Classroom Engagement Mediates the Relationship Between Internalizing Behavior and Academic Outcomes in Head Start Children

Internalizing behavior in preschool children from low-income households is consistently negatively associated with academic outcomes, specifically in language/literacy and mathematics. To understand these associations, it is important to identify different mechanisms that might explain the relationship between internalizing behavior and academic outcomes. Classroom engagement is a domain-general skill that may explain this relationship. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether classroom engagement across different contexts--including peers, teachers, and tasks--mediated the relationship between internalizing behavior at the beginning of the year and language/literacy and mathematics skills at the end of the year. Structural equation modeling was used to examine this relationship in a sample of 655 Head Start preschoolers across 71 classrooms. Internalizing behavior was negatively associated with the three dimensions of classroom engagement, and language/literacy and mathematics outcomes. Additionally, classroom engagement with tasks mediated the relationship between internalizing behavior and language/literacy and mathematics skills. Findings demonstrated that engagement with tasks serves as a mechanism explaining the relationship between internalizing behavior and academic outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of children displaying internalizing behavior to be engaged with tasks in the classroom in order to improve their academic readiness skills

Examining the Role of Varying Levels of Classroom Quality for Toddlers in Early Head Start and Subsidized Child Care Programs: Understanding Threshold Effects

The Toddler Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS-T) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess the quality of teacher-child interactions in toddler classrooms. Cut-points on the CLASS-T scores are being used to determine Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) ratings of programs as high or low quality, and therefore have policy implications for program funding and for parent consumers. Despite widespread use of the CLASS-T for these purposes, few studies have examined the construct validity of the CLASS-T for use in Early Head Start (EHS) and subsidized child care programs serving low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse children and families. In addition, no studies, to date, have validated a priori cut-points that QRIS programs use in practice. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was (a) to examine the factor structure of the CLASS-T in a sample of 106 classrooms comprised of 688 ethnically and linguistically diverse toddlers attending EHS and subsidized child care programs; (b) to examine associations between the CLASS-T domain scores and child developmental skills, including language and social-emotional skills; and (c) to empirically examine the cut-points that were in use as part of the local Miami-Dade County QRIS, Quality Counts, to determine whether the a priori cut-points used in practice aligned with thresholds of classroom quality that were differentially associated with child developmental skills. Findings supported the two-factor structure of the CLASS-T, which included the following two factors: Emotional and Behavioral Support, and Engaged Support for Learning. Both linear and nonlinear relationships between CLASS-T domain scores and social-emotional skills were found, and the CLASS-T a priori cut-points used by Quality Counts were aligned with thresholds in the statistical models examining social-emotional skills. The findings of the current study were shared with local partners and implications for policy and practice are discussed

Examining the Factor Structure of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Toddler (CLASS-T) in Early Head Start and Subsidized Child Care Classrooms

Research Findings: The Classroom Assessment Scoring System Toddler (CLASS-T) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess the quality of teacher-child interactions in toddler classrooms. Despite widespread use of the CLASS-T, few studies have examined the factor structure of the CLASS-T for use in Early Head Start (EHS) and subsidized child care programs serving children from low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The purpose of the present study was (a) to examine the factor structure of the CLASS-T in a sample of 106 classrooms comprised of ethnically and linguistically diverse toddlers attending EHS and subsidized child care programs; and (b) to examine the invariance of the factor structure across classrooms in which teachers spoke predominantly English or Spanish in the classroom. Findings supported the two-factor structure of the CLASS-T, which included the Emotional and Behavioral Support and Engaged Support for Learning domains. Additionally, findings provide preliminary support for the use of the two-factor structure of the CLASS-T in linguistically diverse classrooms. Practice or Policy: Overall, research findings provide evidence for the use of the CLASS-T to measure quality within toddler classrooms that serve ethnically and linguistically diverse toddlers. Future directions and implications for both policy and practice are discussed

Bidirectional Relationship Between Language Skills and Behavior Problems in Preschool Children From Low-Income Families

The purpose of this study was to examine the longitudinal, bidirectional relationship between language skills and behavior problems in a sample of 194 preschool children enrolled in Head Start programs. Children were individually assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5, and teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist-Teacher Report 1½–5. Cross-lagged path models using a structural equation modeling approach tested the reciprocal associations between language skills and behavior problems over the preschool year. Findings supported a bidirectional relationship between internalizing behavior problems and expressive language skills. However, findings supported a unidirectional association between early receptive language skills and later internalizing behavior problems. Gender moderated the relationship between receptive and expressive language skills and internalizing behavior problems in such a way that the association was only significant for girls. Implications for early intervention and prevention efforts targeting language development and behavior problems were discussed

Adapting assessments of child engagement to develop an early childhood consultation model

