Poster #67 - The Role of Self-Care, Adult-centered Beliefs on Mental Health Among Home-based Child Care Providers

• In Event: Poster Session 12

Abstract

This poster aims to describe the self-care practices and adult-centered beliefs in relation to mental health of home-based child care providers (HBCCs) in one state. Little is known about HBCCs in the peri-Covid 19 pandemic, yet they are a crucial arm of the early care and education (ECE) workforce, serving more culturally and linguistically diverse families, particularly those with infants and toddlers (National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance, 2019). While a growing body of literature has highlighted the connection between workplace stress and increased depression in ECE educators (Jeon et al., 2018; Roberts et al., 2019), HBCCs remain an overlooked population, especially HBCCs who participate in limited professional and relational support systems. Further, predictors of ECE teaching practices, such as adult-centered beliefs (Roberts et al., 2017), and children’s classroom behavior (Jeon et al., 2014) are linked to ECE teacher depressive symptoms Compared with center-based providers, HBCCs may be further vulnerable to depression as their access to professional resources may be comparatively limited (Zinsser et al., 2016). Vulnerability may be further heightened when combined with the unique stress related to the physical and relational isolation of providing care out of one’s home (Gerstenblatt et al., 2013). Therefore, the current study aims to examine the self-care practices (professional and personal) of HBCCs in relation to depression symptomatology. It is vital to understand how this population of HBCCs does or does not participate in self-care practices and endorse adult-centered beliefs and the relation to mental health concerns given associations with teaching practices and child behavior. Method: First, the focal sample of HBCC (licensed or license-exempt) with minimal professional development hours was identified from the state’s registry. Then, participants were recruited via email or postal mail for this survey research, and recruitment is ongoing. Currently, 21 English-speaking HBCCs not participating in Focus Child Care Networks with limited professional development engagement have data, and are diverse in their demographic characteristics (Table 1). Constructs of interest are measured with valid and reliable scales: Self-care practices are assessed with 18 items (Lee et al., 2016), depressive symptoms are assessed with the CESD (Radloff, 1977), and adult-centered beliefs are assessed with 16 items (based on Schaefer & Edgerton, 1985; modified for HBCC). Results: Initial descriptive results with the current sample of HBCC indicate a range of self-care practices, adults-centered beliefs, and depressive symptoms (Table 1). Initial bivariate correlations indicate some signal between depressive symptoms and adult-centered beliefs (positive correlation) as well as with demographics (e.g., education; negative correlation; Table 2). After data collection is complete, final analyses will be executed and focus on descriptives as well as regression models predicting depression. Results will shed light on a population that is often not represented in the research, yet provides care and education for young children and their families of diverse backgrounds.

Authors

• Kimberley Banks, Oregon State University - Corvallis
  Presenting Author

• Bridget E Hatfield, Oregon State University - Corvallis

• Sidney Traen, Oregon Early Learning Division

• Megan Elizabeth Pratt, Oregon State University - Corvallis