A Bioecological Perspective on a Filipino-Australian Girl’s Growth

Introduction 

This study uses a bioecological paradigm and mixed research methods to conduct a child’s developmental analysis. Participant selection was restricted to participants between 9 and 10 years old and from diverse cultural backgrounds. I have selected Emily, a 9-year-old girl of Filipino origin who lives with her single mom in Australia, for this study. With life course and bioecological theories in mind, I intend to examine Emily’s development through a comprehensive lens by looking at the biological, psychological, and social aspects.

The choice of Emily as our research participant was based on her eligibility within the designated age group and her different heritage, which allowed her to witness how culture coexists and interrelates with personal growth. The data I will use for this purpose will come from direct observation, interactions, and an interview with Emily’s primary caregiver to develop a comprehensive picture of her development and experiences. Taking this approach will also help me to investigate whether the environment and the family cultural setting that Emily is exposed to determine her development path, thus contributing to a deeper understanding of child development in different ecological settings.

Background Information 

Emily, among other names such as Leila, is a 9-year-old girl from Victoria Park in Western Australia. She is an only child and lives with her mother, who has just passed her diploma and is a trained make-up artist and beautician professional. Emily is Eurasian, and her parents are initially from the Philippines. Her only extended family in Australia are her grandparents, who immigrated here. The site where they live – Victoria Park, the neighbourhood – provides a mixed environment with social and economic issues, for example, homeless people and lively culinary scenes. This report would like to critically explore Emily’s developmental process in this dynamic and stressful context, where several factors affecting her stability and happiness will be analyzed. The exploration of Emily’s experiences, interactions, and environment will help us understand the complications of her development, which is being subjected to the socio-cultural and economic possessions of Victoria Park, Western Australia.

Biological Factors

Regarding Emily’s biological development, the vital aspects to be taken care of are her accurate nutritional diet, her growth progress, and her genetic background. In a recent review of children’s social and emotional development, the authors identify some essential biological and neurological factors that influence child development (Nelson et al., 2018). The fact that she is nine is significant in this case since this is a period where she is experiencing many external and internal factors that shape her growth and development. Birth weight, gestational age, and height are essential indicators that provide a current snapshot of the child’s physical health. Additionally, past experiences with severe and prolonged sickness may also be a part of what Emily would consider her “history of health”.

The experts’ opinion, as expressed by Rachel Nelson, refrains from scuffing only sleep mode but includes the child’s diet and exercise regimen, which are equally crucial to the child’s development. Increasing the quantity of sleep, balanced nutrition and regular physical activity to support Emily’s growth journey through her childhood and teenage years in the healthiest way are essentials. Moreover, as Emily is Filipina, her genetic background could have many health issues specific to those people groups in common. Realizing these genetic propensities enables medical professionals to predict Emily’s future health and carry out corresponding protective steps to build her entire health system. Accordingly, a multi-dimensional evaluation of biological factors for Emily is considered one of the most supporting factors for her growth as she achieved and developed during different stages of her childhood and adolescence.

Psychological Factors

In modern literature, we can see that there is a growing consensus that children have a complex and ongoing structural and behavioural development, which is affected by a variety of factors, including experience and environment that have either a positive or negative influence on the way children perceive, interpret and learn from early exposure (Chittleborough et al., 2016). This development journey goes on layer by layer as every enriching experience contributes to the growing complexity of their psychological world. While making these interactions and contacts, the children begin to have an idea of how to regulate their emotions, which is very critical. Emotional regulation allows children to adequately monitor, judge, and change their responses to emotional stimuli by the context. These skills teach children to rise to different social situations, handle stress, and build positive relationships.

Attention regulation is another psychological factor important in children’s development. It is determined by a child’s capability to consistently concentrate on a single activity without being distracted (Nelson et al., 2018). This feature is indispensable in fostering learning, thinking, and attaining higher grades. Children’s attentional abilities develop parallel with their growth and maturity, enabling them to use their surroundings and acquire new cognitive and motor functions.

