Christine M. McWayne

Preschool competency in context: an investigation of the unique contribution of child competencies to early academic success.

The present concurrent study combined developmental and ecological considerations to examine the unique contribution of multiple preschool competencies to an indicator of early academic success. Participants included 195 Head Start children from 32 classrooms representative of a large, urban Head Start program. Dimensional (variable-centered) analyses revealed 3 distinct classroom competency dimensions (i.e., General Classroom Competencies, Specific Approaches to Learning, and Interpersonal Classroom Behavioral Problems). The first 2 of these dimensions were found to be uniquely associated with early academic success. Findings from typological (person-centered) analyses supported the dimensional findings. Typological analyses revealed 7 profiles of classroom competency distinguished by high scores on the dimensions of General Competencies and Approaches to Learning, and these profiles were found to relate differentially to the indicator of early academic success.

A multidimensional, multilevel examination of mother and father involvement among culturally diverse Head Start families

In this study we examined the relationships between family demographics and level of satisfaction with school contact as possible determinants of multiple dimensions of family involvement in early childhood education. Participants included 171 urban, Head Start parents (108 mothers and 63 fathers). Results revealed that for mothers, having less than a high school education was negatively associated with levels of home-school conferencing. For fathers, primary language spoken in the home was associated with both levels of home-school conferencing and school-based involvement, with Polish- and Spanish-speaking fathers participating less compared with their English-speaking counterparts. In addition, fathers of boys reported higher levels of home-school conferencing. Involvement at school was significantly associated with level of satisfaction with school contact for both mothers and fathers. Multilevel analyses revealed parent gender and satisfaction as the most salient predictors of involvement at the level of the family. Implications for future research, as well as family involvement practice and policy, are discussed.

Validation of a multidimensional assessment of parenting styles for low-income African-American families with preschool children

Abstract This study examined the construct and concurrent validity of the Parenting Behavior Questionnaire-Head Start (PBQ-HS), a modification of the PBQ ( Hart, Nelson, Robinson, Olsen, & McNeilly-Choque, 1998 ), with low-income African-American families with preschoolers. The study also investigated whether parenting styles differed by caregiver characteristics. The sample included 465 primary caregivers of urban Head Start children. Factor analyses yielded Active–Responsive, Active–Restrictive, and Passive–Permissive parenting dimensions. Concurrent validity data on Limit-Setting, Warmth, and Directiveness revealed similarities between the Active–Responsive and Active–Restrictive dimensions and Baumrind’s authoritative and authoritarian dimensions, respectively. The Passive–Permissive dimension and Baumrind’s permissive style differed. Low education levels and single parenthood were associated with Active–Restrictive and Passive–Permissive parenting. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Father Involvement and Children’s Early Learning: A Critical Review of Published Empirical Work from the Past 15 Years

ABSTRACT Parent involvement research predominantly focuses on the involvement of mothers in childrens educational experiences, and rarely speaks to the role of the “other” parent – fathers. Yet, there is building interest in the role that fathers play in childrens development, and how this role may be especially salient during early childhood and the transition into formal schooling. This review critically evaluates father involvement literature from 1990 to 2005 within this early childhood population. In particular, it provides systematic evidence that to some degree researchers have been responsive to recent critiques, and lays out a path of sampling, methodological and conceptual challenges still left to be tackled.

A Variable- and Person-Oriented Investigation of Preschool Competencies and Head Start Children's Transition to Kindergarten and First Grade

The present longitudinal study employed two distinctive approaches (variable-oriented and person-oriented) to examine low-income childrens academic and social functioning across the important transition from pre-k to first grade. Participants included 152 former urban Head Start children. Variable-oriented and person-oriented approaches were hypothesized to contribute complementary information for purposes of whole-child assessment. Analyses revealed distinct and significant relationships between the variable-oriented preschool dimensions and person-oriented profiles and kindergarten and first grade outcomes. Findings support the use of both approaches for analyzing the interactive and predictive relationships of social and cognitive skills during early childhood. Implications for early intervention practice and policy are discussed.

Validation of a culture-contextualized measure of family engagement in the early learning of low-income Latino children.

