Gender differences in early childhood development are under-researched in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where almost 90% of the world's young children live. This study examines the direction, magnitude, and variation of gender similarities and differences in 3- and 4-year-olds' early childhood development in 71 low- and middle-income…

Research is a common feature in developed countries. Those who dedicate themselves to this activity produce important tools for individual, community, and national development. However, developing countries suffer the opposite situation. In these nations, little investment is devoted to research, and they lack dissemination mechanisms, while…

Responsible leadership is crucial for higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries to build an institutional reputation by generating advanced knowledge and strengthening socioeconomic development. Drawing on signaling theory, this study investigates the relationship between responsible leadership and academics' job insecurity, and…

Across psychology, there is increasing recognition that the experiences of children from minoritized racial and ethnic groups are underrepresented. Research on prosocial behavior exemplifies this systemic bias. This paper suggests that measures of prosocial behavior should be revised to be more culturally equitable, in order to reflect the…

Children's experiences during early childhood are critical for their cognitive and socio-emotional development, two key dimensions of human capital. However, children from low income backgrounds often grow up lacking stimulation and basic investments, leading to developmental deficits that are difficult, if not impossible, to reverse later in life…

This article reflects on some influential theories, concepts and institutions that have shaped the nature and substance of international development since the mid-20th century. In particular, theories of modernisation and dependency are deployed to reflect on the ways in which the International Financial Institutions, such as, the World Bank and…

Background/Context: The COVID-19 pandemic led to historically unparalleled global school closures, increasing risks to child development through inadequate access to learning at school and increased poverty and food insecurity (Egger et al., 2021). Robust evidence shows that attending high-quality ECE improves short- and longer-term outcomes for…

Background: Social and emotional learning (SEL) positively impacts children's school achievement and adult productivity. Successful implementation of SEL relies on teachers' pedagogical beliefs and practices. Aims: We examined whether the "Teachers' SEL Belief Scale" designed in the United States is adoptable in low-income countries such…

High crime rates and general issues of social dysfunction are common in developing countries. This paper, using a case study of Jamaica, shows the possibility of using moral and religious values to guide youth within the education system, with the ultimate goal of intercepting these societal issues. The recent spate of violence in Jamaica's…

While some studies in Zimbabwe have examined the relevance of education in rural settings, very few have done so using a human development-oriented framework such as the capabilities approach, as this paper does. In linking education and human development, the capabilities approach facilitates an examination of intersecting individual contexts and…

The evaluation of psychosocial interventions in low income countries requires focus on cultural appropriateness, implementation, and the experiences of participants. This nested qualitative study follows a previous controlled trial that reported positive outcomes for students participating in the Living Well life skills intervention. The current…

Exposure to community violence is thought to create risk for the social and emotional development of children, including those children living in low-income, conflict-affected countries. In the absence of other types of community resources, schools may be one of the few community resources that can help buffer children from the negative effects of…

This article charts social and economic transformation in the developing world over recent decades by drawing on a number of different secondary data sources. I propose that this rapid change means that we need to re-think the teaching of development in the curriculum to move beyond a polarised view of developed versus developing. The article…

Education as a phenomenon is rather complex which makes it difficult to define its quality. Definitions of quality must be open to change and evolution based on information, changing contexts, and new understandings of the nature of education's challenges. The main objective of the paper is to find out the significance of quality education for…

This commentary discusses three articles (Jukes et al., 2017, McCoy et al., 2017, and Aber et al., 2017), which respectively focus on Kenya, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They all cite poor educational outcomes as a key motivation for developing and implementing new programs, and all three articles provide helpful evidence…