Toward holistic and context-sensitive operationalization of child socioeconomic circumstances

PsyArXiv Preprints

Image powered by Unsplash

Developmental science has made great strides in understanding how child socioeconomic circumstances shape outcomes in a range of domains. Researchers have argued we need to operationalize socioeconomic circumstances clearly and consistently, and more recently, argued a need to ensure we are understanding child circumstances in a culturally responsible way. However, there is a need to bring together these perspectives to understand how we should operationalise and measure socioeconomic disadvantage in ways that are both culturally responsive and precise, striking a balance between mechanistic insight and policy relevance. This paper highlights three ways forward in which we can develop a more holistic, comprehensive and inclusive understanding of social gradients in child development.

This paper is a preprint under review