scholarly journals Growing up Healthy in Families Across the Globe: Cross-Cultural Harmonisation of Childhood Risk-Factors Using Longitudinal Studies from Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1921-1935
Author(s):  
Patty Doran ◽  
Paul Bradshaw ◽  
Susan Morton ◽  
El-Shadan Tautolo ◽  
James Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Risk Factor Model ◽  
Smoking In Pregnancy ◽  
Development Outcomes

Abstract The Growing Up Healthy in Families Across the Globe project is an international collaboration examining the potential for harmonised analysis using five longitudinal studies (from New Zealand, Ireland and Scotland). All five studies follow the lives of children, are interested in the dynamics of family change and work to inform policy to potentially improve population well-being across the life-course. Comparative analysis from harmonised longitudinal studies, where change over time is emphasised, provides a unique view to determine how and why environments change, which environments are supportive and which are not. This paper discusses the challenges and tasks involved when preparing and conducting harmonised analysis, and initial findings from the Growing Up Healthy project are discussed. The studies were, from New Zealand, Te Hoe Nuku Roa, the Pacific Island Families Study and Growing Up in New Zealand, and from Scotland and Ireland Growing Up in Scotland and Growing Up in Ireland. Post hoc data harmonisation of measures resulted in the identification of several closely aligned variables. The harmonised descriptive variables from the five studies highlight many similarities across the studies. A risk factor model to predict child development outcomes (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) was developed and resulted in very similar patterns of risk in New Zealand, Ireland and Scotland. Risks included: maternal relationship status, maternal education, smoking in pregnancy, maternal self-reported health and maternal long-standing illness. The insights will be of interest to all those concerned with child development in contemporary New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland and other similar countries.

scholarly journals Determinants of the Early Childhood Development Index among children aged less than 5 years in Bangladesh, Costa Rica and Ghana: a comparative study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iqramul Haq ◽  
Md Ismail Hossain ◽  
Maliha Afroj Zinnia ◽  
Md Rifat Hasan ◽  
Imru-Al-Quais Chowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Development Index

Background: Early child development is a crucial factor for children that controls health and well-being in later life. Aims: To determine the influence of sociodemographic factors on the Early Child Development Index (ECDI) among children aged < 5 years. Methods: The analysis was performed using cross-sectional survey data from 2019, 2017–2018 and 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys from Bangladesh, Ghana and Costa Rica, respectively. We used the Chi-square test for bivariate analysis and binary logistic regression model for multivariate analysis for all 3 countries. All the statistical analyses were performed with IBM SPSS version 25 and R version 4.0.0. Results: Child age and sex, followed by maternal education level, economic status, child nutritional status, reading children’s books, and maternal functional difficulties had the greatest effect on ECDI. Children aged 36–47 months had lower odds of development than those aged 48–59 months, and boys had lower odds of development than girls in Bangladesh, Costa Rica and Ghana. Urban children had lower odds of development than rural children in Costa Rica but higher odds in Ghana. Conclusion: We recommend that governments should take the necessary steps to enhance children’s early development and well-being in all 3 countries by raising education, improving economic conditions and providing balanced nutrition.

Flourishing Through Participation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie L. Barber
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Longitudinal Studies ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Volunteer Work ◽  
Cultural Activities

This chapter summarizes the evidence for a range of positive pathways in young adulthood in Australia and New Zealand. A number of longitudinal studies from these regions are discussed to highlight positive development in young adulthood. The chapter also highlights activities salient to flourishing and civic engagement in Australia and New Zealand. Participating in sports is a common and valued pursuit in these countries, in organized teams as well as unstructured settings, and such involvement is related to other indicators of well-being. The chapter also draws attention to young adult engagement in arts and cultural activities, as well as their contributions to community through volunteer work. Future research suggestions are considered.

scholarly journals Paths Linking Maternal Resources for Care to Child Growth and Early Childhood Development in Bangladesh (P11-125-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sulochana Basnet ◽  
Edward Frongillo ◽  
Phuong Nguyen ◽  
Spencer Moore ◽  
Mandana Arabi
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Maternal Education ◽  
Child Outcomes ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Child Growth ◽  
Perceived Support ◽  
Maternal Resources ◽  
Mental Well Being

Abstract Objectives The study aimed to determine the paths through which resources for care were associated with child growth and development. We hypothesized that resources could have been directly associated with child outcomes or indirectly through care behaviors. Child growth could also have mediated the association between care resources and development. Methods We used the baseline Alive & Thrive data from Bangladesh (n = 803 mothers and their 12–23.9-month children). Child outcomes were height-for-age z score (HAZ) and motor and language development. Care resources were maternal education, knowledge, height, body mass index (BMI), mental well-being, decision-making autonomy, employment, support in chores, and perceived support. Care included dietary diversity, cleanliness, immunization, stimulation, and adequate care. Path analyses accounting for potential confounders and clustering were used. Results Education, knowledge, health, autonomy and support were associated with child outcomes. Height (β = 0.054), BMI (β = 0.033), and mental well-being (β = 0.024) had direct associations with child HAZ. Knowledge (β = 0.0038) and perceived support (β = 0.013) were associated HAZ via immunization. Height (β = 0.034) and mental well-being (β = 0.015) were associated with motor development via HAZ. Knowledge (β = 0.0024) and perceived support (β = 0.0075) were associated with motor development via immunization and then HAZ. Autonomy (β = 0.085) and perceived support (β = -0.24) had a direct association with language. Education was associated with language via cleanliness (β = 0.011). Knowledge and perceived support had associations with language via cleanliness, and immunization and then HAZ. Height (β = 0.016), BMI (β = 0.0094), and mental well-being (β = 0.0070) were associated with language via HAZ. Conclusions Care resources were associated with growth and development directly and via care. Child growth mediated the associations between resources and child development. Strengthening various maternal resources and integration of growth and development interventions may improve child outcomes. Funding Sources Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the governments of Canada and Ireland through Alive & Thrive, managed by FHI 360, and the Patrice L. Engle Dissertation Grant in Global Early Child Development.

