Introduction

Family is a key social institution that shapes identity, socialization, emotional wellbeing, and economic stability. In different societies, family systems are affected by cultural traditions, religious norms, socio-economic structures, and policy frameworks.

Methods

This study uses a qualitative comparative research design based on a systematic review of secondary data. By analyzing the academic literature, national policy documents, and demographic reports, the analysis highlights cross-national trends in family development. The methodology is rooted in structural functionalism, feminist theory, and modernization theories, enabling a multi-layered interpretation of social change. This approach provides a thorough evaluation of how cultural and legislative factors shape evolving household structures, balancing broad statistical trends with detailed sociological insights.

Results

The findings show clear differences between family systems in the United Kingdom and Pakistan, with some areas gradually becoming more similar. The UK mainly features nuclear and diverse family types influenced by individualism and government welfare systems. In contrast, Pakistan still prioritizes extended family living, although middle-class urban families are increasingly adopting nuclear arrangements. Gender equality policies and participation in the workforce have changed traditional gender roles in the UK, encouraging shared caregiving duties. In Pakistan, gender roles remain more traditional and patriarchal, even though women's educational and economic involvement is growing.

Conclusions

Family systems in the UK and Pakistan reflect different historical paths, yet both are changing due to globalization, migration, and economic shifts.

Across multiple jurisdictions, governments are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence tools to predict child neglect, abuse, and family instability. While proponents argue that predictive analytics improves efficiency and protects vulnerable children, critics warn that such systems may reinforce structural inequalities and expand intrusive state surveillance of marginalized families. This paper critically examines the use of AI-driven risk assessment tools in child welfare policy, with particular attention to their implications for family autonomy, privacy, and social justice.

The study adopts a qualitative comparative approach, drawing on secondary data and policy documents from predictive child protection systems in the United States, while situating the analysis within broader debates on family policy and emerging digital governance contexts such as Nigeria. Through document analysis and case-based comparison, it examines how algorithmic risk models are designed, implemented, and integrated into decision-making processes within child welfare institutions.

Findings suggest that AI systems do not operate neutrally; rather, they reproduce existing socio-economic biases embedded in administrative data, particularly those related to poverty, race, and family structure. By categorizing families as “high-risk,” these systems tend to intensify monitoring of already disadvantaged communities, while diverting attention from structural drivers of vulnerability such as unemployment, housing insecurity, and weak social protection systems.

The paper addresses three central questions: (1) Does predictive AI enhance child welfare outcomes, or does it expand punitive surveillance under the guise of protection? (2) How does algorithmic risk scoring reshape the relationship between families and the state? (3) To what extent can regulatory frameworks mitigate discriminatory outcomes without constraining innovation?

By bridging family studies, public policy, and digital governance, this paper challenges the assumption that technological efficiency equates to ethical legitimacy. It concludes that the future of family policy will depend on how societies balance child protection objectives with data governance standards and the preservation of fundamental family rights, particularly in emerging policy environments such as Nigeria.

Illegal alien migration has been debated in both legal and economic contexts, but the daily psychological and social impacts of life without safe status is rarely studied, especially among Pakistani labor migrants in Southern Europe. This qualitative research design examines the sense-making process of undocumented Pakistani migrants in Bari, Italy, to determine how undocumented migrants experience mental health strain and social dislocation in the context of chronic legal uncertainty. There were a total of 25 participants in the semi-structured interviews, which were in-depth and took place in Urdu and Punjabi. Transcripts of the audio tape were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, which was informed by the perspectives of trauma, acculturation stress, minority stress, and social capital. There were four themes that were inter-related. To start with, the participants recounted the trauma and continuing insecurity associated with dangerous travels; fear of law enforcement, detention, or deportation; and the prolonged inability to ascertain the future. Second, a significant proportion of those who reported psychological distress and anxiety experienced identity disruption, despondency, loneliness, sleep disturbance, and perceived loss of dignity and cherished social roles. Third, irregular status predetermined material and relational hardship with the help of precarious labor and exploitation, racism, and lack of linguistic acquisition, medical care, and social benefits. Lastly, resilience and coping based on religious faith, transnational family and co-ethnic networks and support of local organizations were also noted among the participants. In general, the results indicate that irregular legal status is encountered as an enduring structuring stressor that increases vulnerability but also defines the shapes of the coping options that can be made available. This work highlights the necessity of trauma-affected, culturally responsive services; enhanced language and integration resources; and policies that enhance legal ambiguity and offer more avenues to social inclusion.

Technological changes have led to a new work and life integration dynamic due to the emergence of telework. This paper critically evaluates how telework has affected the work–life balance and well-being of employees with reference to supportive team communication. Using the Social Exchange Theory and Boundary Theory, this study examines how remote work affects the capacity of employees to achieve work and family balance and consequently the outcome of life satisfaction. Based on a sample size of 300 IT industry employees in Pakistan, the research design is cross-sectional and quantitative. The structured, self-administered online survey was used as the approach to gather data on the basis of a convenience sampling method. In a bid to promote methodological rigor, SPSS Macros Process by Hayes was used to test the mediation and moderation models.

