Relations Among Neighborhood Educational Opportunity, Family Environment, and Child Development

• In Event: Pushing Out—Reaching In: Multidirectional Influences, Adolescents, Their Neighborhoods

Abstract

Educational opportunity, encompassing access to education, resource quality, and the broader learning environment, is a critical factor in child development. However, there remains a significant gap in understanding how the neighborhood context influences a child's development. This study seeks to bridge this research gap by exploring the pathways through which neighborhood educational opportunities influence child development. The current study utilized 4-year longitudinal data from children aged 9-10 years old in the US. Our results underscore the significance of key characteristics related to different types of neighborhood opportunities, family environment, and child development. These findings have practical implications for policy, education, and clinical work, guiding efforts to enhance child development outcomes in diverse neighborhood contexts

Authors

• Soo Gyeong Ju, University of Pennsylvania

• Baeksan Yu, Gwangju National University of Education

• Luoyi Huang, University of Pennsylvania

• Lily Suh, University of Pennsylvania

• Lei Cui, University of Pennsylvania

• Sharon Wolf, University of Pennsylvania