Effects Of Day Care Research Articles

A forgotten issue: Distributional effects of day care subsidies in Germany

SUMMARY In general, day care subsidies are accepted as a means of creating equal chances for both children and mothers in the labour market. Although there is a broad consensus that the use of children's day care should be publicly supported, there is no consensus on how this should be done. Moreover, there is little knowledge on the distributional effects of day care subsidies. In order to assess whether public expenditures are targeted efficiently, however, it is vital to know which social groups profit most from public expenditures on children's day care and whether taxpayers' money is spent effectively. In Germany, as in other European countries, day care subsidies are mainly provided ‘in-kind’. Municipalities and NPOs provide day care for children, which is - apart from a small fee - free of charge. In this study we estimate the distributional effects of state-funded day care in Germany using microdata on households and data on the expenditure of public-funded day care. Major results are that day care subsidies have only modest redistributional effects. Primarily it is the middle-income range that profits from the public provision of children's day care. This contradicts common public-policy recommendations, which state that low-income families should be the first target of day care subsidies.

Mothers' attachment representations and choice of infant care: center care vs. home

AbstractIn the debate concerning the effects of day care on infant development, insufficient attention has been paid to the potential relationship between pre‐existing emotional differences among mothers and the type of care they choose for their infants. To shed light on this issue, this study examines the attachment representations of mothers who choose day‐care centres as opposed to mothers who choose to remain at home with their infants. Participants were 76 primiparous mothers. Mothers' attachment classifications were assessed by the Adult Attachment Interview [AAI; Main M, Kaplan N, Cassidy J. 1985. Security in infancy, childhood, and adulthood: a move to the level of representation. In Growing Points of Attachment Theory and Research. Monograph of the Society for Research in Child Development, 50, (1–2, serial no. 209), Bretherton I, Waters E (eds); 66–104]. Results indicate that more Day‐care than Home‐Care mothers are classified as insecurely attached. These results highlight the contribution of maternal emotional characteristics to the effects of diverse child care arrangements on infant development. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effect of day care exposure on the risk of developing type 1 diabetes: a meta-analysis of case-control studies.

Exposure to infections in infancy or childhood may be important in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes, but a protective role has also been suggested. We tested the hypothesis that increased early contact with infectious agents, measured by day care exposure, would decrease the risk of type 1 diabetes in childhood. We conducted a systematic review of case-control studies. Meta-analysis was performed to combine results, assess for heterogeneity, and explore variation in study design. Several generally well-designed case-control studies show a statistically significant protective effect of day care on type 1 diabetes. However, meta-analysis revealed too much heterogeneity to accept the overall synthesis results and none of the studies used prerecorded data. Day care does seem to have a protective effect in the subgroup of children who will be diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before the age of 5 years (odds ratio = 0.6, 95% CI 0.5-0.8); however, this result is based on only two studies. Recall bias is one alternate explanation for these data; confirmation using prerecorded data is required. Such data could be prospectively measured in cohort studies of children at risk. We also suggest that information about day care attendance be measured in randomized trials of agents for the prevention of type 1 diabetes, as day care exposure could potentially modify the effect of the preventive agent.

The impact of day care on ventilation tube insertion

Objective: To study the effect of day care and tube type, as well as other risk factors related to ventilation tube insertion and reinsertion. Design: A case series of 456 consecutive cases with 162 controls from a well-baby examination group evaluated for age, sex, smoking history and day care attendance. Setting: Private practice in a mid-sized, southeastern university town. Patients and controls: This was a referred sample of patients who were entered consecutively in a private-practice setting. All children were age five or less at entry into the study. Interventions: Children underwent ventilation tube insertion with or without adenoidectomy, using standing indications. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measures were whether or not a child had the need for a second set of tubes, and also determining the status of the child's ears for at least 1 year after tubes had extruded. Results: Day care and young age were both identified as risk factors associated with initial ventilation tube insertion. Only 11% (seven out of 63) of home care children, as compared with 31% (108 out of 346) day care children, had the insertion of ventilation tubes ( P=0.000). Day care children who had tubes inserted and adenoidectomy (with or without tonsillectomy) had a significantly lower rate of reintubation than children who had tube insertion alone ( P=0.00). Day care and young age are significant risk factors for any child, both with a first set of tubes and for ventilation tube reinsertion. Children in day care had a reintubation rate of 36% as compared to 11% for those in home care. Parents should be aware that day care can represent a two-fold hazard-both in the observed connection between day care and tube insertion and the demonstrated increased probability of reinsertion. Any studies looking at ventilation tube outcomes need to make certain to monitor for day care attendance.

