SYNOPSISObjective. Families with trans parents are an increasingly visible family form, yet little is known about parenting and child outcomes in these families. This exploratory study offers the first quantitative assessment of parent–child relationship quality and child socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment in families with a self-identified trans parent with school-aged children. Design. A sample of 35 families (37 trans parents, 13 partners, and 25 children aged 8–18 years) was recruited primarily through social media. Parents, children, and teachers were administered a range of standardized interview and questionnaire assessments of parent–child relationship quality, quality of parenting, psychological adjustment, and gender-related minority stress. Results. Parents and children had good quality relationships, as assessed by both parents and children, and children showed good psychological adjustment. Child age at the time the parent communicated their gender identity to the child was unrelated to child outcomes. Conclusions. Parents and children in trans parent families had good quality relationships and children showed good psychological adjustment. The findings of this exploratory study challenge commonly held concerns about the potentially negative effects on children of growing up with a trans parent.
Susan Imrie, Sophie Zadeh, Kevan Richard Wylie et al.
BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored the well-being of fathers of children with intellectual disability (ID), despite the significant role that they play in their children's lives. The current study compared fathers of children with and without a child with ID on measures of psychological well-being (life satisfaction, work-family balance and general health) and dimensions of parenting (parenting self-efficacy and parent-child closeness) and then examined whether the presence of a child with ID in the family was a significant predictor of paternal well-being when controlling for a number of father (age, education, employment and residency), child (ID status, gender, behavioural and emotional problems) and family (income poverty and number of children in the household) variables. METHODS: Data were drawn from the third wave of the Millennium Cohort Study, a UK population-representative and cohort study, where the cohort child was 5 years of age; 256 fathers were identified as having a child with ID, with data available for 10 187 fathers without a child with ID. Fathers were compared on the four well-being and parenting outcomes and then multiple regression models were conducted to explore associations between these outcomes and variables identified as potential correlates of well-being. RESULTS: Initial group comparisons showed that there were differences in the well-being of fathers, with fathers of children with ID reporting poorer life satisfaction and general health. However, these differences were small. Regression analyses showed that child behavioural and emotional problems, living in income poverty and paternal employment were more important than disability status in predicting fathers' well-being. CONCLUSIONS: These works add to the limited amount of research on fathers using population-representative data. The current findings are consistent with rejecting a general simplistic and negative narrative that raising a child with ID puts fathers at risk of poorer outcomes. However, some fathers, such as those with children with behavioural problems and living in poverty, may require greater support. Future longitudinal research that explores the impact of paternal well-being on the long-term outcomes of children with and without ID is warranted.
Emma Langley, Vasiliki Totsika, Richard P. Hastings
Globally, an estimated 17.2 million children work as child domestic workers (CDWs), with nearly 3.7 million exposed to hazardous working conditions. Despite their prevalence, CDWs remain a hidden and hard-to-reach population. This study examines the hidden voices of CDWs in Myanmar, exploring their working conditions, experiences of abuse and isolation and the impact of being away from families on their well-being. In 2023, we conducted in-depth interviews with 33 former CDWs in Myanmar. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated from Burmese to English, and analysed using thematic analysis. Our study reveals most CDWs entered domestic work out of economic necessity, feeling obligated to help ease their families’ financial hardships. They endured long hours in hazardous conditions, often facing abuse and unfair compensation. They were also restricted from communicating with family and friends, leaving them isolated for extended periods. Despite these adversities, most participants chose to remain in their jobs, prioritizing their families over their own hardships. Even in the face of abuse, the findings illuminate the deep sense of duty and connection young CDWs feel toward their biological families. This study underscores the urgent need for policies and parental engagement to protect CDWs safety and healthy child development.
Aye Thiri Kyaw, Benjamin Hanckel, Ngu Kay Thwe et al.
BACKGROUND An increase in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental conditions worldwide, alongside resource constraints within clinical services, has led to increased interest in health information technologies, such as apps and digital resources. Digital tools are often viewed as a solution to bridge this divide and to increase supports for families. There is, however, a paucity of research that has evaluated digital health tools, their potential benefits for child neurodevelopment and associated concerns (eg, mental health, well-being), and their benefit for families. OBJECTIVE This study conducted the first review of existing mobile apps and digital resources targeted at supporting the needs of children with developmental concerns or neurodevelopmental conditions. METHODS We identified 3435 separate resources, of which 112 (43 apps and 69 digital resources) met the criteria. These resources were categorized according to their purpose or target and were then reviewed based on their engagement, information quality, and evidence base using the Adapted Mobile App Rating Scale. RESULTS The most common condition of concern targeted by apps and digital resources was autism (19/112, 17% resources), with retrieved resources focusing on supporting challenging behaviors, promoting speech, language, and social development, and providing options for alternative and assistive communication. Other common areas of concern targeted by apps and digital resources included language and communication (16/112, 14.3%) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (11/112, 9.8%). Results showed that reviewed resources were engaging, with high levels of accessibility and functionality. Resources had various functions, including developmental or behavioral tasks targeted at children, assistive communication support, scheduling support, journaling, and advice, activities, and strategies for parents. The information quality of resources, such as credibility of source and evidence base was, however, mostly low. Apps and digital resources with good credibility and an existing evidence base were largely developed in partnership with research, health, or government institutions, and were rated significantly higher on overall quality compared with apps and digital resources not developed in partnership with such institutions (apps; t41=–4.35, P<.001; digital resources; t67=–4.95, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS The lack of evidence base across resources means that it is extremely difficult to provide recommendations to families with respect to apps or digital resources that may support their needs. Frameworks for the development of new tools are discussed, highlighting the novel approaches required to demonstrate the efficacy of tools for improving outcomes for children and families. Such a framework requires collaboration with multiple stakeholders (software developers, researchers, regulatory bodies, clinicians, children, and families) and engagement across multiple levels of expertise (app development, implementation, and dissemination within services, policy, and clinical regulations), to harness the potential of digital health for improving outcomes and promoting support in child neurodevelopment, which at this juncture remains largely underdeveloped.
