Childhood in Sociology and Society: The US Perspective

The field of childhood studies in the US is comprised of cross-disciplinary researchers who theorize and conduct research on both children and youth. US sociologists who study childhood largely draw on the childhood literature published in English. This article focuses on American sociological contributions, but notes relevant contributions from non-American scholars published in English that have shaped and fueled American research. This article also profiles the institutional support of childhood research in the US, specifically outlining the activities of the ‘Children and Youth’ Section of the American Sociological Association (ASA), and assesses the contributions of this area of study for sociology as well as the implications for an interdisciplinary field.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Language environment and positive caregiving climate in early childhood care and education and their relationship to child language development

Much attention has been focused in recent years on the skills young children need at kindergarten entry in order to succeed in school. Strong preliteracy skills have been shown to be predictive of reading and language skills in later elementary grades. Previous research has shown that both the amount and quality of language exposure and the positive caregiving environment of early care and education are related to children’s later academic achievement. Seldom has the relationship between the language and positive caregiving environments in early care and education settings and their joint relationship to child language outcomes been examined. Teacher background is a potential contributor to the language and positive caregiving environments in early care and education settings. Previous research has found an association between teacher training and education and quality of care, although recent research has questioned that relationship. Teacher literacy level, as it relates to quality of care and child outcomes, has received little attention. Mothers’ literacy levels have been found to be positively correlated with their children’s language and cognitive development as well as to the level of cognitive stimulation in the home. Adult literacy has also been found to be positively associated with language environment in early care settings. These findings suggest that adult literacy of early care and education providers may play an important role in both language environment and child outcomes. Using Path Analysis, Study 1 examines the relationships between language and positive caregiving environments and child language outcomes. It contributes to the existing literature by (1) assessing the joint influence of these two aspects of children’s early care environments on language development, and (2) contrasting two models—one in which the environmental influences on language development are mediated by teacher-child relationship and one in which child engagement elicits teacher behavior. Study 2 adds provider literacy as a predictor of quality of language environment for a subset of providers. The studies find evidence of a relationship between language and positive caregiving environments. Their association with child language outcomes is mediated by adult-child relationship. There is some evidence that provider literacy affects child language outcomes directly

Attitudes about Disabilities in a Southeastern American Indian Tribe

American Indian families experience many of the societal forces common to American family life, as well as those that are unique to their historical, regional, and cultural context. They have survived aggressive efforts to abolish their culture and continue to endure the effects of systems that disregard their values and discredit their identity. It is apparent that American Indians have impressive reservoirs of strength and coping in spite of adversity, but that adversity is not without cost, for they do experience high rates of disorders associated with social stress. What is lacking in the empirical literature are studies of effective adaptation strategies (in contrast to pathological ones) used by American Indian families in response to numerous challenging life circumstances. One such challenge is the presence of a family member with a disability. American Indians have a disability rate that is higher than other groups in the United States—21.9 percent compared to 9.9 percent for Asian and Pacific Islanders, 15.3 percent for Hispanics, 19.7 percent for white people, and 20 percent for black people.3 Furthermore, American Indian children are frequently labeled as having a disability. A national survey found that only half (53 percent) of American Indian students were classified as “not handicapped in any way and 11 percent were classified as mentally retarded.” The higher disability rate may be associated with economic conditions. Disabilities in general are more prevalent among children in poor families than in families who are not poor. Without doubt, American Indians are among the most impoverished people in the United States. The 1999 per capita income of American Indians and Alaska Natives was $12,893, much lower than the national average per capita income of$21,597 and lower than the $14,437 per capita income of African Americans. These data define the scope of a significant cultural and societal challenge that has not been systematically addressed