scholarly journals A Belief in Socioeconomic Mobility Promotes the Development of Academically Motivating Identities among Low-Socioeconomic Status Youth

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander S. Browman ◽  
Ryan Svoboda ◽  
Mesmin Destin

Despite barriers to educational attainment, low-SES youth often maintain strong academic intentions and performance if they continue to view school as important for obtaining the desired futures they envision for themselves. We undertook three related studies to examine the importance of one aspiration central to the desired futures of many low-SES youth: attaining upward socioeconomic mobility. Cross-sectional, longitudinal (Study 1), and experimental data (Study 2) demonstrate that low-SES youth’s beliefs about their likelihood of attaining mobility affects their likelihood of envisioning futures that hinge on educational attainment, which ultimately predict their academic intentions and performance. Study 3 then tests a novel intervention for promoting the adoption of education-dependent futures among low-SES youth: highlighting multiple viable school-based paths to future mobility.

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-122
Author(s):  
Samantha Donnelly ◽  
Duncan S. Buchan ◽  
Ann-Marie Gibson ◽  
Gillian Mclellan ◽  
Rosie Arthur

School-based health activities that involve parents are more likely to be effective for child health and well-being than activities without a parent component. However, such school-based interventions tend to recruit the most motivated parents, and limited evidence exists surrounding the involvement of hard-to-reach parents with low socioeconomic status (SES). Mothers remain responsible for the majority of family care; therefore, this study investigated mothers with low SES to establish the reasons and barriers to their involvement in school-based health activities and to propose strategies to increase their involvement in those activities. Interviews were conducted with mothers with low SES, who were typically not involved in school-based health activities ( n = 16). An inductive–deductive approach to hierarchical analysis revealed that there are several barriers resulting in mothers being less involved, particularly due to issues surrounding the schools’ Parent Councils and the exclusivity of school-based events. Efforts made by the school to promote health activities and involve parents in such activities were revealed, alongside recommendations to improve on these practices. The findings offer multiple ways in which future school-based health interventions can recruit and involve mothers with low SES.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (06) ◽  
pp. A04
Author(s):  
Cherry Canovan ◽  
Robert Walsh

Widening participation in science is a long-held ambition of governments in the U.K. and elsewhere; however numbers of STEM entrants to university from low-socioeconomic status groups remain persistently low. The authors are conducting a long-term school-based space science intervention with a group of pupils from a very-low-participation area, and studied the science attitudes of the participants at the beginning of the programme. Key findings were that young people from the very-low-SES study cohort were just as interested in science study and science jobs as their peers nationally, and had a pre-existing interest in space science. Some participants, particularly boys, demonstrated a ‘concealed science identity’, in that they perceived themselves as a ‘science person’ but thought that other people did not. Boys tended to score higher on generalised ‘science identity’ measures, but the gender difference disappeared on more ‘realist’ measures. In addition, although participants agreed that it was useful to study science, they had little concrete idea as to why. These findings shed light on how science communicators can best address low-SES groups of young people with the aim of increasing their participation in science education and careers. We conclude that interventions with this group that focus on ‘aspiration raising’ are unlikely to be successful, and instead suggest that activities focus on how young people can see science as a realistic path for their future. It would be helpful for in-school programmes to allow young people an outlet to express their science identity, and to give information about the kinds of jobs that studying science may lead to. Further research into whether the gender split on idealist/realist measures of science identity persists over time would be of use.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (29_suppl) ◽  
pp. 90-90
Author(s):  
Atul Batra ◽  
Shiying Kong ◽  
Rodrigo Rigo ◽  
Winson Y. Cheung

