Education Across the Life Course

There is a huge demand for high-quality longitudinal educational research in Germany. In particular, there is a clear need for both analytical and methodological progress in order to understand educational pathways through the life course and how they lead to different outcomes. This paper identifies the theoretical and methodological challenges of studying education across the life course and describes the structure of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) in Germany.competence development, educational decisions, formal, informal and non-formal educational environments, returns to education, educational trajectories, life course research, longitudinal analysis, panel data

Biopsychosocial Factors, Life Course Perspective, and Their Influences on Language Development in Children

Background: Speech and language disorder if untreated may cause deficiency in reading, verbal, psychosocial, behavioral, and academic abilities. Studies have shown that birthweight, body length at birth, maternal education, parenting style, maternal stress, income at pregnancy, and current income can influence child development. This study aimed to determine the biopsychosocial factors, life course perspective, and their influences on language development in children. Subjects and Method: This was an analytic observational study using case control design. The study was conducted in Surakarta, Central Java, from February to May 2017. A sample of 140 children aged 2 to 5 years old were selected for this study by fixed disease sampling with 1:3 ratio between case (children with speech and language disorder) and control (children without such disorder). The dependent variable was child speech and language development. The independent variables were birthweight, body length at birth, maternal education, maternal stress, parenting style, family income at pregnancy, and current family income. The data were collected by a set of questionnaire and medical record. The data on speech and language ability was measured by Denver II questionnaire. Path analysis was employed for data analysis. Results: Language development was directly and positively affected by democratic parenting style (b= 0.46; SE= 0.08; p<0.001), permissive parenting style (b= 0.10; SE= 0.11; p= 0.020), birthweight (b= 0.12; SE= 0.02; p= 0.002), maternal education (b= 0.11; SE= 0.31; p= 0.007), maternal stress (b= -0.13; SE= 0.04; p= 0.013). Language development directly and negatively affected by autoritarian parenting style (b= -0.37; SE= 0.09; p<0.001). Language development was indirectly affected by body length at birth, family income at pregnancy, and current family income. Conclusion: Language development is directly affected by parenting style, birthweight, maternal education, maternal stress. Keywords: biopsychosocial, life course, language development, children 2 to 5 years old, path analysi

Life satisfaction across life course transitions

This paper looks at how life satisfaction changes as we pass through various life transitions on the pathway from adolescence through young adulthood, middle age and into old age. It explores how leaving home, commencing a relationship, having children, separating, entering the “empty nest” phase, retirement and widowhood affect life satisfaction. Summary We all experience ups and downs at various points throughout life. This paper explores whether we experience predictable changes in life satisfaction over the life course—both as we get older and as we pass through a range of common life course transitions. The paper looks at how life satisfaction changes as we pass through various life transitions on the pathway from adolescence through young adulthood, middle age and into old age. It explores how leaving home, commencing a relationship, having children, separating, entering the “empty nest” phase, retirement and widowhood affect life satisfaction. We concentrate on three main questions: Do these life course transitions have an effect on life satisfaction, and if so, in what way? Is any such effect of life course transitions greater for men or for women? When a life course transition affects life satisfaction, is the change longlasting or relatively short-lived? For example, do people tend to “bounce back” within some years of experiencing transitions that erode life satisfaction, and if so, how long after the transition is this likely to become apparent? The same questions arise in relation to transitions that enhance life satisfaction. Research into subjective wellbeing suggests that most people tend to view life in a positive light and are able to adapt to various circumstances (Cummins, 2000; Diener, Lucas, &amp; Scollon, 2006). It is argued that, except in extreme circumstances, people have their own “normal” level of wellbeing, which increases or decreases in response to personally important changes and challenges, but eventually returns to their “normal” level. That is, the ups and downs of wellbeing will usually be transitory and are governed by some sort of homeostatic mechanism. But people do not always bounce back—especially under severe circumstances (e.g., Cummins, 2000; Diener et al., 2006; Lucas, 2007). Diener et al. argued that individuals may have multiple “set points”, such that after experiencing adversity a person may bounce back, but not all the way, and thus they establish a new (but lower) baseline of life satisfaction. Cummins also maintained that extremes in adversity can defeat the homeostatic process

