School Readiness of Children of Immigrants: Does Parental Involvement Play a Role?*

Objectives. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey—Kindergarten Cohort, this article analyzes the link between parental involvement and the school readiness of children of immigrants. Methods. Multivariate regression models estimate the association between parental involvement and the school readiness in English proficiency and math scores of children of immigrants. They also estimate the impact of this association on the gap in math scores between children of immigrants and children of natives. Results. Results demonstrate that parental involvement is associated with an increase in the level of English proficiency for children of immigrants. Parental involvement also is associated with a decrease in the gap in math scores between immigrant children from English‐ and non‐English‐speaking backgrounds. Parental involvement decreases the gap in math scores between children of immigrants and children of the native born by a third of a standard deviation. Conclusion. Given that parental involvement appears to benefit children of immigrants and given that they have lower academic achievement than children of the native born, these findings suggest that parental involvement policies and practices targeting children of immigrants could help decrease the academic achievement gap between children of immigrants and children of the native born.     

Preschool and Academic School Readiness Among Young Children of Asian and Hispanic Immigrant Mothers

ABSTRACT

Preschool is an important developmental context for children of immigrants that can help them succeed in later life. In this study, we examine the association between preschool and academic school readiness among young children of Asian or Hispanic immigrant mothers. A secondary data analysis was conducted using data (n ≈ 1,550) collected in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. Results show that attending preschool (mostly prekindergarten or other center-based care) was associated with better academic school readiness at the year of participation among children of both Asian and Hispanic immigrant mothers; such beneficial associations were found at kindergarten entry among Asian children, but not Hispanic children. Furthermore, more-pronounced beneficial influences of preschool on academic school readiness were found at the year of participation among children of home language mothers in both groups, but such more-pronounced benefits were gone at kindergarten entry in both groups. These findings suggest that the differences between the two groups in maintaining the benefits from preschool may be associated with different home environments. Future research is needed to look specifically at the mechanisms of how attending preschool is related to academic school readiness among children of immigrants.     

School anxiety and depression among immigrant youth in America: Differences by region of birth and language proficiency

This study sought to examine school anxiety and depression by parents’ immigrant status and identify differences by region of birth and language proficiency. Data were used from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study‐Kindergarten Cohort, a nationally representative and longitudinal study of students in the United States. The analytic sample included 6,156 youth. Linear regression models predicted school anxiety and depression of American eighth grade students from English proficiency and parents’ region of birth. Controlling for demographic covariates, there was no significant difference in school anxiety or depression between youth with American‐born parents and those with parents born in any major world region. With the inclusion of an interaction between language proficiency and region of birth, children with limited English proficiency from Europe (B = 2.86, 95% CI = 2.16, 3.55), Central America (B = 1.52, 95% CI = 0.73, 2.31), Asia (B = 1.48, 95% CI = 0.55, 2.40), and South America (B = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.08, 1.61) had significantly heightened school anxiety compared to native‐English speakers with native‐born parents. When considering sources of school anxiety, it was revealed that over 60% of these youth worried about doing well in school. Future research should explore interventions to increase English proficiency and ease school‐related stress among children of immigrants.     

What you say,and how you say it: Preschoolers' growth in vocabulary and communication skills differentially predict kindergarten academic achievement and self‐regulation

The idea that language skills support school readiness, predicting later self‐regulation and academic success, is widely accepted. Although vocabulary is often emphasized in the developmental literature, the ability to use language appropriately in the classroom, or social communication skills, may also be critical. This article examined longitudinal contributions of children's vocabulary and social communication skills, from preschool to kindergarten, to kindergarten academic achievement (reading and math) and self‐regulation (executive functions and learning behaviors). Participants were 164 children (14% Latinx, 30% Black, 56% White; 57% girls) enrolled in Head Start programs. Results revealed that initial levels and growth in vocabulary and communication skills predicted better academic achievement. Social communication skills uniquely predicted self‐regulation, after accounting for vocabulary. We discuss potential mechanisms for these links and recommend that strategies to build social communication skills be incorporated in preschool interventions promoting school readiness.     

