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Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
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Specific features of after-school program quality: associations with children's functioning in middle childhood
Kim M Pierce1, Daniel M Bolt, Deborah Lowe Vandell
1Department of Education, University of California, Irvine, 3200 Education, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. kmpierce@uci.edu
American Journal of Community Psychology
|March 26, 2010
Summary
Positive relationships with after-school program staff improved children's reading and math grades. Diverse activities also boosted third graders' math grades and work habits, while flexibility did not impact outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Educational Psychology
- After-School Programs
Background:
- After-school programs significantly impact child development.
- Program quality features require further investigation for their specific effects.
- Longitudinal data is crucial for understanding developmental trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the associations between after-school program quality features and child developmental outcomes.
- To investigate the impact of positive staff-child relations, available activities, and programming flexibility.
- To assess outcomes in reading and math grades, work habits, and social skills across Grade 2 and Grade 3.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design tracking children from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
- Quantitative analysis controlling for child and family background factors.
- Assessment of specific program quality indicators: staff-child relations, activity availability, and programming flexibility.
Main Results:
- Positive staff-child relations were linked to higher reading grades (Grades 2 & 3) and math grades (Grade 2).
- Positive staff-child relations also correlated with improved social skills in Grade 2 boys.
- Available age-appropriate activities were associated with better math grades and work habits in Grade 3.
- Programming flexibility showed no significant association with any child outcomes.
Conclusions:
- High-quality staff-child interactions are vital for academic and social development in after-school settings.
- A variety of engaging activities supports academic achievement and work habits in later elementary years.
- Programmatic flexibility may not be a key driver of positive child outcomes in this context.
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