Acceptance For Young Children Research Articles

Perceived Physical Competence Predicts Gains in Children's Locomotor but Not Ball Skills across an Intervention.

The purpose of this pre/post experimental study was to examine if children’s perceived physical competence predicted changes in motor skills across an intervention. Sixty-seven children (Mage = 53.2 ± 3.7 months) participated in a 16-week, mastery-climate motor skill intervention. Perceived physical competence was assessed before the intervention using the physical competence subscale of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children. Motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3rd Edition before and after the intervention. Results revealed that controlling for pretest skills, perceived physical competence significantly predicted posttest locomotor (p < 0.05) and total skills (p < 0.05) but did not predict posttest ball skills (p > 0.05). These results indicate that perceived physical competence may be a significant factor that predicts children’s gains in locomotor or total skills, but not ball skills, across an intervention.

СУЧАСНІ СТАНДАРТИЗОВАНІ ЗАРУБІЖНІ МЕТОДИКИ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ Я-КОНЦЕПЦІЇ МОЛОДШИХ ШКОЛЯРІВ

В статті розглянуто дванадцять найпопулярніших зарубіжних методик дослідження Я-концепції школярів: Опитувальник самооцінки Розенберга, Опитувальник самооцінки Куперсміта, Шкалу дитячої Я-концепції Пірса-Гарріса, Шкалу Я-концепції Теннессі, Профіль самосприйняття для дітей Хартер, Опитувальник самоопису Марша, Профіль самосприйняття для підлітків Хартер, Рисунковий тест самооцінки компететності та соціального прийняття для дошкільників, Шкалу самооцінки Хейра, Шкалу ситуативної самооцінки Хітертона та Полівого, Багатовимірну шкалу Я-концепції Бракена, Шкалу Я-концепції для дітей Мартінека-Заїчковського. За результатами аналізу встановлено, що всі методики мають добрі показники валідності, надійності та внутрішньої узгодженості. Окремі з них перекладено та адаптовано російською чи українською мовами. Однак в більшості випадків відомості щодо психометричних властивостей адаптованих версій методик авторами не розкриваються. Лише окремі версії методики самосприйняття Хартер представлені у форматі, який дає можливість їх повноцінного практичного застосування. Поряд із цим ряд методик (тест Розенберга та різні версії методики Хартер) мають добрі перспективи впровадження в навчально- виховний процес за належної стандартизації та додаткових досліджень її валідності та надійності.

A longitudinal examination of the role of sensory exploratory behaviors in young children's acceptance of new foods

ObjectivePrompted engagement with a new food's sensory properties (smell, texture) has been associated with young children's acceptance of new foods. However, little is known about the prevalence and stability of children's sensory exploratory behaviors exhibited spontaneously when trying new foods. The aim of this analysis was to examine developmental trajectories of sensory exploratory behaviors (i.e., smelling, licking, spitting) in response to new foods. MethodThis 3-year longitudinal study included observational data collected from 244 preschoolers. At age 4 years, children were asked to taste four novel foods. An experimenter recorded the child's displays of smelling, licking, spitting, refusals, and acceptance. Assessments were repeated at 4.5, 5.5, and 6.5 years of age. Summary scores were created for each child by totaling the number of foods smelled, licked, spit out, refused, and accepted at each time point. A series of growth models were fit to the summary scores to examine individual sensory behavior trajectories and associations between trajectories of sensory behaviors and acceptance. ResultsLinear growth model parameters indicated that spitting and refusals decreased over time (p-values < 0.01), whereas acceptances increased (p < 0.01). Licking and smelling showed non-significant change (p-values > 0.01) Furthermore, decreases in licking, spitting, and refusals were associated with increases in acceptance across the study period (p-values < 0.01). DiscussionThe decline in young children's sensory exploratory behaviors in response to new foods was associated with increases in food acceptance. Our findings suggest that sensory exploratory behaviors may promote familiarity and help children learn that new foods are acceptable and safe to consume.

Does Perception of Motor Competence Mediate Associations between Motor Competence and Physical Activity in Early Years Children?

Objectives: To examine if the relationship between physical activity (PA) and actual motor competence (MC) in British early years children is mediated by their perceived MC. Design: Cross-sectional convenience observational study. Methodology: MC was assessed with six locomotor skills (LC) and six object-control skills (OC) via the Test of Gross Motor Development-2. PA was measured via a wrist-worn triaxial accelerometer and PA grouped as daily total PA (TPA) and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Perceived MC was assessed using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Children. A total of 38 children (63% male; 37% female) aged between 3 and 6 years (5.41 ± 0.69) completed all assessments. Mediating impacts of perceived MC on the relationships between PA and MC were explored via backwards mediation regressions. Results: There were no mediating impacts of perceived MC on the relationship between PA and actual MC. Conclusions: The relationship between actual MC and PA is not mediated by perceived MC in a small sample of British early years childhood.

