# data[].attributes.body
Task: Identify and describe the impact of factors such as religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, culture, family unit, and economic status on the personal growth and development of children and adolescents.

# data[].attributes.headline
 Identify & Describe the Impact of Factors

# data[].attributes.subject
 Identify & Describe the Impact of Factors

# data[].attributes.body
The factors that impact the personal growth and development of children and adolescents are the following: 1) Physical Environment, 2) Socio-economic Status (SES), 3) Family Dynamics and Relationships, 3) Education, 4) Care, 5) Nutrition and Diet, 6) Cultural and Social Influences, lastly, 7) Psychological Factors. Let’s break it down

# data[].attributes.body
Physical environment: refers to the housing conditions in which a child or adolescent is raised. This includes factors such as household temperature, where extreme heat or cold may affect health, and the presence of dampness, which can lead to mold and bacteria growth (Source). It also involves whether children have sufficient opportunities to spend time outdoors, access fresh air, and engage in physical activity.

Socio-economic Status (SES): refers to an individual’s or family’s economic and social position relative to others, often measured by income, education, and occupation. SES can influence the development of children and adolescents. Limited financial resources may affect access to basic necessities and participation in social activities such as sports or extracurricular programs. As a result, children from lower SES backgrounds may have different developmental experiences compared to their peers from higher SES backgrounds.

Family Dynamics & Relationships: The home environment significantly affects a child's development. Supportive and loving families—those who engage with their children—promote positive cognitive, social, and emotional growth. In contrast, neglectful families may contribute to poor cognitive and emotional skills and defiant behavior in children.

Education & Care: This refers to the education and care provided for children from birth to preschool age. Examples include preschools, day nurseries, and childcare providers. These early education options are designed to support development in social, emotional, physical, and cognitive areas. Children also have opportunities to interact with peers, which can help them prepare for school.

Nutrition & Diet: Getting good nutrition is important for growing children. What also is important during this time is tooth development. Breastfeeding is essential and Important for infants; due to all the important nutrients it provides. When the child starts to eat solid foods, it’s good to eat with your children so they learn good eating habits and try new things. Children eat what their parents eat.

Cultural & Social Influences: Cultural influences refer to various ways parents bring up their children. For instance, parenting styles can vary in terms of physical affection, such as hugging or kissing, as well as communication patterns, which may involve brief exchanges or more frequent and in-depth conversations. Other things include religion, politics, or neighborhoods.

Psychological Factors: Positive and negative experiences significantly influence a child's self-esteem, confidence, and overall development. Parents and caregivers can support this growth by encouraging children to solve problems independently, along with nurturing the child, thereby fostering greater confidence.

Gender: While gender may not initially appear to influence developmental impact, it is an important consideration given differences in puberty between boys and girls. Preferences, tendencies, and behaviors often vary by gender, which can shape developmental experiences and outcomes.

Genetics: This term refers to characteristics passed from parents to children. These characteristics may include height, weight, body type, eye color, hair type or color, and both physical and mental abilities. In addition to visible traits, genetics can involve the inheritance of certain medical conditions or diseases that may be present within a family, such as heart conditions or diabetes.

# data[].attributes.body
Task: Define implicit biases and cultural competence. Reflect on your own implicit biases and how they might affect your teaching.

# data[].attributes.body
Task: Describe why a framework for developing cultural competence should include valuing diversity, conducting ongoing self-assessments, managing differences, willingness to develop cultural knowledge, and ability to adapt to the cultural needs of the community.

# data[].attributes.headline
Define Implicit Biases & Cultural Competence 

# data[].attributes.subject
Define Implicit Biases & Cultural Competence 

# data[].attributes.body
Implicit Bias: Is an unconscious attitude or stereotype that influences our understanding, actions, and decisions without even realizing it.

Cultural Competence: Is the ability to understand, appreciate, and effectively interact with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflection & How it Will Affect Your Teaching

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflection & How it Will Affect Your Teaching

# data[].attributes.body
During kindergarten roundup, I realized an implicit bias in action - I didn't allow my husband to complete paperwork because I assumed his handwriting wouldn't be neat enough. This bias stemmed from the stereotype that women tend to have better handwriting than men. Reflecting on this moment has made me more aware of how such assumptions can influence my expectations in the classroom. As a result, I'm committed to showing grace to all of my students, especially the boys, as they develop their writing skills. I'll remind myself that perfection isn't the goal - if handwriting is legible, it's good enough. What matters most is encouraging effort and growth without judgement.

# data[].attributes.body
A framework for developing cultural competence should include valuing diversity because it helps us understand, communicate and interact well with people in different cultures. If we conduct self-assessments, we can learn more about the culture and be more aware of it, so we aren't assuming. By managing differences so that we aren't getting into arguments, and creating relationships based on our knowledge of cultural competence so that we can answer questions to avoid problems.

# data[].attributes.headline
Applying the Framework in my Classroom. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Applying the Framework in my Classroom. 

