The dynamics of family poverty and immigrant-origin children’s socioemotional development and executive functioning

Aguirre, Martha Jailene

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114013 Copy

Description

Title

The dynamics of family poverty and immigrant-origin children’s socioemotional development and executive functioning

Author(s)

Aguirre, Martha Jailene

Issue Date

2021-12-07

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Lleras, Christy

Committee Member(s)

Cuthbertson, Courtney

Department of Study

Human Dvlpmt & Family Studies

Discipline

Human Dvlpmt & Family Studies

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• poverty dynamics
• duration of poverty
• depth of poverty
• immigrant origin children
• socioemotional development
• executive function

Abstract

This study utilized data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-kindergarten cohort (2010-11) to examine how the duration and depth of family poverty influenced the socioemotional and behavioral development as well as executive functioning among immigrant-origin children, where at least one parent was born outside the U.S.. The results of the regression analysis show among immigrant-origin children, those who experience more years in poverty develop fewer learning-related behaviors and lower attentional focus between kindergarten and fifth grade, controlling for a host of family, child, and school characteristics. The study also revealed important racial and ethnic differences. Black immigrant-origin children were rated by their teachers as having fewer interpersonal skills and lower inhibitory control compared to Latinx children. Asian immigrant-origin children tended to have significantly better scores on social, behavioral, and executive functioning compared to Latinx immigrant-origin children. Additionally, children in single-parent households had poorer developmental outcomes, regardless of poverty status. The study highlights the need for more research that examines variation in child outcomes within immigrant populations as well as a focus on a wider range of developmental outcomes shown to be important for educational success and child well-being including interpersonal skills and attentional focus.

Graduation Semester

2021-12

Type of Resource

Thesis

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/114013

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Copyright 2021 Martha Aguirre

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