Toward Holistic and Context-Sensitive Operationalization of Child Socioeconomic Circumstances

• DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/rx9c4_v2
• Publication Date: 2025-04-09T15:53:43Z
• Authors: Emma Blakey; Laura Ann Outhwaite; Eleanor Braithwaite; Alexandra Hendry; Gabriel Reyes; Ivan Alfonso Hern...; Monica E Ellwood-...; Meriah DeJoseph

Developmental science has made great strides in understanding how child socioeconomic circumstances shape outcomes in a range of domains. Researchers have argued we need to operationalize socioeconomic circumstances clearly and consistently, and more recently, argued a need to ensure we are understanding child circumstances in a culturally responsible way. However, there is a need to bring together these perspectives to understand how we should operationalise and measure socioeconomic disadvantage in ways that are both culturally responsive and precise, striking a balance between mechanistic insight and policy relevance. This paper highlights three ways forward in which we can develop a more holistic, comprehensive and inclusive understanding of social gradients in child development.