This then established the relationship between neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) and a number of children's health and developmental outcomes.9 Longitudinal research suggested structural
characteristics such as poverty and demography were
mediated through community - level social processes that influenced the functioning of
families and children.10, 11 Today, however, there is still limited understanding of the modifiable community - level factors likely to benefit outcomes for young children despite socioecological frameworks suggesting there are multiple levels of influence (individual,
family, community) on early child development (ECD).12, 13 Investigating these influences is thought best undertaken through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods that can test these multiple influences on ECD.14, 15
For these four subgroups, SRI identified variables related to child
characteristics and child outcomes, as well as
family and program factors that
mediate between the two.
We hypothesize that demographic
characteristics, such as age, gender, extent that adolescents reported engaging in sexual acts or risky behavior, as well as quality of
family bonds,
mediated by assignment to a coping skills intervention and level of participation in the program.