Supportive family contexts: promoting child well-being and resilience

Abstract

Prevention and intervention programmes for children at risk aim to improve child well-being and resilience. They do so using both direct and indirect strategies, intervening with children but also considering broader contextual factors (such as family dynamics). Children's subjective well-being comprises five main components (physical health, mental health, self-regulation, social competence, and cognitive competence) and is predicted by person, relationship, and contextual factors. Children's resilience, or ability to beat the odds under adverse conditions, is predicted by similar protective factors. Family well-being (FWB) is one of the strongest and most consistent predictors of child well-being and resilience. Aspects of FWB (including adult health and well-being, family selfsufficiency, and family resiliency) have been shown to impact child well-being through positive parent-child interactions. However, risk factors (including poverty and living in geographic locales with limited resources or high levels of neighbourhood violence) can threaten both family and child well-being. Strategies are offered for promoting FWB as a means of supporting resilience and well-being in children at risk for violence, abuse, or neglect.Early intervention and child abuse prevention programmes have sought ways to improve child well-being and resilience directly (working one-on-one with a child) and indirectly (by improving parenting skills, thereby improving child outcomes). Research has shown that family well-being (FWB) provides a foundation on which to build positive parenting skills, and when children are parented in developmentally appropriate and supportive ways, their well-being and resilience are bolstered. There is new interest in exploring connections from FWB to child well-being, especially for vulnerable children who are at-risk for violence, abuse, or neglect. This paper will examine key components of child well-being and resilience, key components of FWB, risk factors for families, and strategies for promoting FWB as a means of supporting resilience and well-being in children at risk.Child well-being and resilience A child's subjective well-being is a critical indicator of environmental impacts on his/ her development from early childhood through adolescence (Children's Worlds, 2011;

Family well‐being, parenting, and child well‐being: Pathways to healthy adjustment

“…Countless studies have found that child well-being is predicted by FWB and parenting quality (McKeown, Pratschke, & Haase, 2003;Newland et al, 2014;Rafferty, Griffin, & Robokos, 2010;Roggman, Boyce, & Innocenti, 2008). When families are struggling, child well-being suffers (Newland, 2014). The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the current literature linking FWB, parenting processes, and child wellbeing.…”

“…Search terms used to select current research for this article included FWB, child well-being, family resiliency, family self-sufficiency, parenting, and child outcomes. Newland (2014) proposed a model of FWB that accounts for a myriad of individual and family-level factors. Collectively, these FWB factors impact parenting opportunities, quality, and outcomes, including child well-being.…”

“…Parenting quality often mediates the links between family and child well-being. Family contexts can either be supportive of, or detrimental to, optimal parent-child interactions and child outcomes (Coyl, Roggman, & Newland, 2002;Newland, 2014;Vanderbilt-Adriance & Shaw, 2008;Walsh, 2003;Wyman et al, 1999;Ziegert, 2011). The FWB model proposed by Newland (2014) and expanded upon in this article is based upon Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1989).…”

Optimal Level of Participation in Sport Activities According to Gender and Age can be Associated with Higher Resilience: Study of Lithuanian Adolescents

“…Such collaboration can be especially important when preparing intervention programs for adolescent groups or for individuals whose selfexpression and communication in school or with family members are restricted or unsatisfactory. There are programs designed to evolve resilience in school, family or community environment for children and adolescents who are considered at risk or relatively healthy children (see Scales, 2000;Edwards et al, 2007;Wolchik, Schenck, & Sandler, 2009;Juodeikait_ e & Leliugien_ e, 2009;Newland, 2014). Additional resources are needed to prepare special programs intended to contribute to resilience development along with the processes of participation in sport activities designed for coaches, trainers and other sport specialists; this could be direct contribution to adolescent mental health education.…”

Assessment of the developmental needs of children in need: Estonian child protective workers' case reflections

“…To give context for the study, this paper provides an overview of the assessment of children as well as what is known about the assessment of children in need in Estonia. Tomlinson 2008) and areas for early intervention (Kalland et al 2015;Newland 2014).…”