School readiness and factors that influence decision making

Occupational therapists are frequently asked to make recommendations regarding a child's school readiness. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the decision making of parents and teachers regarding this issue. The home environments and developmental status of 215 preschool children (age: M = 62.2 months, SD = 4.65) were assessed. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires about each child's behaviour, temperament, and readiness for school. Their perceptions were analysed separately. Results showed that chronological age, and the presence of adaptability, well-developed social skills, and the ability to persist with an activity until completed influenced parents' as well as teachers' perceptions of school readiness. In addition, teachers' decisions were influenced by gender (girls were perceived as being more ready for school than boys), and the presence of the temperament characteristic of inhibition (withdrawn, shy behaviours). These results indicated that factors other than a child's developmental status influenced parental and teacher decision making, challenging occupational therapists to adopt a broader focus when consulting with parents and teachers about school readiness. Limitations of the study included the self-selected sample resulting in potential bias owing to the over-representation of families from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. It is suggested that future research take the form of a matched pairs design, and focus on a comparison between a population of children perceived to be ready to progress to school and a group perceived not to be ready.