{"title":"A Qualitative Study of Unveiling School Dropout Complexity in Türkiye","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10116-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10116-7","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>This study investigates school dropout, particularly the shift to open high schools in Türkiye during the pandemic, through a multi-stakeholder lens. Using grounded theory, data was collected via semi-structured interviews with 12 students, 15 teachers, and 20 school administrators. Results reveal a model linking themes: predictive reasons for transferring to open high school, both pandemic-related and unrelated, positive/negative consequences of the transition, pandemic’s impact on formal education continuity, essential open high school skills, and strategies to reduce such preferences. Findings highlight the sway of exam-focused education on open high school interest, regardless of COVID-19, and emphasize the need for equitable education amidst Türkiye’s pandemic challenges. Theoretical implications may infer the necessity of approaching school dropout as a multilayered dynamic issue within the cultural context. The implications also may convey the significance of policies and systems not only to reduce the rates of school dropout but also critically unpack underlying reasons to make improvements.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"438 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140602998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Differences in Subjective and Psychological Well-Being of Romanian Adolescents over a Four-Year Period and its Relationship with Free Time","authors":"Claudia Tejada-Gallardo, Sergiu Bălţătescu, Carles Alsinet, Claudia Bacter","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10114-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10114-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The aim of this study is to explore changes in subjective well-being (life satisfaction and positive affect), as well as psychological well-being among Romanian adolescents over a 4-year period using data from the Children’s Worlds project (Waves 2 and 3). Participants were 12-year-olds (<i>N</i> = 1,504 in 2015; <i>N</i> = 1,145 in 2019). The findings indicated a decline in positive affect and psychological prosperity with the passage of time, while life satisfaction remained constant. To investigate factors influencing the decline, we examined the relationships between well-being and the amount of time adolescents spent in their free time (leisure and duties), as well as their satisfaction with their free time. Leisure activities predicted both well-being measures over time. Duties predicted subjective well-being at both waves but only predicted psychological well-being in Wave 3. Satisfaction with free time predicted both well-being approaches only in Wave 3. The findings suggest that factors related to free time do not contribute to declines in well-being, as they show positive associations with subjective and psychological well-being. The declines likely stem from other unexplored variables, underscoring the need for additional research on contributors to the well-being of Romanian adolescents, particularly following disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"77 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140205445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exhibiting the Changes in Nutritional Status of Children in India: An Empirical Insight from the Human Opportunity Index","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10111-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10111-y","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>Enhancing the nutritional status is essential for fostering human resource development and attaining sustainable development. The objective of this study is to analyse the temporal change in the opportunity to access adequate nutritional outcomes (Normal height for age, Normal weight for age, and Normal weight for height) for children under the age of five in India. The analysis of the study is based on three sets (2005–06, 2015–16 and 2019–21) of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, at both the national and sub-national levels. It used the Human Opportunity Index (HOI), D-index, Shapley decomposition of D-index and time decomposition of HOI to examine temporal change in the opportunity to access adequate nutritional outcomes. At the national level, HOI increased in all three nutritional opportunities from 2005–06 to 2019–21, owing to the increase in coverage rate and decline in D-index. On the contrary, a sub-national analysis for the same period finds HOI to increase in all major states only in the case of Normal height for age and Normal weight for age. Whereas, states such as Punjab, West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat saw negative change in HOI for normal weight for height. Estimates from Shapley decomposition of D-index indicated that mother's education, wealth, social group, and access to toilet had major contribution to the unequal distribution of opportunities across all survey years. Further, the time decomposition of HOI revealed that the equalisation effect, which is the heart of the principle of equal opportunity, did not play a prominent role in expanding access to opportunities. Even a negative equalization effect is observed in Jammu & Kashmir, some states of the northeast, and even the rich states like Karnataka and Maharashtra. The study suggests a multi-pronged approach to address challenges, including increasing coverage and decreasing inequity in accessibility. Possible solutions include augmenting spending, minimizing leakages, and guaranteeing the delivery of services to the final recipients. A nuanced balance between "equality of outcomes" and "equality of opportunity" is needed.