The bidirectional interplay between self-regulation and expressive vocabulary during toddlerhood.

The interplay between self-regulation related skills and language is well recognized in dynamic theories, but few empirical studies have tested it, especially in toddlers. The current study examines the bidirectional links between self-regulation related skills and expressive vocabulary in a longitudinal study during toddlerhood. Participants were 268 toddlers (Mage = 29.6 months, SD = 4.2; 52% boys), mostly of Portuguese nationality, with medium to high sociocultural and economic status, attending private for-profit and nonprofit facilities in Portugal. Self-regulation (executive function and effortful control) and expressive vocabulary were assessed across three assessment waves. Results from cross-lagged panel models suggested bidirectional links between self-regulation and expressive vocabulary across the three assessment waves. These findings add to previous research by taking a first step into establishing the early onset of the intertwined development of these two foundational skills. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Relations between child self-control, maternal relational frustration, and teacher-child conflict: a longitudinal study with children from dual-earner families.

This longitudinal study follows children from dual-earner families in 4 time-points, covering the early childhood period. We examined the influence of work-family conflict (WFC) on maternal relational frustration (RF) towards the child, and investigated the reciprocal relations among maternal RF, children's self-control (SC), and teacher-child (TC) conflict over time. Participants were 214 children (97 girls; M age = 4.00 years), their mothers, and teachers. Mothers reported their own WFC and RF, whereas teachers reported child SC and T-C conflict. Results from a cross-lagged panel model indicated the experience of WFC positively predicted maternal RF. Maternal RF and T-C conflict were negatively related to the child later SC abilities. Conversely, children who displayed SC difficulties were more likely to experience later maternal RF and T-C conflict. There was evidence supporting the bidirectional effects of child SC and T-C conflict across time. Moreover, maternal RF and T-C conflict were indirectly linked, via child SC. The findings are consistent with a transactional view of development, stressing the importance of contextual factors to the quality of caregiving relationships and highlighting the complex and reciprocal relations between child regulatory competence and the quality of relationships with distinct caregivers.

Contextos Pré-Escolares Inclusivos: Organização do Grupo, Interações e Envolvimento / Inclusive Preschool Contexts: Group Organization, Interactions and Engagement

RESUMO: Este estudo correlacional pretende caracterizar os contextos pré-escolares inclusivos portugueses relativamente aos formatos de atividade, analisar relações entre eles e a qualidade do tom emocional e estimulação cognitiva e da linguagem do educador, e as relações entre formatos de atividade e envolvimento de crianças com incapacidades, em risco e com desenvolvimento típico. Participaram do estudo 198 crianças (47 com incapacidades; 60 em risco; 91 com desenvolvimento típico). O envolvimento das crianças e os formatos de atividade foram observados com o Child Observation in Preschool; tom emocional e estimulação cognitiva com o Teacher Observation in Preschool. Os resultados revelaram que o tom emocional dos educadores nas interações registou valores moderados, sendo mais elevados nas atividades de grande-grupo. O grande-grupo registou níveis de envolvimento mais baixos para todas as crianças. Os três grupos de crianças registam níveis semelhantes de envolvimento em jogo-livre. Concluise que, apesar dos formatos de grande-grupo apresentarem qualidade mais elevada no tom das interações, é nestes que crianças com e sem incapacidades apresentam níveis mais baixos de envolvimento, destacando-se o jogo-livre como um formato onde todas as crianças se envolvem mais. Os resultados salientam a importância da intencionalidade educativa no planeamento das interações e dos formatos das atividades, para assegurar a promoção do envolvimento das crianças.

