Preschool Mathematics Performance and Executive Function: Rural-Urban Comparisons Across Time

This longitudinal study, with urban and rural preschool children, examines the relationship between executive function (EF) and mathematics. A panel of direct and indirect measures of EF were used to determine which EF measures were most predictive and a measure of mathematics assessed both numeracy and geometry skill. One hundred eighteen children, ages 39 to 68 months, and their preschool teachers were included, with assessments given twice, about six months apart. EF measures were compared by the amount of variance in mathematics skill each claimed, including the influence of a child’s age, gender, and rural-urban context. Results suggest the child’s age determines if a panel of direct EF measures is a better predictor of numeracy and geometry skills than the use of a single EF measure. Different EF measures were more strongly related to numeracy versus geometry at Time 1 and Time 2. Differences unrelated to income were found between rural and urban children on numeracy skill but not geometry skill. These results are particularly important to state and regional early childhood directors who work across urban and rural areas, legislators and policymakers, teachers and parents

Adolescent obesity and maternal and paternal sensitivity and monitoring

Objective . To determine if adolescent obesity is associated with parenting characterized by lower sensitivity and lower monitoring of adolescent activities. Methods . We used data from 744 adolescents in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Height and weight were measured at age 15½ years and obesity defined as body mass index ≥ 95th percentile for age and sex. Maternal and paternal sensitivity were assessed by direct observation of a parent‐adolescent interaction task. Maternal and paternal monitoring were assessed by parent report. Lower sensitivity and lower monitoring were each defined as the lowest quartiles. Two separate multivariate logistic regression models were created to evaluate, individually for mothers and fathers, associations of sensitivity and monitoring with adolescent obesity, controlling for adolescent sex and race, family income‐to‐needs ratio, and parental obesity. Results . Fourteen percent of the adolescents were obese. Lower sensitivity was associated with adolescent obesity in the maternal parenting model (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44–3.86, n = 709), but not paternal parenting model (AOR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.38–1.63, n = 460). Neither maternal nor paternal monitoring was associated with adolescent obesity (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI 0.63–1.68; AOR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.52–2.22, respectively). Conclusion . Lower maternal sensitivity, measured by direct observation of parent‐adolescent interactions, was associated with adolescent obesity. Efforts to prevent and treat childhood obesity, both at the practitioner level and the community level, may be enhanced by educating parents that their reactions to their children's behaviors may have consequences related to obesity.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93554/1/ijpo_345_sm_Appendix.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93554/2/17477166.2010.549490.pd

Maternal Feeding Practices Become More Controlling After and Not Before Excessive Rates of Weight Gain

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93708/1/oby.2009.54.pd