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Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures
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Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Behavior, Chronic Disease and Health Promotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 June 2022) | Viewed by 18921

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yaoying Xu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1015 West Main St., Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Interests: social interaction; peer tutoring; school readiness; English learners; language development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Kathleen Moritz Rudasill

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Education and Human Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1015 West Main St., Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Interests: temperament; teacher-child relationships; classroom quality; classroom interactions; school belonging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chin-Chih Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Counseling and Special Education, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1015 West Main St., Richmond, VA 23284, USA
Interests: social-emotional development; problem behavior; classroom interactions; peer dynamics; context-based intervention; school adjustment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Early childhood is a critical period for the development of social–emotional skills. Young children’s social–emotional development relates to their other developmental areas. As such, early childhood programs and interventions that emphasize or target children’s social and emotional learning are gaining attention in research and practice. However, children’s social–emotional development is not necessarily linear and it is culturally relevant. Therefore, caution must be taken when a practice is considered evidence-based to avoid implicit bias towards a specific culture. This Special Issue is focused on the programs, interventions, strategies, and practices that demonstrate support for children’s social–emotional learning and development across the early childhood epoch (ages 0–8 years) within different cultural contexts. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s social–emotional development is also addressed. 

Prof. Dr. Yaoying Xu
Prof. Dr. Kathleen Moritz Rudasill
Prof. Dr. Chin-Chih Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social–emotional
  • early childhood
  • cultural relevance
  • cultural bias
  • evidence-based practices