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140168178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Sources of Happiness in Preadolescence and Adolescence: A Multi-Method and Multi-Informant Perspective","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10113-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10113-w","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>Research on happiness in preadolescence and adolescence has been limited regarding the sources of happiness. The present study aims to explore such sources in preadolescents and adolescents through a multi-method and multi-informant approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 77 family triads: children (age range: 11–19; <em>M</em> = 13.90, SD = 2.70; 61% female), mothers (<em>M</em> = 47.50, SD = 4.35), and fathers (<em>M</em> = 50.53, SD = 5.30). The triads were asked to define happiness from children’s perspective, describe what makes children happy, and indicate children’s levels of happiness. Using quantitative data, preadolescents exhibited higher individual happiness levels than adolescents, and fathers reported higher levels of children’s happiness than mothers. Through Thematic Analysis, five primary sources of happiness emerged: <em>Social relationships</em>, <em>Family relationships</em>, <em>Personal interests</em>, <em>Achievement</em>, and <em>Entertainment</em>. <em>Social relationships</em> was the most recurring theme across the narratives of both preadolescents/adolescents and parents. The second most recurring theme was <em>Personal interests</em> for preadolescents/adolescents and <em>Family relationships</em> for parents. Parents notably more frequently mentioned <em>Achievement</em> than children. Males displayed a higher propensity to report the <em>Entertainment</em> theme than females, while females reported the <em>Family relationships</em> and <em>Social relationships</em> themes more frequently. Preadolescents exhibited a higher occurrence of the <em>Entertainment</em> and <em>Family relationships</em> themes than adolescents. Regarding the concordance of themes between children and their parents, low overall levels of agreement were observed, all below 40%. The highest levels of concordance were found between mothers and fathers rather than between parents and children. The results could provide valuable insights to parents and educators on how to help youth promote their happiness.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140147556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Influence of Environmental Shocks and Child Labour on Children's Educational Outcomes: A Scoping Review","authors":"Emmanuel Chukwuma Eze, Amos Nnaemeka Amedu, Monday Sampson, Ifeanyichukwu Dumtochukwu Okoro, Chukwuma Patrick Nwabudike, Sylvanus Innocent Ogar","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10109-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10109-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Educational outcomes for children are of the utmost importance since they form the foundation of education systems worldwide. Children's learning outcomes have been adversely affected by natural and human disasters since their inception. This paper employs a scoping review approach to investigate the influence of environmental shocks and child labour on children's educational outcomes. Numerous empirical studies have been screened in this study to determine how environmental shocks and child labour influence children's educational outcomes. This present study is the most recent research to examine the influence of environmental shocks and child labour on children's educational outcomes. This study found that environmental shocks (death, climate variability, flooding, and hurricanes) are positively associated with child labour and negatively related to children's learning outcomes, while child labour (farming, domestic chores, fishing, and hawking) has a negative influence on children's educational outcomes. This study also found that the interaction effect of environmental shocks and child labour has detrimental impacts on children's learning outcomes. Available literature has shown that research on the influence of environmental shocks and child labour on children's education and environmental shocks on child labour is still growing. More studies are needed on the influence of other kinds of environmental shocks and child labour on children's educational outcomes as well as the influence of environmental shocks on child labour, particularly on the African continent. This is because there is a dearth of literature despite the fact that they are susceptible to environmental shocks since they are located in the tropics and other areas habitually unprotected from life-threatening weather events, which reduce their per capita income and increase child labour.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"40 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140124294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michael J. Furlong, Mei-ki Chan, Erin Dowdy, Karen Nylund-Gibson
{"title":"Diminished Adolescent Social Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Michael J. Furlong, Mei-ki Chan, Erin Dowdy, Karen Nylund-Gibson","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10108-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10108-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Managing the COVID-19 pandemic involved implementing public health policies that disrupted students’ lives, creating conditions that substantially influenced their mental health and well-being. Subsequently, research focused on the mental health sequelae of increased depression and anxiety, but the possible impacts on adolescents’ social well-being have been largely unexamined. Social well-being is essential to youth’s overall mental health and can be diminished even without symptoms of depression and anxiety. This report explored heterogeneities in changes in adolescents’ social well-being from pre-COVID-19 to post-restrictions using longitudinal data from adolescents attending middle and high schools in California (<i>N</i> = 1,299; 49.9% female). Data collection involved four observations. Participants completed a school-based mental health wellness survey annually from 2019 to 2022. A latent profile analysis identified five profiles demonstrating distinctive social well-being trajectories. Two ordered profiles included Stable-High (28%) and Stable-Low (26%) patterns. Three groups represented nonordered profiles labeled as Succumbing (20%), Languishing (14%), and Recovering (12%). Pervasive decreases in social well-being were observed, and a significant portion of the adolescents did not recover to their pre-COVID-19 level by 2022. Adolescents in the Stable-High and Recovering profiles showed better psychological well-being, optimism, and school connectedness and less distress than their counterparts in the other three profiles. Mental health professionals should be aware of the pandemic’s effects on adolescents’ social well-being. Lower levels of social well-being may be a risk factor for adolescents developing generally jaded attitudes about their social networks and diminishing their potential engagement with sources of social support.