Aileen S. Garcia

From bonds to bridges and back again: co-ethnic ties and the making of Filipino community in Poland

ABSTRACT Utilising indigenous Filipino psychology methods, this study examines the experiences of Filipino migrants in Poland, with a specific focus on the nature and function of their co-ethnic ties. The study is framed against the conceptual notion of bonding and bridging capital and strong and weak ties. Analysis of interview and focus group data suggests that respondents conceptualise co-ethnic ties in ways consistent with scholars’ definitions of bonding capital; however, there is substantial complexity in the nature, function, and strength of such ties. Furthermore, co-ethnic ties are dynamic and their form and function change with time as migrants integrate and adapt to their host countries.

Gateway to Quality: Online Professional Development for Family Childcare Providers.

High-quality family childcare (FCC) can positively influence all areas of a childs growth and development. Thus, it is important to invest in efforts to increase quality, including providing professional development to enhance the skills of those caring for children in their homes. This study explores the characteristics of FCC providers who engage in an online professional development program. Findings show that a majority of these providers are female, had at least a high school diploma, and are licensed or registered. Content areas most frequently selected for professional development include ways to support childrens social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development. The frequency of access and range of coursework completed implies that online learning is accessible for the FCC workforce audience and has the capacity to meet state requirements for professional development. Future directions to extend this research are discussed.

Examining the Association Between Executive Functions and Developmental Domains of Low-Income Children in the United States and Turkey

This study examined the relations between executive functions and developmental domains of preschool children from low-income families through an intercultural perspective in the U.S. and Turkey. A total of 471 children and their primary caregivers participated in the Turkey part of the study, while 286 children and their parents engaged in U.S. sample. Regression analyses revealed that fine motor, problem solving, and executive functions of children between two contexts were significantly different from each other. In the U.S., executive functions predicted communication, problem solving, and fine motor development, whereas in the Turkish sample, executive functions did not predict domain scores. Child gender predicted four of five developmental outcomes in the U.S., whereas maternal education predicted two of five outcomes in Turkey. In addition, invariance testing demonstrated that predictors to outcomes were not significantly different between the two countries. Country differences from the first set of outcomes were explained in the context of the research sites, children’s socialization, and cultural expectations surrounding child development. This study raises questions about relations between executive functions and developmental domains for future research.

Predictors of Parent Engagement Based on Child Care Providers’ Perspectives

Objective: Determine the predictors of child care providers’ parent engagement regarding child nutrition in child care centers (CCCs) and family child care homes (FCCHs). Design: Cross‐sectional. Setting: Child care centers and FCCHs. Participants: Child care center directors (n = 337) and FCCH providers (n = 1,153) completed a self‐administered survey. Main Outcome Measures: Fifteen variables were examined as predictors for parent engagement: providers’ perceived barriers to communication, participation in Go Nutrition and Physical Self‐ Assessment in Child Care, National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation, participation in Quality Ratings and Improvement Systems, feeding practices, and professional development. Analysis: Structural equation modeling examined the relation between variables for CCCs and for FCCHs. Results: For CCCs, NAEYC accreditation, providers’ perceived barriers regarding parents’ cultural beliefs about food, parents not liking the taste of healthy foods, and parents prioritizing other food‐related topics over healthy eating significantly predicted parent engagement. For FCCHs, participation in Go Nutrition and Physical Self‐ Assessment in Child Care, perceiving parents to be busy, not wanting to offend parents, and practicing family‐style dining were significantly related to parent engagement. For both CCCs and FCCHs, professional development regarding child nutrition was related to parent engagement. Conclusions and Implications: Focusing professional development on child care contexts and addressing providers’ perceived barriers may improve parent engagement.

Filipino Parenting in the USA: The Experiences of Filipino Mothers in Northern Nevada

Migration entails complex transformations in family functioning and dynamics, especially when traditional parenting beliefs and practices are not consistent with mainstream norms in the host country. Whereas some culturally embedded parenting beliefs might persist even after migration, others may acculturate or shift to align with child-rearing norms in the host community. Using a qualitative research design with elements of indigenous Filipino psychology (Sikolohiyang Pilipino), this study explored parenting experiences and beliefs of Filipino immigrant parents in the USA, with a specific lens towards examining continuity and change in traditional parenting practices. Results suggest that participants strongly maintain many aspects of traditional Filipino parenting, including teaching Filipino culture and values, employing Filipino parenting practices, observing Filipino traditions, establishing the child’s identity and maintaining a Filipino household. Findings were situated in the context of the research site, the complexities of the acculturation process and the potential challenges of negotiating cultural differences in parenting beliefs and practices.

Predictors and behavioural outcomes of parental involvement among low-income families in elementary schools, United States

ABSTRACT Parental involvement (PI) in their children’s schools has been shown to have a positive influence on the children’s behaviours and academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of PI and relations of PI in schools to child externalizing and internalizing behaviours. Data were from the fifth-grade wave of the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project, with 1354 fifth grade low-income children and parents. Results revealed that family conflict predicted child internalizing and externalizing and negatively predicted PI in schools. However, PI in schools partially reduced the negative effect of family conflict on both internalizing and externalizing. Parental warmth negatively predicted child externalizing behaviours, and positively predicted PI in school. Additionally, PI in schools further enhanced the positive effect of parental warmth in reducing externalizing behaviours. The study highlights home and parent characteristics that relate to low-income fifth-grade parents’ involvement in their child’s education and demonstrates the mediating role of PI in reducing behavioural problems of low-income children.