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Children's Social and Scholastic Lives in Kindergarten: Related Spheres of Influence?
Abstract
Evidence from two studies conducted with kindergarten samples (N = 200, M age = 5.58 years; N = 199, M age = 5.47 years) supported a series of interrelated hypotheses derived from a child × environment model of early school adjustment. The findings obtained were consistent with the following inferences: (1) Entry factors, such as children's cognitive maturity and family backgrounds, directly as well as indirectly influence children's behavior, participation, and achievement in kindergarten; (2) as children enter school, their initial behavioral orientations influence the types of relationships they form with peers and teachers; (3) stressful aspects of children's peer and teacher relationships in the school environment adversely impact classroom participation and achievement; and (4) classroom participation is an important prerequisite for achievement during kindergarten. Collectively, these findings illustrate the need to revise prevailing theories of school adjustment, and the research agendas that evolve from these perspectives, so as to incorporate interpersonal risk factors that operate within the school environment.
... Though findings suggest that the two forms of relationship may make similar as well as different contributions to school adjustment (see Ladd, Kochenderfer, & Coleman, 1997;Parker & Asher, 1993;Vandell & Hembree, 1994), peer acceptance has consistently predicted children's academic readiness and classroom involvement . Peer rejection, in particular, has been linked with negative school attitudes, school avoidance, and underachievement (Ladd, Birch, & Buhs, 1999;Vandell & Hembree, 1994). Such consequences have less often been linked with friendship or other forms of peer group status (e.g., peer group neglect; Wentzel & Asher, 1995). ...
... Currently, it remains unclear how potential rejection processes might account for the links observed between peer rejection and adjustment. Even though Boivin and Hymel (1997) and Ladd et al. (1999) have begun to examine potential mediators of the relation between rejection and school adjustment, a more conceptually driven process model is needed to guide research. Accordingly, one aim of this investigation was to develop a framework of mediating processes based on propositions advanced in Coie's (1990) model of peer rejection. ...
... Third, findings from other studies suggest that the effects of negative peer treatment on children's social and academic outcomes are mediated through classroom participation. Specifically, children who display low levels of classroom participation have been shown to be at risk for academic and/or emotional adjustment difficulties (Finn, 1993;Ladd et al., 1999;Wentzel, 1991b). ...
A short-term longitudinal design (N = 399) was used to examine peer relations processes that may mediate the relation between peer rejection and children's emotional and academic adjustment during kindergarten. These proposed mediating processes extend the current literature by explicating behavioral pathways via which the attitudinal construct of peer rejection may affect adjustment outcomes. Structural equation modeling results supported the hypothesis that negative peer treatment (e.g., victimization, refusal of peer group entry bids, and exclusion from peer activities) and classroom participation partially mediate the relationship between rejection and adjustment outcomes. Rejected children were more likely to experience negative peer treatment, more likely to show decreases in classroom participation, and more likely to report loneliness, to express a desire to avoid school, and to perform less well on achievement measures.
... The heuristic model displayed in Figure 1 was conceptualized to guide research on understanding individual differences in homeschoolers' AC (broadly defined). It was informed by discussions with the homeschooling community, the broader literature, and the theoretical work of several research groups (e.g., Eisenberg et al., 1998;Jennings & Greenberg, 2009;Ladd et al., 1999;McDonald, 2019;Murphy, 2012). ...
... Rather than focus on determining if children who are homeschooled do better, the same, or worse on outcomes, we aspire to advance the study of homeschooling by proposing a heuristic model to guide efforts to understand what facilitates or hinders homeschoolers' academic competence. The model is informed by multiple literatures and extends heuristic models that have received support from children attending conventional schools (Eisenberg et al., 1998;Jennings & Greenberg, 2009;Ladd et al., 1999). Nevertheless, within-group studies are needed to avoid making unwarranted generalizations. ...
... Through learning to communicate with others, children acquire an understanding of social roles, expectations, and norms, as well as the importance of cooperation, mutual assistance, and responsibility-key skills necessary for adapting to future social life. Ladd et al. (1999) have also emphasized that social competence in preschoolers is a strong predictor of school adjustment and behavioral outcomes during school age and adolescence (Sahin and Ates 2023). ...
... In this context, the teacher's role is not only to help children distinguish between essential and non-essential characteristics, but also to assist in connecting conceptual knowledge. By guiding children to identify problem-solving clues during the thinking process, instructional conversations become more effective in promoting meaningful learning (Ladd et al. 1999;Chou 2017). ...
Visual development in infancy is crucial for establishing neural connections and enhancing the growth of the visual center. Adequate visual stimulation supports cognitive learning, helping children integrate images, colors, and shapes. This research examines the design and use of a visual image teaching aid to guide children in exploring image cognition and developing fine motor skills. This study involved 70 kindergarten teachers who participated in a questionnaire survey about 60 children aged from 5 to 6 years old. The results show that visual graphic aids effectively promoted coordination, control, and the integration of visual and fine motor skills in children. Furthermore, these aids supported the development of spatial and environmental relationships through hands-on activities.
... Preschool is a developmentally appropriate period for learning the social skills that children will need for social adaptation in later years (Johnson et al., 2000). Children's positive experiences in preschool environments can form a foundation that will enable them to establish social relationships with others; however, if they fail to overcome the difficulties experienced in this period, this can be seen as the cause of their adaptation problems later in life (Ladd et al., 1999). Ünlüer 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1373898 ...
... Peers make up a large part of students' social lives in the classroom and school (León and Liew, 2017), and forming close bonds with classmates can provide kindergarten students with the sense of security they need to explore and cope with the new environment (Johnson et al., 2000). There is strong evidence that children who establish high-quality relationships with their peers and are socially competent will actively participate in classroom activities, be academically successful, and adapt to school (Ladd et al., 1999(Ladd et al., , 2006Caprara et al., 2000;Hay et al., 2004;Walker, 2004;Prinstein et al., 2005;Wood, 2007;Valiente et al., 2008;Nakamoto and Schwartz, 2010;Eggum-Wilkens et al., 2014;Hernández et al., 2016;Garner et al., 2020). Children who can establish good relationships with their peers have higher readiness for primary school (Polat and Atis-Akyol, 2016). ...
School adjustment affects children’s future lives in many ways. This study examined the relationship between ToM skills, peer relationships, and school adjustment. Specifically, this study determined whether preschool children’s school adjustment could be significantly predicted by theory of mind (ToM) skills and peer relationships. A total of 164 children aged 4 (34.5%), and 5 (38%) years of preschool attendance participated in the study. According to the research, children’s age, theory of mind, peer relations, and school adjustment are closely related. It was also found that the theory of mind significantly predicted school adjustment (school liking/avoidance) and that prosocial and aggressive behavior predicted school liking.
... For instance, the lack of access to parents during weekdays may reduce parental influence on boarders (Soenens, et al., 2017) and thus weaken the importance of parent support in boarders' emotional well-being. Increased opportunities to interact with peers in school might boost peer influence on boarders (Kindermann, 2007;Ladd et al., 1999), which might amplify the significance of peer support on boarders' emotional well-being. Consequently, parent support has less impact on boarders' emotional well-being than peer support. ...
... For young boarders, frequent peer interactions in classrooms and dormitories allow them to establish close emotional bonds with classmates and dormmates. Such peer attachment experiences may enhance peer influence on boarders (Kindermann, 2007;Ladd et al.,1999). Future interventions that target the improvement of boarders' emotional wellbeing could benefit from promoting quality peer support. ...
The present study assessed the impact of boarding school experience on the emotional well-being of primary school students and explored the associations between parent and peer support and students' emotional well-being using a two-wave longitudinal design. The participants were 289 primary school students (45.3% boys; 55.4% boarders) from fourth to sixth grades in mainland China. Children reported parent and peer support and emotional well-being at the beginning of the first semester (Time 1) and two months later (Time 2). Results showed no significant difference in emotional well-being between boarders and day school students. Cross-lagged path models showed that peer support was positively associated with children's later overall emotional well-being, life satisfaction, and happiness. Parent support was negatively associated with children's later overall emotional well-being and happiness. Multi-group analysis revealed that boarders' peer support, rather than parent support, was positively associated with emotional well-being. For day school students, parent support was negatively related to later emotional well-being, whereas peer support was positively associated with later happiness. Implications for educators, child service providers, and parents were discussed.
... These include feelings of guilt, excessive worry, a widespread sense of loneliness, social withdrawal, and somatic complaints [13][14][15]. In contrast to externalizing disorders, the literature on the stability of internalizing problems shows less consistent results; while some studies have not found the presence of any continuity of these disorders over time [16], others have shown the presence of predictive relationships between the internalizing problems manifested by children and anxiety-type disorders appearing at later phases [1,9,17]. ...
Background/Objectives: Children showing emotional–behavioral problems experience lower psychosocial well–being concurrently and in later stages. Developmental research suggests that emotion regulation abilities and the quality of peer relationships play a central role in predicting several behavioral and emotional difficulties. The present study investigates the way emotion regulation skills and peer acceptance and rejection contribute to behavior problems in a sample of Italian schoolers, also verifying the role of gender. Methods: The participants were 220 children (97 boys) aged between 7 and 9 years attending four primary schools in northern Italy. The level of social acceptance and rejection of each child was measured using the sociometric technique of Peer Nomination. In addition, the Emotion Regulation Checklist filled in by the teachers, and the Child Behavior Checklist, completed by the parents, were used to assess children’s emotion regulation abilities and the presence of behavior difficulties, respectively. Results: The main results confirm that behavioral problems are both negatively associated with emotional regulation skills and positively with the social rejection level. However, the impact of peer rejection on the manifestation of problem behavior is fully mediated by children’s ability to regulate their emotions. Interestingly, this pattern of interrelationships only applies to male participants. Conclusions: The study helps to clarify the mechanism through which the degree of peer rejection influences emotional–behavioral difficulties and emphasizes the importance of considering gender-specific processes within interpersonal risk models of problem behavior.
... L'un des aspects les plus importants du climat de classe est la qualité de la relation entre l'enseignant et les élèves (DiLalla et al., 2004 ;Ladd et al., 1999). Il apparaît notamment qu'un environnement positif et chaleureux, qui encourage les élèves à contribuer de manière constructive à la leçon, est corrélé avec l'efficacité des enseignants (Anderson et al., 2004 ;Wubbels et al., 1991). ...
... Children who develop conflicting relationships with their teachers love school less, attend fewer activities (Ladd & Burgess, 2001), and have lower academic success (Hamre & Pianta, 2001;Pianta & Stuhlman, 2004;Spilt et al., 2012). Children who frequently have conflicts with their teachers are less likely to obey classroom rules and practice their responsibilities (Ladd et al., 1999). Conflicting relationships cause a decrease in children's social competence and increase problem behaviours (Birch & Ladd, 1998). ...
