The impact of pupil behaviour and wellbeing on educational outcomes

A review of previous literature suggests that wellbeing and learning are associated with one another; however, there is less information on how multiple dimensions of wellbeing together predict later changes in educational outcomes for children and teenagers. The simultaneous examination of different dimensions of wellbeing across primary and secondary school will help clarify their relative importance during the key stages of schooling. This project examines how various dimensions of children’s wellbeing are associated with their educational outcomes, including a review of relevant literature and an analysis using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

Challenges to Implementing the Greenhouse Gas Inventory at Illinois Wesleyan University

This report investigates what conducting a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory at Illinois Wesleyan would entail. In it I discuss what emissions Illinois Wesleyan should consider including and how Illinois Wesleyan would collect this data. The findings are based on interviews I conducted on campus with Illinois Wesleyan staff who were deemed likely to have access to data and also on inventories performed by American College and University President\u27s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) signatory institutions

Parents’ perspectives on smartphone acquisition amongst 9- to 12-year-old children in the UK – a behaviour change approach

Smartphone ownership has increased rapidly over the past decade, including amongst children and young people. Evidence is mixed in terms of the impact of smartphones on this population; with a number of benefits cited as well as a large number of risks. Given the pace of change in this area, research is sparse, including research to understand the influences on when children and young people acquire a smartphone. This is important because parents report struggling with deciding when to give their child a smartphone. This qualitative study applies the Behaviour Change Wheel to in-depth interviews, with a diverse sample of 11 parents, to report the barriers and enablers to parents giving children their first smartphone between the ages of 9 and 12 years old. Enablers include aspects of the physical and social environment, such as children starting to walk to school or preparing to move to secondary school, as well as the influence of other parents and children. Parents’ skills are a barrier whilst their beliefs about the consequences of their child owning a smartphone are a mix of barriers and enablers. Recommendations for interventions include age restrictions, regulations, parental training, education and guidance to support parental decision-making

Using the behaviour change wheel to examine facilitators and barriers to assertive contraception-use conversations for Indonesian women

Contraception-use communication between sexual partners is important to reduce unwanted pregnancies and protect sexual and reproductive health. There is a dearth of research focused on developing countries where sexual and reproductive health conversations are often considered taboo. Using the Behaviour Change Wheel, this qualitative study examines the facilitators and barriers to having assertive contraception-use conversations with a male partner for Indonesian women and then identifies behaviour change techniques as potential intervention strategies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Indonesian women aged 18 to 29 years who had been sexually active and were currently in a committed dating relationship with a male partner. Using thematic analysis, 13 themes were identified. Facilitators of assertive contraception-use communication include knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and contraception, communication skills, closeness of the relationship with one’s partner, other people’s experiences of sex and contraception, and social media norms concerning the open discussion of sex and contraception. Fear of initiating the conversation about contraception was a barrier. Partner’s attitude towards having contraception-use conversations and the taboos surrounding contraception in Indonesian culture acted as both facilitators and barriers. Suggested strategies to promote contraception-use communication include using social media to break the stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health matters, normalising assertive conversations about contraceptive use with sexual partners, empowering women to be more assertive about their preferences for contraception, and teaching strategies to promote assertive contraception-use communication among young women and men in Indonesia

"All you Gain is Pain and Sorrow": Facilitators and Barriers to the Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation in High-income Countries

BACKGROUND: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful practice that has long-lasting negative impacts on the physical and psychological health of victims. Deemed a global concern, this practice persists in high-income countries (HIC) among certain migrant communities. Given the deleterious effects of the practice, we conducted an updated systematic review of the facilitators and barriers associated with the prevention of FGM in HIC. METHOD: A systematic review of published qualitative studies of FGM in HIC was conducted from 2012 to 2022. The search resulted in 276 studies. Of these, the majority were from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and excluded. A total of 14 studies were deemed fit for inclusion and none were excluded during quality appraisal. Relevant data were extracted from the studies and thematically analyzed to identify prevalent themes. RESULTS: A total of 12 themes were identified and the majority reflected barriers to the prevention of FGM including beliefs about female virtue, beliefs about social sanctions, and the preservation of culture, among others. Facilitators to the prevention of FGM were fewer and included memory and trauma from experiencing FGM, knowledge and awareness of the female anatomy, and legislative protection from FGM due to migration. A few themes, such as religious beliefs, acted as both facilitators and barriers. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the importance of shared cultural and social threads among FGM practicing communities in HIC. Interventions can use these findings to guide the development of sociocultural strategies centered on community-level prevention and reduction of FGM in HIC

