Digital Commons Network^™

Patterns Of Classroom Organization In Classrooms Where Children Exhibit Higher And Lower Language Gains, Laura Cutler, Rachel E. Schachter, Clariebelle Gabas, Shayne B. Piasta, Kelly M. Purtell, Nathan P. Helsabeck

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Previous research suggests that the ways in which early childhood classrooms are organized may facilitate children’s language learning. However, different measures of classroom organization often yield inconsistent findings regarding child outcomes. In this study, we investigated multiple aspects of classroom organization across two time points in classrooms where children made varying language gains. Using a purposeful sample of 60 early childhood classrooms, 30 in which children made higher language gains and 30 in which children made lower language gains, we explored the organization of the physical classroom literacy environment, classroom management, classroom time, and classroom activities. Research Findings: Results indicated …

Making Mistakes: Children’S Errors As Opportunities For Emergent Literacy Learning In Early Childhood, Clariebelle Gabas, Laura Cutler, Rachel E. Schachter

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Errors are a natural part of children’s knowledge building and learning experiences in early childhood (EC). Importantly, errors can be a powerful tool for tailoring instruction to children’s specific needs and supporting learning processes (Seifried & Wuttke, 2010). The leveraging of errors to support children’s emergent literacy learning became apparent to us when we examined data from a recent observational study of teachers’ practices in EC classrooms with children 3–5 years old. In our study of 400 classrooms, we identified the 30 classrooms in which children demonstrated the highest language gains and the 30 classrooms in which children demonstrated the …

Training Packages For The Use Of Child Development Tools In Low/Middle-Income Countries: A Review, Maria Neocleous, Katelyn Hepworth, Vanessa Cavallera, Melissa Gladstone

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Background We are now moving beyond the focus of ’child survival’ to an era which promotes children thriving and developing rather than simply ’surviving’. In doing so, we are becoming more aware of the large variation of child development screening tools available globally, but in particular, those in low/middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods This narrative review identifies 24 child development tools used in LMICs. We aimed to identify information on training accessibility and training design, assessment methods and cost of training. For those tools with no training information identified or for any tools identified as providing online training, the tool author …

The Development Of Social Competence In Children With Disabilities, Soo-Young Hong, Elizabeth A. Steed, Lori E. Meyer, İbrahim H. Acar

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Children with disabilities experience unique challenges in developing social skills critical to achieve their social goals. Although there are individual differences, children with delays and disabilities may struggle to communicate with others, understand gestures, and take other people’s viewpoints. These differences may prevent children with disabilities from initiating and sustaining social interactions and, in turn, from developing high levels of social competence (Hebbeler & Spiker, 2016).

To support social development of children with disabilities, it is important to promote positive relationships within the family system as well as the teaching of social skills in inclusive early learning environments (Mahoney et …

Editorial: Children’S Competencies Development In The Home Learning Environment, Frank Niklas, Caroline Cohrssen, Simone Lehrl, Amy R. Napoli

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Perceptions Of Quality Among Early Childhood Education Stakeholders In Tanzania And Lesotho: A Multiple Qualitative Case Study, Dawn Davis, Debra Miller, Dorothy Mrema, Moikabi Matsoai, Ntsoaki Mapetla, Abbie Raikes, Anna Burton

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Recent global efforts around early childhood education (ECE) have led to increased investments and access, especially in low- and middle-income countries (UNESCO, 2019). As access grows, focus has shifted from enrollment to quality (Gove, 2017). This paper explores how ECE stakeholders in Tanzania and Lesotho define ECE quality. Findings show that stakeholders define quality in similar ways, highlighting the importance of trained teachers who implement specific teaching practices, strong partnerships with families and the community, critical infrastructure, and government support. However, review of the country contexts found that current conditions and support for these quality indicators were lacking.

