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The present meta-analysis assessed concurrent and longitudinal associations between parental educational expectations and child achievement, and factors that mediate the effect of expectations on achievement. A systematic search in electronic databases identified 169 studies that were included in a random-effects meta-analysis. We found small to moderate bivariate cross-sectional ( r  = .30) and longitudinal associations ( r  = .28) between parental expectation and achievement which persisted after statistically controlling for socioeconomic status. Associations varied, in part, by children’s age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, matching of type of expectations and achievement, type of expectation assessed, publication status, and informant. The analysis of cross-lagged effects indicated that parental expectations predicted change in child achievement, thus indicating that expectations had an effect over and above the effect of prior achievement. Effects of expectations on change in achievement were even stronger ( r  = .15) than the effects of achievement on change in expectation ( r  = .09). Parental expectations tended to be higher than the child achievement. Associations between expectations and achievement were partially mediated by educational expectations in the offspring, child academic engagement, and academic self-concept, and to a lesser extent, by parental achievement-supportive behaviors. We conclude that parents are recommended to communicate positive educational expectations to their children. The transmission of positive expectations to the offspring and the encouragement of academic engagement seem to be more effective in realizing parental expectations than parental behavioral academic involvement such as checking homework and staying in contact with teachers.

Objective: This study provides the first systematic account of how father–child time (in total and across activity types) relates to children's cognitive development as well as examining whether paternal education moderates these associations. Background: Fathers in Western countries allocate progressively more time to child care. However, most research on how parental time inputs affect child development focuses on maternal time. It remains unclear how paternal involvement in the child's upbringing influences child outcomes. Method: The study uses three waves of unique, longitudinal, time-diary data from an Australian national sample of children aged 4 to 8 years (Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children; N = 3,273 children, 6,960 observations). Children's cognitive development is measured using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. The data are modeled using a range of estimation strategies for panel data. Results: The total amount of father–child time is associated with, at best, small improvements in children's cognitive functioning. In contrast, the amount of father–child time in educational activities is associated with moderate to large improvements. Such associations are similar for highly and less-highly educated fathers. Conclusion: Our findings are relevant for policy and practice, being indicative that enabling paternal involvement in their children's upbringing should bring moderate to high gains to their children in terms of cognitive functioning, particularly if paternal involvement is directed at educational activities.

The importance of maternal education for children's academic outcomes is widely recognized, and yet the multiple potential mechanisms that explain this relationship are underexplored. The authors integrate theories of human, cultural, and social capital with 2 developmental psychology theories—bioecological theory and developmental niche theory—to draw attention to how maternal education may influence children's academic outcomes through a range of parenting mechanisms, some of which have been largely neglected in research. This framework provides a more complete picture of how maternal education shapes proximal and distal influences on children's academic outcomes and the ways in which these mechanisms interact and reinforce one another across time and context. The implications of this framework for future family research are then discussed.

Introduction National Survey of Children’s Health is a population-based, nationally representative online and paper survey of primary caregivers of noninstitutionalized U.S. persons aged ≤17 years. Data from 2016-2018 survey (MMWR 2021) published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) highlighted the racial and economic disparities in sleep duration among children. Children from Black and Hispanic ethnicities had significantly lower sleep duration compared to their white counterparts. Short sleep duration was also more prevalent among families with lower income or lower parental educational attainment. We analyzed the data from questionnaires administered to parents of children presenting for polysomnogram. Methods We analyzed a consecutive sample of caregiver completed questionnaires (n=252) of patients between 4- 18 years referred for polysomnogram to our Pediatric Sleep Program. Questions ranged from demographic information to sleep wake times, sleep duration, sleep environment and parental knowledge of age-appropriate sleep requirement. Regression analysis was performed to study the effect of parental education and ethnicity on sleep duration and parental knowledge of sleep requirement. Results Children born to mothers with college education or higher had significantly longer duration of sleep (p< 0.05). Mothers with college education or higher were also more aware of age-appropriate sleep requirements. (p< 0.05). Children of Asian, White, and Mixed ethnicity were more likely to have age-appropriate sleep duration compared to Black and Hispanic (p< 0.05). Parents of Asian and White ethnicity were more aware of age-appropriate sleep requirement (p< 0.05). Parental marital status or father’s education status did not show similar effects on sleep duration or knowledge about sleep requirement. Conclusion Maternal education and family ethnicity had a significant effect on sleep duration as well as awareness of age-appropriate sleep requirement. Children from families with lower parental educational attainment and Black and Hispanic ethnicities have shorter sleep duration. Findings from our small community-based study mirrored data from large population-based data collected by CDC. Sleep disparity associated with various social determinants of health can increase family stress resulting in environmental and psychological factors that negatively affect sleep duration. Targeted education regarding age-appropriate sleep duration should be provided for ethnic minorities and families with lower income and lower parental education attainment. Support (if any)

