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ERIC Number: ED656141
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0885-2006
EISSN: N/A
Patterns of Cognitive and Social-Emotional Parental Stimulation Practices among Ghanaian Kindergarteners
Noelle M. Suntheimer; Emily M. Weiss; Esinam Ami Avornyo; Sharon Wolf
Grantee Submission, Early Childhood Research Quarterly v68 p203-213 2024
Across geographically diverse samples, engagement in stimulating activities with young children is considered an important element of parenting that promotes cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional development. Indicators of stimulation activities are often summed, based on the assumption that more stimulation is better and that different stimulating activities are equivalent. Instead, this study takes a household-centered analytic approach, applying latent class analysis to detect patterns of parental stimulation practices across six activities. We then examine predictors of the resultant latent classes and their implications for children's school readiness among a sample of Ghanaian kindergarteners (N = 2,117; M[subscript age] = 5.2 years; 51% male). Results support a 4-class solution that represents (i) Highly Stimulating; (ii) Social-emotionally Stimulating; (iii) Playful; and (iv) Playful and Academically Stimulating households. Multiple child and family characteristics differentially predict latent class membership, although class membership did not differentially predict children's literacy, numeracy, executive function, or social-emotional skills. Findings suggest that all combinations of parental stimulation are equivalently promotive of children's school-related skills and help reify a strengths-based perspective. The results deepen our understanding of the different configurations of parental stimulation and suggest that a tailored approach to parenting programs may be beneficial. Programs can build on activities that parents already do (e.g., social-emotional) to encourage increased stimulation in other areas (e.g., academic).
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Adult Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ghana
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305B200035