Black‐White Biracial Children's Social Development from Kindergarten to Fifth Grade: Links with Racial Identification,Gender, and Socioeconomic Status

In this study, we investigated trajectories of Black‐White biracial children's social development during middle childhood, their associations with parents’ racial identification of children, and the moderating effects of child gender and family socioeconomic status (SES). The study utilized data from parent and teacher reports on 293 US Black‐White biracial children enrolled in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study‐Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS‐K). Growth curve models suggested increasing trajectories of teacher‐reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors between kindergarten and fifth grade. Parents’ racial identification of children predicted child externalizing behavior trajectories such that teachers rated biracially identified children's externalizing behaviors lower relative to those of Black‐ and White‐identified children. Additionally, for White‐identified biracial children, the effect of family SES on internalizing behavior trajectories was especially pronounced. These findings suggest that in the USA, how parents racially identify their Black‐White biracial children early on has important implications for children's problem behaviors throughout the elementary school years.     

Behavioral and Cognitive Readiness for School: Cross-domain Associations for Children Attending Head Start

Utilizing a diverse sample of 356 four-year-old children attending Head Start, this study examined the degree to which behavioral aspects of school readiness, including classroom participation, prosocial behavior, and aggression control were related to direct assessments of child cognitive readiness (academic knowledge, executive function skills) at the start of the prekindergarten year. Classroom participation and prosocial behavior each accounted for unique variance in cognitive readiness. Aggressive behavior, in contrast, was not correlated with academic knowledge, and was associated with low levels of executive function skills. In multiple regressions, aggressive behavior paradoxically enhanced the prediction of child cognitive readiness. Profile analyses strengthened the conclusion that the promotion of competencies associated with classroom participation and prosocial behavior may be particularly critical to cognitive readiness in prekindergarten. Implications are discussed for developmental models of school readiness and preschool classroom practice.     

Developmental Trajectories of Head Start Children's Reading and Home Environment Scores: Across Ethnicities

ABSTRACT

To investigate the relationship of ethnicity in the development of children in Head Start, this study examined the associations between ethnicities and reading trajectories and whether trajectories of home environment could over time explain their differential associations. Participants (N = 696) were selected from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data. Results indicated some similarities and differences in the results obtained. Study findings suggest including an environmentally sensitive family component in Head Start and suggest an early enrollment policy targeting at-risk populations to maintain long-term Head Start impacts across ethnicities. Future research and follow-up studies should investigate other family components that positively affect long-term development among Black, Hispanic, and White children participating in the Head Start program.     

Head Start,Prekindergarten, and Academic School Readiness: A Comparison Among Regions in the United States

ABSTRACT

Child care programs (including Head Start, prekindergarten [pre-K], and other center-based care) can differ, with patterns of use based on their location. Yet little research has examined how Head Start and pre-K programs affect children's academic school readiness, including vocabulary and reading skills at school entry, in the South as compared to other regions. To examine this further, secondary data (n = 2,803) collected in the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study were examined. Overall findings suggest, regardless of region, that Head Start and pre-K participants had higher academic skills at school entry than did their counterparts. In addition, when Head Start was compared to other center-based care and pre-K was compared to other care arrangements, both had larger effects on improving academic skills in the South compared with in other regions. These findings imply that Head Start and pre-K programs should target children who otherwise would receive nonparental non-center-based care. Future research should focus on why the effects of Head Start and pre-K vary between the South and other regions.     

Maternal depression and risk for antisocial behaviour in children

Maternal depression has consistently been found to be associated with child problem behaviours. In the current study, we examine the possibility of whether the association between maternal depression and child antisocial behaviour may be due to confounding. Data from waves 2, 5 and 7 of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study‐Kindergarten Cohort were analysed. Our analysis revealed a significant association between maternal depression and child antisocial behaviour prior to matching. After successfully matching the mothers on 29 key covariates, one of the cross‐sectional associations and the longitudinal association between maternal depression and child antisocial behaviour was no longer statistically significant. However, two cross‐sectional associations between maternal depression and child antisocial behaviour remained statistically significant. The results of the study are discussed in relation to the importance of the timing of maternal depression within different developmental time periods.     

Do Immigrant Minority Parents Have More Consistent College Aspirations for Their Children?*

Objective. Educational aspirations are an important predictor of eventual attainment. We examine if immigrant parents have higher aspirations for their children compared to native‐born parents and whether they are more likely to maintain high aspirations over time. Methods. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study‐Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS‐K), we document differences in the formation and maintenance of white, black, Hispanic, and Asian parents' college aspirations for their children between kindergarten, third, and fifth grades. We also examine the role of acculturation in the stability of immigrant parents' aspirations. Results. We find that immigrant parents are more optimistic about their children's educational trajectories than are native‐born parents and that over time they are more likely to maintain consistently high aspirations for their children. Conclusion. Immigrant parents do not see their children's future as downwardly mobile, and instead remain optimistic, consistently reinforcing messages about college plans throughout childhood.     

