The family regulation system's policing, disruption, and restructuring of Black families and communities spills over into other systems also marked by stark racial inequities - the education and juvenile justice systems. This Article unpacks how that spillage magnifies the harm to Black children; by exploring the structural mechanisms through which these systems work together to compound disparity and perpetuate inequity, this Article provides further evidence of the family regulation system's failings.
We offer a child-centric framework for reparations with considerations for policy and implications for child descendants of enslaved African Americans. We apply economic theory of human capital integrated with the theories of bioecological developmental systems to illustrate the multilayered aspects of harm from the legacy of slavery and racism. Our curation of estimates shows that relative to white peers, black children bear more than double the risk in outcomes unfavorable to educational and economic prosperity from birth through young adulthood. We also find that enduring racial wealth differences are larger among households with children than without children, with the child household racial wealth gap in 2019 remaining comparable to that seen 60 years ago. Simulations suggest that a wealth transfer of $130,000 per child during early childhood reduces the black-white gap in high school graduation by 13 percentage points and increases college attendance by 26 percentage points. A review of existing U.S. reparations initiatives shows that few include direct financial transfers or other forms of investments specifically for black families or children. Based on a contemporary survey, we find that black parents with young children express support for reparations in the form of direct cash payments as well as other forms of financial assistance.
Lisa A. Gennetian, Christina Gibson-Davis, William A. Darity
The way children and adolescents use their time in daily activities is critical for their present and future well-being. This study discusses current scholarship on children’s and adolescents’ time use by examining (1) how child and adolescent daily activity patterns matter for well-being outcomes; (2) how child and adolescent time use differs by demographic and socioeconomic factors; (3) what role national contexts play in shaping different time-use patterns among children and adolescents. The study discusses evidence across different high-income countries by analysing research addressing six types of activities (i.e., family activities; educational activities; screen-based activities; physical activities; sleep; and unpaid domestic work) and considering variations across five key demographic factors (i.e., parental work characteristics; socioeconomic background; family structure; gender; and ethnicity/race). The paper concludes with a discussion of the main findings from this literature and with recommendations of future research in the field of child and adolescent time use.
Child health is not defined by diagnoses but by how children function in daily life. Social disruption has reshaped sleep, activity, and participation, producing diffuse, overlapping difficulties that resist traditional categories. This review advances a functional, biopsychosocial lens, arguing that clinical success lies in restoring everyday participation rather than labeling disease.
Maria Noel Arana, Romina Alejandra Torres, Sandra Susana Arroyo Giuliani
Abstract Background Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) is a method for examining configurational causality by identifying pathways that lead to an outcome of interest. There is a growing body of literature that uses QCA to measure child well-being due to its ability to generate evidence of causality for complex social phenomena. This scoping review examines how QCA studies are being employed to investigate child well-being and assesses the potential of QCA as a method to produce intervention-focused evidence and to contribute to future methodological development to address the complexity of child well-being. Method We systematically searched Embase, PsyINFO, MEDLINE, Social Policy and Practice, Global Health, Econlit, Scopus and Web of Science for peer-reviewed studies that had used QCA methods in child well-being studies. We searched studies published in English up until 2023. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses using QCA were excluded due to insufficient methodological detail for inclusion in our analysis. We followed the PRISMA-ScR flowchart and guidelines for study screening to ensure a systematic selection process. Data extraction was undertaken to capture information of most relevance to QCA best practice. Data were analysed using a basic qualitative content analysis approach. Results The search identified 626 papers, of which 28 met our inclusion criteria. Dimensions of well-being included: psychological/mental health (n = 9); physical health (n = 2); language development under education (n = 1); socio-emotional health (n = 7); physical and psychological/mental health (n = 3), psychological/mental health and education (n = 1); and multi-dimensional health (n = 3). Two studies stated explicitly that they used well-being concepts—subjective well-being and psychological well-being. Most studies (n = 23) were predominantly in high income countries (HIC). Commonly reported strengths of QCA were the capacity to a) describe various pathways or combinations of pathways to the same outcome (equifinality); and b) examine conjunctural causation (combination of absent/present conditions), known as ‘causal complexity’. Weaknesses related to a) generalisability of the data; and b) the number of causal conditions that can be included in the analysis. Our findings suggest that QCA can be effectively used alongside traditional analyses to provide a more nuanced understanding. Conclusion QCA is a promising method with potential to address complexity when assessing the different dimensions of child well-being. More comprehensive guidelines are now available that offer good practices to enhance the quality of the QCA research. To build greater confidence using this method, scholars are recommended to adhere to these good practices to establish the highest levels of transparency of the analysis.
Aye Thiri Kyaw, Meghna Ranganathan, Cathy Zimmerman et al.