Given the increased numbers of Latino children entering the U.S. educational system, there is a need to develop culturally contextualized models to understand the ways Latino parents participate in and support their childrens school experiences. Current tools used to measure family engagement have been developed primarily with monolingual English-speaking European American families and thus might not accurately capture the engagement behaviors unique to other ethnic and linguistic groups. The present study builds upon prior mixed-methods research, involving a total of 763 Latino parents, which employed an emic approach to understand family engagement conceptualizations for a pan-Latino population and to develop a new measure for use with this heterogeneous group. In this follow-up study, we examined, with an additional 463 Latino caregivers, the construct validity of a revised 43-item measure across 2 language versions: Parental Engagement of Families from Latino Backgrounds (PEFL-English) and Participación Educativa de Familias Latinas (PEFL-Spanish). The 4 dimensions of family engagement empirically identified in the prior development study were confirmed with this multicity, independent sample of low-income Latino families. Family engagement dimensions demonstrated relations with recency of immigration, home language, employment, education, and caregiver age, as well as caregiver-reported levels of social support. Findings are discussed with respect to future directions for early childhood research and practice.

Methodological considerations in using complex survey data: an applied example with the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey.

Complex survey data are collected by means other than simple random samples. This creates two analytical issues: nonindependence and unequal selection probability. Failing to address these issues results in underestimated standard errors and biased parameter estimates. Using data from the nationally representative Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES; 1997 and 2000 cohorts), three diverse multilevel models are presented that illustrate differences in results depending on addressing or ignoring the complex sampling issues. Limitations of using complex survey data are reported, along with recommendations for reporting complex sample results.

Ecocultural Patterns of Family Engagement Among Low-Income Latino Families of Preschool Children

For the 5 million low-income Latino children in the United States who are disproportionately impacted by the numerous risk factors associated with poverty, it is essential to identify proximal protective factors that mitigate these risks and bolster the academic and social skills that are foundational to a successful transition into formal schooling. Using ecocultural theory as a lens to guide this work, the present study: (a) described patterns of culture-contextualized family engagement among a low-income, Latino sample, and (b) examined relations between these patterns, family demographic factors, and childrens language and social skills in preschool. Across Spanish and English language subsamples, we found evidence that there is heterogeneity in patterns of family engagement within and across language groups, such that different forms of family engagement defined the high engagement profiles in particular. We also found that demographic factors (such as child gender, family structure, and parental education and employment) predicted these patterns differentially across language groups, and that these patterns related to childrens social and language skills in meaningful ways. Findings provide directions for future research, theory, and practice with this heterogeneous cultural group. (PsycINFO Database Record

Examination of the Family Involvement Questionnaire-Early Childhood (FIQ-EC) with Low-Income, Latino Families of Young Children.

Given the growing numbers of Latino children entering the U.S. educational system, there is a need to understand the ways Latino parents support their childrens early education. However, tools used to measure family engagement have been developed primarily with middle-income, English-speaking European American families in the United States. The present study builds upon prior empirical work with the Family Involvement Questionnaire-Early Childhood (FIQ-EC), a multidimensional scale developed for use with culturally diverse low-income families of young children. With a cross-site sample of 450 Latino parents of children in preschool through first grade, construct validity of the FIQ-EC was examined using Rasch methods and expert panel review. Results from Rasch analyses provided further support for the reliability of the factors comprising the FIQ-EC, as well as provided nuanced information regarding item and person functioning for this Latino sample. These results, in combination with expert panel reviews, suggested avenues for further item development when using this scale with low-income, Latino families. The current study has implications for validating measurement tools for use with diverse populations and also provides some clues about the role low-income, Latino families play in their childrens schooling for consideration in future research.

The Influence of Ethnic Match on Latino School-Based Family Engagement

Research has shown that the school-based engagement of Latino families is lower compared with other racial and ethnic groups. One possible barrier to school-based engagement of this heterogeneous group of families might be the lack of cultural match between families and schools. Addressing this under-researched area, the current study examined ethnic match between Latino caregivers and teachers at seven Head Start centers in a large urban area in the Northeast. Participants were 294 Latino caregivers with children enrolled in Head Start programs and 37 Head Start teachers. Using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), findings indicated that ethnic match (defined by whether a caregiver and the Head Start teacher both identified as Latino) was significantly associated with teacher-rated family engagement. Having a Latino teacher explained a significant amount of the variance in school-based family engagement, beyond that accounted for by caregiver and teacher education. Implications for Head Start’s recruitment and training of teachers are discussed.