Progress 10/01/00 to 09/30/06
Outputs
Data were collected on preschool children and their families to examine how children construct beliefs about relationships through parent-child and peer interactions as well how community, family, and peer factors contribute to childrens social competence. The participants included preschool children who were attending the university affiliated Child Development Lab (CDL) as well as preschools in the Champaign-Urbana area. Data have been collected on classroom social structures and peer behavior as well as the nature and quality of children's relationships with their parents and parental perceptions of their childrens behavior, social networks and family resources. This project employed a multi-informant (teacher, child, parent) and multi-method (observations, interviews, self report) approach to data collection. With respect to childrens socioemotional behavior and adaptation, we collected data using classroom observations of children's behavior, social network and
support interviews, and sociometric interviews of peer acceptance. Teachers also rated children's behavior using two standard social behavior rating scales. Data regarding parent-child relationships and family process were collected using laboratory procedures, home visits, and self-report questionnaires. Several findings from this project contribute to the literature on family-peer relations and childrens social and emotional development. For example, there is considerable rank-order stability in childrens socially competent behavior and perceived social networks/support over time, and support from network members early in the preschool years predicts social competence with peers in subsequent years. In addition, even for young children, having a mutual friend in the classroom serves as a protective factor for children who report small and unsupportive social networks. Furthermore, the quality of parent-child interaction assessed through home observations as well as characteristics
of the neighborhood/community context in which families reside influence childrens capacities to develop competent relationships. Finally, results from this project revealed that a secure parent-child attachment relationship predicted how elaborative mothers were in discussing past events with their children, a narrative style typically associated with higher event memory and autobiographical memory development. Data analyses in the last year also indicated that there are considerable differences in the relations between parent involvement and parent-child interaction for mothers and fathers. Greater father involvement was found to be significantly related to more sensitive/elaborative/guided father-child interactions whereas greater mother involvement was found to be significantly related to the childs temperament. These data inform parenting programs designed specifically to promote father involvement.
Impacts
These data highlight the utility of using a multi-method and multi-informant approaches to examining young children's social and emotional development. They also demonstrate the dynamic interplay between home, school, and community contexts in young children's developing social capacities. These data served as an empirical basis for a grant proposal examining how children construct beliefs about parent and peer relationships. This four-year longitudinal project was funded by NSF's Children's Research Initiative, and data collection is now complete. Data from that project were used recently to help validate a new measure of adult attachment security. The assembled longitudinal data will be used as a base for a second NSF proposal designed to examine further the factors that shape children's social and emotional development. The data obtained from this project are valuable for parent, teacher, and community outreach education programs that promote the well-being of
children and families. Additionally, workshops will be conducted with child-care teachers that focus on issues defined by the teachers as important in their centers. Finally, this project has served as a valuable research experience for over 100 undergraduate students since its conception and as the basis of a thesis for two doctoral students.
Publications
- Bost, K.K., Shin, N., McBride, B., Brown, G., Vaughn, B., Coppola, G., Verissimo, M., Monteiro, L. and Korth, B. 2006. Maternal secure base scripts, childrens attachment security, and mother-child narrative styles. Attachment and Human Development, 8, 241-261.
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Data were collected on preschool children and their families that parallel data collection efforts over the previous years. Since the last reporting period, data have been collected on approximately 40 additional children and 10 additional families. Participants included preschool children who were attending the university affiliated Child Development Lab (CDL) as well as preschools in the Champaign-Urbana area. Data have been collected on classroom social structures and peer behavior as well as the nature and quality of children's relationships with their parents and parent-child narrative styles. With respect to children's socioemotional behavior and adaptation, we have collected data using classroom observations of children's behavior, social network and support interviews, and sociometric interviews of peer acceptance. Teachers also rated children's behavior using two standard social behavior rating scales. Data regarding parent-child relationships and family
process were collected using laboratory procedures, home visits, and self-report questionnaires. The combined longitudinal dataset has been assembled and analyzed to test hypotheses relating to children's social behavior. Several findings contribute to the literature on how children construct beliefs about relationships. For example, our data reveal that parenting scripts derived from narrative data are significantly related to children's secure behavior during home observations. This finding supports the notion that parents who themselves have cognitions about relationships that are adaptive have children who are more likely to have a secure attachment relationship. We found this relation in two international samples as well. In addition, our classroom data reveal that children who have a mutual friend are rated by teachers and observers as more socially competent, and are less affected by small, less supportive social networks than children who do not report having a mutual friend.
Finally, our data indicate that the degree to which fathers are involved with their children on a daily basis depends on how involved their spouse wants them to be, regardless of how important fathers believe their parenting role is in their lives. However, mother involvement did not depend on their spouses rating of how involved they want her to be. This finding highlights the need to examine factors related to effective co-parenting, and perhaps the various pathways of parental influence on childrens behavior. Taken together, these data inform parenting and teacher programs designed to enhance the quality of life for children and families residing in rural and non-rural areas of Illinois.
