or not the Montessori approach can thrive alongside the education standards and accountability movement in the public sector. Questions also exist as to precisely who is benefiting from this expansion of and investment in public Montessori. To examine these topics, this study focused on South Carolina, the state with the highest number of public programs in the United States. We used implementation surveys, classroom observations, and teacher interview data collected by the research team and student record data collected by the state of South Carolina to conduct the analysis, which consisted of three parts. First, we investigated to what extent public programs in South Carolina are able to implement Montessori education with fidelity to the model. Second, we considered what program characteristics were related to higher levels of Montessori implementation fidelity. Third, we analyzed which children had access to higher-fidelity Montessori programs. Generally, findings indicated that, despite challenges created by the education standards and accountability movement and concerns expressed by educators about authenticity, most programs in South Carolina were implementing Montessori with fidelity. Several characteristics were associated with higher levels of fidelity, including the age of the program. Findings also indicated that Black, Hispanic, and students from low-income families were disproportionately participating in lower fidelity programs. Our study provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with government trying to implement successful private-sector education models in the public sector.

Mixed evidence concerning the effects of the hopeful mindset among mother and child in low-income families in Singapore

Having a hopeful mindset is believed to enable adaptation but much of the pertinent research was cross-sectional, focused on convenient samples, and examined normal circumstances. It is unclear whether hope can predict beneficial outcomes over time among people living in challenging life conditions, such as those in low-income families with protracted financial insecurity. We report a longitudinal study where hope and several psychological outcomes – reported health, self-esteem, and emotional distress – were measured three times across 12 months in mothers and their children in families on financial assistance in Singapore. The results were mixed as to hope’s adaptation effectiveness. Hope positively predicted reported health and self-esteem but not emotional distress over time among the children. It did not predict any outcome among the mothers. Hence, hope can be a resource that could enable children in these families to thrive, but its longer-term benefits for mothers appear less straightforward.

Socioeconomic and Environmental Risk Factors for Malaria in Young Children: A Review

Malaria remained a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, disproportionately affecting children under five years of age. Understanding the socioeconomic and environmental risk factors associated with malaria in this vulnerable population was crucial for developing targeted interventions to reduce transmission and improve health outcomes. This review examined the complex interplay between socioeconomic status, housing conditions, environmental factors, and malaria risk among young children. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to synthesize current research findings on the topic. Key socioeconomic determinants included household income, maternal education, and access to preventive measures. Children from low-income families were at higher risk due to limited resources for malaria prevention and treatment, as well as poorer living conditions that facilitate mosquito breeding. Environmental factors such as proximity to stagnant water bodies, inadequate sanitation, and climate variability further exacerbated malaria transmission. The review highlighted the need for multifaceted approaches that address both biological and social determinants of health to effectively reduce the burden of malaria among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. Keywords: Malaria, Socioeconomic factors, Environmental factors, young children, Sub-Saharan Africa

Using Integrated Administrative Data for Promoting Access to Early Childhood Education Programs

Early childhood education (ECE) can significantly mitigate the detrimental effects of poverty. Head Start (HS) is a federally funded program in U.S. designed to promote school readiness for children from low-income families. Nationwide estimates suggest that HS only reaches 41% of eligible children and programs are facing under-enrollment, which highlights the importance of addressing the evolving needs. This is a secondary analysis study that utilizes real-world data to explore (a) child, family, neighborhood, and program characteristics that predict HS non/enrollment and (b) HS eligible children’s use of other public ECE programs. It employs an individual child-level integrated dataset from Iowa’s Integrated Data System for Decision-making (I2D2), including data from the State Departments of Public Health and Human Services, Education, and HS recipients. Our data is unique as one of the first systems in the U.S. that includes child-level data from HS recipients statewide. We also integrated aggregated county- and program-level datasets to include multidimensional neighborhood conditions (i.e., poverty, employment) and comprehensive information about HS programs (i.e., staffing, transportation, partnerships). Our analytic sample is 30,048 potential HS eligible children who were born in Iowa and attended kindergarten in 2016-17 or 17-18. Preliminary results showed that only 12% of eligible children were enrolled in HS the year before kindergarten. We are testing logistic and multinomial logistic regression models, and the results will be ready by the presentation. Findings will inform HS programs on improving equitable access and recruiting strategies to meet the needs of children who are most in need.

