When Moving May Matter for Children: An Exploration of the Role of Time and Place.
Anderson, Sara.
2017-04-19T12:48:34.902Z
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Abstract: Residential mobility is a common event in many children's lives, and one that has links with a range of developmental outcomes; however it remains unclear if children in certain developmental periods or from certain backgrounds are more or less prone to these associations and how associations between residential mobility and child development are transmitted. Using life course theory and... read morethe bioecological approach, this dissertation expands on extant research, considering if, when, for whom, and how moving may matter. Employing the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, I examined the strength of associations between moving (one or multiple times) and children's achievement and socioemotional functioning, if associations vary across developmental periods and among subgroups of children, and potential pathways of associations. Pathways included the family, neighborhood, school, and peer contexts, as indicated by observations or perceptions of interactions between the child and his or her contexts. I employed OLS multiple regression and propensity score matching (with four matching algorithms) to examine associations between residential mobility with math and reading achievement and internalizing, externalizing, and risk-taking behaviors. I also conducted analyses stratified by gender, maternal education, family income, and marital status. Results suggested that residential mobility was not associated with children's development, except perhaps among some children from disadvantaged backgrounds. There were pathways suggesting links between residential mobility and a range of developmental outcomes including the family and neighborhood but not the school or peer group. Findings are discussed in terms of reasons for the discrepancies with the extant literature and implications for programs and policies, particularly among our nation's military, migrant, and homeless children.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Tufts University, 2012.
Submitted to the Dept. of Child Development.
Advisor: Tama Leventhal.
Committee: Richard Lerner, Jonathan Zaff, and Eric Dearing.
Keyword: Psychology.read less - ID:
- jm215108d
- Component ID:
- tufts:21079
- To Cite:
- DCA Citation Guide EndNote