Individualized education programmes and parental behaviours for children with disabilities: moderation effects of head start on children's developmental outcomes

This study examined associations among Head Start attendance, individualized education programmes (IEPs), parental behaviours and child outcomes in a sample of five‐hundred and seventy 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children with disabilities. Home language, number of disabilities and Head Start enrollment were associated with having an IEP. Parents of children with IEPs and those who participated in Head Start used more social services, while social support was more prevalent for parents of non‐Head Start children with IEPs. For all children, frequent parental book reading, greater number of books in the home and greater perceived social support among parents were associated with favourable cognitive and social–emotional outcomes. Greater social service use was adversely associated with reading scores only for non‐Head Start children. Findings highlight the need for inclusive IEP policies and Head Start programmes for parents regarding access to special education supports for children who demonstrate developmental concerns. Participation in Head Start may buffer negative effects of social service use on children's reading skill development, although more research is needed to uncover the specific mechanisms responsible for this association.     

Middle Childhood Feelings Toward Mothers: Predictions From Maternal Directiveness at the Age of Two and Respect for Autonomy Currently

The goals of this study were to examine (1) stability of maternal directiveness during interactions with their children from toddlerhood to late middle childhood, (2) direct and mediated relations between mothers' directiveness when children were two years old, mothers' respect for autonomy and children's positivity and negativity toward their mothers when children were in late middle childhood, and (3) differences in these paths by ethnoracial group. Participants included 876 European‐American, 789 African‐American, and 411 Mexican‐American mothers and their children from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. Maternal respect for autonomy at Time 2 partially mediated an association between Time 1 directiveness and observed child positivity toward mothers at Time 2. There was also a direct inverse link between Time 1 maternal directiveness and children's observed positivity toward mothers at Time 2. Relations were similar across ethnoracial groups and for boys and girls. The discussion focuses on heterotypic stability in directive parenting and its implications for children's feelings toward their mothers.     

Living Arrangements and School Dropout Among Minor Mothers Following Welfare Reform*

Objectives. The 1996 welfare reform laws required that parents under the age of 18 live with their parents or an adult relative and enroll in school to be eligible for welfare benefits. This study examines whether minor mothers were less likely to drop out of school and more likely to live with parents following welfare reform. Methods. Data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey 1988 and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 were used in difference‐in‐difference analyses. Results. Following welfare reform, minor mothers' co‐residence with parents increased and their drop‐out rates decreased. Conclusions. Welfare reform requirements are associated with changes in living arrangements and drop‐out rates of minor mothers.     

Effects of Individualized Education Programs on Cognitive Outcomes for Children with Disabilities in Head Start Programs

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of Head Start, disability status, and receipt of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) on early language, literacy, and mathematics skills for low-income children with language, cognitive, emotional/behavioral, sensory, and physical disabilities. Secondary analysis of data was performed on a sample of children with disabilities (N = 570) drawn from the Head Start Impact Study, a nationally representative study of approximately 5,000 children randomly assigned to Head Start or non–Head Start programs. Results of ordinary least squares regression analyses indicated that Head Start participation enhanced outcomes for children with multiple disabilities; language, literacy, and mathematics skills at age 5–6 years were higher for these children compared to non–Head Start attendees. Head Start children with disabilities were more likely to have an IEP, though IEP receipt was associated with lower language, literacy, and mathematics scores among all children. There is a need to ensure that Head Start, and programs similar to Head Start, are more widely available to provide comprehensive, quality early childhood programming to children with cumulative risk factors (low income, multiple disabilities). Future research should clarify why IEP receipt was associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.     

The Effects of a Creative Dance and Movement Program on the Social Competence of Head Start Preschoolers

The effects of an eight‐week instructional program in creative dance/movement on the social competence of low‐income preschool children were assessed in this study utilizing a scientifically rigorous design. Forty preschool children from a large Head Start program were randomly assigned to participate in either an experimental dance program or an attention control group. Teachers and parents, blind to the children's group membership, rated children's social competence both before and after the program, using English and Spanish versions of the Social Competence Behavior Evaluation: Preschool Edition. The results revealed significantly greater positive gains over time in the children's social competence and both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems for the experimental group compared with the control group. Small‐group creative dance instruction for at‐risk preschoolers appears to be an excellent mechanism for enhancing social competence and improving behavior. The implications for early childhood education and intervention are discussed.     

