Many children in the United States are growing up in homes with a non-English primary spoken language. Because students must learn and perform in English-language classrooms, understanding early factors and processes involved in developing English vocabulary is critical. With a longitudinal panel model, we examined the prediction of fifth-grade English vocabulary skills from both extrinsic (i.e., mothers’ warmth/responsive parenting) and intrinsic (i.e., self-regulation, Spanish vocabulary skills) factors, controlling for children’s sex, families’ socioeconomic status, and mothers’ English language proficiency among a Spanish-speaking subset of participants (N = 446) in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project national dataset. Maternal warmth/responsivity assessed during infancy was positively associated with children’s self-regulation in toddlerhood. In turn, self-regulation was positively related to Spanish vocabulary in preschool, which positively predicted fifth-grade English vocabulary skills. Findings indicate that children’s own heritage language and emotionally supportive parenting practices benefit English vocabulary development, through children’s self-regulation skills, in low-income Spanish-speaking emerging bilingual children.
{"title":"The roles of early maternal parenting practices and children’s regulation in predicting English vocabulary in Spanish-speaking emerging bilingual children","authors":"Jamie Theresa Lopez , Tracy L. Spinrad , Jodi Swanson, Lillian Ramirez Vasquez","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many children in the United States are growing up in homes with a non-English primary spoken language. Because students must learn and perform in English-language classrooms, understanding early factors and processes involved in developing English vocabulary is critical. With a longitudinal panel model, we examined the prediction of fifth-grade English vocabulary skills from both extrinsic (i.e., mothers’ warmth/responsive parenting) and intrinsic (i.e., self-regulation, Spanish vocabulary skills) factors, controlling for children’s sex, families’ socioeconomic status, and mothers’ English language proficiency among a Spanish-speaking subset of participants (<em>N</em> = 446) in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project national dataset. Maternal warmth/responsivity assessed during infancy was positively associated with children’s self-regulation in toddlerhood. In turn, self-regulation was positively related to Spanish vocabulary in preschool, which positively predicted fifth-grade English vocabulary skills. Findings indicate that children’s own heritage language and emotionally supportive parenting practices benefit English vocabulary development, through children’s self-regulation skills, in low-income Spanish-speaking emerging bilingual children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 49-58"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.009
Karen De Keersmaeker , Patrick Onghena , Kris Van den Branden , Wim Van Dooren
Already in the early grades of primary school children develop notions of advanced mathematical concepts such as patterning, proportional reasoning, and probabilistic reasoning. However, there are large differences among children. We examined to which extent these differences could be explained by children’s general language abilities, mathematical language abilities, and their home environment (i.e., maternal education level and home language). Data were collected in 717 first, second, and third graders who all engaged in a general language task, an advanced mathematical language task (addressing the mathematical language present in the domains of patterning, proportionality, and probability), and an advanced mathematical abilities task (addressing their reasoning in these domains). Path analysis revealed that both general language and advanced mathematical language abilities contributed to children’s advanced mathematical abilities, although advanced mathematical language abilities were more impactful than general language abilities. Children’s advanced mathematical language abilities partly mediated the relationship between general language abilities and advanced mathematical abilities. Advanced mathematical language abilities were in turn influenced by maternal education level and general language abilities. More precisely, children with more highly educated mothers and children with better general language abilities tend to have a better understanding of advanced mathematical language. Children who only spoke the instructional language at home did not perform better on the advanced mathematical language task than children with a different home language.
