Abstract
Middle childhood is often overlooked by researchers and policy makers. However, it is a unique developmental period with its own set of tasks and milestones, and inattention to the needs of this population can have consequences for adolescent and adult functioning. While research on middle childhood is limited compared with adolescence and early childhood, we take a distinctively developmental approach and draw on existing conceptual models and research for adolescence and middle childhood to identify domains and constructs that describe the health and well-being of the middle childhood population. This paper is the first of two papers in a multi-stage process of creating such a monitoring system. In this paper, we (1) review and synthesize relevant existing conceptual frameworks (generally developed for adolescents in the U.S.) that could be adapted for the middle childhood population, (2) outline considerations for identifying multiple domains of functioning within the child and specify multiple contexts of influence for a middle childhood monitoring system, (3) propose criteria for identifying constructs and indicators, and (4) suggest potential constructs and indicators to be reviewed by various stakeholders.
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Notes
In the U.S., middle childhood is commonly defined as ages 6–11. These ages encompass the years that U.S. children generally attend elementary school. In addition, this 6-year age span meshes well with other 6-year age groupings – 0–5 for early childhood and 12–17 for adolescence. Of course, each of these periods can be sub-divided, and other age categories are sometimes used as well.
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This project was completed under Subcontract Agreement Number 388sc, for Grant Number U45 MC00023 to UCSF from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Moore, K.A., Theokas, C. Conceptualizing a Monitoring System for Indicators in Middle Childhood. Child Ind Res 1, 109–128 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-008-9011-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12187-008-9011-9