Preschool Children's Self-Regulatory Behaviors During a Language Task Mediate the Relationship Between Self-Regulation and Language

• In Event: Crown Plaza Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Social and Emotional Learning in Early Childhood

Abstract

Children with stronger language skills also have better self-regulation (McClelland et al., 2007). However, the mechanism through with self-regulation relates to children’s language skills is not well understood. This study investigates self-regulatory behaviors preschool-aged children (N=80) display during a narrative task and whether they relate to their language knowledge. Children told a story using a wordless picture book (Justice et al., 2010) and their self-regulatory behaviors were coded. The Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders was used to measure self-regulation. Mediation analysis found that delay of off task behaviors mediated the relationship between self-regulation and language (b=.013, 95% CI95 = 0.001, 0.038). Behaviors that children engage in during a task may play an important role in understanding the association between language and self-regulation.

Authors

• Haruka Konishi, University of Delaware

• Lori Skibbe, Michigan State University

• Ryan P. Bowles, University of Virginia