Using The Very Short Form Of The Children’S Behavior Questionnaire For Spanish-Speaking Populations In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: A Psychometric Analysis Of Dichotomized Variables, Elsa Lucia Escalante-Barrios, Sonia Suarez Enciso, Samuel P. Putnam, Helen Raikes, Sergi Fàbregues

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

While the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Very Short Form of the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ-VSF) have been assessed in the US and Europe in samples composed of middle- and high-income parents with high levels of education, no studies have tested the instrument in low-income Spanish-speaking populations living in low- and middle- income countries. To fill this gap, our cross-sectional study assessed the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the CBQ-VSF version in a sample of 315 low-income and low-educated parents with preschool children living in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. While our findings revealed problems …

Child-Parent Interactions In American And Turkish Families: Examining Measurement Invariance Analysis Of Child-Parent Relationship Scale, Elsa Lucia Escalante-Barrios, Sonia Mariel Suarez-Enciso, Helen Raikes, Dawn Davis, Aileen Garcia, Mubeccel Gonen, Mefharet Veziroglu-Celik, Ramle Gul Hazar

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The parent-child relationship is a cornerstone of early childhood development and one-way early childhood programs can have a positive influence on early development is to adopt programmatic features to enhance this relationship. Research supports these conclusions in both U.S. and cross-cultural contexts, even though assumptions about parenting and the parent-child relationship may differ across cultures. However, for true understanding of cultural differences, it is important to have comparable measures across cultures. The purpose of the study is to assess measurement invariance of the two constructs of the Child-parent Relationship Scale using data gathered in programs serving low-income preschool children in …

Grup Ortamlarindaki̇ Oyunun Değerlendi̇ri̇lmesi̇ (Good) Gözlem Formunun Geçerli̇k Ve Güveni̇rli̇k Çalişmasi / Validity And Reliability Study Of The Play Assessment For Group Settings (Pags), Emine Ahmetoğlu, Manolya Aşik Öztürk, İbrahim Hakkı Acar

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı Lautamo (2012) tarafından geliştirilen "PAGS; Play Assessment for Group Settings (GOOD-Grup Ortamlarındaki Oyunun Değerlendirilmesi)" Gözlem Formunun Türkçeye uyarlanması, geçerlik ve güvenirlik analizlerinin yapılmasıdır. Gereç-Yöntem: İki-sekiz yaş arasındaki çocukların doğal grup ortamlarındaki oyun performanslarını ölçmek amacı ile tasarlanan GOOD Gözlem Formu dörtlü Likert tipinde puanlanan 38 maddeden oluşmaktadır. Araştırma verileri Edirne İl Merkezinde bulunan 13 okul öncesi kurumda görev yapan 46 öğretmen ve yaşları 36 ile 73 ay arasında değişen (M=54,6 ay, SS=0.99) toplam 149 çocuktan toplanmıştır. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen Genel Bilgi Formu, GOOD Gözlem Formu ve öğretmenlerin sınıflarındaki çocukların duygusal durumu …

Identifying Domain-General And Domain-Specific Predictors Of Low Mathematics Performance: A Classification And Regression Tree Analysis, David J. Purpura, Elizabeth Day, Amy R. Napoli, Sara A. Hart

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Many children struggle to successfully acquire early mathematics skills. Theoretical and empirical evidence has pointed to deficits in domain-specific skills (e.g., non-symbolic mathematics skills) or domain-general skills (e.g., executive functioning and language) as underlying low mathematical performance. In the current study, we assessed a sample of 113 three- to five-year old preschool children on a battery of domain-specific and domain-general factors in the fall and spring of their preschool year to identify Time 1 (fall) factors associated with low performance in mathematics knowledge at Time 2 (spring). We used the exploratory approach of classification and regression tree analyses, a strategy …

‘Why I Sent My Child Away’: Culturally Structured Motivations For Long-Distance Parenting, Deepa Srivastava, Maria Rosario De Guzman