# data[].attributes.body
In implementing this approach in my classroom, I would dedicate time to better understanding each student individually in order to be well-informed and ensure both students and parents feel comfortable. Additionally, I plan to promote fairness by treating all students equally and avoiding any appearance of favoritism. Finally, I will collaborate with the class to establish a comprehensive set of rules that apply uniformly to everyone, fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Cultural Competence and How to Develop It?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Develop cultural competency skills to enhance the ability to practice effective communication in intercultural situations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unconscious Bias and Cultural Competence

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Environmental Factors Influence Child Growth and Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The latest thinking is that the world in which a young child grows up shapes the way their brain develops.

# data[].attributes.body
Task: Examine how implicit bias can impact a teacher's perceptions of children and families.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Tiara Smith, Laura Fischer, Jennifer Pham

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Understanding Teacher Bias - Impact of Unconscious Bias | Learning A-Z

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Has your classroom been negatively impacted by teacher bias? If so, you are not alone! Read on to learn more about how to combat it.

# data[].attributes.body
Implicit bias can influence teachers' perceptions of students by leading them to make assumptions about a child's academic potential based on socioeconomic background or cultural differences. For example, a teacher unfamiliar with a student's culture may underestimate the student's ability to succeed in areas aligned with the teacher's own knowledge base. Similarly, teachers may assume that students from low-income families will struggle academically due to perceived lack of resources or opportunities compared to their peers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Bias Impacts Our Relationships with Children and Families - Quality Start Los Angeles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Article Table of Contents Key Terms How Biases and Anti-Bias Efforts Show up in the Early Learning World Doing the Inner Work as Humans and Early Educators Planting the Seed: Begining Anti-Bias Practices for Our Programs This is the first article of our new series in partnership with PEACH: “Using Anti-Bias & Anti-Racist Practices to Support […]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new study finds evidence that teachers’ implicit bias may lead to unequal student outcomes.

# data[].attributes.headline
How Implicit Bias might influence teacher behavior and decision-making

# data[].attributes.subject
How Implicit Bias might influence teacher behavior and decision-making

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children go through many rites of passage that mark their physical development. Toddlers transition from infant car seats to booster seats, elementary kids finally become tall enough to ride the most intense roller coasters, and teenagers outgrow shoes at an astonishing pace. However, measuring a child's emotional and mental progress can be more challenging. As a result, it's helpful for parents and healthcare providers to understand the influences that may cause developmental delays.

What are the factors that influence growth and development? Biology, the environment, relationships, and many other forces shape children. These seen and unseen influences affect identity, personality, physical health, and overall well-being. Explore some of the most significant developmental factors and learn how counselors can help children and teenagers meet milestones.

Defining growth and development

Growth and development may seem like synonyms in most contexts, but they have very different meanings when discussing childhood.

Healthcare professionals use the term 'growth' to refer to physical changes that take place inside humans' bodies from conception to adulthood. Typically, healthy children get taller and gain weight as they age. Other measures of growth include: ¹

Head circumference

Limb proportions

Skeletal maturity

Replacement of primary, or baby, teeth with permanent teeth

By contrast, 'development' refers to the advancement of humans' cognitive and psychomotor abilities. ¹ Counselors and pediatricians use developmental milestones to monitor children's progress in these areas. Examples of standard milestones include: ²

Rolling over by six months

Crawling by nine months

Obeying basic instructions at twelve months

Walking independently by eighteen months

Kicking a ball by age two

Turning the pages in a book independently by age three

Cutting paper with scissors by age four

Counting to 10 by age five

Children who don't meet typical growth and development markers may have conditions that require timely intervention from a specialist. ²

What are the two main factors that influence growth and development?

Humans are complex organisms, making it challenging to determine which factors impact development the most. For instance, a child may refuse to learn to swim due to a traumatic experience, parental fears, self-consciousness of their body, or a combination of these influences. ³

These two significant factors affect all children to varying extents as they age:

1. Genes

Children inherit genes from their parents, and these microscopic DNA strands can have a considerable impact on physical growth. For instance, genes determine approximately 80% of a person's adult height, and environmental factors like nutrition affect the other 20%. ⁴ Also, a 2020 study reveals that genes influence head circumference and childhood intelligence. ⁵

Genes also shape children's physical and mental health. Some infants are born with genetic disorders caused by mutations in their DNA strands. Conditions like Down syndrome, a chromosomal disorder, and spina bifida, a congenital spinal disability, significantly disrupt children's growth and development. ⁶

2. Parenting

Parents or guardians also play a crucial role in children's growth and development. Parenting styles affect children's behavior, cognitive processes, and personalities. For example, positive parenting practices like creating mealtime routines and feeding healthy snacks help children self-regulate their diet and weight. ⁷

Similarly, authoritative parents with clear behavioral rules tend to raise confident and independent children. By contrast, kids raised by uninvolved parents may struggle to regulate their emotions and develop healthy social relationships. ⁸

