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. 2022 May 9:13:854756.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.854756. eCollection 2022.

Long-Term Promotive and Protective Effects of Early Childcare Quality on the Social-Emotional Development in Children

Corina Wustmann Seiler  1   2 , Fabio Sticca  1 , Olivia Gasser-Haas  1   3 , Heidi Simoni  1
Affiliations

Long-Term Promotive and Protective Effects of Early Childcare Quality on the Social-Emotional Development in Children

Corina Wustmann Seiler et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the longitudinal promotive and protective role of process quality in regular early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers in the context of early cumulative family risks on children's social-emotional development from early to middle childhood. The sample consisted of 293 (T1; M age = 2.81), 239 (T2; M age = 3.76), and 189 (T3; M age = 9.69) children from 25 childcare centers in Switzerland. Fourteen familial risk factors were subsumed to a family risk score at T1. Parents and teachers reported on children's conduct problems (CP), emotional problems (EP), and prosocial behavior (PB) at T2 and T3. Childcare process quality was assessed at T2 using external observations of teaching and interaction, provisions for learning, and key professional tasks. Results showed that early family risks were positively associated with CP and EP and negatively associated with PB in the long term. High-quality teaching and interaction as well as caregivers' professional behavior in terms of systematic observation, documentation, and planning of children's individual learning processes and needs protected children from the undesirable long-term effects of early family risks on conduct problems, emotional problems, and prosocial behavior from early to middle childhood. The results indicate that a high process quality in ECEC might serve as an essential contextual protective factor in the development of resilience in children at risk.

Keywords: childcare centers; childcare quality; family risks; longitudinal; preschool children; promotive; protective; social–emotional development.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Basic model of the study. Socio-emotional outcomes were calculated using a multi-informant approach (parent and teacher ratings), controlling for gender as well as intensity and duration of childcare attendance. T1, T2, and T3 = waves of assessment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Simplified example of the statistical model for the examination of long-term moderating effects. Bold: Standardized interaction effects (protective effects); Italics: Standardized main effects of early family risks; Plain: Standardized main effects of childcare process quality (promotive effects). The covariates (gender, intensity and duration of childcare attendance, and socio-emotional outcomes at T2) are not shown for simplicity. Results come from nine different structural equation models. T1, T2, and T3 = waves of assessment. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; and ***p < 0.001.
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