Political Economy and Life Course Patterns

We explore the strong linkages between macro changes and the dynamics of educational, occupational, family, and residential careers of young Spanish adults born between 1945 and 1974. We review theory and evidence on macro factors: changes in the welfare system, centrality of the family as a service provider, and the changing role of women. We outline some hypotheses of how life course trajectories, and their heterogeneity, change across cohorts. We build data on sequences of states using FFS. In our analysis, we find an increase in the discontinuity of careers and of the heterogeneity among cohort members, especially for employment. Women's careers are becoming more similar to those of men. Family and household formation is postponed, with a limited spread of post-nuclear family forms.delayed transition to adulthood, life course, postponement of family formation, sequence analysis, Spain, young adults

Early childhood and the life course

What happens to children in the early years has consequences right through the course of their lives. There are many opportunities to intervene and make a difference to the lives of children and young people. The evidence shows the most effective time to intervene is early childhood, including the antenatal period. This Policy Brief explores the issues that impact the health, development and well-being of children and therefore their life course. These issues will be addressed from ecological and economic perspectives.&nbsp

Life Course Perspective on the Determinants of Stunting and Child Development in Jombang District

Background: Stunting is the most prevalent form of child malnutrition worldwide with an estimated 161 million children in 2013. Stunting has been defined as the proportion of children below -2 SD from the WHO length- or height-for-age standards median. Stunting may increase the risk of child mortality and non-communicable diseases. It decreases the cognitive and motor develop­ment, reduces performance in schools, and lowers productivity in adulthood. Indonesia ranks fifth highest in the burden of stunted children in the world. However, life course information about the determinants of stunting in Indonesia is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the determinants of stunting and child development in children under five. Subjects and Method: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at Mayangan and Jarak Kulon Community Health Centers, Jombang, East Java, in Januari 2018. A total sample of 58 children was selected for this study by fixed exposure sampling. The dependent variables were stunting and child develop­ment. The independent variables were birth-length, maternal age, maternal height, maternal education, and family income. The data were collected by questionnaire. Data on birth length was taken from maternal and child record at community health center. The data were analyzed by path analysis model. Results: The risk of stunting decreased with birth-length (b= -0.90; 95% CI= -1.60 to -0.21; p= 0.011) and maternal height (b=-0.92; 95% CI= -1.69 to -0.16; p= 0.018). The risk of stunting increased with maternal age <20 years old or ≥35 years old at pregnancy (b= 0.73; 95% CI= -0.03 to 1.46; p= 0.051). The risk of stunting indirectly decreased with high maternal education and high family income. The likelihood of normal child development increased with maternal education (b= 1.08; 95% CI= 0.41 to 1.75; p= 0.001) and decreased with stunting (b= -0.78; 95% CI= -1.46 to -0.10; p= 0.025). Conclusion: The risk of stunting decreases with birth-length and maternal height, and increases with maternal age <20 years old or ≥35 years old at pregnancy. The likelihood of normal child development increases with maternal education and decreases with stunting. Keywords: child development, stunting, birth-length, maternal age at pregnancy, maternal education, and family incom

Sustainable Work Over the Life Course: Concept Paper

Ageing of the population is likely to threaten the ability of states to finance welfare states and social protection systems in the future. A viable solution is to increase employment rates and to lengthen working life. To achieve this dual goal requires devising new solutions for working conditions and career paths that help workers to retain their physical and mental health, motivation and productivity over an extended working life. In other words, work must be made sustainable over the life course. Identifying and analysing the factors and actions underpinning sustainable work throughout working life is a research priority for Eurofound in the 2013–2016 programming period. This paper sets out to clarify and illuminate Eurofound’s framework for understanding the rather expansive concept of sustainable work. It can be used as reference point for a range of Eurofound research projects that exami ne different aspects of sustainable work