Poster #17 - Does Self-Regulation Mediate the Relation between Mealtime Routines and Children’s Reading and Math Skills?

• In Event: 2-001 - Poster Session 1 during Breakfast

Abstract

A significant proportion of U.S. kindergarteners enter first grade without the literacy and numeracy skills needed to succeed academically (Isaacs, 2012; Wertheimer et al., 2003). Having limited school readiness skills is associated with poorer outcomes throughout school (Dickinson & Tabors, 2001; Duncan et al., 2007). Thus, it is essential to identify factors that may promote the development of these skills in young children. Home-based academic practices are related to children’s early success in reading and math, and many studies have documented their importance for later achievement (Bus et al., 1995; Hindman & Morrison, 2012; Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2002; Son & Morrison, 2010). However, the reasons why non-academic home-based practices influence reading and math are less intuitive, and few studies have attempted to identify potential mediating mechanisms that may explain the links. For example, although research shows positive correlations between the frequency of family mealtime routines and children’s academic outcomes (C.A.S.A., 2010; Eisenberg, Olson, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, & Bearinger, 2004; Council of Economic Advisors, 2000), we know relatively little about why family mealtime routines may influence achievement. One explanation for the link is that having stable and predictable routines promotes the development of self-regulatory skills (e.g. planning, waiting, following directions) that help children to succeed in school (e.g. Brody & Flor, 1997; Collins et al., 2000; Morrison & Cooney, 2002). However, no studies have tested this relation.

This study explored self-regulation as a potential mediator of the relation between one family routine, family mealtimes, in kindergarten and children’s reading and math scores in first grade. The sample included 2,093 children participating in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K: 2011). Mealtime routines questions addressed whether families reported eating breakfast and dinner at regular times, self-regulation was teacher reported, and math and reading were directly assessed. We ran a mediation model using the complex analysis module in Mplus 7 (Muthén & Muthén, 2012) to address the multi-stage sampling design. Results showed that self-regulation significantly mediated the relation between mealtime routines and children’s reading (ab = 0.12, p < .001, 95% bootstrap CI: 0.06 to 0.17) and the relation between mealtime routines and math scores (ab = 0.07, p < .001, 95% bootstrap CI: 0.04 to 0.10). This suggests that family mealtime routines may increase children’s behavioral and academic school readiness. Future research should examine which aspects of mealtime routines account for associations with self-regulation, math, and reading.

Authors

• Cassandra Lynn Simons, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
  Presenting Author

• Susan Sonnenschein, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

• Shuyan Sun, University of Maryland, Baltimore County