Browsing by Author "McArthur, Brae Anne"
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- ItemOpen AccessExperiences of Albertan Families with Young Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Descriptive Report(2020-11-30) McDonald, Sheila; Edwards, Sarah; Hetherington, Erin; Racine, Nicole; Mueller, Melissa; McArthur, Brae Anne; Madigan, Sheri; Dewey, Deborah; Letourneau, Nicole; Tough, Suzanne; Geisbrecht, GeraldThis report describes data collected from Albertan families on the COVID-19 Impact Survey implemented in May 2020, which built on a unique collaboration across two longitudinal cohorts in Alberta: The All Our Families study (AOF) and the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition study (APrON). Our objectives were as follows: (1) Describe household infections of COVID-19 in Alberta among families with school-aged children; (2) Describe urban Albertan family experiences of the pandemic within the first 3-4 months of the outbreak across the areas of financial impact, maternal mental health and well-being, school and daily life, and relationships in the home; and (3) Describe associations among key predictor variables (e.g., financial impact) and outcomes (e.g., maternal anxiety, concern for child’s well-being). Study Sample: AOF and APrON Cohort participants reflect families parenting at least one child in between the ages of 8 and 12. While the respondents represent a broad range of income, education and ethnicity, they are typified by adequate income, food and housing security and partnered marital status. Highlighted Results: Physical Impact: At the time of data collection in May, 2020, over 90% of families did not have personal experience with COVID-19, either through personal infection, infection of a child, extended family member or close friend. Vaccine Intentions: Although over 60% of mothers and their children would obtain a COVID-19 vaccine when available, almost 30% are undecided and 8% would not obtain a vaccine. Financial Impact: In 58% of all families, at least one parent experienced job loss, loss of main income source, or reduced employment hours. One in five mothers reported difficulty meeting financial needs for the household, and 5% of families were experiencing food insecurity. Over 40% of respondents reported at least some impact on their ability to meet financial obligations. Mental Health and Wellness Impact: Mothers reported elevated levels of stress (21%), anxiety (25%) and depression (35%). Approximately 26% of mothers reported having limited coping skills. Almost 90% of mothers have undertaken more domestic tasks in the home. Mothers also reported that their children showed increased sadness and behavioural challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound financial and mental health impact on some families. Investment in strategies to alleviate financial stress, provide parenting supports, and alleviate mental health concerns is critical. Suggested Citation: McDonald S, Edwards S, Hetherington E, Racine N, Mueller M, McArthur BA, Madigan S, Dewey D, Geisbrecht G, Letourneau N, Tough S. Experiences of Albertan Families with Young Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Report. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary; 2020.
- ItemOpen AccessTaking Research out of the Lab: Embodied and Situated Language Development(2024-02-17) Reggin, Lorraine Dale; Pexman, Penelope Marion; Graham, Susan Annetta; Madigan, Sheri; McArthur, Brae AnneLanguage acquisition is influenced by the child, in terms of their genetic and biological make-up, but also acquired within the context of their family, social systems, schools, and community. Development is influenced by the culture, language, and social context surrounding the child. Embodied cognition is the view that thinking is grounded in perceptual, action, and emotion systems. An embodied theory of language acquisition predicts that early concepts develop from sensorimotor experience. Evidence regarding the role of the body in language acquisition can influence teaching, community programs, and families. Researchers also can learn from the experiences of the child and their communities when supporting young language learners. In Chapter 2, I describe embodied cognition for educators. I describe the shift in cognitive psychology from describing thinking as the manipulation of arbitrary symbols to the view that an integrated system houses sensory and motor systems but also language information. I provide evidence for the role of sensorimotor experience in learning. I also discuss some critical areas that need to be explained by embodied cognition, where more research is required and take-home messages for teachers. In Chapter 3, I delineate embodied from situated cognition in language acquisition. Language is embodied in that our internal cognitive mechanisms are grounded in our sensorimotor and affective systems but also situated because language is learned within a broader context. In Chapter 4, I describe a community-based research project testing a program designed to increase adult talk and conversation between caregivers and children. Community-based research allows for an exploration of language learning in the context of the families and communities in which children live. With training, caregivers can increase the quantity of speech they share with their children, and feedback could be one way to help facilitate this process. I consider how these findings could influence a broader discussion around the role of parental input in language development. Across these diverse studies, I explore language outside the traditional laboratory setting for language research. I bring knowledge of language acquisition theory and principles to teachers for direct application in their classrooms. I delineate the need for lab-based research and research in naturalistic environments and examine one such endeavour.