This timely volume explores the impact of dramatic social change that has disrupted established patterns of family life and human development in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It addresses several major deficits in knowledge regarding family issues in the Gulf countries, bringing a critical perspective to the emerging challenges facing families in this region. Lansford, Ben Brik, and Badahdah examine the role of urbanization, educational progress, emigration, globalization, and changes in the status of women on social change, as well as tackling issues related to marriage, fertility and parenthood, and family well-being. This book explores how family relationships and social policies can promote physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, safety, cognitive development, and economic security in the Gulf countries, placing a unique emphasis on contemporary families in this region. Families and Social Change in the Gulf Region is essential reading for scholars from psychology, sociology, education, law, and public policy. It will also be of interest to graduate students in these disciplines.

This volume takes an international and multidisciplinary approach to understanding students' academic achievement. It does so by integrating educational literature with developmental psychology and family studies perspectives. Each of the nine chapters focuses on a particular country: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, or the United States. It describes the country as a cultural context, examines the current school system and parenting in light of the school system, and provides empirical evidence from that country regarding links between parenting and students' academic achievement. The book highlights similarities and differences in education and parenting across these nine countries - all varying widely in socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect schools and families. The volume contributes to greater understanding of links between parenting and academic performance in different cultural groups. It sheds light on how school systems and parenting are embedded in larger cultural settings that have implications for students' educational experiences and academic achievement. As two of the most important contexts in which children and adolescents spend time, understanding how schools and families jointly contribute to academic achievement holds promise for advancing the international agenda of promoting quality education for all.

* Provides much-needed perspective on parenting in low- and middle-income countries, where the majority of parenting research still focuses on WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) countries. * Compares data about four specific domains of parenting (Caregiving, Discipline, Environment and Public Health) in relation to development in children 1-5 years of age in more than 50 countries, advancing knowledge of both parenting and child development in diverse LMIC contexts. * The book is timely and particularly needed as researchers and practitioners increasingly emphasize the importance of understanding how parenting and child development are influenced by cultural contexts

* Provides much-needed perspective on parenting in low- and middle-income countries, where the majority of parenting research still focuses on WEIRD (Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) countries. * Compares data about four specific domains of parenting (Caregiving, Discipline, Environment and Public Health) in relation to development in children 1-5 years of age in more than 50 countries, advancing knowledge of both parenting and child development in diverse LMIC contexts. * The book is timely and particularly needed as researchers and practitioners increasingly emphasize the importance of understanding how parenting and child development are influenced by cultural contexts

This vital volume advances understanding of how parenting from childhood to adolescence changes or remains the same in a variety of sociodemographic, psychological, and cultural contexts, providing a truly global understanding of parenting across cultures. Through the Parenting Across Cultures project, the editors unveil findings from this hugely important comparative longitudinal study of parents and children in China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States. The volume offers insight into trajectories of parenting, exploring parents' warmth, control, rules setting, and knowledge of children's activities and whereabouts. Each chapter is authored by a contributor native to the country examined, guaranteeing an authentic emic perspective, and together the chapters provide a broader sample that is more generalizable to a wider range of the world's population than is typical in most parenting research. Parenting Across Cultures From Childhood to Adolescence is essential reading for researchers and students of parenting, psychology, human development, family studies, sociology, and cultural anthropology, as well as professionals working with families.

This timely volume explores the impact of dramatic social change that has disrupted established patterns of family life and human development in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It addresses several major deficits in knowledge regarding family issues in the Gulf countries, bringing a critical perspective to the emerging challenges facing families in this region. Lansford, Ben Brik, and Badahdah examine the role of urbanization, educational progress, emigration, globalization, and changes in the status of women on social change, as well as tackling issues related to marriage, fertility and parenthood, and family well-being. This book explores how family relationships and social policies can promote physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, safety, cognitive development, and economic security in the Gulf countries, placing a unique emphasis on contemporary families in this region. Families and Social Change in the Gulf Region is essential reading for scholars from psychology, sociology, education, law, and public policy. It will also be of interest to graduate students in these disciplines.

This volume takes an international and multidisciplinary approach to understanding students' academic achievement. It does so by integrating educational literature with developmental psychology and family studies perspectives. Each of the nine chapters focuses on a particular country: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, or the United States. It describes the country as a cultural context, examines the current school system and parenting in light of the school system, and provides empirical evidence from that country regarding links between parenting and students' academic achievement. The book highlights similarities and differences in education and parenting across these nine countries - all varying widely in socioeconomic and cultural factors that affect schools and families. The volume contributes to greater understanding of links between parenting and academic performance in different cultural groups. It sheds light on how school systems and parenting are embedded in larger cultural settings that have implications for students' educational experiences and academic achievement. As two of the most important contexts in which children and adolescents spend time, understanding how schools and families jointly contribute to academic achievement holds promise for advancing the international agenda of promoting quality education for all.

Human development doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Rather, it is deeply rooted in, and affected by, culture. This textbook examines how culture affects several domains of development, including cognition, emotion, sociolinguistics, peer relationships, family relationships, and more.  The chapters highlight differences between “WEIRD� cultures (Western, educated, and from industrialized, rich, and democratic countries) and non-WEIRD cultures, as well as differences with respect to gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and other identity markers.  Each chapter draws upon a large research base and highlights specific studies to engage students, illustrate key points, and convey the role of empirical research in psychology. As a result, students will learn that the development of behavior, values, social relationships, ways of seeing the world, language, and thought processes cannot be understood separate from culture.  

Of the 1.2 billion adolescents in the world today, 90% live in low- and middle-income countries. These adolescents face many challenges in their lives. Enrollment in secondary schools is still low in many parts of the world, with illiteracy rates approaching 30% in the least developed countries. Further, adolescents not in school are more vulnerable to trafficking, recruitment into armed conflict, and child labor. Many adolescent girls marry and begin bearing children at a young age, contributing to the perpetuation of poverty and health problems. Despite these many challenges, adolescents also represent a resource to be cultivated through educational opportunities and vocational training to move them toward economic independence, through initiatives to improve their reproductive health, and through positive interpersonal relationships to help them avoid risky behaviors and make positive decisions about their futures. Edited by Jennifer E. Lansford and Prerna Banati, the Handbook of Adolescent Development Research and its Impact on Global Policy tackles both the challenges and the promise of adolescence by presenting cutting-edge research on social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and physical development. In addition to providing actionable strategies for policy-makers and practitioners, this volume consciously adopts a positive framing of adolescence, representing young people as opportunities, rather than threats. Throughout the book, readers will find a valuable investment at the individual and societal levels as a way to contribute to a positive shift in the public discourse around young people today.