Positive Indicators in Middle Childhood

1. Positive Indicators in Middle Childhood Kristin Anderson Moore, Ph.D. Presented at the ISCI inaugural conference June 28, 2007

2. Stages of Childhood 0-5 6-11 12-17 18+ Middle Childhood Early Childhood Adolescence Emerging Adulthood Birth

3. Overview of Existing Conceptual Frameworks • Input/Contextual Models • America’s Promise - The Alliance for Youth: Five Promises • National Research Council • Forum for Youth Investment • Search Institute: 40 Developmental Assets • Outcome Models • National Research Council • The Five Cs • Boys and Girls Club of America

4. Outcomes Inputs Mixed Physical Health Maintenance Physical Physical Ability to be Productive Intellectual/ Educational Competence Competence Grades Educational Attainment Positive Identity Self Efficacy Character Psychological Hopeful Future Ability to Navigate Psychological Confidence Self Determination Overcomes Adversity Caring Helps Others Social Connection Ability to Connect Social Values Diversity Leadership Civic Engagement Healthy Start Basic Care and Services Resources And Networks Safety Material Well-Being Health Low-birth Weight babies Safe Places with Structured Activities Safe and Stable Places Economic Security Teen Births Structure Consistent Fair, Monitoring of Behavior Child Poverty Health Behavior Social Environment Caring Relationships HS Dropout Supportive Relationships Healthy Relationships Support Educational Attainment Caring Adults Idle Teens Education Opportunities to Belong Infant Mortality High Expectations And Standards Role Models Child Deaths Positive Social Norms Safety Boundaries and Expectations Violent Teen Deaths High Expectations Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being Support for efficacy And Mattering Challenging Experiences Constructive Use of Time Parental Employment High Quality Instruction Effective Education Opportunities for Skill Building Place in Community Single Parent Families Integration of family, School, and Community Opportunity to Give Back Opportunities For Contribution Social Relationships Empowerment

5. Inputs Healthy Start Basic Care and Services Resources And Networks Safety Safe Places with Structured Activities Safe and Stable Places Structure Consistent Fair, Monitoring of Behavior Caring Relationships Supportive Relationships Healthy Relationships Support Caring Adults Opportunities to Belong High Expectations And Standards Role Models Positive Social Norms Boundaries and Expectations High Expectations Support for efficacy And Mattering Challenging Experiences Constructive Use of Time High Quality Instruction Effective Education Opportunities for Skill Building Integration of family, School, and Community Opportunity to Give Back Opportunities For Contribution Empowerment

6. INPUTS Basic Health and Material Resources Safe, fair, structured places Caring, supportive relationships with adults and peers High expectations, role models, standards and boundaries Challenging education and skill- building opportunities Opportunities to contribute

7. Outcomes Physical Health Maintenance Physical Physical Ability to be Productive Intellectual/ Educational Competence Competence Grades Educational Attainment Positive Identity Self Efficacy Character Psychological Hopeful Future Ability to Navigate Psychological Confidence Self Determination Overcomes Adversity Caring Helps Others Social Connection Ability to Connect Social Values Diversity Leadership Civic Engagement

8. Outcome Domains Physical health Education, Competence, Intellectual development Psychological development And identity, Self-efficacy, Confidence, Character Social connection, Caring, Helping others Civic engagement, Leadership

9. Outcome Domains • Physical health • Educational competence, intellectual development • Psychological development, self-efficacy, confidence, character • Social connection, caring, helping others • Input Domains • Basic health and material resources • Safe, fair, structured places • Caring, supportive relationships with adults and peers • High expectations, role models, standards and boundaries • Challenging education and skill-building opportunities

10. Principles for a Monitoring System of Indicators for Middle Childhood • Indicators need to represent varied domains of development and key development tasks • Both positive and negative indicators need to be included • Measures must be reliable and valid but feasible also • Indicators must track outcomes that are malleable and be able to capture changes • Indicators should balance well-being and well-becoming

11. Bedrock Indicators Context Race and ethnicity Foreign-born parent Family structure and living arrangements Poverty Secure parental employment Current health insurance coverage No usual source of health care/no medical home Extra-curricular activities/out-of-school care Parent education Well-being Difficulty speaking English Blood-lead levels Asthma Behavioral/emotional problems Food security General health status Activity limitation Overweight Diet quality Mortality Mathematics and reading achievement