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"34 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140019694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing Child Health Disparities: Evidence from a Household-Based Health Index in Punjab, Pakistan","authors":"Tanveer Ahmed Naveed, Imran Hussain Shah","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10103-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10103-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Around the world, undernutrition causes more than half of all deaths in children <i>under 5</i> years of age. It also increases children's vulnerability to common diseases, impairs recovery, and stunts their physical and mental development. This paper investigates the state of child health and the assessment of health inequalities in children under 5 years, utilising Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys across 36 districts in Punjab, Pakistan. We suggest a new household-based health index to identify health disparities and to help policymakers implement more successful domestic policies to offset inequalities. Additionally, this study estimates the health disparities for robustness checks applying the Palma ratio and Gini coefficient. The study's findings revealed that every second child in Punjab is malnourished and that 51% of children in Punjab had not received all of their recommended vaccinations. The results also show that health disparities in low-income districts are worse than in high-income districts. The findings further demonstrate that important contributors to health disparities include parental illiteracy, poverty, and political backwardness. This study recommends a multifaceted policy intervention to address child immunization, undernutrition, and infectious disease legislation, as well as income inequality, to reduce health disparities.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"46 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140010669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing Child Health in India: Development and Validation of a Comprehensive Child Health Index","authors":"","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10112-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10112-x","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Abstract</h3> <p>While developing a child health index is of interest, it is particularly important in the Indian context, because of a high burden of poor child health, the disparities in child health between different social, economic, and geographical regions and the absence of such a comprehensive index. This paper focuses on the development and validation of a Child Health Index (CHI) for India. Using publicly available data at the district level and principal component analysis, this index is composed of 16 variables representing six domains namely socio-cultural, child health status, determinants of child health (both risk and protective factors), household environment and health system and policy. Several statistical tests were conducted to provide internal and external validation. The application to predict child mortality confirmed its validation. This study thus provides a new tool for characterising child health and detecting child health inequalities at a district level in India. Consequently, it can be used by policymakers, health service providers and other stakeholders involved in child welfare to monitor and improve child health over time and space.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140010632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Developmental Trajectory of Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Early Adolescents: The Role of Gender and Parental Involvement","authors":"Simeng Li, Xiaozhe Meng, Yuke Xiong, Ruiping Zhang, Ping Ren","doi":"10.1007/s12187-023-10099-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-023-10099-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Subjective well-being is an important indicator of adolescents’ positive development. Although the general developmental trends of subjective well-being in adolescents have been investigated, the longitudinal differences in the developmental trajectory of subjective well-being in early adolescents remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the developmental trajectory of subjective well-being and examine the predictive roles of gender and parental involvement in this developmental trajectory among Chinese early adolescents. A longitudinal design was used with 2,483 middle students who were followed up across three time points (T1, T2 and T3). The growth mixture model (GMM) analysis showed three subgroups within the developmental trajectory of the subjective well-being of Chinese early adolescents: high-rising (53.3%), moderate-decline (39.7%) and low-decline (7.0%). Furthermore, group membership was predicted by gender, parental academic involvement and parental academic pressure. These findings suggest that it is necessary to implement normative and effective interventions for the different development trajectories of the subjective well-being of early adolescents.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139902110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Meaning in Life in Preschool Children: Developmental Foundations and Relationship to Well-Being","authors":"Anat Shoshani","doi":"10.1007/s12187-024-10107-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-024-10107-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aimed to investigate the sources of meaning in life of 3- to 6-year-olds. A sample of 291 children responded orally to questions about the most important aspects of their lives, and parents reported on their children's meaning in life using parent-reported questionnaire. Attachment patterns and Theory-of-Mind abilities were examined as possible antecedents of individual differences in meaning in life. Self, parental and preschool teachers' reports were obtained to assess the children's functioning and well-being. The findings indicated that preschool children are able to articulate their sense of meaning in life. Meaning in life increased with age and was partly mediated by Theory-of-Mind development. Securely attached children expressed more meaning in life than children classified as disorganized or avoidant/insecure. A significant association was found between self and parental reported meaning in life and children's socio-emotional and preschool functioning and well-being. The implications for early interventions in family and preschool settings are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":47682,"journal":{"name":"Child Indicators Research","volume":"276 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139765784","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}