Factorial Invariance of Child Self-Report Across English and Spanish Language Groups in a Hispanic Population Utilizing the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A. Newman ◽  
Christine A. Limbers ◽  
James W. Varni
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Services ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Five Factor Model ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Factorial Invariance ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Hispanic Population ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Related Quality

The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children has witnessed significant international growth over the past decade in an effort to improve pediatric health and well-being, and to determine the value of health-care services. In order to compare international HRQOL research findings across language groups, it is important to demonstrate factorial invariance, i.e., that the items have an equivalent meaning across the language groups studied. This study examined the factorial invariance of child self-reported HRQOL across English- and Spanish-language groups in a Hispanic population of 2,899 children ages 8–18 utilizing the 23-item PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed specifying a five-factor model across language groups. The findings support an equivalent 5-factor structure across English- and Spanish-language groups. Based on these data, it can be concluded that children across the two languages studied interpreted the instrument in a similar manner. The multigroup CFA statistical methods utilized in the present study have important implications for cross-cultural assessment research in children in which different language groups are compared.

O-155 "getting On" And "fitting In": Children’s Experiences Of Growing Up With Chronic Illness In England, Australia And New Zealand

2014 ◽  
Vol 99 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. A83.2-A83
Author(s):  
B Carter ◽  
A Dickinson ◽  
K Ford ◽  
L Bray ◽  
J Arnott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
Fitting In

scholarly journals How Does Being Solo in Nature Affect Well-Being? Evidence from Norway, Germany and New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 7897
Author(s):  
Evi Petersen ◽  
Annette Bischoff ◽  
Gunnar Liedtke ◽  
Andrew J. Martin
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Outdoor Education ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Health Initiatives ◽  
Perception Of Time ◽  
Prior Experiences

Background: Solo—being intentionally solitary in nature—is receiving growing attention as a valuable outdoor education program component. Its practice and history have been researched in the context of experiential learning, but few studies have explicitly examined how solo experiences can affect dimensions of well-being. This study investigated a broad range of well-being pathways provided by being solo, based on data from Norway, Germany, and New Zealand. Methods: Using qualitative content analysis (QCA), the solo debrief responses of 40 participants (26 females, age: 19–64 years) were analysed, applying the PERMA-V framework (emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, achievement, and vitality). Variations in the reports were explored as a function of the national sample, gender, age, prior solo experiences and expectations. Results: The study suggests that hedonic and eudemonic well-being pathways, represented by the six PERMA-V pillars, interrelate strongly. The experience of a range of positive emotions and connecting process during solo highlights two of the most frequent findings related to well-being pathways. The secondary findings suggest minor variations in the well-being pathways for the different national samples, gender and age. Expectations and prior experiences with solo were identified as context factors with minor impact. Further, the data-driven analysis identified specific physical activities, landscape features, sense-activation, perception of time and ‘good’ weather as relevant to the specific experience. Conclusions: Solo experiences provide for well-being-related pathways in a multitude of ways, which highlights the well-being potential of solo implementation across practical fields beyond outdoor education, such as wilderness therapy, and environmental and planetary health initiatives. Future studies should continue to explore solo’s well-being potential in different settings, especially in the context of non-Western samples.

How Czecho-Slovakia Bounces Back: Population-Based Validation of the Brief Resilience Scale in Two Central European Countries

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412110296
Author(s):  
Jana Furstova ◽  
Natalia Kascakova ◽  
Iva Polackova Solcova ◽  
Jozef Hasto ◽  
Peter Tavel
Keyword(s):  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Resilience Scale ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Best Fit

Objective In recent years, resilience has become a focus of research in the medical and behavioral sciences. The Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) was developed to assess the individual ability to recover from stress (“to bounce back”) after experiencing adversities. The aim of the study was to validate the Czech and Slovak versions of the BRS. Methods A representative sample of the Czech and Slovak populations (NCZ = 1800, mean age MCZ = 46.6, SDCZ = 17.4, 48.7% of men; NSK = 1018, mean age MSK = 46.2, SDSK = 16.6, 48.7% men) completed a survey assessing their health and well-being. Several confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models of the BRS were compared to find the best fit. Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega coefficients of reliability were evaluated. Convergent validity was assessed by correlating resilience (BRS), physical and mental well-being (SF-8) and psychopathology symptoms (BSI-53). Differences in gender and age groups were appraised. Results A single-factor model with method effects on the reverse items was evaluated to best fit the data in both the Czech and Slovak samples (χ2CZ(6) = 39.0, p < 0.001, CFICZ = 0.998, TLICZ = 0.995, RMSEACZ = 0.055, SRMRCZ = 0.024; χ2SK(6) = 23.9, p < 0.001, CFISK = 0.998, TLISK = 0.995, RMSEASK = 0.054, SRMRSK = 0.009). The reliability was high in both samples (αCZ = 0.80, ωCZ = 0.85; αSK = 0.86, ωSK = 0.91). The BRS was positively associated with physical and mental well-being and negatively associated with somatization, depression and anxiety. In both countries, a lower BRS score was associated with higher age. Czech men reported significantly higher BRS scores than women. No significant difference was found in the mean BRS scores between the two countries. Conclusion This study provides evidence of good psychometric properties, reliability and validity of the Czech and Slovak adaptations of the BRS.

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