Poster #66 - Lending a Helping Hand: Parent-child discussions of wealth, poverty, and economic inequality

• In Event: 1-169 - Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Section - Diversity, Equity & Social Justice

Integrative Statement

“U.S. Income Inequality Hits a Disturbing New Threshold” -Bloomberg headline, 2018 (Eidelson, 2018)

Children growing up in the US today face a historic income gap (Stiglitz, 2012) and attend schools that are increasingly segregated along economic and racial lines (Reardon & Bischoff, 2011). Recent work suggests that as early as preschool, children evaluate wealthy individuals more positively than poor individuals (Shutts, Brey, Dornbusch, Slywotzky, & Olson; 2016) and that throughout the elementary school years children develop increasingly nuanced, and often stereotyped beliefs, about rich and poor individuals (Leahy, 1981; 1983; Mistry, Brown, White, Chow, & Gillen-O’Neel., 2015). However, little is known about what informs children’s developing beliefs about social class or how adults should talk to children about these critical issues. Given the importance of proximal contexts, such as the family (Bronfenbrenner, 2005), this project aims to understand how parents discuss issues related to wealth, poverty, and economic inequality at home with their young children using a qualitative parent interview. Additionally, we examine if family conversations vary by the age of the child and by the background of the family (e.g. political beliefs, religious background, etc.).

Data for the current study come from a larger qualitative study of how children and their families discuss issues of poverty, wealth, economic inequality, and economic instability. Participants are 26 parents with children in kindergarten, 2nd, or 4th grade from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds living in a rural New England community. Each parent was interviewed by the PI for about thirty minutes in a public place of their choosing, such as their local public library, while their child(ren) were watched by a trained research assistant. We employed an Ecocultural Family Interview (Weisner, 2011) to explore the conversations and activities that children are exposed to in the home environment, which may shape their understanding of poverty, wealth, and economic inequality. Parents were asked how they discuss topics such as why some families have more or less than others, family finances, what it takes to be successful in America, and civic responsibility with their children. All interviews were audio recorded.

Data have been collected, transcribed, and are currently in the process of being coded. Preliminary coding suggests that parents consider their own former socioeconomic background, the age of their child, and their child’s experience of having more or less than others when they approach conversations about wealth, poverty, and economic inequality. Parents also reported discussing these topics in the context of experiences with community charities, often through donation drives at school and religious organizations (e.g. collecting can, food, and other items for local non-profit). Following the completion of coding, data will be analyzed for differences by child age, family socioeconomic status, and other parent characteristics (e.g. political and religious beliefs).

We hope the results of this study will help us to better understand the socialization practices that shape children’s burgeoning awareness of social class as well as support parents and other adults interested in engaging children in conversations about the economic realities that we face.

Authors

• Katherine M Griffin, University of California, Los Angeles
  Presenting Author

• Amy-Marie T Irvine, Dartmouth College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alyson Young, Dartmouth College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Rashmita S. Mistry, University of California, Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author