School of Social Work, Michigan State University, United States of America.
Child Abuse Negl. 2023 Aug;142(Pt 1):105946. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105946. Epub 2022 Nov 23.
The current study examined whether children in foster care have better cognitive and social-emotional outcomes at kindergarten age when they enroll in formal center-based care and when they receive positive parenting practices at home.
Two primary questions were addressed: (1) Do children in foster care who attended formal center-based care (including Head Start) have higher cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes than children in foster care who did not attend formal center-based care? (2) Does positive parenting practice promote better cognitive and socio-emotional outcomes?
Based on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-K: 2011 data, 299 children in foster care were selected.
Regression analyses were conducted on children's cognitive and social-emotional scores by types of children's childcare arrangements (formal vs informal care) and positive parenting practices. Active parental involvement was measured based on how frequently parents read books with their children, and authoritarian parenting discipline was measured based on whether parents spanked their children.
Children in foster care who enrolled in formal center-based childcare at pre-school age have higher cognitive and socio-emotional scores at kindergarten age. Positive parenting practice also promotes children's outcomes. Children in foster care who are both enrolled in formal center-based care and experience positive parenting practice had the most positive outcomes.
Parents raising children in foster care should be informed about the positive impacts of certain parenting practices on their children. Foster parents should be connected to available community resources, including formal-center-based preschool programs and required to continuously attend parenting classes to sustain positive impact of parenting practice on foster children.
本研究考察了在幼儿园阶段，进入正规中心式照料（包括“开端计划”）并在家中接受积极养育实践的寄养儿童，其认知和社会情感结果是否优于未接受正规中心式照料的寄养儿童。
主要提出了两个问题：（1）进入正规中心式照料（包括“开端计划”）的寄养儿童是否比未进入正规中心式照料的寄养儿童具有更高的认知和社会情感结果？（2）积极的养育实践是否能促进更好的认知和社会情感结果？
基于“儿童纵向研究-2011 年”数据，选择了 299 名寄养儿童。
通过儿童保育安排类型（正规与非正规照料）和积极养育实践，对儿童的认知和社会情感评分进行回归分析。积极的父母参与度根据父母与孩子一起阅读书籍的频率来衡量，而权威型育儿纪律则根据父母是否打孩子来衡量。
在学前阶段进入正规中心式儿童照料的寄养儿童在幼儿园阶段具有更高的认知和社会情感评分。积极的养育实践也促进了儿童的发展。同时进入正规中心式照料并体验到积极养育实践的寄养儿童具有最积极的结果。
养育寄养儿童的父母应该了解某些养育实践对孩子的积极影响。寄养父母应该获得可用的社区资源，包括正规中心式学前教育计划，并需要持续参加育儿课程，以维持养育实践对寄养儿童的积极影响。
