Self-Regulation and Early School Success

Megan M. McClelland, Shauna L. Tominey

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781134920730
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Elementary Education

Self-regulation has been identified as an important predictor of school readiness and academic achievement in young children. Children who struggle with self-regulation are at risk of experiencing peer rejection and academic difficulties. Teachers report that there is high variability in children's self-regulatory abilities at school entry and that children with an accumulation of risk factors are especially likely to enter school without adequate self-regulation skills. Moreover, early academic skills are often cumulative, so children who fail to acquire early skills are at risk of falling behind their peers academically and facing achievement gaps that widen over time.

Although the relation between self-regulation and school-related outcomes has been clearly documented, our understanding of the pathways through which self-regulation influences early achievement and school success remains unclear. This special issue considers previously neglected areas in the current understanding of self-regulation. The seven articles focus on issues including (a) the complex relations between self-regulation and school readiness, (b) predictors of self-regulation and academic achievement, and (c) advances in measurement of self-regulation and related skills.

Research that continues to investigate the complex relations and mechanisms that influence early self-regulation and related outcomes will inform policy and practice in ways that help all children develop the self-regulation skills they need. The volume will be of interest to researchers in the field of child development or education, and educators and policy makers who are interested in promoting school readiness and academic success.

This book was originally published as a special issue of Early Education and Development.

Introduction to the Special Issue on Self-Regulation in Early Childhood

Megan M.McClelland and Shauna L. Tominey

In preschool, Ethan was known as "a hitter." If another child took a toy from him, Ethan's impulse was to hit. Ethan would hit his classmates if they bumped into him on the playground or stood too close to him while lining up to use the bathroom. His teacher began stepping in whenever she saw Ethan poised to strike. She tried to help him control his hitting impulse by encouraging him to stop and count to three. One afternoon, Ethan's teacher witnessed the following scene: Another child took a ball from Ethan. Ethan raised his hand and then froze. His teacher could almost hear him counting in his head, "One... two ... three..." and she beamed with pride. Then Ethan drew back his leg and kicked.

Like Ethan, we are making great progress in understanding early self-regulation in children, but some of the critical components are yet to be fully understood. Research in the past decade has ignited great interest in the construct of self-regulation, especially as it relates to the education of young children. In particular, with the increased academic focus of many early school environments, self-regulation has been highlighted as a critical component of school readiness and success. Although most children move from preschool to a more structured kindergarten classroom with relative ease, a large number of children without adequate self-regulation experience difficulty once they get to kindergarten (McClelland, Morrison, & Holmes, 2000). This is especially important because recent research has highlighted self-regulation as an important predictor of school readiness and academic achievement (Blair & Razza, 2007; McClelland et al., 2007; Valiente, Lemery-Chalfant, & Castro, 2007). Moreover, studies suggest that children with poor self-regulatory skills are at risk for experiencing peer rejection and academic difficulties (Denham, Brown, & Domitrovich, 2010; Eisenberg, Valiente, & Eggum, 2010). This is problematic because teachers report that there is high variability in children's self-regulatory abilities at kindergarten entry (Rimm-Kaufman, Pianta, & Cox, 2000). Children from low-income families, and those with an accumulation of risk factors, are especially likely to enter school without adequate self-regulation abilities (Mistry, Benner, Biesanz, Clark, & Howes, 2010; Sektnan, McClelland, Acock, & Morrison, 2010). Early academic skills are often cumulative, so children who fail to acquire these skills are at risk of falling behind their peers and facing achievement gaps that widen over time (Entwisle, Alexander, & Olson, 2005).

Although numerous studies have documented the relation between self-regulation and school-related outcomes, our understanding of the pathways through which self-regulation influences these outcomes remains unclear. For instance, the mechanisms through which self-regulation influences school success are not well understood, and few studies have investigated complex pathways between (and through) self-regulation and other outcomes using sophisticated analyses and longitudinal data. Moreover, little research has focused on how these relations operate at various levels (e.g., child, family, classroom, teacher, and school) or examined relations between predictors of these skills (e.g., combinations of demographic risk factors). Research suggests that children with one risk factor are likely to experience many (Dearing, Berry, & Zaslow, 2006). making it important to understand how cumulative risk may impact the development of self-regulation.

Furthermore, considerable debate exists over how best to measure self-regulation in early childhood. Many studies rely on parent or teacher ratings, whereas others focus on direct measures. In addition, few of these measures have been tested using multiple language populations (e.g., English- and Spanish-speaking children). Given the importance of self-regulation for success in school, it is critical that we develop measures that are valid and reliable for use with diverse groups of young children.

