Asher Ben-Arieh + Ferran Casas _ Ivar Frones + Jill E. Korbin _ Editors Handbook of Child Well-Being Theories, Methods and Policies in Global Perspective Volume1, pogo P7— (13 gory | With 138 Figures and 85 Tables ® Springer Referenceca B Sandi Te ‘atari N.K. (2008) Unde den aggresiva ot kontaktviligs yan. Tn J. Lind. Lindgren, WM. Siberg, © N. K. Zanerqist (Bi), Historie, bamen oh barndomarn LinkOging Linkiping Univesity Press, ‘eecrvit N.K. O11. The Sandy eciaue for Swedish cildcen 1945-1960: Diagnosis, nchotheapy and process of indvialisati sieolog 1945-1985, Scandia, 72), 40-67. Zeneayit, NK. & Senn, B. 2005), Pos. of reine and voting prosems. Changing etniont in Swedish schooling dung the 200 eenty, History of Edvewtion, 32h 189-205, Zaneravist, NK. & Sandin,B. 2015). Peychodynamles in child peycistry in Sweden: From pot ven to tetient ior, IMSCISS. Hor of Pty (cee fe publication ture, Context, and Child Well-Being 3 homas S. Weisner Introduction ¥ here are different conceptions of what it means to be happy and what the goals of ‘are in different communities around the world. Diversity within societies garding the citcumstances that can make for well-being and what wo want from apparent, and diversity often ineludes caltural and ethnic variations. Beliding “culture” sa way to insure that research does no assume what the goals and what makes others happy, since “...therg is no unambiguously single pucsuit of happiness-rather there are multiple “pursuits of happiness” (Mathews 1 Tzquerdo 2008: 1, | Avother reason to include cultur is that well-being includes subjective and experiential aspects, as well as objective material and health and other assessments. Calture includes models for everyday living, beliefs, goals, and values held in the in other words, subjective experiences that shape the intexpretation of what 08 and do not only respond to but organize bebavior and the choice of toners. What is life's meaning, what isthe moral gicction of good child lopment, aad what would be good pareting to sive toward to reach that, valued way of ie? Cultural communities vary in thee answers to these questions, ‘sid mote open-ended, conversational interviews and naturalistic observations and. “Setévork in communities are essential ways 10 lear about these ifeeaces “CeVine ea. 1988), Hence, cultural evidence is important for understanding wel-being. Studying ‘yellbeing in a wide range of communities with difeing beicfy and practices squires qualitative understanding as wel as closed ended survey or questionnaire ttbods (Weisner 2013). What i going on here? Why are you investing 30 much os LES. Weiser _ Departs of Payetiatry (Semel Insite, Cente foe Cate & Heat) & Anthropology. “UCLA, Los Angoles, CA, USA "ell tweioner@uclaed “A.Ber-Avich etal. eds), Hanshook of Child Welt Bing, a | BOI 10,1007978-90-481 5063-8 3, © Syringe Science Business Media Dordrecht 2014e into religious devotion, ritual bathing, or earning money? Why are the rhythms of your days and weeks and the activities you do organized this way? Qualitative ‘methods to explore and discover the lie patterns, the life worlds, of communi are important forthe study of well-being, 3.2 Studying Well-Being in a Diverse Family World In the current interconnected, relatively easy-to-access media and our rapidly changing demographic circumstances, it is increasingly difficult to find elas tv with pret or fom tof extended households; whecher children uexts and family settings, stances can deeply affect well-being, net. 33 ‘The conceptual framework ofthis Handbook is remarkably broad and inclusive, and ‘Conceptual Frameworks for Well-Being and Culture tion of a child and family (well-being) and the future that is being pointed- 9 T5.Wesner Culture, Context and Chis Welk Being ot {toward (well-becoming), So there is no need for this chapter to knock on the door of the methods, theory, and samples elsewhere in the Handbook, and remind us that cultural ptoralism matters and that qualitative and quantitative methods are impor: ‘ant. Instead, te focus can be on some examples of well-being and some