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Guided by an ecological theoretical model, the authors used a series of multilevel models to examine associations among children's individual problem behavior, the classroom behavioral context, and school readiness outcomes for a cohort of low-income children (N = 3,861) enrolled in 229 urban Head Start classrooms. Associations were examined betwee...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... 1 presents descriptive statistics for child-and classroom-level variables. Table 2 presents bivariate correlations between the child-level ASPI problem be- havior dimensions, COR school readiness skills assessed early in the preschool year, and COR school readiness skills assessed at the end of the year. Correlations were low to medium, and collinearity diagnostics did not indicate that collinearity was of concern in our models (e.g., the variance inflation factor was below 10; Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black, 1995). ...
Citations
... In classrooms, collective student group characteristics play a formative role in shaping students' academic, cognitive, and social development (Ansari et al., 2016;Ladd, 1999). Collective student group characteristics have explained unique variation in student outcomes beyond that explained by said characteristic at the student level and other individual, family, and teacher factors (e.g., Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;Henry & Rickman, 2007;Thomas, et al., 2011). To illustrate, being in a classroom with high aggregate externalizing CLASSROOM CAPACITY 16 behaviors is predictive of later individual student aggressive behaviors (Thomas et al., 2011). ...
The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework to guide the study of classroom factors that promote student functioning and development within classroom settings. First, we describe a new framework, Classroom Carrying Capacity, to categorize factors in the classroom as limiting or resource factors across four domains: external, collective classroom, student, and teacher. We also describe a schema for categorizing each limiting or resource factor as density dependent vs. independent and psychosocial vs. physical. This new framework is built from a model of sustainable ecosystems from the fields of biology and environmental sciences, to conceptualize the optimal level of support that a classroom can provide. Second, we illustrate the application of Classroom Carrying Capacity by demonstrating how three areas of research inquiry may be advanced via this framework. Finally, we recommend directions and high-leverage opportunities for theoretically and empirically building on the proposed framework.
... Whether instruc-tional clarity plays a similar function remains an open question. Substantial evidence indicates that characteristics of high-risk classroom group impair student outcomes (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;Evans & Whipple, 2013). However, teachers can mitigate these negative effects by judiciously allocating instructional time (Abry et al., 2018). ...
Classroom group characteristics are not only related to student outcomes, but also have an impact on classroom instruction. This study investigates an integrated model that examines the direct or indirect relationships among classroom-level adversity (CLA), instructional clarity, student academic self-concept and achievement in math lessons. Using TIMSS 2019 data from five East Asian regions and five Western countries, this study examined eighth-grade students (N = 30,115 in Western; N = 21,340 in Eastern) and their teachers in math lessons (N = 2,082 in Western; N = 1,242 in Eastern). Through multilevel analyses, we found the relationship between CLA and math self-concept was negatively mediated by instructional clarity. In the Eastern regions, CLA did not have a significant indirect effect on math achievement through instructional clarity, but in Western countries, a positive indirect effect was observed. In addition, a direct negative relationship between CLA and student outcomes in both Eastern and Western samples was detected.
... Certain studies have been carried out with a Latent Class Analysis [LCA] (in the case of discrete variables) or Latent Profile Analysis [LPA] (with continuous variables) approach to CP in children and adolescents. Some of them have focused their classifications on the context where CP are produced (e.g., Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;Fergusson et al., 2009;McDermott et al., 2022). Other studies have investigated on the characteristics of CP like aggression, irritability, or oppositional behaviour (Bolhuis et al., 2017). ...
... It should be noted that gender differences have not been comprehensively examined in most of them. Only a few of them indicate that girls are less likely to belong to the most problematic profiles (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;McDermott et al., 2022;Toupin et al., 2016). Nevertheless, Smaragdi et al. (2020) have tried to identify different profiles across genders in the same study, finding two profiles in girls (i.e., mild, and severe) and four in boys (i.e., rule breaking, aggressive, mild, and severe). ...
Background:
Despite the high prevalence of conduct problems in children, and their social and health impact, little is known about gender differences in their characteristics, determinants and implications. This three-year longitudinal study explored the diversity of individual trait configurations in children with conduct problems, assessing whether 1) the same profiles can be identified in boys and girls and, 2) the predictors and outcomes of these profiles are invariant across genders.
