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Timing, extent, and type of child care and children's behavioral functioning in kindergarten

Rebekah Levine Coley1, Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal, Portia L Miller

  • 1Boston College.

Developmental Psychology
|December 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Early education and care (EEC) linked to behavioral issues. Center-based, full-time preschool predicted problems, especially when combined with early or extensive care, impacting kindergarten functioning.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Early Childhood Education

Background:

  • Prior research indicates a correlation between early education and care (EEC) and behavioral difficulties in children.
  • The specific aspects of EEC (timing, extent, type) contributing to these outcomes remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distinct and combined effects of EEC timing, extent, and type on children's kindergarten functioning.
  • To clarify the relationship between early care experiences and behavioral and learning outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a nationally representative sample of approximately 6,000 children.
  • Tracked children from infancy through kindergarten, assessing EEC experiences and kindergarten functioning.
  • Analyzed links between EEC timing (early entry), extent (hours), and type (center-based) and behavioral/learning outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Center-based and full-time preschool predicted increased behavior problems and decreased learning behaviors in kindergarten.
  • The effects of care type and extent were additive.
  • Infant/toddler EEC had minimal independent effects but exacerbated negative associations between preschool and kindergarten behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Center-based and full-time preschool are associated with poorer behavioral and learning outcomes in kindergarten.
  • Early and extensive care experiences can worsen the negative impact of preschool.
  • Understanding the nuances of EEC is crucial for supporting child development.

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