Abstract
Using data from the first cycle of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, this study examines the impact of junior kindergarten on children’s behavioural development, above and beyond regional differences and individual/household factors. It was hypothesised that earlier schooling would help children learn behavioural control skills for participating in group settings like the elementary school classroom. Research has established that children from disadvantaged environments face an increased risk of behavioural problems, usually by virtue of accompanying risk factors. As such, we hypothesised that junior kindergarten attendance would reduce the risk gap for behavioural problems between children from economically disadvantaged and advantaged families. The results revealed that on the whole, junior kindergarten did not seem to decrease problem behaviour. These results are above and beyond a number of controls (sex, age, region, SES, family functioning, family configuration, education, and family size). Although children from disadvantaged environments exhibited more behaviour problems, attending junior kindergarten did not reduce the risk gap for behavioural difficulties between children from lower SES and higher SES backgrounds.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