During the early stages of childhood, educators play a pivotal role as influential figures in a child’s life. The dynamic between teacher and child holds the potential to either foster or jeopardize the child’s developmental trajectory. The present study investigated the predictive role of teacher-child relationships in behavior problems for Turkish children. A predictive correlation design was used in this study. Eight preschool teachers rated the quality of their relationships with 138 children aged 4–6 years and their externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. Findings revealed that the quality of the teacher-child relationships was a significant predictor of both externalizing and internalizing problems. Closeness in teacher-child relationships is associated with a decrease in children’s externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Conflicts in teacher-child relationships, in contrast, have been linked to increased problem behaviors exhibited by children. Notably, conflict emerges as a more influential predictor for externalizing behavior problems, whereas the level of closeness exerts a more substantial influence on internalizing behavior problems. Findings provide new perspectives on how teacher-child relationship patterns affect children’s behavior problems in Turkey context.
... Construirea unor relații pozitive între profesori și studenți, dar și în rândul studenților s-a dovedit a fi benefică pentru aceștia care, devenind mai motivați, tind să se implice mai mult în procesul de învățare și să obțină rezultate academice mai bune (Bresciani & Lea, 2018), prin dezvoltarea abilităților care țin de atenție, reglarea emoțională și de a face față cu bine la diverse provocări (Uribe, 2021;Ladd, Birch, & Buhs, 1999;Raver, 2005, in Bresciani & Lea, 2018. ...
The paper "Adolescent Clubs in Schools: Best Practice Models" presents a qualitative study focusing on the impact of school clubs on adolescent development, highlighting the importance of non-cognitive skills in their personal growth. The study examines how these skills, such as self-confidence, creativity, responsibility, cooperation, and leadership, are developed through active participation in various school clubs. The analysis is based on interviews with club members, who reported significant changes in their behaviors, attitudes, as well as in interpersonal and leadership skills. The study also explores the influence of the school and family environment on these skills, and how they can be transferred to the students' personal lives. The research emphasizes the importance of school clubs as instances of socialization and personal development, with a focus on formal education that includes non-cognitive skills as an objective of the educational process. The goal is to highlight the role of clubs in shaping more responsible, creative, and capable young people who can collaborate and lead, thus preparing students for future challenges in their personal and professional lives.
... Social and emotional competency refers to the ability to understand and manage emotions like anger and empathy, develop and maintain healthy relationships through effective communication and conflict resolution, and persevere through life's challenges with problem-solving and decision-making skills (Elias et al., 1997). It enhances classroom engagement, peer acceptance, and academic performance (Ladd et al., 1999;Raver, 2002). Social and emotional learning (SEL) programs cultivate such abilities in children (Elias et al., 1997;Zins et al., 2004) and have grown globally, taking forms like behavior management, antibullying prevention, teacher-focused pedagogy, extracurricular activities, and nonformal programs. ...
Socially and emotionally competent children thrive in school and life. Crucial to this success is integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) across their developmental ecology, from homes, schools, and communities to society. This case study draws on interviews with 21 parents, 42 teachers, and 12 professionals from diverse educational institutions in Malawi. It illuminates coordination strategies and enabling factors for system-wide support for SEL in and around Malawi's schools. Teachers deliver a compulsory SEL-infused curriculum, sometimes co-instructed with parents, and emphasize daily discipline and behavior modeling. Governmental and nongovernmental organizations collaborate with grassroots initiatives, such as Mothers’ Groups, to provide technical support, teacher training, financial aid, and community-wide discussions to acquaint parents with SEL. These efforts align through multiparty dialogues, aimed at bridging home–school disparities. The findings offer insights for establishing a coherent, system-wide support structure for SEL in Malawi and potentially other countries.
... • Academic Achievement: Persistent disturbances in the classroom might impede learning for the disruptive child and their peers (Alexander et al., 1997). • Social-Emotional Development: Behavioral difficulties can impact peer interactions and social integration (Ladd et al., 1999). Children with behavioral issues may face social rejection or isolation. ...
This study aims to examine the effects of behavior training provided using technology on the behaviors of preschool children who have difficulties in behavior management or who have behaviors that need to be improved. The study was designed as action research, which is one of the qualitative research methods. By convenient and purposive sampling, the participants include 2 preschool teachers and 10 preschool children working in kindergartens affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) in Antalya province. In the study, two sessions of semi-structured interviews, one before and one after the training, were used as data collection tools to determine the students who had difficulty in behavior management and to determine the behavioral changes in children after the training process. The observation method was used to collect data on the behavior change process of children who received technology-supported behavior management training. The data was analyzed by applying the descriptive analysis method. The results were explained under the themes of teachers' views on classroom management and the difficulties they experienced in classroom management, undesirable behaviors in the classroom environment, practices to eliminate undesirable behaviors and ensure classroom management, and alternative suggestions for classroom management. Depending on the research results, suggestions for teachers and researchers were also presented.in classroom management, undesirable behaviors in the classroom environment, practices to eliminate undesirable behaviors and ensure classroom management, and alternative suggestions for classroom management. Depending on the results of the research, suggestions for teachers and researchers were also presented.
... Avoidance in and of itself is not problematic. However, if shy children's avoidance during this self-presentation task is reflective of their response to different situations in preschool or kindergarten, given the importance of engagement for adjustment in classroom settings (Hughes & Coplan, 2010;Ladd et al., 1999), shy children's avoidance may have negative consequences for children's adjustment. Important future considerations for researchers are to examine shy children's behaviors in a more naturalistic setting, examine how shy children's avoidant behaviors are perceived by peers, and what strategies from teachers and peers support shy children's engagement during selfpresentation tasks. ...
Shyness is typically associated with avoidant social behavior and restricted affect in new social situations. However, we know considerably less about how one child's shyness influences another child's behavior and affect in new social situations. Children's shyness was parent‐reported when children were age 3 ( N = 105, 52 girls, M age = 3.50 years), and children were tested approximately 1 year later ( M age = 4.76 years) in same‐gender dyads where they were asked to give an impromptu speech about their most recent birthday in front of an experimenter and the other member of the dyad. We examined whether children's shyness and speech order influenced their own and their social partner's observed behavior and affect during the speech. Regardless of speech order, children's own shyness was positively associated with their own avoidant social behavior and gaze aversion. Regardless of shyness, children who gave their speech second averted their gaze more than children who gave their speech first. We also found that children who gave their speech second displayed less positive affect if their social partner who they watched give the speech first was shyer. We speculate that some 4‐year‐old children may be sensitive to the avoidant behaviors of their shy peers and, in turn, respond with less animation when it is their turn to participate in the same activity.
Research Highlights
We examined whether preschool children's shyness and speech order influenced their own and their social partner's observed behavior and affect during a dyadic speech task
Children's own shyness was positively associated with their own avoidant social behavior and gaze aversion
Children who gave their speech second averted their gaze more than children who gave their speech first.
Children who gave their speech second displayed less positive affect if their social partner who they watched give a speech first was shyer
These findings suggest that preschool‐aged children are sensitive to learning about their environment indirectly through social observation
... Since teachers play a key role in maintaining a classroom environment that facilitates students' social, emotional, and academic growth (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009), teachers are well-placed to influence a wide range of student outcomes. Past studies have shown that teacherstudent relationships are associated with student engagement and motivation (Roorda et al., 2011), and social functioning (Ladd et al., 1999). Poor teacher-student relationship, on the other hand, has been linked to behavior problems, and found to negatively affect students' grades and work habits (Graziano et al., 2007;Hamre & Pianta, 2001). ...
As the teaching profession becomes more demanding and teachers’ work conditions become increasingly challenging, recent reports have shown declining levels of teacher well-being. Past studies on teacher well-being mostly focused its associations with teacher- and school-related outcomes. However, less research has been conducted on the implications of teacher well-being for their students’ well-being. In this study, we drew on prior work on social contagion to investigate the relationship of teacher well-being with that of their students. More specifically, we examined the relationship between teacher well-being (satisfaction with the teaching profession and satisfaction with the work environment) and student well-being (life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect). We drew on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 data which contained responses from 89,614 teachers and 93,555 students nested within 5400 schools across 19 countries/regions. Results of multilevel path analysis revealed that teacher satisfaction with the teaching profession was positively associated with student life satisfaction and positive affect, and negatively associated with negative affect. Teacher satisfaction with the work environment was positively related to student positive affect. The findings held after controlling for key covariates (school SES, and student SES and gender). Hence, teacher well-being seems to be an important contributing factor to student well-being.
... Emotions influence learning, including attention, motivation, use of learning strategies, self-regulation of learning, and achievement outcomes (Pekrun, 2017). Students' social and emotional classroom experiences have been linked to a range of outcomes including grades, study habits, and discipline records (Hamre and Pianta, 2001), as well as students' mental health and achievement motivations (Roeser et al., 2000) and the quality of teaching (Ladd et al., 1999;Juvonen et al., 2011). Across different age groups and over time, students' social and emotional skills are associated with greater academic motivation, greater engagement, and higher grades (Zins et al., 2004;Rivers et al., 2019). ...
National trends indicate a pressing need for more impactful civic and history instruction in U.S. secondary education settings. To address this need, we developed an innovative, game-based curriculum, called iThrive Sim, that uses tech-supported role-plays and evidence-based civic and social and emotional learning practices to support high school students in engaging with and comprehending civic and history texts and concepts while developing their social and emotional skills. In this article we describe the need, rationale, and co-design process for this game-based curriculum, its theoretical underpinnings, and its advantages for adolescent learners. We review preliminary pilot and playtesting data that demonstrate initial support for its efficacy and feasibility. Finally, we discuss barriers and additional enhancements and supports that could aid in confirming efficacy and scaling the approach.
... En este sentido, el aprendizaje socio-emocional provee a los establecimientos educacionales con un marco para prevenir problemas y promover el bienestar y el éxito. Ladd, et al. (1999), identifican cuatro signos de un buen aprendizaje socioemocional en la infancia: (a) interacciones positivas con los profesores; (b) representaciones positivas de sí mismo derivadas de buenas relaciones de apego; (c) conocimientos de las emociones; y (d) habilidad para regular las emociones. ...
This article proposes an analysis of the socio-affective climate in the development of emotional competencies in the current context. Scientific studies show that socio-emotional competencies in teachers are related to the educational success of students. The progressive expectation presented by today's society has generated a series of changes and challenges that have not necessarily been accompanied by a parallel development of skills, competencies and instances aimed at promoting social coexistence among others, it has not been possible to find significant solutions, and even A deterioration of psychosocial well-being can be observed for reflection on the preponderant role of the academic environment in the development of socio-affective skills of students, therefore a space to promote vicarious learning, as well as to strengthen the motivation of students towards achievement of certain learnings. Finally, the intention is to make known a series of diversity in relation to for reflection on the preponderant role of the academic environment in the development of socio-affective skills of students.
... 이는 학교생활에서 의 긍정적인 또래관계는 타인과의 유대감 형성이라는 발달적 욕 구를 충족시켜 줌으로써 학교에서의 적응을 향상시켜주는 것이다 (Baker et. al., 2003 (Ladd et al., 1999;Pianta et al., 1995)을 나타냈다. 또한, 교사와 학생 사이의 관계는 학업성취에도 지속적인 영향을 주고 (Hamre & Pianta, 2001), 아동이 학교환경을 자율적, 관계지향 적으로 지각할 경우 학교적응에 긍정적인 영향을 미친다고 보고 되고 있다 (Hughes & Coplan, 2018;Kang, 2015;Tosto et al., 2016;Y. ...