Parenting and children’s negative emotionality,self‐regulation,and academic skills: The moderating role of fathers’ residency

We examined whether fathers’ residency modified the associations among mothers’ supportiveness, father involvement, children’s negative emotionality during toddlerhood and children’s academic skills in pre‐kindergarten via children’s self‐regulation. Participants were 2,291 mothers (M_age = 23.24 years) and children (M_age = 14.99 months at Wave 1; 50.7% girls) in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project. Results revealed distinctive associations by fathers’ residency: self‐regulation mediated the association between mothers’ supportiveness and academic skills only in resident‐father‐families. Self‐regulation mediated the association between negative emotionality and academic skills only in nonresident‐father‐families. The findings highlight the family processes of mothers, fathers, and children in low‐income family contexts that contribute to children’s academic skills, and how those family processes may vary by fathers’ residency status.     

Preschoolers' Beliefs About the Stability of Antisocial Behavior: Implications for Navigating Social Challenges

The relation between 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children's beliefs about sociomoral stability (the tendency for antisocial behavior to remain stable over time) and their reasoning about peer interactions was examined. Participants were 100 preschoolers enrolled in a Head Start program. Children who endorsed sociomoral stability beliefs were less likely than their peers to make prosocial inferences, were rated by their teachers as less likely to engage in prosocial behavior, and were more likely to endorse the use of aggression to solve conflict with peers. These findings suggest that as early as preschool, children have general patterns of beliefs about the stability of antisocial behavior that predict a tendency to de‐emphasize prosocial strategies that can mediate social challenges.     

Number of siblings and personality: Evidence among eighth graders from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K)

Most prior sociological research on siblings explores their effects on educational, cognitive and social outcomes. This study focuses on personality traits and extends its scope to early adolescence. Using the eighth-grade data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), it tests the relationship between number of siblings and three personality traits: internalizing problem behavior, self-concept, and locus of control. The results suggest that sibship size has only a modest effect on personality traits among early adolescents. Specifically, only those adolescents who have at least four siblings are found to have significantly worse internalizing problem behaviors, worse self-concept, and worse locus of control compared to only children. In addition, this study finds little evidence that adolescents benefit more from sisters than brothers. Lastly, compared to having older siblings, having younger siblings is more beneficial for personality traits in predicting self-concept and locus of control.     

Dimensions of Parenting Associated with Child Prekindergarten Emotion Regulation and Attention Control in Low‐income Families

Delays in emotion regulation and attention control are common among children growing up in poverty, and they contribute to significant socioeconomic gaps in school readiness and later school attainment. In this study, the emotion regulation and attention control skills of 210 prekindergarten Head Start participants were assessed (M age = 4.80 years old). Home interviews and videotaped parent–child interactions were used to evaluate three aspects of parenting (e.g., warm‐sensitive, directive‐critical, and parenting stress). Structural equation models documented significant, unique associations linking directive‐critical parenting and parenting stress with poor child emotion regulation skills. Directive‐critical parenting was also uniquely associated with low levels of child attention control. Warm‐sensitive parenting was not uniquely related to either emotion regulation or attention control at this age. The findings suggest that, by prekindergarten, parent stress management and reduced directiveness emerge as the primary correlates of child emotion regulation and attention control whereas warm‐sensitive parenting plays a diminished role.     

The Long-Term Effects of Adolescent Childrearing

Data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Mature Women are used to explore the effect of adolescent childrearing on the hourly wages of women in the labor force. Women who were adolescent mothers earn less than other married or previously married women because of a persistent inability to achieve comparable educational levels. Adolescent mothers from more favorable socioeconomic backgrounds do better than other adolescent mothers in terms of education and income but, relative to women from the same background who postponed childrearing, their losses are substantial. Adolescent mothers are also more likely than other women to be or to have been single heads of households, with the economic disadvantages of that status. Public policy approaches to the prohlems of teenage parenthood must consider rhe provision of income resources and child care supports to enable young mothers to complete high school in order to further their chances for eventual self-support.