Other significant factors for growth and development

Many other factors influence growth and development from conception to adulthood, such as:

Socioeconomic influences

Family income and level of education contribute to children's physical and cognitive growth. On average, kids born in families with high socioeconomic statuses grow taller than their lower-status peers. ¹ They're also more likely to engage in physical activity and organized sports, boosting their health and social relationships. ⁹

In addition, socioeconomic factors impact mental well-being. A 2020 meta-analysis of population-based studies detected a link between low socioeconomic status and child psychopathology. Children raised in poverty are more likely to experience challenges like housing instability and traumatic experiences. As a result, they develop mental disorders at higher rates than youth from wealthier families. ¹⁰

Environmental factors

Children grow up surrounded by external influences that impact growth and development in complex ways. Environmental factors include climate, cognitive stimulation, diet, friends, housing conditions, infections, pollution, and stress. ¹¹ Many of these forces, like pollution and weather, can negatively affect developing children. For example, a 2022 study reported that air pollutants affect child neurodevelopment, leading to poor academic performance. ¹²

Peer relationships also shape cognitive development. Children who experience bullying perform worse on cognitive tests, have more behavioral issues, and get lower grades than non-bullied children. ¹³

The role of counselors in children's growth and development

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that around 17% of American children have developmental disabilities or delays. Kids who experience these issues fail to meet one or more developmental milestones on schedule. ¹⁴

Early intervention by counselors and other professionals can get children back on track. For example, counselors can provide behavioral treatment to help kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) regulate impulsive behaviors and stay on task at school. Counselors can also collaborate with schools to develop reward systems for children with ADHD. ¹⁵

Further, counselors can support healthy mental and social development. Interpersonal psychotherapy teaches children and teens strategies to handle relationship conflict, while cognitive behavioral therapy enables children to alter negative thought patterns. Counselors may also provide family counseling to help parents better support their children's development and learn strategies to handle mental conditions. ¹⁶

Enhance your counseling expertise with an online M.S. from Marquette University

Counselors play a pivotal role in supporting healthy growth and development for children and adolescents as well as adults. An online Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Marquette University will help you develop comprehensive expertise. The innovative curriculum prepares you to diagnose, treat, and prevent psychopathology in patients from diverse populations. You'll also sharpen your skills as you participate in clinical training experiences and learn how to advocate for patients. For an exceptional education based in Jesuit values and traditions, speak with a Marquette University Admissions Advisor today to learn more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Factors that influence growth and development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Children go through many rites of passage that mark their physical development. Toddlers transition from infant car seats to booster seats, elementary kids finally become tall enough to ride the most intense roller coasters, and teenagers outgrow shoes at an astonishing pace. However, measuring a...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Alberta Health Services, Healthy Parents Healthy Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Factors That Affect Growth And Development in kids - Smartivity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Smartivity: India's STEAM Toy Brand.The study of maternal role in child growth & development has shown that parents are not required to be gifted psychologists.

# data[].attributes.body
Lee, David. “Child Growth & Development: Environmental Factors.” CPD Online College, 16 Jan. 2025, cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/care/child-growth-and-development/.

Weisner, Tom. “What Is the Most Important Influence on Child Development.” YouTube, YouTube, 15 Aug. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIZ8PkLMMUo.

Dixon, Elmer. “Unconscious Bias and Cultural Competence.” YouTube, YouTube, 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UdOx441IAw.

Windon, Suzanna. “What Is Cultural Competence and How to Develop It?” Penn State Extension, May 2023, extension.psu.edu/what-is-cultural-competence-and-how-to-develop-it.

Smartivity. “Factors That Affect Growth and Development in Kids.” Factors That Affect Growth And Development in Kids, Feb. 2022, www.smartivity.in/blogs/future-makers/10-factors-that-affect-growth-and-development-in-children?srsltid=AfmBOopfPc2t7QmFg8VQYkkJS2H6JIHjNBGOcL6rLUPjLNxvXBPapAS3.

Smith, Tiara, et al. Understanding Teacher Bias - Impact of Unconscious Bias | Learning A-Z, www.learninga-z.com/site/resources/breakroom-blog/understanding-teacher-bias. Accessed 23 July 2025.

Healey,J., Matthew,. Exploring Implicit Bias, July 2020.

https://www.ut.edu/uploadedFiles/Academics/Center_for_Teaching_and_Learning/Calendar%20of%20Events/Implicit%20Bias%20Presentation.pdf

Accessed 23 July 2025.

Stephens, Cindy, et al. “How Bias Impacts Our Relationships with Children and Families.” How Bias Impacts Our Relationships with Children and Families , 25 Sept. 2023, qualitystartla.org/how-bias-impacts-our-relationships-with-children-and-families/#:~:text=Early%20learning%20programs%20calling%20mothers,Class/Formal%20Education%20Bias%20Example:

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/20/08/measuring-implicit-bias-schools