{"title":"The pathway to advanced mathematical understanding: The contribution of general and mathematical language and the home environment","authors":"Karen De Keersmaeker , Patrick Onghena , Kris Van den Branden , Wim Van Dooren","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Already in the early grades of primary school children develop notions of advanced mathematical concepts such as patterning, proportional reasoning, and probabilistic reasoning. However, there are large differences among children. We examined to which extent these differences could be explained by children’s general language abilities, mathematical language abilities, and their home environment (i.e., maternal education level and home language). Data were collected in 717 first, second, and third graders who all engaged in a general language task, an advanced mathematical language task (addressing the mathematical language present in the domains of patterning, proportionality, and probability), and an advanced mathematical abilities task (addressing their reasoning in these domains). Path analysis revealed that both general language and advanced mathematical language abilities contributed to children’s advanced mathematical abilities, although advanced mathematical language abilities were more impactful than general language abilities. Children’s advanced mathematical language abilities partly mediated the relationship between general language abilities and advanced mathematical abilities. Advanced mathematical language abilities were in turn influenced by maternal education level and general language abilities. More precisely, children with more highly educated mothers and children with better general language abilities tend to have a better understanding of advanced mathematical language. Children who only spoke the instructional language at home did not perform better on the advanced mathematical language task than children with a different home language.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 191-204"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144772199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.06.002
Xiujie Yang , Liushuang Zhang , Kaichun Liu , Yuehan Hong
The present study conducted a longitudinal examination of the bidirectional relationships between phonological processing skills (namely, phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid automatized naming (RAN)) and Chinese word reading abilities in kindergarten children. Phonological awareness, phonological memory, RAN, and Chinese word reading were assessed three times over a one-year period in a sample of 118 Chinese kindergarten children. Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that RAN consistently predicted subsequent Chinese word reading, while Chinese word reading consistently accounted for a significant amount of variance in subsequent phonological awareness. Furthermore, a bidirectional cross-lagged relationship was observed between phonological awareness and phonological memory. These findings underscore the reciprocal influences of phonological awareness, RAN, and Chinese word reading during the early stages of reading acquisition, particularly in the initial phases of reading development among young children, emphasizing the importance of addressing and nurturing phonological awareness, RAN skills, and Chinese word reading proficiency in order to facilitate successful reading acquisition.
{"title":"Reciprocal effects between phonological processing skills and Chinese word reading in kindergarten children: A longitudinal cross-lagged study","authors":"Xiujie Yang , Liushuang Zhang , Kaichun Liu , Yuehan Hong","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study conducted a longitudinal examination of the bidirectional relationships between phonological processing skills (namely, phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid automatized naming (RAN)) and Chinese word reading abilities in kindergarten children. Phonological awareness, phonological memory, RAN, and Chinese word reading were assessed three times over a one-year period in a sample of 118 Chinese kindergarten children. Cross-lagged panel analysis revealed that RAN consistently predicted subsequent Chinese word reading, while Chinese word reading consistently accounted for a significant amount of variance in subsequent phonological awareness. Furthermore, a bidirectional cross-lagged relationship was observed between phonological awareness and phonological memory. These findings underscore the reciprocal influences of phonological awareness, RAN, and Chinese word reading during the early stages of reading acquisition, particularly in the initial phases of reading development among young children, emphasizing the importance of addressing and nurturing phonological awareness, RAN skills, and Chinese word reading proficiency in order to facilitate successful reading acquisition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 59-68"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321297","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study aimed to develop and test a novel anti-racism program for White preschool-aged children: the GoKAR! (Kids Against Racism) Program. While there is an extensive literature focused on the presence and development of children’s racial attitudes, few studies have focused on explicit anti-racism programs for 4- and 5-year-olds. To address this gap, 114 child-caregiver dyads from across the United States were randomly assigned to either treatment (GoKAR! Program) or waitlist-control conditions. Caregivers implemented the GoKAR! Program at home over four weeks. This proof-of-concept pilot study evaluated the impact and implementation of the program. Results indicated no significant difference in racial bias among program participants; however, children in the treatment condition exhibited greater understanding of key terms and concepts about racism at posttest, compared to those in the control condition. Family context variables did not significantly predict baseline racial bias, but having a Black person in the family’s social network was found to be a significant predictor of change in racial bias for children participating in the program. Overall, families reported high levels of engagement and satisfaction with the GoKAR! Program. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impacts and potential modifications to increase the program’s effectiveness in targeting racial attitudes.
