2-157 - Self-Regulation Across Different Cultural Contexts

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Self-regulation is foundational for many child outcomes but less research has focused on how it develops across cultural contexts (McClelland & Wanless, 2015). This symposium aligns with SRCD’s strategic focus on expanding international research, and includes studies in Norway, Finland, Portugal, and Chile. Each study focuses on culturally-meaningful research questions and measures, with the goal of understanding factors that influence self-regulation and how these skills relate to important outcomes over time.

Paper 1 finds that growth in Norwegian children’s self-regulation over three years significantly predicted first grade literacy and math scores whereas an increase in child adjustment difficulties was negatively associated with later math and literacy scores. In paper 2, four distinct trajectories of self-regulation growth were identified in Finnish children between kindergarten and 4th grade, as well as unique relations to task-avoidant behavior, reading skills, externalizing behaviors, teacher-child relationships. In paper 3, Portuguese preschoolers at three levels of developmental functioning were studied and self-regulation was found to be particularly important for classroom engagement for those children at the lowest levels of developmental functioning. Finally, in paper 4, Chilean parents’ conversational style with their children related to stronger self-regulation over time, when discussing negative, but not positive, experiences.

Together, these papers find evidence for cultural similarities and differences in the development of self-regulation and culturally-relevant factors that influence this development. Moreover, this symposium focuses on expanding research in self-regulation in international contexts (Arnett, 2008). Implications for conceptual and theoretical issues in self-regulation around the world will be discussed.

Sub Unit

• Education, Schooling

Chairs

• Megan McClelland, Oregon State University

• Shannon Wanless, University Pittsburgh

Individual Presentations

• Importance of Early Self-Regulation and Early School Adjustment Difficulty During Transition to School in Norway - Presenting Author: Ragnhild Lenes, Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education at the University of Stavanger; Dieuwer ten Braak, Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education; Ingunn Størksen, Norwegian Centre for Learning Environment and Behavioural Research in Education at the University of Stavanger

• Developmental Trajectories of Self-Regulation Among Finnish Children from Kindergarten to Fourth Grade - Presenting Author: Riikka Hirvonen, University of Jyväskylä, Finland; Anna-Maija Poikkeus, University of Jyväskylä; Eija Pakarinen, University of Jyväskylä; Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, University of Jyväskylä; Jari-Erik Nurmi, University of Jyvaskyla

• Self-regulation and Engagement in Portuguese Preschool Children with Different Levels of Developmental Functioning - Presenting Author: vera coelho, Universidade do Porto; Joana Cadima, University of Porto; Ana Isabel Pinto, Universidade do Porto; Cristiana Guimarães, University of Porto

• Chilean Family Reminiscing About Emotions and Its Relation to Children’s Self-Regulation Skills - Presenting Author: Diana Leyva, Davidson College; Virginia Nolivos, University of Oxford