Socioeconomic Status and Child Development - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages Trivette (2010) discovered that parent-child interactions directly affect child development. Assuming this is true, the conclusion is made that strong parental involvement has a great impact on the learning experiences of all youth, regardless of their existing peer relationships. Subsequently, social interactions whereby a child receives help and care from those in an academic environment dramatically increase the likelihood of a positive learning experience. This seems to be born by the fact that children who have positive interactions with other adults and peers tend to exhibit more self-efficacy, leading to higher self-esteem. These various factors must continue to be studied to determine what assistance should be given to parents in order to foster this cause and effect relationship (p. 6).

There are certain ‘developmental assets’ that contribute to positive experiences for youth, particularly in the learning environment. Engaging an adolescent in school is vital to ensuring that every opportunity is afforded to a student that results in a positive learning experience. This encompasses the fostering of positive peer relationships, in addition to strong interactions with all members of an educational community. It is not entirely clear, however, how these ‘developmental assets’ should be used in order to maximize the potential for a positive outcome. This is the focus on research conducted by Ryzin (2011).

Schools are designed to be a stabilizing factor in communities across the country. In recent decades, however, the influence of such institutions has been severely diminished to the point that these very schools may actually be a foster negative learning experience for adolescent’s nationwide. Ryzin (2011) notes, “Researchers in this field have called for the creation of social climates that foster positive psychological adjustment” (p. 1569). This entails a thorough study of the effects of parental and peer influence on the learning experiences of children and adolescents. By implementing strategies designed to create more positive social, familial, and peer relationships, the hope is that these same learning experiences can be strengthened and lead to more positive self-esteem. This will become a motivating factor in creating a community focused on positive relationships and the strengthening of the overall educational system.

It has become clear that school environments do influence a student’s academic performance. Beyond that, educational institutions can alter the behaviour of children and youth, and these behaviours often change over time. The implication, then, is that research points to a shift in the school environment as being a mitigating factor in why some youth experience drastic mood and academic changes from one year to the next. Further study is needed, then, to determine what can be done to stop these changes from occurring. One indication is that it could be impacted by changes in administration or a drastic turnover in the instructional staff. In addition, youth who must change schools often struggle to make new friends, causing them to lose much of their self-esteem. Programs should be instituted to ensure that a positive transition takes place when such changes to an academic environment become necessary (Ryzin, 2011, p. 1576). ...Download file to see next pages Read More