Development of a Digital-Based Instrument to Assess Perceived Motor Competence in Children: Face Validity, Test-Retest Reliability, and Internal Consistency.

Assessing children’s perceptions of their movement abilities (i.e., perceived competence) is traditionally done using picture scales—Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Children or Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence. Pictures fail to capture the temporal components of movement. To address this limitation, we created a digital-based instrument to assess perceived motor competence: the Digital Scale of Perceived Motor Competence. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity, reliability, and internal consistency of the Digital-based Scale of Perceived Motor Skill Competence. The Digital-based Scale of Perceived Motor Skill Competence is based on the twelve fundamental motor skills from the Test of Gross Motor Development-2nd Edition with a similar layout and item structure as the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Movement Skill Competence. Face Validity of the instrument was examined in Phase I (n = 56; Mage = 8.6 ± 0.7 years, 26 girls). Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed in Phase II (n = 54, Mage = 8.7 years ± 0.5 years, 26 girls). Intra-class correlations (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha were conducted to determine test-retest reliability and internal consistency for all twelve skills along with locomotor and object control subscales. The Digital Scale of Perceived Motor Competence demonstrates excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.83, total; ICC = 0.77, locomotor; ICC = 0.79, object control) and acceptable/good internal consistency (α = 0.62, total; α = 0.57, locomotor; α = 0.49, object control). Findings provide evidence of the reliability of the three level digital-based instrument of perceived motor competence for older children.

Effect of Occupation-Based Groups on Self-Concept of Children Aged 5–8: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACTThe goal of this pilot study was to ascertain the effectiveness of an occupation-based after-school program for improving self-concept in children, ages five through eight. Fifty-four randomly selected children ages five through eight from two schools (one being the control group) with similar socioeconomic status along the Ohio River were involved in this research study. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (PCSA; Harter & Pike, 1984) was administered to all participants (N = 54), four subtests were analyzed: cognitive competence, social competence with peers, physical competence in sports, and maternal acceptance. The experimental group (n = 25) attended occupation-based groups two times a week after school. The control group (n = 29) did not participate in an after-school program. Data from pre-test and post-test were analyzed using a t-test. Findings demonstrated that the experimental group improved their self-concept scores when compared to the control group in the areas of peer acceptance and cognitive competence. This would offer tentative evidence that an after-school program directed by occupational therapists that is designed to improve self-concept may be successful.

Inaccuracy of Perceived Competence Ratings Is Associated With Problem Behaviors in 5-Year-Old Children

ABSTRACTThe authors examined problem behaviors in preschool children as a function of perceived competence. Prior research has demonstrated a link between inaccuracy of self-perceptions and teacher-reported externalizing behaviors in preschool aged boys. This study extended past research by adding data collected from observed behaviors in a laboratory setting, as well as parent reports of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Five-year-old children completed the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (PSPCSA) in the lab, participated in a 10-min puzzle interaction task with their cotwin and mother, and completed a short task assessing cognitive abilities. Children were grouped into 3 self-esteem categories (unrealistically low, realistic, and unrealistically high) based on comparisons of self-reported (PSPCSA) versus actual competencies for maternal acceptance, peer acceptance, and cognitive competence. Results showed that children who overreported their maternal acceptance and peer acceptance had significantly more parent-reported externalizing problems as well as internalizing problems. There were no significant differences in accuracy for cognitive competence. The findings from this study underscore the negative impact of unrealistically high self-appraisal on problem behaviors in young children.

The Effects of Disability Understanding Activities on Young Children's Acceptance Attitudes toward Peers with Disabilities and Pre-service Early Childhood Special Education Teacher's Teaching Efficacy

The Effects of Disability Understanding Activities on Young Children's Acceptance Attitudes toward Peers with Disabilities and Pre-service Early Childhood Special Education Teacher's Teaching Efficacy

Face validity and reliability of a pictorial instrument for assessing fundamental movement skill perceived competence in young children

To determine reliability and face validity of an instrument to assess young children's perceived fundamental movement skill competence. Validation and reliability study. A pictorial instrument based on the Test Gross Motor Development-2 assessed perceived locomotor (six skills) and object control (six skills) competence using the format and item structure from the physical competence subscale of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Children. Sample 1 completed object control items in May (n=32) and locomotor items in October 2012 (n=23) at two time points seven days apart. Children were asked at the end of the test-retest their understanding of what was happening in each picture to determine face validity. Sample 2 (n=58) completed 12 items in November 2012 on a single occasion to test internal reliability only. Sample 1 children were aged 5-7 years (M=6.0, SD=0.8) at object control assessment and 5-8 years at locomotor assessment (M=6.5, SD=0.9). Sample 2 children were aged 6-8 years (M=7.2, SD=0.73). Intra-class correlations assessed in Sample 1 children were excellent for object control (intra-class correlation=0.78), locomotor (intra-class correlation=0.82) and all 12 skills (intra-class correlations=0.83). Face validity was acceptable. Internal consistency was adequate in both samples for each subscale and all 12 skills (alpha range 0.60-0.81). This study has provided preliminary evidence for instrument reliability and face validity. This enables future alignment between the measurement of perceived and actual fundamental movement skill competence in young children.