90 Background: Cancer patients are predisposed to CVD due to cancer treatments and shared risk factors (smoking/physical inactivity). We aimed to assess if rural residence and low socioeconomic status (SES) modify the risk of developing CVD. Methods: Patients diagnosed with non-metastatic solid organ cancers without baseline CVD in a large Canadian province from 2004 to 2017 were identified using the population-based registry. Postal codes were linked with Census data to determine rural residence as well as neighborhood-level income and educational attainment. Low income was defined as <46000 CAD/annum; low education was defined as a neighborhood in which <80% attended high school. Myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, arrythmias and cerebrovascular accident constituted as CVD.We performed logistic regression analyses to examine the associations of rural residence and low SES with the development of CVD, adjusting for measured confounding variables. Results: We identified 81,275 patients diagnosed with cancer without pre-existing CVD. The median age was 62 years and 54.2% were women. The most prevalent cancer types included breast (28.6%), prostate (23.1%), and colorectal (14.9%). At a median follow-up of 68 months, 29.4% were diagnosed with new CVD. The median time from cancer diagnosis to CVD was 29 months. Rural patients (32.3 vs 28.4%,P < .001) and those with low income (30.4% vs 25.9%,P < .001) or low educational attainment (30.7% vs 27.6%,P < .001) experienced higher rates of CVD. After adjusting for baseline factors and treatment, rural residence (odds ratio[OR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval[CI], 1.04-1.11;P < .001), low income (OR,1.17;95%CI,1.12-1.21;P < .001) and low education (OR,1.08;95%CI,1.04-1.11;P < .001) continued to associate with higher odds of CVD. Further, patients with colorectal cancer were more likely to develop CVD compared with other tumors (OR,1.12;95% CI,1.04-1.16;P = .001). A multivariate Cox regression model showed that patients with low SES were more likely to die, but patients residing rurally were not. Conclusions: Approximately one-third of cancer survivors develop CVD on follow-up. Despite universal healthcare, marginalized populations experience different CVD risk profiles that should be considered when operationalizing lifestyle modification strategies and cardiac surveillance programs. [Table: see text]


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Tjora ◽  
Jens Christoffer Skogen ◽  
Børge Sivertsen

Abstract Background The prevalence of smoking has been decreasing in Norway for decades. In contrast, the prevalence of snus use has recently increased substantially, especially among females. While there is a clear social gradient in smoking, with a higher smoking prevalence among individuals with low socioeconomic status (SES), a possible social gradient in snus use has been less studied. The aim of the current study was to investigate the trends of smoking and snus use and to examine whether ongoing changes in snus use are similar to prior smoking epidemic development. Methods The study was based on the 2010 (n = 5836), 2014 (n = 13,319) and 2018 (n = 24,515) waves from a nation-wide, cross-sectional, health survey of higher education in Norway (the SHoT study). Variables on smoking, snus use, gender, age and SES were used. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to test significance, and Mantel–Haenszel weights were used to test the trends in stratified cross-tabulations. Results Daily smoking decreased from 5.9 to 1.5% between 2010 and 2018, while daily snus use increased from 13.4 to 19.9%. Female snus use almost doubled, from 10.9 to 19.2%. Low SES was associated with both daily smoking and snus use across all three waves. Occasional smoking was also associated with low SES at all waves, but occasional snus use was only associated with low SES in 2010. There were no significant changes over time in either the association between occasional or daily smoking and SES or the association between occasional or daily snus use and SES. Conclusions The overall smoking decrease indicated that the Norwegian smoking epidemic is in its latest stage. Steady male snus use, doubled female snus use and a clear social gradient in snus use all indicate that the snus epidemic in Norway has progressed. If this trend continues, a main implication is that snus prevalence will soon peak, first in males and then in females.


2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 1591-1599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory E. Miller ◽  
Margie E. Lachman ◽  
Edith Chen ◽  
Tara L. Gruenewald ◽  
Arun S. Karlamangla ◽  
...  

Children raised in families with low socioeconomic status (SES) go on to have high rates of chronic illness in adulthood. However, a sizable minority of low-SES children remain healthy across the life course, which raises questions about the factors associated with, and potentially responsible for, such resilience. Using a sample of 1,205 middle-aged Americans, we explored whether two characteristics—upward socioeconomic mobility and early parental nurturance—were associated with resilience to the health effects of childhood disadvantage. The primary outcome in our analyses was the presence of metabolic syndrome in adulthood. Results revealed that low childhood SES was associated with higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome at midlife, independently of traditional risk factors. Despite this pattern, half the participants raised in low-SES households were free of metabolic syndrome at midlife. Upward social mobility was not associated with resilience to metabolic syndrome. However, results were consistent with a buffering scenario, in which high levels of maternal nurturance offset the metabolic consequences of childhood disadvantage.


Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene Kinyanda ◽  
Ruth Kizza ◽  
Jonathan Levin ◽  
Sheila Ndyanabangi ◽  
Catherine Abbo

Background: Suicidal behavior in adolescence is a public health concern and has serious consequences for adolescents and their families. There is, however, a paucity of data on this subject from sub-Saharan Africa, hence the need for this study. Aims: A cross-sectional multistage survey to investigate adolescent suicidality among other things was undertaken in rural northeastern Uganda. Methods: A structured protocol administered by trained psychiatric nurses collected information on sociodemographics, mental disorders (DSM-IV criteria), and psychological and psychosocial risk factors for children aged 3–19 years (N = 1492). For the purposes of this paper, an analysis of a subsample of adolescents (aged 10–19 years; n = 897) was undertaken. Results: Lifetime suicidality in this study was 6.1% (95% CI, 4.6%–7.9%). Conclusions: Factors significantly associated with suicidality included mental disorder, the ecological factor district of residence, factors suggestive of low socioeconomic status, and disadvantaged childhood experiences.


2017 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nisheeth Srivastava ◽  
Narayanan Srinivasan

AbstractWe suggest that steep intertemporal discounting in individuals of low socioeconomic status (SES) may arise as a rational metacognitive adaptation to experiencing planning and control failures in long-term plans. Low SES individuals' plans fail more frequently because they operate close to budgetary boundaries, in turn because they consistently operate with limited budgets of money, status, trust, or other forms of social utility.


2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Neuberger ◽  
Mariana Grgic ◽  
Svenja Diefenbacher ◽  
Florian Spensberger ◽  
Ann-Sophie Lehfeld ◽  
...  

Abstract Background During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, German early childhood education and care (ECEC) centres organised children’s attendance in different ways, they reduced opening hours, provided emergency support for a few children, or closed completely. Further, protection and hygiene measures like fixed children-staff groups, ventilation and surface disinfection were introduced in ECEC centres. To inform or modify public health measures in ECEC, we investigate the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infections among children and staff in ECEC centres in light of social determinants (i.e. the socioeconomic status of the children) and recommended structural and hygiene measures. We focus on the question if the relevant factors differ between the 2nd (when no variant of concern (VOC) circulated) and the 3rd wave (when VOC B.1.1.7 (Alpha) predominated). Methods Based on panel data from a weekly online survey of ECEC centre managers (calendar week 36/2020 to 22/2021, ongoing) including approx. 8500 centres, we estimate the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children and staff using random-effect-within-between (REWB) panel models for count data in the 2nd and 3rd wave. Results ECEC centres with a high proportion of children with low socioeconomic status (SES) have a higher risk of infections in staff and children. Strict contact restrictions between groups like fixed group assignments for children and fixed staff assignments to groups prevent infections. Both effects tend to be stronger in the 3rd wave. Conclusion ECEC centres with a large proportion of children with a low SES background and lack of using fixed child/staff cohorts experience higher COVID-19 rates. Over the long run, centres should be supported in maintaining recommended measures. Preventive measures such as the vaccination of staff should be prioritised in centres with large proportions of low SES children.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander S. Browman ◽  
Mesmin Destin ◽  
Kathleen L. Carswell ◽  
Ryan Svoboda

Despite facing daunting odds of academic success compared with their more socioeconomically advantaged peers, many students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds maintain high levels of academic motivation and persist in the face of difficulty. We propose that for these students, academic persistence may hinge on their perceptions of socioeconomic mobility, or their general beliefs regarding whether or not socioeconomic mobility—a powerful academic motivator—can occur in their society. Specifically, low-SES students' desire to persist on a primary path to mobility (i.e., school) should remain strong if they believe that socioeconomic mobility can occur in their society. By contrast, those who believe that socioeconomic mobility generally does not occur should be less motivated to persist academically. One correlational and two experimental studies provide support for this hypothesis among low (but not high) SES high school and university students. Implications for future intervention efforts are discussed.


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