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Prediction of behavior problems in early adolescence from early experiences in child care
PREDICTTON OF BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS IN EARLY ADOLESCENCE FROM EARLY EXPERIENCES IN CHILD CARE
Carollee Howes Department of Education, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 900951521 In this longitudinal research we examined relations between children’s relationships with caregivers and the absence of behavior problems. In this advantaged typical child sample the absence of behavior problems indicates successful adaptation and socio-emotional adjustment. There is a large and rich body of empirical literature to support theoretical assumptions that secure maternal attachments will be linked to fewer problems of adaptation (e.g., Lewis, Feiring, McGuffog, & Jaskir, 1984; Rothbaum, Schneider-Rosen, Potts, & Beatty, 1995). However, recent studies (Egeland & Hiester, 1995) suggest that early child care experience may alter or dilute this established relation between maternal attachment and children’s adaptation. Therefore, in this study we examined the influences of child cam as well as maternal attachment. Sixty-two (31 girls) children and their mothers participated in the study at ages nine and twelve. The families were primarily European-American (90 percent), two parents in the home (87 percent), and middle class. In the longitudinal study from which this sample was drawn, 94 children participated at 12 months of age, and 84 children as four-year-olds. Sixty-two children could be located at 9 years of age. All agreed to participate at either 9 (n=55), 12 (n=53), or both (n=44) ages of follow-up. Childten were seen with their mothers in the Strange Situation at 12 months. Within six months of first entering child care, children were observed interacting with their caregiver in their child cam arrangement. Attachment security between the child and child care caregiver was assessed using the Waters Attachment Q-Set (Waters, 1990). At age four all children participated in a playgroup after which mother-child reunions were scored for attachment category using the Cassidy and Marvin (1988) procedure. Also at age four children’s attachment security was assessed with the AQS. At ages 9 and 12 mothers completed the Zill Behavior Problem Index (Zill, 1985) and an index of stressful life events. Children entered child care at ages 2 to 50 months (M = 25 m.). Thirty-one percent entered before their first birthdays. Their child cam quality was average (M=3.94,7 indicates high quality). Children had between 1 and 3 changes in child care providers before kindergarten. As early adolescents, children had relatively few behavior problems (M = 2.7,3 indicates no problems). Children’s behavior problems (after controlling for stressful life events ( fi = .30)) could be predicted@ = .42, E (2,46) = 4.64, p = .02) by attachment security with both toddler and preschool teachers ( p = -.42) but not by maternal attachment ( fi = .03). Partial correlations, controlling for stressful life events, suggested that children with more insecure attachments to child care camgivers during the toddler and preschool periods also had more changes of child care caregivers from birth to kindergarten (t = -.29) but had not experienced any difference in child care quality than children with more secure relationships ( L= .02). The age that children entered child care was not related to children’s behavior problems k = .02). These findings replicate the finding that early child care experience may alter or dilute relations between maternal attachment and children’s adaptation. We suspect that the relationship experiences available to children who attend child care provide them with alternative models to the relationship models derived from within their family. The predictability of early child care relationship quality for later adjustment underscores the potentially powerful influences of early child care.
Carollee Howes Department of Education, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 900951521 In this longitudinal research we examined relations between children’s relationships with caregivers and the absence of behavior problems. In this advantaged typical child sample the absence of behavior problems indicates successful adaptation and socio-emotional adjustment. There is a large and rich body of empirical literature to support theoretical assumptions that secure maternal attachments will be linked to fewer problems of adaptation (e.g., Lewis, Feiring, McGuffog, & Jaskir, 1984; Rothbaum, Schneider-Rosen, Potts, & Beatty, 1995). However, recent studies (Egeland & Hiester, 1995) suggest that early child care experience may alter or dilute this established relation between maternal attachment and children’s adaptation. Therefore, in this study we examined the influences of child cam as well as maternal attachment. Sixty-two (31 girls) children and their mothers participated in the study at ages nine and twelve. The families were primarily European-American (90 percent), two parents in the home (87 percent), and middle class. In the longitudinal study from which this sample was drawn, 94 children participated at 12 months of age, and 84 children as four-year-olds. Sixty-two children could be located at 9 years of age. All agreed to participate at either 9 (n=55), 12 (n=53), or both (n=44) ages of follow-up. Childten were seen with their mothers in the Strange Situation at 12 months. Within six months of first entering child care, children were observed interacting with their caregiver in their child cam arrangement. Attachment security between the child and child care caregiver was assessed using the Waters Attachment Q-Set (Waters, 1990). At age four all children participated in a playgroup after which mother-child reunions were scored for attachment category using the Cassidy and Marvin (1988) procedure. Also at age four children’s attachment security was assessed with the AQS. At ages 9 and 12 mothers completed the Zill Behavior Problem Index (Zill, 1985) and an index of stressful life events. Children entered child care at ages 2 to 50 months (M = 25 m.). Thirty-one percent entered before their first birthdays. Their child cam quality was average (M=3.94,7 indicates high quality). Children had between 1 and 3 changes in child care providers before kindergarten. As early adolescents, children had relatively few behavior problems (M = 2.7,3 indicates no problems). Children’s behavior problems (after controlling for stressful life events ( fi = .30)) could be predicted@ = .42, E (2,46) = 4.64, p = .02) by attachment security with both toddler and preschool teachers ( p = -.42) but not by maternal attachment ( fi = .03). Partial correlations, controlling for stressful life events, suggested that children with more insecure attachments to child care camgivers during the toddler and preschool periods also had more changes of child care caregivers from birth to kindergarten (t = -.29) but had not experienced any difference in child care quality than children with more secure relationships ( L= .02). The age that children entered child care was not related to children’s behavior problems k = .02). These findings replicate the finding that early child care experience may alter or dilute relations between maternal attachment and children’s adaptation. We suspect that the relationship experiences available to children who attend child care provide them with alternative models to the relationship models derived from within their family. The predictability of early child care relationship quality for later adjustment underscores the potentially powerful influences of early child care.