ABSTRACT: This correlational study aims to characterize the Portuguese inclusive preschool contexts regarding activity-settings, to analyze relationships between them and the quality of the educator's emotional tone and cognitive and language stimulation, and the relationships between activity-settings and involvement of children with disabilities, at-risk and typically developing. A total of 198 children participated in the study (47 with disabilities; 60 at-risk; 91 typically developing). Child engagement and activity-setting were observed with Child Observation in Preschool; emotional tone and cognitive stimulation with Teacher Observation in Preschool. Results revealed that the educators' emotional tone in interactions registered moderate values, being higher in whole-group activities. The whole-group activities registered lower levels of engagement for all children. The three groups of children presented similar levels of engagement in free-play. It was concluded that, although the whole-group activity-settings show higher quality regarding the tone of interactions, it is in these activity-settings that both children with and without disabilities show lower levels of engagement, with free-play emerging as an activity-setting where all children are more engaged. Results highlight the importance of educational intentionality in planning interactions and activity-settings to ensure the promotion of children's engagement.

Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Teachers: a Study on Teacher and Student Outcomes.

Objectives: Teachers' stress can affect their occupational health and negatively impact classroom climate and students' well-being. This study aims to evaluate the proximal and distal effects of a mindfulness-based program, specially developed to promote teachers' social-emotional competencies (SEC), across teachers, classroom climates, and students' outcomes. Methods: The study followed a randomized trial design with two data collection points (pretest and posttest). Participants in the experimental group (EG) included 123 elementary school teachers, their 1503 students, and these students' parents (1494), while the control group (CG) comprised 105 elementary school teachers, their 947 students, and these students' parents (913). A mixed data collection strategy was used that included teachers' and students' (self-) report, observational ratings of teachers' classroom behaviors, and parents' reports on students. Results: After the intervention, EG teachers, compared to CG teachers, reported a significant increase in mindfulness and emotional regulation competencies, self-efficacy, and well-being and a decrease in burnout symptoms. Similarly, a significant improvement was found in EG teachers' classroom behaviors related to students' engagement. Additionally, significant improvements were also found in EG students' perceptions of the quality of their teachers' involvement in classroom relationships, self-reported effect, and social competencies perceived by their parents. Conclusions: These findings further the knowledge on the role played by mindfulness-based SEC interventions in reducing teachers' burnout symptoms and cultivating their SEC and well-being, in promoting a nurturing classroom climate and also in promoting the SEC and well-being of students. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-021-01635-3.

Teacher-child dependency in preschool: links with teacher-child closeness, conflict and children's effortful control.

Dependency is a scarcely investigated dimension of teacher-child (T-C) relationships that can reflect a lack of security and obstruct children's autonomous exploration in the school context. We examined the within- and cross-time associations between T-C dependency, closeness, and conflict, and children's effortful control, an ability related to children's self-regulation. Data were collected during the preschool period at two time-points (T1 and T2) 1-year apart. Participants were 199 children (44% girls, M age = 47.47) attending 46 middle-class preschool classrooms. Results from path analyses indicated that, though marginally significant, there was a positive association between T-C dependency and conflict at T1. At T2, dependency was positively related to both conflict and closeness. Dependency at T1 positively predicted children's effortful control at T2. This study clarifies the interconnection between T-C dependency, closeness and conflict, and the unique contribution of dependency onchildren's effortful control. Findings are discussed considering the socio-cultural meaning of dependency.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: An examination of factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity using multitrait-multirater data.

This study examined the factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity of scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), a tool for screening children's psychological adjustment. Data were collected from a community sample of 346 children (46% girls, M age = 54.07 months), using teacher, mother, and father reports. Results from confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the SDQ's hypothesized 5-factor structure fit the data well and partial strict measurement invariance was established across raters. Using teachers' reports as reference method, a correlated trait-correlated method minus 1 model (Eid et al., 2008) was fitted to investigate convergent and discriminant validity. The convergent validity of parents' ratings relative to teachers' ratings was modest. Mothers and fathers had a unique perspective on children's behavior above and beyond their partial overlap with teacher reports. Results indicated good discriminant validity between most of the traits measured by the SDQ. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Utilização do vídeo no desenvolvimento profissional: perspetivas dos educadores de creche / The use of video in professional development: perspectives of preschool educators / Utilisation de la vidéo à des fins de développement professionnel: perspectives des éducateurs de crèche / Utilización del video en el desarrollo profesional: perspectivas de los educadores de guardería

