Associations between types of care and parenting practice and social-emotional development among Asian American young children

Abstract

PurposeThis study examined the associations between types of preschool child care and parenting practices and social-emotional outcomes among Asian American kindergarten-age children. MethodBased on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-K: 2011 (n = 1530), types of care (Head Start, school-based child care, private center-based, and informal/exclusive parental care) and parenting practices (parental expectation, parental investment, and parenting teaching behaviors) were examined for their associations with children’s social-emotional skills (approach to learning, social skills, child-teacher relationship scores, and children’s behavior questions). ResultsCompared to children cared for by informal/exclusive parental care, children who attended school-based care had higher approach to learning skills and focused attention skills, and those who enrolled Head Start had lower externalizing problem behavior scores. Children who frequently read books showed positive social-emotional development (higher approach to learning, self-control, focused attention, and inhibitory control scores and lower externalizing problem behavior scores). ImplicationsAlthough enrolling in formal center-based care at preschool age had positive associations with Asian American children’s social-emotional skills, Asian American children were less likely to enroll in formal center-based care, including Head Start. Asian American parents should be informed of their eligibility for and the availability of formal center-based care, as well as the importance of parental-child interaction to promote their children’s positive social-emotional skills.