Researchers have found a positive correlation between a mother's age at the birth of her child and the child's later IQ: Very young mothers have children with lower IQ's. How would an ecological approach help us understand this finding?
The ecological approach asks us to consider the context in which the child develops, including everything from the culture, the attitudes and values held by those raising the child, the education level of the parents, the type of home, the socio-economic status of the parents and many other factors. According to this approach, there are several reasons a child born to a younger mother may have a lower IQ.
A younger mother may have not completed as high a level of education as an older mother, and would also have less life experience in most cases. This could effect the way the child is raised because the mother may not know how a child develops or how to raise a child in an optimal environment for learning. She may rely more on TV or peers than an older parent would. Young mothers, particularly single mothers, often have a lower income than older, married mothers, which in turn would effect everything from the child's nutrition and social interactions to his or her education and overall sense of security, directly impacting development.
The Ecologogical approach does ask us to look at a child's environment, I agree alot with what wpasquesi has said. The fact that younger mothers tend to be single and there by have lower incomes has a great impact on a child. This impact results not only from peer interaction and nutrition but, in my opinion, education(since i'm an elementary education major this is something i am passionate about). A young single mother cannot always put her child in a "good" school. They are usually placed in a lower income school because of where they may live. In our soceity, I personally hate to say, lower income schools produce lower scores on many tests. This is not because of the kids, parents, or even the school itself. This is due to funding, lower income schools do not get the proper funding because of tests scores. Since a young mother may end up in a lower income neighborhood her child may not be given the very best education, they deserve, and there by leave the child with a lower IQ due to it's education. Alice Pennell
Using the ecological perspective in explaining the positive correlation between a mother's age at the birth of her child and the child's later IQ, I agree with the previous blogs.
Because cultural influences affect the development of a child, the life experiences of the mother, the education she has, her relational experiences, her income, her marital status all affect the development of the child. As stated in previous blogs, education comes foremost in my mind. Is the more mature mother able to finance a better pre-school, better day-care, able to stay home with the child and better educate the him with resources the very young mother cannot provide? Is the mature mother more patient with the baby? Can she use her experience in situations to make learning more applicable? Is she better educated about the importance of prenatal care and nutrition to give the baby a healthy head start?
All of the above mentioned things are important to the development of a child and to his IQ. If a child does not have the same opportunities that others do with regards to education, nutrition, attention, his IQ may be lower. A young mother is less likely to have the resources to provide these things to a baby than a more mature mother. Tracy Dowell
In my experience I have found that younger parents have a higher at risk to fail status due to lack of education, income, family support and finding the right resources. Aa young teen mom herself is just a child and without the above resources her child will struggle. A mother that has went to school, found a career and understands development will be able to provide education, proper care and developmental resources for her child which will help that child to become a productive adult. However I do see the great need in our world to provide these young moms with every opportunity to help her child to succeed as well as the parent and that can be done if more awareness of teen pregnacy is made available in our school as well as what resources are there to help them and in my experience our high school counselors are not often aware of what resources are available.
As a young mother you cant afford to live in a nice neighborhood or put that child into a good school so often times you are left with living in a poor side of town with a low budget school. Unfortunately this means not the best education for the children which can create a low IQ simply because of its surroundings. I also believe that if the mother is really young and has not finished her education she may herself influence her child's IQ. If she continues her education and presses her child's education then perhaps that might help the child's IQ.
I, as well, agree with the previous blogs. When a young mother starts to raise a child, she still may not have a full ecological understanding herself. So, one would say that this young mother's child would only have as much knowledge, possibly less, than the mother as she would not have had enough life experience.
I believe the child could persevere, with the right guidance, to become more educated, which in turn would help create a higher IQ. But, if the ecological pressures are still there, some children may not be able to overcome this obsticle.
I think that the ecological approch to this would be that a younger mother does not know how to teach her baby evrything she should. Even with all the love in the world and the very best of intentions it would still be very hard because a young mother still has a lot to learn herself,especially if she grew up in a bad environment. I know all about this I was a young mother and needed a lot of help, but a lot of girls are not bleesed like I was.Amy Mcneil
I can see the other bloggers' views in that ecologically, children born to young,struggling mothers can be greatly impacted. Young mothers who do not have a strong support system or the resources needed to complete or further education can struggle fulfilling educational as well as other needs of their child or children. However, although a sensible, ecological explanation can be given to explain the positive correlation between young mothers and their children having a low IQ, I believe genetics plays a significant role. Intelligence is a part of one's genetic makeup.
From my own personal experience, I have worked with children born to young, struggling mothers. Many of these children are very intelligent and do well in school even though they may not have access to some of the resources more privileged children do. I have also seen children struggle who come from middle class families who have been given many resources and opportunities.