Introduction Studies suggest that feeling pressure about parenting practices is related to higher levels of stress. However, little is known about the pressure mothers feel about infant sleep-related parenting practices. This is surprising, considering that mothers are often exposed to contradictory information about infant sleep. This exploratory study aimed to 1) identify the proportion of mothers of 6-month-old infants who report feeling pressure about their sleep-related parenting practices and 2) assess the relationships between demographic factors and perceived pressure, and between parenting practices and perceived pressure. Methods Fifty-four mothers of 6-month-old infants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Sleep Practices Questionnaire (SPQ). Mothers were asked, “Have you ever felt pressure about your parenting choices and practices related to your child’s sleep?”. Responses ranged from never to always. Linear regressions were conducted to assess the concurrent associations between demographic factors (maternal age, maternal education, parity) and perceived pressure, and between sleep-related parenting practices (feeding method, frequency of bed-sharing, picking up or not picking up the infant when he/she cries at night) and perceived pressure. Results Analyses revealed that 5.6% of mothers reported feeling pressure constantly, 20.4% reported feeling pressure quite often, 46.3% reported feeling pressure sometimes, and about a quarter (27.7%) reported feeling pressure rarely or never. Lower maternal education and breastfeeding were associated with feeling more pressure about sleep-related parenting practices (p < .05). Furthermore, mothers reporting that they (or their partner) pick up their infant when he/she cries at night were more likely to report feeling pressure (p < .01). Maternal age, parity, and frequency of bed-sharing were not associated with feeling pressure (p > .05). Conclusion The majority of mothers (72.3%) in our sample reported feeling pressure about their sleep-related parenting practices at least sometimes, suggesting that this experience is quite common. Lower maternal education, breastfeeding, and picking up the infant to comfort him/her during the night were associated with higher perceived pressure. Future studies should examine feelings of pressure about sleep-related parenting practices in larger samples of mothers and investigate whether fathers share similar concerns. Moreover, identifying the potential sources of these feelings would represent an interesting clinical avenue. Support (if any) SSHRC, FRQS

