‘‘I Just Need a Job!’’ Behavioral Solutions, Structural Problems, and the Hidden Curriculum of Parenting Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 326-345
Author(s):  
Maia Cucchiara ◽  
Erin Cassar ◽  
Monica Clark
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Hidden Curriculum ◽  
The United States ◽  
Parenting Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Private Funding ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Structural Problems ◽  
Low Income Mothers

Parenting education programs aim to teach parents, often low-income mothers, a set of skills, behaviors, and attitudes believed to promote improved opportunities for their children. Parenting programs are often offered in schools, with instructors teaching pregnant or parenting teens about child development, attachment, and discipline strategies. Despite the large numbers of participants and significant public and private funding going to parenting education, sociologists of education in the United States have paid little attention to the topic. Existing research, by scholars in other disciplines, has found parenting education to be a relatively weak intervention. Yet this research focuses exclusively on individual-level processes, paying little attention to social context or other factors. This study uses extensive observational and interview data from parenting education programs in two schools and one social service organization to examine what is taught, what is not, and the intersections between program content and the structural realities shaping parents’ lives. The results show that although they were designed for low-income mothers, the classes were silent on the issue of poverty, treating poverty-related concerns as irrelevant to the task of parenting. Furthermore, when such topics did emerge, instructors redirected the conversations to personal behaviors and characteristics. Thus, the ‘‘hidden curriculum’’ of parenting education conveyed the message that good parenting should be unaffected by the challenges of poverty. The mothers, however, struggled to provide for their children in conditions of extreme scarcity, making it difficult for them to focus on other parenting issues.

scholarly journals Neighborhood built environment impacts park use of diverse, low-income mothers and their children

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 98-110
Author(s):  
Lauren Mullenbach ◽  
Lincoln Larson ◽  
Myron Floyd ◽  
Oriol Marquet ◽  
Jing-Huei Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
Racially Diverse ◽  
Perceived Safety ◽  
Neighborhood Walkability ◽  
Park Use ◽  
Physical Health Outcomes ◽  
Low Income Mothers ◽  
Neighborhood Built Environment

Built environment features, including parks, often exacerbate health disparities. We examined built environment perceptions and park use among a population at high risk for physical health outcomes: racially diverse, low-income mothers across the United States. Perceived safety from crime and living near a park were associated with more frequent park use for mothers and their children, and neighborhood walkability was linked to longer park visits. However, only 40% of mothers lived within a ten-minute walk from a park, and perceptions of walkability and safety from crime were low. To enhance physical activity and health of low-income mothers and their children, investments are needed to close disparities in park access and improve neighborhood safety.

“Why Don’t They Just Use Cloth?” Gender Policy Vacuums and the Inequalities of Diapering

2022 ◽  
pp. 089124322110679
Author(s):  
Jennifer Randles
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Gender Policy ◽  
Structural Problems ◽  
Bank Staff ◽  
The Social ◽  
Feminist Theories ◽  
Low Income Mothers ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Policy Vacuums ◽  
Diaper Need

Drawing on feminist theories of parenting and the welfare state, I analyze experiences of diaper need as a case of how gender, class, and race inequalities shape the social organization of caregiving and limited policy responses. Data from in-depth interviews with 70 mothers who experienced diaper need and 40 diaper bank staff revealed obstacles low-income mothers face in managing lack of access to children’s basic needs and how gendered assumptions of parental responsibility thwart public diaper support efforts. I use this case to theorize gender policy vacuums: These occur when gender disparities and ideologies prevent systematic responses to structural problems. Empirically this study contributes to understandings of diaper need as a problem of the gender structure that cannot be solved with alternative diapering methods that assume middle-class, white, androcentric privileges. Theoretically it illuminates key mechanisms by which feminized care labor is devalued and rendered invisible and how this erasure rationalizes lack of redress for gendered inequalities and creates policy gaps around caregiving.

Child Care and Child Care Policy: Existing Policies, Their Effects, and Reforms

2019 ◽  
Vol 686 (1) ◽  
pp. 310-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Joseph Hotz ◽  
Matthew Wiswall
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Child Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Maternal Employment ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Children And Parents ◽  
Provide Child Care ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
Low Income Mothers

We analyze policies that support and affect the provision and costs of child care in the United States. These policies are motivated by at least three objectives: (1) improving the cognitive and social development of young children, (2) facilitating maternal employment, and (3) alleviating poverty. We summarize this policy landscape and the evidence on the effects they have on the development of children and parents. We provide a summary of the use and costs of nonparental child care services; and we summarize existing policies and programs that subsidize child care costs, provide child care to certain groups, and regulate various aspects of the services provided in the United States. We then review the evidence on the effects that child care policies have on these objectives. We go on to discuss the existing evidence of their effects on various outcomes. Finally, we outline three reform proposals that will both facilitate work by low-income mothers and improve the quality of child care that their children receive.

scholarly journals Does High-Quality Preschool Benefit Children? What the Research Shows

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hani Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Early Education ◽  
Preschool Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Universal Preschool ◽  
Industrialized Nations ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
American Children

Despite research showing that high-quality early education can be extremely beneficial, a large percentage of American children do not attend preschool. In addition, children from low-income families are less likely to enroll in preschool and more likely to attend low-quality early education programs. One reason for this outcome involves low spending on early education. In comparison with many industrialized nations, the United States spends little on preschool education, allowing other countries to be ahead in this area. This paper summarizes the findings of research on preschool education. It also offers a few ideas on improving early education programs and reasons for implementing universal preschool.