This study examined the mediating effect of children's school adjustment on the relationship between a creative school environment and children’s happiness. For this purpose, an analysis was performed of data from the 12th Panel Study on Korean Children conducted in 2019. The participants were 1,393 fifth-grade elementary school students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 programs. The principal results were as follows. Firstly, there were significant positive correlations among creative school environment, children's school adjustment, and happiness. Secondly, the creative school environment significantly affected children's school adjustment and happiness. Thirdly, children's school adjustment had a positive effect on their happiness. Fourthly, the creative school environment had an indirect effect on children's happiness through school adjustment. The results thus demonstrate that school is a social environment that strongly influences children's happiness. Therefore, to improve children's school happiness, it is essential to consider the relationship between a creative school environment and school adjustment.
... More specifically, EC includes attention focusing, inhibitory control, and activation control dimensions during school years. Attention focusing covers individual differences in the ability to persist in ongoing tasks, avoiding possible distractions, and would affect academic achievement because it is required for children's engagement in learning activities and completion of tasks, and facilitates (or disrupts) classroom processes (Ladd et al., 1999;Posner & Rothbart, 2007). In support of this hypothesis, previous studies showed that children with a higher ability to concentrate and focus on tasks achieved better mathematics performance in kindergarten (Rudasill et al., 2010) and elementary school (Ato et al., 2020;Sánchez-Pérez et al., 2015, 2018. ...
This study aimed to ascertain the contribution of children’s effortful control (EC) to math achievement by testing the mediational involvement of math anxiety. Participants were 704 children (367 girls) aged between 7 and 12 years ( M = 9.43, SD = 1.23). Children’s EC was measured by parent’s report, math anxiety was assessed through self-report, whereas math achievement was evaluated by performance on standard math tests. The models tested involved EC higher-order factor or specific EC components (activation control, attentional focusing, and inhibitory control). The results showed that activation control, attentional focusing, and EC higher-order factor contributed to math performance directly and through the mediation of math anxiety. Inhibitory control did not yield a significant effect on math performance. The findings suggest that children with higher dispositional effortful self-regulation tend to experience lower levels of math anxiety, with positive effects on math performance.
... Their findings suggest that exposure to nature can have restorative effects on children's mental health. The role of diverse social activities in developing communication and social skills aligns with the findings of Ladd, Birch, & Buhs (1999), who note that participation in structured social activities can significantly enhance children's social competence and peer relations. The exposure to diversity through organized programs, contributing to inclusivity, empathy, and a broader perspective, is in line with Pettigrew and Tropp's (2006) research on intergroup contact. ...
The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among orphaned children is
a critical concern requiring careful examination. Orphaned children grapple
with unique challenges, such as the loss of parental support and the disruption
of stable familial connections, with significant implications for their mental
well-being and overall psychological health. This study investigates the
prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among orphaned children, with a
specific focus on gender-related variations. A total of 26 orphans, aged 7 to 12
years, were recruited from Pusat Jagaan Hembusan Kasih Sayang in Kuantan,
Pahang. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was employed
for assessment. While no significant values for DASS Test variables were
detected, there were gender-related differences in the psychological well-being
of the children in the orphanage. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and
stress among orphans from Pusat Jagaan Hembusan Kasih Sayang is low.
Notably, females exhibit higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress
compared to males.
... While children's ability to follow instructions, take turns during group activities, and stay focused on tasks have been identified as predictors for school success (McClelland, Morrison, & Holmes, 2000), social-emotional development fosters both learning engagement and positive social behaviour in the classroom (Ladd, Birch & Buhs, 1999). In addition, preschoolers who can better regulate their social and emotional experiences are more confident in their social and emotional outcomes (Cole, Teti, & Zahn-Waxler, 2003). ...
Recent studies have emphasized the importance of children’s ability to control their behaviours, thoughts, and emotions. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between behavioural self-regulation, motor coordination and social-emotional competencies in Romanian preschool children. We assessed 120 preschoolers using measures of behavioural self-regulation, gross motor coordination, and social-emotional competencies. Results revealed that there are no significant relations between behavioural self-regulation and gross motor coordination, nor between behavioural self-regulation and social-emotional skills. Interestingly, no gender differences emerged in terms of behavioural self-regulation, gross motor coordination, and social competencies. The only gender-related difference was found concerning emotional competencies, with girls outperforming boys. Further studies should investigate longitudinally the relations among these constructs, and also in relations with other factors, such as the preschool setting, the socio-economic status, and children’s academic achievement.
... Early education for children, space of learning can be categorised through indoor space and outdoor space. According to Ladd et al. (1999) and Leggett & Newman (2017) an indoor learning space is under the roof and inside a building where children learn. It's often called an indoor learning environment. ...
Play learning spaceis beneficial for children's health and education especially at school. Therefore, the study highlighted the character that need to enhance of indoor and outdoor in finding the most preferred play learning space that close to children at school.Moreover, both settingshave strengths that can affect children in engaging play learning.A total of 4themes of elements found in the settingshave been highlighted for indoor and outdoor, which consist of a space of playground, plants, water, and animalssetting of environments. This study carriedon the assessingof preferred tendencies by children (n=128) aged 5 to 6 years old at Seri Iskandar, Perak more likely indoor or outdoor environments for engagement in play learningspace. Pictorial studiesthrough photo elicitationand interviews have been carried out at kindergartens around Seri Iskandar, Perak. Analysis using the R-software to obtain a mean comparison will be done to see the tendency of the choice. Future studies can be expanded to see the spatial characteristicsthat is essential to have in school so that children feel belonging and increase happinesslevelwhen they have their play-based learning at school.
... Moreover, an increasing body of empirical research indicates that the correlation between TSR and SSR may be contingent upon the presence of positive or negative aspects within TSR. Conflict in relationships with teachers appears to be more strongly associated with peer relationships compared to closeness (De Laet et al. 2014;Hendrickx et al., 2017;Huber et al., 2018;Ladd et al., 1999;McAuliffe et al., 2009;White & Jones, 2000). However, the evidence regarding this relation has been inconsistent thus far, as the correlation was also found to be stronger for closeness in TSR compared to conflict (e.g., Hughes et al. 2001). ...
Student well-being has gained prominence on both the scientific and political agendas, as it is recognized as a crucial skill in addressing the economic, ecological, and social challenges of the 21st century. Relationships that students form with teachers and peers in the classroom are important for their academic, social, and emotional development. Building and maintaining positive relationships contributes to psychological growth and well-being. This article strives for a deeper understanding of the association between student well-being and classroom relationships from the students' perspective. Mediation regression analysis was conducted between student well-being, teacher-student relationships, and student-student relationships to overcome limitations of prior studies using a unidimensional approach on student well-being and considering relationships in separate models. This study shows that both relationships are related to student well-being, however associations differ regarding different dimensions of student well-being and students' individual factors such as gender, migration background , and socioeconomic status. Providing a multi-dimensional approach on student well-being as well as taking both relationships into account adds to a profound understanding of processes in classrooms. Insights on these relations can help educators, schools and researchers develop strategies to foster relationships in the classroom and, in succession, enhance well-being in school.
... The quality of teacher-student relationships has received significant research attention in the past several decades. Considering extensive evidence on its association with a variety of student outcomes, such as student social functioning (Ladd et al., 1999), cognitive development (Davis, 2003), and academic achievement (Lei et al., 2023), it is only imperative to gain an understanding on how to improve teacher-student interactions. Moreover, a meta-analysis of 119 studies conducted teacher variables and positive student outcomes. ...
Autonomy-supportive teaching has been associated with a variety of positive student outcomes, such as psychological need satisfaction, self-efficacy, and classroom engagement (Ng et al., International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education 14:1359–1376, 2016; Olivier et al., British Journal of Educational Psychology 90:887–909, 2020). Nevertheless, there is significantly less research attention on the teacher benefits of autonomy-supportive teaching. With the complex emotional and social demands of the teaching profession, it is important to understand the ways to cultivate teacher social-emotional competencies (SECs). The social and emotional well-being of teachers affects their classroom functioning, and eventually student outcomes. Furthermore, the teacher SECs are linked to teacher well-being. As autonomy-supportive teaching focuses on building a pleasant and supportive learning environment for the students, it is a plausible idea to investigate how such teaching practices may cultivate teacher SECs as well. As expected, the findings suggest that the five SECs were demonstrated by the teachers while being autonomy supportive. Out of the five SECs, self-awareness and relationship management seem to be most frequently demonstrated by the teachers, while self-management seems to be least presented, during autonomy-supportive teaching.
... They provide opportunities for children to take ownership of their learning and development. Feeling secure in their relationships with teachers, children are more likely to engage in exploratory behavior and develop positive relationships with their peers [30] . ...
This research article examines the crucial role of a healthy classroom climate in the social-emotional development of students during childhood. A positive classroom climate has been associated with several positive outcomes, including increased academic success, development of intrapersonal skills, and improvement in the quality of interpersonal relationships. The main objective is to explore the impact of the classroom climate on the comprehensive development of children. The study employs a qualitative approach, using multiple case studies to collect rich and detailed data. Data analysis is carried out using computer-aided qualitative data analysis (CAQDAS) software, specifically the ATLAS program, to generate categories that allow for in-depth analysis. The findings underscore the importance of considering the classroom climate as a key factor in promoting general well-being and positive social-emotional outcomes among young learners, and the importance of creating a nurturing and supportive classroom environment to foster optimal emotional development in children.
... En el caso de muchos niños, el logro académico durante los primeros 2 ó 3 años de formación escolar parece estar basado en un firme desarrollo de sus habilidades emocionales y sociales (14,15) . Específicamente, la investigación emergente sobre la importancia de los años tempranos de instrucción sugiere que las relaciones que los niños forman con los compañeros y maestros se basan en la capacidad para regular las emociones de maneras prosociales más bien que antisociales, y que tales relaciones sirven de "fuente de provisiones" que ayudan o perjudican el rendimiento académico (16) . ...
La presente investigación tiene como objetivo estudiar los factores de riesgo asociados al abandono temprano de la escuela en esta población femenina. Se entrevistó a 69 adolescentes del Centro Juvenil Santa Margarita, sentenciadas con penas privativas de la libertad por haber infringido la ley, 48 (69,7%) procedían de distritos de la ciudad de Lima y 21 (30,4%) de provincias. Utilizando como instrumento el Cuestionario de Trastornos de Conducta de Inicio Temprano de Moffitt, modificado, que consta de 22 preguntas, se interrogó sobre los primeros años de vida en el hogar, la conducta en la escuela, actitudes reñidas con normas sociales y con la ley, impulsividad, agresión y violencia lindante con la crueldad. La variable dependiente fue el “abandono temprano de la escuela” y las independientes, las 21 restantes. Los resultados sugieren que las variables vinculadas a violencia conforman las causas líderes, alcanzando valores que sobrepasan el 60%. Las variables relacionadas con escolaridad figuran con una frecuencia de alrededor del 50%. Las variables “malas relaciones”, relacionada con el entorno, y “vínculo familiar débil” superan el 50%. Las variables asociadas significativamente con el abandono escolar utilizando el chi2 han estado relacionadas con dificultades en la escuela, malas relaciones con otras personas y un temperamento no controlado que expresa inadecuado manejo de la ira. La relación logística ratifica la importancia de las variables “dificultades en la escuela” e “inadecuado control de la cólera”. Se concluye que la causa de abandono escolar en la población estudiada es multifactorial y, además de los problemas neuropsicológicos, malas relaciones sociales y temperamento no controlado encontrados en este estudio, se deben tener en cuenta los problemas económicos, la expulsión por indisciplina, la falta de atención con hiperactividad y la falta de motivación de los maestros, entre otros que deben ser abordados en estudios futuros.
... Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation were positively inter-related, and significant associations between intrinsic motivation and enjoyment, and willingness were consistent with the SDT that students who are passionate about the subject tend to enjoy studying and be more willing to study without external rewards [81]. On the other hand, existing studies have proved that motivation is significantly correlated with students' academic achievement [82,83]. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation act as a mediating role for academic performance through online learning behaviours [84]. ...
Background
Based on the control-value theory of achievement emotion and self-determination motivation theory, this study attempted to examine the multi-chain mediating relationships among online class-related enjoyment, school motivation, learning engagement and academic achievement.
Methods
This is an empirical study based on cross-sectional data. Online class-related enjoyment is the independent variable, academic achievement is the dependent variable, and school motivation and learning engagement are the mediating variables. Sample data were collected from 1294 Chinese college students, and SPSS macro program PROCESS 3.3 was used for data analysis.
Results
The present study confirmed that students’ online class-related enjoyment has a significant positive correlation with academic achievement. And there is a positive correlation between college students’ school motivation with learning engagement and college students’ learning engagement with academic achievement. In addition, online class-related enjoyment affects academic achievement through the chain mediating effect of school motivation and learning engagement.
Conclusions
Our study indicated that online class-related enjoyment has a significant impact on academic achievement. Both of these factors should be considered when determining the optimal multi-chain mediating model for Online Class-related Enjoyment and Academic Achievement of college students.
... ps < .001; Ladd et al., 1999). ...
Well-being is a multifaceted concept encompassing a broad spectrum of dimensions, including mental well-being, which has been an appealing area of study for scholars from different parts of the world. The current study aims to explore the relationship among depression, social-emotional learning skills, and mental well-being in a conveniently selected sample of college students. The sample consisted of 237 public school undergraduate students, of whom 151 (63.29%) were women. The results indicated that social-emotional learning skills partially mediated the relationship between depression and mental well-being. The findings show that social-emotional learning skills pose a protective factor against lower levels of mental well-being occurring as the result of depressive symptoms. The overall model explained 32% of variance in mental well-being. Findings were discussed in the light of the relevant literature. Through synthesizing current literature knowledge and results derived, this study aims to provide a foundation for further research and practice that promotes mental well-being.
Objective: This meta-analysis provides the first comprehensive synthesis of associations between student and teacher personality traits and the quality of teacher–student relationships.
Method: Fifty-five studies met the eligibility criteria, contributing a total of 238 effect sizes. We used multivariate meta-analysis
with robust variance estimation (RVE) to model the dependency of effect sizes.
Results: Student prosocial behavior (ρ = 0.59) and proactive personality (ρ = 0.48) were the strongest predictors of positive
teacher–student relationship quality. All Big Five traits of students, except neuroticism, showed significant positive associations,
with all correlations exceeding 0.4 when holding constant with all other moderators. Teacher agreeableness (ρ = 0.31) and con-
scientiousness (ρ = 0.29) yielded modest associations. Students with less emotional stability or aggressive behaviors were more
likely to experience negative teacher–student relationships, such as conflict and dependency.
Conclusion: Our findings highlight the critical role of student personality in explaining the quality of teacher–student interac-
tions. Multiple traits appear equally important, as indicated by comparable effect sizes. The literature is relatively limited when
it comes to teacher personality. We were unable to examine teacher traits in relation to teacher–student conflict and dependency,
but, overall, agreeable and conscientious teacher behaviors appeared to be important for favorable interactions, whereas teacher neuroticism may undermine the quality of such interactions.
Bu çalışmada ilkokul öğrencilerinin okula uyumlarını belirtmek için geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçek geliştirmek ve bu ölçekten elde edilen puanların farklı değişkenler (cinsiyet ve sınıf) açısından incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Ölçek geliştirme sürecinde ilk olarak sınıf öğretmenlerinden uyumlu ve uyumsuz öğrenci özelliklerine ilişkin yazılı görüşler alınmıştır. Bu görüşlere ve literatüre dayalı olarak 37 maddelik bir madde havuzu oluşturulmuştur. Uzman görüşü sonrasında madde sayısı 30’a düşmüştür. Alınan dönütler ve analizler sonucunda gerekli düzeltmeler yapılarak 22 maddeden oluşan deneme formu, 369 ilkokul öğrencisine uygulanmıştır. Yapı geçerliliğini belirlemek amacıyla yapılan açımlayıcı faktör analizi sonucunda 16 maddeden ve üç faktörden oluşan bir yapı elde edilmiştir. Bu faktörler “Akademik Uyum”, “Normatif Uyum” ve “Akran Uyumu” olarak adlandırılmıştır. Nihai form, doğrulayıcı faktör analizi yapmak için 248 ilkokul öğrencisine uygulanmıştır. Ölçeğin Cronbach alfa katsayısı 0.91 test tekrar test güvenilirlik katsayısı ise 0.92 olarak tespit edilmiştir. Yapılan analizler sonucunda ilkokul öğrencilerinin okula uyumlarını ölçebilecek toplam üç alt boyuttan ve 16 maddeden oluşan geçerliği ve güvenirliği kanıtlanmış bir ölçek geliştirilmiştir. Katılımcıların cinsiyet ve sınıf düzeylerine göre İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Okula Uyum Ölçeğinden alınan toplam puanlara dair karşılaştırmalar yapılmıştır. Katılımcıların İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Okula Uyum Ölçeğinden aldıkları puanlar cinsiyete göre anlamlı bir şekilde farklılık göstermezken sınıf düzeylerine göre aldıkları puanlar farklılık göstermektedir.
Анотація. У статті окреслено педагогічні підходи, які доцільно використовувати для розвитку життєстійкості особистості в освітньому просторі університету. Проаналізовано концепцію позитивної психології, яка пов’язана з американським професором Мартіном Селігманом. Зазначається, що позитивна педагогіка базується на ідеї позитивного досвіду, який стимулює навчання та підвищує мотивацію. Підкреслено, що позитивна педагогіка також зосереджується на виявленні сильних сторін кожного здобувача освіти та застосуванні їх у процесі навчання. Акцентовано увагу на тому, що проактивна освіта передбачає завчасне надання здобувачам освіти інформації, щоб допомогти їм підготуватися до майбутнього та уникнути проблем, розвивати життєстійкість. Обумовлено, що проактивна дія допомагає миттєво відреагувати на проблемну ситуацію і заздалегідь продумати, як запобігти потенційним конфліктам і як з ними впоратися, якщо вони виникнуть. Зафіксовано, що наразі позитивна підтримка є важливим аспектом позитивної педагогіки та заохочення участі здобувачів освіти в освітньому процесі. Здобувачі вищої освіти повинні брати активну участь у постановці та контролі своїх навчальних цілей, а викладачі можуть забезпечити позитивне підкріплення в групі, щоб заохотити бажану поведінку. Простежено, що викладачі закладів вищої освіти мають можливість значно впливати на самооцінку здобувачів вищої освіти, заохочуючи їх пробувати нове, пропонуючи підтримку та визнаючи їхні сильні сторони, можуть допомогти створити позитивний образ себе та підтримувати високу самооцінку. Актуалізовано доцільність розгляду питань вивчення життєстійкості особистості як педагогічної проблеми на прикладі екзистенціальної педагогіки (або особистісно-орієнтованого навчання чи студентоцентризму). Окреслено, що людина зміцнюється у своїй здатності визначати себе та розвиває власну життєстійкість. Наголошено, що потенціал кожного здобувача вищої освіти розкривається через звернення до повного спектру особистості, навіть за межами освітнього процесу в закладі вищої освіти. Зазначено, що одним з педагогічних підходів, який доцільно використовувати для розвитку життєстійкості здобувачів вищої освіти в освітньому просторі університету є методика проєктно-орієнтованого навчання, яка передбачає проєктування, розробку та конструювання здобувачами вищої освіти практичних рішень проблеми, що дозволяє розвивати життєстійкість.
Çocuklarda uyum süreci henüz gelişmekte olduğu için önleme ve müdahalede daha hızlı sonuç alınmaktadır. Bu nedenle gerek okullarda psikolojik danışmanların ve öğretmenlerin gerekse ailelerin uyum ve davranış sorunları konusunda farkındalığının olması, çocuklara uygun psikososyal yardım ve psikolojik desteğin verilmesi çok önemlidir. Okullar bu doğrultuda, hem uyum ve davranış sorunlarını önlemede hem de müdahalede en önemli psikososyal merkezler konumundadır. Öğretmen yetkinlik beklentisi (teacher efficacy), öğretmenin öğretim ve sınıf yönetimi konularındaki bilincine odaklanan bir kavramdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı ilkokul döneminde öğretmen yetkinliği ve öğrenci uyum problemlerine çok yönlü bakarak değerlendirmektir. Bu çalışmada alan yazın taraması yapılarak konuyla ilgili derleme yapılmıştır. Ulaşılan sonuçlar, öğrencilerde uyum sorunlarının dört başlıkta ele alındığını ortaya koymuştur. Öğretmenlerin yetkin hale gelmesi için problem davranışa müdahale edebilmesi veya uyum sorunu olan öğrenciyi ayırt edebilmesi, bu konuda ihtiyacı olan ailelere nasıl destek olabileceğini bilmesi önemli görülmektedir. Öğretmenin hangi konuda kimden yardım alabileceğini bilerek sevk edeceği uzmanlar hakkında bilgi sahibi olması, yetkinliğine katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir. Öğretmen yetkinliği açısından incelendiğinde yüksek yetkinlik, insancıl tutuma, öğrenmede öğrenciyle güçlü ilişki kurmaya katkı sağlamaktadır. Uyum sorunlarını fark etme ve sağlıklı yönetebilme açısından düşük yetkinlik algısı olanların gelişmeye açık olduğu anlaşılmıştır. Yapılan alan yazın sonuçlarına dayanarak öğretmenlerin gözünden öğrencilerin uyum problemlerinin incelenmesine ihtiyaç olduğu anlaşılmıştır.
The main purpose of this study is to detect the predictive impact of self-regulation skills on peer relationships in preschool children. The participants consisted of 165 children of Turkish extraction (between the ages of 5-6). 81 of them were girls and 84 were boys. Self-Regulation Skills Scale for Children aged 4-6 (Teacher Form) and sociometry technique based on peer nomination were utilized. The study results asserted that young children’s self-regulation variables (inhibitory control, attention, working memory) influenced their levels of being positively and significantly liked by peers. Moreover, young children’s self-regulation variables (inhibitory control, attention, working memory) affected their levels of being negatively and significantly disliked by peers. Also, inhibitory control, attention, and working memory significantly predicted the levels of social preference.
