Poster #184 - Mothers’ Involvement in Children’s Daily Activities on Later School Adjustment and Self-Regulatory Skills

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - School Readiness/Childcare

Integrative Statement

Background. Evidence has shown that children’s successful adjustment during transition to school has long-term implications for academic success and psychosocial development across childhood and beyond (Pears, Kim, & Brown, 2018). Further, mothers’ active involvement in early childhood activities is known to facilitate children’s school readiness in early literacy, cognitive and social-emotional development (Clark & Ladd, 2000; Lindsey & Mize, 2000). However, few studies examined importance of mothers’ involvement in children’s daily activities on subsequent adjustment, especially during the transition to school among families in Korea.

The present study examined longitudinal effects of mothers’ involvement in children’s daily activities during preschool age on children's school adjustment and self-regulatory skills in first-grade. Additionally, we examined whether children’s social skills during the transition to school mediated the link between mothers’ involvement in daily activities and later adjustment. We hypothesized mothers’ involvement during preschool age would positively influence children’s social skills during transition to school, and subsequent school adjustment and self-regulatory skills at school. Additionally, children’s social skills would mediate effects of mothers’ involvement on school adjustment and self-regulatory skills.

Methods. This study used longitudinal data from the Panel Study on Korean Children, a nationally representative study, on a total of 1,654 children (girls n = 802). Children’s mothers reported their involvement in children's daily activities at 5 years old and social skills at 6. Teachers reported children’s academic performance in math and reading, receptive and expressive vocabulary, and difficulties in self-regulatory skills in planning and organizing, behavior control, and attention at 7 years old. Structural equation modeling in Mplus 7.1 was conducted.

Results. The hypothesized model which also included child sex and intelligence as controlling variables fit the data relatively well (Figure 1) (χ² = 34.556, CFI = .992, TLI = .981, RMSEA = .030) (See Figure 1).
As hypothesized, direct effects of mothers’ involvement in children’s daily activates in preschool age were significant on social skills at age 6 (β = .303, p < .001), school adjustment at age 7 (β = .13, p = .001), and difficulties in executive function at age 7 (β = -.08, p = .008) . Further, children’s social skills significantly mediated the link between mothers’ involvement in daily activities and school adjustment (β = .03, 95% C.I. = .04 ~ .14) and difficulties in executive function (β = -.09, 95% C.I. = -.10 ~ -.02).

Conclusion. The present findings highlight the importance of mothers’ involvement during preschool age for children’s subsequent adjustment, especially social skills, school adjustment and self-regulatory skills. Further, children’s social skills during the transition to school appear to play a significant role as a mediator that explains the association between mothers’ involvement and later adjustment. Mothers' involvement in daily activities provides ample opportunities for children to practice various social and self-regulatory skills that affect children's later school adjustment. This research supports the argument that children can benefit from school readiness programs that aim to improve mothers’ involvement, parenting and children’s social skills during the transition to school.

Authors

• Jai Wha Seo, Yonsei University
  Presenting Author

• Hyoun K. Kim, Yonsei University
  Non-Presenting Author