Are food and nutrition assistance programs fostering an equitable early care and education (ECE) food environment? A systematic review utilizing the RE-AIM framework

BackgroundHealth inequities related to poor diet, food insecurity, and obesity negatively affect children from low-income minority families. The USDA administers Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs (FNAPs) in Early Care and Education settings (ECEs) to safeguard the health of vulnerable children. However, the extent to which FNAPs provide an equitable food environment in ECEs remains unclear. ObjectiveExamine FNAPs’ association with young children's (2–6 years) food environment in ECE through a systematic review using the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework. The primary focus is to operationalize RE-AIM in ECE context and evaluate FNAPs' association with the ECE food environment using an equity lens. Measurable outcomesFood environment dimensions were assessed at three levels: ECE setting (availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, accommodation); ECE provider (feeding practices); and child (dietary intake, food insecurity, BMI percentile). ResultsThe review included 38 articles (cross-sectional=30, mixed method=1, pre-post=5, longitudinal=2) with Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP; n = 35), Farm to ECE (n = 2), and Food Bank-ECE program partnership (n = 1). No study addressed all RE-AIM indicators. CACFP participation showed positive association with healthy food availability (n = 28), feeding practices (n = 12), child dietary intake (n = 6), and reduced risk of being overweight (n = 1). Farm to ECE interventions showed increased local food affordability (n = 1) and children's acceptance of healthy foods (n = 1). No study addressed foods served in ECEs to accommodate cultural diversity, special dietary needs, developmental disabilities, or reported child food insecurity. ConclusionCACFP emerges as the most prevalent FNAP nationally for having potential to improve ECE food availability and feeding practices, but further research is needed to address equity gaps by examining its impact on child outcomes (dietary intake, BMI percentile) across diverse geographic locations (urban vs. rural), ECE organizational structures (center-based vs. home-based), and demographic characteristics of ECE providers and children.

Using Administrative Data to Identify Factors Associated with Healthy Development After Experiencing Household Challenge Adversity in Early Childhood

This study aimed to identify factors associated with healthy development after experiencing household challenge adversity in early childhood. A cohort of 42,505 children born in Manitoba, Canada was created using linkable health, social, and education administrative data. Children were divided into 5 groups according to whether they experienced adversity between birth and four years of age in the following categories: 1) having a parent diagnosed with a mental health disorder, 2) having a parent diagnosed with a substance use disorder, 3) having a parent who received income assistance for at least 2 months, 4) experiencing at least one of the 3 adversities, and 5) having none of the adversities listed. For each group, multiple linear regression models were computed to determine the association of the independent variables (age, sex, birth order, team parenting, neighbourhood-level socio-economic status, parent high school completion, being an established resident in Canada, not having a major illness, residential stability, program participation, and connectedness to health care services) on child development, represented by their Early Development Instrument scores. In each group, factors associated with healthy development included at minimum: older age, being female, being firstborn, team parenting, higher neighbourhood-level socio-economic status, parent high school completion, being an established resident in Canada, and not having a major illness. Several of these factors are associated with increased access to material resources. As such, policies that facilitate the delivery of resources to lower-income families and neighbourhoods with lower socioeconomic status could translate into improved developmental outcomes for children.