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1450 KiB  
Article
Transactions between Problem Behaviors and Academic Performance in Early Childhood
by Chin-Chih Chen, Sheng-Lun Cheng, Yaoying Xu, Kathleen Rudasill, Reed Senter, Fa Zhang, Melissa Washington-Nortey and Nikki Adams
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159583 - 4 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1929
Abstract
This study aimed to further the understanding of transactional relationships that exist between problem behaviors and academic performance in early childhood. Early academic and behavior difficulties increase the risk of school disengagement, academic failure, and dropout. Although children’s academic and behavioral difficulties have [...] Read more.
This study aimed to further the understanding of transactional relationships that exist between problem behaviors and academic performance in early childhood. Early academic and behavior difficulties increase the risk of school disengagement, academic failure, and dropout. Although children’s academic and behavioral difficulties have been shown to be intercorrelated, little research has focused on how the relationship reciprocates and progresses in early childhood. This study investigated how problem behaviors (i.e., externalizing and internalizing) influence and are influenced by academic performance (i.e., poor reading and math) from kindergarten to third grade. Participants included 18,135 students (51.22% boys) derived from a nationally representative sample in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2011 (ECLS-K: 2011). Teacher ratings of children’s internalizing (low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, or sadness) and externalizing (fighting, arguing, showing anger, impulsively acting, and disruptive behaviors) problem behaviors, as well as direct assessments of children’s academic performance (reading and math), were collected yearly. Cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) was employed to examine reciprocal relationships between problem behaviors and academic performance over time from kindergarten to third grade. The results supported the transactional relationships in early childhood, with higher externalizing as well as internalizing problem behaviors predicting lower academic performance and lower academic performance predicting higher externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. The implications for research, prevention, and early intervention regarding the progression of academic and behavioral problems are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)
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11 pages, 363 KiB  
Article
Early Teacher–Child Relationships Promote Self-Regulation Development in Prekindergarten
by Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Ibrahim Acar and Yaoying Xu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8802; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148802 - 20 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1581
Abstract
Children’s experiences during the prekindergarten period are critical for shaping their emerging self-regulation skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of teacher–child relationship quality to children’s performance on a self-regulation task at the end of prekindergarten. Teachers rated the [...] Read more.
Children’s experiences during the prekindergarten period are critical for shaping their emerging self-regulation skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of teacher–child relationship quality to children’s performance on a self-regulation task at the end of prekindergarten. Teachers rated the conflict, closeness, and dependency in their relationships with 104 children in the fall of prekindergarten, and children’s self-regulation was independently measured with a visual attention task in the spring of prekindergarten. In addition, teachers and parents rated children’s temperamental self-regulation (i.e., effortful control). Results indicate that greater teacher–child dependency predicted children’s longer time on the visual attention task, and greater teacher–child closeness predicted children’s lower accuracy on the visual attention task. In addition, children who were rated as more self-regulated by parents were more accurate on the visual attention task. The implications of the results are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)
11 pages, 318 KiB  
Article
A University and Community-Based Partnership: After-School Mentoring Activities to Support Positive Mental Health for Children Who Are Refugees
by Laura A. Nabors, Tina L. Stanton-Chapman and Filiberto Toledano-Toledano
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6328; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106328 - 23 May 2022
Viewed by 1960
Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine mentors’ perceptions of a pilot service-learning program designed to provide activities to promote the self-esteem and positive development of elementary school-age children who were refugees. Activities were designed to promote self-esteem, self-confidence, social skills development, [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to examine mentors’ perceptions of a pilot service-learning program designed to provide activities to promote the self-esteem and positive development of elementary school-age children who were refugees. Activities were designed to promote self-esteem, self-confidence, social skills development, and problem-solving. College students completed reflection journals to record their perceptions of mentoring and what the children were learning and experiencing. The results indicated that mentors believed the children were learning ideas to improve their self-esteem and social development. Mentors’ impressions were corroborated by reports about the program from staff who worked with the children daily. Involving parents in programming, may have extended the reach of program efforts. Some children may have benefited from evaluations to determine if counseling would benefit them, given the trauma history they and their family members were potentially facing. This was a pilot program implementation study, and a limitation is that data from youth and parents about mental health outcomes were lacking. In the future, assessing perceptions of children, involving their caregivers in programming, and then assessing their caregivers’ perceptions of the impact of the program on children’s self-esteem and social and emotional functioning will provide critical information about program success and information for program development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)
13 pages, 2988 KiB  
Article
Emotions, Strategies, and Health: Examining the Impact of an Educational Program on Tanzanian Preschool Children
by Lauren E. Kauffman, Elizabeth A. Dura and Dina L. G. Borzekowski
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 5884; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105884 - 12 May 2022
Viewed by 1965
Abstract
Around the world, well-produced television programming can engage vulnerable, hard-to-reach audiences by offering informal education and enrichment. Akili and Me is an animated children’s educational program available in Sub-Saharan Africa that provides age and culturally appropriate lessons. In 2018, the producers created socio-emotional [...] Read more.
Around the world, well-produced television programming can engage vulnerable, hard-to-reach audiences by offering informal education and enrichment. Akili and Me is an animated children’s educational program available in Sub-Saharan Africa that provides age and culturally appropriate lessons. In 2018, the producers created socio-emotional and health content. This study examines the relationship between children’s exposure to the new Akili and Me content and socio-emotional and health outcomes. Participants included low-income school children (mean age 5.32 years, SD = 0.82) from Arusha, Tanzania. Researchers conducted one-on-one baseline and post-intervention surveys with each participant. Over 12 weeks, the children attended afterschool sessions with screenings of Akili and Me, with distinct content screened on different days. The research team recorded children’s attendance and assessed children’s receptivity to the program through character identification. Using MLM regression models with data from 411 participants from 10 public schools, the analyses showed that a greater exposure and receptivity to Akili and Me predicted improved outcomes scores on the socio-emotional and health outcomes, controlling for sex, age, baseline scores, and general media receptivity (non-Akili and Me characters). Contributing to the literature on educational media, this study shows that exposure to an animated program can teach vulnerable preschool children socio-emotional and health content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)
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13 pages, 316 KiB  
Article
Identifying and Minimizing Errors in the Measurement of Early Childhood Development: Lessons Learned from the Cognitive Testing of the ECDI2030
by Claudia Cappa, Nicole Petrowski, Elga Filipa De Castro, Emily Geisen, Patricia LeBaron, Betania Allen-Leigh, Jean Marie Place and Paul J. Scanlon
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 12181; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212181 - 20 Nov 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3761
Abstract
Challenges in measuring early childhood development (ECD) at scale have been documented, yet little is known about the specific difficulties related to questionnaire design and question interpretation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges of measuring ECD at scale in [...] Read more.
Challenges in measuring early childhood development (ECD) at scale have been documented, yet little is known about the specific difficulties related to questionnaire design and question interpretation. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges of measuring ECD at scale in the context of household surveys and to show how to overcome them. The paper uses examples from the cognitive interviewing exercises that were conducted as part of the methodological work to develop a measure of ECD outcomes, the ECDI2030. It describes the methodological work carried out to inform the selection and improvement of question items and survey implementation tools as a fundamental step to reduce and mitigate systematic measurement error and improve data quality. The project consisted of a total of five rounds of testing, comprising 191 one-on-one, in-depth cognitive interviews across six countries (Bulgaria, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Uganda, and the USA). Qualitative data analysis methods were used to determine matches and mismatches between intention of items and false positives or false negative answers among subgroups of respondents. Key themes emerged that could potentially lead to systematic measurement error in population-based surveys on ECD: (1) willingness of child to perform task versus ability of child to perform task; (2) performing task versus performing task correctly; (3) identifying letters or numbers versus recognizing letters or numbers; (4) consistently performing task versus correctly performing task; (5) applicability of skills being asked versus observability of skills being asked; and (6) language production versus language comprehension. Through an iterative process of testing and subsequent revision, improvements were made to item wording, response options, and interviewer training instructions. Given the difficulties inherent in population-level data collection in the context of global monitoring, this study’s findings confirm the importance of cognitive testing as a crucial step in careful, culturally relevant, and sensitive questionnaire design and as a means to reduce response bias in cross-cultural contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)
11 pages, 296 KiB  
Article
Participation in Play and Leisure Activities of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Children in Taiwan: A Preliminary Study
by Chi-Ching Huang and Lin-Ju Kang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 5787; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115787 - 27 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3390
Abstract
Participation in enjoyable activities is essential for the health and development of young children with and without disabilities. For preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is limited knowledge regarding their participation in play, learning, recreation, and social activities. This was a [...] Read more.
Participation in enjoyable activities is essential for the health and development of young children with and without disabilities. For preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is limited knowledge regarding their participation in play, learning, recreation, and social activities. This was a preliminary study that compares the participation between children 2–6 years of age with ASD (n = 25) and age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) (n = 25) children. The Chinese version of the Assessment of Preschool Children’s Participation (APCP-C) measures participation in play, skill development, active physical recreation, and social activities. Parents of the children in this study completed the APCP-C by structured interview. The results showed that children with ASD had lower participation diversity and intensity than TD children in play activities. A lower percentage of children participating in individual activity was found for children with ASD than TD children in most APCP-C activities. Professionals that serve young children with special needs are encouraged to partner with parents to provide playful and socially enhancing activities for preschool children with ASD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)