Method:
A multigroup analysis of latent profiles based on temperamental and psychopathic traits was performed on a sample of 401 young children (50.87% girls) with high scores in conduct problems.
Results:
Both the number of profiles and the means and variances of compositional variables were similar across genders, but the distributions were different. Four profiles were identified, and girls belonged to the least problematic group more frequently. While the predictors were invariant across genders, outcomes were not.
Conclusions:
This study contributes to the literature on heterogeneity in conduct problems by identifying specific constellations of traits in both boys and girls and shows the importance of considering gender in understanding the progression of conduct problems.
... In addition to the suggestions, there is a recommendation to include more activities to improve turn-taking and waiting skills in the programs. Studies in this area show that turn-taking and waiting skills can enhance group social interaction and cooperation skills (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012). Therefore, incorporating activities that develop such skills into programs can allow students to practice more in this area. ...
This study adopts a qualitative approach and uses a case study design to examine the potential benefits of Adapted Physical Activities (APA) in improving turn-taking skills in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A 12-year-old female participant with moderate intellectual disability participated in a 12-week APA training program. Researchers conducted one-hour interviews with his family and three teachers to gain in-depth information about his experiences and perceptions. Interview data transcribed with participants' consent showed that APA contributed to a potential improvement in skills vital to social and academic abilities, including turn-taking and waiting. As a result, the findings obtained from this study showed that APA positively contributes to taking turns and waiting, which are of great importance in interpersonal interaction, especially in terms of communication rhythms and mutual exchanges. In this context, educators can enhance the quality of life for individuals with special needs in educational settings through APA.
... Thus, it is important to facilitate young children's social emotional development to promote inclusion and equal opportunities for all children. This conclusion has been supported by other researchers (e.g., Fantuzzo et al., 2003;Blair and Diamond, 2008;Domínguez and Greenfield, 2009;Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012). ...
This paper addresses the role of social emotional competence in the emotional and behavioral problems and learning outcomes of preschool children based on their parents’ and teachers’ evaluations. In this study, we compared the perceptions of teachers and parents when evaluating the same child using the multi-informant assessment. First, the associations and differences between both the informant evaluations were investigated. Second, the correlation of the social emotional competence and emotional, and behavioral difficulties among preschool children was analyzed, separately addressing their parents’ and teachers’ evaluations. Third, the role of the preschool children’s social emotional competence in their emotional and behavioral problems, and learning outcomes was investigated building the regression and mediation models. The sample consisted of 507 preschool children (3–6 years, mean age 4.85 years, SD 0.82) and their parents and teachers. Both informants completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Social Skills Improvement System Social-Emotional Learning Brief Scales, and teachers reported on each child’s learning outcomes (by completing a three-item Learning outcomes measure). When comparing both informants’ evaluations, positive associations were found between teacher and parental evaluations of prosocial behavior and emotional, and behavioral difficulties of preschool children, as well as self-management. Parents evaluated their children higher than teachers in conduct problems, hyperactivity, prosocial behavior, and total difficulty, while teachers evaluated children higher than parents in social emotional competence. According to teachers, the social emotional competence of preschool children was negatively correlated to all difficulty scales, and positively related to the prosocial behavior scale. The demographic variables, as well as parental socioeconomic status and children’s belonging to a vulnerable group were not found to be significantly associated with the preschool children’s learning outcomes. However, social emotional competence remains a significant variable in teacher-rated learning outcomes of preschool children even if sociodemographic variables are controlled. Our findings indicate that a higher level of social emotional competence and lower levels of social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties are related to a higher preschoolers’ academic learning in their teachers’ evaluation. This suggests the importance of early facilitation of social emotional competence as a key factor for academic success and more positive behavioral outcomes.
... Gender differences do not always exist, but when they do, it is typically found that boys perform better in numeracy (Cobb-Clark and Moschion 2017; Williams et al. 2016a, b), and girls perform better in literacy (Boardman 2006;Cobb-Clark and Moschion 2017). It was also found that boys, more than girls, were likely to exhibit more problem behaviors in the classroom and have significantly lower social skills (Bulotsky-Shearer et al. 2012). Janus and Duku (2007) found that boys were more than two times more likely to be vulnerable to low academic readiness scores provided in kindergarten. ...
