Newcomer Status Research Articles

Entering the Classroom: Do Newcomers Experience More Peer Victimization than Their Established Peers?

Students changing classrooms or schools may face challenges from entering a new peer context without friends and standing out from the crowd as newcomers. Two studies examined whether newcomer status predicts peer victimization at school, exploring several potential moderating factors (e.g., social anxiety, immigrant background and having good friends in the classroom) (Study 1: n = 6,199; Mage=12.53) and whether being victimized as a newcomer varied based on the different reasons for mobility (e.g., parental dissolution, residential move, previous victimization, changing into a more suitable school) (Study 2: n = 58,738). In both studies, newcomers reported higher peer victimization compared to established students. Having good friends in the classroom was found as a protective factor in Study 1, being the only statistically significant moderator. All reasons for mobility, except changing into a more suitable school, predicted slightly higher peer victimization in Study 2, with the highest risk for those changing schools due to previous peer victimization experiences.

Can changing schools help peer-victimized students escape their plight? A mixed-methods study

Changing schools tends to be more frequent among victimized students and is sometimes used as a means to put an end to persistent bullying. However, whether these changes benefit victimized students remains unclear, as bullying victimization often persists across different contexts. This mixed-methods study ( n = 58,799 and n = 68 for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively) conducted in Finland examines the role of victimization history in the association between newcomer status and victimization in the new school among elementary school students (fourth to sixth graders, that is, 10–12 years old) and middle school students (seventh to ninth graders, that is, 12–15 years old). The findings showed that elementary school newcomers with most frequent victimization history seemed to benefit from the school change compared to established students with similar victimization histories. A corresponding, albeit much weaker, effect was observed among middle schoolers. Previously victimized students had initially been more willing to change schools than non-victimized students. The qualitative content analysis showed a more complex reality—some of the previously victimized newcomers had strong aspirations for a better future, while others experienced fears and losses of established friendships. Eventually, the school change can bring both disappointments and rewards, depending on the newcomers’ ability to make new friends and escape bullying.

On and beyond gentrifiers: middling transnationals, rental agents, and the housing search

Drawing inspiration from autoethnographic accounts of gentrification, this paper examines the privileges and disadvantages of middling transnationals in the private rented sector to reveal the complexity of housing decisions, thereby challenging the inclination to conceive this particular group as ‘gentrifiers’. By demonstrating the ability of middle-class migrants to prioritize their preferences while considering the challenges they face due to their newcomer status, this paper contends that housing decisions are the outcome of the interplay between migrants, rental agents, and digital platforms. In so doing, this paper highlights the gatekeeping capability of traditional and digital intermediaries in the rental market. Methodologically, this paper underscores the value of the microscopic view enabled by autoethnography, which broadens gentrification research by facilitating the recognition of emerging trends and the identification of promising areas for future research. Overall, through its reflection on the potential influences of transnational migrants on gentrification, this paper contributes to research efforts that intend to understand gentrification in relation to migration.

Traversing the Challenges of Community Engagement in South Africa: Emerging Researchers’ Perspectives

With the growing emphasis being placed on community engagement, many emerging scholars have found themselves in the field with much to learn beyond the research that they are conducting. Community engagement is guided by principles such as the mutual exchange of knowledge, collaboratively identifying community priorities and an ongoing focus on strengthening and sustaining communities. In practice, community engagement is fraught with various challenges that need to be navigated. These challenges present themselves in different ways to different researchers. In this article, we draw on our experiences as three emerging researchers navigating community-engaged research across two geographic spaces in South Africa, namely, the Western Cape and Gauteng, two of the country’s nine national provinces. The objectives of this article are to explore our experiences of relationship building, to determine the role our positionalities have played in our engaged scholarship, and to explore feelings of disconnectedness as young academics. Following a qualitative reflexive approach, we identified three themes that speak to these objectives, namely, navigating newcomer status and building relationships in community-engaged spaces, reflections on researcher positionality in the field, and the dilemma of (dis)connectedness in engaged scholarship. Our findings highlight the need for support such as mentorship from experienced community-engaged scholars, resources for establishing community connections, guidance in navigating cultural nuances, and training for effective communication and relationship building in communities.

