Journal Articles
Abstract:
Internationally and domestically there has been increased attention given to the influence of ethnic, cultural, economic, and contextual factors as they influence parenting, family dynamics and children’s developmental and mental health outcomes. Increased globalization and migration has heightened concerns about assuring that developmental theories and evidence-based programs and practices are sensitive to variations in parental beliefs, practices and their impact on child outcomes. This article integrates theories and worldviews that undergird research focused understanding the role of ethnicity, culture and context on family dynamics and children’s developmental outcomes. In addition, limitations in research designs for highlighting the interactive influences of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and community context on families are discussed in light of research designs that are heuristic in disentangling these factors for the purposes of developing culturally sensitive and appropriate theories, programs, policies, and practices to benefit children and families.