Impacts
These data highlight the utility of using a multi-method and multi-informant approach to examining young children's social development. They also demonstrate how relationships in the home, school, and community contexts influence children's behavior in classroom settings. These data served as an empirical base for a grant proposal examining how children construct beliefs about parent and peer relationships. This four-year longitudinal project was funded by NSF's Children's Research Initiative, and data collection is now completed. The assembled longitudinal data have been used to inform teacher and parenting programs in the state of Illinois, and will be used as a base for a second NSF proposal designed to examine the transfer of mother-child and father-child relationships to children's developing belief sytems about relationships. The information obtained from this project is valuable for parent, teacher, and community outreach education programs that promote the
well-being of children and families. Additionally, workshops will be conducted with child-care teachers that focus on issues defined by the teachers as important in their centers. Finally, this project has served as a valuable research experience for over 115 undergraduate students since its conception, two doctoral students from the Department of Psychology, and as the basis of a thesis for two doctoral students in the Department of Human and Community Development.
Publications
- Szewczyk-Sokolowski, M. and Bost, K. 2005. Attachment and temperament: Relations to preschool childrens peer acceptance. Social Development.
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Data were collected on preschool children and their families that parallel data collection efforts over the previous years. Since the last reporting period, data have been collected on approximately 50 additional children and 15 additional families. Participants included preschool children who were attending the University-affiliated Child Development Lab (CDL) as well as preschools in the Champaign-Urbana area. Data have been collected on classroom social structures and peer behavior as well as the nature and quality of children's relationships with their parents and parental perceptions of their children's behavior. With respect to children's socioemotional behavior and adaptation, we have collected data using classroom observations of children's behavior, social network and support interviews, and sociometric interviews of peer acceptance. Teachers also rated children's behavior using two standard social behavior rating scales. Data regarding parent-child
relationships and family process were collected using laboratory procedures, home visits, and self-report questionnaires. The combined longitudinal dataset has been assembled and partially analyzed. Several findings contribute to the literature on family-peer relations. For example, there is considerable stability in children's socially competent behavior and perceived social networks/support over a one year period, and support from network members early in the preschool years predicts social competence with peers in subsequent years. In addition, having a mutual friend in the classroom serves as a buffer for children who report small and unsupportive social networks. Furthermore, the quality of parent-child interaction assessed in the home as well as characteristics of the neighborhood/community context in which families reside influence children's socioemotional development. Finally, parents who are more elaborative in their conversations with their children have children who are
more likely to have flexible and adaptive social problem skills. Data analyses over the last year also indicate that there are considerable differences in the relations between parent involvement and parent-child interaction for mothers and fathers. Greater father involvement was found to be significantly related to more sensitive/elaborative/guided father-child interactions whereas greater mother involvement was found to be significantly related to the child's temperament. These data inform parenting programs designed specifically to promote father involvement.
Impacts
These data highlight the utility of using a multi-method and multi-informant approach to examining young children's social development. They also demonstrate how relationships in the home, school, and community contexts influence children's behavior in classroom settings. These data served as an empirical base for a grant proposal examining how children construct beliefs about parent and peer relationships. This four-year longitudinal project was funded by NSF's Children's Research Initiative, and data collection is in the final year. The assembled longitudinal data will be used as a basis for a second NSF proposal designed to examine further mother and father differences in narrative structure while interacting with their children. The information obtained from this project is valuable for parent, teacher, and community outreach education programs that promote the well-being of children and families. Additionally, workshops will be conducted with child-care teachers
that focus on issues defined by the teachers as important in their centers. Finally, this project has served as a valuable research experience for over 100 undergraduate students since its conception and as the basis of a thesis for two doctoral students.
Publications
- Bost, K.K., Vaughn, B., Boston, A. and O'Neal, C. 2004. A longitudinal assessment of preschool children's social networks: Structural and functional changes over time. Social Development.
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Data were collected on preschool children and their families that parallel data collection efforts over the previous years. Since the last reporting period, data have been collected on approximately 100 additional children and 30 additional families. Participants included preschool children who were attending the university affiliated Child Development Lab (CDL) as well as preschools in two rural Illinois communities. Data have been collected on child social adaptation among peers as well as the nature and quality of childrens relationships with their parents. With respect to childrens socioemotional behavior and adaptation, we have collected data using classroom observations of childrens behavior, social network and support interviews, and sociometric interviews of peer acceptance. Teachers also rated childrens behavior using two standard social behavior rating scales. Data regarding parent-child relationships and family process were collected using laboratory
procedures, home visits and self-report questionnaires. The combined longitudinal dataset has been assembled and partially analyzed. Several findings contribute to the literature on family-peer relations. For example, there is considerable stability in childrens socially competent behavior and perceived social networks/support over a one year period, and support from network members early in the preschool years predicts social competence with peers in subsequent years. Furthermore, the quality of parent-child interaction assessed in the home as well as characteristics of the neighborhood/community context in which families reside influence children's socioemotional development. Finally, parents who are more elaborative in their conversations with their children have children who are more likely to have flexible and adaptive social problem skills.