Association of maternal risk factors with infant maltreatment: an administrative data cohort study

ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate the risk of infant maltreatment associated with commonly used criteria for home visiting programmes: young maternal age, maternal adversity (homelessness, substance abuse, intimate partner violence), newcomer...

101 The Impact of Sociodemographic Factors on Youth Academic Achievement During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted education and widened socioeconomic disparities. In Ontario, schools were closed for 28 weeks, longer than any other state, province, or territory in North America. School interruptions and remote learning are known to have short and long-term negative effects, which differ by socioeconomic status, on students’ academic outcomes. Objectives The objective of this study was to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a greater achievement gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged secondary students in Ontario, Canada. Design/Methods We conducted a population-based observational study comparing scores from Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) standardized Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics from 2018-19 (pre-COVID year) and 2020-21 (COVID year). Our outcome measure was the EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics dot scores. The primary analysis used a mixed-effects multilevel model (with random effects for school board) to calculate the interaction between year and neighborhood family income on math scores (difference in income slope between years) while controlling for confounders. Secondary analyses examined other risk factors (e.g. parental education, newcomer status, and lone-parent home) and their impact during the pandemic. Results In the COVID year, 3,485 of 42,920 eligible Ontario Grade 9 students (8.1%) participated in the EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics from 38 of 72 school boards. In the pre-COVID year, within those same 38 school boards, 42,640 of 43,230 eligible Grade 9 students (98.6%) participated in the math assessment. We found that in the pre-COVID year, every one standard deviation increase (or decrease) in mean log-adjusted neighborhood income resulted in a mean increase (or decrease) in test score of 0.088 (95% CI, 0.078 to 0.097; p<0.0001). The effect of income on test score decreased in the COVID year (delta between years, -0.047, 95% CI, -0.060 to -0.033; p<0.0001). Conclusion This population-based observational study demonstrated that neighborhood family income impacted academic performance less in the COVID year compared to the pre-COVID year. The impact of other sociodemographic factors on academic achievement were also modified in the COVID year compared to pre-COVID. Determining how sociodemographic risk factors affected academic achievement during the pandemic may help inform educational recovery strategies and improve educational outcomes for children facing social inequities.

Associations between social factors and school belonging among newcomer and non-newcomer youth in Sweden.

Feeling a sense of belonging at school is associated with important positive outcomes for youth and requires youth to engage in positive social relationships. Yet there is a limited understanding of the social factors most associated with youths' school belonging and limited evidence about whether correlates of school belonging vary for marginalized groups like newcomers compared to majority groups. Sweden provides an important context for investigation of these issues because, over the past two decades, the country has experienced an influx of asylum seekers and educational reforms that have altered the composition and functioning of Swedish secondary schools. This study addresses these gaps by (1) investigating which of eight social factors are associated with school belonging among diverse Swedish youth, and (2) examining whether newcomer status moderates the relationship between social factors and school belonging. Hierarchical regression and moderation analyses were used to analyze data from 14 to 19 year-old (n = 233) newcomers and non-newcomers in Sweden. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that the school belonging measure contained two factors: positive perceptions and negative perceptions (reverse coded). For both, stronger school belonging was associated with lower perceived ethnic discrimination. Positive perceptions of school belonging were also associated with more prosocial behaviours and lower emotional problems. Negative perceptions of school belonging were associated with more peer problems. Notably, quantity and quality of peer relationships were not associated with school belonging. There was no consistent evidence of newcomer status moderating the relationship between social factors and school belonging. These results highlight factors associated with school belonging which are modifiable and amenable to intervention or impact by policy-ethnic discrimination, prosocial behaviour, and emotional and peer problems. The absence of moderation by newcomer status suggests that school belonging interventions or related policies are likely to affect newcomer and non-newcomer students similarly.