Hence, the role of attention regulation in moulding children’s cognitive development and academic achievement through preparation for future learning and achievement is of primary importance (Kalembo et al., 2022). Ultimately, the integrating factor of emotional regulation and attention regulation presents a more integrated view of the psychological processes of a child’s development, emphasizing that this should be understood and supported for satisfactory psychosocial maturity and wellbeing.

Social Factors 

Emily’s social growth involves many societal instances that have shaped her family, friendships, and community settings. Nine-year-old Emily, who lives with her whole family by herself, is turned to have some effect on her social life and relationships. The pleasant interactions Emily maintains with her family members, within the family setting, for instance, between Esther and her mother, is the cornerstone to measure her emotional wellbeing and social skills. Positive relations in the family increase the possibility of shaping an environment that nourishes social accomplishment and the strength of the emotional being in a kid such as Emily.

This is also true of Emily, at school and in her community, whose friends play a crucial role in her being a social individual and form her personality. These experiences, which Emily uses to practice social skills, make friends, and navigate difficulties, give them a chance to learn various social skills (Shahaeian et al., 2018). The research shows that during childhood, interaction with peers develops social competencies and emotional regulation, two of the necessary skills for a person to establish healthy relationships and show academic success in social settings.

Emily’s cultural identity as a Filipino can also massively influence her social patterns and feelings of belonging to the community (Borzekowski et al., 2019). Cultural identity determines children’s ways of seeing the world, their values, and their behaviours, which affects how they act with others and understand the world. This symbolizes that her cultural identity gives us an extra block that she uses to break down the paradoxes she faces in her social development as she confronts alternative cultural norms and social standards.

In addition, Emily’s position in the socioeconomic class of her residential suburb and the availability of community resources profoundly affect her social inclinations. Exploring the City together, making friends, and taking advantage of the community’s recreational facilities and programs will foster Emily’s social skills and offer her a platform for continuous growth. Realizing and working through those social aspects is vital for promoting Emily’s sound social development and wellbeing, guaranteeing that she may have what she needs from her social environment to survive.

Predictions for the Next Five Years

Over the next five years, Emily will encounter three obstacles correspondingly in identity formation, relationships, and academics while she is an adolescent, which will work for the present and future (Nelson et al., 2018). Collecting information through observation, interaction, assessment, and cooperation with parents offers a way to find out Emily’s strengths and weaknesses.

Her relationship with her family, school, and community is an essential environment for self-employees. Among the different factors, positive education, support from the schools and the involvement of parents in children’s upbringing significantly impact their sense of belonging and maturity (Dockery et al., 2020). To help Emily with this complex task of thinking about her identity, the role of school assignments, and the process of making friends, she will need the support of her family. Tutors, nannies, and the community play crucial roles in Emily’s life, especially as a teenager, when they support her in becoming a better adult. With what Emily can manage, favourable situation resources could be used to utilize her maximum potential in line with her objectives (Neuharth-Pritchett et al., 2016).

Conclusion Findings

Lastly, Emily’s sphere of family growth is portrayed as encompassing many factors, including her home, society, and culture. The authoritative and holistic approach that combines naturalistic observation, informal communication, ASQ assessments, and parents’ knowledge allows the child to learn her strengths, uncover her weaknesses, and define trends in her development (Giallo et al., 2021). This detailed understanding helps an organization create an effective support system tailored to its needs.

Positive parenting, a supportive school environment, and invested fathering are fundamental in forming Emily’s character and directing her as she crosses the threshold from adolescence to adulthood (Pophillat et al., 2016). Not only that but by helping her form her cultural origin and deal with academic demands, she also needs to cultivate positive relationships with others for her overall growth. With the support of teachers, caregivers, and the community, Emily could now deal with the emotionally challenging situations of adolescence while pursuing her dreams, drawing on her uncommon qualities and her newfound strengths to succeed.