Effects of day care on the development of cognitive abilities in 8-year-olds: a longitudinal study.

In Göteborg, Sweden, 146 children (72 girls) were enrolled in a longitudinal study when they averaged 16 months of age. None of the children had experienced regular out-of-home care yet, but within 3 months, 54 entered center care and 33 entered family day care. Quality of home and out-of-home care environments, child temperament, and the development of verbal abilities were assessed regularly during preschool years. When they were 8 years old (2nd grade), cognitive ability tests were administered to the 123 children (65 girls) still in the study. Tested ability was related to the number of months children had spent in center-based day care before 3.5 years of age. Child care quality predicted cognitive abilities among children who had spent at least 36 months in out-of-home care during their preschool years. Both tested and rated cognitive abilities in 2nd grade were related to earlier measures of verbal ability and to paternal involvement during preschool years.

Effects of day care on the development of cognitive abilities in 8-year-olds: A longitudinal study.

Effects of day care on the development of cognitive abilities in 8-year-olds: A longitudinal study.

How the local supply of day-care centers influences fertility in Norway: A parity-specific approach

In order to assess how expansion of day care facilities affects fertility, the Norwegian Family and Occupation Survey of 1988 was linked with individual register-based migration histories and time-series data on day-care coverage rates in all Norwegian municipalities. Many factors affect both the allocation of resources to day-care centers and a woman's probability of giving birth. The local coverage rate is positively associated with the probability of advancing from parity two, after control for geographical region, degree of urbanization and other confoun- ders. This effect of day-care supply, which is significant at low coverage levels, contributed to a moderate rise in third-birth rates after the mid-1970s. However, if the aggregate employment rate for women is also regarded as a confounder, the effect of day care may actually be insignificant. Moreover, the effect fades at higher coverage levels. Finally, there are indications that second- and first-birth probabilities decline with increasing provision of day care. These results suggest that further efforts to improve the supply of private and public day care - which in Norway are likely to be motivated by non-demographic concerns - will have little stimulating effect on fertility, at least if the subsidies and quality of care remain unchanged.

Out-of-home day care and health.

Evidence from randomised trials indicates that out-of-home day care has important effects in domains that are integral to the health of mothers and children. The evidence that day care results in cognitive gains is compelling. These effects and the long term effects in reducing crime and violence should suffice to put the question of day care provision high on the paediatric agenda. However, some important questions remain to be answered. Evidence from a randomised trial suggests that the effect of infant day care on infectious disease morbidity is not as great as would be expected on the basis of results from observational studies. However, the trial in question had some important methodological weaknesses. No trials to date have examined the effect of day care on otitis media. Data from observational studies on the effect of day care on injury occurrence are confliciting. Finally, studies in the US point to an important effect of out-of-home day care on maternal employment. The effect of day care on maternal employment and income inequality in Britain has yet to be examined.

Human Behavioral Genetics, Scarr's Theory, and Her Views on Interventions: A Critical Review and Commentary on Their Implications for African American Children

Key components of human behavioral genetics and Scarr's work of the past 2 decades are critically reviewed based on scholarship in animal neuropsychology and clinical and educational psychology. Scarr's theory of genotype --> environment effects is not supported by the confluence of information presented. Her opinion that interventions to enhance intellectual development are ineffectual for children from abuse- and neglect-free backgrounds is critically reviewed. Her view that biology makes nonrisk infants invulnerable to lasting, negative effects of day care is also determined to be untenable. Concern about negative implications of Scarr's theory for African Americans and views on interventions is the impetus for the critique.

Effects of day care on preschool sex-role development.

Affiliative, aggressive, and problem-solving types of behavior were analyzed in middle-class preschoolers, 53 boys and 52 girls, grouped by length of time in day care. Boys were observed to be significantly more aggressive toward peers, but no differences between boys' and girls' aggressive or affiliative ratings were attributable to differential effects of time of entry into day care.

Is day care safe? A review of research on accidental injuries

A major concern about the effects of day care has been the safety of the children who participate. Although studies are limited, a body of research literature is beginning to emerge that provides some important information about the magnitude of accidental injuries in day care centers.

Effects of day care and maternal teaching on child educability

Two groups of matched mother-child pairs, a day care sample (N = 38) and a home reared sample (N = 38) participated in a study testing mothers for degree of decentred teaching and children for degree of decentred educability. The children were seven years old. Mother and child were tested in separate settings, thus preventing interdependency among scores. The study used a matched-pair design with control of five background variables; age of the child, mother's educational level, mother's occupational status, family SES level, and type of family. The results showed strong positive effects of both day care experience and maternal teaching on child educability. Day care experience improved the educability of children independent of the mother's teaching strategy and gender of the child.