{"title":"A pilot study of the impact and implementation of an anti-racism program for preschoolers","authors":"Huriya Jabbar , Jessica R. Toste , Kathrynn Pounders , Beth Feuer","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to develop and test a novel anti-racism program for White preschool-aged children: the GoKAR! (Kids Against Racism) Program. While there is an extensive literature focused on the presence and development of children’s racial attitudes, few studies have focused on explicit anti-racism programs for 4- and 5-year-olds. To address this gap, 114 child-caregiver dyads from across the United States were randomly assigned to either treatment (GoKAR! Program) or waitlist-control conditions. Caregivers implemented the GoKAR! Program at home over four weeks. This proof-of-concept pilot study evaluated the impact and implementation of the program. Results indicated no significant difference in racial bias among program participants; however, children in the treatment condition exhibited greater understanding of key terms and concepts about racism at posttest, compared to those in the control condition. Family context variables did not significantly predict baseline racial bias, but having a Black person in the family’s social network was found to be a significant predictor of change in racial bias for children participating in the program. Overall, families reported high levels of engagement and satisfaction with the GoKAR! Program. Further research is needed to explore the long-term impacts and potential modifications to increase the program’s effectiveness in targeting racial attitudes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 180-190"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144763633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Starting in 2021/2022, Canada implemented a new early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy, the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC). CWELCC aims to reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10CA/day. However, prior implementation of similar policies resulted in differential outcomes in terms of benefits received. The current mixed methods study examined 1341 parents’ knowledge and experiences with CWELCC. A total of 72.18 % of parents had heard about CWELCC, with the majority reporting information regarding reduction in cost. Benefits parents reported were largely around cost (41.98 %), while challenges were largely around access to full-time care (41.76 %). The most reported concerns were access and affordability. Concerns regarding affordability were related to increased anxiety (b = 0.40, SE = 0.13), whereas concerns about access and inclusion were related to depression (b = 0.35, SE = 0.16). Binary logistic regressions found differential knowledge and experiences with CWELCC based on family characteristics. For example, older parents and parents with higher income were less likely to have heard about CWELCC (OR = 1.07–1.19, 95 % CI [1.04–1.09, 1.10–1.30]). Employed parents were more likely to experience various benefits (OR = 1.69–2.14, 95 % CI [1.21–1.59, 2.39–2.75]). Differences were also found on knowledge, benefits, challenges, and concerns based on province, population density, and children’s characteristics. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.
{"title":"“It is almost impossible to get a spot when you need it”: Understanding parental knowledge and experiences of Canada’s new child care policy promoting access to quality early childhood education and care","authors":"Samantha Burns , Esther Yu , Jesseca Perlman , Kashish Kahlon , Michal Perlman","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Starting in 2021/2022, Canada implemented a new early childhood education and care (ECEC) policy, the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC). CWELCC aims to reduce the cost of child care to an average of $10CA/day. However, prior implementation of similar policies resulted in differential outcomes in terms of benefits received. The current mixed methods study examined 1341 parents’ knowledge and experiences with CWELCC. A total of 72.18 % of parents had heard about CWELCC, with the majority reporting information regarding reduction in cost. Benefits parents reported were largely around cost (41.98 %), while challenges were largely around access to full-time care (41.76 %). The most reported concerns were access and affordability. Concerns regarding affordability were related to increased anxiety (<em>b</em> = 0.40, <em>SE</em> = 0.13), whereas concerns about access and inclusion were related to depression (<em>b</em> = 0.35, SE = 0.16). Binary logistic regressions found differential knowledge and experiences with CWELCC based on family characteristics. For example, older parents and parents with higher income were less likely to have heard about CWELCC (<em>OR</em> = 1.07–1.19, 95 % <em>CI</em> [1.04–1.09, 1.10–1.30]). Employed parents were more likely to experience various benefits (<em>OR</em> = 1.69–2.14, 95 % <em>CI</em> [1.21–1.59, 2.39–2.75]). Differences were also found on knowledge, benefits, challenges, and concerns based on province, population density, and children’s characteristics. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 69-81"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470785","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-07-25DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.004
Wen Wang , Claire D. Vallotton , Ryan P. Bowles
This study examined how family processes related to the development of young children’s mastery motivation—specifically, their persistence in challenging tasks—vary across racial/ethnic groups in low-income families. We hypothesized that cumulative family hardships and subsequent parental distress would predict parents’ socializing behaviors (that is, autonomy supportiveness, cognitive stimulation, and intrusiveness) and, in turn, influence children’s mastery persistence. The sample was derived from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Study (N = 1,558, 51 % boys, 41 % White, 33 % Black, and 26 % Hispanic). Family circumstances were gathered at baseline, parental distress was interviewed at 24 months, and children’s persistence and parents’ socializing behaviors during challenging tasks were observed at 36 months. Results showed that, with the overall sample, the relation between cumulative family hardships and young children’s persistence was mediated through parental distress and observed parents’ cognitive stimulation. Both similarities and variations of the family process were found among the three racial/ethnic groups. Specifically, the mediating role of parental distress was identified only in Black families, but not in White or Hispanic families. Additionally, parental intrusiveness was related to low levels of child persistence only in White families, not in the other two racial/ethnic groups. The mediating roles of parents' autonomy supportiveness and cognitive stimulation were consistent across three groups. These results shed light on the importance of focusing on parents’ positive behaviors, especially cognitive stimulation, and highlighted the necessity of culturally responsive programs to help families foster their young children’s persistence in challenging tasks.