Resumo O presente estudo pretende identificar os modelos de desenvolvimento profissional mais relevantes para um grupo de educadoras de creche portuguesas, procurando conhecer as suas preferências relativamente a formatos, temas e tipos de atividade de desenvolvimento profissional e as condições em que o vídeo-feedback poderá ser mais relevante para essas profissionais. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 26 participantes, após visualização de vídeos das suas práticas em contexto real. Os resultados mostram que o recurso a vídeos é visto como uma ferramenta potencialmente relevante para a reflexão, melhoria e reforço da prática profissional, sendo, no entanto, necessário garantir o seu devido enquadramento. Os resultados evidenciam, ainda, outras preferências desse grupo de educadoras, oferecendo pistas para a conceção de programas de desenvolvimento profissional em creche.

Abstract This study aims to identify the best professional development models for a group of Portuguese crèche educators. It seeks to learn their preferences regarding formats, themes and types of professional development activities, and the conditions under which video-feedback may be more relevant to them. Interviews were conducted with 26 participants, after they watched videos of their practices in a real-life context. The results show that the use of video is considered a potentially relevant tool for reflection, improvement and strengthening of professional practice, and that it is necessary to ensure its proper framework. The results also show other preferences of this group of educators, offering clues for the design of professional development programs in crèche centers.

Résumé Cette étude vise à identifier les modèles de développement professionnel les plus relevants pour un groupe d'éducatrices de crèche au Portugal. Elle cherche à connaître leurs préférences concernant les formats, les thèmes et les types d'activités de développement professionnel, ainsi que les conditions dans lesquelles une vidéo-feedback pourrait leur être utile. Des entrevues ont été menées auprès de 26 participantes, ayant visionné des vidéos concernant leurs pratiques en contexte réel. Les résultats montrent que le recours aux vidéos est considéré comme un outil potentiellement approprié pour réfléchir sur la pratique professionnelle ainsi que pour l'amélorier et la renforcer, à condition d'assurer un bon encadrement. Les résultats indiquent également d'autres préférences de ce groupe d'éducateurs, offrant des pistes pour la conception de programmes de développement professionnel dans les crèches.

Resumen El presente estudio pretende identificar los modelos de desarrollo profesional más relevantes para un grupo de educadoras portuguesas de guardería, con el propósito de tratar de conocer sus preferencias en lo que se refiere a formatos, temas y tipos de actividad de desarrollo profesional y las condiciones en las que el video-feedback podrá ser más importante para tales profesionales. Se realizaron entrevistas con 26 participantes, después de visualizar videos de sus prácticas en contexto real. Los resultados muestran que el recurso a videos es visto como una herramienta potencialmente relevante para la reflexión, mejora y refuerzo de la práctica profesional, pero hay que asegurar su debida enmarcación. Los resultados también ponen de manifiesto otras preferencias de ese grupo de educadores, ofreciendo pistas para la concretización de programas de desarrollo profesional en guardería.

Trajectories of parental engagement in early childhood among dual-earner families: Effects on child self-control.

Parental engagement in positive activities with the child may show significant variation across time, assuming a crucial influence on child development. In dual-earner families, work-family conflict can interfere with parental engagement, with negative consequences for children's behavior. The current study examined the change trajectories of mothers' and fathers' engagement in early childhood, analyzing whether these trajectories are influenced by parents' work-family conflict and whether they predict child behavioral self-control. Data from 156 four-year-old children (67 girls) from dual-earner families were collected annually for 3 consecutive years, through mothers', fathers', and teachers' reports. Results from latent growth curve analysis revealed mothers' engagement remained stable across time while fathers' engagement had a significant increase over time. The negative association between work-family conflict and parental engagement was constant over time both for mothers and fathers. For mothers, initial levels of engagement positively predicted child behavioral self-control. As for fathers, both the initial level and positive change in engagement positively predicted child self-control. These findings emphasize the role of parental engagement in fostering child behavioral adjustment, underlining the need for considering work-family dynamics to understand changes in parental engagement. (PsycINFO Database Record