Food insecurity, nutrition insecurity, and self-reported health among newcomer Manitoba youth: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Many youth in Manitoba are not food secure. Newcomer youth may be more vulnerable to food insecurity. Further, it has been suggested that being food secure does not ensure a nutritionally adequate diet. This study examined survey data from 1,347 grade nine students to describe and compare food security by newcomer status. Survey data were also used to compare the dietary intakes, eating behaviors, and self-reported health of newcomer youth by food security status. Food security status between newcomer and non-newcomer youth was not significantly different, however, being food secure was not enough to have optimal nutritional health and well-being.

Human cooperation in changing groups in a large-scale public goods game

How people cooperate to provide public goods is an important scientific question and relates to many societal problems. Previous research studied how people cooperate in stable groups in repeated or one-time-only encounters. However, most real-world public good problems occur in groups with a gradually changing composition due to old members leaving and new members arriving. How group changes are related to cooperation in public good provision is not well understood. To address this issue, we analyze a dataset from an online public goods game comprising approximately 1.5 million contribution decisions made by about 135 thousand players in about 11.3 thousand groups with about 234 thousand changes in group composition. We find that changes in group composition negatively relate to cooperation. Our results suggest that this is related to individuals contributing less in the role of newcomers than in the role of incumbents. During the process of moving from newcomer status to incumbent status, individuals cooperate more and more in line with incumbents.

Star Light, but Why Not So Bright? A Process Model of How Incumbents Influence Star Newcomer Performance

Star performers do not always sustain their performance edge after moving to new organizations. We offer an important explanation for whether star performers may flourish or flounder when they join a new team. Integrating insights from attribution theory and social comparison research, we present a process model explaining how incumbents make sense of star newcomer status. We propose that incumbents determine whether the star newcomer attained their star status through internal factors (e.g., ability, grit) or external factors (e.g., luck, affiliation), which gives rise to one of four distinct emotions: optimism, inspiration, shame, or envy. Incumbents who feel optimism or inspiration attempt to enhance their status through learning or helping behaviors that subsequently facilitates star newcomer performance, whereas incumbents who feel shame or envy seek to protect their status through withdrawal or destructive behaviors that hinder star newcomer performance. We further propose that the effect of incumbent behaviors on star newcomer performance is particularly likely when there is a high need for task-related interactions and complementary skills among team members. Our theoretical framework helps to advance the star newcomer literature by examining the largely overlooked influence of incumbents and highlighting the cognitive process that precedes their behavior towards star newcomers.

Into the Unknown: Experiences of Social Newcomers Entering Medical Education.

Amid efforts to diversify the medical profession, research has yet to fully explore the role of early social ties to the field. This study examined diversity through the experiences of students without early ties to medicine through family members working in health care (i.e., "newcomers") in comparison with more-connected peers (i.e., "insiders"), examining how social newcomers to medicine negotiate challenges stemming from their outsider status. The author conducted an exploratory qualitative study from 2018 to 2021 using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Following a voluntary preliminary survey of 2 cohorts of first-year medical students about their social connections in health care, the author conducted interviews over the next 2 years with students who had indicated their willingness to participate. Interviews addressed how social context shaped-and continued to influence-their journeys into medicine. Eighty second- and third-year students participated in 94 interviews, including some follow-up interviews for longitudinal insight into outsider status. Interviews from the second year (58 new, 14 follow-up) provided the foundation of the qualitative results. Students experienced outsider status primarily on the basis of being newcomers to medicine, often compounded by intersectional characteristics, including first-generation college status, rural or low-income background, race or ethnicity, and nontraditional status. For some, an early shortage of social capital became internalized, continuing to influence confidence and belonging well into training, in line with social reproduction theory. However, newcomers also experienced benefits associated with diverse backgrounds which helped them find a sense of belonging in medicine, as suggested by community cultural wealth and antideficit perspectives. Newcomer status proved to be a central cause of outsiderness for students from all backgrounds and warrants greater attention from stakeholders, perhaps mirroring the undergraduate focus on first-generation college-goers. Findings suggest institutions that provide robust networking and community-building opportunities are best positioned to support newcomers.