{"title":"Family processes of socializing young children’s persistence in challenging tasks among racial/ethnic diverse low-income families","authors":"Wen Wang , Claire D. Vallotton , Ryan P. Bowles","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined how family processes related to the development of young children’s mastery motivation—specifically, their persistence in challenging tasks—vary across racial/ethnic groups in low-income families. We hypothesized that cumulative family hardships and subsequent parental distress would predict parents’ socializing behaviors (that is, autonomy supportiveness, cognitive stimulation, and intrusiveness) and, in turn, influence children’s mastery persistence. The sample was derived from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Study (<em>N</em> = 1,558, 51 % boys, 41 % White, 33 % Black, and 26 % Hispanic). Family circumstances were gathered at baseline, parental distress was interviewed at 24 months, and children’s persistence and parents’ socializing behaviors during challenging tasks were observed at 36 months. Results showed that, with the overall sample, the relation between cumulative family hardships and young children’s persistence was mediated through parental distress and observed parents’ cognitive stimulation. Both similarities and variations of the family process were found among the three racial/ethnic groups. Specifically, the mediating role of parental distress was identified only in Black families, but not in White or Hispanic families. Additionally, parental intrusiveness was related to low levels of child persistence only in White families, not in the other two racial/ethnic groups. The mediating roles of parents' autonomy supportiveness and cognitive stimulation were consistent across three groups. These results shed light on the importance of focusing on parents’ positive behaviors, especially cognitive stimulation, and highlighted the necessity of culturally responsive programs to help families foster their young children’s persistence in challenging tasks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 148-157"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.006
Jacqueline Maloney PhD , Eva Oberle PhD , Barbara Weber PhD , Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl PhD
We examined the utility of two commonly employed measures of executive functions (EFs) to aid early childhood educational researchers in their choice of EF measures and interpretation of results: The Head, Toes, Knees, Shoulders Extended Task (HTKS-E) and the Brief Inventory of Executive Functions – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). To do so, we examined convergent validity of the two measures, differences in age and gender, and relations to other important classroom variables, such as social and emotional competencies and quality of relationships between kindergarteners and their teachers. We also investigated between-group differences in classroom behaviors and relationships of children who met the clinical cutoff on the BRIEF-P screener of EF dysfunction and those who did not. Both measures of EFs were significantly related to social and emotional competencies and teacher-student relationship quality. We found evidence that EFs are differentiated in kindergarten children and that individual dimensions of EFs are related to different aspects of student classroom behaviors and experiences. Boys were more likely to meet the clinical cutoff on the BRIEF-P; students in this group demonstrated significantly lower scores on the HTKS-E, lower social and emotional competencies, and less closeness with teachers. They also experienced significantly greater aggressive and dysregulated behavior in the classroom and more conflict with teachers. Whereas the HTKS-E was better able to differentiate among children with higher EF proficiency, the BRIEF-P was better able to identify children who may need extra support in the classroom.
{"title":"Measuring executive functions in context: Self-regulating behavior in the kindergarten classroom","authors":"Jacqueline Maloney PhD , Eva Oberle PhD , Barbara Weber PhD , Kimberly A. Schonert-Reichl PhD","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We examined the utility of two commonly employed measures of executive functions (EFs) to aid early childhood educational researchers in their choice of EF measures and interpretation of results: The Head, Toes, Knees, Shoulders Extended Task (HTKS-E) and the Brief Inventory of Executive Functions – Preschool Version (BRIEF-P). To do so, we examined convergent validity of the two measures, differences in age and gender, and relations to other important classroom variables, such as social and emotional competencies and quality of relationships between kindergarteners and their teachers. We also investigated between-group differences in classroom behaviors and relationships of children who met the clinical cutoff on the BRIEF-P screener of EF dysfunction and those who did not. Both measures of EFs were significantly related to social and emotional competencies and teacher-student relationship quality. We found evidence that EFs are differentiated in kindergarten children and that individual dimensions of EFs are related to different aspects of student classroom behaviors and experiences. Boys were more likely to meet the clinical cutoff on the BRIEF-P; students in this group demonstrated significantly lower scores on the HTKS-E, lower social and emotional competencies, and less closeness with teachers. They also experienced significantly greater aggressive and dysregulated behavior in the classroom and more conflict with teachers. Whereas the HTKS-E was better able to differentiate among children with higher EF proficiency, the BRIEF-P was better able to identify children who may need extra support in the classroom.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 170-179"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144750792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-25DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.06.003
Emily M. Glatt , Darcey M. Allan , W. John Monopoli
Peer relationships are imperative for healthy social and emotional development. In preschool, children are exposed to a new, structured environment, in which there is a sharp learning curve to adjust to unfamiliar expectations. Children with inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I) may have limited social awareness and exhibit disruptive behaviors that lead to peer rejection. Beyond IA and H/I, additional factors may contribute to peer rejection. Conduct problems (e.g., defiance, aggression) and limited prosocial behavior (e.g., sharing, helping) are two social behaviors that are related to peer rejection and are typically observed in children with increased levels of IA and H/I. This study examined the degree to which conduct problems and prosocial behavior account for the link between IA, H/I, and peer rejection in a community sample of preschoolers. Data from 131 preschool children (91.6 % White, 45.8 % Female) who participated in a screening project were analyzed. Indirect effect pathways were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) in MPlus. Results indicated that when conduct problems and prosocial behavior were included in each model, the direct effect of IA and H/I on peer rejection was no longer significant. Findings suggest that IA and H/I may not be the behaviors that are disrupting a preschooler’s social standing. Findings emphasize the influence preschoolers’ behaviors have on their social status, underscoring the relevance of early childhood when attempting to understand social developmental trajectories. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify temporal ordering and strengthen the basis for causal inference.
