Verified Document

Culmination Of My Personal And Professional Interests Research Proposal

¶ … culmination of my personal and professional interests in contributing to the growing body of literature on the impact of poverty on child development. The specific focus of the research is on disadvantaged inner-city youth. Research has consistently revealed connections between environmental and situational factors and child outcomes. The result is a cluster effect, in which various causes lead to various effects. Pebly & Sastry (2003) categorize the mechanisms of relative social organization vs. disorganization in terms of the presence of local institutions for children and their families; the level of social organization and interaction between members of the community; the normative environment; and labor and marriage markets. My currently proposed research considers each of these dimensions, with an ultimate goal of suggesting effective interventions and solutions.

Gap

Although there is a wealth of literature on the subject, there are also many gaps I hope to fill. A primary gap in the research is the lack of identification of which neighborhood conditions are causally related to child outcomes, and exactly how and why neighborhood effects account for children's outcomes (Jencks and Mayer, 1990). Moreover, Pebly & Sastry (2003) identified several mechanisms but it is as yet unknown which are pivotal to child outcomes, and why. The gap has led to a lack of effective interventions or social programs.

Problem

Poverty is a mental and physical health hazard, leading to a range of risky behaviors and poor child outcomes (Currie, 2007). The behaviors defined as risky range from drug abuse and delinquency at school, to teen pregnancy and criminal behavior. The lack...

It is a clear and identifiable problem that there are no effective programs because few are rooted in evidence directly addressing causal variables. A gap in the literature has led to a problem developing effective evidence-based social justice intervention programs.
Purpose

The overall purpose of this is to determine which environmental factors create the biggest developmental challenge for children in at risk communities. Identifying the causal factors should inform best practices for intervention. The proposed research will add to the literature by addressing the knowledge gap regarding the causality of neighborhood effects and child outcomes. The practical application of the current proposed research is to influence policymaking and policy implementation with regard to allocation of resources to social problems. It is not enough to know that poverty is a problem; what matters most is proactive solutions.

Method and design

This study will be conducted using multiple case studies in a qualitative research design. Methods will include interviews and surveys. The results will be evaluated according to the cluster model suggested by Pebly & Sastry (2003), in which there are four primary causal categories. The first is the presence of local institutions for children and their families. This will require an observational analysis of each community, as well as interviews of how residents perceive those programs, and their level of use and accessibility. The second variable is the level of social organization and interaction between members of the community. This…

Sources used in this document:
Sampson, RJ, JD Morenoff, and T. Gannon-Rowley (2002) "Assessing 'Neighborhood Effects:' Social Processes and New Directions in Research" Annual Review of Sociology, 28: 443-478.

Solon, G., M.E. Page, and G.J. Duncan (2000) "Correlations between neighboring children in their subsequent educational attainment," Review of Economics and Statistics, 82(3): 383-392.

Wilson, W.J. (1987) The Truly Disadvantaged. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Personal Portrait First, This Is
Words: 1852 Length: 6 Document Type: Creative Writing

Death anxiety was given a broad definition and seemed to point to how one dealt with the death of others also. I found that I did not deal with death very well. Mainly because I was not able to know my real father, and I felt betrayed by the man who was my actual father when I had to experience the abuse that my family went through. It was

Share My Culmination of My
Words: 900 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

With my food industry experience, coupled with logistics management and business principles, this path is a logical progression in my career. Personal Story: Reflection & Triumph In reflecting over my personal and professional life, I become overwhelmed with an attitude of gratitude that depicts my well-traveled road. When asked about my previous employers, current job, or perhaps the prospect of a new job, I remember… Remembering my early days in Chicago

Personal Theory of Career and
Words: 3731 Length: 12 Document Type: Term Paper

Gushue, Clarke, Pantzer, et al., (2006) examine the application of social cognitive theories to career counseling, reporting that self-efficacy is a pertinent issue in this process. In particular, these authors report that: Career decision making self-efficacy refers to the degree to which individuals feel confident in their ability to successfully engage in tasks associated with making a career choice and with commitment to a career. It has also been observed that

Social Networking Websites
Words: 596 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Social Networking An Examination of the Purpose and Utilization of Social Networking Websites Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in the late 1800s revolutionized civilization. It was not until 100 years later, in the late 1970s, that another such discovery was made. This latter discovery was that of the Internet. Many argue, furthermore, that the discovery of the Internet involves an even greater advancement in human history than Bell's telephone, for

Venezuela Annotated Bibliography -- Venezuela What Are
Words: 1067 Length: 4 Document Type: Annotated Bibliography

Venezuela Annotated Bibliography -- Venezuela What are the major elements and dimensions of culture in this region? Centre for Intercultural Learning. (2012) Cultural Information -- Venezuela. Available from http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=ve. 2012 April 04. This is an interactive tool for people interested in different cultures and companies. There is home page for each country with information about Venezuela divided into sections via hyperlinks. The structure is conversational style between the user and the content provider. Statistical

Aloud or in Writing, Making
Words: 17261 Length: 55 Document Type: Thesis

Companies such as XYZ Widget Corporation are well situated to take advantage of burgeoning markets in developing nations, particularly in Asia and Africa. 2. XYZ can grow its business by expanding its operations to certain developing nations in ways that profit the company as well as the impoverished regions that are involved, particularly when marketing efforts are coordinated with nongovernmental organizations operating in the region. 3. Several constraints and challenges must

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now