RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The effects of child care services on several domains of child development have been extensively investigated, but evidence regarding the effects of child care on language development remains inconclusive. METHODS: Within a large-scale population-based study, we examined the longitudinal associations between non-parental child care and language development from 1 to 6 years (n = 5375). RESULTS: Results showed that more hours in non-parental child care were associated with better language abilities. However, more hours in care in the first year of life were associated with less language proficiency at ages 1 to 1.5. At later ages, this effect disappeared and language proficiency increased. Furthermore, children who spent more hours in centre-based care had better language scores than children in home-based care. Ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender or parity did not change these results. CONCLUSIONS: This large, multi-ethnic study demonstrates beneficial effects of non-parental child care, particularly centre-based care, on language proficiency later in childhood.
Asunto(s)
Cuidado del Niño , Desarrollo del Lenguaje , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
AIM: We studied the effects of early mother-child relationship quality and child temperament on the development of child compliance and active resistance in a large population-based cohort study (n = 534). BACKGROUND: Parenting and the quality of the parent-child relationship can either hamper or support the development of child compliance directly or in interplay with child temperament. METHODS: Mother-infant dyads were observed at 14 and 36 months and maternal and child behaviours were independently coded. The quality of compliance was assessed at 36 months in a clean-up task. Child behaviour was coded using a system differentiating between two dimensions: Compliance and Active Resistance. RESULTS: Controlling for concurrent maternal sensitivity, child temperament, and gender children with a more insecure attachment relationship showed higher levels of active resistance during Clean-Up than more securely attached children. The effect was stronger for boys than for girls and mainly driven by attachment avoidance. CONCLUSIONS: Early attachment is an important contributor to child socialization of moral behaviour.
Asunto(s)
Conducta Cooperativa , Conducta del Lactante/psicología , Relaciones Madre-Hijo , Apego a Objetos , Adulto , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Edad Gestacional , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Psicometría , TemperamentoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: We examined whether children cared for by stressed caregivers show lower socio-emotional well-being and more stress, compared with children cared for by less stressed caregivers. METHODS: Perceived stress and cortisol levels of professional caregivers (n = 44), and associations with children's (n = 44) well-being and cortisol levels in home-based child care were examined. RESULTS: Caregiver perceived stress and cortisol levels were related to children's well-being but not to children's cortisol levels. Children's social fearfulness acted as a moderator between caregivers' mean ratio of diurnal change in cortisol and children's well-being. When caregiver cortisol levels decreased, more fearful children were reported higher on well-being than less fearful peers. In contrast, when caregiver cortisol levels increased, more fearful children were reported lower on well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The findings point to differential susceptibility. Child care organizations and parents need to notice that a non-stressful child care environment is in particular important for children with a difficult temperament.