The impact of family climate on problematic internet use: Findings from one nationwide study in China

BackgroundWith the growing attention paid to problematic internet use (PIU), this study aims to i) explore the prevalence of PIU based on a nationally representative sample and ii) propose and validate the theoretical model that correlates family climate with PIU. MethodsOne national cross-sectional study was conducted with probability sampling and stratified sampling. Overall, 21,854 sample were included and analyzed. Validated measures of family climate, loneliness, and PIU was distributed and collected from June 2022 to August 2022. ResultsThe overall prevalence of PIU in the sample population is approximately 30.86 %. The model findings showed that family communication and family health had indirect effects of −0.12 and − 0.05 on PIU by the mediating effects of loneliness. The indirect effect explained 80.0 % of the total effect of family communication on PIU and 38.5 % of family health on PIU, highlighting the dominance effects of path family communication and PIU via loneliness. Extended family type (−0.047, p = 0.050), low family income (income≤3000 group, −0.127, p < 0.001) were identified as protective factors against PIU, while not living with family members (0.034, p = 0.021) was identified as risk factors of PIU. LimitationsThe nature of cross-sectional data have the limitation of preventing examining the casual relationships of PIU and the loneliness and family climate, in which future longitudinal study design is needed. ConclusionsThe high prevalence of PIU should be given adequate attention. Optimizing the family climate or family atmosphere by improving positive communication skills, providing family support and family health external resources can be served as effective strategies for controlling PIU.

Socio-Cultural Study of Nutrition in Families of Stunted Toddlers in Coastal Communities in Jember Regency

Background: Cultures, traditions, or habits that exist in society, such as dietary restrictions and wrong eating patterns, can lead to increased nutritional problems, especially in toddlers, which ultimately impacts their growth and development. Low-income family parenting patterns in feeding and primary health care for toddlers can also increase the incidence of stunting in toddlers. This could be the cause of the stunting rate in the Jember Regency, especially in coastal areas. Dietary problems, including stunting, in coastal areas should be less likely to occur because the availability of high-protein animal foods such as fish is quite high, but Curahnongko Village is included in the stunting locus area in Jember Regency. Aims: This research aims to describe the socio-cultural nutrition and parenting styles of toddlers in Curahnongko Village. Methods: The study used qualitative and research methods with a case study approach. Results: The socio-culture during pregnancy in the coastal communities of Jember Regency regarding TTD consumption, routine check-ups, taboos during pregnancy, and visits to midwives are quite good. Socio-culturally during the breastfeeding period, it can be concluded that all informants carried out Early Breastfeeding Initiation (IMD). Socio-culturally during the feeding period for toddlers, all informants do not give food other than breast milk to babies when they are born. Conclusion: The socio-cultural aspect that appears to influence the occurrence of stunting is during the feeding period for toddlers, namely the frequency of children's snack consumption outside the home.

Structural inequality modifies midlife outcomes of a multisystemic early childhood program.

The role of structural inequalities in the long-term benefits of early childhood programs has not been assessed. Previous findings in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, an early childhood cohort investigation with low-income families, indicate that Child-Parent Center (CPC) participation beginning in preschool was associated with a variety of positive health behaviors. In this secondary analysis, we assessed if structural inequalities (neighborhood poverty, history of discrimination) modified the magnitude of associations between CPC and health and education outcomes (cardiovascular health, body mass index, educational attainment) 30 years later. The Chicago Longitudinal Study cohort of 1,539 children (93% Black, 7% Hispanic) grew up in high-poverty neighborhoods and attended CPCs or the usual district programs. At midlife (ages 32-37, M = 34.9 years, 2012-2017), 1,073 participants completed telephone interviews on structural inequalities, health, and education. Regression analyses were conducted with inverse propensity score weighting. After accounting for structural inequality, CPC participation was significantly associated with outcomes. Mean differences on Framingham risk scores, for example, were significant for CPC preschool at ages 3 and 4 (coefficient = -2.15, p = .004, standardized difference = -0.20). Neighborhood poverty moderated (reduced) the association between CPC and cardiovascular health. Neighborhood poverty and perceived discrimination had independent contributions with outcomes. Findings show that structural inequalities, especially poverty, directly influence and/or moderate long-term effects of CPC participation. Increasing neighborhood resources and socioeconomic status may help comprehensive programs sustain their impacts. Early childhood and sociostructural influences reflect the increasing importance of community contexts to health promotion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).