The parental perspective of residential environments associated with children's self-regulation

Background

The lack of early development of self-regulation (SR) skills in children can significantly impact their future success. Multiple theories emphasize the role of the environment on child development including SR skills, with income level influencing this relationship. The research used a framework that ties together theories on environmental design and establishes a relationship between the physical environment and a child's ability to self-regulate and manage stress. Limited research exists on addressing physical environmental factors in low-income households and how these factors affect children's self-regulation.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify physical environmental factors that can help children deal with stress. The study uses Shanker's self-regulation model and the ecological model to guide the study's data collection and analysis concerning the home environment in relation to child self-regulation from the perspective of caregivers.

Method

This research qualitatively explores affordances factors in the home physical environment in relation to child self-regulation. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and included participants from different income levels and diverse ethnicities.

Findings

Fifteen affordances factors in the home environment were derived from caregivers' perspectives. The key findings of the study include: (1) The more affordance aspects applied to the home physical design, the better the design is for the child's stress management; (2) Supportive environmental factors can be used to solve hindering effects generated by the environment.