scholarly journals Mathematical Performance of American Youth: Diminished Returns of Educational Attainment of Asian-American Parents

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari ◽  
Shanika Boyce ◽  
Mohsen Bazargan ◽  
Cleopatra H. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Test Score ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Mathematical Performance ◽  
Asian American Youth ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment ◽  
Hispanic White

The Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDR) phenomenon refers to the weaker effects of parental educational attainment for marginalized groups, particularly ethnic minorities. This literature, however, is limited to Blacks and Hispanics; thus, it is not clear if the MDR phenomenon also applies to the educational performance of Asian Americans or not. To explore ethnic differences in the association between parental educational attainment and youth mathematical performance among 10th-grade American high schoolers, this cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Education Longitudinal Study, a national survey of 10th-grade American youth. The analytical sample included a total number of 10,142 youth composed of 1460 (14.4%) Asian-American and 8682 (85.6%) non-Hispanic youth. The dependent variable was youth math performance (standard test score). The independent variable was parental education. Gender, both parents living in the same household, and school characteristics (% students receiving free lunch, urban school, and public school) were the covariates. Ethnicity was the moderating variable. Linear regression was used for data analysis. Overall, parental educational attainment was positively associated with math ability (test score). We observed a statistically significant interaction between ethnicity (Asian American) and parental education attainment on the results of math test scores, indicating that the boosting effect of high parental educational attainment on youth math function is smaller for Asian-American youth than for Non-Hispanic White youth. While high parental educational attainment contributes to youth educational outcomes, this association is weaker for Asian-American youth than non-Hispanic White youth. Diminished returns (weaker effects of parental education in generating outcomes for ethnic minorities) that are previously shown for Hispanics and Blacks also apply to Asian Americans.

scholarly journals Parental Educational Attainment and Social Environment of Urban Public Schools in the U.S.: Blacks’ Diminished Returns

Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanika Boyce ◽  
Mohsen Bazargan ◽  
Cleopatra H. Caldwell ◽  
Marc A. Zimmerman ◽  
Shervin Assari
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Environmental Risk ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Urban Public Schools ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment ◽  
Hispanic White ◽  
White Youths

Background: Recent research has documented marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs) of socioeconomic status (SES), defined as weaker effects of SES indicators, such as parental educational attainment, on securing tangible outcomes for the members of socially marginalized (e.g., racial and ethnic minority) groups, compared to privileged social groups (e.g., non-Hispanic Whites). Aims: To explore race/ethnic differences between non-Hispanic Blacks vs. non-Hispanic Whites who attend urban public schools on the effect of parental education on lower school environmental risk among American high schoolers. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we borrowed the Education Longitudinal Study (ELS-2002) baseline data, a nationally representative study that enrolled 1706 10th grade youths who were attending urban public schools. From this number, 805 (47.2%) were non-Hispanic Black and 901 (52.8%) were non-Hispanic White youths. The dependent variable was the level of school social environmental risk measured using 18 items as self-reported, and was treated as a continuous variable. The independent variable was parental educational attainment, treated as a continuous measure. Gender, region, and parental marital status were the covariates. Race/ethnicity was the moderating variable. Linear regressions were applied to perform our data analysis. Results: Black students were found to attend schools with higher levels of social environmental risk. Youths with parents with a higher educational attainment were found to attend schools with a lower social environmental risk. We found a significant interaction between race (non-Hispanic Black vs. non-Hispanic White) and parental educational attainment on the level of school social environmental risk, suggesting that the protective effect of high parental education on reducing the school social environmental risk was smaller for non-Hispanic Black than for non-Hispanic White youths. Conclusions: Although high parental educational attainment is protective against social environmental risk for American youths, this protective effect is weaker for non-Hispanic Black than non-Hispanic White youths. The diminished returns of parental education in reducing school social environmental risk may explain why the effects of parental education on educational outcomes are smaller for non-Hispanic Black than non-Hispanic White youths (i.e., MDRs). The social environment indirectly generates racial youth educational disparities through deteriorating non-Hispanic Black youth educational outcomes across all SES levels. To prevent the confounding effects of private, suburban, rural, and Catholic schools, we limited this analysis to public urban schools. More research is needed on other settings.

scholarly journals Minorities’ Diminished Returns of Parental Educational Attainment on Adolescents’ Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Problems

Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari ◽  
Shanika Boyce ◽  
Cleopatra H. Caldwell ◽  
Mohsen Bazargan
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Attention Problems ◽  
Emotional And Behavioral Problems ◽  
White Adolescents ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment ◽  
Hispanic White

Aim: To compare racial groups for the effect of parental educational attainment on adolescents’ social, emotional, and behavioral problems. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 10,762 youth from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study were included. The independent variable was parental educational attainment. The main outcomes were (1) anxious and depressed mood, (2) withdrawn and depressed affect, (3) somatic complaints, (4) social and interpersonal problems, (5) thought problems, (6) rule-breaking behaviors, (7) attention problems, and (8) violent and aggressive behaviors. These scores were generated based on parent-reported behavioral problems measured using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Race and ethnicity were the moderators. Linear regression was used to analyze the ABCD data. Results: Overall, high parental educational attainment was associated with lower scores across all domains. Race and ethnicity showed statistically significant interactions with parental educational attainment on adolescents’ fewer social, emotional, and behavioral problems (all domains), net of all confounders, indicating smaller tangible gains from their parental educational attainment for Black and Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic White adolescents. Conclusions: The protective effects of parental education against social, emotional, and behavioral problems are systematically diminished for Hispanic and Black than non-Hispanic White adolescents.

Distressed Asian American Neighborhoods

2003 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-84
Author(s):  
Douglas Miller ◽  
Douglas Houston
Keyword(s):  
Community Development ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Ethnic Enclave ◽  
Racially Diverse ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Socioeconomic Data

There is a serious lack of demographic and socioeconomic data about Asian Americans living in distressed areas. The approach suggested to address this problem is community development with professional and academics to provide updated information on many issues such as poverty, educational attainment pertinent to these disadvantaged AA communities. The article discusses the selection criteria employed to choose the fourteen distressed communities that is analyzed. Details describing demographic characteristics, such as most AA communities are racially diverse, are supplemented with statistics to provide concrete data. Unemployment and poverty go hand-in-hand and in distressed AA communities these problems are occurring in higher frequency than other communities. The typical depiction of an AA community as a rich ethnic-enclave is debunked. The dominant problems in these communities are also representative of the problems most immigrants face today. The motivation for this analysis is to compel policy-makers to develop further research into these communities to understand their problems in order to make policies effectively addressing their needs.

scholarly journals Body Composition, Physical Activity, and Convenience Food Consumption among Asian American Youth: 2011–2018 NHANES

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
pp. 6187
Author(s):  
Soyang Kwon ◽  
Meme Wang-Schweig ◽  
Namratha R. Kandula
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Convenience Food ◽  
White American ◽  
Asian American Youth ◽  
Racial Ethnic ◽  
Hispanic White

The primary purpose of this study was to describe obesity, body composition, convenience food consumption, physical activity, and muscle strength among Asian American youth compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The secondary purpose was to examine whether obesity, body composition, convenience food consumption, physical activity, and muscle strength differed by acculturation levels among Asian American youth. A secondary analysis was conducted using data from 12,763 children aged 2 to 17 years that participated in the 2011–2018 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In the NHANES interview, acculturation, dietary behavior, and physical activity questionnaires were administered. The acculturation level was indicated by the language spoken at home. In the NHANES examination, anthropometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and muscle strength assessments were conducted. Compared to non-Hispanic White American boys, Asian American boys had similar levels of obesity, central obesity, and fat mass. Among the five racial/ethnic groups examined, lean body mass, muscle mass, convenience food consumption, and daily physical activity were the lowest in the Asian group. More acculturated Asian American boys, but not girls, were more likely to be obese (OR = 3.28 (1.63, 6.60)). More acculturated Asian American youth more frequently consumed convenience food (1.4 more meals/month (1.2, 1.6)). This study highlights the obesity problem among Asian American boys, which worsens with acculturation to America. The study results also suggest that although Asian American youth consume less convenience food overall than non-Hispanic White American youth, increasing acculturation may negatively influence food choices.

scholarly journals Researching From Buried Experiences: Collaborative Inquiry With Asian American Youth

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald Campano ◽  
Lan Ngo ◽  
Grace Player
Keyword(s):  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Collaborative Inquiry ◽  
Model Minority ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Practitioner Research ◽  
Immigrant Community ◽  
Asian American Youth ◽  
Out Of School

This article reports on an out-of-school practitioner researcher study, the Community Researchers Project, involving predominately Indonesian youth who were members of a Catholic parish in a diverse multilingual neighborhood of our city. The lives and learning of many of the youth in the Indonesian immigrant community were, to a large extent, invisible in the research literature or homogenized through broader generalizations regarding Asian Americans, such as the myth of the "model minority." Through analysis of several representative student inquiries, we argue that practitioner research can be an effective methodological vehicle for unearthing "buried" personal and collective histories that impact students.

