Adult–child pedagogical interactions in the home and in preschool: what commonalities can pre-schoolers experience in the context of cognitive development?Hall, James; Eddy, Chloe; Voutsina, Chronoula
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2484227pmid: N/A
Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) research emphasizes the importance of adult–child pedagogical interactions at home and in ECEC settings for children’s cognitive development. Meanwhile, recent developments in statistics offer the opportunity to challenge gaps in ECEC knowledge fostered by traditional statistical methods. Aim Using contemporary statistical mixture modelling procedures: What commonalities exist across the home and preschool in the adult-child pedagogical interactions that children can experience in the context of cognitive development? Methods Secondary analysis of data from the Effective Provision of Preschool Education study: 2,857 children and families using 141 ECEC settings across England. Results Commonalities are found that vary by pre-schoolers’ verbal and nonverbal reasoning. These commonalities reveal the importance of different home learning environments plus opportunities for more equitable and inclusive ECEC. Contemporary statistical methods can reveal new and important ways in which adult–child pedagogical interactions at home and in ECEC settings may shape children’s development.
Direct and indirect pathways to kindergartners’ school adjustment: roles of children’s parent and friendship representationsNur, İmray; Arnas, Yaşare Aktaş
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2499492pmid: N/A
In this study, we investigated the direct and indirect associations between children’s attachment representations of parents and their representations of friendships with their reported feelings about school (school liking and avoidance). A story completion task was administered to 91 preschool children to assess attachment security with their parents. Approximately three months later, the children completed a story completion task about friendships and provided information about their feelings toward school. Children's attachment representations with their parents were positively associated with school liking and negatively associated with school avoidance. Similarly, attachment security with parents was associated with children's positive friendship representations. The indirect effects of children's positive friendship representations on the associations between attachment security with parents and school liking and avoidance were significant. These results revealed the potential importance of children's representations of close relationships for the development and maintenance of their adjustment to school.
Early childhood development teachers’ coping strategies for managing learners with neurodevelopmental disorders in Zimbabwe’s mainstream classesMagaya, Marilyne; Tafirenyika, Joice
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2499455pmid: N/A
Managing learners of diverse ability poses unique challenges particularly in mainstream classes. This article reports strategies used by Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers to manage learners with neurodevelopmental disorders in mainstream classes at an urban primary school in Zimbabwe. Key informant interviews with six (6) experienced and professionally qualified teachers (mentors) and document analysis of record books kept by six (6) student teachers (mentees) under mentorship were used to gather data. Thematic analysis of data showed that learners exhibited language and communication disorders, attention disorders as well as socio-emotional disorders. Teachers employed: (1) individualized instruction; (2) structured daily routines; and (3) multisensory activities to cope with neurodevelopmental disorder-related behaviour. We concluded that innovative approaches and adaptive techniques that promote inclusion, accommodate diverse learning styles and support the socio-emotional and cognitive development of children with neurodevelopmental disorders need to be utilized in mainstream classes.
The effects of mother’s media literacy, verbal interaction, and children’s learning behaviours on Korean preschoolers’ digital literacy developmentMoon, Young Kyung; Shin, Bo Won
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2505476pmid: N/A
This study investigates the development of digital literacy in young children and how maternal media literacy, verbal interactions, and children's learning behaviours influence it. Participants included 514 mothers and their five-year-old children attending early childhood education centres in South Korea. Children began using digital devices before age 3, with an average daily usage of 1.59 hours. Despite early exposure, operational literacy remained at a ‘need help’ level, and cultural literacy was limited, suggesting challenges in independent device use. Controlling for child age, parental education, and household income, hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that maternal verbal interaction significantly influenced children's overall digital literacy. Specifically, mothers’ functional media literacy and verbal interaction positively affected children's operational literacy. For cultural literacy, maternal verbal interaction and children’s learning behaviours, including competence motivation and attention/persistence, had positive effects. The findings highlight the importance of age-appropriate digital education and parental support in fostering digital literacy during early childhood.