Recruitment Strategies to Engage Newcomer Mothers of African Descent in Maternal Mental Health Research in Canada.

Introduction:Newcomer mothers of African descent are at risk for maternal mental stress because of inadequate social support, newcomer status, and stress of motherhood. Limited participation of newcomer African mothers in mental health research contributes to a knowledge gap in this area further impacting culturally competent health services. This article reports recruitment strategies to better engage African newcomer women in maternal mental health research.Methods:In-depth discussion of recruitment strategies, used in a qualitative descriptive study conducted with Black African newcomer mothers in Canada.Results:Ten African newcomer mothers were successfully recruited using recruitment strategies such as engagement with religious organizations, snowballing, and the use of social media.Discussion:Cultural beliefs on motherhood, resilience, and mental illness may account for hesitancy to engage in maternal mental health research. Recruitment strategies could help overcome the challenges and potentially diversify maternal mental health research in Canada through the engagement of African newcomer mothers.

Experiences of discrimination and its impacts on well-being among racialised LGBTQ+ newcomers living in Waterloo region, Ontario, Canada.

Discrimination (i.e. racism, homo/bi/transphobia) at both the individual and systemic levels may negatively impact the well-being of racialised LGBTQ+ newcomers living in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. Current research about the experiences of LGBTQ+ newcomers focuses predominantly on homogeneous samples of gay men living in large metropolitan city centres. The present study aims to extend the current literature by exploring the experiences of discrimination and its impacts on well-being among racialised LGBTQ+ newcomers living in a small urban area and representing a variety of intersecting identities (i.e. ethno-racial background, LGBTQ+ identity, newcomer status). Using a qualitative method, 10 individuals were invited to complete a semistructured interview between fall 2019 and summer 2020 about their experiences of discrimination in Waterloo Region, and how such experiences impact their well-being. Using an intersectional lens, a thematic analysis revealed that racialised LGBTQ+ newcomers experienced discrimination before and after settlement in Waterloo Region. Prior to settlement, participants spoke predominantly about experiences of homo/biphobia and the associated feelings of internalised oppression. Alternatively, upon settling in Waterloo Region, experiences of discrimination were predominantly racism, and, in particular, systemic racism, which manifested as an inability to access adequate services and a lack of representation in various spaces throughout Waterloo Region. These results extend previous research by identifying the service barriers experienced by racialised LGBTQ+ newcomers living in a small urban area and can be used to inform best practices for addressing these barriers in Waterloo Region and other small urban areas with similar demographics. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Ecotheology: A Christian Conversation

Ecotheology: A Christian Conversation

We Are Here for the Future of Our Kids: Parental Involvement in Refugee Adolescents’ Educational Endeavours in the United States

Abstract Every year, thousands of young refugees and their families face challenges as they adjust to schools in the US. This article explores how families resettled to the US from conflict-affected, Arab-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, such as Iraq and Syria, view education, and how parents support their children’s education following the experiences of resettlement. To centre the voices and lived experiences of these families, we analysed focus group discussions with 30 adolescents and in-depth interviews with 30 parents and 27 key informants. Analysis using constant comparative method and thematic analysis showed that, upon resettlement, education remained highly valued by families. Our study finds that, despite the challenges associated with families’ newcomer status, parents in this study provided educational support to their children by engaging with the school and with their children’s learning at home. We offer suggestions on how schools and organizations can bolster parents’ ability to support their children’s education.

Which Comes First, the Chicken or the Egg?: Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction

While consensus exists regarding the association between organizational commitment and job satisfaction, the temporal ordering of this association in proposed models frequently varies across empirical studies, depending on the theoretical focus of a study or the researcher’s perspective. Indeed, there are four competing theoretical models of the causal relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction in the literature. We systematically test these competing theoretical models by adopting a meta-analytic method that accumulates evidence from existing panel studies (k = 37, N = 7,311). After accounting for sampling error and measurement error, the results of cross-lagged path analyses indicated that there were reciprocal relationships between organizational commitment and job satisfaction, with a stronger lagged effect of commitment than a lagged effect of satisfaction. However, time lag, organizational change, measurements of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, commitment dimensions, newcomer status, and publication status significantly moderated the causal relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. These findings collectively suggest the complexity of the causal relationship between organizational commitment and job satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