In this study, the orientation of the first grade primary school students to school was ensured by creative drama activities. Activities that lasted 21 hours were applied to ensure that the students adapt to the school, their friends, their teachers, school staff, and places in the school. Parents, classroom teacher, 19 students and 2 prospective teachers as observers participated the study. Quantitative data were collected before and after the workshop by the “Goal Attainment Evaluation Form” and this data were compared with the non-parametric tests. Qualitative data of the research were obtained through written and individual interviews. The study contributed positively to students' communication and cooperation, recognizing the school and the class, and realizing the school and class rules. In addition, it was found out that school orientation studies improved social skills such as empathy by increasing interaction between the school, the parents, and the students. The families participating in these activities stated that they understood their children better, felt like children, and they implied they remembered their childhood years. Current study displayed that creative drama activities significantly facilitated the orientation of the students to their schools.
Bu araştırmanın temel amacı, okul öncesi eğitim kurumuna devam eden çocukların duygu düzenleme becerilerinin okula uyumlarını yordayıcılığının incelenmesidir. Bu amaçla çalışma nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden ilişkisel (korelasyonel) tarama modelinde tasarlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubu, 2022-2023 eğitim ve öğretim yılında Rize ili Merkez ilçesinde yer alan okul öncesi eğitim kurumuna devam eden 280 (196 kız, 84 erkek) çocuktan oluşmaktadır. Çalışma grubu amaçsal örnekleme yöntemlerinden biri olan ölçüt örnekleme yöntemine göre belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada çocukların duygu düzenleme becerilerini tespit etmek amacıyla “Okul Öncesi Duygu Düzenleme Ölçeği”, okula uyumlarını tespit etmek amacıyla “Okul Uyumu Öğretmen Değerlendirmesi Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonucunda okul öncesi dönem çocuklarının duygu düzenleme becerilerinin orta düzeyde; okula uyumlarının ise yüksek düzeyde olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Okul öncesi dönem çocuklarının duygu düzenleme becerilerinin okula uyumlarını anlamlı olarak yordadığı ve %70’ini açıkladığı tespit edilmiştir. (R2=.70; p<.001). Kız çocukların duygu düzenleme becerileri ve okula uyumlarının erkek çocuklardan anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Altı yaşındaki çocukların duygu düzenleme becerileri ve okula uyumlarının beş yaşındakilerden anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Okul öncesi eğitim alma süresine göre de farklılaşma tespit edilmiştir. Buna göre 1 yıldan daha az eğitim alan çocuklar ile 1 yıl eğitim alanlar arasında, 1 yıl eğitim alanlar lehine; 1 yıldan daha az eğitim alan çocuklar ile 1-2 yıl eğitim alanlar arasında, 1-2 yıl eğitim alanlar lehine; 1 yıldan daha az eğitim alan çocuklar ile 2 yıldan daha fazla eğitim alanlar arasında 2 yıldan daha fazla eğitim alanlar lehine ve 1-2 yıl arasında eğitim alanlar ile 2 yıldan daha fazla eğitim alanlar arasında 2 yıldan daha fazla eğitim alan çocuklar lehine anlamlı farklılaşma olduğu saptanmıştır.
Anahtar kelimeler: Duygu düzenleme, okula uyum, okul öncesi çocuklar
ABSTRACT
The main purpose of this research is to examine whether the emotional regulation skills of children attending a pre-school education institution predict their adaptation to school. For this purpose, the study was designed in the correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 280 children (196 girls, 84 boys) attending the pre-school education institution in the Central district of Rize province in the 2022-2023 academic year. The study group was determined according to the criterion sampling method, which is one of the purposeful sampling methods. In the study, "Preschool Emotion Regulation Scale" was used to determine children's emotion regulation skills, and "School Adjustment Teacher Evaluation Scale" was used to determine their adaptation to school. As a result of the research, preschool children's emotion regulation skills were at a moderate level; It was determined that their adaptation to school was at a high level. It was determined that preschool children's emotional regulation skills significantly predicted their adaptation to school and explained 70% of them. (R2=.70; p<.001). It was determined that girls' emotional regulation skills and school adaptation were significantly higher than boys. It was determined that the emotional regulation skills and school adaptation of six-year-old children were significantly higher than those of five-year-olds. Differences were also detected according to the duration of pre-school education. Accordingly, between children who received less than 1 year of education and those who received 1 year of education, there is a difference in favor of those who received 1 year of education; Among children who received less than 1 year of education and those who received 1-2 years of education, there was a difference in favor of those who received 1-2 years of education; It was determined that there was a significant difference between the children who received less than 1 year of education and those who received more than 2 years of education, in favor of those who received more than 2 years of education, and between those who received 1-2 years of education and those who received more than 2 years of education, in favor of the children who received more than 2 years of education.
Although both teacher-student relationship (TSR) and peer relationship (PR) have been found important for the development of students’ classroom engagement, little research has been done regarding the joint operations of these two factors. Guided by a developmental systems framework, this study examined longitudinal between-person and within-person associations between TSR/ PR and classroom engagement in a sample of 784 low-achieving students in the first three years of elementary school. A multidimensional approach was used to distinguish positive and negative dimensions of TSR, as well as peer liking and disliking. At the between-person level, results showed that students’ classroom engagement was positively predicted by positive TSR and PR liking and was negatively predicted by negative TSR and PR disliking. Both positive and negative TSR interacted with PR disliking at the between-person level, such that the associations between positive/negative TSR and classroom engagement were stronger for students with lower levels of PR disliking. At the within-person level, changes in classroom engagement were associated with contemporaneous year-to-year changes in positive/negative TSR and PR disliking. No within-person level interaction effects were found. Cross-level interaction showed that the effects of within-person negative TSR on classroom engagement were stronger for students with lower overall levels of PR disliking. Findings highlighted the importance of using a multilevel multidimensional approach to understand the joint operations of TSR and PR in the development of classroom engagement in low-achieving students in early elementary school.
People exposed to more unfavourable social circumstances are more vulnerable to poor mental health over their life course, in ways that are often determined by structural factors which generate and perpetuate intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and poor health. Addressing these challenges is an imperative matter of social justice. In this paper we provide a roadmap to address the social determinants that cause mental ill health. Relying as far as possible on high‐quality evidence, we first map out the literature that supports a causal link between social determinants and later mental health outcomes. Given the breadth of this topic, we focus on the most pervasive social determinants across the life course, and those that are common across major mental disorders. We draw primarily on the available evidence from the Global North, acknowledging that other global contexts will face both similar and unique sets of social determinants that will require equitable attention. Much of our evidence focuses on mental health in groups who are marginalized, and thus often exposed to a multitude of intersecting social risk factors. These groups include refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons, as well as ethnoracial minoritized groups; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) groups; and those living in poverty. We then introduce a preventive framework for conceptualizing the link between social determinants and mental health and disorder, which can guide much needed primary prevention strategies capable of reducing inequalities and improving population mental health. Following this, we provide a review of the evidence concerning candidate preventive strategies to intervene on social determinants of mental health. These interventions fall broadly within the scope of universal, selected and indicated primary prevention strategies, but we also briefly review important secondary and tertiary strategies to promote recovery in those with existing mental disorders. Finally, we provide seven key recommendations, framed around social justice, which constitute a roadmap for action in research, policy and public health. Adoption of these recommendations would provide an opportunity to advance efforts to intervene on modifiable social determinants that affect population mental health.
This article develops an enriched framework for social and emotional learning that integrates the philosophy and theology of Saint Thomas Aquinas and current findings of psychological, developmental, and educational theories and empirical studies. The framework demonstrates that there are three key areas of social and emotional learning: (1) self-reflection, (2) virtue development, and (3) relational development. Furthermore, it explains that in order to achieve a fully integrated vision, these areas need to include biophysical, psychosocial, and spiritual elements of cognition, emotion, and social development. This framework has implications for education and psychotherapy. The article argues that a Thomistic-inspired framework has significant advantages for understanding social and emotional development because of its holistic treatment of the human person. Formation of the student is approached through a distinct Catholic Christian focus on the dignity of the human person as one made in the image and likeness of God and called to share in eternal beatitude with God. This framework of social and emotional development integrates science and philosophy and offers a Catholic Christian perspective on the need for divine revelation and Christ's gift of grace.
El GREI (Grupo interuniversitario de investigación del Rechazo Entre Iguales en contextos escolares) lleva varios años tratando de formular una respuesta global con el objetivo de favorecer la integración social y escolar del alumnado en situación de rechazo, desarrollando en las aulas un clima de convivencia, aceptación y apoyo a todos los niños y niñas.En el presente artículo se presenta la fundamentación, objetivos, características, componentes y resultados iniciales de este modelo de intervención que se caracteriza por ser multinivel, multicomponente y multiagente, y por combinar una intervención de carácter general, esto es, dirigida a todo el alumnado participante, y una intervención específica, centrada en niños y niñas objeto de rechazo por parte de sus compañeros. Participan alumnos, compañeros, profesores y padres. Los componentes esenciales son la formación y acompañamiento del profesorado y de las familias, y los programas: gestión social del aula, aprendizaje cooperativo, desarrollo socioemocional, aprendizaje de la amistad, los padres como facilitadores de las amistades de los hijos y cooperación familia-escuela. Aunque los resultados son aún preliminares, parecen apuntar con claridad hacia la mejora en los procesos relacionales del aula y, específicamente, a la prevención del rechazo entre iguales. CITAR COMO:García Bacete, F.J., Jiménez Lagares, I., Muñoz Tinoco, M.V., Monjas Casares, M.I., Sureda García, I., Ferrà Coll, P., Martín Antón, L,J., Marande Perrín G. & Sanchiz Ruíz, M.L. (2013). Aulas como contextos de aceptación y apoyo para integrar a los alumnos rechazados. Apuntes de Psicología, 31, 145-154.
The purpose of this study was to explore how adjusted preschoolers were to preschool when their teachers were either racially congruent or racially incongruent and whether gender moderated these associations. In this study, 259 preschoolers (50% boys; Mage = 53.84 months; 63% White, 37% Black) in 44 classrooms at 16 federally- and privately-funded centers/preschools were rated for their adjustment to preschool using teacher (N = 44; 100% women, 52% White, 38% Black, 2% Asian, 5% American Indian/Alaskan Native, 2% Latine) reports and direct child assessments. Multi-level structural equation modeling was used to simultaneously address the non-independence of the data by estimating higher-level variance components (i.e., variance on a total of six preschool adjustment outcomes out due to the classroom and due to the center) as well as correlated outcomes. Accounting for classroom-level variance as well as school-, classroom-, and child-level covariates, these analyses revealed main effects for gender and teacher-child racial congruence, and not for race, but higher-order interactions were significant. White girls with White teachers scored higher than White girls with Black teachers on four outcomes. Black girls with Black teachers scored higher than Black girls with White teachers on three outcomes and lower on two outcomes. White boys with White teachers scored lower than White boys with Black teachers on three outcomes. Black boys with Black teachers scored lower than Black boys with White teachers on five outcomes and higher on one outcome. Magnitudes of associations found ranged from small to large across the analyses. These findings add to the growing literature concerning teacher racial congruence suggesting its association with preschool adjustment may be moderated by race and gender of the child. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms accounting for these associations.