This study examines the psychometric properties and utility of the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System (inCLASS) and the Adjustment Scales for Preschool Intervention (ASPI) after they were adapted for use by consultants and teachers as part of the development of a new early childhood consultation model called Learning to Objectively Observe Kids (LOOK). Pilot data examined whether the adapted inCLASS and ASPI scales retained aspects of reliability and validity comparable to the research-validated scales. Data provided evidence that consultants used the inCLASS and ASPI scales to guide their consultation. Findings from two consultants, 22 Head Start teachers, and 71 preschool children indicated that the inCLASS and ASPI scales evidenced adequate reliability and validity as compared to the research scales. Findings suggested that LOOK consultants used data to individualize the consultation sequence. Results provide support for the promise of applying research measures of child engagement to practice in teacher consultation models. •We describe the process of adapting research-validated measures for use in practice.•LOOK is a data-driven consultation model focusing on assessing child engagement.•We adapted and used two validated research tools (inCLASS and ASPI) in LOOK.•The adapted inCLASS and ASPI showed adequate reliability and construct validity.•Consultants used the assessment data to guide the LOOK consultation sequence

Teacher–Child Interaction Quality Buffers Negative Associations Between Challenging Behaviors in Preschool Classroom Contexts and Language and Literacy Skills

Guided by an ecological model, we tested whether teacher–child interaction quality buffered the negative associations between challenging behavior within preschool classroom contexts and language and literacy skills. Associations were examined for a sample of children enrolled an urban Head Start program ( N = 304 children across 53 classrooms). Findings from multilevel models supported direct associations between challenging behaviors within preschool learning contexts and language outcomes. Higher instructional support was associated with higher language and literacy outcomes for all children within classrooms regardless of behavioral risk. Higher classroom organization was directly associated with higher classroom literacy skills. Emotional support moderated associations between challenging behaviors in teacher contexts and literacy outcomes. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed

EXTENDING THE VALIDITY OF THE FAMILY INVOLVEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE–SHORT FORM FOR CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE FAMILIES FROM LOW‐INCOME BACKGROUNDS

The construct validity of the Family Involvement Questionnaire–Short Form (FIQ‐SF) was examined in an independent sample of ethnically and linguistically diverse low‐income families (N = 498) enrolled in an urban Head Start program in the Southeast. A series of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses replicated the three‐factor structure identified in initial validation studies with Northeast samples: home‐school conferencing, home‐based involvement, and school‐based involvement. Findings from multiple group confirmatory factor analyses provided evidence that the three‐factor structure was invariant across family ethnicity. multivariate analyses of variance also confirmed hypothesized mean differences on FIQ‐SF dimension scores across family demographic variables such as caregiver ethnicity, primary home language, caregiver education, employment, and marital status. Findings replicate and extend prior construct validity evidence to support the use of the FIQ‐SF by early childhood education programs such as Head Start serving diverse families from low‐income backgrounds. Implications for future research, practice, and policy applications in early childhood are discussed

Teacher-child interaction quality moderates social risks associated with problem behavior in preschool classroom contexts

Guided by an ecological model, the study examined the extent to which domains of teacher-child interaction quality moderated associations between early problem behavior within preschool classroom contexts and social competence. A series of multilevel models were estimated using data from a sample of ethnically and linguistically diverse children from low-income backgrounds (N = 937, children across 53 classrooms). Findings from multilevel models supported direct associations between problem behavior within classroom structured learning, teacher, and peer contexts, and social competence outcomes. Higher classroom organization was directly associated with reductions in disruptive peer play in the classroom at the end of the year. However, cross-level interactions indicated that both higher organizational and instructional support were beneficial in buffering the risks to social competence for children entering preschool exhibiting problem behavior within the peer context. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed. •Classroom problem behavior assessed in ecological context.•Early teacher-rated problems in context associated with peer play outcomes.•Teacher-child interaction quality direct and indirect associations with peer play.•Classroom organization associated with lower play disruption.•Classroom organization and instructional support moderated associations between peer problems and negative play outcomes

Development and initial validation of the Spanish form of the adjustment scales for preschool intervention (ASPI)

The purpose of the study was to develop and validate a Spanish language form of the Adjustment Scales for Preschool Intervention (ASPI) for use by early childhood teachers. A multi-step, mixed method adaptation and translation process of the English form was used to increase the cultural relevance, linguistic comparability, and metric equivalence of the measure in its Spanish language form. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in a diverse sample of preschool children from low-income families (N = 4077) revealed two higher order behavioral dimensions of Overactivity and Underactivity. ASPI dimension scores across Spanish and English language forms were horizontally equated through IRT. Criterion-related validity using multilevel models was established through concurrent associations with social, emotional, behavioral, and academic readiness skills. Policy and practice applications, and future directions for the use of scale scores are discussed