The results indicate the presence of a strong positive correlation between telework and work–life balance, and they result in an improved life satisfaction. Moreover, the beneficial effect of telework on life satisfaction is greatly moderated by supportive team communication, emphasizing the role of organizational support in teleworking. This is an indication that the well-being of employees is enhanced by telework when there is good team support. This paper also focuses on the intermediary role of work–life balance in the telework–life satisfaction relationship, which highlights the value of promoting favorable work environments. The research can contribute to the discussion of work–life integration, as well as provide work implications to organizations, by implementing policies that lead to improved communication among the team that can optimally benefit telework in terms of employee well-being and performance.

Abstract

Social services in Bulgaria are increasingly oriented toward a family-centered and multidisciplinary approach. In this context, the role of clarity—defined as clarity of professional duties and responsibilities—is a key organizational prerequisite for effective collaboration within teams, providing support to service users and their families.

This study aims to examine the level of clarity of professional responsibilities among specialists in multidisciplinary teams, according to their job position and target groups.

Materials and Methods

An online survey was conducted among 316 professionals from social services and Regional Directorates of the Social Assistance Agency in Central and Southeastern Bulgaria, in accordance with the principles of voluntariness and confidentiality. The questionnaire addressed the clarity of roles, alignment between education and job duties, and preferred forms of additional training. Participants included social workers, psychologists, educators, therapists, nurses, and other specialists working with various user groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and ANOVA. Associations between categorical variables were examined through cross-tabulations in SPSS.

Results

Most participants (97%) report high role clarity, but distortions may arise from the self-assessment nature of the data and differing understandings of “clarity.” Simultaneously, a weak but statistically significant negative relationship exists between the need for training and the subjective clarity of responsibilities (r = -0.238, p < 0.05), as well as between intentions to change jobs and clarity of responsibility (r = -0.216, p < 0.05). A statistically significant effect of the need for training (F = 15.36, p < 0.05) and the intention to change jobs (F = 5.39, p < 0.05) on the subjective clarity of responsibilities was also found. These results indicate that, despite the high reported level of clarity, factors emphasize the importance of professional development to improve service quality.

Conclusion

Clarity of roles is an important prerequisite for the effective distribution of tasks in multidisciplinary teams. This study shows a practical need to improve the qualifications of employees, which contributes to effective and high-quality support for service users and their families.

Introduction:
Health is a fundamental social good and a key pillar of social cohesion and sustainable development. In Greece, successive crises—particularly the prolonged economic recession and the COVID-19 have exposed and intensified longstanding structural weaknesses in the public healthcare system. Fiscal constraints, understaffing, and increased demand for services have placed significant pressure on public provision. Within this environment, informal payments, widely known as “fakelaki,” remain an entrenched form of corruption. This practice undermines equitable access to healthcare, disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, and reinforces social inequalities. It also erodes trust in public institutions and weakens confidence in the state’s capacity to ensure fairness and transparency. The present study explores patient perceptions of informal payments and examines the broader socio-institutional factors that contribute to the persistence of this phenomenon.

Methods:
The study draws on primary survey data collected between March and May 2023 from 2,072 participants selected through a screening sampling method. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric inferential analyses were conducted to assess preferences between public and private healthcare providers, perceptions of deficiencies in public healthcare services, attitudes toward informal payments, and levels of trust in public institutions. The analysis further sought to identify relationships between healthcare choices, financial pressures, perceived service quality.

Results:
Findings indicate an almost equal preference for public and private providers. However, a shift toward private services is linked to perceived inefficiencies in the public sector, including long waiting times, bureaucratic barriers, understaffing, and limited access to specialized care. Although most respondents morally oppose “fakelaki,” a notable minority express willingness to offer informal payments to secure faster or better-quality treatment. Several participants justify such payments as supplementary income for underpaid medical staff.

Conclusions:
Informal payments reflect systemic inefficiencies and low institutional trust. Addressing the issue requires transparency, accountability, and comprehensive reforms to strengthen equity and restore public confidence in healthcare provision.

Introduction

Social–emotional learning (SEL) begins long before formal schooling and develops through children’s dynamic exchanges with caregivers and their social contexts. However, less attention has been given to how caregivers support children’s emerging SEL through play in informal community learning environments and how they understand their role in that process.

Methods

Guided by a relational developmental systems perspective and contemporary SEL frameworks, this qualitative study addresses this need by collecting data through structured naturalistic observations and semi-structured interviews with 32 caregiver–child dyads during visits to a children’s museum in a large southern U.S. city. Observation and interview data were coded and analyzed thematically.

Results

Three themes were identified. First, caregivers frequently engaged in emotion coaching and co-regulation during play, acting as emotional supports and secure relational bases as children navigated challenges, frustration, and excitement. Second, museum exhibits functioned as social practice sites where caregivers scaffolded children’s participation in peer interactions, including sharing, turn-taking, and collaborative play. Third, and notably, interviews revealed that caregivers seldom identified these moments as SEL opportunities, leaving untapped potential for more intentional SEL support.

