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Poster #87 - Student Characteristics that Help or Hinder Learning about Infants and Toddlers

Fri, March 22, 9:45 to 11:00am, Baltimore Convention Center, Floor: Level 1, Exhibit Hall B

Integrative Statement

Introduction:

We are engaged in studying the effectiveness of college-level teaching about infant/toddler development and care. This poster examines how attachment style and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) predict learning over the semester.

From a previous study reporting on a pre-course survey, we know that students who endorse a more secure attachment/relationship style have greater knowledge about development, have attitudes that acknowledge the importance of adults in children’s development, and endorse developmentally supportive practices. Students who scored high on attachment fearfulness minimize the importance of adults in children’s lives and endorsed controlling forms of child guidance.

Building on this previous work, our research questions include:

1. Are knowledge/attitudes/skills stable over the semester? Does change occur?
2. How are attachment style and ACEs associated with learning from the beginning to the end of the semester?
3. Does attachment security buffer the effects of ACEs on learning?

Methods:

971 college students across 13 universities enrolled in courses with early childhood content completed on-line surveys both pre- and post-semester. The survey included questions related to student characteristics and experiences as well as their practice-relevant attitudes/knowledge/skills (see Table 1 for constructs assessed).

Regressions examined change over time in knowledge/attitudes/skills as predicted by student self-reported ACEs and attachment. Analyses also explored whether attachment moderates the association between ACEs and learning.

Results:

Question 1:
• Correlations between pre and post knowledge/attitudes/skills range from .37-.67, showing relative stability within individuals.
• There is change from pre to post attitudes/knowledge/skills. Overall T-tests are significant for all dimensions except valuing structures to support relationships and belief in strict guidance.

Question 2 (see Table 1):
• ACEs do not relate to student learning.
• Individuals reporting more secure attachment: learn that showing affection does not spoil a child or create dependency, develop a greater appreciation for adult influence on child development, show a decrease in belief in strict guidance, and learn more about developmental milestones.
• Demographics and career goals also matter.

Question 3 (see Figure 1):
• College students with greater adverse experiences early in life are more likely to decrease their beliefs that early experiences determine outcomes and that caregiving adults do not make a difference for child development. This is especially true for those with lower levels of attachment security. Students who are low in both security and ACEs are most likely to believe in early determinism. Beliefs about determinism for securely attached individuals do not seem to be affected by ACEs.
• With the exception of beliefs about determinism, there is no indication of interaction between attachment and ACEs.

Implications:
• While there is some stability of attitudes/knowledge/skills from beginning to end of the semester, learning does occur. This finding supports the efficacy of higher education courses for increasing I/T caregiving competencies.
• Students who express interest in a career in early childhood tend to learn more over the semester.
• Special efforts need to be undertaken to support the learning of students with less secure relationship styles.
• Students learn irrespective of their trauma history.

Authors