Early child care and children’s development prior to school entry: results from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care.

NICHD Early Child Care Research Network

doi:10.3102/00028312039001133

Cited by 757Early Childhood Education and DevelopmentChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional DevelopmentYouth Development and Social Support

Early child care and children’s development prior to school entry: results from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care.

NICHD Early Child Care Research Network·2002·American Educational Research Journal

DOI 10.3102/00028312039001133

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Abstract

Effects of early child care on children’s functioning at the age of 4 1 / 2 years were examined in the NICHD (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Study of Early Child Care, a prospective longitudinal study of more than 1,000 children. Even after controlling for multiple child and family characteristics, children’s development was predicted by early child-care experience. Higher-quality child care, improvements in the quality of child care, and experience in center-type arrangements predicted better pre-academic skills and language performance at 4 1 / 2 years. More hours of care predicted higher levels of behavior problems according to caregivers. Effect sizes associated with early child-care experiences were evaluated in relation to effect sizes obtained for two other well-recognized influences on early development: parenting and poverty. The findings indicated the importance (and relative independence) of quantity, quality, and type of child care for children’s development just prior to the time that children initiate formal schooling.

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Parenting behaviors such as sensitive responsiveness and warmth have been linked to a variety of advantageous outcomes in children worldwide, including language.
“These parenting behaviors have been linked to a variety of advantageous outcomes in children worldwide, 18 -21 including in language.”
From Parenting Behavior and Child Language: A Meta-analysis. (2019) · cites this paper as [21]

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Authors: NICHD Early Child Care Research Network
Corresponding author: NICHD Early Child Care Research Network
Venue: American Educational Research Journal
Publisher: American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Published: 2002-03
Volume: 39
Issue: 1
Pages: 133-164
ISSN: 0002-8312 (ISSN-L)
1935-1011
DOI: 10.3102/00028312039001133
OpenAlex: W2785970000
Cited by: 757
References: 66
Citations by year: 2026: 17 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 44 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 36
FWCI: 131.91
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: American Educational Research Journal (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Education › Early Childhood Education and Development
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
Keywords: early childhood care, child care quality, center-based child care, pre-academic skills, language development, behavioral problems, care hours, parenting, poverty, NICHD Study of Early Child Care, effect size

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Early child care and children’s development prior to school entry: results from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care.

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