Kelsie Boulton, Makana Hilton, Emilia Sutton et al.
This article reports on a study that provides insights into the challenges faced by practitioners in the Northern Territory (NT) who support families in enhancing child safety and well-being, particularly for children at risk of or exposed to domestic or family violence. Despite increased funding for programs aimed at improving children's safety and well-being, reports and substantiations of child maltreatment in the NT continue to escalate. Interviews with twelve participants from various organizations involved in child protection services, family support services, and residential care shed light on the existing gaps in support services, including limited resources for families escaping domestic violence and inadequate assistance for children transitioning from out-of-home care. The findings emphasize the need for early intervention services targeted at families displaying risk factors for child maltreatment. Additionally, community consultation is crucial for the design and implementation of support programs that align with the unique needs of communities, including the necessity of maintaining connections to community, culture, and family to address concerns related to meeting basic needs. The study calls for a comprehensive approach that integrates community input, cultural safety, and tailored support programs to bridge these gaps and facilitate lasting positive changes. By addressing these challenges, there is a potential to mitigate child maltreatment and improve the well-being of children and families in the NT, contributing to the overall welfare of the community.
Ashlee Reynolds, Steven Roche, Timothy M. Piatkowski
This paper explores the issue of child labour and its profound impact on health, education, and social development, with a focus on Malaysia. Using a qualitative analysis approach, it examines the root causes, effects, and systemic challenges, such as poverty, cultural norms, and weak enforcement of labour laws. Key findings reveal that child labour perpetuates cycles of poverty, denies children access to education, and endangers their physical and mental well-being. Refugee and stateless children are especially vulnerable, facing barriers to legal protection and education. The study highlights the need for comprehensive strategies, including poverty alleviation programs, improved enforcement of labour regulations, and enhanced educational opportunities for marginalized children. By addressing these issues, this paper contributes to the global dialogue on eliminating child labour, emphasizing its role in fostering sustainable development and equitable societies.
The theoretical analysis of modern research on the phenomenon of psychological well-being allows us to identify the essence and features of child's psychological well-being. It is shown that there are different approaches to its evaluation (analysis of individual determinants of well-being and contextual analysis), which reflect the evolution of approaches to studying the phenomenon of happiness and human well-being in historical and scientific contexts. An analysis of Ukrainian and foreign studies shows that psychological health is most often singled out as the main component of psychological well-being. There is a difference between the concepts of psychological health and mental one. In the legislative documents of Ukraine, these definitions began to be used more often as the purpose of the activities of institutions related to the child. There is a difference between ways of assessing the psychological well-being of preschool, primary school and adolescent children. Parents' assessments of young children are often irrelevant and cannot be an indicator of their child's psychological well-being. Alternatively, it is suggested to study the relationship of parents with the child as a factor of its well-being. Positive psychology had a great influence on the study of the child's psychological well-being, and the idea of the child's positive development as a result of constructive socialization and the process of individualization can become a reference point in building a child's well-being environment. It is proved that the analysis of the environment (theory of ecosystems) of the psychological well-being of the child is one of the promising areas of research and a popular applied practice. Foreign programs for the development of emotional and psychological well-being in schools are analyzed: SEL, Zippy's Friends, MindMatters, The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP).
The effects of parental migration on the well-being of left-behind children (LBC) are varied. Several studies demonstrated that parental migration reduces children's psychological health but other research showed contradictory results. This study sought to clarify this issue by examining the mediating role of psychological distress and the moderating role of parental migration status in the association between the parent-child relationship and children's psychological distress. A total of 743 LBC and 688 non-LBC self-reported their parent-child relationship, psychological distress, and well-being. Findings showed that psychological distress mediated the association between parent-child relationship and children's well-being. This denotes that greater parent-child relationship results into lowered levels of psychological distress, and in turn, increases children's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Moreover, the link between parent-child relationship and psychological distress was found to be contingent to parental migration status. Specifically, the negative association between parent-child relationship and psychological distress was especially strong among LBC in contrast to non- LBC. This implies that children with higher quality relationships with their parents tend to exhibit decreased severity of psychological distress symptoms, especially in children whose parents are working overseas. These results underscore the dynamic role of parent-child relationship in the well-being of LBC, and suggest ways to develop intervention programs that include cultivating skills in managing psychological distress and improving the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of LBC.
Imelu G. Mordeno, I Marie Joy S. Gallemit, Bea Fatima B. Bangcola et al.
This project examines how state Child Tax Credit (CTC) policies affect labor supply and well-being among working-age adults with children in the United States.
Zachary Parolin, Rita Hamad, Justin S. White et al.
The Left-Behind Children are unable to grow up in a safe environment, which causes some of their mental problems. The phenomenon of them has been a critical social and public health challenge in the world. This essay examines the psychological impacts of this phenomenon on the Left-behind Children, focusing on impaired parent-child attachment and the influence of “deviant” peer groups resulting from a lack of supervision. Utilizing Attachment Theory and the PERMA model of well-being, the study analyzes how the loss of security leads to symptoms of anxiety, depression, and social isolation. To address these challenges, the essay proposes some intervention strategies. School-based methods include multimedia activities, Positive Psychology Interventions such as the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise and ‘Signature Strength’ to increase their contact with peers and foster a sense of accomplishment and confidence. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the necessity of high-quality parent-child communication, including daily video calls and collaborative decision-making to increase the security of kids. The essay concludes that the mental well-being of LBC is really important.
