Social Competence with Peers in Third Grade: Associations with Earlier Peer Experiences in Childcare¹

Abstract

The early developmental antecedents of individual differences in children's social functioning with peers in third grade were examined using longitudinal data from the large-scale NICHD Study of Early Child Care. In a sample of 1364 children, with family and child factors controlled, the frequency of positive and negative peer interactions in child care between 24 and 54 months and the number of hours spent in child-care peer groups of different sizes (alone; dyad; small; medium; large), predicted third graders' peer competence at three levels of analysis: individual social skills, dyadic friendships, and peer group acceptance. Children who had more positive experiences with peers in child care had better social and communicative skills with peers in third grade, were more sociable and cooperative and less aggressive, had more close friends, and were more accepted and popular. Children with more frequent negative experiences with peers in child care were more aggressive in third grade, had lower social and communicative skills, and reported having fewer friends. When children spent more time in small-sized peer groups in child care (4 or fewer children at 24 months of age, up to 7 or fewer at 54 months), they were more sociable and cooperative in third grade, but their teachers rated them as more aggressive suggesting that such children may be more socially outgoing and active both positively and negatively. Like those who spent more time in small peer groups, children who spent more hours in medium-sized groups received higher ratings for peer aggression by their third grade teachers. Children who spent more time with one other child in child care or in small peer groups had fewer classroom friends in third grade as reported by the teacher but not according to maternal report or self report. There were no significant associations between the amount of time children spent in large child-care based peer groups and third grade peer social competence.

Time spent in child care: How and why does it affect social development?

“…Care during the toddler period predicts later problem behavior and peer competence slightly more consistently than does care in earlier or later other developmental periods (Bates et al, 1994; Jaffee et al, 2011; NICHD ECCRN, 2003a, NICHD ECCRN, 2008). Although interpreting these findings is difficult, they point to the need for more intensive examination of the role of long hours of child care during the toddler years in the development of social skills and behavior problems.…”

“…To test this possibility, infants’ temperaments and moods were examined as indicators of children’s predispositions. There was no relation of temperament to positive or negative peer interaction observed at 15 months (NICHD ECCRN, 2008). Even if initial individual differences exist, given the rudimentary peer skills of 15-month-olds, it is likely that the characteristics of the child care setting and the behavior of caregivers and other children would affect the direction and development of such interactions.…”

“…Having a history of care with two or more children predicted only one of several measures of problem behavior: teacher-rated negative behavior at age 2, but at age 3, children with a history of being in child care with peers showed more positive observed behavior (NICHD ECCRN, 2001). There was no consistent relation of experience with different-sized groups in the preschool years to peer skills in elementary school (NICHD ECCRN, 2008).…”

“…Children who had positive peer interactions from 15 through 54 months had low levels of behavior problems at age 4 1/2 (NICHD ECCRN 2003b), and, in third grade, were more sociable, had better social skills with peers, were more cooperative and less aggressive, had more close friends, and were more accepted by their peers. Third-graders with more frequent negative prior experience with peers in child care were more aggressive, had fewer social skills, and had fewer friends (NICHD ECCRN, 2008). In a smaller sample, quality of friendships at age 9 and 14 were predicted by friendship quality in preschool (Howes & Tonyan, 2000).…”

“…In pretend play, competent children engage in complex turn-taking, understand symbolic as well as literal meanings, negotiate role assignments, and maintain positive affect (Howes et al, 2011). Peer relationships include social and communication skills, dyadic friendships, and peer group acceptance, as well as cooperativeness and low aggression (NICHD ECCRN, 2008).…”