Social-Cultural Factors in Development-Class presentation (15%)
Analyze the effect of the following social contexts in lifespan development across the different
age groups
GROUPS DISCUSSION TOPIC Class Presentation
Group 1 Culture/cultural practices 23rd Oct 2023
Group 2 Social/Relationship stress 23rd Oct 2023
Group 3 Poverty- economic factors 23rd Oct 2023
Group 4 Racism and discrimination 23rd Oct 2023
Group 5 Abuse and neglect 23rd Oct 2023
Group 6 Low educational attainment 23rd Oct 2023
Group 7 Inadequate housing 23rd Oct 2023
Assess the case of Maria focusing on the topic assigned to your group
Focusing on Maria’s case, discuss how the multicultural aspects are likely to have influenced her
and her family members’ holistic growth and development. What’s the implication of these
issues?
In your discussion focusing on her past experiences, current situation and future aspirations as
well as those of her children, husband and parents.
CASE OF MARIA
Maria is a 35-year-old Latina woman who seeks therapy for symptoms of depression and
anxiety. She grew up in a close-knit, traditional Mexican-American family in a predominantly
Hispanic neighborhood. She is married and has two children. Maria works as a nurse in a local
hospital. Over the past few months, she has been experiencing feelings of sadness,
worthlessness, and fatigue. She also reports difficulty sleeping. Maria's family has faced
financial struggles throughout her life.
Growing up, they often faced difficulties making ends meet, lived in insecure neighbourhood,
and Maria had to work part-time jobs to help support her family. The financial stress and
uncertainty of her childhood may have influenced her sense of security and well-being. She has
never openly discussed her childhood, but there are hints that she may have experienced abuse or
neglect.
As a Latina woman, Maria may have experienced racism and discrimination both in her personal
life and in her professional career as a nurse. These experiences can lead to feelings of
marginalization, frustration, and reduced self-esteem. In addition to her work as a nurse, Maria
also takes on the role of a primary caregiver for her elderly parents whom she lives with and so
has to share the children’s room with several relatives who visit quite often. These issues have
led to some strain in her marriage to the extent where the husband prefers to come home late at
night.
While Maria is a dedicated nurse, her educational opportunities may have been limited due to
financial constraints and family responsibilities. This might have affected her career aspirations
and prospects of having a better life.
Low educational attainment
The effect of low educational attainment in the social contexts in lifespan development across the
different age groups: A case study of Maria
Focusing on Maria’s case, discuss how the multicultural aspects are likely to have influenced
her and her family members’ holistic growth and development. What’s the implication of
these issues?
Culture shapes our views on key issues such as family roles and goals, caregiving practices,
learning, education, child behaviours, and nature of the childhood itself. In our case study, Maria
early childhood settings, her home languages play an important role in shaping her identity and
those of her family.
Low educational attainment has serious effects on everyone. People who lack substantial
education have trouble getting ahead in life, have worse health and are poorer than the well-
educated. In the case of Maria, major effects of lack of educational attainment may include:
Lack relationship-building: at the heart of early childhood education is a commitment
to provide the best care and learning environment for all children. Building relationships
with families helps us create that environment. Understanding each other’s cultural
perspectives is an important part of building these meaningful relationships.
Poverty trap: the inability to escape poverty due to lack of education (current situation)
might affect her future, for example, children of poorer people are more likely to be poor
themselves. This is often known as the intergenerational poverty trap.
Shorter life expectancy: low educational attainment can affect a person’s life
expectancy
Low salary: people who lack qualifications, even when they find job, will always have a
significantly lower salary. Less paid and less valued jobs are reserved for unqualified
workers, and often such positions are in danger of being automated, which creates
additional uncertainty to the person’s family.
Lack good job or employment: everywhere in the world, good jobs are given out to the
most qualified people. Educational credentials are one major way in which employers
choose between job applicants. Since Maria does not have that high education, chances
are that she will drop to the bottom of pile and might end up limited to local nurse only
and will not earn much to sustain his family.
Lack of a voice: people who are uneducated or have low educational attainment do not
have the skills or confidence to speak up for themselves. In the case of Maria, this might
have the reason why she experienced of racism and discrimination both in her personal
life and in her professional career as a nurse because her voice was limited due to her
poor educational background.
Exploitation: people who have not been well educated may have to resort to terrible
types of work just to survive. In a world of limited jobs, those with an education get first
pickings of the safer and more secure work. Maria may likely to find herself doing jobs
like: domestic labor as we have seen in this case.
Gender inequality: women with a lower education are less likely to raise their voice
when it comes to political and community issues that affect them. Education is also a
space of where gender stereotypes are challenged, which may also lead to decreased
gender inequality.
It’s harder to raise children: if someone lack an education, raising children becomes
more difficult. And not just because the person is more likely to be poor. Issues of
uneducated parents faces the following:
- Not knowing how to seek help or teach oneself about raising children
- Inability to help one’s children with their homework
- The person is statistically more likely to be poor
- Children who come from low educated parents may be behind their peers in cognitive
capacity.
- Children may have struggle getting the right information about attending college.