Introduction: The present study was conducted with objective of investigating long-term outcomes in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during childhood. Investigation focused on current symptom severity and social functioning, and it examined role of parental psychological well-being, empathy, and parent-child relationship. Methods: A total of 64 subjects who had previously been diagnosed with ASD were subject of a re-evaluation seven years after their initial diagnosis. Participants were divided into two groups: those who retained their ASD diagnosis (n=53) and those who no longer met diagnostic criteria (n=11). The clinical assessments comprised CARS, ABC, SRS, and ASSP for participants, and BSI, FAST, EQ, and PCRS for their parents. Multiple linear regression and correlation analyses were used to examine associations between autism symptom severity, social skills, and parental variables. Results: Greater autism severity was associated with lower social skills, reduced parental empathy, and higher parental psychopathology. Parental empathy (EQ) and positive dimension of parent-child relationship (PCRS) were significantly higher in loss of ASD group. Parental empathy (EQ) and child social functioning (ASSP) positively predicted quality of parent-child relationship (PCRS). Higher parental psychiatric symptoms (BSI) and lower child social functioning significantly predicted greater autism severity (CARS). Conclusions: The severity of autism and an individual’s social functioning are closely interlinked, with child characteristics having strong predictive power. Parental mental health and empathy have been shown to have a significant impact on the developmental outcomes and relational dynamics of their children.
It's not surprising that more than a quarter of parents have reported worsening of their mental health, and 14.3% worsening of their children's behavioral health. These changes, reported in Pediatrics, compared March 2020 to June 2020.
Psychological well-being is essential for women’s health, affecting various aspects of life, including social roles, work-life balance, and maternal responsibilities. This chapter highlights its importance, addressing factors such as societal expectations, biological differences, and life events like pregnancy and motherhood. Women’s mental health is increasingly recognized in public health due to its broad implications. Emphasis is placed on stress and postnatal depression, exploring their biological, social, and cultural foundations and their influence on mental health. Postpartum depression, a significant condition with far-reaching effects on both the mother and her family, is discussed extensively, including its causes, symptoms, and impact on family dynamics. The importance of prevention, early intervention, and treatment is also examined. Coping strategies for stress and postpartum depression, such as psychosocial interventions, social support mechanisms, and group therapies, are explored as crucial elements in mental health recovery. Additionally, the integration of biological treatments, including antidepressants and hormonal therapies, with psychosocial methods is reviewed to optimize outcomes. This chapter also underscores the role of social support networks and societal awareness in addressing postpartum depression, advocating for policy development and community-based solutions. Lastly, it examines the long-term impacts on maternal mental health and mother-child relationships, emphasizing the need for sustainable mental health strategies. This analysis aims to promote awareness, prevention, and treatment of women’s mental health issues, with a focus on postpartum depression.
Objective: This study examines the ”immigrant paradox” in child well-being among 3,298 children involved in the U.S. child welfare system, comparing outcomes for those with U.S.-born versus foreign-born caregivers. It further investigates how acculturation factors and gender shape behavioral problems, violence exposure, and trauma in immigrant families.,Methods: Using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being III (2017–2022), reports from children, caregivers, and caseworkers across 61 counties were analyzed. Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic and risk factors, assessed disparities in well-being and the moderating effects of acculturation.,Results: Children of U.S.-born caregivers were more than twice as likely to exhibit behavioral problems (OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.12–4.36) and externalizing issues (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.31–5.53). However, a clear ”erosion of protection” emerged as acculturation increased: each additional year in the U.S. raised the odds of violence exposure by 5%. Girls in immigrant families faced 4.76 times higher odds of trauma than their U.S.-born counterparts (OR = 4.76, 95% CI = 1.04–25.00), and linguistic isolation was associated with 3.45 times higher odds of internalizing problems.,Conclusions: Immigrant families appear to enter child welfare with cultural protective factors that weaken over time and differ by gender. Findings underscore the need for gender-responsive, culturally and linguistically informed child welfare interventions that address the unique traumatic pressures experienced by immigrant girls and the compounding effects of long-term U.S. residency.
Chien-jen Chiang, Miyoun Yang, Maryam Rafieifar et al.
Although improving psychological well-being was not the explicit focus of the 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), psychological health outcomes may have been affected by the positive income shocks generated by the credit. In this chapter we ask: How did the 2021 expanded CTC affect parents’ psychological well-being? Some studies have found that the CTC led to reductions in parental reports of clinical levels of depression and anxiety and in subclinical depressive and anxiety symptoms. Using similar methods, other studies have found no effect on these same outcomes. Importantly, however, the evidence does not point to the CTC worsening psychological well-being. We conclude that the evidence so far is thin, narrow, and mixed, even when our review is expanded to comparable studies on the impact of income support. Alignment of policy objectives with a broader range of measurement approaches will be important in building a more conclusive evidence base.
