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Behavior problems among young children in low-income urban day care centers
1Rush University College of Nursing, Armour Academic Center, Chicago, IL 60612-3869, USA.
Insights
Behavior problems in toddlers are linked to parental stress and inconsistent discipline. Parents reported more issues than teachers, with about 8% of children showing problems in both settings.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Behavioral issues in toddlers can impact family dynamics and early development.
- Understanding the interplay between home and daycare environments is crucial for early intervention.
- Low-income families may face unique challenges influencing child behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency and correlates of behavior problems in low-income toddlers.
- To assess agreement between parent and teacher ratings of child behavior.
- To identify family characteristics associated with persistent behavior problems.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 133 toddlers' parents and daycare teachers in Chicago.
- Utilized measures of child behavior problems, behavioral intensity, parenting self-efficacy, discipline strategies, and stress.
- Correlated parent and teacher reports of behavior issues.
Main Results:
- Parent-reported behavior problems correlated with higher child intensity, parental stress, lower self-efficacy, and coercive discipline.
- Parent and teacher ratings showed agreement only for boys' behavior problems.
- Parents reported more behavior problems than teachers; 8% of children had issues in both settings.
Conclusions:
- Toddler behavior problems in low-income settings are associated with parental stress and specific parenting practices.
- Discrepancies in parent-teacher ratings highlight context-specific behavior expression.
- A significant minority of toddlers experience persistent behavioral challenges, indicating a need for targeted support.
Abstract:
The purposes of this study were to describe: (a) the frequency and correlates of behavior problems among a sample of 2- and 3-year-old children from low-income families as seen by their parents and day care teachers, (b) the degree to which parents and teachers agree about the children's behavior problems in their respective contexts, and (c) family characteristics that distinguish toddlers with behavior problems both at home and at day care from the rest of the sample. Parents of 133 toddlers from 10 Chicago day care centers completed measures of child behavior problems, child behavioral intensity, parenting self-efficacy, discipline strategies, and stress. Children's day care teachers also completed a measure of child behavior problems. Parent-reported behavior problems were associated with higher child behavioral intensity, greater parent stress, lower self-efficacy, and discipline strategies characterized by irritability, coercion, and inconsistency. Parent and teacher ratings on child behavior were correlated for boys' behavior problems only. Parents reported more child behavior problems than teachers. Approximately 8% of the children were rated as having behavior problems at home and at day care. Although most of the children are functioning well, many of these parents and toddlers are engaged in highly stressful and coercive relationships.