References

Borzekowski, D. L., Lando, A. L., Olsen, S. H., & Giffen, L. (2019). The impact of an educational media intervention to support children’s early learning in Rwanda. International Journal of Early Childhood, 51, 109-126.

Chittleborough, C. R., Searle, A. K., Smithers, L. G., Brinkman, S., & Lynch, J. W. (2016). How well can poor child development be predicted from early life characteristics? A whole-of-population data linkage study. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, pp. 35, 19–30.

Kalembo, F. W., & Kendall, G. E. (2022). A systematic review of interventions that have the potential to foster engaged fathering to enhance children’s health and development. Child & Family Social Work, 27(3), 545-566.

Nelson, H. J., Burns, S. K., Kendall, G. E., & Schonert-Reichl, K. A. (2018). The factors that influence and protect against the power imbalance in covert bullying among preadolescent children at school: a thematic analysis. The Journal of School Nursing, 34(4), 281-291.

Neuharth-Pritchett, S., & Getch, Y. Q. (2016). A brief asthma education intervention is effective for childcare providers and primary school teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, pp. 44, 555–561.

Shahaeian, A., Wang, C., Tucker-Drob, E., Geiger, V., Bus, A. G., & Harrison, L. J. (2018). Early shared reading, socioeconomic status, and children’s cognitive and school competencies: Six years of longitudinal evidence. Scientific Studies of Reading, 22(6), 485-502.

Dockery, A. M. (2020). Inter-generational transmission of Indigenous culture and children’s wellbeing: Evidence from Australia. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, pp. 74, 80–93.

Giallo, R., Seymour, M., Fogarty, A., Feinberg, M., Christensen, D., Gartland, D., … & Cooklin, A. (2021). Trajectories of interparental conflict and children’s emotional–behavioural functioning at 10–11 years: an Australian population-based study. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 1–11.

Pophillat, E., Rooney, R. M., Nesa, M., Davis, M. C., Baughman, N., Hassan, S., & Kane, R. T. (2016). Preventing internalizing problems in 6–8-year-old children: A universal school-based program. Frontiers in Psychology, p. 7, 231909.

Nelson, H. J., Kendall, G. E., & Shields, L. (2014). Neurological and biological foundations of children’s social and emotional development: An integrated literature review. The Journal of School Nursing, 30(4), 240–250.

Appendix A – Naturalistic Observation

Time spent:

Time spent holding mother: 15%

Time spent playing: 15%

Time spent exploring playground: 13%

Time spent eating: 13%

Time spent running around: 18%

Time spent interacting with others: 18%

Time spent upset: 8%

Appendix B – Informal Interaction and Developmental Assessment

• The Setting-Specific Activities

Painting the setting and indicate the specific activities.The gateway to our interaction was Emily’s place in the Victoria Park estate, where we caught our breath after school. While taking part in the colouring activity, Emily was given colouring materials, including pencils, and she was encouraged to express any experience she might have had. Emily provided a relaxed setting not only to encourage her involvement but also to engage in natural conversation.

• How Emily Responded

On her arrival at home, Emily fixed her eyes on her tablet and seemed to have a somewhat antisocial attitude. At the beginning of the interview, Emily was reluctant to join in the activities and greet the researcher. However, she slowly became interested in the exercise and interacted with the researcher. Despite some types of distractions, she managed to be curious throughout the conversation.

• Summarization of Findings from the Interaction

At first, Emily was engrosse­d in her tablet, displaying a fondness for solitary pursuits. However, she­ adjusted, eventually colouring and conve­rsing. Her manner see­med reserve­d, yet she reve­aled an innate curiosity and openne­ss to interacting through her response­s.

• Additional Features Learned about Emily and her Development

Emily is initially see­med, unwilling to leave he­r tablet when the casual me­eting begins. But she soon prove­d she can adjust to fresh circumstances by participating in the­ task offered. Emily willingly interacte­d with the researche­r. This implies Emily may need a mix of lone­ and group activities. More chances for pe­er connections could help he­r growth.

