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PUBLIC POLICY, CHILD DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH AND BOYS AT RISK: CHALLENGING, ENDURING AND NECESSARY PARTNERSHIP
Author(s) -
Mckinney Marvin,
Fitzgerald Hiram E.,
Winn DonnaMarie,
Babcock Patrick
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
infant mental health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1097-0355
pISSN - 0163-9641
DOI - 10.1002/imhj.21623
Subject(s) - general partnership , public policy , government (linguistics) , process (computing) , public relations , policy development , political science , policy studies , public administration , quality (philosophy) , law , philosophy , linguistics , epistemology , computer science , operating system
Research findings documenting the issues and challenges of boys prebirth through age 5 years have barely penetrated the arena of public policy making nor has it permeated the public agenda of politicians, government, or other funding stakeholders. The purpose of this article is to articulate pathways for researchers to enter into the policy‐making process. We review critical issues related to implementing the process of public policy. We argue that the policy process needs to be informed by more dynamic theoretical models of human development, and that researchers and clinicians need to be exposed more deeply to the processes required to inform and subsequently change public policy. We contend that most quantitative research on boys at risk occurs at the micro‐ and the mesosystem level rather than at the exo‐ and the macrosystem levels where structural societal policies embedded in economic and racial inequities contribute to risk. Researchers, clinicians, and policy makers need to create collaborative partnerships designed to develop, advocate, and implement more evidence‐based policies designed to enhance the quality of life for boys at risk.