scholarly journals Culinary Education Programs for Children in Low-Income Households: A Scoping Review

Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Priscilla P. Li ◽  
Guisela Mackey ◽  
Chishinga Callender ◽  
Jayna M. Dave ◽  
Norma Olvera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Culinary Education ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
Leader Training

Child obesity in the United States is at an all-time high, particularly among underserved populations. Home-cooked meals are associated with lower rates of obesity. Helping children develop culinary skills has been associated with improved nutrition. The purpose of this study is to report results from a scoping review of culinary education interventions with children from low-income families. Three databases and hand searches of relevant articles were examined. Retained articles met inclusionary criteria. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, as appropriate. A data extraction template was developed. Data were independently extracted and verified. Only nine out of 370 articles met the inclusionary criteria and were included in the review. Most interventions were school-based, used a quasi-experimental design, and recruited minority children. Children-only was the primary intervention focus. Primary outcomes were mostly psychosocial from child self-report. Most interventions focused on children only and were guided by Social Cognitive Theory. Most reported stakeholder involvement; however, type and degree varied. All had an in-person component; only one used technology. Few reported training program leaders. Culinary education programs for children from low-income families could benefit from a broader theoretical grounding, program leader training, and greater parental involvement.

scholarly journals Use of social media for cancer prevention through neighborhood social cohesion: feasibility study protocol (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Oakley-Girvan ◽  
Lauren C Houghton ◽  
Cheryl Jones ◽  
Jessica L Watterson ◽  
Marley P. Gibbons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Low Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Social Cohesion ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Free Time ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Low Income Mothers

UNSTRUCTURED Social cohesion is associated with healthier behaviors and better health outcomes, and therefore may offer a mechanism for promoting better health. Low socioeconomic status communities face higher rates of chronic disease, due to both community and individual level factors. Therefore, this study aims to leverage social cohesion to promote healthier behaviors and prevent chronic disease in a low SES community. This protocol outlines the study methodology for a pilot study to assess the feasibility of an intervention (Free Time For Wellness, or FT4W) using a social networking platform (NextDoor) with mothers living in an urban, low-income community to improve social cohesion and to promote healthy behaviors. The study will involve three phases: I) co-designing the intervention with mothers in the neighborhoods of interest, II) implementing the intervention with community leaders through the social networking platform, and III) evaluating the intervention’s feasibility. Phase I of the study will include qualitative data collection and analysis from in-depth, semi-structured interviews and a co-design group session with mothers. Phases II and III of the study include a pre- and post-intervention survey of participating mothers. Neighborhood-level data on social cohesion will also be collected to enable comparison of outcomes between neighborhoods with higher and lower baseline social cohesion. Ultimately, this study aims to: 1) determine barriers and facilitators to finding free time for wellness among a population of low-income mothers in order to inform the co-design process, and 2) implement and study the feasibility of an intervention that leverages social cohesion to promote physical activity in a community of low-income mothers. The results of this study will provide preliminary feasibility evidence to inform a larger effectiveness trial, and will further our understanding of how social cohesion might influence wellbeing.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Healthy South Texas Asthma Program on improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities among the underserved Hispanic population: using the RE-AIM model

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Genny Carrillo ◽  
Taehyun Roh ◽  
Juha Baek ◽  
Betty Chong-Menard ◽  
Marcia Ory
Keyword(s):  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Low Income ◽  
The United States ◽  
South Texas ◽  
Environmental Modification ◽  
Asthma Education ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Children With Asthma ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background In the United States, childhood asthma prevalence is higher among low-income communities and Hispanic populations. Previous studies found that asthma education could improve health and quality of life, especially in vulnerable populations lacking healthcare access. This study aims to describe Healthy South Texas Asthma Program (HSTAP), an evidence-based asthma education and environmental modification program in South Texas, and evaluate its associations with health-related outcomes among Hispanic children with asthma and their families. Methods The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) planning and evaluation framework was used as an overarching tool to evaluate the impact of the HSTAP. This educational program included 451 children with asthma and their families living in South Texas, an impoverished area at the Texas-Mexico border. The program consisted of (a) the asthma education (2-h) for children with asthma provided by Respiratory Therapy students at the children’s schools and (b) the home visit Asthma and Healthy Homes education and walk-through sessions (at baseline and 3 months) for parents and two follow-up visits (6 and 9–12 months later) led by community health workers. The education was provided in either English or Spanish between September 2015 and August 2020 as part of the Healthy South Texas Initiative. A pre-and post-test design was implemented to assess the differences in health outcomes, knowledge, and behaviors using standardized self-reported surveys as reported by parents. Analyses included primary descriptive analyses, generalized estimating equation models, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the McNemar test. Results The HSTAP was significantly associated with improved individual-level outcomes on the frequency of asthma-related respiratory symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, and sleep difficulty, among children with asthma, as well as an enhanced asthma knowledge in their family. This study also showed significant associations with children’s school attendance and participation in physical activities and family social events and decreased families’ worry about their asthma management. Conclusions The RE-AIM model was a helpful framework to assess the HSTAP on all its components. The results suggest that participation in an asthma education and environmental modification program was associated with improved individual-level health conditions and reduced health disparities among children with asthma in low-income communities.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document