{"title":"Understanding inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and peer rejection in preschool: The potential role of conduct problems and prosocial behavior","authors":"Emily M. Glatt , Darcey M. Allan , W. John Monopoli","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.06.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.06.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Peer relationships are imperative for healthy social and emotional development. In preschool, children are exposed to a new, structured environment, in which there is a sharp learning curve to adjust to unfamiliar expectations. Children with inattention (IA) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I) may have limited social awareness and exhibit disruptive behaviors that lead to peer rejection. Beyond IA and H/I, additional factors may contribute to peer rejection. Conduct problems (e.g., defiance, aggression) and limited prosocial behavior (e.g., sharing, helping) are two social behaviors that are related to peer rejection and are typically observed in children with increased levels of IA and H/I. This study examined the degree to which conduct problems and prosocial behavior account for the link between IA, H/I, and peer rejection in a community sample of preschoolers. Data from 131 preschool children (91.6 % White, 45.8 % Female) who participated in a screening project were analyzed. Indirect effect pathways were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM) in MPlus. Results indicated that when conduct problems and prosocial behavior were included in each model, the direct effect of IA and H/I on peer rejection was no longer significant. Findings suggest that IA and H/I may not be the behaviors that are disrupting a preschooler’s social standing. Findings emphasize the influence preschoolers’ behaviors have on their social status, underscoring the relevance of early childhood when attempting to understand social developmental trajectories. Future longitudinal studies are needed to clarify temporal ordering and strengthen the basis for causal inference.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 82-91"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144470786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.002
Claire D. Vallotton , HyeonJin Yoon , Holly E. Brophy-Herb , Lisa Knoche , Jayden Nord , Ann M. Stacks
Professional development is a necessary support for both teachers’ well-being, and high-quality teacher-child interactions, which are the central mediators of the effects of early care and education on children’s development. Among teachers of older children, effective professional preparation is associated with lower work-related stress and higher classroom quality, but these associations have not been established for infant/toddler teachers generally, nor Early Head Start teachers specifically. Further, professional development opportunities for infant/toddler teachers are typically provided unsystematically, and little is known about what teachers experience, what is most helpful, and how it is associated with their work-related stress and quality teaching. The current study examines the content, format, and helpfulness of professional development experiences for 457 Early Head Start (EHS) teachers in four regions of the United States to describe the variation in professional development and to test how professional development experiences are associated with job stress and the quality of teacher-child interaction. Results indicate that most trainings were provided as one-time workshops, followed by multi-session workshops, and training rarely involved coaching or mentoring. Teachers reported most trainings to be helpful, regardless of content or format, yet most content was not associated with lower stress or teacher-child interactions. Only the helpfulness of training with content related to teacher-child interactions was associated with lower job stress and higher job satisfaction. Teachers’ perceptions of the helpfulness of these trainings were associated with lower teacher-child interaction quality, while attending a training on guidance and discipline was related to higher teacher-child interaction quality. These results call for a far more systematic approach to the preparation and ongoing support of the infant/toddler workforce, including EHS teachers, with training on child guidance as foundational content.
