Poverty
... two separate categories. One is externalizing behavior, which includes fighting, acting out and aggression; the second is internalizing behaviors such as anxiety, depression and withdrawal. One study showed that long-term poverty (four or more consecutive years) had a greater effect on children when compared to children who were poor for at least one of four years.3 As such, behavioral problems are more prevalent in households that have lived below the poverty line for four or more years. Further studies showed that persistent poverty was associated with internalizing symptoms, whereas current, but not persistent, poverty was closely associated with externalizing problems. The article also discussed teenage out of wedlock childbearing. Studies have shown the correlation between income and out-of-wedlock childbearing to be inconclusive. One study found “variations in income around the poverty threshold were not predictive of a teenage birth, but the probability of a teenager’s having an out-of-wedlock birth declined significantly at family income levels above twice the poverty threshold.”4 Further, duration and timing had no effect on this particular outcome. In conclusion, it seems that timing of poverty is detrimental to the child outcome, with preschool and early school years the most important times. Further, it appears that poverty is more strongly related to achievement rather than to emotional effects. II. Related Information and Ideas There have been some improvements in the status of children in the United States. According to the 6th annual report of America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 5 some indicators remained unchanged or did not significantly change, such as the child poverty rate (16% in 2000) and the percentage of children who received adequate immunizations (76% in 2000). On the positive side, children in America are less likely to die during infancy, less likely to smoke in 8th or 10th grade and less likely to give birth during adolescence. Changes in the economic security indicators seem to suggest that children are more likely to have at least one working parent and to have health insurance. On a cognitive level, children from the ages of 3-5 are more likely to be read to on a daily basis by a family member. III. Critique The article seems to adequately summarize the probable links between poverty and child development. Further, I think that it’s admirable on the part of the authors that they attempt to delve a bit deeper into the sorts of factors that may augment or mitigate theses effects. However, in my opinion, the authors didn’t go far enough. In my experience, the root causes of both a family’s poverty and the retarding effects it can have on child development often go hand in hand. Lack of education, drug addiction, violence (both in the home and the surrounding environment) and other factors can lead to both a lower earning potential on the part of the family and the damaging effects described in the article. I believe that Abraham Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ concept comes into play here. Whether or not your child is progressing well enough in school may be of secondary importance to you when you don’t know when your next meal is coming from, or if you’ll be evicted for lack of rent money. IV. Key Concepts and Terms Income poverty – the condition of not having enough income to meet basic needs for food, clothing and shelter. Pathways – a mechanism through which poverty or income can influence a child outcome. V. Specific Question Related to the Article There are potential pathways through which parental income can influence child health and development. The article defines a pathway as “a mechanism through which poverty or income can influence a child outcome.”6 In an effort to develop effective policies and programs, it is important to define and understand these pathways. It seems that health and nutrition are two of the most important factors in regards to both a child’s physical well-being as well as its cognitive development. The effects of low birth weight and elevated blood lead levels have been linked to reduced IQ, as well as grade retention and learning disabilities. One study showed that long-term health disadvantage experienced by poor children might account for 13-20% of the difference in IQ scores between poor and non-poor four year olds.7 A child’s home environment makes up a substantial portion of the effects of family income on child development. The HOME scale was developed as a measure of home environment and is made up of items that measure household resources. These include opportunities for learning, as well as the quality of parent-child interactions. The impoverished homes that are measured by the HOME scale have shown a correlation between poverty and cognitive development of preschool children, as well as achievement scores of elementary school child...