Promoting children's healthy eating in obesogenic environments: Lessons learned from the rat

Current statistics on children's eating patterns and obesity rates are consistent with the idea that genetic taste predispositions, traditional feeding practices, and the obesogenic environment combine to increase the likelihood of unhealthy outcomes in many individuals. In this paper, we focus on one particular level of analysis through which this unhealthy combination of factors may begin to be disassembled: children's learning about food and flavors. Much of the research on children's learning about food and flavors has been inspired by the animal literature, which has a long history of carefully controlled studies elucidating the mechanisms through which rats and other animals learn to prefer and avoid foods and flavors. This literature provides many clues as to the processes by which learning paradigms may be used to encourage the intake of healthy foods, altering the implicit learning of obesogenic eating patterns that is likely to occur without intervention in the current environment. Overall, the implications of the literature are that children should be repeatedly exposed to a variety of flavors early in life, and that new flavors should be paired with already-liked flavors and positive contexts. This message is consistent with recent research results from our laboratory, showing that familiarization and associative learning paradigms may be used to increase young children's acceptance of, preference for, and intake of previously-unfamiliar, healthy foods.

Motor Creativity and Self-Concept

Creative children often have difficulty in forming their self-concept because parents may suppress their creative ideas. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between motor creativity and self-concept. Wyrick's Motor Creativity Test and the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children were administered to a sample of 414 children aged from 6 ± 0.3 years to 7 ± 0.3 years. Factor analysis for the self-concept measures revealed a 4-factor solution. The amount of variance explained by all 4 factors was 30.28% with the first factor explaining most of the variance (18.2%). Correlation analysis related motor creativity with the self-concept factors, and specifically with the first factor. It seems that perceived maternal acceptance has a significant role in explaining children's motor creativity.

Relation of Self-Concept in Kindergarten and First Grade to School Adjustment

The present aim was to investigate changes in self-concept and self-concept stability during children's transition from kindergarten to primary school, and the relationship between children's self-concept and their adjustment to elementary school. 346 children took part in this 2-yr. longitudinal study. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children was used to assess children's self-concept. Children's school adjustment was assessed using the schools' academic, behavioral, and social-emotional procedures. Children's self-concept appeared relatively stable and the decline in scores appeared to be practically unimportant. Analysis showed that children's school adjustment mainly affects the academic dimension of self-concept.

Perception of self‐competence among Asian Indian preschoolers living in the USA and India

Past research has indicated that it is imperative to promote a feeling of positive self‐competence at a younger age. Forty‐eight preschoolers (living in the USA = 26; living in India = 22) between the ages of three and five years participated in the study. The children attended preschools in either the USA or India. The children’s perception of self‐competence was measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (Harter & Pike, 1984). The scale has four subscales: Cognitive Competence, Physical Competence, Peer Acceptance, and Maternal Acceptance, each composed of six items. A one‐way (2: country of domicile) ANOVA was conducted on each of the self‐competence subscale scores. Results showed significant differences in the perception of self‐competence depending on whether the Asian Indian preschoolers were living in the USA or in India: Cognitive Competence F(1,46) = 9.59, p < .003; Peer Acceptance F(1,46) = 10.33, p < .002; and Physical Competence F(1,46)...

Children's Acceptance Ratings of a Child with a Facial Scar: The Impact of Positive Scripts

Children with visible pediatric conditions may be at risk for low peer acceptance. More knowledge is needed about how different types of information influence children's acceptance. For this study, we examined the influence of scripts emphasizing either positive information and/or medical information on young children's acceptance of a line drawing of a child with a facial disfigurement. Results indicated that type of script and gender of the perceiver influenced acceptance ratings. Positive scripts improved children's acceptance, while those describing medical information did not have an effect. Girls provided higher acceptance ratings than boys. Our findings indicated that it might be beneficial to describe ways in which a child's skills are similar to those of peers to improve acceptance of a child with a facial disfigurement.