The health effects of day care

Recent decades have ushered in the most substantial shifts in the composition and structure of Australian families seen in this country's history. Fertility rates have declined dramatically, from an average of 3.4 children per woman in 1960, to 1.8 children per woman in 1990. Twelve per cent of children are now raised in single parent homes, and the labour force participation of women with children has increased significantly. Thirty‐two per cent of mothers with children under 5 years of age now work outside the home, and this has resulted in a growing demand for supplemental child care.

Controlled Comparison of Day-patient and Out-patient Treatment for Persistent Anxiety and Depression

The effectiveness of day care versus out-patient care in the treatment of persistent severe anxiety and depression was compared in a controlled clinical trial. Of 96 consecutively referred patients meeting the entry criteria, 92 were followed up for six months. Patients were randomised to day care or out-patient care, and assessed at entry and at six months using the Standardised Psychiatric Interview and in terms of their time structuring and socialisation. Marked improvement in all three measures was seen for most of the day patients, but for few of the out-patients: this difference was highly significant for each measure. Day patients also rated themselves as coping more effectively and as more satisfied with their treatment. These differences could not be explained by differences in use of medication. Day treatment should remain an option for patients with persistent anxiety and depression resistant to outpatient treatment.

Effects of day care on the health and development of children

Effects of day care on the health and development of children

Development of kindergarten children based on child care arrangements

The effects of day care on the development of 835 kindergarten children were analyzed. Associations with child care arrangements (no day care, part-time care, and full-time day care) from birth to age 5 and for only the first year of life are discussed. Overall differences in early child care arrangements were more predictive of differences in social development than of differences in intellectual and gross motor performance. Similarities in certain behavioral variables between children at home and in full-time care are noted. Socioeconomic status, sex, and race differences are also reported.

The effects of day care on the social and emotional development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers

The effects of day care on the social and emotional development of infants, toddlers and preschoolers

Day care and family dynamics

Twenty-one dual-earner families whose preschool-aged children entered day care before 6 months of age and 19 dual-earner families whose preschool-aged children entered day care during the second year of life filled out questionnaires on the nature of their children's caregiving environment; their perceptions of the effects of day care on parent-child interaction and children's development; their overall job satisfaction; social support networks; and personal well-being, marital stress, and companionship. Mothers and fathers reported high levels of satisfaction with the caregiving environment and the effects of day care. Parental perceptions of the effects of day care on parent-child interaction and children's development did not differ as a function of time of entry into day care. Parental perceptions of selected parent-child variables were associated with job satisfaction, social support, and the marital measures. Parental perceptions of parent-child interaction were related to their perceptions of the effects of day care on children's social and cognitive skills. Mothers and fathers differed in these perceptions. There was some support for a conceptual link between marital variables and children's functioning in day care.

The effects of infant day care through the prism of attachment theory: A critical appraisal

This commentary addresses the relevance of attachment theory and research to an understanding of the effects of early day care experience on sociopersonality development. Attachment theory figures prominently in Belsky's review of the day care literature both because of the theory's emphasis on formative early influences on personality functioning, and because of researchers' widespread (although not exclusive) use of the Strange Situation as a procedure for assessing the effects of day care on infant-parent attachment. This commentary offers an examination of the strength of the evidence which indicates that early day care experience may lead to insecure attachments. It is concluded that this evidence is substantially weaker than Belsky suggests. The article then draws upon the extensive research on attachment to explore the interpretation of infant behavior within the Strange Situation, and the significance of such behavior for later development, in light of the current concern about the effects of early day care experience. It is argued that this research suggests caution in concluding either that day care has negative consequences for the child or that it foreshadows long-term sociopersonality functioning. Suggested are areas of much needed future research which must be undertaken before strong conclusions concerning the effects of day care can be made.

Evolving issues in early childhood education: A personal perspective

This article describes the issues in early childhood education that were most pressing during the past two decades. It indicates whether each issue has been settled and outlines urgent new issues for today. In 1967 the most salient issues were the importance of early childhood for education, when early education should begin, whether it could compensate for childhood experience at home, and whether the effects of early education were permanent. In 1972 the central issue was the best kind of early educational program. By 1977 attention had shifted to ways that early education could be done most efficiently and cheaply, whether parent education was the answer, and how it worked. By 1982 a new issue had arisen: the effects of full-time day care on preschool children's development. Today's most pressing issues seem to be finding ways to maximize the fit between programs and participants, the implications of the superbaby trend, and the effects of day care on infants' development.