Self-Regulation in Preschool: Examining Its Factor Structure and Associations With Pre-academic Skills and Social-Emotional Competence.

Irem Korucu,Sara A. Schmitt,Ezgi Ayturk,Craig S. Bailey,Shauna L. Tominey,Jennifer K. Finders,Gina Schnur

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.717317

Abstract

Self-regulation in early childhood is an important predictor of success across a variety of indicators in life, including health, well-being, and earnings. Although conceptually self-regulation has been defined as multifaceted, previous research has not investigated whether there is conceptual and empirical overlap between the factors that comprise self-regulation or if they are distinct. In this study, using a bifactor model, we tested the shared and unique variance among self-regulation constructs and prediction to pre-academic and social-emotional skills. The sample included 932 preschool children (Mage = 48 months, SD = 6.55; 49% female), their parents, and their teachers in the United States. Children’s self-regulation was assessed using measures of executive function, behavioral self-regulation, and emotion regulation. The bifactor model demonstrated a common overarching self-regulation factor, as well as distinct executive function and emotion regulation factors. The common overarching self-regulation factor and executive function predicted children’s pre-academic (i.e., mathematics and literacy) and social-emotional skills. The emotion regulation factor predicted children’s social-emotional skills. Identifying the shared and unique aspects of self-regulation may have important implications for supporting children’s regulatory skills as well as their success in school.

Highlights

Children’s ability to regulate themselves is a key developmental task during early childhood (Allan et al, 2014; Robson et al, 2020)
The bifactor model with one general and three specific factors (i.e., executive function (EF), behavioral self-regulation, emotion regulation), each of which were measured by three indicators, produced acceptable model fit, χ2(18) = 77.00, p < 0.001, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.059, RMSEA 95% CI = [0.046, 0.073], Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.976
Since the PRSA-AR did not load significantly on the general factor, we removed this measure from the model and refit another bifactor model where behavioral self-regulation was measured with the remaining two indicators (i.e., Child Behavior Rating Scale (CBRS) and Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task (HTKS))

Summary

Introduction

Children’s ability to regulate themselves is a key developmental task during early childhood (Allan et al, 2014; Robson et al, 2020). Self-regulation is generally defined as the ability to control thoughts, behaviors, and feelings to achieve goal-directed behaviors and has been conceptualized broadly to include neurological processes [executive function (EF)], EF in overt behavior (behavioral self-regulation), and emotion regulation (McClelland et al, 2018). Some studies have examined correlations among some constructs of self-regulation (EF and behavioral selfregulation; McClelland et al, 2014; Finders et al, 2021; EF and emotion regulation; Lieberman, 2007), no studies to date have examined whether these constitute one overarching self-regulation construct while remaining distinct subordinate constructs. In this study, we use a bifactor model to explore (1) the extent to which different aspects of children’s selfregulation constitute one overarching self-regulation construct while remaining distinct subordinate constructs, and (2) the extent to which an overall self-regulation construct and/or the individual subordinate constructs predict children’s preacademic and social-emotional competencies

Results

Discussion

Conclusion