A look at the Court Appointed Special Advocate Program

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) represent children\u27s best interests in juvenile court proceedings. In Riverside County, conflict exists among the child advocates and children\u27s social service workers. This study measures current attitudes and perception of social workers and CASA volunteers in a quest to gain awareness and understanding of any problems in communication that may hinder effective working relationships

Parental Risk and Protective Factors in Child Maltreatment: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

This study systematically reviews and synthesizes evidence on parental risk and protective factors along with identifying differences in the presence of these factors based on maltreatment type. In all, 68 quantitative, published, empirical studies were included from electronic databases for the systematic review. Quality appraisal did not exclude any studies and data were extracted from all. Results were narratively synthesized using the Risk and Resilience Ecological framework. The findings revealed more risk factors on the micro (individual and family) ecological level compared to mezzo and macro levels. At the micro level, findings mirror results of prior systematic reviews such as parental substance abuse, history of childhood maltreatment, and intimate partner violence (IPV). Social support was the most significant protective factor across all ecological levels and across all maltreatment types except child sexual abuse but differed in definition widely across studies. Physical abuse had the most risk factors unique to this type followed by neglect, and IPV was a common risk factor across all maltreatment types. Fewer studies on emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and protective factors were identified. The findings of this review delineated key parental risk and protective factors at various ecological levels along with associations between distinct factors and types of maltreatment. Interventions working with parents to reduce child maltreatment risk can use these findings to guide development of targeted programs for families based on risk and maltreatment type. For researchers, the findings can guide further investigation in under-researched areas of parental sexual and emotional abuse and protective factors

Financial Strain, Parenting Behaviors, and Adolescents' Achievement: Testing Model Equivalence between African American and European American Single- and Two-Parent Families

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65503/1/1467-8624.00106.pd

A golden anniversary for soil science in Fiji

2015 represents the golden anniversary of the publication of a most significant document for soil science in Fiji. The Soil Resources of the Fiji Islands, 2 Volumes, by Ian T. Twyford and A. Charles S. Wright was published in 1965 by the government printer in Suva. This was the result of intensive field work with accompanying laboratory studies and a detailed inventory of land use in the colony (as it was then) in the 1950s and early 1960s. The publication consisted of a descriptive and interpretative volume (Volume 1, 570 p) and an accompanying set of maps (Volume 2). The set was originally sold for 7 guineas (£7- 7-0)

Trends in emotional wellbeing during COVID-19 by ethnicity, age and gender: evidence from a higher education staff survey

This paper provides evidence of the trends in the emotional wellbeing of university staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on differences according to age, gender and ethnicity. From June 2020 to July 2021 a survey was circulated to University College London staff, capturing information on self-described demographic indicators (age, gender, and ethnicity), satisfaction with academic life, and mental and emotional wellbeing. Results show a moderate level of emotional wellbeing overall, with scores increasing after lockdowns were lifted. Some significant heterogeneity within the demographic variables demonstrates the need for disaggregating the categories within Black and Minority Ethnic individuals. Black Caribbean and Black African staff reported higher levels of emotional wellbeing (respectively, 0.60 and 0.81 higher wellbeing scores, on average) while staff who identified as Arab or “other” reported lower levels (on average −1.0 and −0.65) than staff who identified as White. There was a sharp increase in emotional wellbeing for Arab staff and a slight increase in Asian and “other” ethnic staff. Findings from this research provide evidence into the trends in emotional wellbeing of faculty and staff in a United Kingdom university context, contributing to the literature focusing on higher education during the pandemic period. We also flag the importance of disaggregating Black and Minority Ethnic categorization to describe and better understand the diverse impact on emotional wellbeing within different ethnic groups, which has rarely been explored in the literature assessing university staff wellbeing