Parenting and professional childcare in Chile : relations with child developmental outcomes in preschoolers

Author(s):
Löhndorf, R.T.
Published
2018
Publication type
Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

This dissertation examined the associations between

parenting processes, childcare experiences, contextual factors (ethnicity,

socioeconomic status [SES]) and preschool children’s socioemotional

adjustment and cognitive development in Chile. After the general introduction in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 gives a historical review of child-rearing and education in Chile. Chapter 3 showed that the quality of the home environment predicted children’s receptive and expressive vocabulary after taking ethnicity, SES, and parental caregiver status into account. Furthermore, it was found that the quality of the home environment mediated the relation between SES and receptive and expressive vocabulary, which is in agreement with the Family Investment Model. Chapter 4 revealed that maternal supportive discipline both predicted school readiness and mediated the relation between SES and school readiness, in accordance with the Family Stress Model. Chapter 5 demonstrated that the quality of the home environment and child executive functions were positively associated with language ability, and that quantity of childcare was inversely related to language ability. No predictors of socioemotional adjustment emerged. The average quality of preschools was inadequate and did not predict child outcomes. Chapter 6 integrates the findings of this dissertation discussing theoretical implications, limitations, directions for future research, and implications for policy and practice.

Quality of home environmentMaternal supportive disciplineQuality and quantity of professional childcareSES and ethnicityFamily investment modelFamily stress modelExecutive functionsSchool_readinessExpressive and receptive languagePreschoolers in Chile
Defense date
2018-02-06
Language
English
Supervisor(s)
Mesman, J.
Advisor(s)
Cárcamo, R.A.; Vermeer, H.J.
Committee member(s)
Espin, C.A.; Leseman, P.P.M.; Posada, G.
Qualification
Ph.D.
Degree granting institution
Education and Child Studies, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden
hdl
1887/60213
ISBN(s)
9789490858520

Funding

Sponsorship
This research was supported by a grant awarded to the author by the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research CONICYT, Chile (Becas Chile).