Deconstructing hyper-selectivity: Are the socioeconomic attainments of second-generation Asian Americans only due to their class background?

2020 ◽  
pp. 2057150X2097380
Author(s):  
Arthur Sakamoto ◽  
Sharron Xuanren Wang
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Second Generation ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Family Processes ◽  
American Family ◽  
Class Background

Recent studies by Jennifer Lee and Min Zhou claim that “hyper-selectivity” is the primary causal factor accounting for the high average educational attainment of second-generation Asian Americans. We critically assess hyper-selectivity, which has not been carefully evaluated in prior research. We argue that hyper-selectivity is inadequately conceptualized and is not clearly supported by data on immigration or income mobility. Hyper-selectivity ignores accumulated facts about Asian American family processes relating to cultural factors and educational attainment. Rather than being a class phenomenon, Asian cultural factors have important effects for most second-generation Asian Americans regardless of the socioeconomic status of their parents. Overemphasizing hyper-selectivity inadequately acknowledges the cultural heritage of Asian Americans and ignores the agency of immigrant Asian American families.

scholarly journals Family Income Mediates the Effect of Parental Education on Adolescents’ Hippocampus Activation During an N-Back Memory Task

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari ◽  
Shanika Boyce ◽  
Mohsen Bazargan ◽  
Cleopatra H. Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Left Hippocampus ◽  
Neighborhood Income ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment

Introduction: Hippocampus, a medial temporal lobe structure, has significant implications in memory formation and learning. Although hippocampus activity is believed to be affected by socioeconomic status (SES), limited knowledge exists on which SES indicators influence hippocampus function. Purpose: This study explored the separate and combined effects of three SES indicators, namely parental education, family income, and neighborhood income, on adolescents’ hippocampus activation during an N-Back memory task. As some of the effects of parental education may be through income, we also tested if the effect of parental education on hippocampus activation during our N-Back memory task is mediated by family or neighborhood income. Methods: The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study is a national multi-center investigation of American adolescents’ brain development. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data of a total sample of 3067 9–10-year-old adolescents were used. The primary outcome was left- hippocampus activation during the N-Back memory task (mean beta weight for N-Back run 1 2 back versus 0 back contrast in left hippocampus). The independent variable was parental education. Family income and neighborhood income were two possible mediators. Age, sex, and marital status were the covariates. To test mediation, we used hierarchical linear regression models first without and then with our mediators. Full mediation was defined according to Kenny. The Sobel test was used to confirm statistical mediation. Results: In the absence of family and neighborhood income in the model, higher parental educational attainment was associated with lower level of left hippocampus activation during the N-Back memory task. This effect was significant while age, sex, and marital status were controlled. The association between parental educational attainment and hippocampus activation during the N-Back memory task was no more significant when we controlled for family and neighborhood income. Instead, family income was associated with hippocampus activation during the N-Back memory task. These findings suggested that family income fully mediates the effect of parental educational attainment on left hippocampus activation during the N-Back memory task. Conclusions: The effect of parental educational attainment on adolescents’ hippocampus activation during an N-Back memory task is fully explained by family income. That means low family income is why adolescents with low-educated parents show highlighted hippocampus activation during an N-Back memory task. Given the central role of the hippocampus in learning and memory and as income is a modifiable factor by tax and economic policies, income-redistribution policies, fair taxation, and higher minimum wage may have implications for promotion of adolescent equality and social justice. There is a need to focus on family-level economic needs across all levels of neighborhood income.

scholarly journals Parental Educational Attainment and Chronic Medical Conditions among American Youth; Minorities’ Diminished Returns

Children ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari ◽  
Mohsen Bazargan ◽  
Cleopatra Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Health Disparities ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Race And Ethnicity ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chronic Medical Conditions ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
White Youth ◽  
Highly Educated ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment

Background: Parental educational attainment is protective against chronic medical conditions (CMCs). According to the minorities’ diminished returns (MDRs) theory, however, the health effects of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators are smaller for socially marginalized groups such as racial and ethnic minorities rather than Whites. Aims: To explore racial and ethnic differences in the effect of parental educational attainment on CMCs in a nationally representative sample of American youth. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used baseline data of 10,701 12–17 years old youth in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH; 2013). Parental educational attainment was the independent variable. The dependent variable was the number of CMCs in youth. Age, gender, and family structure were covariates. Race and ethnicity were the focal moderators. Linear and multinomial regression were applied to analyze the data. Results: Overall, higher parental educational attainment was associated with a lower number of CMCs. Race and ethnicity, however, showed significant interactions with parental educational attainment on a number of CMCs as well as 2+ CMCs, suggesting that the effect of parenting educational attainment on CMCs is significantly smaller for Black and Hispanic than White youth. Conclusions: In the United States, race and ethnicity alter the health gains that are expected to follow parental educational attainment. While White youth who are from highly educated families are most healthy, Black and Hispanic youth from highly educated families remain at higher risk for CMCs. That means, while the most socially privileged group, Whites, gain the most health from their parental education, Blacks and Hispanics, the least privileged groups, gain the least. The result is a disproportionately high number of CMCs in middle-class Blacks and Hispanics. Economic, social, public, and health policy makers should be aware that health disparities are not all due to lower SES of the disadvantaged group but also diminished returns of SES resources for them. Youth physical health disparities due to race and ethnicity exist across all SES levels.

scholarly journals Family Socioeconomic Status and Exposure to Childhood Trauma: Racial Differences

Children ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Racial Differences ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Polynomial Regression ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment

Background: Minorities’ diminished returns (MDRs) refer to weaker effects of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators such as parental educational attainment and family income in generating tangible childhood outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities compared to the majority group, a pattern prevalent in the US. Our existing knowledge is minimal, however, about diminished returns of family SES on reducing exposure to childhood trauma. Aim: To determine if there was a difference between non-Hispanic whites (NHW) and non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) in the effect of SES on exposure to childhood trauma among children ages 8–11 years old. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from 4696 NHW or NHB American 8–11-year-old children who were participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The independent variables were parental educational attainment and family income. The primary outcome was exposure to 1 or 2+ childhood traumas, measured by the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS) semi-structured interview. Polynomial regression was used for data analysis. Results: Parental education and family income had statistically significant protective (negative) effects on childhood trauma, indicating children from high income and highly educated families were exposed to a lower level of childhood trauma. However, race/ethnicity showed statistically significant interactions with parental education and family income on exposure to childhood trauma, indicating weaker protective effects of parental education and family income on reducing exposure to trauma for NHB compared to NHW children. Race-specific models showed protective effects of parental education and family income on exposure to childhood trauma for NHW but not NHB children. Conclusion: The protective effects of parental education and family income against exposure to childhood trauma are systematically diminished for NHBs compared to NHWs. To minimize the racial/ethnic health gaps, diminished returns of parental education and family income should be addressed. There is a need for programs and interventions that equalize not only SES but also the marginal returns of SES for ethnic groups. Such efforts require addressing structural and societal barriers that hinder NHB families from translating their SES resources into tangible outcomes. There is a need for studies that can minimize MDRs for NHB families, such that SES can similarly secure tangible outcomes in the presence of SES resources.

scholarly journals Association Between Parental Educational Attainment and Children’s Negative Urgency: Sex Differences

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-22
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Educational Attainment ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Parental Education ◽  
Negative Urgency ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Parental Educational Attainment

Background and aims: Negative urgency reflects a specific facet of impulsivity and correlates with a wide range of health-related risk behaviors, including, but not limited to, problematic substance use. Negative urgency is also shaped by family socioeconomic position (SEP), such as parental educational attainment (PEA). This study aimed to explore sex differences regarding protective effects of PEA on children’s negative urgency in the US. Methods: This cross-sectional study used the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study data. Baseline ABCD data included 10,535 American children in the age range of 9-10 years old. The independent variable was PEA, treated as a 5-level categorical variable. The primary outcome was negative urgency measured by the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, Positive Urgency, Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-SS). Mixed-effects regression models were applied for data analysis. Results: In sex-stratified regression models, high PEA was predictive of lower levels of negative urgency in female but not male children. In the overall sample, sex showed a statistically significant interaction with PEA on children’s negative urgency, indicating a stronger protective effect of high PEA for female compared to male children. Conclusion: PEA was a more salient determinant of negative urgency in female children than male ones. Our results also showed that American boys tend to have high levels of negative urgency, which is a risk factor of drug use, at all parental education levels.

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