Impacts
These data highlight the utility of using a multi-method and multi-informant approach to examining young children's social development. They also demonstrate how relationships in the home, school, and community contexts influence childrens behavior in classroom settings. These data served as an empirical base for a grant proposal examining how children construct beliefs about parent and peer relationships. This four-year longitudinal project was funded by NSF's Children's Research Initiative, and data collection is still in progress. The information obtained from this project is valuable for parent, teacher, and community outreach education programs that promote the well-being of children and families. Additionally, workshops will be conducted with child-care teachers that focus on issues defined by the teachers as important in their centers. Finally, this project has served as a valuable research experience for over 90 undergraduate students since its conception and
as the basis of a thesis for two doctoral students.
Publications
- Szewczyk-Sokolowski, M. and Bost, K. 2003. Attachment and temperament: Relations to preschool childrens peer acceptance. Social Development (In Revision).
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Data were collected on 80 additional preschool children and 15 additional parent-child dyads. Additionally, a new wave of longitudinal data were collected that included three home observations with mother- and father-child dyads, laboratory procedures involving memory-talks, parent-child interaction tasks, parent narrative interviews and child social problem solving tasks. These data are in the process of being decoded and analyzed. Additionally, classroom social competence data are being collected on target child for whom family observations were completed. Data analyses have revealed that children who have extensive social support networks (in rural and non-rural settings) are able to initiate and maintain competent relationships with their peers. Having mutual friendships, in turn, is significantly related to children's socio-emotional functioning in the preschool classroom. The longitudinal data will allow us to examine the specific mechanisms involved in the
relations between children's parent-child relationships, social support networks, and social competencies.
Impacts
The expected impact of this project is (1) that the findings will inform classroom teachers and other educators about the most important factors that influence children's social competence and (2) that the findings will be critical in determining the precise pieces of parent child relationships that are carried over to children's peer relationships.
Publications
- Bost, K.K., Vaughn, B.E. and Boston, A. 2002. A longitudinal investigation of children's social support networks. Social Development. Revise and Resubmit Status.
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Data were collected on preschool children and their families that parallel data collection efforts over the last four years. Participants were children who were attending the university affiliated Child Development Lab (CDL) as well as preschools in two rural Illinois communities. We have used a multi-informant, multi-method approach to obtaining data on children's social adaptation and family process. These data have included classroom observations of children's behavior, social network and support interviews, and sociometric interviews of peer acceptance. Teachers also rated children's behavior using two standard social behavior rating scales. In addition to classroom data collection, families participated in laboratory procedures, home visits and completed questionnaires regarding parenting beliefs and social resources. The combined dataset is currently being assembled and analyzed. Several findings contribute to the literature on family-peer relations. How
children perceive their social environments and social supports is significantly related to their social competence in the classroom setting. Furthermore, the quality of parent-child interaction assessed in the home and characteristics of the neighborhood/community context in which families reside influence children's socioemotional development. Finally, the ways in which parents structure their conversations with their children about past events is related to the quality of the parent-child relationship and children's social problem-solving skills.
Impacts
These data highlight multiple factors in different developmental contexts (family, community, classroom) that support the healthy development of children and families. These data served as an empirical base for a grant proposal examining how children construct beliefs about parent and peer relationships. This four-year longitudinal project was funded by NSF's Children's Research Initiative. The information obtained from this project is valuable for both parent and teacher education programs that promote the well-being of children and families. Additionally, workshops will be conducted with child-care teachers that focus on issues defined by the teachers as important in their centers. Finally, this project has served as a valuable research experience for over 60 undergraduate students since its conception and as the basis of a thesis for one doctoral student.
Publications
- BOST, K., BOSTON, A., KUHL, A. and SRAJECK, M. 2001. Parent-child memory talks and children's social competence: Linking developmental domains (In Preparation).
- BOST, K. and BOSTON, A. 2001. Father- and Mother-child memory talks and preschoolers' problem-solving abilities (In Preparation).
- BOST, K., BOSTON, A. and ROUGE, E. 2001. Social networks of children in rural and non-rural communities (In Preparation).
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/30/00
Outputs
Data were collected on preschool children and their families that parallel data collection efforts over the last three years. Participants were children who were attending the university affiliated Child Development Lab (CDL) as well as preschools in rural communities. These data included classroom observations of behavior, social network and support interviews, and sociometric interviews. Teachers also rated children's behavior using two standard social behavior rating scales. In addition to classroom data collection, families participated in laboratory procedures and home visits and completed questionnaires regarding parenting beliefs and social resources. The combined dataset is currently being analyzed. Findings reveal that the nature and structure of children's social networks are significantly related to their social adaptation and development. Furthermore, the quality of parent-child interaction and characteristics of the neighborhood/community context in which
families reside influence children's socioemotional development.
Impacts
These data highlight multiple factors in different developmental contexts (family, community, classroom) that support the healthy development of children and families. The information obtained from this project is valuable for both parent and teacher education programs that promote the well-being of children and families.
Publications
- Bost, K., Boston, A., Kuhl, A. and Srajeck, M. 2000. Parent-child memory talks and children's social competence: Linking developmental domains. (In Preparation).
- Bost, K., Boston, A. and Rouge, E. 2000. Social networks of children in rural and non-rural communities. (In Preparation).
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