Comparison of perception of self‐competence among five ethnic groups of preschoolers in the US

This study compared the perception of self‐competence of immigrant Asian‐American, Asian‐Indian, Hispanic, native European‐American, and African‐American preschoolers. Self‐competence is defined by Harter as the “feeling of confidence in achieving certain tasks”. The development of self‐competence emerges gradually as children acquire greater physical, self‐help, social, and cognitive skills and become aware of their own abilities. Preschoolers (n = 205) between the ages of 3 and 5 years participated in the study. The children's perception of self‐competence was measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children. Analyses of variance were conducted to compare the selfcompetence scores of the children by their ethnic origin (race × self‐competence scores). Results indicated cultural variations in the perception of self‐competence among the preschoolers: cognitive competence, F(5, 199) = 5.96, p < 0.0001; peer acceptance, F(5, 199) = 11.301, p < 0.0001; physical competence, F(5, 199) = 6.816, p < 0.0001; and maternal acceptance, F(5, 199) = 2.553, p < 0.05. Post‐hoc analysis indicated that, compared with European‐American, African‐American, and Asian‐Indian children, Hispanic children had lower cognitive competence, physical competence, and peer acceptance.

Self-Perceived Competence among Preschool Children in Relation to Teacher-Perceived Competence

The aims of this study were to examine the utility of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (PSPCSC; Harter &amp; Pike, 1984) with preschoolers and to explore correspondence between children's and teacher's perceptions of child competence. Children's self-perceptions of competence were not internally consistent within the physical, maternal acceptance, or cognitive domains. Children's ratings of their competence were significantly higher than teacher ratings only for the domain of physical competence. Contrary to expectations, teachers' perceptions of children's peer acceptance and cognitive competence were significantly higher than children's self-perceptions. Associations between children's self-perceptions and teacher ratings were nonexistent. Overall, findings suggest that the PSPCSC may not be an appropriate measure of self-perceived competence in preschool children. It may be that teacher and child reports of perceived competence tap different constructs. Additional instrument development work is needed in this area in order to more reliably measure preschool children's self-perceived competence.

Gender Comparisons in the Perception of Self-Competence Among Four-Year-Old Children

The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of gender differences in the perception of self-competence among 4-year-old children. Sixty-one 4-year-olds (27 girls and 34 boys) from predominantly European American backgrounds participated in the study. The children's self-competence was measured using the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (Preschool version; S. Harter & R. Pike, 1984), which has 4 separate subscales: (a) cognitive competence, (b) physical competence, (c) peer acceptance, and (d) maternal acceptance. A within-subject 2-way analysis of variance with repeated measures of 4 (subscales of perception of self-competence) × 2 (gender) was performed to determine if gender differences existed in the children's perception of self-competence. Analyses of the data showed no significant gender differences in the scores on the 4 subscales for the perception of self-competence among the children. These results could be interpreted as being due to a less gender-stereotyped society and androgynous environment for these preschoolers.

Kindergartners' Self-Perceptions: Theoretical and Measurement Issues

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children supported the hypothesis that kindergartners' self-concepts are multidimensional. Both theoretical and practical measurement concerns are discussed.

Reducing Gender Stereotyping in Kindergartners

Children's gender stereotypes can affect their learning and performance of gender‐typed behaviors and possibly their learning in general. Perceived competency also is linked significantly with children's gender roles. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that gender stereotyping and perceived competency could be influenced by the ‘Words Can Hurt You” anti‐bias curriculum. The participants were 36 kindergarten students from a rural Southern town. The first author implemented the program to a kindergarten class for 8 weeks. Another kindergarten class received an equal amount of experimenter attention, but did not receive the anti‐bias curriculum. Each child had his or her gender stereotyping and perceived competency tested before and after the intervention program. Scores from the Gender‐Stereotyped Attitude Scale for Children (GASC) and the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children were the dependent variables. Analysis of variance demonstrated that the anti‐bias curriculum increased androgynous responses in kindergarten students. A dramatic change was shown between the experimental‐contrast groups and the pretest‐posttest measures on the GASC, but perceived competency and social acceptance failed to show significant changes.

Reliability of Perceived Competence Measures for Young School-Aged Children

Client perceptions of competence provide the occupational therapist with information relevant to intervention goals and performance outcomes. The Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children (PCSA) (Harter &amp; Pike, 1983) and the All About Me (AAM) (Missiuna, 1992) measure perceptions of competence in young school-aged children. Test-retest reliability of scores on the PCSA and AAM was examined using a sample of 24 Grade 1 and 2 children with motor and/or language delays. For intervals of 10 to 22 days, the PCSA and AAM had moderate to good reliability. Competence perceptions were more reliable than acceptance perceptions on the PCSA. The AAM, a measure of perceived physical competence, was correlated more highly to the PCSA physical subscale and competence factor score than to other PCSA subscales. In general, young children view themselves as being highly competent.