Teachers’ valid observational assessments of children’s competencies in kindergarten are critical, as formal classroom testing is not prevalent. Controlling for SES and gender, hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses that kindergarten teachers’ ratings of certain learning and behavioral competencies related to literacy, mathematics, and approaches to learning were predictive of third and fourth grade reading and mathematics achievement. Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 (ECLS-K:2011) were used for analyses. The ECLS-K:2011 sample included 12,866 children assessed at the end of kindergarten and who completed measures of academic achievement at the end of third and fourth grade. The hypothesized models suggested that the most basic literacy and mathematics competencies measured at the end of kindergarten along with approaches to learning are the most predictive of academic performance in third and fourth grade. Implications for teaching and learning in kindergarten were examined and discussed.
... Sex differences do not always exist, but when they do, it is typically found that boys perform better in cognitive tasks related to problem-solving (Cobb-Clark & Moschion, 2017;Williams, White, & MacDonald, 2016), and girls perform better tasks related to language development (Boardman, 2006;Cobb-Clark & Moschion, 2017). Boys were also more likely to exhibit problem behaviours and have significantly lower social skills (Bulotsky-Shearer, Dominguez, & Bell, 2012). Boys were also more than two times more likely to be vulnerable to low kindergarten readiness scores (Janus & Duku, 2007). ...
Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the predictive associations between kindergarten developmental, socio-behavioural, and biotic influences on third grade achievement among a nationally representative sample of low-SES children. The findings validate the understanding that developmental and learning trajectories start early in children’s lives and are influenced by multifaceted factors. Findings also elucidated areas where predictive influences were different among low-SES children than they were for the general. Children residing in low-SES homes are at risk for academic and developmental difficulties. Study findings have established that within a low-SES group of children, disparities in early learning and development exist. Understanding the factors that positively and negatively affect learning and development among low-SES children informs intervention strategies that may moderate the gaps that exist in these areas among SES groups as they progress through school. There were several noteworthy findings related to within-SES differences that potentially impact children’s academic trajectories.
... Citing results from the NICHD study of early child care and youth development, Belsky (2009) argued that the apparent reduction of early child care impacts, whether beneficial (for cognitive outcomes) or detrimental (for behavioral outcomes) in that dataset, actually could be due to diffusion or spillover effects from children who attended early child care to their later classmates who had not. This argument is consistent with recent studies documenting the effect of peers or classroom composition on children's own skill development (Bulotsky-Shearer, Dominguez, & Bell, 2012;Henry & Rickman, 2007;Justice, Petscher, Schatschneider, & Mashburn, 2011;Mashburn, Justice, Downer, & Pianta, 2009;Skibbe, Phillips, Day, Brophy-Herb, & Connor, 2012;Thomas, Bierman, & Powers, 2011), including studies utilizing quasi-experimental methods (Aizer, 2008;Carrell & Hoekstra, 2010). Furthermore, there is evidence that peers' prior ECE experience, above and beyond one's own ECE experience, is associated with children's academic skill gains across kindergarten and elementary school, though mixed results have been documented for social-emotional outcomes (Dmitrieva, Steinberg, & Belsky, 2007;Ladd et al., 2014;Neidell & Waldfogel, 2010). ...
Early childhood education (ECE) programs have been shown to produce immediate positive impacts on children's cognitive abilities, academic knowledge, and social-emotional skills. However, some research suggests that impacts may be modest and short-lived. That is, even though ECE enables participating children to begin kindergarten with greater skills on average compared with their peers, the skills of ECE attendees and nonattendees appear to converge as children progress through school. Thus, any initial differences between these groups observed at school entry are reduced or eliminated over time, a phenomenon that has been described as "fade-out," "catch-up," or both. This systematic review assesses our current understanding of the conditions under which ECE impacts persist or fade over time, which is critical because of the potential intervention and policy implications. Recent work has begun to make progress in this direction, but future efforts that address the present gaps and limitations of the field are needed in order to maximize the long-term impacts of the next generation of ECE programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
... The lack of access to a quality preschool experience has been cited as one of the major contributing factors. Bruwer, Hartell and Steyn (2014) and Bulotsky-Shearer, Dominguez and Bell (2012) noted that children from poor socio-economic backgrounds are most likely to enter school with limited school readiness skills or a lack thereof, because of their lack of access to quality early childhood development programmes. They observed that these children often struggle to cope and adapt to the formal school routines and activities. ...
