Longitudinal Relations Among Early Care and Education Stability During the Pre-Kindergarten Year and Behavior Problems

• In Event: Factors Contributing to Children's Development

Abstract

The present study examined associations among ECE stability during prekindergarten and externalizing and internalizing problems that same year and during the early elementary grades in a sample of children from low-income households. A second aim was to explore whether the relation between ECE stability in prekindergarten and externalizing and internalizing behaviors in the early elementary years is mediated by prekindergarten behavior problems. Data were obtained from the Head Start Impact Study. Results indicated that ECE stability was directly associated with externalizing and internalizing problems that same year and was also directly associated with 1st grade internalizing problems. In addition, stability had small indirect relations with internalizing behaviors in kindergarten and 1st grade, mediated through these same skills in prekindergarten.

Authors

• Sara Schmitt, Purdue University

• Brittany Mihalec-Adkins

• Shannon Lipscomb

• Megan Pratt

• Gregor Horvath