Children's cognitive and social competence in child-care centers and family day-care homes

Kontos, Susan; Hsu, Hui‐Chin; Dunn, Loraine

doi:10.1016/0193-3973(94)90039-6

Cited by 48 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Researchers (e.g., Kontos, 1994;Pence & Goelman, 1987;Powell, 1989) interested in the wide variations of care in different types of settings and the differences in caregiving behaviors and conditions have often used the ecological model to shape their methodologies and to explain their findings. According to Bronfenbrenner and Morris (1998), the structure and process of different environmental contexts may vary along a number of system levels, reducing the explanatory power of the context itself.…”

Section: Ghazvini and Mullis I13mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Center-Based Care for Young Children: Examining Predictors of Quality

Ghazvini¹,

Mullis

2002

The Journal of Genetic Psychology

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The authors collected information from caregivers, trained observers, and parents to investigate quality elements in child-care programs designed for young children in center-based settings. Participants were 75 parents of children aged 15 to 36 months and their caregivers from 13 child-care centers in a southeastern state. Observers collected indicators of program quality and process and structural quality indicators, including adult-child ratio, group size, use of planned activities, use of child-designated space, housekeeping activities, and caregiver-child interactions. Participants responded to questions regarding their child-rearing beliefs, social support networks, perceived stress levels, and demographic characteristics. The best predictors of higher quality care and sensitive caregiver-child interaction in centers were specialized caregiver training, higher adult-child ratios, use of planned activities, and less perceived stress by caregivers. Implications of these findings are discussed.

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Section: Ghazvini and Mullis I13mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Job characterization (Kontos, Hsu, & Dunn, 1994). Center staff were asked to characterize their jobs by selecting one of four alternative descriptions: (a) "my chosen occupation," (b) "a stepping-stone to related work," (c) "a good job while my children are young," and (d) "temporary employment."…”

Section: Measures: Caregiver Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Center-Based Care for Young Children: Examining Predictors of Quality

Ghazvini¹,

Mullis

2002

The Journal of Genetic Psychology

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“…there is usually a more structured educational curriculum and a physical environment designed for children (Eheart & Leavitt, 1989;Fuller et al, 2004;Kisker, Hofferth, Phillips, & Farquhar, 1991;Kontos, Hsu, & Dunn, 1994;NICHD ECCRN, 2004;Pence & Goelman, 1987). The predictable daily routine, structured academic curriculum, exposure to a large group of peers, and other features of center care may provide a different experience for children than that received in family child care homes or relative settings, even when caregivers are equally nurturant and attentive.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In centers, compared to both types of home-based settings, children have multiple caregivers; child-to-adult ratios and group sizes are larger; children are often grouped with same-aged peers; activities are more structured, educationally-oriented, and adult-directed; and caregivers have more education and training. Centers typically offer more space, toys, and materials to children than do other settings, and there is usually a more structured educational curriculum and a physical environment designed for children (Eheart & Leavitt, 1989;Fuller et al, 2004;Kisker, Hofferth, Phillips, & Farquhar, 1991;Kontos, Hsu, & Dunn, 1994; NICHD ECCRN, 2004;Pence & Goelman, 1987). The predictable daily routine, structured academic curriculum, exposure to a large group of peers, and other features of center care may provide a different experience for children than that received in family child care homes or relative settings, even when caregivers are equally nurturant and attentive.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural and process features in three types of child care for children from high and low income families

Dowsett

Huston

Imes

et al. 2008

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

223

122

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We use observations from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) to compare structural and process characteristics of child care centers, family child care homes (nonrelative care in a home setting) and care by relatives for 2, 3-and 4 ½-year-old children. Type of care differences in structural and caregiver characteristics were consistent across ages: centers had higher child-to-adult ratios and bigger groups; centers had caregivers with better education, more training in early childhood, and less traditional beliefs about child rearing. Children in centers experienced more cognitive stimulation, less frequent language interactions with adults, less frequent negative interactions with adults, and less television viewing than did those in other types of care. In centers and family child care homes compared to relative settings, children engaged in more positive and negative interactions with peers and spent more time in transition and unoccupied. Curvilinear associations were found between structural features of care and family income, particularly for caregiver education and training. In contrast, process measures of caregiving rose monotonically with family income. Children from high-income families experienced more sensitive care, more cognitive stimulation, and fewer negative interactions with adults than did those from low-income families. We interpret the findings by linking the structural features and caregiver training to the cognitive and social processes observed in different types of care. Future research designed to understand the influences of child care on children's behavior might benefit from using this more nuanced description of child care experiences.Child care quality is a well-documented predictor of children's intellectual and social development, but recent evidence indicates that type of care may be important independently of "global" ratings of quality. A recurrent finding in the literature is that children who participate in center-based arrangements-including Head Start-during their infant and preschool years perform better on cognitive and language development and show better preacademic skills than children who spend an equivalent amount of time in child care homes or relative care of comparable quality (Garces, Thomas, & Currie, 2002; NICHD Early Child Care Research Network [ECCRN], 2000a; NICHD ECCRN & Duncan, 2003).The relations of type of care to children's social behavior are more uncertain. Two longitudinal studies of large, national samples have shown that children with more center care experience were rated by caregivers and elementary school teachers as having more behavior problems and less self control than those who had not experienced center care (Magnuson, Ruhm, & Waldfogel, 2007; NICHD 2002;2003a). Most longitudinal investigations of children from Contact author Chantelle Dowsett, Human Development & Family Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station/A2700, Austin, TX 78712; 512-471-3141; E-mail: dowsettcj@mail.utexa...

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“…As a result of this program, more children in Oklahoma were taught by teachers with bachelor's degrees. Research has demonstrated that college education is associated with classroom quality (Burchinal, Cryer, Clifford, & Howes, 2002), teachers' beliefs (NICHD, 1997;Snider & Fu, 1990), teacher-child interactions (Berk, 1985;Howes, 1997), and child outcomes (Clarke-Stewart, Gruber, & Fitzgerald, 1994;Kontos, Hsu, & Dunn, 1994).…”

Section: Policy Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%