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Although long-distance parenting is often depicted as a response to crisis (e.g., economic) or other stressful life events, it is sometimes undertaken in various culturally normative situations. This current study explores the motivations of South Asian Indian immigrant parents for sending their young children to India to live temporarily with their grandparents. This qualitative study involves in-depth interviews with first generation immigrant parents about their experiences and motivations for sending their children to India. Analysis of the data revealed five themes, namely, (a) contextual and daily challenges in caring for their children in the United States, (b) parents’ concern around …

Multiple Perspectives On Cognitive Development: Radical Constructivism, Cognitive Constructivism, Sociocultural Theory, And Critical Theory, Meir Muller, Kelley E. Buchheister, Gloria Boutte

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This multi-vocal article represents the work of three teacher educators. In conjunction with Glasersfeld’s (1996) description of Radical Constructivism, we agree that any theory “cannot claim to be anything but one approach to the age-old problem of knowing. Only its application in contexts where a theory of knowing makes a difference can show whether or not it can be considered a viable approach.” (von Glasersfeld, 1996, p. 309). In this conceptual piece, we examined the relationship between Radical Constructivism and three distinct, yet sometimes overlapping, theories: 1) Cognitive Constructivism 2) Sociocultural Theory; and 3) Critical Theory. First, we discuss the …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Diet And Young Children's Cognitive Development: A Systematic Review, Pooja S. Tandon, Alison Tovar, Avanthi T. Jayasuriya, Emily Welker, Daniel J. Schober, Kristen Copeland, Dipti A. Dev, Ashleigh L. Murriel, Dima Amso, Dianne S. Ward

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective. Given the high prevalence of suboptimal nutrition and low activity levels in children, we systematically reviewed the literature on the relationship between physical activity and dietary patterns and cognitive development in early childhood (six months to five years).

Methods. In February 2016, we conducted two different searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Each search included either physical activity (including gross motor skills) or diet terms, and neurocognitive development outcome terms. Included studies were in English, published since 2005, and of any study design in which the physical activity or diet measure occurred prior to age five.

Results. For physical …

Parent-Child Book-Reading Styles, Emotional Quality, And Changes In Early Head Start Children's Cognitive Scores., Keely Cline, Carolyn P. Edwards

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to understand how book-reading style and emotional quality of reading interact and relate to cognitive skills in a sample of at-risk infants and toddlers. Participants included 81 parents and their children participating in Early Head Start programs in the rural Midwest. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypothesis that parental book-reading style and emotional quality interact and relate to changes in children's cognitive scores for culturally and linguistically families. Results included that there were variations in how book-reading qualities interacted and related to changes in child cognitive scores for families …

Adherence And Dosage Contributions To Parenting Program Quality, Thomas J. Gross, W. Alex Mason, Gilbert R. Parra, Robert Oats, Jay Ringle, Kevin P. Haggerty

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective—The 3 most frequently examined elements of treatment fidelity are adherence, dosage, and quality. The relationships between these fidelity elements are complex, and additional research is needed to provide clarity. Improving clarity may be especially relevant to parenting programs, which tend to include direct explicit instruction (DEI) elements (i.e., instruction, modeling, and practice). The adherence to and dosage of these DEI elements are frequently assumed to improve program quality; however, little information is available to determine if such adherence and dosage affect program quality. This study examines whether adherence to and dosage of DEI elements predict quality ratings for …

Early Contexts Of Learning: Family And Community Socialization During Infancy And Toddlerhood, Carolyn P. Edwards, Lixin Ren, Jill Brown

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The contexts of early learning and socialization are diverse and complex but not without some predictability. The tension between predictability and variation fascinates researchers interested in childhood and culture and motivates careful exploration of different developmental niches to better understand socialization during infancy, toddlerhood, and early childhood. Contexts of early socialization vary in the people and activities present, and the beliefs and norms of caregivers and daily companions. The chapter utilizes anthropological constructs (household structure and composition, settlement patterns and subsistence level, mothers’ workload, gender division of labor, intimacy levels between husbands and wives, and cultural roles and norms pertaining …

