Understanding School Readiness: The Interacting Roles of Executive Function and Teacher-Child Relationship Quality

The present study investigated the association between two predictors of school readiness: executive function (EF) and teacher-child relationship quality. School readiness is an indicator of a child’s preparedness for school prior to kindergarten entry. School readiness includes young children’s early academic skills, such as counting and recognizing letters, as well as their ability to behave appropriately in a classroom setting. Though both EF skills and teacher-child relationships have been found to uniquely contribute to school readiness, previous researchers have failed to examine the likely bi-directional and interactional association between these two factors. Thus, the current study aimed to bridge the gap between these two bodies of research. A sample of 68 children, ages 3-6, were recruited from local preschools in the Northwest North Carolina area. Children completed five tasks assessing their EF and school readiness skills, and answered questions regarding relationships with their teachers. Teachers completed questionnaires reporting on the quality of their teacher-child relationships, as well as children’s behavioral school readiness skills. Parents also completed a questionnaire reporting on their children’s attention and inhibition abilities. Results indicated that EF, teacher-child relationship quality, and school readiness were highly interconnected. EF skills, and specifically inhibition, were significantly related to conflict in the teacher-child relationship. The association between inhibition and behavioral readiness became nonsignificant when controlling for teacher-child conflict, showing a significant mediation. Furthermore, the correlation between conflict and behavioral readiness was larger for children with lower EF abilities than for those with higher EF abilities.

Grantor dc:publisher

Wake Forest University

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Capobianco, Nicole Beth

• Executive Function

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/90708

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:wakespace.lib.wfu.edu:10339/90708