A Closer Look: Examining Distance within Status Hierarchies

Status hierarchies are a central part of group life. Scholars have devoted considerable attention to understanding the effects of status hierarchies. However, there is unresolved debate about the promises and perils of status hierarchies. In this symposium, we revisit a core assumption in how status hierarchies are typically conceptualized in the literature. Rather than viewing status solely in relative terms, as a rank-ordering of individuals on the basis of prestige, respect, and esteem, we introduce new theory and research that invokes the concept of status distance --- the absolute magnitude of status differences between individuals in a group. Across 5 methodologically diverse papers, we examine the individual, dyadic, and group-level effects of status distance. By exploring status distance from multiple angles, our hope is to open up new theoretical terrain and stimulate novel research questions. The contingent effects of scapegoating in work teams: The moderating role of hierarchy stability Presenter: Stuart Bunderson; Washington U. Presenter: Steven Gray; The U. of Texas at Austin Presenter: Gerben S. Van Der Vegt; U. of Groningen The interactive effect of status distance and newcomer status on willingness to help teammates Presenter: Sarah Doyle; U. of Arizona Presenter: Beth Polin; Eastern Kentucky U. Presenter: Robert B. Lount; Ohio State U. A qualitative investigation of the relationships between leaders and their second-in-commands Presenter: Benjamin Dow; The U. of Texas at Austin Perspective taking and employee deviance: The role of leaders dominance and prestige Presenter: Hemant Kakkar; London Business School Presenter: Niro Sivanathan; London Business School Do we agree on whos in charge here? Status dissensus antecedents and impact on team performance Presenter: Catarina Fernandes; Harvard Business School Presenter: Sujin Jang; INSEAD

ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN AT TWO SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS (SBHCS): A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Abstract BACKGROUND The number of school-aged children diagnosed with ADHD in Canada has been on the rise over the past three decades. Evidence suggests that children with ADHD dealing with risk factors, such as poverty and prolonged wait-times are more likely to have poorer outcomes due to challenges in accessing healthcare services. Schools are ideal for the early identification of children with ADHD, as they are often the setting in which attention and behavioural issues come to light. School-Based Health Centres (SBHCs) are embedded within the school system and are an ideal entry point for children with ADHD into the healthcare system. OBJECTIVES To examine the prevalence of ADHD and as well as demographic characteristics and time to assessment of children at two inner-city SBHCs in Toronto. DESIGN/METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed on 869 children from November 2010- March 2016 from two SBHCs. Frequency measures were used to determine the proportion of children that received a new diagnosis of ADHD. Within this population, the patient’s age, gender, ethnicity, parental income, home arrangement, parental education and newcomer status were described. Diagnostic wait-times within the SBHC were calculated using two specific data points – a child’s first clinic visit data and the clinic date they saw a general paediatrician, who would provide the ADHD diagnosis. RESULTS Of the 869 children, 9.6% of children received a new diagnosis of ADHD. The mean age of diagnosis was 7.6 years and 80% of the children were male. 74.6% of children’s families identified them as an ethnicity other than white. 60.2% of the patients’ household income was <$30,000/year. 44.5% of the families were composed of single-parent households. 52.8% of the patients’ mothers and 47.6% of fathers had completed a high school level of education or less. 34% of the children were not born in Canada, and of those, 57% had been in the country for only 0–3 years. The average wait time for a child to see a general paediatrician for a developmental assessment from initial visit date was 62.3 days. CONCLUSION The prevalence of ADHD at 2 SBHCs was higher than that reported in the general population. A number of barriers to health care access were identified in this cohort of children including low income, single parent homes and newcomer status. SBHCs serve as an accessible health care model that can provide timely diagnosis and management to vulnerable children with ADHD which may improve outcomes.