Conclusion

This study contributes to informal learning and early childhood social–emotional development research by revealing the alignment and disconnect between caregivers’ practices and their understanding of SEL. Findings suggest that museum exhibit design and family engagement initiatives can more intentionally activate caregivers as facilitators of children’s social–emotional learning during everyday informal play.

The rapid expansion of digital technologies has created new opportunities for young people to generate income. Many youths now rely on digital platforms, freelance tools, and online services as alternative means of earning a living. However, growing evidence suggests that exposure to digital income tools may also create pathways into cybercrime. This study investigates how legitimate digital hustle gradually transitions into cyber-related crimes among youths in Lagos State, Nigeria. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from 275 respondents selected from three local government areas in Lagos State using a multistage sampling technique. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data, and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The study reveals three major findings. First, exposure to digital income tools significantly increases youths’ technical confidence and knowledge of digital systems. Second, persistent income pressure encourages the shift from legitimate digital activities to illegitimate cyber practices such as account hacking and online fraud. Third, peer learning networks within digital communities accelerate the transition from online hustle to cybercrime participation. The study concludes that cybercrime among youths is not simply a criminal choice but often an unintended outcome of economic survival strategies in digitally mediated environments. The study recommends youth-focused digital entrepreneurship programs, ethical technology training, and stronger cyber awareness initiatives to redirect youth digital skills toward legitimate economic opportunities.

Introduction:

Brunei Darussalam has undergone a rapid demographic and epidemiological transition characterised by declining fertility, increased life expectancy, and a shift from infectious diseases to chronic non-communicable conditions. While these transitions are often examined through macro-level demographic and health indicators, their implications for family systems and intergenerational support structures remain less frequently explored. This study examines how these transitions impact family support systems in Brunei, drawing on a demographic transition and intergenerational support framework situated within the welfare diamond to examine shifts in the roles of family, state, market and community in caregiving.

Methods:

This study draws on secondary analysis and synthesis of national census data, mortality trends, population projections and local studies from Brunei to examine changes in demographic structure and disease patterns. The analysis focuses on their implications for family support and caregiving arrangements, and intergenerational dynamics within households.

Results:

The analysis highlights several intersecting dynamics affecting families. Sustained low fertility and shrinking household size reduce the number of adult children available to support ageing parents, contributing to a rising old-age dependency ratio. Increased longevity, combined with a growing burden of chronic disease extends the duration and complexity of caregiving, particularly for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia. Gendered patterns of widowhood and increased female workforce participation reshape traditional caregiving expectations within households. The presence of a large temporary migrant workforce further produces a demographic duality in which the overall population appears demographically younger, while citizen families age more rapidly.

Conclusions:

These demographic and epidemiological changes are transforming family roles, intergenerational reciprocity, and caregiving arrangements in Brunei. By integrating local demographic and epidemiological data with a family-centred analytic lens, this study highlights pressures on the family as the primary care provider within the welfare diamond. As families become smaller and chronic illness more prevalent, the sustainability of family-based care systems warrants further scrutiny. The experience of Brunei illustrates how rapid transitions can reshape family support structures in small, rapidly modernising societies, offering insights for other ageing populations undergoing similar social and demographic change.

Introduction: The portrayal of police force in news media shapes public perceptions of legitimacy and influences policy debates. Yet existing computational measures focus on sentiment or event categories, leaving a critical dimension unmeasured: the linguistic intensity of force with which police actions are described. This study introduces a "gravity of policing" framework—a continuous measure of how forcefully police action is represented in journalistic text, independent of crime seriousness or narrative stance.
Methods: We adapt valence–arousal–dominance (VAD) lexicons to construct a policing-specific gravity lexicon, weighting verbs and adjectives by dominance (power/control) and arousal (activation). A minimally supervised pipeline identifies police-focused sentences and computes article-level gravity profiles including mean, maximum, and proportion of tokens in low, medium, and high gravity bands. Eight benchmark incident types (petty arrest, protest policing, terror alert, terror incident, robbery, arson, attempted murder/murder, manslaughter) anchor interpretation, enabling the translation of raw scores into relatable narratives. Validation will employ human-coder ratings and large language model assessments on diverse English-language news corpora to establish convergent validity and distinguish gravity from generic sentiment.
Results: We present a measurement framework and algorithmic approach currently under development. We describe the lexicon construction process, feature extraction pipeline, and benchmarking strategy. Preliminary illustrations using example articles demonstrate how the method distinguishes between low-gravity ("police asked demonstrators to leave") and high-gravity ("police stormed the building and fired") portrayals of police action. Full validation results will be reported in subsequent work.
Conclusions: The gravity framework offers a theoretically grounded, transparent metric for policing-media analysis. It captures a force-intensity dimension orthogonal to sentiment, enables cross-context comparison, and provides an open-source tool for studying how police force is linguistically portrayed across diverse media settings. This advances computational social science by operationalizing a previously unmeasured framing dimension with broad applicability to research on policing, media effects, and institutional legitimacy.