12. Recommended Indicators for Middle Childhood Inputs/Contexts Positive • Parent-child relationships • Parent health behaviors • High-quality out-of-school opportunities • School supportiveness • Peer encouragement for positive behaviors Negative • Depression/parental mental health problems • Dangerous neighborhoods • Negative peer behaviors • Self-care • Lack of teacher engagement Child Outcomes Positive • School Engagement • Self-regulation • Healthy behaviors • Social skills/competence • Reads for pleasure Negative • Intolerance • Depressed/poor mental health • Overweight • Lonely/lacks friends • Behavior problems

13. School Engagement • Definition and importance • Malleability • Measurement • Parent Report • Teacher Report • Student Report

14. National Survey of America’s Families (NSAF) Adult Interview • Cares about doing well in school. • Only works on schoolwork when forced to. • Does just enough schoolwork to get by. • Always does homework. RAPS-TE: The Teacher Report of Student Engagement for Elementary School • In my class, this student seems tuned in. • This student comes to class unprepared. • This student does more than required. RAPS-SE: The Student Self-Report for Elementary School • Ongoing school engagement subdomain • I work very hard on my schoolwork. • I don’t try very hard in school. • I pay attention in class. • I don’t work very hard in school. • When I’m in class I just act as if I’m working. • How important is it to you to do the best you can in school? (Very, sort of, not very, or not at all important)

15. Healthy Behaviors Definition and importance Evidence of Malleability Measurement

16. National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) How often does (he/she) wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter, skateboard, roller skates, or rollerblades? Would you say never, sometimes, usually or always? During the past week, on how many nights did (CHILD) get enough sleep for a child (his/her) age? During the past week, on how many days did (CHILD) exercise or participate in physical activity for at least 20 minutes that made (him/her) sweat and breathe hard, such as basketball, soccer, running, swimming laps, fast bicycling, fast dancing, or similar aerobic activities? America’s Promise In a typical day, how many times does your child eat a piece or serving of fruit? In a typical day, how many times does your child eat vegetables? During the past seven nights, on how many nights did your child get enough sleep for a child her/his age?

17. Social Skills/Competence • Definition and importance • Evidence on malleability • Measurement

18. National Survey of Children’s Health (NCSH) • [He/She] shows respect for teachers and neighbors. • [He/She] gets along well with other children. • [He/She] tries to understand other people’s feelings. • [He/She] tries to resolve conflicts with classmates, families, or friends.

19. Tolerance • Definition and importance • Evidence on malleability • Measurement • Measure development is needed

20. National Promises Poll How much is this like you? I get along well with people of different races, cultures, or religions.

21. Behavior Problems • Definition and importance • Evidence on malleability • Measurement

22. NSCH [He/She] argues too much. [He/She] bullies, or is cruel or mean to others. [He/She] is disobedient. [He/She] is stubborn, sullen, or irritable.

23. Contextual Indicators Parent-Child Relationships • Definition and importance • Evidence on malleability • Measurement

24. Parent-Adolescent Relationship Scale Identification with parents I think highly of him/her. S/he is a person I want to be like. I really enjoy spending time with him/her. Perceived parental supportiveness How often does s/he praise you for doing well? How often does s/he criticize you or your ideas? How often does s/he help you do things that are important to you? How often does s/he blame you for her/his problems? How often does s/he make plans with you and cancel for no good reason?

25. Neighborhoods • Definition and importance • Evidence on malleability • Measurement

26. NSCH: How often do you feel [CHILD] is safe in your community or neighborhood? “People in this neighborhood help each other out.” “We watch out for each other’s children in this neighborhood.” “There are people I can count on in the neighborhood.” “There are people in this neighborhood who might be a bad influence on my child/children.” “If my child were outside playing and got hurt or scared, there are adults nearby who I trust to help my child.” America’s Promise: How often do you think your child is safe going to or from school? How often do you think your child is safe in your community or neighborhood? How often do you think your child is safe in the after-school programs she/he is in? How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements: Our neighborhood has safe parks or playgrounds for children to play in during the day. In our neighborhood, people watch out for each others’ children.

27. Conclusions • Middle childhood is a neglected developmental stage. • Important constructs can be identified. • Measures of critical constructs for middle childhood are scarce and scattered, and psychometric work is very limited. • Development and testing of good measures is urgently needed.

28. Research in the Service of America’s Children www.childtrends.org www.childtrendsdatabank.org