The Instructional And Emotional Quality Of Parent–Child Book Reading And Early Head Start Children's Learning Outcomes, Keely Cline, Carolyn P. Edwards

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Research Findings: The objective of this study was to understand how instructional book-reading style and emotional quality of reading interact and relate to cognitive skills in a sample of at-risk infants and toddlers. Participants were 81 parents and their children participating in Early Head Start programs in the rural Midwest. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypothesis that parental book-reading instructional style and emotional quality interact and relate to changes in children’s cognitive scores for culturally and linguistically diverse families. Results included that there were variations in how book-reading qualities interacted and related to changes in …

A Day At Filastrocca Preschool, Pistoia, Italy: Meaning Making Through Literacy And Creative Experience, Keely D. Cline, Carolyn Pope Edwards, Algo Giacomelli, Lella Gandini, Donatella Giovannini, Annalia Galardini

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

In this article,1 we explore how the library teacher of an Italian preschool with a special mission focused on books, stories, and the imagination uses group literacy activities as a context for encouraging shared meaning making through creative experiences. We take readers inside one day at the Italian Preschool, Filastrocca, providing detailed descriptions and analysis of interactions and activities. We suggest that elaborate extended dialogue among children and the teacher, promotion of empathy through opportunities to take others’ perspectives (including book characters’), and group engagement in shared and multi-faceted creativity are important characteristics related to meaning making in the context …

Portuguese Translation And Validation Of The Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Cody S. Hollist, Olga G. Falceto, Luciane M. Ferreira, Richard B. Miller, Paul R. Springer, Carmen L. C. Fernandes, Nalu A. Nunes

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The absence of a translated and validated instrument for measuring marital satisfaction in Brazil, the largest country in South America and fifth most populous country in the world, is a significant barrier for research and mental health service delivery. The purpose of this study was to translate and validate a marital satisfaction scale into Portuguese that would have both empirical credibility and cultural relevance in Brazil. A six-step serial approach was used to simultaneously translate and culturally validate the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS). The translated instrument (RDAS-P) demonstrated good psychometric properties during field testing.

Perceived Social Support Networks And Prosocial Outcomes Among Latino/A Youth In The United States, Maria Rosario De Guzman, Eunju Jung, Kieu-Anh T. Do

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This study examines Latino/a adolescents’ perceived sources and types of social support, and links between social support and prosocial tendencies. Latino/a adolescents (N=126) in Midwestern United States participated in the study. Respondents of higher generational status reported broader social support networks and a higher amount of overall social support compared to peers of lower generational status. Youth perceived the highest amount of social support from immediate family, followed by extended family, and lastly from non-kin individuals. Path analysis indicated that overall social support was directly and positively associated with altruistic prosocial tendencies, and directly and negatively associated with public prosocial …

Culture-Related Strengths Among Latin American Families: A Case Study Of Brazil, Gustavo Carlo, Silvia Koller, Marcela Raffaelli, Maria Rosario De Guzman

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

We provide an analysis of culturally-specific strength characteristics associated with families in Brazil. The focus is on familism and familial interdependence, the role of the extended family, cooperative and prosocial tendencies, a collective orientation, and the closing gender gap. The article is divided into four sections. First, we provide some background information on the demographics and history of Brazil. Second, the family strength characteristics are discussed. Third, case studies are briefly presented to illustrate the protective role of the characteristics. And fourth, we discuss the implications of the strengths-based approach to studying families for theories, research, and program development.

Individual And Familial Stressors Among Rural Nebraskan, Bilingual, Paraprofessional Educators, Rochelle L. Dalla, William E. Lopez, Vicky O. Jones, Yan Ruth Xia

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Individual (e.g., depression, learning styles) and familial (e.g., social support) factors affecting the psychosocial well-being of bilingual, rural Nebraska, paraprofessional educators were examined. Of 26 participants, 15 were first and 5 were second generation Hispanic immigrants. All were currently (n = 20) or formerly (n = 6) involved in an online, distance education, bachelor’s degree program in elementary education, with English as a second language certification. Results from data analyses are presented, as are suggestions for working with unique populations.