Review

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16 pages, 617 KiB  
Review
Informal STEM Learning for Young Children: A Systematic Literature Review
by Suzanne Alexandre, Yaoying Xu, Melissa Washington-Nortey and Chinchih Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8299; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148299 - 7 Jul 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2974
Abstract
Studies show that children spend considerable time engaged in informal learning outside of educational settings. Informal educational settings such as museums can provide a variety of opportunities to engage children in STEM learning and scientific discovery, which can increase school readiness. Research has [...] Read more.
Studies show that children spend considerable time engaged in informal learning outside of educational settings. Informal educational settings such as museums can provide a variety of opportunities to engage children in STEM learning and scientific discovery, which can increase school readiness. Research has also determined an achievement gap in students from low socio-economic backgrounds and in students who are dual language learners. The literature shows that this gap begins even before children enter formal schooling. This systematic review serves two purposes: to explore the impact of informal STEM learning (ISL) on school readiness and to examine the relationship between ISL and children’s social-emotional development, particularly in children who are dual language learners. Using PRISMA procedures, we identified 36 eligible studies in this systematic review. The findings illuminate the important role of parents and/or caregivers and the quality of design and interventions used at ISL sites, such as museums and zoos, on how ISL can impact school readiness for preschoolers. No research was found to specifically address the impact of ISL on school readiness for children who are dual language learners. The implications from the findings suggest that further research is needed on ISL for young children, particularly considering the dearth in research on young dual language learners. The implications further suggest that parents, ISL site designers, facilitators, and educators can benefit from learning about the impact of ISL on school readiness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social–Emotional Development and Learning in Early Childhood across Cultures)
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