Background: As populations of refugee children increase globally, strategies for providing quality and relevant educational experiences for this group of children has become a priority. This is because research suggests that refugee children tend to experience higher school dropout rates due to, among other factors, poverty, lack of shelter and inadequate nutrition.
Aim: This article reports on an exploratory study of Grade R teachers’ interactions with refugee children in a child care centre in Durban and the ways in which these might contribute to the children’s readiness for Grade 1 in mainstream schools.
Setting: The study was located in a Grade R class in a Durban refugee child care centre catering for children from neighbouring African countries.
Methods: The study adopted a qualitative ethnographic approach involving classroom and playground observations, as well as informal open-ended interviews with the Grade R teacher and her assistant.
Results: The findings suggest that several factors, including a high teacher–learner ratio (1:48), poor classroom management and pedagogical practices, inadequate and inappropriate resources and a lack of professional development opportunities for teachers influenced the nature of interactions between the refugee children and their teachers.
Conclusions: The findings have negative implications for the children’s readiness for Grade 1 and beyond. The findings suggest that unless the provision of early childhood development and education (ECDE) in this centre is significantly improved, for example, by addressing the factors identified in the study, the refugee children in the facility will continue to be poorly prepared for mainstream schooling.
... Although less research has focused on cross-domain peer effects, relative to within-domain peer effects, some empirical evidence suggests that peers' S-E skills predict children's cognitive skills (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;Montroy et al., 2016;Neidell & Waldfogel, 2010). This evidence includes cross-domain peer effects of underactive behaviors on children's cognitive gains and social engagement, detailed in a study of low-income children in urban Head Start classrooms (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012). ...
... Although less research has focused on cross-domain peer effects, relative to within-domain peer effects, some empirical evidence suggests that peers' S-E skills predict children's cognitive skills (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;Montroy et al., 2016;Neidell & Waldfogel, 2010). This evidence includes cross-domain peer effects of underactive behaviors on children's cognitive gains and social engagement, detailed in a study of low-income children in urban Head Start classrooms (Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012). Interestingly, however, other studies have failed to demonstrate significant cross-domain peer effects (Weiland & Yoshikawa, 2014;Yudron et al., 2014). ...
... Our selection of covariates was guided by prior research in this area. Following previous literature (e.g., Bulotsky-Shearer et al., 2012;Neidell & Waldfogel, 2010;Weiland & Yoshikawa, 2014), child factors such as age, gender, race/ ethnicity, primary language, socioeconomic status (SES) indicators, special needs status, and baseline skills as well as family factors including maternal birth year (teen mother status) were controlled in this study. There is general consensus among early education researchers that these characteristics have consistent associations among each other and children's school readiness outcomes. ...
Using data from a large study of 78 high-quality Head Start classrooms in 12 sites across the U.S., this study examined whether peers' receptive vocabulary skills and teacher-reported social-emotional (S-E) functioning (i.e., behavior problems and self-regulation) measured at the beginning of the preschool year were related to children's gains in these three domains over a school year. Analyses included over 75% of the children in each classroom and produced three noteworthy findings. First, children in classrooms where average peers had higher behavior problems demonstrated increased teacher-reported behavior problems themselves at the end of the year. Second, children in classrooms where average peers had higher self-regulation skills demonstrated larger gains in teacher-reported self-regulation skills at the end of the school year. Third, peers' higher baseline self-regulation skills were found to be associated with children's higher self-regulation in spring, especially when children began the school year with higher levels of self-regulation. This finding indicates that children who have higher baseline self-regulation may be better positioned to benefit from their peers' high self-regulation in developing their own self-regulation skills. In contrast, no evidence was found that peers' baseline receptive vocabulary skills were related to children's receptive vocabulary gains over a school year. Additionally, no significant cross-domain peer effects were found between peers' baseline S-E functioning and children's receptive vocabulary gains nor peers' baseline receptive vocabulary skills and children's S-E development over a school year. Implications of these findings for classroom practice and further research are discussed.
