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Predicting developmental outcomes at school entry using a multiple-risk model: four American communities. The Conduct
M T Greenberg1, L J Lengua, J D Coie
1Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA. mxg47@psu.edu
Developmental Psychology
|March 19, 1999
Summary
This study identified key risk factors for children's 1st-grade outcomes. Family psychosocial status and mother's depression significantly predicted psychological and academic results.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Understanding risk factors is crucial for early intervention in children.
- Ecobehavioral risk assessment provides a multi-level framework for analyzing influences on child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the predictive contributions of various ecobehavioral risk factors on children's psychological and academic outcomes.
- To identify which risk factors are most influential for predicting outcomes at the end of first grade.
Main Methods:
- A regression model was used to assess ecobehavioral risk levels.
- Predictor variables were measured in kindergarten across 337 families in four US communities.
- Child outcomes (behavioral and academic) were assessed at the end of first grade by teachers and parents.
Main Results:
- Each level of ecobehavioral risk analysis contributed to predicting most outcomes.
- 18%-29% of the variance in outcomes was explained by the assessed risk factors.
- Family psychosocial status and mother's depressive symptoms were significant predictors across multiple outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Ecobehavioral risk factors collectively predict a substantial portion of children's first-grade outcomes.
- While ethnicity showed minimal unique prediction, neighborhood quality uniquely predicted externalizing problems.
- Targeting family-level factors may be key for improving child psychological and academic success.