DATA LINKAGE FOR EVALUATING MATERNAL INFLUENCES ON INFANT MORTALITY AND MALTREATMENT IN CANADA

Abstract BACKGROUND A number of social risk factors are reported to increase infant mortality rates and child maltreatment. Public health programs attempt to mitigate risk factors and improve outcomes for infants. This study aimed to explore the association of exposure factors in mothers with infant mortality and maltreatment in Ontario. OBJECTIVES Objectives for this study included: 1. Describe prevalence of infant mortality and maltreatment in Ontario. 2. Explore how maternal risk factors influence infant mortality and maltreatment. DESIGN/METHODS This was a population-based study of 845, 567 infants born between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2015 using administrative and healthcare databases available at the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). Maternal risk factors were selected based on public health home visiting referral criteria. These exposures included, maternal adversity (substance abuse, intimate partner violence, homelessness), newcomer status (new to Canada in past 3 years) and young maternal age (less than 22 years of age). The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality of infants less than 12 months age. The secondary outcome measures were combined fatal and non-fatal child maltreatment outcomes and were defined using International Classification of Diseases for maltreatment diagnoses. Baseline characteristics and outcomes were described. The association between maternal risk factors and infant mortality and maltreatment was analysed using multivariable logistic modelling, including analysis by type of maternal risk factors and number of risk factors. RESULTS All-cause deaths were present in 0.14% and combined fatal and non-fatal maltreatment outcomes were present in 0.05% of the study population. Young maternal age increased the risk of all-cause mortality 2.4 times (n 171, OR 2.4, 95% CI 2.0–3.0) and maltreatment 6.3 times (n 292, OR 6.3, 95% CI 5.0–7.8). Mental health diagnosis increased the odds of maltreatment by 90% (n 209, OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5–2.4). Adversity increased the odds of maltreatment by 63% (n 40, OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.0–2.6). The risk of maltreatment also increased as the number of risk factors increased with an OR of 3.5 (95% CI 2.9–4.4) with one risk factor, an OR of 8.2 (95% CI 5.9–11.4) with two risk factors, and an OR of 10.9 (95% CI 5.7 20.7) with three or more risk factors. Newcomer status was not associated with increased risk of maltreatment and mortality. Gestational age showed increasing ORs as prematurity increased. Material deprivation was included as a covariate and was associated with increased risk of maltreatment with increased level of deprivation. CONCLUSION Young maternal age carried the greatest risk of death and maltreatment in infants. There was also an increasing risk of infant mortality and maltreatment with increasing number of risk factors. These findings are important for ensuring public health interventions are targeting the most vulnerable populations with the aim of preventing maltreatment.

Association of the Social Determinants of Health With Quality of Primary Care

In primary care, there is increasing recognition of the difficulty of treating patients' immediate health concerns when their overall well-being is shaped by underlying social determinants of health. We assessed the association of social complexity factors with the quality of care patients received in primary care settings. Eleven social complexity factors were defined using administrative data on poverty, mental health, newcomer status, and justice system involvement from the Manitoba Population Research Data Repository. We measured the distribution of these factors among primary care patients who made at least 3 visits during 2010-2013 to clinicians in Manitoba, Canada. Using generalized linear mixed modeling, we measured 26 primary care indicators to compare the quality of care received by patients with 0 to 5 or more social complexity factors. Among 626,264 primary care patients, 54% were living with at least 1 social complexity factor, and 4% were living with 5 or more. Social complexity factors were strongly associated with poorer outcomes with respect to primary care indicators for prevention (eg, breast cancer screening; odds ratio [OR] = 0.77; 99% CI, 0.73-0.81), chronic disease management (eg, diabetes management; OR = 0.86; 99% CI, 0.79-0.92), geriatric care (eg, benzodiazepine prescriptions; OR = 1.63; 99% CI, 1.48-1.80), and use of health services (eg, ambulatory visits; OR = 1.09; 99% CI, 1.08-1.09). Linking health and social data demonstrates how social determinants are associated with primary care service provision. Our findings provide insight into the social needs of primary care populations, and may support the development of focused interventions to address social complexity in primary care.