Develops a rationale for a 3-dimensional model of nonintellectual behavior of children and supports the rationale with a review of relevant theoretical and empirical work. An investigation was conducted with 1st graders in 17 classrooms in 4 schools representing a wide range of socioeconomic and ethnic variation. Dimensions derived from a cluster analysis of the Pupil Behavior Rating Scale support the conceptual model by defining an adaptation and an interpersonal and an intrapersonal dimension. The adaptation and intrapersonal dimensions made important contributions to both 1st- and 2nd-grade reading performance even when the effects of sex, socioeconomic status, and ethnic status were controlled. Implications for beginning reading instruction are discussed. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Verbal skills traditional in many Black communities were acquired by a pattern of socialization that emphasized children’s participation in community interaction, their adaptability to changing circumstances, and their individual interpretive talents. These skills, including the oral negotiation of written materials in family and social contexts, were largely adaptive to community needs, but this pattern of language socialization was not as congruent with school use of oral and written language as the mainstream socialization. Current changes in the needs for language use in the workplace call for greater adaptability, collaborative skills, and individual responsibility and commitment. Aspects of traditional Black language socialization could make a contribution here, but current changes in Black family and community structures in inner-city life are rapidly eroding the earlier pattern. The changing workplace needs raise educational problems for both mainstream and minority populations.
Examined the reliability of a rating-scale sociometric technique with 19 4-yr-old children. The test–retest reliability of scores Ss received over a 4-wk interval was high compared to the stability of the traditional positive and negative nomination scores. This preschool sociometric measure has applications for the study of the behavioral correlates of early peer acceptance and for research on the effects of social skill training on children's acceptance by peers. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Examines whether common procedures for conducting specification searches are likely to lead to discovery of the correct population model by constructing artificial data for which there is a known correct model, fitting a misspecified model to the data, and determining whether a specification search would lead to specification of the correct model. Results indicate that the likelihood of success in a specification search is optimal when (a) the investigator's initial model corresponds closely to the true model, (b) the search is allowed to continue even when a statistically plausible model is obtained, (c) the investigator can place valid restrictions on permissible modifications, and (d) a large sample is used. It is shown that even under favorable conditions, models arising from specification searches must be viewed with caution. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
What are the life-course sequelae of childhood shyness? Using archival data from the Berkeley Guidance Study (Macfarlane, Allen, & Honzik, 1954), we identified individuals who were shy and reserved in late childhood and traced the continuities and consequences of this behavioral style across the subsequent 30 years of their lives. Shy boys were more likely than their peers to delay entry into marriage, parenthood, and stable careers; to attain less occupational achievement and stability; and—when late in establishing stable careers—to experience marital instability. Shy girls were more likely than their peers to follow a conventional pattern of marriage, childbearing, and homemaking. Results are compared with those from our parallel study of childhood ill-temperedness (Caspi, Elder, & Bem, 1987). Despite differences between shyness ("moving away from the world") and ill-temperedness ("moving against the world"), both persist across the life course through the progressive accumulation of their own consequences (cumulative continuity) and by their tendency to evoke maintaining responses from others during reciprocal social interaction (interactional continuity). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Tested the role of parental motivational practices in children's academic intrinsic motivation and achievement in a longitudinal study of children at ages 9 and 10 yrs. Two types of motivational practices were assessed: mothers' encouragement of children's task endogeny and provision of task-extrinsic consequences. Structural equations path models for general-verbal and math academic areas supported the 2 predictions that children's academic intrinsic motivation is positively related to encouragement of task endogeny and negatively related to provision of task-extrinsic consequences. Academic intrinsic motivation at age 9 yrs predicted motivation and achievement at age 10 yrs. Moreover, through motivation at 9 yrs, the motivational practices indirectly affected motivation at 10 yrs and achievement. Findings provide ecological validity for the role of parental motivational practices in children's academic intrinsic motivation and achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Factor analysis, path analysis, structural equation modeling, and related multivariate statistical methods are based on maximum likelihood or generalized least squares estimation developed for covariance structure models (CSMs). Large-sample theory provides a chi-square goodness-of-fit test for comparing a model (M) against a general alternative M based on correlated variables. It is suggested that this comparison is insufficient for M evaluation. A general null M based on modified independence among variables is proposed as an additional reference point for the statistical and scientific evaluation of CSMs. Use of the null M in the context of a procedure that sequentially evaluates the statistical necessity of various sets of parameters places statistical methods in covariance structure analysis into a more complete framework. The concepts of ideal Ms and pseudo chi-square tests are introduced, and their roles in hypothesis testing are developed. The importance of supplementing statistical evaluation with incremental fit indices associated with the comparison of hierarchical Ms is also emphasized. Normed and nonnormed fit indices are developed and illustrated. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
To investigate the relationships between preschool competencies and later academic functioning, multiple regression analyses were conducted using kindergarten intellectual, academic, and social variables (Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Wide Range Achievement Test, teacher ratings of academic readiness, and the Sells Teacher Rating Scale of Peer Relations) to predict 3rd-grade classroom behavior and achievement. A random sample (
n = 50) of 184 3rd-grade children evaluated during the 1973–1974 kindergarten year and a 2nd sample (
n = 49) with additional Time 1 social and background variables were included. Ss were observed in classrooms and administered achievement tests during the 1976–1977 school year. Results indicate that kindergarten social and academic competencies typically entered as optimal predictors of later achievement-related behaviors and achievement. A social competence measure of initiative was a particularly successful predictor of achievement. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Do ill-tempered children become ill-tempered adults? What are the life-course consequences of such an explosive interactional style? What processes can account for the persistence of maladaptive behavior across time and circumstance? To answer these questions, this study used data from the Berkeley Guidance Study (Macfarlane, Allen, & Honzik, 1954) to identify children with a pattern of temper tantrums in late childhood (ages 8–10) and to trace the continuities and consequences of this behavioral style across the subsequent 30 years of their lives. Life-course continuities in this behavioral style were found for both sexes. Men with histories of childhood tantrums experienced downward occupational mobility, erratic work lives, and were likely to divorce. Women with such histories married men with lower occupational status, were likely to divorce, and became ill-tempered mothers. It is proposed that maladaptive behaviors are sustained through the progressive accumulation of their own consequences (cumulative continuity) and by evoking maintaining responses from others during reciprocal social interaction (interactional continuity). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Investigated the effect of 3 classes of variables (preschool cognitive functioning, preschool social-emotional functioning, and background-demographic variables) on early elementary school achievement. 209 black and white boys from lower- and middle-class backgrounds were evaluated during the preschool period and received achievement tests during the 2nd yr of elementary school. Each of the 3 classes of variables accounted for a significant proportion of the variance of the criterion measures (e.g., Kohn Social Competence Scale, Kohn Problem Checklist, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, and the Metropolitan Achievement Test). When the classes of variables were examined using a hierarchical regression technique, the social-emotional and cognitive variables yielded the most information for programs of psychological intervention. Intervention directed at the social-emotional components of cognitive performance is discussed. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Identifies patterns of behavior and emotional response associated with peer rejection in early adolescence. Seventh- and 8th-grade middle-school students (
N = 450) were administered positive and negative sociometric nominations, peer behavioral assessment items, a loneliness and social dissatisfaction questionnaire, and a newly developed interpersonal concerns questionnaire. Results indicated that most rejected students were aggressive or submissive, but it was the combination of aggressiveness or submissiveness with low levels of prosocial behavior that was associated with peer rejection. With regard to students' affective experiences, submissive–rejected students, when compared with average-status students, were found to report higher levels of loneliness and worry about their relations with others. Aggressive–rejected students did not differ on these dimensions from average-status students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The purpose of this study was to develop and test a longitudinal early schooling process model of first- and second-year reading achievement, mathematics achievement, and socio-emotional maturity with 1539 low-income minority children. Data were collected from children and teachers over four time periods and included school readiness attributes, intervening kindergarten influences, and intervening first-year social-psychological influences. LISREL estimation of the model yielded an acceptable fit with the data. Major results indicated that cognitive readiness in kindergarten had pervasive indirect effects on first- and second-year outcomes, and that variables directly alterable by families and schools-prekindergarten experience, motivation, mobility, and parent involvement-significantly influenced either directly or indirectly early school outcomes. The influence of sex (in favor of girls), prior achievement, motivation, and school mobility increased over time. Despite some limitations, a major implication is that efforts to improve school success of children at risk are most likely to be successful if they are both timely and multifaceted and if mediating factors in kindergarten and first-grade are in place. Also, research on early schooling must take account of complex processes and effects and reconsider overlooked variables.
Teachers described the classroom behavior of 205 3rd- and 4th-grade children with a 30-item rating scale. Factor analysis of the scale produced four factors, which were called: democratic, cooperative behavior; autonomous intellectual orientation; responsible perseverant striving behavior; and involvement in class activities. Correlations of factor scores with measures of achievement test performance, creativity, inquiry skill, and various orientations, motives, attitudes and values were investigated. Patterns of correlations with the two achievement-related factors suggested that teachers can validly discriminate between “perseverant” and “autonomous, intellectual” approaches to achievement.
The purpose of this study was to further explore the linkage between children's early school attitudes and interpersonal features of the classroom, including children's relationships with classmates and their perceptions of these relationships. Participants included 102 kindergarten children (M age= 5.8 years) who were interviewed at the beginning and end of kindergarten to obtain measures of their school attitudes (i.e., school liking), classroom peer relationships (i.e., peer acceptance, mutual friendships), and peer relationship perceptions (i.e., perceived loneliness, peer support). Results showed that initial school liking was associated with all four measures of children's peer relationships; however, only the number of mutual friendships that children possessed in their classrooms predicted changes in school attitudes (gains) over time. Early school attitudes were linked to changes in children's peer perceptions; children who disliked school early in kindergarten were more likely to view classmates as unsupportive as the school year progressed. Results are discussed in terms of the potential impact that classroom peer relations may have on early school attitudes, and vice versa. Implications for educational policy are also considered.
Research on early school transitions is important because the reputations children establish at the outset of grade school may follow them through many years of formal schooling. The purpose of this study was to explore the transition from preschool to kindergarten and to identify factors that predict children's social and school adjustment in new school environments. A sample of 58 children was identified prior to their entrance into kindergarten, and parent and school data were collected at 3 times of measurement: late preschool, early kindergarten, and late kindergarten. Children's prior behavior and the kindergarten peer context were among the factors found to predict posttransition social adjustment. Children who were cooperative "players" in preschool were seen as more sociable by kindergarten teachers, and children who pursued more extensive positive contacts with preschool classmates tended to become well liked by their kindergarten classmates. In contrast, children who spent more time in aggressive behaviors and who had a broader pattern of negative peer contacts in preschool were more likely to be rejected by peers and to be seen as hostile-aggressive by teachers in kindergarten. Both experiential antecedents and concomitant features of the transition context emerged as predictors of school adjustment. Time spent in interactions with younger peers in preschool was negatively related to positive school attitudes throughout kindergarten, and the duration of children's preschool attendance and range of experiences with peers in other community contexts was negatively related to anxious behavior in the classroom and absences from school. Children who retained a larger proportion of their nonschool friendships during the transition had more favorable attitudes at the beginning of kindergarten, and those who attended class with a larger proportion of familiar peers tended to view school more positively and were less anxious at the outset of the school year.