Transição para a creche e bem-estar emocional dos bebês em Portugal / Transition to childcare and infants' well-being in Portugal / Transición a la guardería y bienestar emocional de los bebés en Portugal

O presente estudo analisa a relação entre a implementação de práticas de transição do contexto familiar para a creche e o bem-estar emocional dos bebês durante o primeiro de mês de frequência neste contexto extrafamiliar. Foram recolhidos dados, antes e após a entrada do bebê na creche, junto das mães e das educadoras de 90 bebês.Os resultados indicaram que o número de práticas de transição reportadas pelas educadoras se revela positivamente associado ao bem-estar emocional dos bebês durante o primeiro mês de frequência da creche. Estes resultados recomendam a implementação de um conjunto diversificado de práticas de transição, antes e após a entrada na creche, no sentido de facilitar a adaptação dos bebês ao novo contexto desenvolvimental.

The present study analyzes the relationship between the implementation of transition practices from home to day care center and the emotional well-being of the infants during the first month of attendance in this extrafamiliar environment. Data were collected, before and after the infant entered the day care center, with the mothers and teachers of 90 infants. The results indicated that the number of transition practices reported by teachers is positively associated with the emotional well-being of infants during the first month of day care attendance. These results recommend the implementation of a diversified set of transition practices, before and after entry into the day care center, to facilitate the infants' adaptation to the new developmental setting.

En el presente estudio se analiza la relación entre la implementación de prácticas de transición del contexto familiar a la guardería y el bienestar emocional de los bebés, durante el primer mes de frecuencia de este contexto extra-familiar. Se recolectaron datos, antes y tras la entrada del bebé en la guardería, por intermedio de las madres y de las educadoras de 90 bebés. Los resultados indicaron que el número de prácticas de transición reportadas por las educadoras se revela positivamente asociado al bienestar emocional de los bebés durante el primer mes de frecuencia a la guardería. Estos resultados recomiendan la implementación de un conjunto diversificado de prácticas de transición, antes y tras la entrada en la guardería, en el sentido de facilitar la adaptación de los bebés al nuevo contexto de desarrollo.

Classroom Interactions, Dyadic Teacher-Child Relationships, and Self-Regulation in Socially Disadvantaged Young Children.

This study examined the quality of the classroom climate and dyadic teacher-child relationships as predictors of self-regulation in a sample of socially disadvantaged preschool children (N = 206; 52 % boys). Children's self-regulation was observed in preschool at the beginning and at the end of the school year. At the middle of the preschool year, classroom observations of interactions were conducted by trained observers and teachers rated the quality of dyadic teacher-child relationships. Results from multilevel analyses revealed that teacher-child closeness predicted improvements in observed self-regulation skills. Children showed larger gains in self-regulation when they experienced closer teacher-child relationships. Moreover, a moderating effect between classroom instructional quality and observed self-regulation was found such that children with low initial self-regulation skills benefit the most from classrooms with higher classroom quality. Findings have implications for understanding the role of classroom social processes on the development of self-regulation.

The quality of teacher-student interactions: associations with first graders' academic and behavioral outcomes.

The associations between the quality of teacher-student interactions and first grade academic and adaptive behavior outcomes were examined in a study of 106 Portuguese students in 64 first grade classrooms. Students' vocabulary, print concepts, math, and adaptive skills were assessed both at the end of preschool and in first grade. Classrooms were observed in the spring of first grade. After taking into account family risk factors and preschool skills, the quality of teacher-student interactions, particularly in terms of classroom organization, was positively associated with students' first grade vocabulary and print concepts. In addition, classroom quality predicted number identification outcomes differently depending on student skills prior to school entry. Students with lower preschool math skills seemed to benefit from higher quality teacher-student interactions. These findings provide further support for the unique contribution of the quality of teacher-student interactions in first grade and suggest that it may be an important mechanism to improve academic skills.