The Prevalence of Behavioural Problems in Three Types of Preschool Group

Abstract

The behaviour of 637 2-4 year olds attending three types of preschool group setting was assessed, using a screening questionnaire. Significantly more children in day nurseries than nursery classes or playgroups were identified with behavioural problems. It was also found that boys, those with speech or severe health problems, and younger children in day nurseries, were more likely to have behaviour difficulties. There was only a limited overlap between behaviour difficulties at home and in the group setting. The implications of the results for the training of nursery staff and the organisation of preschool services are discussed.

Perceived ecological congruence across family/school environments: Impact on the consistency of behavioral patterns and adaptation among children and youth

“…Illustratively, low levels of agreement between teacher and parent ratings are found even when steps are taken to minimize such potential measurement artifacts by ensuring that rating instruments: (a) possess acceptable levels of internal scale consistency and interobserver reliability for observations obtained (Achenbach et al, 1987); (b) assess parallel dimensions of child behavior in the home and the school (e.g., Hinshaw, Morrison, Carte, & Cornsweet, 1987); and (c) exhibit adequate criterion validity for both parent and teacher ratings of child adaptation (Kendall, Cantwell, & Kazdin, 1989; McConaughy, Achenbach, & Gent, 1988). Overall, these findings suggest that divergence between teacher and parent ratings of child adaptation may reflect actual differences in behavior at school and at home (Achenbach et al, 1987; Glow, 1980; McGuire & Richman, 1986; Sandberg, Rutter, &Taylor, 1978). If so, there remain the questions of why such differential adaptation may be present and what the implications are of such divergence for understanding and assessing both current functioning and pathways to disorder.…”

School Influences on Children's Development

“…The authors argued that pre-school attendance brought about the better cognitive performance seen in children who had attended pre-school "education" but not those who attended "care". McGuire and Richman (1986) found that children attending day care centres run by UK Social Services Departments had 10 times more behaviour and emotional problems as children in the same neighbourhood attending playgroups. Birth cohort studies do not randomly assign children to different pre-school experiences; these researchers ustApost hoc statistical analysis for differential intake.…”

The impact of the U.K. National Curriculum on pre-school practice: Some “top-down” processes at work

“…While the Education sector is tailoring its practice to create maximum educational continuity and progression, the Social Service nurseries are failing to provide education dovetailed to the kind of schooling which lies ahead. This is all the more tragic, because many research studies (Richman and McGuire, 1986) have shown that children 50 in Social Service nurseries are the most disadvantaged of all. This means that the children most at risk of a poor academic start to school, are attending nurseries where there is little curricular continuity to formal school and no liaison between staff in the pre-school centre and the school which will eventually receive the children.…”