Appendix C:- Interview

 Salient Biological Factors 

1. Planned Pregnancy: Unplanned
2. Assisted Reproduction: Natural Birth
3. Family History of Genetic Disorders: Nil
4. Folate Supplementation: Nil
5. Pregnancy Complications: Nil
6. Multiple Pregnancy: Single Birth
7. Birth Weight: Not provided (Emily’s age is between 9 and 10 years)
8. Gestational Age at Birth: Not provided (Emily’s age is between 9 and 10 years)
9. Disabilities: Nil
10. Current Height and Weight: – Height: 135 cm

– Weight: 22.03 kg

11. Sleep Pattern: 8-10 hours
12. Toileting: Not specified
13. Breastfeeding: Not Applicable (Emily is older than three years)
14. Current Diet: Prefers cereal, dislikes home-cooked food
15. Physical Activity: Not provided
16. Fine and Gross Motor Development: Not provided
17. Serious and Chronic Illnesses: Nil
18. Medications: Nil
19. Toxic Environmental Exposures: – Lives in a complex apartment with neighbours who

smoke and use drugs

– Low-class apartment

– Exposed to homelessness in the suburb while walking

to and from school

The surrounding area has many restaurants.

20. Pubertal Development: Not Applicable (Emily is not specified as an older child or adolescent)

Salient Psychological Factors:

Emotional Regulation:

The emotional disorder is a typical feature of the age of emotion about the girl Emily. As a support system, caregivers must actively encourage the patient to develop appropriate emotional responses while at the same time providing strategies for handling emotions and coping skills.

Attentional Regulation:

Regarding attentional regulation, Emily is at the same level as her peers of her age, which means she focuses and deals with distractors effectively. Also, her attentiveness can be trained by doing structured activities and routines, enhancing her brain health.

Social Regulation:

At first, Emily is typified as a conservative individual by her parents, but as she learns to accept, she becomes socially open-minded. Socializing with others is among many children’s activities and indicates that children adjust socially well.

Cognitive Functioning:

Emily needs to catch up with her classmates regarding language skills, as she speaks less than her peers. Nonetheless, her recall and problem-solving abilities are verging on those of a young adult, which brightens her understanding that she is still cognizant. It would be more effective to conduct language enrichment activities and tongue expressions to develop her language while growing her delayed cognitive skills.

To sum up, Emily’s first psychological assessment embraces development dynamics. It also pinpoints her future promotions, including vice president, and the areas that need special attention and support. Therefore, responsible teachers can apply techniques to the girl’s mental wellbeing and development, considering her strengths and weaknesses.

Salient social factors:

Family demographic characteristics:

– Emily lives with her single parent, whom her 29-year-old Filipino mother cares for.

– At home, English is mainly spoken, and Filipino, to some degree, is used too.

– The family designates itself as a believer of Christianity.

Family socioeconomic characteristics:

The family is caught in a financial trap, making it difficult to feed, provide shelter, and meet other needs.

– The holder of Emily’s mother’s Diploma of Beauty Therapy is engaged in the production of cosmetics as a beautician.

-The constrained resources, such as the lack of the Internet and television at home, make the economic challenges inescapable for these individuals.

Family psychosocial functioning:

– Having been nurtured solely by her mother with no paternal support, this is Emily’s background.

– Australia has no relatives, and my family is in the Philippines.

– Despite the hardship of the financial struggle, Emily’s mother finds hope by embracing Christianity.

Extended family:

– Emily does not have relatives residing in Australia in her household.

Care arrangements outside the family:

– Emily often goes with her mother after school since this is her daily routine.

Residential suburb/neighbourhood resources:

– Wealth inequality and homelessness are pressing issues near Emily’s residence, i.e., Victoria Park.

– Despite the downsides, there are lots of restaurants here.

State and national political and economic context:

– The narrative does not provide specifics about circumstances relating to the broader contexts of the government and the economy, but that would be affected by personal and institutional politics and economic trends.

-The political and economic situation in the community may determine whether the family can access the available support services and maintain financial stability.