In this special issue, we work to fill several gaps in the current understanding of self-regulation. We present seven articles, each of which makes a unique contribution to the self-regulation literature in one the following areas: (a) complex relations between self-regulation and school readiness outcomes, (b) predictors of self-regulation and achievement, and (c) advances in measurement in self-regulation and related skills. The studies included in this special issue utilize a wide range of self-regulation assessments, including teacher and parent reports and direct measures. In addition, several of the articles include large longitudinal samples of children from ethnically diverse and/or low-income populations.

We begin with a collection of articles examining complex (mediating) pathways through which self-regulation influences social and academic outcomes. In the first article, Mintz, Hamre, and Hatfield use data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development to examine self-regulation as a mediator between maternal sensitivity (in infancy and toddlerhood) and children's relationships with peers and teachers in early elementary school. They find that early maternal sensitivity is directly related to children's social and relational competence in first grade. Moreover, children's inhibitory control (an aspect of self-regulation) partially mediates the relation between maternal sensitivity and children's social competence. This article highlights the role of child self-regulation as a mechanism variable between parenting and child social competence and has important implications for the inclusion of self-regulation in early childhood and early elementary school curricula.

The next three articles elucidate mediating pathways between self-regulation and school-related outcomes. First, Vitiello, Greenfield, Munis, and George examine indirect relations between cognitive flexibility (a component of self-regulation) and school readiness through three approaches to learning (attention/persistence, competence motivation, and attitude toward learning) in a sample of children from low-income families. These authors demonstrate that children's attention/persistence significantly mediates the relation between cognitive flexibility and school readiness (e.g., knowledge of colors, letters, numbers, sizes, object comparisons, and shapes). Second, Valiente and his coauthors find evidence that social functioning (social competence and externalizing problems) significantly mediates relations between effortful control (one aspect of self-regulation) and academic functioning. Third, Silva and her collaborators examine the quality of relationship with teachers as a mediator between effortful control and school engagement in an ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged sample. They demonstrate that children's effortful control is positively related to teacher–child relationship quality, which is positively related to children's school attitudes. Taken together, the results from these studies illuminate the mechanisms through which self-regulation is related to children's outcomes. They suggest the importance of attention/persistence as a means through which cognitive flexibility influences school readiness (Vitiello et al., this issue), the value of considering social and emotional processes when focusing on strengthening academic achievement ( Valiente et al., this issue), and the significance of examining the quality of the relationships children have with their teachers (Silva et al., this issue) as a way to improve school attitudes. In addition, samples in two of the articles (Silva et al., this issue; Vitiello et al., this issue) focus on children from low-income families who are especially likely to exhibit poor self-regulation. Thus, findings from these studies may be particularly salient to the development of self-regulation interventions in high-risk populations.

Results from the next two articles highlight important predictors of children's self-regulation in early childhood. Using data from a longitudinal study, Wanless, McClelland, Tominey, and Acock examine the impact of demographic factors (family income and language) on behavioral self-regulation and growth in these skills through preschool and kindergarten. They find that children from low-income families begin preschool with significantly lower self-regulation than their peers. Moreover, although low-income English-speaking children are able to catch up to their English-speaking advantaged peers on self-regulation by the end of kindergarten, the children experiencing cumulative risk (e.g., those who are disadvantaged and who are English language learners) remain significantly behind in self-regulation. In the next article, Tominey and McClelland investigate the effectiveness of an intervention using classroom games to improve behavioral self-regulation in preschoolers. They find that treatment group participation significantly predicts gains on a direct measure of self-regulation for children beginning the year with low levels of these skills. In addition, intervention participation predicts gains in letter-word identification in the overall sample. Taken together, these two studies demonstrate the relation between context (family and demographic variables) and intervention efforts of the development of self-regulation in young children.

The last article in this special issue focuses on the measurement of self-regulation and related skills. Crane, Mincic, and Winsler test parent and teacher agreement on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA), an assessment of self-regulation and social-emotional skills, in a population of ethnically diverse and economically disadvantaged children. They find that the English and Spanish versions of the DECA reliably measure aspects of self-regulation and social-emotional skills. Moreover, agreement between parents and teachers is highest for children who are average functioning and for parent–teacher pairs who complete the assessment in the same language. These findings suggest that the DECA can be used with diverse samples and underscore the importance of using multiple raters and sources to improve accuracy in measurement.

Taken together, this collection of studies moves us one step closer to understanding the many components and predictors of self-regulation. Research that continues to investigate complex relations and key mechanisms that influence early self-regulation will inform policy and practice in ways that help children, including Ethan, develop the self-regulation skills they need for social and academic success.

