Effects of Children's Negative Emotionality and Maternal Parenting Behaviors on Adaptation to Early Childhood Programs: Focusing on Mediation Effects of Effortful Control

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of young children''s negative emotionality and maternal parenting behaviors on their adaptation to child care centers and kindergartens and to examine the mediating role of their effortful control. Participants were 364 children aged 4-5, their mothers and teachers. Children''s effortful control was measure by the Red-green sign task and reports of mothers and teachers. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine pathways from children''s negative emotionality and parenting behaviors of their mother to their early childhood program adaptation through their effortful control. The major results of this study revealed that young children’s negative emotionality and maternal parenting behaviors had indirect effects on their adaptation to early childhood programs through their effortful control measured by a structured task; direct pathways from children''s negative emotionality and parenting behaviors of their mothers to their adaptation were not found. It was implied that young children’s effortful control played a mediating role not only in the process in which negative emotionality had effects on their adaptation to early childhood programs but also in the process in which maternal parenting behaviors have effects on the adaptation. Further, this study has a significant meaning in that it elucidated that young children’s effortful control can manifest itself differently depending on contexts and circumstances.