frameworks for using a cultural approach inthe study of well-being, Colby (2003) considers contemporary cultural study of well-being as under- sanding the selfworld of individuals in context, a framework that et ‘combining the personaljexperiontial with the cultural context. He asses jophysical tation; de social lana an interpersonal elm: andthe symbolic ream of ‘A Cross-Cultural Contextual Universal About What Produces Well-Being: Sustaining a Meaningful Daily Routine jeing as Sustained Engagement in red Activities Sustal in 's development and for routine can be assessed ‘and the active engagement of a person, including activites Note that this view of well ive psychological experie ‘common approach tothe di relationship is bidirectional, and the evidence clearly shows this throughout ehild development, of the family and community, andthe goals, values, and meanings thatthe com- ‘unity affords and people bring to their pactoes. For this reason, understanding well-being requires contextual and cthoographic data and methods, just asTS. Weisner settings are the stepping stones making up those cultural path- ‘cularal pathways influence health behavior id settings are influenced by the wider cultural ecology (demogr phy, ecology, subsistence system, institutions, public health context, ‘number of posi ind the world to improve child well-being. bout only finding homogeneity. Evidence of some heterogen ication of the absence of shared culture if there at ‘Some Examples from Cultural Studies of Well-Being rural beliefs and emotional regulation norms influence how members of differ- ural communities desayibe how happy they are, how satisfied they are with fe, and how well they are doing. Mathews and Inquerdo (2009) describe an sroup context is an evolved capacity. Hence, well-being is always a mutually constituted process involving neurophysi and family context. We are prepared to be from before birth (Konner (one should “pursue” happiness) and of the social regulation of pride and boasting fone should not boast much) can influence responses to questionnaires, surveys, andl interviews, as well as public displays of well-being. in society desing ints founding document the innate igh 0 “he past of fon is bidirectional and selective (Schdmpfivg 2009). A great ach cultural leaming occurs without verbal ins 1g. Hence, the perception, acquisition, storage in memory, ‘the mind, and ways of expressing and teaching on of frmal schooling throug Tenming occured in every atv seings, mix a play Bros i smanaged work and fa gs ranted ace hey compo ing cultura inunoes on heat, beeass lean te wanomsion ef ela ys cn taaform ths hnowiedge Theres mention design and nwa pracces. We context. Component cultural leaming cavironments are nt Cale being viewed as abarer io pos Tote cotay, cultists can disco mat 2 good Ife i, what is the right mo practices, that give your life meaning. Henc ‘ikely that communities everywhere recognize the intent of that question, and offer answers my family; my work making money; my church and service 10 God. But for effective interventions and | work” and “one’s deepest sense of socal commitment” (Mathews 1996: 173)Contest. and hid Welling o7 iy-level society, though they more recently 18 shinetagantsi, wich embodies “ group setiements. the ideals of providing for one’ , and Keeping harmonious social relations throughout a long and. In ll these eases,Avrell-being includes stable and positive relationships 's local social community —a common theme in many cultural accounts of| around the world, in smaller and larger societies alike. ong moral responsibility ia the form of = gence rose ‘of and responsiveness to others needs and dee. (Ocho and standing of the morally appropriate pathway for learning snd emotion regulation that to families. Expecting, adjusting, and understanding the socal situation by the is important because that is what a child i en interdependent, socially mediated, 4nd constrained world needs to do to become a growing cultural person. Its likely ‘hat more of this kind of parental training is going on in some US and European “Training” is a more appropriate conceptual frame for another focus found in other cultural groups: well-being as exemplified by persistence in doing and Izquerdo (2009) further describes this for the Matsigenka, an isoleted fishing, Jmunting, foraging, and horticultural Amerindian group. The Maisigenké are38 T5.We ture, Context nd Child Welling * ny nurturance, socal esponsibility, social intelligence, and socal compe- personal respect shown through eff is pattern is not limited only to — can promote well-being, and atthe care (Weisner 1996; Seymour 1999; ‘these goals are culturally different, ‘ways of accomp! 3.8.’ Distinguishing Cultural Diversity in’Pathways to Well-Being From True Threats to Well-Being A benefit of a comparative, cultural consideration of well-being is that it can alert us to the risk of confusing circumstances in other cultural communities that might It is not a sign of insensitive or nonoptimal + 96, 2007). Even where there are difficult ‘we need better understanding of the cultural fact deleterious. deleterious consequen: places. Pethaps they are not optimal in various ways, yet nonetheless they are good enough, and they produce children and adults who are socially competent and contribute to their communities no moze or less so than in the USA. The cultural fathers, Does this lead to relational insocurity, emotional los, confusion, and anxiety? Or can such caregiving patterns provide a strong sense of complement to other work, which offers postive policy and practice guides for interventions to benefit chiléren around the worid (Engle etal. 2007).102 . _ 7S. Wena Mate, ers, CBs) 2008). Pari ofhappins Wel ig incorpo ork erga Bows QO. Why babies shoals never len slone: A review ofthe = lation to SIDS, bedharng and breastfeeding. Paodtric Respra- 34152 child well being, Coa. 8. Spinger: Dont. -y York: Cumtdge Universty Pres Seymour, S.C. (1999). Women, ani, and hid care in nd A wore in ranston, Ctr: Cambridge University Pres. swede A. Balloderen,L & Gols, W. (109) Who slaps by whom reset A mtd for exci he moral gods impicein pracse.n 3. Goodnom,P) Mien, °F Keel (Bie), Calnrel proctce as contents for dovelomant, Sn Fass: Fossey Base Stevenson, B, & Workman, C. 2013). Child Wel Belg: sntropologiel pespectves. In A, ‘Bee F. Cass I Froes, 1. Ketbin (Eas), ardbookof child well-being, Chap. 23. Spreger Doreen ‘Sager C. M, & Hanes, , (1999). The cavircament as ealtrein developmental research. T'S, Fiedman, & T. D. Wachs (Bik), Measuring ewironmant aorace the le tpene Emerging methods and concepts (pp. 218-323), Washington, DC: American Psychologie) ‘Asoclton ‘Weisner TS. Q005. Well-being, chaos, anata: Sustaining amssningfl dil routneTaG.W. Evans, 7D, Wats (Es). Chaos ands influence om chien development: An eclogieal Weisner, 7.$. Lowe, E. 200). lobalizton athe psychological amopoingy of childhood ands : TnC. Casey & Edgerton (Bd) A companion opeychologieelantiropel- 29: Modernity and peyhocutaal change (p. 315-896), Onfd, UK Blackwell Publishers, Wesner (BA), Emerging Methods in Fanlly Research: Approaches 1o Mea swing Femi, Springs ‘Weiner T.S. (1995) The 5-7 uansiton at an ecostural projet In A.J, Sameroff 2 MM ath (Bis), Te fv 0 seven yar ait The age of reason ad respon (pp. 295 28) (Ceago: Univers of Chiesa Press re Content, and Child Wel Being 103 TS, Mattson, C, Coots, J, & Bembsimer, LP. (2005), Sustanaily of daily es as fly outcome. To AE. Maynard & M1. Mani (Eds), Learning in cura! ta Family, peers and schoo (pp. 47-4), New York: Kluweu Pica. Beards C. (1988). Chron of iferen world: The formation of socal behavior | Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press man, C010), The ecology o€ human developmen velving models fr extra pay- Responsibility in childhood: Tree developmental uajeeeries. _Gelony. Jounal of Cross. Calaal Prcholoy, 4, 546-582. nan, C-M, Pty, P.M. Schechter, D.S & Cumatings, C.A. (Bd). Q010), Formative _egerences: The ieracton of eareiving, culture, ond developmental prpchotgy. New York: | Cartedge Univenty Prose vale of qualitative and thnosraphic methods fr understanding family