positive indicators in middle childhood
DESCRIPTION
Positive Indicators in Middle Childhood. Kristin Anderson Moore, Ph.D. Presented at the ISCI inaugural conference June 28, 2007. Stages of Childhood. 0-5. 6-11. 12-17. 18+. Middle Childhood. Early Childhood. Adolescence. Emerging Adulthood. Birth. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Positive Indicators in Middle Childhood
Kristin Anderson Moore, Ph.D.
Presented at the ISCI inaugural conference
June 28, 2007
Stages of Childhood
BirthEarly
Childhood
Middle Childhood Adolescence
0-5 6-11 12-17 18+
Emerging Adulthood
Overview of Existing Conceptual Frameworks
• Input/Contextual Models• America’s Promise - The Alliance for Youth: Five Promises• National Research Council• Forum for Youth Investment• Search Institute: 40 Developmental Assets
• Outcome Models• National Research Council• The Five Cs• Boys and Girls Club of America
Caring Adults
ConsistentFair, Monitoring of
Behavior
Safety
Structure
SupportiveRelationships
Opportunities to Belong
Positive SocialNorms
Opportunities for Skill Building
Integration of family,School, and Community
Support for efficacy And Mattering
Opportunity to Give Back
Effective Education
Healthy Start
HighQuality
Instruction
Challenging Experiences
ResourcesAnd
Networks
RoleModels
HighExpectations
AndStandards
HealthyRelationships
Safe andStablePlaces
BasicCare and Services
CaringRelationships
OpportunitiesFor
Contribution
HighExpectations
ConstructiveUse of Time
Boundaries andExpectations
Support
Inputs
Safe Places with Structured Activities
Mixed
Empowerment
Health
SocialRelationships
EducationalAttainment
Emotional and Spiritual
Well-Being
Place inCommunity
MaterialWell-Being
Low-birthWeightbabies
InfantMortality
ChildDeaths
ViolentTeen
Deaths
TeenBirths
HSDropout
IdleTeens
EconomicSecurity
SingleParent
Families
ParentalEmployment
Safety
Competence
Outcomes
Physical
Intellectual/Educational
Psychological
Social Caring
Character
Connection
Competence
Confidence
SelfEfficacy
Ability to beProductive
Ability toNavigate
Ability to Connect
Physical HealthMaintenance
Grades
Helps Others
Leadership
Values Diversity
OvercomesAdversity
Psychological
Social
EducationalAttainment
Civic Engagement
Physical
HopefulFuture
Positive Identity
SelfDetermination
Child Poverty
HealthBehavior
Social Environment
Education
Caring Adults
ConsistentFair, Monitoring of
Behavior
Safety
Structure
SupportiveRelationships
Opportunities to Belong
Positive SocialNorms
Opportunities for Skill Building
Integration of family,School, and Community
Support for efficacy And Mattering
Opportunity to Give Back
Effective Education
Healthy Start
HighQuality
Instruction
Challenging Experiences
ResourcesAnd
Networks
RoleModels
HighExpectations
AndStandards
HealthyRelationships
Safe andStablePlaces
BasicCare and Services
CaringRelationships
OpportunitiesFor
Contribution
HighExpectations
ConstructiveUse of Time
Boundaries andExpectations
Support
Safe Places with Structured Activities
Empowerment
Inputs
INPUTS
Safe, fair,structured places
High expectations, rolemodels, standards and boundaries
Challenging education and skill-building opportunities
Caring, supportive relationshipswith adults and peers
Basic Health andMaterial Resources
Opportunities tocontribute
Competence
Outcomes
Physical
Intellectual/Educational
Psychological
Social Caring
Character
Connection
Competence
Confidence
SelfEfficacy
Ability to beProductive
Ability toNavigate
Ability to Connect
Physical HealthMaintenance
Grades
Helps Others
Leadership
Values Diversity
OvercomesAdversity
Psychological
Social
EducationalAttainment
Civic Engagement
Physical
HopefulFuture
Positive Identity
SelfDetermination
Outcome Domains
Psychological developmentAnd identity, Self-efficacy,
Confidence, Character Social connection, Caring, Helping others
Civic engagement, Leadership
Education,Competence,
Intellectual development
Physical health
• Outcome Domains• Physical health• Educational competence, intellectual development• Psychological development, self-efficacy, confidence, character• Social connection, caring, helping others
• Input Domains• Basic health and material resources• Safe, fair, structured places• Caring, supportive relationships with adults and peers• High expectations, role models, standards and boundaries• Challenging education and skill-building opportunities
Principles for a Monitoring System of Indicators for Middle Childhood
• Indicators need to represent varied domains of development and key development tasks
• Both positive and negative indicators need to be included
• Measures must be reliable and valid but feasible also
• Indicators must track outcomes that are malleable and be able to capture changes
• Indicators should balance well-being and well-becoming
Bedrock IndicatorsWell-being
Difficulty speaking English
Blood-lead levels
Asthma
Behavioral/emotional problems
Food security
General health status
Activity limitation
Overweight
Diet quality
Mortality
Mathematics and reading achievement
Context
Race and ethnicity
Foreign-born parent
Family structure and living arrangements
Poverty
Secure parental employment
Current health insurance coverage
No usual source of health care/no medical home
Extra-curricular activities/out-of-school care
Parent education
Recommended Indicators for Middle Childhood
Child OutcomesPositive1. School Engagement
2. Self-regulation
3. Healthy behaviors
4. Social skills/competence
5. Reads for pleasure
Negative6. Intolerance
7. Depressed/poor mental health
8. Overweight
9. Lonely/lacks friends
10. Behavior problems
Inputs/ContextsPositive11. Parent-child relationships
12. Parent health behaviors
13. High-quality out-of-school opportunities
14. School supportiveness
15. Peer encouragement for positive behaviors
Negative16. Depression/parental mental health
problems
17. Dangerous neighborhoods
18. Negative peer behaviors
19. Self-care
20. Lack of teacher engagement
School Engagement
• Definition and importance
• Malleability
• Measurement• Parent Report
• Teacher Report
• Student Report
National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) Adult Interview• Cares about doing well in school.• Only works on schoolwork when forced to.• Does just enough schoolwork to get by.• Always does homework.
