The role of ECEC teachers for the long-term social and academic adjustment of children with early externalizing difficulties: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Using data from more than 7000 children from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child (MoBa) study, this study explored the role of school readiness and teacher-child closeness in the early child education and care (ECEC) setting for the prospective academic and social development of children with early externalizing problems. Mother, ECEC teachers, and schoolteacher ratings were applied. Latent moderated mediation analyses within a SEM framework were performed. Early externalizing problems at age three were associated with less school readiness at age five, but this association was weaker among children with closer teacher-child relationships. School readiness mediated the link from early externalizing problems to later academic and social adjustment difficulties, but this long-term indirect effect also decreased with increasing levels of teacher-child closeness. With regards to intervention efforts, the study demonstrates the potentially important role of ECEC teachers for the long-term social and academic adjustment of children with early externalizing problems.

Exploring the Role of Teacher–Child Relationships in the Longitudinal Associations Between Childhood Shyness and Social Functioning at School: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…This finding is important considering research emphasizing the essential role of peer play for children's social development in general (Ginsburg, 2007;Jarvis et al, 2014). It is also important because it adds empirical knowledge to the growing body of literature demonstrating the potentially buffering role of positive teacher-child relations for children considered "at risk" for maladjustment (Arbeau et al, 2010;Baardstu et al, 2021;Baker et al, 2008). Thus, although shy children generally tend to form less close teacher-child relationships, perhaps due to their inhibited and withdrawn tendencies (Rudasill et al, 2006;Wu et al, 2015), our finding indicates that this may certainly not be the case for all shy children.…”

“…There is empirical support for the influential role of positive teacher-child relations for the social competency of children in general (Zhang & Nurmi, 2012). There is also emerging research showing that closer teacher-child relations in early childhood and in the ECEC setting may be particularly beneficial for the social competencies of children considered "at risk" (i.e., children displaying internalizing and/or externalizing problems; Baardstu et al, 2021;Baker et al, 2008).…”

The effect of Universal Teacher–Child Interaction Training on Hispanic teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in early childhood education and care settings

“…Young children who have positive teacher-child relationships characterized by warmth, affection, and open communication (Ferreira et al, 2016) tend to exhibit fewer internalizing and externalizing problems (Baardstu et al, 2022;Silver et al, 2005;Zhang & Sun, 2011). Considering the importance of an ECEC educator's role, research shows that teachers consistently feel they do not have sufficient training to meet both the emotional and learning needs of young children (Gebbie et al, 2012;Humphries et al, 2018;Reinke et al, 2011).…”

“…Socioeconomic status is one risk factor that has been associated with externalizing behavior by limiting access to resources that promote healthy child adjustment (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). Moreover, children with externalizing problems are more vulnerable when it comes to developing positive teacher relationships (Baardstu et al, 2022;Henricsson & Rydell, 2004). High-quality early childhood education is important in reducing the initial achievement gap for children coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and for positively impacting children's future academic and emotional well-being (Aguiar et al, 2020;McCoy et al, 2017;Reardon & Portilla, 2016).…”