RUNNING HEAD: Research Topic 1

Pacific Oaks College

HD 341- Summer 2017

Dr. Estrada

Research Topic Paper

Rebecca De Leon
RUNNING HEAD: Research Topic 2

How povertys impact on small childrens ability to communicate - How this affects self-

esteem during adolescence and young adult years. Later in adult years, this requires practice on

mindfulness to help with communication skills to empower themselves and others.

1. Body language- High power poses- small tweaks= BIG CHANGES

2. An aspect of culture: Latinos

3. Theory-Developmental stage: Adolescence (12-18) Ego identity vs. role confusions

Research Topic:

An important developmental stage is adolescence (12-18), it is there were they an

individual experience and explore their ego identity. Before doing so, a child must have a healthy

state of mind and a strong foundation with values to help them develop abilities to communicate

for themselves and others, which link up to practices of mindfulness later in their life.

Explain why someone would care about the topic you picked in interpersonal

communication?

I believe that people have their own personal story that has help their own personal

development. Poverty indeed impacts on small childrens ability to communicate. Children are

the future of tomorrow and many low-income families dont have the resources to help them

with their financial problems. This becomes an issue that falls in the macrosystem that follows

Bronfenbrenners theory, which creates anxiety for these parents of the children who also suffer

from anxiety that is passed on to them. As we all know, anxiety can affect a childs

developmental stages and their academics. This issue then later affects the adolescence years and

adult life.
RUNNING HEAD: Research Topic 3

Explain why you care about the topic?

I am deeply concerned about this topic because I, myself, have experience poverty in my

school age years. I can say that affected my ability to communicate with others. In my adolescent

years it was difficult for me to communicate verbally, and I would communicate nonverbally

with others. This not only restricted me from making friendships and connections that would

later help me become more sociable but affected the way I view myself. Poverty affected myself

esteem as a child which made me feel oppressed. Now that I am older, I have learned that

limitations and lack of resources can affect a childs development. It is why I am passionate

about helping families and assist them with help.

Researching about this topic was probably one of the emotional things I had to do. I

describe it as emotional because it touched on a lot of my personal life points. Like I mentioned

earlier in this paper the reason why I really feel I care about this topic was and still is because I

can relate to this. As I mentioned, I recall living in poverty as a child. I strongly believe that

because of the lack of resources I was not exposed to the more opportunities in my academics as

well as for my personal. For this specific project I decided to go in more details on how the

Bronfenbrenners theory plays on this one. According to Bronfenbrenner, as children are

approaching early adulthood, their encounter with various of ecological systems is likely to be

shaped by their cultural differences and the diversity of family settings. The mayor transition is

usually around adolescence and the passage to emerging adulthood that are challenging

processes. I can relate. The micro vs the macro system. The micro looking at from the childs

personal interactions such as with parents, uncles, teachers, etc and the macro system looking at

the whole. The lower intensity of pressures, yet, extremely powerful because of the power over

they can have either negatively or positively in a childs life such as social workers, who can
RUNNING HEAD: Research Topic 4

explore with their clients concerning their feelings associated with their life. While researching

on this topic I was able to link the micro systems with teachers, and mentors and the importance

of having such people in a childs life. I have concluded that a lot of these children are not

exposed to higher education due to the poverty that might be oppressing them at home, and by

that, I mean their parents or primary givers, adults can get overwhelmed with what only

oppresses them at home and work, worrying about who is in a childs life is both very important

yet easy to overlook. It is important to know the individual child and care, as well as to find the

appropriate resources that will help them individually or in their household.

Many low-income families have high expectations and aspiration for their children with

their potential to succeed not only in their academics but in life in general. This is very crucial

because what a lot of families dont know is, that it all starts in their home. Many parents who

cant be there for their children because they must work to provide for them, miss a chunk of the

kids important years of their life. It is of great importance for parents to create and secure

attachment with their children at the appropriate stage of development, so they can further

proceed with their own personal and educational goals. Which brings me to the importance of

embracing biculturalism, which involves two originally distinct cultures in some form of co-

existence, recognizing, fostering and encouraging. The importance of family members bonding

with their kids, whether is a kinship family house to a LGBT family household. Knowing how to

work well with others as well as understand and validate other cultures other than your own is

something that money cant buy. Whether you have suffered through poverty or not these are

privileges that not everyone can have; Such as morals, and personal and professional ethics. This

morals and ethics is what will help an individual achieve their goals and dreams, and what will

make them either strive for success or not.

RUNNING HEAD: Research Topic 5

Throughout my personal experience, I have concluded that money cant always give you

what you need. Regardless of any poverty that children might be experiencing today, it is

important to let them know they are not alone and that there are people who are out there to

support them and encourage them, as well as to help them empower them and advocate for

themselves.