RAPS-TE: The Teacher Report of Student Engagement for Elementary School• In my class, this student seems tuned in.• This student comes to class unprepared.• This student does more than required.
RAPS-SE: The Student Self-Report for Elementary School• Ongoing school engagement subdomain• I work very hard on my schoolwork.• I don’t try very hard in school.• I pay attention in class.• I don’t work very hard in school.• When I’m in class I just act as if I’m working.• How important is it to you to do the best you can in school?
(Very, sort of, not very, or not at all important)
Healthy Behaviors• Definition and importance
• Evidence of Malleability
• Measurement
National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH)How often does (he/she) wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter,
skateboard, roller skates, or rollerblades? Would you say never, sometimes, usually or always?
During the past week, on how many nights did (CHILD) get enough sleep for a child (his/her) age?
During the past week, on how many days did (CHILD) exercise or participate in physical activity for at least 20 minutes that made (him/her) sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball, soccer, running, swimming laps, fast bicycling, fast dancing, or similar aerobic activities?
America’s PromiseIn a typical day, how many times does your child eat a piece or serving of fruit?
In a typical day, how many times does your child eat vegetables?
During the past seven nights, on how many nights did your child get enough sleep for a child her/his age?
Social Skills/Competence
• Definition and importance
• Evidence on malleability
• Measurement
National Survey of Children’s Health (NCSH)
• [He/She] shows respect for teachers and neighbors.
• [He/She] gets along well with other children.
• [He/She] tries to understand other people’s feelings.
• [He/She] tries to resolve conflicts with classmates, families, or friends.
Tolerance
• Definition and importance
• Evidence on malleability
• Measurement• Measure development is needed
National Promises PollHow much is this like you?
I get along well with people of different races, cultures, or religions.
Behavior Problems
• Definition and importance
• Evidence on malleability
• Measurement
NSCH[He/She] argues too much.
[He/She] bullies, or is cruel or mean to others.
[He/She] is disobedient.
[He/She] is stubborn, sullen, or irritable.
Contextual Indicators
Parent-Child Relationships• Definition and importance
• Evidence on malleability
• Measurement
Parent-Adolescent Relationship ScaleIdentification with parents
I think highly of him/her.
S/he is a person I want to be like.
I really enjoy spending time with him/her.
Perceived parental supportivenessHow often does s/he praise you for doing well?
How often does s/he criticize you or your ideas?
How often does s/he help you do things that are important to you?
How often does s/he blame you for her/his problems?
How often does s/he make plans with you and cancel for no good reason?
Neighborhoods
• Definition and importance
• Evidence on malleability
• Measurement
NSCH:How often do you feel [CHILD] is safe in your community or neighborhood?
“People in this neighborhood help each other out.”
“We watch out for each other’s children in this neighborhood.”
“There are people I can count on in the neighborhood.”
“There are people in this neighborhood who might be a bad influence on my child/children.”
“If my child were outside playing and got hurt or scared, there are adults nearby who I trust to help my child.”
America’s Promise:How often do you think your child is safe going to or from school?
How often do you think your child is safe in your community or neighborhood?
How often do you think your child is safe in the after-school programs she/he is in?
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements:
Our neighborhood has safe parks or playgrounds for children to play in during the day.
In our neighborhood, people watch out for each others’ children.
Conclusions
• Middle childhood is a neglected developmental stage.
• Important constructs can be identified.
• Measures of critical constructs for middle childhood are scarce and scattered, and psychometric work is very limited.
• Development and testing of good measures is urgently needed.
Research in the Service of America’s Children
www.childtrends.org
www.childtrendsdatabank.org