Toddlers’ peer engagement in Swiss childcare: contribution of individual and contextual characteristics
Loading...
Authors
Author (Corporation)
Publication date
29.04.2021
Type of student thesis
Course of study
Type
01A - Journal article
Editors
Editor (Corporation)
Supervisor
Parent work
European Journal of Psychology of Education
Special issue
DOI of the original publication
Link
Related research data
Series
Series number
Volume
37
Issue / Number
Pages / Duration
627-648
Patent number
Publisher / Publishing institution
Springer
Place of publication / Event location
Edition
Version
Programming language
Assignee
Practice partner / Client
Abstract
The present study observed 86 three-year-old children (M = 43.7, SD = 6.4) from 15 Swiss childcare groups, to investigate multiple individual and contextual contributions to toddlers’ positive engagement with peers. The children’s individual characteristics (age, sex and social skills) and childcare-related predictors (emotional and behavioural support from caregivers, and structural group features) were assessed. We employed the child-by-environment perspective and tested the hypothesis that high-quality behavioural and emotional support provided by caregivers benefits children with deficits in social abilities. Results of the multilevel structural equation modelling indicated that toddlers rated by caregivers as sociable and assertive showed more positive situation-specific peer engagement, especially with a concomitant higher quality of caregiver emotional and behavioural support. By contrast, being prosocial-cooperative was negatively associated with observed peer engagement. Thus, children’s social skills were found to be the most important factor for peer engagement in childcare settings. Important suggestions for future research are made, and practical implications are discussed.
Keywords
Teacher–child interactions, Social skills, Peer engagement, Peer interaction, Child-by- environment perspective, Childcare quality
Subject (DDC)
Event
Exhibition start date
Exhibition end date
Conference start date
Conference end date
Date of the last check
ISBN
ISSN
0256-2928
1878-5174
1878-5174
Language
English
Created during FHNW affiliation
No
Strategic action fields FHNW
Publication status
Published
Review
Peer review of the complete publication
Open access category
Hybrid
License
Citation
Diebold, T., & Perren, S. (2021). Toddlers’ peer engagement in Swiss childcare: contribution of individual and contextual characteristics. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 37, 627–648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-021-00552-2