Mother–Child Bookreading In Low-Income Families: Correlates And Outcomes During The First Three Years Of Life, Helen Raikes, Barbara Alexander Pan, Gayle Luze, Catherine S. Tamis-Lemonda, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Jill Constantine, Louisa Banks Tarullo, H. Abigail Raikes, Eileen T. Rodriguez

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

About half of 2,581 low-income mothers reported reading daily to their children. At 14 months, the odds of reading daily increased by the child being fi rstborn or female. At 24 and 36 months, these odds increased by maternal verbal ability or education and by the child being fi rstborn or of Early Head Start status. White mothers read more than did Hispanic or African American mothers. For English-speaking children, concurrent reading was associated with vocabulary and comprehension at 14 months, and with vocabulary and cognitive development at 24 months. A pattern of daily reading over the 3 data points …

Child Care For Children With And Without Disabilities: The Provider, Observer, And Parent Perspectives, Lisa Knoche, Carla A. Peterson, Carolyn P. Edwards, Hyun-Joo Jeon

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This three-phase study, part of a larger study conducted by the Midwest Child Care Research Consortium (MCCRC), investigated the characteristics of child care providers in inclusive and non-inclusive center-based classrooms and family child care homes, the observed quality of care in a subset of these programs, and families’ perceptions of quality and satisfaction with child care services. A telephone survey of 2022 randomly selected Midwestern providers, 36% of whom provided inclusive services, revealed that inclusive providers rated themselves higher on most quality-related indicators. Inclusion status was related to observed quality in family childcare homes (n = 132), with non-inclusive homes …

Young Children’S Close Relationships Outside The Family: Parental Ethnotheories In Four Communities In Norway, United States, Turkey, And Korea, Vibeke G. Aukrust, Carolyn Pope Edwards, Asiye Kumru, Lisa Knoche, Misuk Kim

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Parents, preschools, and schools in different cultures vary greatly in the extent to which children are encouraged to develop long-term relationships with people outside the family circle—peers and teachers. In contemporary societies, parents face complex choices as they bridge children’s transitions to a wider world. This exploratory cross-cultural study used a newly developed questionnaire, Parental Concerns for Preschool Children Survey, to assess parental beliefs, values, and judgments. The sample included 521 parents from four cities: Oslo, Norway; Lincoln (Nebraska), United States; Ankara, Turkey; Seoul, Korea. Strong cultural community differences were found in parental descriptions of their own child’s friendships and …

Extending The Dance: Relationship-Based Approaches To Infant/Toddler Care And Education, Carolyn P. Edwards, Helen Raikes

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Creating an infant/toddler program that revolves around relationships can be compared to expanding a relationship dance from first attachment figures to new ones. The educator must take On an artistic role for this performance. The educator makes the space ready, creating a beautiful place that inspires everyone to feel like dancing. For a new child just entering, the educator must take the initiative, become attuned, get into rhythm with the child, following the child's lead. Because a young child enters the programs "in the arms” of parents, the educator also enfolds the parents in this process. Gradually, as the dance …

The Age Group Labels And Categories Of Preschool Children, Carolyn P. Edwards

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Questions of how young children use “age” groups to understand the social world led to 2 studies exploring the content of preschool children’s age group labels and categories. Study 1 included 32 children aged 2-4 years and determined spontaneous labels for both photographs and dolls representing the life span. Results indicated that children readily labeled all ages using a relatively limited set of terms, but showed less patterned labeling of stimuli representing adults than children. Girls’ labels were more structured than boys’. Older preschoolers showed more differentiated structures than did younger ones and used more kinship terms as labels. Study …