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Experiences in day care and social competence among maltreated children
Insights
Child care quality significantly impacts social development in maltreated preschoolers. Higher quality care correlated with better social competence, showing positive interactions with adults and peers.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Early Childhood Education
- Social Work
Background:
- Preschool-age children experiencing maltreatment often exhibit social and behavioral challenges.
- Child care settings play a crucial role in the development of these vulnerable children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the quality of day-care services and the social development of maltreated preschool children.
- To identify specific aspects of child care quality that influence social competence in this population.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of 39 preschool-age maltreated children across 13 child care facilities.
- Children were placed in specialized programs, regular centers, or family day homes.
- Data collected on social behavior, interactions with caregivers and peers, and quality of care ratings.
Main Results:
- Maltreated children displayed more positive than negative social behaviors in child care settings.
- Children showed effective interactions with adult caregivers and productive engagement with peers.
- Quality of care ratings significantly correlated with children's social competence.
Conclusions:
- The quality of child care is a significant factor in the social development of maltreated preschoolers.
- Program organization, physical environment, caregiver traits, and caregiver expectations are linked to social behavior outcomes.
- Positive social interactions were observed, suggesting the potential benefits of quality child care for maltreated children.
Abstract:
The experience of 39 preschool-age maltreated children from 13 child care facilities was examined to determine the extent to which the children's social development was related to the quality of day-care service. Maltreated children assigned by the Arkansas Department of Social Services to three different types of child care facilities were observed: specialized day-care programs, regular day-care centers and family day homes. The children scored below average in intelligence and were rated by their parents as displaying higher than normal rates of disturbed behavior. While no comparison group of non-maltreated children was included in the study, observations of the maltreated children in the child care setting revealed substantially more positive than negative social behavior. The children were reasonably effective in interacting with adult caregivers in day care. The maltreated children were also productive in most encounters with peers. Ratings of the quality of care received in day care were significantly correlated with the children's social competence in child care. Aspects of social behavior in maltreated children were related to the organization of the program, the physical facilities, traits of the caregiver, and caregiver expectations for the children.