In this essay it is argued that child rearing in the family and similar micro settings in the early years of life and subsequent adolescent socialization are geared toward the development of instrumental competencies required for adult economic, political, and social roles. These cultural imperatives vary from 1 cultural group to another as do the required competencies. In the United States they are different for the white middle class and for minority groups like urban ghetto blacks. It follows that the conventional research approach which used white middle-class child-rearing practices and children's competencies as standards is not useful in understanding minority groups' child rearing and competencies. Rather, for cross-cultural research, a cultural-ecological model is proposed which is not ethnocentric and studies competence in the context of the cultural imperatives in a given population. Cross-cultural or intergroup comparison is appropriate if based on data from such contextual studies.
A number of articles in this journal issue have documented effects of early childhood programs on children's cognitive abilities, achievement, and social adjustment as they mature to become schoolchildren, adolescents, and young adults. This article carefully considers the role that school experiences play in transmitting and sustaining the cognitive gains made by children in preschool. The author discusses the process of schooling in the early elementary grades, focusing on how children's achievement is influenced by the expectations of parents and teachers, and by school practices such as assignment to within-class ability groups, retention in grade, and placement in special education. Because attending preschool boosts children's performance, even temporarily, it can ease their transition into first grade and reduce their exposure to negative tracking by the school and to low expectations on the part of their parents and teachers. The link between preschool and first grade is key to understanding and explaining the long-term effects of preschool.
Seven major types of sampling for observational studies of social behavior have been found in the literature. These methods differ considerably in their suitability for providing unbiased data of various kinds. Below is a summary of the major recommended uses of each technique: In this paper, I have tried to point out the major strengths and weaknesses of each sampling method. Some methods are intrinsically biased with respect to many variables, others to fewer. In choosing a sampling method the main question is whether the procedure results in a biased sample of the variables under study. A method can produce a biased sample directly, as a result of intrinsic bias with respect to a study variable, or secondarily due to some degree of dependence (correlation) between the study variable and a directly-biased variable. In order to choose a sampling technique, the observer needs to consider carefully the characteristics of behavior and social interactions that are relevant to the study population and the research questions at hand. In most studies one will not have adequate empirical knowledge of the dependencies between relevant variables. Under the circumstances, the observer should avoid intrinsic biases to whatever extent possible, in particular those that direcly affect the variables under study. Finally, it will often be possible to use more than one sampling method in a study. Such samples can be taken successively or, under favorable conditions, even concurrently. For example, we have found it possible to take Instantaneous Samples of the identities and distances of nearest neighbors of a focal individual at five or ten minute intervals during Focal-Animal (behavior) Samples on that individual. Often during Focal-Animal Sampling one can also record All Occurrences of Some Behaviors, for the whole social group, for categories of conspicuous behavior, such as predation, intergroup contact, drinking, and so on. The extent to which concurrent multiple sampling is feasible will depend very much on the behavior categories and rate of occurrence, the observational conditions, etc. Where feasible, such multiple sampling can greatly aid in the efficient use of research time.
Research on dropping out of school has focused on characteristics of the individual or institution that correlate with the dropout decision. Many of these characteristics are nonmanipulable, and all are measured at one point in time, late in the youngster’s school career. This paper describes two models for understanding dropping out as a developmental process that may begin in the earliest grades. The frustration-self-esteem model has been used for years in the study of juvenile delinquency; it identifies school failure as the starting point in a cycle that may culminate in the student’s rejecting, or being rejected by, the school. The participation-identification model focuses on students’ “involvement in schooling,” with both behavioral and emotional components. According to this formulation, the likelihood that a youngster will successfully complete 12 years of schooling is maximized if he or she maintains multiple, expanding forms of participation in school-relevant activities. The failure of a youngster to participate in school and class activities, or to develop a sense of identification with school, may have significant deleterious consequences. The ability to manipulate modes of participation poses promising avenues for further research as well as for intervention efforts.
This article reviews the literature on social responsibility and academic achievement. Both theoretical and empirical work suggest that student social responsibility is not only a valued outcome in and of itself but that it can be instrumental in the acquisition of knowledge and the development of cognitive abilities. This review describes research on the value of social responsibility for parents and teachers and on how it is promoted within the classroom. It is proposed that social responsibility can facilitate learning and performance outcomes by promoting positive interactions with teachers and peers and, from a motivational perspective, by providing students with additional incentives to achieve.
Tested social psychological predictors of early school adjustment in 1,255 low-income children, most of whom were Black. Using longitudinal data collected from parents, teachers, and children, the model examined cognitive achievement in reading, teacher ratings of school progress, child perceptions of school competence, and grade retention. Cognitive readiness and the early adjustment indicators of Grade 1 reading achievement and teacher ratings were significantly related to Grade 4 outcomes and substantially mediated the effects of preschool participation and family background measures. Grade retention had a strong negative effect on achievement after adjusting for the effects of prior measures, including initial achievement. Parent involvement in school was positively related to achievement and teacher ratings of school progress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
218 high school students were asked to consider a series of 9 situations involving a conflict between a socially responsible and a socially irresponsible course of action and to predict their behavioral and emotional responses. Ss anticipated different sets of emotions under different conditions of enforcement. When Ss were told to assume that irresponsible behavior would result in negative external consequences, the emotions most associated with their behavioral choices were guilt, pride, empathy, and fear. When Ss were told to assume that nothing bad would happen if they behaved irresponsibly, self-interest emotions, worry, and peer approval seemed to become more relevant to the decision-making process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
REPORTS ON A LONGITUDINAL STUDY CONCERNED WITH TEST BEHAVIOR OBSERVATIONS OF KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN AND PREDICTIONS OF THEIR SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT 5 YR. LATER. THE PACIFIC TEST BATTERY WAS EMPLOYED AS THE TASK TO BE OBSERVED BY TEACHERS AND FROM WHICH BEHAVIOR RATINGS WERE MADE (FOR ATTENTION, SELF-CONFIDENCE, EFFORT, INTEREST, ETC.). 5 YR. LATER 59 OF THE ORIGINAL 100 SS COULD BE LOCATED; THEIR SCORES FROM THE CALIFORNIA ACHIEVEMENT TEST WERE ALSO AVAILABLE. THE RATED BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS WERE CORRELATED WITH THE TEST RESULTS. 30 OF THE 70 CORRELATIONS (43%) WERE SIGNIFICANT BEYOND THE .05 LEVEL. THE TEST BEHAVIOR OBSERVATION GUIDE IS CONSIDERED TO BE A PROMISING TECHNIQUE FOR THE PREDICTION OF LATER ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
purpose of this chapter is to present a theoretical model of self-system processes across the life-span / this model is based on a motivational analysis of self-system functioning that features three fundamental psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness
after evaluating selected theoretical approaches to the study of self, the defining features of the new model will be presented / an application of the model within the enterprise of school will be discussed, including data from studies of self-system processes in children and adolescents / concludes with a discussion of the model's implications for institutional reform (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
role of child characteristics and relational supports in early school adjustment / linkages between child characteristics, relational supports and stressors, and early school adjustment (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Teacher reports of children's competence and problem behaviors are an important source of information on psychopathology. The school context is also an agent of developmental change. This study examines teacherchild relationships and deflections in child adjustment over the school-entry to grade 2 period in 436 children. The Student-Teacher Relationship Scale (STRS) was related to two indices of deflections in predicted child adjustment: (a) residual scores obtained from regressing teacher reports from grade 1 on kindergarten teacher reports, and (b) false positive predictions of retention or referral for special education in the K-l period.
Children with whom kindergarten teachers reported a positive relationship were rated in spring of grade I as better adjusted than was predicted on the basis of identical ratings from the fall of the kindergarten year; the converse was also true. False-positive retention/referral predictions had more positive relationships with kindergarten teachers than did true positives. A second set of analyses examined second grade teacher ratings of child adjustment and child-teacher relationships in two groups of children with different child-teacher relationship histories in kindergarten. Children with warm, close, communicative relationships with kindergarten teachers were better adjusted and had more positive child-teacher relationships in second grade than those with angry, dependent child-teacher relationships in kindergarten. Results supported the view that children's relationships with teachers are an important component of adaptation in school, and that they can play a role in deflecting the course of development in the school context.
The proposition that relationships make differential (i.e., unique, redundant, contingent) contributions to adjustment was examined by investigating the linkages between children's participation in different types of peer relationships (i.e., friendship, peer acceptance, peer victimazation) and their adjustment to school. Relationship measure were gathered for 5-to 6- year-old children(105 males, 95 females) twice during kindergaten (i.e., fall and spring) nad were correlated with adjustment indicators at each time of assessment and used to predict changes in school adjstment over time. Examination of the relative associations between the relationship measures and children's adjustment revealed of both unshared (i.e., unique) and shared (i.e., redundant) linkages, depending on the form of adjustment examined.These findings suggest that adjustment may be influenced by the diverse experiences (i.e., provisions) that children encounter in different forms of relationship, and that certain types of relationships may have greater or lesser adaptive significance depending on the adjustment outcome examined
The premises examined in this longitudinal investigation were that specific behavioral characteristics place children at risk for relationship maladjustment in school environments, and that multiple behavioral risks predispose children to the most severe and prolonged difficulties. Aggressive, withdrawn, and aggressive/withdrawn children were compared to normative and matched control groups on teacher and peer relationship attributes, loneliness, and social satisfaction from kindergarten (M age = 5 years, 7 months; n = 250) through grade 2 (M age = 8,1; n = 242). Children's withdrawn behavior was neither highly stable nor predictive of relational difficulties, as their trajectories resembled the norm except for initially less close and more dependent relationships with teachers. Aggressive behavior was fairly stable, and associated with early-emerging, sustained difficulties including low peer acceptance and conflictual teacher-child relationships. Aggressive/withdrawn children evidenced the most difficulty: compared to children in the normative group, they were consistently more lonely, dissatisfied, friendless, disliked, victimized, and likely to have maladaptive teacher-child relationships. Findings are discussed with respect to recent developments in two prominent literatures: children at-risk and early relationship development.