Evidence on the relative importance of various factors associated with child anthropometric failures (ie, stunting, underweight, and wasting) and their heterogeneity across countries can inform global and national health agendas. To assess the relative significance of factors associated with child anthropometric failures in 35 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This cross-sectional study of 299 353 children who were born singleton and aged 12 to 59 months with nonpregnant mothers and valid anthropometric measures assessed the strengths of associations of 26 factors with child stunting, underweight, and wasting, using Demographic and Health Surveys (2007-2018) from 35 LMICs. Data analysis was conducted from July 2019 to February 2020. A total of 9 direct factors (ie, dietary diversity score; breastfeeding initiation; vitamin A supplements; use of iodized salt; infectious disease in past 2 weeks; oral rehydration therapy for children with diarrhea; care seeking for suspected pneumonia; full vaccination; and indoor pollution) and 17 indirect factors (household wealth; maternal and paternal education; maternal and paternal height and body mass index; maternal autonomy for health care, movement, and money; water source; sanitation facility; stool disposal; antenatal care; skilled birth attendant at delivery; family planning needs; and maternal marriage age) were assessed. Three anthropometric failure outcomes were constructed based on the 2006 World Health Organization child growth standards: stunting (height-for-age z score less than -2 standard deviations [SDs]), underweight (weight-for-age z score less than -2 SDs), and wasting (weight-for-height z score less than -2 SDs). Among the 299 353 children aged 12 to 59 months included in the analysis, 38.8% (95% CI, 38.6%-38.9%) had stunting, 27.5% (95% CI, 27.3%-27.6%) had underweight, and 12.9% (95% CI, 12.8%-13.0%) had wasting. In the pooled sample, short maternal height was the strongest factor associated with child stunting (odds ratio [OR], 4.7; 95% CI, 4.5-5.0; P < .001), followed by lack of maternal education (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.8-2.0; P < .001), poorest household wealth (OR, 1.7; 95% CI,1.6-1.8; P < .001), and low maternal body mass index (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.6-1.7; P < .001). Short paternal height was also significantly associated with higher odds of stunting (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.7-2.2; P < .001). Consistent results were found for underweight (eg, short maternal height: OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 3.3-3.7; P < .001; lack of maternal education: OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.7-2.0; P < .001) and wasting (eg, low maternal body mass index: OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 2.1-2,4; P < .001; poorest household wealth: OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3; P < .001). Parental nutritional status and household socioeconomic conditions ranked the strongest (1st to 4th) for most countries, with a few exceptions (eg, lack of maternal education ranked 18th-20th in 8 countries for child wasting). Other factors were not associated with anthropometric failures in pooled analysis and had large country-level heterogeneity; for example, unsafe water was not associated with child underweight in the pooled analysis (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-1.00; P < .001), and it ranked from 4th to 20th across countries. In this study, socioeconomic conditions and parental nutritional status were the strongest factors associated with child anthropometric failures. Poverty reduction, women's education, and nutrition programs for households could be important strategies for reducing child undernutrition; however, country-specific contexts should be considered in national policy discussions.

Existing evidence on the effects of race and ethnicity on pregnancy outcomes is restricted to individual studies done within specific countries and health systems. We aimed to assess the impact of race and ethnicity on perinatal outcomes in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, and to ascertain whether the magnitude of disparities, if any, varied across geographical regions. For this individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis we used data from the International Prediction of Pregnancy Complications (IPPIC) Network of studies on pregnancy complications; the full dataset comprised 94 studies, 53 countries, and 4 539 640 pregnancies. We included studies that reported perinatal outcomes (neonatal death, stillbirth, preterm birth, and small-for-gestational-age babies) in at least two racial or ethnic groups (White, Black, south Asian, Hispanic, or other). For our two-step random-effects IPD meta-analysis, we did multiple imputations for confounder variables (maternal age, BMI, parity, and level of maternal education) selected with a directed acyclic graph. The primary outcomes were neonatal mortality and stillbirth. Secondary outcomes were preterm birth and a small-for-gestational-age baby. We estimated the association of race and ethnicity with perinatal outcomes using a multivariate logistic regression model and reported this association with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. We also did a subgroup analysis of studies by geographical region. 51 studies from 20 high-income and upper-middle-income countries, comprising 2 198 655 pregnancies, were eligible for inclusion in this IPD meta-analysis. Neonatal death was twice as likely in babies born to Black women than in babies born to White women (OR 2·00, 95% CI 1·44–2·78), as was stillbirth (2·16, 1·46–3·19), and babies born to Black women were at increased risk of preterm birth (1·65, 1·46–1·88) and being small for gestational age (1·39, 1·13–1·72). Babies of women categorised as Hispanic had a three-times increased risk of neonatal death (OR 3·34, 95% CI 2·77–4·02) than did those born to White women, and those born to south Asian women were at increased risk of preterm birth (OR 1·26, 95% CI 1·07–1·48) and being small for gestational age (1·61, 1·32–1·95). The effects of race and ethnicity on preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age babies did not vary across regions. Globally, among underserved groups, babies born to Black women had consistently poorer perinatal outcomes than White women after adjusting for maternal characteristics, although the risks varied for other groups. The effects of race and ethnicity on adverse perinatal outcomes did not vary by region. National Institute for Health and Care Research, Wellbeing of Women.

