Thesis Format
Integrated Article
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Program
Sociology
Supervisor
Haan, Michael
Abstract
Early childhood and adolescence are marked by a period of important developments including starting school, establishing strong social networks, establishing life goals and aspirations, and leaving the family home. The opportunities provided in early childhood impact the outcomes in adolescence and early adulthood; therefore, any disruption that occurs during this period can have long lasting consequences. Childhood factors such as parental involvement and support, a stable home environment, social capital, family socioeconomic status, involvement in risky behaviours, and mental health have all shown to impact outcomes in adulthood. However, one of the most important indicators of future outcomes is educational attainment.
Research shows that a key indicator of childhood educational success is residential mobility. This dissertation includes three inter-related articles that look at the role of childhood residential mobility on outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Applying a life course perspective to mobility, this dissertation contributes to the limited research done on childhood mobility in Canada. Results from the first study show that early childhood mobility results in a significant decrease in standardized mathematics scores, particularly amongst children that reside in low socioeconomic households. The second study finds that children who experience a residential move and a change in schools are less likely to graduate high school on-time. The final paper ties the results from the first two together and shows that childhood residential mobility is intergenerational, whereby children appear to inherit mobility behaviour from their parents.
Overall, the findings from all three studies highlight the role of residential mobility on child outcomes particularly amongst households with lower socioeconomic status, a topic that is largely unstudied in Canada. Future research in this area would better help policy makers understand how moving homes and changing schools impacts declining national math scores along with the gap in high school graduation rates among disadvantaged households. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms that contribute to migration as a learned behaviour passed on from parent to child.
Summary for Lay Audience
Early childhood and adolescence are marked by a period of important developments including starting school, establishing strong social networks, and getting prepared for future goals and aspirations. The opportunities children have early in life impact the outcomes in adolescence and early adulthood; therefore, any disruption that occurs during this period can have long lasting consequences. Residential mobility, or moving homes, is a key indicator of success with frequent mobility playing a key role in early education achievement, high school completion, and employment outcomes in early adulthood.
This dissertation includes three intertwined articles that look at the role of childhood residential mobility on outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. This dissertation looks at mobility over the life course and contributes to the limited research done on childhood mobility in Canada. Results from the first study show that early childhood mobility results in decreasing mathematic scores, particularly amongst children that reside in low socioeconomic households. The second study finds that children who experience a move to a new home and a change in schools are less likely to graduate high school on-time. The final paper ties the results from the first two together and shows that childhood residential mobility crosses generations whereby children inherit the value of moving from their parents.
Overall, the findings from all three studies highlight the role of residential mobility on child outcomes particularly amongst households with lower socioeconomic status, a topic that is largely unstudied in Canada. Future research in this area would better help policy makers understand how moving homes and changing schools impacts declining national math scores and the gap in high school graduation rates among households with lower socioeconomic status. More research is needed to understand the factors that contribute to migration as a learned behaviour passed on from parent to child.
Recommended Citation
Calhoun, Ashley, "What do children learn from their parents? The intergenerational impact of residential mobility on the life outcomes of Canadian children and youth" (2024). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 10334.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10334
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