Wiring for Success:

National Research Linking Early Child Care with Adolescent Development

Aletha C. Huston

University of Texas at Austin

Presentation to E3 Alliance, July 28, 2010

Research Publication

Do Effects of Early Child Care Extend to Age 15 Years? Results From the NICHD

Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development

Deborah Lowe Vandell, Jay Belsky, Margaret Burchinal, Laurence Steinberg, Nathan Vandergrift

and the NICHD Early Child Care Research Network

Child Development, 2010, Vol. 81, pages 737-756

Background

1980s Rapid increase in employment by mothers of

young children National Institute of Child Health and Human

Development convened experts to discuss impacts of infant child care

Initiated study to follow children from birth to 3

Study Begins 1991

1364 parents recruited at birth of infant

Two Perspectives

• Quality early childhood education and care promotes cognitive and social competencies

• Early child care results in reduced parent-child attachment and problem behaviors

Understanding the conditions under which Understanding the conditions under which early child care is linked to children’s early child care is linked to children’s functioning has been a primary aim of the functioning has been a primary aim of the NICHD Study of Early Child Care since its NICHD Study of Early Child Care since its inception in the early 1990s. inception in the early 1990s.

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Problems in Earlier Research

Small, non-representative samples “Selection bias”

The amount and quality of child care depends partly on family characteristics.

Correlations of child care with child development may be due to family differences

Did not separate the quality, amount, and type of care

Little known about individual differences

Sampling Plan and Subject Recruitment

Sites selected by competitive review of proposals (scientific merit), not on basis of demography.

Ten sites and the associated 24 hospitals define the sampling domain of the study.

All births in study hospitals during the recruitment period define a catchment which is the “reference population of the study.”

Sampling designed to produce unbiased estimates of effects for the catchment while assuring adequate representation of major socio-demographic niches.

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Location of Data Collection Sites

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Sample Demographic CharacteristicsSample Demographic Characteristics(N = 1364) at Recruitment(N = 1364) at Recruitment

Income-to-NeedsIncome-to-Needs          0-1 (poverty) 5.9%   >1-1.8 (near poverty) 11.9%   >1.8 (nonpoor) 82.2% Maternal EducationMaternal Education No HS Degree 6.3% HS Degree or GED 19.7% Some College 33.2% College Degree or more 40.9% Child EthnicityChild Ethnicity White, Non-Hispanic 79.3% Black, Non-Hispanic 10.5% Hispanic   6.2% Other   4.1%

Child GenderChild Gender Male 51.7%

Two-Parent FamilyTwo-Parent Family

Yes 76.5%

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Data Collection Schedule

Major assessments were observation and interview Intervening phone contacts were made every 3 to 4 months in

early years, every 6 months later

Schedule of Assessments

Child Age (in months)

Assessment 1 6 15 24 36 54 1st 3rd 4th 5th 6th 9th

Family

Child Care/school

Child functioning

Child Care Measures

Observed quality assessed at 6, 15, 24, 36, and 54 months using 4-point scales Sensitivity, responsiveness, cognitive stimulation, not

detached,

Hours of non-relative care - Mother reports of hrs/wk from birth to kindergarten entry

% center type care - Mother reports of types of arrangements every 3-4 months (16 epochs in all)

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Distributions of Child Care Quality, Hours, and Center Type

Note: Quality categories: Low 1-2.75, Moderately Low 2.75 -3.00 Moderately High 3.00-3 30 High 3.30-4.00 Hours categories: Low 0- <10, Moderately Low 10- <30 Moderately High 30-40 High > 40 Center Low 0, Moderately Low 0-33% Moderately High 33-%67% High 67%-100%

Early Results

At age 15 months, no overall relations of child care to security of attachment to mother

Children in high quality care had better language development

Children in long hours of care had less sensitive mothers

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Results at Age 4 1/2

Child care quality Children in high quality child care in first 4 years had better pre-

academic skills and language skills

Child care quantity Children in long hours over 4 years had more behavior problems

at school More true in low quality and large groups of peers

Child care type Children with a lot of experience in center-type care had better

language skills, but also more behavior problems

Family characteristics mattered more than child care

Research Questions at Age 15

Does early child care predict academic achievement and behavioral adjustment at age 15?

If so, why? Are links between child care and age 15 outcomes a result of earlier effects of child care?

Are links different for children with different levels of family risk?

Adolescent Measures

Cognitive-Academic Achievement – standardized individual tests

Risk Taking – e.g., riding motorcycle without helmet

Impulsivity – difficulty in waiting, quick decisions

Externalizing behavior problems (e.g., aggression, delinquency) - youth report

Efforts to Reduce Selection Bias

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Early Childhood Middle Childhood Adolescence

Child Gender X

Child Ethnicity X

Income to needs ratio

X X X

Two parent household

X X X

Maternal Education X

Maternal PPVT X

Maternal Adjustment

X

Maternal Depression

X X X

Parenting Quality X X X

Classroom quality X X

Quality of Care

At age 15, youth who had received high quality preschool care had High cognitive-academic achievement Low rates of externalizing behavior

Quality and Academic Achievement

Observed Quality

What Effect Sizes Mean

Cognitive academic scores Average = 100 About 17% of population scores above 115 Comparing scores of youth with different levels of

child care quality: High (3.8) = 104 Middle (between 2.7 and 3.3) = 101 Low (2.0)= 98-99

Externalizing High quality about 2 fewer behavior problems

Quantity and Type of Care

At age 15, youth who had experienced high hours of care from birth to kindergarten had Higher risk taking Higher impulsivity No differences in externalizing

At age 15, youth who had experienced high amounts of center-type care did not differ from those who had less center-type care

Hours Effect Sizes

What Effect Sizes Mean

Externalizing – not statistically significant

Risk taking – Youth with high hours (>40) of care report about 1 more risky behavior (occasional) than those with average hours (10-30 hours)

Impulsivity – Youth with high hours of care (>40) report slightly more problems with impulse control than those with average hours

Why?

High quality care boosts language and cognitive skills early; these carry through the school years

High hours in care increase externalizing early; this pattern carries through the school years, manifesting in risk taking and impulsivity

High quality alleviates effects of high hours on externalizing

Conclusions

High quality child care predicts cognitive and academic achievement

High quality child care predicts reduced externalizing behavior problems

Long hours in child care predict impulsivity and risk taking

No lasting effects of center-type care

No evidence that effects differ by family risk

Effect sizes are small but important

Thank you!

Next Food for Thought

When: Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Where: Leander ISD

Title: Ready or Not? Desired Professional Skills for Our Entry Level Workforce: Results from 2010 AHRMA* Member Survey

*Austin Human Resources Management Association