Early Child Development and Care

Stack†, Dale M.; Minnes, Patricia M.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430101pmid: N/A

This paper is a critical review of the literature on three disabling conditions; i.e., Down Syndrome, visual impairment and cerebral palsy; all of which reflect aberrant motor development. Research from both theoretical and applied fields is integrated in an effort to improve the dissemination and application of empirical findings. The continued need for advances in intervention strategies and technology and the more general need for methodological rigor in research are strongly emphasized.

Gullo, Dominic F.; Paludi, Michele A.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430102pmid: N/A

The major purpose of the present study was to identify some characteristics of non at‐risk prospective parents which may contribute to more accurate knowledge of infant development in four domains: motor, personal‐social, cognitive, and language. It is evident that at‐risk groups of parents have inappropriate expectations for developmental milestones. Results from the present study indicate that non at‐risk adults also share this characteristic. In the present study male subjects’ knowledge of personal‐social and cognitive behaviors was significantly worse than female subjects. In addition, feminine subjects were more accurate in their knowledge of infant development than masculine and undifferentiated subjects. Furthermore, first born children were more accurate about infant development than were middle‐ and laterborns. Finally, subjects who spent more than six hours per week interacting with children were more knowledgeable than less‐experienced subjects. These results are discussed with respect to functional role theory. Methodological concerns are also mentioned. A better understanding of the relationship between knowledge of infant development and interaction with children may influence the direction of future parent education programs. More research is also needed on the reciprocal cause‐effect cycle in the parent‐child relationship.

Ayles, Fiona; Glenn, Sheila M.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430103pmid: N/A

One of the criticisms of previous studies of the effect of prior play on children's problem solving abilities, is that children have been instructed to play for relatively short periods. The present study looked at the quality of spontaneous play with sticks, nuts and bolts in 18 children (CA 44 months) over a four week period and the effect of this on a subsequent problem whose solution required two sticks to be bolted together. The most striking result was that children who had discovered the elongation principle during play were significantly better problem solvers than those who had not. Neither play frequency nor fantasy play was significantly related to problem solving.

Gelfer, Jeffrey I.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430104pmid: N/A

The Early Intervention Program at the Easter Seal Society of DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota Counties (Florida) is a therapeutic‐educational program for parents and children from birth to 3 years who are “at risk” delayed or handicapped. The Early Intervention Program consists of a multidisciplinary team of: early childhood specialists, a pediatric neurologist, a clinical social worker, physical, occupational and speech therapists, and an audiologist. When necessary a pediatrician and/or psychologist are included as well. The program utilizes a therapeutic‐educational curriculum which allows each child to follow a prescribed program designed specifically for his/her strengths and weaknesses. The curriculum augments the therapist's treatment and provides input for parents. This paper is a general description of the early intervention program for children with physical and developmental disabilities.

Young‐Loveridge, Jennifer M.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430105pmid: N/A

This study describes the home experiences of six children who varied in their level of numerical understanding (either high or low) and in the socio‐economic status of their families (high or low). The study showed that children enter school with vastly different kinds of experiences with numbers and these seemed to be related to the extent of their knowledge of number concepts. Number experiences included domestic activities such as baking and shopping; games such as Snakes and Ladders, Strip‐Jack‐Naked, Poker, Monopoly, Bingo, and dominoes; experiences with time such as using calendars, clocks, and car speedometers; and experience handling calculators and money. The high scorers were characterized by exposure to a wide range of experiences involving numbers, a strong orientation towards numeracy by members of their families, and the opportunity to observe their mothers using numbers to solve everyday problems of their own. the low scorers, on the other hand, had few number experiences, an orientation by their families towards literacy but not numeracy, little opportunity to observe their mothers using numbers for the solution of practical problems of their own, as well as relatively low family expectations for their mastery of skills. It appeared that what happened in individual families in terms of numeracy events was much more important in determining the development of number concepts than was the socio‐economic status of the family, as measured by gross social status variables such as father's occupation or mother's education.

Brucker, Benjamin W.; Martin, Jackson J.; Shreeve, William C.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430106pmid: N/A

Strader, William H.; Rinker, Catherine A.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430107pmid: N/A

Lloyd, Eva; Melhuish, Edward; Moss, Peter; Owen, Charlie

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430108pmid: N/A

This paper reviews research on playgroups in the United Kingdom. Subjects covered include the geographical distribution of playgroups; the backgrounds of families who use them; the concept and practice of parental involvement; the position of playgroup workers; and the experience of children in playgroups. The review finds that the majority of children attend playgroup at some stage, mostly for 2 or 3 half‐day sessions per week. Parental involvement is higher in playgroups than in other pre‐school services, although there is much variation. Attendance at preschool appears to have benefits to the child, although the evidence is not such as to show whether playgroups are better or worse than other forms of provision in this respect. The review concludes that more research needs to be carried out into the provision and effectiveness of services for under‐5s.

Kogan, Nathan; Saarni, Carolyn

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430109pmid: N/A

*The present paper represents a revised and updated version of a chapter entitled “Kognitive Stile” originally published in German. The latter appeared in G. Steiner (ed.), Piaget und die Folgen, Vol. 7 (pp. 445‐465) in a 15‐volume collection entitled Die Psychologic des 20 Jahrhunderts, Zurich: Kindler Verlag, 1978. We would like to thank Donna Palumbo for her assistance in the preparation of this chapter.

Davis, J. Kent; Cochran, Kathryn F.

doi: 10.1080/0300443890430110pmid: N/A

*An earlier version of this paper was presented in R.E. Schutz (Chair), Trends in cognitive styles research: Directions and dilemmas. Symposium presented at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, 1982.