We tested the proposition that mother-child relationships can be sources of support or stress, by comparing patterns of mother-child interactions in a problem-solving task that children completed with their own and with an unfamiliar mother. 4 groups of preschoolers (n = 30 in each group)—identified on the basis of teacher ratings as socially competent, average, aggressive, or anxious—participated. Mothers of competent and average children were highly positive and reciprocal toward their own and unfamiliar children. Mothers of aggressive and anxious children were only positive and reciprocal toward unfamiliar children but generally indiscriminate (aggressive group) or aversive and negatively reciprocal (anxious group) toward their own. Children in all 4 groups tended to be reciprocal toward their own mothers, but only competent and average children were reciprocal toward unfamiliar mothers also. Aggressive and anxious children generally responded to unfamiliar mothers by ignoring or actively rejecting their overtures. Results (1) indicate that the relationship with the primary caregiver may serve as a major source of support or stress in the preschool years; (2) focus attention on the dynamic organization of interactions rather than on the presence or frequency of particular behaviors, indicating that a dynamic of reciprocity enables children and mothers to adapt positively to the ever changing demands of new social situations; (3) point to the need to develop new means of assessing relationships to better understand how they influence development; and (4) highlight the importance of incorporating transactional models in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood dysfunctions rather than accounting for them solely in terms of limited skills in parents or children.
The purpose of this study was to develop a method for assessing young children's perceptions of classroom friendships and to determine whether these perceptions were associated with their adjustment during the transition to grade school. Subscales tapping 5 friendship processes (e.g., validation, aid, disclosure of negative affect, exclusivity, conflict) were extracted from a 24-item friendship interview that was individually administered to 82 kindergarten children (M age = 5.61) who possessed a reciprocated and stable “best” friend in their classroom. Children's reports of the investigated friendship processes were found to be reliable, and processes such as perceived validation and conflict predicted children's satisfaction with their friendships, and the stability of these relationships. Perceived conflict in friendships was associated with multiple forms of school maladjustment for boys, including higher levels of school loneliness and avoidance and lower levels of school liking and engagement. For both boys and girls, validation and aid forecasted gains in perceived support from classmates, and aid also predicted improvements in children's school attitudes. Perceived exclusivity in friendships was associated with lower levels of achievement. These findings, and others reported in this article, are consistent with the hypothesis that the relational features of children's classroom friendships yield psychological benefits or costs (e.g., provisions) that, in turn, affect their development and adjustment.
This short paper provides some guidelines to help researchers in child and adolescent development procure the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic information that will best determine how to assign youngsters to ethnic or SES groups. These guidelines are necessarily general. They will need to be adapted thoughtfully by each investigator because, as is generally true, how to define a measure depends intimately on the nature of the research problem. In preparing these guidelines, we have taken into account current practice at the Bureau of the Census, research traditions developed by sociologists who have mainly been concerned with adults, and challenges posed by the changing character of the U.S. population and its family forms. We are extremely grateful to the many social scientists listed below who have contributed so generously to our thinking, but especially to Robert Hauser. Naturally, any errors or opacities that remain are our responsibility.
Relations between academic performance and 3 aspects of social competence—socially responsible behavior, sociometric status, and self-regulatory processes (goal setting, interpersonal trust, and problem-solving styles)—were studied. Based on a sample of 423 12- and 13-year-old students, correlational findings indicate that each aspect of social competence is related significantly to students' grades. Results from multiple regression analyses suggest that when accounting for students' IQ, sex, ethnicity, school absence, and family structure, socially responsible behavior mediates almost entirely the relations between students' grades and the other 2 aspects of social competence. Socially responsible behavior and peer status appear to be related by way of their joint association with goals to be socially responsible, interpersonal trust, and problem-solving styles. Similarly, relations between socially responsible behavior and the background variables are explained by joint relations with the self-regulatory processes. The social nature of learning and the role of self-regulation in both interpersonal and behavioral aspects of social competence are discussed.
Immigrant parents from Cambodia, Mexico, the Philippines, and Vietnam and native-born Anglo-American and Mexican-American parents responded to questions about child rearing, what teachers of first and second graders should teach their children, and what characterizes an intelligent child. Immigrant parents rated conforming to external standards as being more important to develop in their children than developing autonomous behaviors. In contrast, American-born parents favored developing autonomy over conformity. Parents from all groups except Anglo-Americans indicated that noncognitive characteristics (i.e., motivation, social skills, and practical school skills) were as important as or more important than cognitive characteristics (i.e., problem-solving skills, verbal ability, creative ability) were to their conceptions of an intelligent first-grade child. Parental beliefs about conformity were correlated with measures of kindergarten (5- and 6-year-olds) and first- (6- and 7-year-olds) and second-grader (7- and 8-year-olds) children's school performance (i.e., teacher ratings of children's classroom performance; Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills reading, math, and language scores; and Sternberg Triarchic Abilities Test scores).
Investigated in this study were the mediators of the effects of preschool intervention on children's school achievement in sixth grade. A confirmatory structural model developed in a previous study of third graders was tested with 360 low-income, mostly black children who were available at the 3-year follow-up. The model incorporated cognitive readiness at kindergarten entry and parent involvement in school (rated by teachers and parents) as primary mediators of preschool effectiveness. In sixth grade (age 12), preschool participation at ages 3 or 4 was significantly associated with higher reading achievement, higher math achievement, and with lower incidence of grade retention. Cognitive readiness and parent involvement in school significantly mediated the estimated effects of preschool participation on school achievement and grade retention 7 years postprogram. Teacher ratings of school adjustment, school mobility, and grade retention also contributed to the transmission of effects. This integrated model fit the data better than several alternative models, including those based on the cognitive-advantage and family-support hypotheses.
4 models (risk, protective, potentiator, and person-environment fit) comparing the associations among ethnicity, income, and structural characteristics of families and neighborhoods on childhood aggression and peer relations were explored. The 1,271 second- through fifth-grade (M= 9.9 years) children were assigned to 1 of 8 family types based on ethnicity, income, and household composition, and their addresses were used to define low- or middle-SES neighborhoods using neighborhood census data. Middle-SES neighborhoods operated as a protective factor for reducing aggression among children from high-risk families, interacted with family type to produce poor person-environment fit resulting in a greater likelihood of being rejected by one's peers, and potentiated the development of home play companions for children from low-risk families. Developmental and gender differences were also explored. Results are discussed in terms of the need for broader contextual factors to be considered in studying children's social and behavioral development.
This study examined the empirical validity of a model of human motivation as it applies to school success and failure in 3 independent samples of 10-to 16-year-old African-American youth. Specifically, we assessed how indicators of context, self, and action relate to measures of risk and resilient outcomes in school in 3 different samples, using 3 different measurement strategies. Correlational and path analyses on the 3 data sets supported the empirical validity of the model. African-American youth's experience of their parents' school involvement predicted a composite of self-system processes, which in turn predicted the subjects' reports of their engagement in school. Engagement then predicted school performance and adjustment. The data supported a reciprocal path from action to context, suggesting that youth who show more disaffected patterns of behavior and emotion in school experience less support from their families than those reporting more engaged patterns of action. Implications for program and policy decisions are discussed.
Six sociometric measures were evaluated on a sample of 85 four-year-olds from three preschool and day care centers. Stability, intercorrelations, and accuracy of classifying rejected children were compared for measures of social preference, social impact, peer ratings, alternative status, and positive and negative nominations. Test-retest correlations were moderately high and quite similar for all measures except social impact. Children were classified as rejected or not rejected based on Z scores of −.50 on all measures except for negative nominations, which employed a Z of +.50. In comparison with the commonly used social preference measure, accurate classifications were obtained using negative nominations, peer ratings, and alternative status. Positive nominations were somewhat less accurate in identifying rejected children, and social impact was a poor index of social status. Results suggest that both nominations and peer ratings can be assessed reliably with preschool children and that the two sociometric techniques measure similar aspects of social status. The alternative status measure was demonstrated to be a reliable and accurate technique for identifying rejected children in the preschool years. Implications for social skills intervention are discussed.
The teacher-child relationship may serve important support functions for young children in their attempts to adjust to the school environment. A sample of kindergarten children (N = 206, mean age = 5.58 years) and their teachers participated in the present study, which was designed to examine how three distinct features of the teacher-child relationship (closeness, dependency, and conflict) were related to various aspects of children's school adjustment. Dependency in the teacher-child relationship emerged as a strong correlate of school adjustment difficulties, including poorer academic performance, more negative school attitudes, and less positive engagement with the school environment. In addition, teacher-rated conflict was associated with teachers' ratings of children's school liking, school avoidance, self-directedness, and cooperative participation in the classroom. Finally, teacher-child closeness was positively linked with children's academic performance, as well as teachers' ratings of school liking and self-directedness. The findings highlight the importance of considering various features of children's relationships with classroom teachers when examining young children's school adjustment.
This statewide longitudinal study was designed to investigate the effects of kindergarten schedule (half day, alternate day, and full day) and prior preschool attendance on elementary children's success (achievement, incidence of grade retention, provision of special educational services, and classroom behavior). Academic data are summarized from two phases of the study: a retrospective analysis of children's outcomes related to kindergarten attendance in 27 school districts in the years 1982, 1983, and 1984; and a prospective analysis of two cohorts of children, one entering kindergarten in fall 1986 in 27 school districts and one in fall 1987 in 32 school districts. Behavioral outcome data are reported in detail. Existing data found in cumulative folders, representing scores from 13 different standardized tests, and various outcome data were analyzed for the retrospective study. Outcome data for the ongoing study were gathered from the Metropolitan Readiness Tests (administered in kindergarten), the Metropolitan Achievement Tests (administered in first grade), and the Hahnemann Elementary School Behavior Rating Scale (administered in kindergarten). Results from the longitudinal study indicate that children who attend preschool prior to kindergarten experience greater subsequent success in elementary school than those who do not. Results from both phases of the study indicate that participation in full-day kindergarten is positively related to subsequent school performance, at least through first grade. Additional analyses demonstrate the significant impact of age at entrance to kindergarten and of gender.
Relations between academic performance and 3 aspects of social competence--socially responsible behavior, sociometric status, and self-regulatory processes (goal setting, interpersonal trust, and problem-solving styles)--were studied. Based on a sample of 423 12- and 13-year-old students, correlational findings indicate that each aspect of social competence is related significantly to students' grades. Results from multiple regression analyses suggest that when accounting for students' IQ, sex, ethnicity, school absence, and family structure, socially responsible behavior mediates almost entirely the relations between students' grades and the other 2 aspects of social competence. Socially responsible behavior and peer status appear to be related by way of their joint association with goals to be socially responsible, interpersonal trust, and problem-solving styles. Similarly, relations between socially responsible behavior and the background variables are explained by joint relations with the self-regulatory processes. The social nature of learning and the role of self-regulation in both interpersonal and behavioral aspects of social competence are discussed.
The potential role that children's classroom peer relations play in their school adjustment was investigated during the first 2 months of kindergarten and the remainder of the school year. Measures of 125 children's classroom peer relationships were obtained on 3 occasions: at school entrance, after 2 months of school, and at the end of the school year. Measures of school adjustment, including children's school perceptions, anxiety, avoidance, and performance, were obtained during the second and third assessment occasions. After controlling mental age, sex, and preschool experience, measures of children's classroom peer relationships were used to forecast later school adjustment. Results indicated that children with a larger number of classroom friends during school entrance developed more favorable school perceptions by the second month, and those who maintained these relationships liked school better as the year progressed. Making new friends in the classroom was associated with gains in school performance, and early peer rejection forecasted less favorable school perceptions, higher levels of school avoidance, and lower performance levels over the school year.