생애 초기 보육경험과 만 4세 유아의 사회정서발달 간 관계

Abstract

The present study aimed at investigating the relations between the amount of child care experienced in the first three years of life and socioemotional development of children at age 4 indicated by problem behaviors and peer competence. Using the longitudinal data of the Panel Study of Korean Children(PSKC), the information of 1,699 children were analyzed. The results indicated that any child care experience, hours in child care, full-time child care and early entry to child care were significantly related to children's externalizing behavior problem and play disruption at age 4. Some significant relations were detected between child care experience and better peer competence as well. Interestingly, the patterns of relations were different for boys and girls. Being in child care, a greater amount of child care and early entry to child care tended to be related to externalizing problem behaviors of boys and whereas they were more related to peer competence of girls indicated by play interaction, play disruption and play disconnection. Child care hours at age 3 were relative stronger predictors of children's development compared to those at age 1 or at age 2. The findings imply that the amount of child care during the first 3 years of life does not have strong harmful effects on preschoolers' socioemotional development and that there are differences in the effects of child care on boys and girls.