Upstream or downstream reciprocity: which matters more for sharing expectations and behavior in 4- to 5-year-old children?Zhang, Wenjie; Xu, Rong; Yu, Keqing; Liao, Xinhui; Fan, Wei
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2507959pmid: N/A
Recent research suggests that the sharing behavior of young children is influenced by indirect reciprocity. This study investigated how upstream reciprocity (the sharer’s prior experience of being shared) and downstream reciprocity (the recipient’s previous sharing behavior) influence sharing expectations and behavior in 4- to 5-year-olds. In Experiment 1, children acted as ‘observers’, predicting the number of stickers ‘sharers’ would allocate to ‘recipients’ with previous generous or stingy behavior. The sharers had previously experienced being shared with generously or stingily. In Experiment 2, children acted as ‘sharers’, directly experiencing being shared with generously or stingily before allocating stickers to ‘recipients’ with previous generous or stingy behavior. The results indicated that young children’s sharing expectations and behavior are influenced by both upstream and downstream reciprocity, with the latter potentially being of greater significance for sharing behavior.
Exploring young children's social-emotional adjustment: insights from peer interaction patternsKılıç, Selin; Aydın, Ebru
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2517685pmid: N/A
This study explored young children’s social-emotional adjustment within peer interactions using an explanatory sequential design. Quantitative data were collected from 258 five-year-old children to assess their social-emotional adjustment levels. Subsequently, observational data were gathered on ten children – representing the highest and lowest adjustment levels – during peer interactions in a natural classroom setting. Children with high adjustment frequently provided emotional and motivational support, invited peers to play, led games, and showed affection, though they occasionally exhibited complaints and verbal aggression toward peers. Conversely, children with low adjustment levels tended to avoid interaction, experience peer rejection, engage in onlooker or solitary play, and display behaviors such as taking items without permission, behavioral and verbal aggression, and reluctance to share. Notably, both high – and low-adjustment groups displayed some shared behaviors, including game leadership, peer complaints, and verbal aggression. These findings underscore the complex behavioral patterns characterizing children’s social-emotional adjustment in peer interactions.
Family communication and everyday executive function in preschool childrenCullen, Emma; Carr, Alan; Dinca, Maria; Rogers, Rosie; Downes, Michelle
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2514557pmid: N/A
The current study examined the relation between family functioning and multi-step task success in pre-school aged children. Executive function was assessed using the Preschool Executive Task Assessment (PETA), a performance-based measure of executive function that reflects a novel multi-step task (N = 119; Mage = 5.85 years, SD = 0.62). Parents/guardians completed the Systematic Clinical Outcome Routine Evaluation-28 (SCORE-28) to assess family functioning. Parent reports of family functioning were significantly related to executive function. In particular, family communication was associated with executive performance, or the amount of support required to complete the multi-step task. Results highlight the potential importance of positive family functioning, particularly family communication, in the promotion of executive functions and the need for the development of targeted family communication interventions for preschool children at risk for poor executive development.
Father marital satisfaction and child social adjustment: the chain mediating effects of family cohesion and the father–child relationshipSong, Lin; Wang, Xiaoying
doi: 10.1080/03004430.2025.2517695pmid: N/A
Parental marital satisfaction is strongly associated with children’s developmental outcomes. This study examined how family cohesion and the father–child relationship mediated the association between fathers’ marital satisfaction and children’s social adjustment. Participants included 980 families from 11 kindergartens across seven Chinese provinces. Cross-sectional data were collected using validated measures, with fathers reporting marital satisfaction and father–child relationships, and mothers reporting family cohesion and child social adjustment. Correlation analysis revealed a significant association between father marital satisfaction and child social adjustment; however, path analysis showed the direct path was non-significant within the chain mediation model. Instead, family cohesion and the father–child relationship independently and sequentially mediated this relationship. By analysing the effect of fathers’ marital satisfaction on children’s social adjustment from the perspective of the family system with multi-level subsystems, this study enriches research on fatherhood, highlights nuanced mediational mechanisms, and provides contextual insights into children’s social development.