Despite many interventional programmes to improve the well-being of children in different domains, survival, nutrition, health, education, protection and participation of a large number of children in India continue to stay deprived of the opportunities to gain full potential. Who has a major role in the growth and development of a child? Is it a…

Vida Bath was the only girl of six children born into a chronically poor family. Her birth certificate lists her father as a "general labourer." Her family travelled around New South Wales and southern Queensland, going wherever there might be work. She remembered being scared when her father had been drinking, especially on Friday…

This article draws upon a study completed in a specific school in Bangalore where most children enter at the pre-school level and continue till high school. While the particular children in the study constitute a small number--four--it was observed that questions of identity mainly arose when they started questioning the circumstances behind their…

Cultures differ with respect to parenting strategies already during infancy. Distal parenting, i.e., face-to-face context and object stimulation, is prevalent in urban educated middle-class families of Western cultures; proximal parenting, i.e., body contact and body stimulation, is prevalent in rural, low-educated farmer families. Parents from…

This book contains a compilation of papers presented at the International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (InPACT) 2018, organized by the World Institute for Advanced Research and Science (W.I.A.R.S.). Modern psychology offers a large range of scientific fields where it can be applied. The goal of understanding individuals and…

Children face many important changes in the first eight years of life, including different learning centres, social groups, roles and expectations. Their ability to adapt to such a dynamic and evolving environment directly affects their sense of identity and status within their community over the short and long term. In particular, the key turning…

This study examined the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes of first year college students about children, childhood, and childrearing that comprise their naive theories about children's development. Participating in the study were 122 students in the undergraduate Home Science program at the University of Baroda, India. All participants were…

Background: Physical surroundings and child rearing practices play important roles in the development of children. Preschoolers who develop well intellectually have homes rich in toys and books. There is a need to understand environmental influences upon children's behavior. In view of the need and importance of a Home Inventory in simple Hindi…

The key role of the family in the growth and development of children with mental retardation is explored, from the perspective of the Central Institute on Mental Retardation in Trivandrum, India. The Institute's approach encourages the mentally retarded child to participate in all activities, within the limitations of his functional capacities.…

Early childhood development is increasingly viewed as an affirmation of children's rights. This report describes the concept of early childhood development and presents several viewpoints regarding early childhood care and development, parenting, and approaches to early education. The report also presents 10 case studies of programs to enhance the…

This study examined children's perceptions of child-rearing norms and values of the culture where the child is raised and provides a cross-cultural comparison of child development in India, Kenya, and Sweden. Children ages 8 through 13 in Kenya were asked questions regarding good and bad behavior and parents' sanctions, the results of which were…

Noting that patterns of childrearing are highly variable across the human species, this book explores the developmental processes of infancy over a wide range of cultural and social environments. By presenting multiple alternative examples of the context of infant development, the book attempts to stimulate continued discussion on the ways in…