{"title":"How are Early Head Start teachers’ professional development experiences associated with their work-related stress and qualities of teacher-child interactions?","authors":"Claire D. Vallotton , HyeonJin Yoon , Holly E. Brophy-Herb , Lisa Knoche , Jayden Nord , Ann M. Stacks","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Professional development is a necessary support for both teachers’ well-being, and high-quality teacher-child interactions, which are the central mediators of the effects of early care and education on children’s development. Among teachers of older children, effective professional preparation is associated with lower work-related stress and higher classroom quality, but these associations have not been established for infant/toddler teachers generally, nor Early Head Start teachers specifically. Further, professional development opportunities for infant/toddler teachers are typically provided unsystematically, and little is known about what teachers experience, what is most helpful, and how it is associated with their work-related stress and quality teaching. The current study examines the content, format, and helpfulness of professional development experiences for 457 Early Head Start (EHS) teachers in four regions of the United States to describe the variation in professional development and to test how professional development experiences are associated with job stress and the quality of teacher-child interaction. Results indicate that most trainings were provided as one-time workshops, followed by multi-session workshops, and training rarely involved coaching or mentoring. Teachers reported most trainings to be helpful, regardless of content or format, yet most content was not associated with lower stress or teacher-child interactions. Only the helpfulness of training with content related to teacher-child interactions was associated with lower job stress and higher job satisfaction. Teachers’ perceptions of the helpfulness of these trainings were associated with lower teacher-child interaction quality, while attending a training on guidance and discipline was related to higher teacher-child interaction quality. These results call for a far more systematic approach to the preparation and ongoing support of the infant/toddler workforce, including EHS teachers, with training on child guidance as foundational content.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 14-26"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144222481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-01Epub Date: 2025-06-10DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.003
Eric D. Hand , Christopher J. Lonigan
Inhibitory processes have been consistently linked to children’s academic and behavioral outcomes. Researchers have argued that response inhibition (i.e., the ability to suppress a prepotent response) and interference suppression (i.e., the ability to ignore task-irrelevant information) represent two distinct constructs in preschool-age children and may be differentially related to children’s academic and behavioral outcomes. However, due to issues with study design, the structure of inhibitory processes and their specific relations to academic and behavioral outcomes remains unclear. The goals of this study were to determine the structure of inhibitory processes with preschool-age children using tasks counterbalanced by measurement method (i.e., computerized vs. non-computerized) and to examine their relations to children’s early academic and behavioral outcomes. In this study, 167 preschool-age children were assessed on measures of response inhibition, interference suppression, and early academic skills (i.e., phonological awareness and early math). Teachers of participating children completed a measure of externalizing behaviors (i.e., the CTRS-15). Contrary to the reported results of other studies of preschool-age children, a two-factor model consisting of separate response inhibition and interference suppression factors did not provide a better fit than a one-factor model of inhibition. Results indicated that the unitary Inhibition factor was similarly related to phonological awareness and early math skills. The unitary Inhibition factor was significantly associated with ADHD-related behaviors but not oppositional-defiant behaviors. Implications of findings and future directions are discussed.
{"title":"Examining the dimensions of inhibition and its relations to early academic skills and externalizing behaviors in a preschool-age sample","authors":"Eric D. Hand , Christopher J. Lonigan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inhibitory processes have been consistently linked to children’s academic and behavioral outcomes. Researchers have argued that response inhibition (i.e., the ability to suppress a prepotent response) and interference suppression (i.e., the ability to ignore task-irrelevant information) represent two distinct constructs in preschool-age children and may be differentially related to children’s academic and behavioral outcomes. However, due to issues with study design, the structure of inhibitory processes and their specific relations to academic and behavioral outcomes remains unclear. The goals of this study were to determine the structure of inhibitory processes with preschool-age children using tasks counterbalanced by measurement method (i.e., computerized vs. non-computerized) and to examine their relations to children’s early academic and behavioral outcomes. In this study, 167 preschool-age children were assessed on measures of response inhibition, interference suppression, and early academic skills (i.e., phonological awareness and early math). Teachers of participating children completed a measure of externalizing behaviors (i.e., the CTRS-15). Contrary to the reported results of other studies of preschool-age children, a two-factor model consisting of separate response inhibition and interference suppression factors did not provide a better fit than a one-factor model of inhibition. Results indicated that the unitary Inhibition factor was similarly related to phonological awareness and early math skills. The unitary Inhibition factor was significantly associated with ADHD-related behaviors but not oppositional-defiant behaviors. Implications of findings and future directions are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48348,"journal":{"name":"Early Childhood Research Quarterly","volume":"73 ","pages":"Pages 39-48"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144239913","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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