References

Blair, C., & Razza, R. P. (2007). Relating effortful control, executive function, and false belief understanding to emerging math and literacy ability in kindergarten. Child Development, 78, 647–663.

Dearing, E., Berry, D., & Zaslow, M. (2006). Poverty during early childhood. In K. McCartney & D. Phillips (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of early childhood development (pp. 399–123). Maiden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Denham, S. A., Brown, C., & Domitrovich, C. E. (2010). "Plays nice with others": Social-emotional learning and academic success. Early Education & Development, 21, 652–680.

Eisenberg, N., Valiente, C., & Eggum, N. D. (2010). Self-regulation and school readiness. Early Education & Development, 21, 681–698.

Entwisle, D. R., Alexander, K. L., & Olson, L. S. (2005). First grade and educational attainment by age 22: A new story. American Journal of Sociology, 110, 1458–1502.

McClelland, M. M., Cameron, C. E., Connor, C. M., Farris, C. L., Jewkes, A. M., & Morrison, F. J. (2007). Links between behavioral regulation and preschoolers' literacy, vocabulary, and math skills. Developmental Psychology, 43, 947–959.

McClelland, M. M., Morrison, F. J., & Holmes, D. L. (2000). Children at-risk for early academic problems: The role of learning-related social skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 15, 307–329.

Mistry, R. S., Benner, A. D., Biesanz, J. C., Clark, S. L., & Howes, C. (2010). Family and social risk, and parental investments during the early childhood years as predictors of low-income children's school readiness outcomes. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25, 433–449. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.01.002

Rimm-Kaufman, S. E., Pianta. R. C., & Cox, M. J. (2000). Teachers' judgments of problems in the transition to kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 15. 147–166.

Sektnan, M., McClelland, M. M., Acock, A., & Morrison, F. J. (2010). Relations between early family risk, children's behavioral regulation, and academic achievement. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 25, 464–479. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2010.02.005

Valiente, C., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Castro, K. S. (2007). Children's effortful control and academic competence. Mediation through school liking. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 53, 1–25.

The Role of Effortful Control in Mediating the Association Between Maternal Sensitivity and Children’s Social and Relational Competence and Problems in First Grade

Tamar M. Mintz, Bridget K. Hamre, and Bridget E. Hatfield

Research Findings: This study examined the extent to which maternal sensitivity in infancy and toddlerhood is associated with children's social and relational competence and problems in the early years of schooling as well as the extent to which this association is mediated by children's effortful control abilities. Data from 1,364 children (705 boys, 659 girls), their mothers, and teachers from the longitudinal National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were used. Maternal sensitivity was assessed by coding semistructured videos of mother-child interactions; effortful control was assessed by maternal report; and children's social competence, problems, and relationships with teachers and peers were assessed by school observations and teacher report. Structural equation models examined the extent to which there was an association between maternal sensitivity and children's social and relational competence and problems as well as the extent to which this association was mediated by children's effortful control skills. Maternal sensitivity had a direct association with children's Social and relational competence and problems in 1st grade. Children's inhibitory control partially mediated the association between maternal sensitivity and the quality of children's skills. Practice or Policy: The results are discussed in terms of the importance of interventions geared toward improving maternal sensitivity and children's effortful control skills to help children develop better social and relational skills to foster close and supportive relationships with teachers and peers.

Children's abilities to form close and supportive relationships with teachers and peers are predictive of later social and academic success in school ( Birch & Ladd, 1997; Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Ladd, 1990; Lerner, Lerner, & Zabski, 1985). Ladd (1990) found that kindergarten children who had more friends and who maintained those friendships throughout the year had better school adju...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Citation Information
• Notes on Contributors
• 1. Introduction to the Special Issue on Self-Regulation in Early Childhood
• 2. The Role of Effortful Control in Mediating the Association Between Maternal Sensitivity and Children's Social and Relational Competence and Problems in First Grade
• 3. Cognitive Flexibility, Approaches to Learning, and Academic School Readiness in Head Start Preschool Children
• 4. Children's Effortful Control and Academic Achievement: Mediation Through Social Functioning
• 5. Relations of Children's Effortful Control and Teacher-Child Relationship Quality to School Attitudes in a Low-Income Sample
• 6. The Influence of Demographic Risk Factors on Children's Behavioral Regulation in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten
• 7. Red Light, Purple Light: Findings From a Randomized Trial Using Circle Time Games to Improve Behavioral Self-Regulation in Preschool
• 8. Parent-Teacher Agreement and Reliability on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) in English and Spanish for Ethnically Diverse Children Living in Poverty
• Index