•Child malnutrition is a major public health problem.•Globally in 2020, 149 million children <5 y of age were estimated to be stunted (too short for age) and 45 million were wasted (too thin for height).•The most consistent factors associated with child malnutrition are maternal education, household income, and maternal nutritional status. Child undernutrition is a major public health problem. Globally in 2020, 149 million children <5 y of age were estimated to be stunted (too short for age), 45 million to be wasted (too thin for height), and 38.9 million were overweight. The aim of this review was to examine previous studies to determine the factors associated with malnutrition and contribute to the existing body of evidence needed for the formulation of effective interventions. This systematic review was conducted using the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. The Google Scholar database was used to search the studies conducted between 2012 and 2021. The included studies were searched by using some combinations of keywords and saved in Mendeley Desktop for review and referencing. Of 2150 articles retrieved from the Google Scholar databases, 37 met our inclusion criteria. Of the 37 studies reviewed; 13 were conducted in India, 5 in Ethiopia, 3 in Bangladesh, 2 in Ghana, 2 in Nepal, 2 in developing countries, and 1 each in Bolira, Benin, Netherland, Columbia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Africa, Egypt, Ecuadorian, and Indonesia. The most consistent factors associated with child malnutrition were maternal education, household income, maternal nutritional status, age of the child, availability of sanitation facility at home, size of family, birth order in the family, and child's birth weight. Breastfeeding and caring practices, cooking area and the fuel used, sex, and socioeconomic status of the children also contribute toward child malnutrition.

The microcephaly epidemic, which started in Brazil in 2015, was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO in 2016. We report the preliminary results of a case-control study investigating the association between microcephaly and Zika virus infection during pregnancy. We did this case-control study in eight public hospitals in Recife, Brazil. Cases were neonates with microcephaly. Two controls (neonates without microcephaly), matched by expected date of delivery and area of residence, were selected for each case. Serum samples of cases and controls and cerebrospinal fluid samples of cases were tested for Zika virus-specific IgM and by quantitative RT-PCR. Laboratory-confirmed Zika virus infection during pregnancy was defined as detection of Zika virus-specific IgM or a positive RT-PCR result in neonates. Maternal serum samples were tested by plaque reduction neutralisation assay for Zika virus and dengue virus. We estimated crude odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs using a median unbiased estimator for binary data in an unconditional logistic regression model. We estimated ORs separately for cases with and without radiological evidence of brain abnormalities. Between Jan 15, 2016, and May 2, 2016, we prospectively recruited 32 cases and 62 controls. 24 (80%) of 30 mothers of cases had Zika virus infection compared with 39 (64%) of 61 mothers of controls (p=0·12). 13 (41%) of 32 cases and none of 62 controls had laboratory-confirmed Zika virus infection; crude overall OR 55·5 (95% CI 8·6–∞); OR 113·3 (95% CI 14·5–∞) for seven cases with brain abnormalities; and OR 24·7 (95% CI 2·9–∞) for four cases without brain abnormalities. Our data suggest that the microcephaly epidemic is a result of congenital Zika virus infection. We await further data from this ongoing study to assess other potential risk factors and to confirm the strength of association in a larger sample size. Brazilian Ministry of Health, Pan American Health Organization, and Enhancing Research Activity in Epidemic Situations.

Abstract Background In utero exposure to infections is associated with adverse neurocognitive outcomes in the offspring. Elevated maternal prenatal serum inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), have been associated with increased risks of neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia, later in life. The objective of this study is to investigate the associations between elevated serum concentrations of CRP in early gestation, prospectively assayed in maternal sera, and adolescent psychotic experiences and academic performance. We hypothesised that elevated maternal CRP is associated with adolescent psychotic experiences and poorer academic performance. Methods Using data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC1986), a prospective birth cohort including data since before birth, we examined the association between maternal CRP levels in early gestation (N=7,600) and adolescent psychotic experiences (n=396/5,071) and poorer academic performance (n=2,324/6,770), controlling for sex and maternal education level using multivariable regression analysis. Prior to analyses we determined there was sufficient power to detect small associations (OR>1.68) for these variables. Results After controlling for sex and maternal education, those in the highest tertile of prenatal maternal CRP had increased odds of auditory hallucinations (on the PROD-screen) at age 16 years (adjusted OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.74), and poorer school academic performance (beta=-0.08, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.03). Discussion Maternal prenatal immune activation is associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in adolescent offspring. This work extends previous findings regarding prenatal/childhood immune activation and clinical psychiatric diagnoses in adult offspring.