Impact of daycare on aggressiveness

NEGATIVE EFFECTS:
1. NICHD Longitudinal Study
  1. Conducted in the US since 1991, involving over 1,000 children from diverse backgrounds.
    1. At age 5, children who had been in day care were rated as more assertive, disobedient and aggressive. Children in full time care (30+ hrs) were three times more likely to show behavioural problems.
NICHD results could show day care is not necessarily associated with aggressiveness. 83% of children attending day care for less than 30 hours did not show higher levels of aggression (Friedman)
1. NICHD data also shows that the mother's sensitivity to her child was a better indicator of reported problem behaviours than the time spent in day care (less sensitivity = more behaviour problems)
  1. Research does not demonstrate that day care has caused behavioural problems, only that there is a correlation between the two
Mediating factors: Quality of care (NICHD)
1. Lack of commitment from parents
2. Individual differences
  1. Number of hours spent in day care
3. Child's age (it is said if a child starts day care before 18 months they are more likely to show negative effects

Resource summary

	Created by katie errington almost 9 years ago