The ecological approach asks us to consider the context in which the child develops, including everything from the culture, the attitudes and values held by those raising the child, the education level of the parents, the type of home, the socio-economic status of the parents and many other factors. According to this approach, there are several reasons a child born to a younger mother may have a lower IQ.
ReplyDeleteA younger mother may have not completed as high a level of education as an older mother, and would also have less life experience in most cases. This could effect the way the child is raised because the mother may not know how a child develops or how to raise a child in an optimal environment for learning. She may rely more on TV or peers than an older parent would. Young mothers, particularly single mothers, often have a lower income than older, married mothers, which in turn would effect everything from the child's nutrition and social interactions to his or her education and overall sense of security, directly impacting development.
The Ecologogical approach does ask us to look at a child's environment, I agree alot with what wpasquesi has said. The fact that younger mothers tend to be single and there by have lower incomes has a great impact on a child. This impact results not only from peer interaction and nutrition but, in my opinion, education(since i'm an elementary education major this is something i am passionate about). A young single mother cannot always put her child in a "good" school. They are usually placed in a lower income school because of where they may live. In our soceity, I personally hate to say, lower income schools produce lower scores on many tests. This is not because of the kids, parents, or even the school itself. This is due to funding, lower income schools do not get the proper funding because of tests scores. Since a young mother may end up in a lower income neighborhood her child may not be given the very best education, they deserve, and there by leave the child with a lower IQ due to it's education. Alice Pennell
ReplyDeleteUsing the ecological perspective in explaining the positive correlation between a mother's age at the birth of her child and the child's later IQ, I agree with the previous blogs.
ReplyDeleteBecause cultural influences affect the development of a child, the life experiences of the mother, the education she has, her relational experiences, her income, her marital status all affect the development of the child. As stated in previous blogs, education comes foremost in my mind. Is the more mature mother able to finance a better pre-school, better day-care, able to stay home with the child and better educate the him with resources the very young mother cannot provide? Is the mature mother more patient with the baby? Can she use her experience in situations to make learning more applicable? Is she better educated about the importance of prenatal care and nutrition to give the baby a healthy head start?
All of the above mentioned things are important to the development of a child and to his IQ. If a child does not have the same opportunities that others do with regards to education, nutrition, attention, his IQ may be lower. A young mother is less likely to have the resources to provide these things to a baby than a more mature mother.
Tracy Dowell
In my experience I have found that younger parents have a higher at risk to fail status due to lack of education, income, family support and finding the right resources. Aa young teen mom herself is just a child and without the above resources her child will struggle.
ReplyDeleteA mother that has went to school, found a career and understands development will be able to provide education, proper care and developmental resources for her child which will help that child to become a productive adult.
However I do see the great need in our world to provide these young moms with every opportunity to help her child to succeed as well as the parent and that can be done if more awareness of teen pregnacy is made available in our school as well as what resources are there to help them and in my experience our high school counselors are not often aware of what resources are available.
As a young mother you cant afford to live in a nice neighborhood or put that child into a good school so often times you are left with living in a poor side of town with a low budget school. Unfortunately this means not the best education for the children which can create a low IQ simply because of its surroundings. I also believe that if the mother is really young and has not finished her education she may herself influence her child's IQ. If she continues her education and presses her child's education then perhaps that might help the child's IQ.
ReplyDeleteI, as well, agree with the previous blogs. When a young mother starts to raise a child, she still may not have a full ecological understanding herself. So, one would say that this young mother's child would only have as much knowledge, possibly less, than the mother as she would not have had enough life experience.
ReplyDeleteI believe the child could persevere, with the right guidance, to become more educated, which in turn would help create a higher IQ. But, if the ecological pressures are still there, some children may not be able to overcome this obsticle.
I think that the ecological approch to this would be that a younger mother does not know how to teach her baby evrything she should. Even with all the love in the world and the very best of intentions it would still be very hard because a young mother still has a lot to learn herself,especially if she grew up in a bad environment. I know all about this I was a young mother and needed a lot of help, but a lot of girls are not bleesed like I was.Amy Mcneil
ReplyDeleteI can see the other bloggers' views in that ecologically, children born to young,struggling mothers can be greatly impacted. Young mothers who do not have a strong support system or the resources needed to complete or further education can struggle fulfilling educational as well as other needs of their child or children. However, although a sensible, ecological explanation can be given to explain the positive correlation between young mothers and their children having a low IQ, I believe genetics plays a significant role. Intelligence is a part of one's genetic makeup.
ReplyDeleteFrom my own personal experience, I have worked with children born to young, struggling mothers. Many of these children are very intelligent and do well in school even though they may not have access to some of the resources more privileged children do. I have also seen children struggle who come from middle class families who have been given many resources and opportunities.