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This meta-analysis reports on the effectiveness of targeted interventions focusing on child care professionals to improve child care quality, caregiver interaction skills, and child social-emotional development. Within randomized controlled trials, interventions are moderately effective in improving overall caregiver-child interactions (k = 19, Hedges’ g = 0.35) and in improving child care quality on the classroom level (k = 11; Hedges’ g = 0.39), the caregiver level (k = 10; Hedges’ g = 0.44), and the child level (k = 6; Hedges’ g = 0.26). Based on these findings, the implementation of evidence-based targeted interventions on a larger scale than currently exists may lead to better social-emotional development for children under the age of 5 years. There remains, however, an urgent need for more and larger randomized controlled trials with a solid design and high quality measures in order to shed more light on which child care components for which children are most critical in supporting children’s socio-emotional development.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11121-015-0602-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Quantification of cortisol in scalp hair seems a promising measurement for long-term cortisol levels, and thereby a biomarker for stress. We examined hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in children when first entering elementary school. Participants were 42 children (45% boys) with a mean age of 4.2 years (SD = 0.42 months). Hair samples (≥5 cm) were collected 2 months after school entry. Hair analysis was conducted using two 2-cm long segments, reflecting the first 2 months of school attendance (the scalp-near segment) and 2 months prior to school entry. HCC were higher after school entry than before, especially for fearful children. Alterations in HCC were not moderated by experience in group daycare before school entry. Thus, HCC suggest that starting elementary school is accompanied by increased stress hormone levels in young (in particular fearful) children.

The current study provides a systematic examination of child care quality around the globe, using the Environment Rating Scales (ERS). Additional goals of this study are to examine associations between ERS process quality and structural features (group size, caregiver-child ratio) that underpin quality and between ERS and more proximal aspects of child care quality (caregiver sensitivity). Furthermore, we consider possible differences in ERS associations arising from scale characteristics (infant vs early childhood version, original version vs revised scale, full version vs shortened version). The reported meta-analysis combines results of ERS child care quality reported in 72 studies from 23 countries across five international geographic regions. Group center care appeared to be of average quality with higher quality levels in Australia/New Zealand and North America. Our results suggest that: (1) ERS characteristics are not associated with differences in ERS scores and (2) ERS scores are related to indicators of proximal quality of care (caregiver sensitivity) and, to a lesser degree, structural quality of care (caregiver-child ratio). The meta-analysis provided cross-cultural comparisons on child care quality on a common instrument as a means to advance discussion on child care quality internationally. (2) que les scores aux ERS sont liés aux indicateurs de qualité proximale (sensibilité de l'éducateur) et, à un degré moindre, à la qualité structurelle (ratio éducateur-enfant). La méta analyse donne des comparaisons interculturelles de la qualité des services de garde à un instrument commun comme moyen de faire avancer la discussion sur la qualité des services de garde au niveau international.Resumen El presente estudio provee una revisión sistemática de la calidad del cuidado infantil en guarderías alrededor del mundo, usando las Escalas de Calificación del Ambiente (ERS). Los objetivos adicionales de este estudio son examinar las asociaciones entre la calidad de procesos y características estructurales (tamaño del grupo, proporción cuidadores -niños) que sustentan la calidad, y entre ERS y aspectos más próximos de la calidad del cuidado infantil (sensibilidad del cuidador). Además consideramos posibles diferencias en la asociación en ERS surgidas desde las características de las escalas (infantes versus niñez temprana, versión original versus escala revisada, versión completa versus versión abreviada). El meta-análisis reportado combina resultados de la calidad del cuidado de guarderías ERS de 72 estudios reportados en 23 países de cinco regiones geográficas internacionales. El cuidado grupal en estos centros apareció estar en calidad promedio, con altos niveles de calidad en Australia/Nueva Zelandia y Norte América. Nuestros resultados sugieren que: (1) Las características de la escala ERS no están asociadas con diferencias en los puntajes ERS y (2) Los puntajes de ERS están asociados a indicadores proximales de la calidad del cuidado (sensibilidad del cuidador) y, en menor grado, a la calidad estr...

Differences in boys' and girls' mathematical problem-solving behavior were studied in relation to 2 types of mathematics tasks: computations and applications. Participants were 79 boys and 79 girls of the 6th grade from 12 regular schools. In 2 separate individual sessions, cognitive and motivational variables were examined before, during, and after task execution. Differences in mathematical problem-solving behavior were dependent on the contents of the mathematics tasks and on gender. Interactions between type of task and gender were also noted. Widi respect to applied problem solving, girls rated themselves lower on confidence than boys and attributed bad results more often to lack of capacity and to the difficulty of the task. No gender differences were observed in relation to computations. Unexpectedly, girls had higher persistence than did boys, but only during applied problem solving.

Foster and adoptive parents often face challenges while taking care of children who, due to their adverse early life experiences, are at risk of developing insecure attachment relationships, behavior problems, and stress dysregulation. Several intervention programs have been developed to help foster and adoptive parents to overcome these challenges. In the current study, a series of eight meta-analyses were performed to examine the effectiveness of these intervention programs on four parent outcomes (sensitive parenting, k = 11, N = 684; dysfunctional discipline, k = 4, N = 239; parenting knowledge and attitudes, k = 7, N = 535; parenting stress, k = 18, N = 1,306), three child outcomes (attachment security, k = 6, N = 395; behavior problems, k = 33, N = 2,661; diurnal cortisol levels, k = 3, N = 261), and placement disruption (k = 7, N = 1,100). Results show positive effects for the four parent outcomes and child behavior problems, but not for attachment security, child diurnal cortisol levels, or placement disruption. Indirect effects on child outcomes may be delayed, and therefore long-term follow-up studies are needed to examine the effects of parenting interventions on children.

The authors assessed the quality of child care in a representative national sample of 42 child-care centers in the Netherlands and compared it with the quality of care that researchers have found using similar samples in 1995 (M. H. van IJzendoorn, L. W. C. Tavecchio, G. J. J. M. Stams, M. J. E. Verhoeven, & E. J. Reiling, 1998) and 2001 (M. J. J. M. Gevers Deynoot-Schaub & J. M. A. Riksen-Walraven, 2005). In the present study, results showed a low level of overall process quality for the 2005 sample, measured by the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale-Revised (T. Harms, D. Cryer, & R. M. Clifford, 2003) and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised (T. Harms, R. M. Clifford, & D. Cryer, 1998). The present authors found a significant decline in process quality in comparison with the 1995 and 2001 findings. They concluded that, from an international perspective, the Netherlands has lost its leading position in child-care quality compared with that from 10 years ago.