Search

• Gender impacts early language development and academic outcomes in China. • Children in peri-urban communities have worse language outcomes than rural children. • Findings support a gender gap in language development in peri-urban China. In rural China, there exists a gender gap in academic achievement where girls outperform boys, suggesting similar differences in early language development. Moreover, recent research has revealed that children in peri-urban communities have worse language outcomes than children in rural communities. This study examines the impact of gender on early language development in low-SES, peri-urban Chinese communities. Data from 81 children (56.79% boys) aged 18-24 months (M age = 21.16) living in peri-urban China were collected using two caregiver-reported tests for child language development and ability, and language environment analysis technology for measuring the home language environment. Results show that in peri-urban communities, girls were generally exposed to more adult-child conversations and showed higher counts of vocalizations than did boys; girls scored higher on language development measures than did boys. The implications of these findings on the gender gap and child development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Black/Latino(a) & White Racial/Ethnic wealth gaps persist in the COVID-19 pandemic. • Substantial racial/ethnic disparities exist in family material hardship experiences. • Higher income did not equitably protect Black & Latino(a) families from hardship. • Addressing racial/ethnic wealth gaps is key to equitable early childhood development. The long-existing racial/ethnic wealth gaps in the U.S. persist during the COVID-19 pandemic due to income inequalities and other structural racism experiences, which may contribute to racial/ethnic disparities in material hardship experiences. This study examined material hardship disparities and factors that may contribute to racial/ethnic wealth gaps among U.S. families with young children during the pandemic. Using survey data collected from a large national study among parents of children under six years old between April 2020 and October 2022 (N = 6,903; 7.23 % Black, 12.33 % Hispanic/Latino[a]; 29.03 % below 200 % FPL), this study revealed factors that substantially contributed to racial/ethnic wealth gaps, including debt, home ownership, income changes, and discrimination experiences. Moreover, Black and Hispanic/Latino(a) households of middle-to-higher-income levels reported more material hardships than White households with similar income, suggesting that higher income levels could not fully compensate for the systemic, generationally accumulated wealth gaps or equitably protect families of color from hardships in the pandemic. Although not directly studying the total wealth amount, this study provided compelling evidence for racial/ethnic structural inequalities in the wealth accumulation processes and hardship experiences, highlighting the pervasive economic vulnerability among not only lower-income households, but also middle-to-higher-income Black and Hispanic/Latino(a) families with young children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Executive functioning at preschool entry is positively related to school readiness skill gains. • Children's negative classroom engagement is negatively associated with school readiness gains. • Observed positive task engagement positively predicts teacher-reported learning approaches. • Negative classroom engagement may underlie executive functioning—school readiness linkage. This study investigated links of executive functioning to gains in school readiness skills and explored the mediating role of children's behavioral engagement in the PreK classroom. We collected direct assessments of executive functioning (EF) and observations of behavioral engagement for 767 children (mean age 52.63 months) from racially/ethnically diverse, low-income backgrounds three times over the PreK year. We also measured school readiness in the domains of language, literacy, and math using direct assessments and collected teacher-report measures of socialemotional-behavioral skills and approaches to learning. Our analyses addressed the following three research questions: 1) To what extent does children's EF predict school readiness skill gains during PreK? 2) To what extent does children's behavioral engagement in PreK classrooms predict school readiness skill gains? 3) To what extent does behavioral engagement mediate the relation of EF with school readiness skill gains? We observed that EF was positively related to gains in language, math, and approaches to learning. Regarding behavioral engagement, Negative Classroom Engagement was negatively related to gains in literacy, math, social-emotionalbehavioral skills, and approaches to learning while Positive Task Engagement was positively related to gains in approaches to learning. Negative Classroom Engagement significantly mediated the effects of EF on gains in the domains of literacy, socialemotional-behavioral skills, and approaches to learning. We describe implications of these findings for promoting children's ability to learn and thrive in PreK contexts with a focus on their engagement with teachers, peers, and learning activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze trends in breastfeeding and complementary feeding indicators for infants and young children receiving primary health care (PHC) services in Brazil, considering the contextual aspects of local nurturing care (NC) environments. Ecological time-series study. Ten feeding indicators were extracted from 1,055,907 food intake records of children aged <2 years reported by PHC facilities from 2015 to 2019. Local NC environments were assessed with the Brazilian Early Childhood Friendly Municipal Index, calculating overall and stratified scores for the NC domains of adequate nutrition, good health, opportunities for early learning, and security and safety. Prais–Winsten regression was used to calculate annual percent changes (APC) by sex and the contrast in APC between the lower and upper quintiles of NC scores. Positive or negative APC with P -values <0.05 represented increasing or decreasing trends. No significant trends of exclusive and continued breastfeeding, food introduction, or minimum dietary diversity were observed, with 2019 prevalences of 54.5%, 45.2%, 92.5%, and 78.2%, respectively. Increasing trends were observed for mixed milk feeding (2019: 19.2%; APC, +2.42%) and minimum meal frequency (2019: 61.1%; APC, +2.56%), while decreasing trends were observed for sweet beverage consumption (2019: 31.9%; APC, −5.92%) and unhealthy foods (2019: 16.1%; APC, −4.69%). Indicator improvements were significantly stronger in environments more favorable for NC. Although the indicators did not meet global targets for infant feeding practices, the results suggest that the local NC environment encompasses facilitators that may be strategic in the design of early childhood programs and policies to improve nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Using data from three waves of Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys (2010-2020), we identified three patterns of child development in low- and middle-income countries: Learning Challenged but On Track for Physical and Social-emotional Development; Academically Challenged, but Approaches-to-Learning Competent, On Track for Physical and Social-emotional Development; and Competent across All Domains. • Three predictors at the microlevel showed sizable associations with the class membership of child development: preschool attendance, number of books at home, and maternal education. • Early childhood policy in low- and middle-income countries needs to go beyond a one-size-fits-one approach and tailor resources to meet varying needs and promote child development. Investing in early childhood development (ECD) is critical for individual and societal development. Variable-centered research on ECD has shown that family wealth, maternal education, and parenting practices predict childhood outcomes overall. However, little is known about differences in the ECD patterns and their predictors. This study examined the latent classes of ECD using data from three waves of the Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in 29 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) between 2010 and 2020 (MICS 4, 5, and 6) and identified their predictors at different ecological levels. The total sample size for analyses was 226,374 (n MICS4 = 70,082, n MICS5 = 91,652, n MICS6 = 64,640; M age = 47.23(months), SD age = 6.87). Three classes, Learning Challenged but On Track for Physical and Social-emotional Development, Academically Challenged but Approaches-to-Learning Competent, On Track for Physical and Social-emotional Development , and Competent across All Domains , were consistently identified across MICS 4–6 using latent class analysis. Three variables, all at the microsystem level, predicted class membership with acceptable effect sizes in one or more waves of the MICS data: preschool attendance, number of books at home, and maternal education. The study has implications for future research and the development of policies aimed at monitoring and supporting ECD in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Children experience unequal environments and development prior to primary school • Pre-primary quality, home stimulation, and early childhood development are studied • Outcomes by socioeconomic status are examined for pre-primary students in Egypt • There is substantial socioeconomic inequality in stimulation at home • There is less inequality in pre-primary quality and inputs, varying by dimension By the time children start primary school, large socioeconomic disparities are evident in their learning and development. Both pre-primary and home environments can play important roles in influencing school readiness and can contribute to disparities in early childhood development, but there is limited evidence on their relative roles in the Middle East and North Africa. This paper examines how pre-primary quality, stimulation at home, and early childhood development vary by socioeconomic status for pre-primary students in Egypt. The results demonstrate substantial socioeconomic inequality in stimulation at home, more so than in pre-primary quality and inputs, although there is variation in the degree of inequality across different dimensions of pre-primary quality. "Double inequality" is observed, where students with less stimulating home environments experience slightly lower quality pre-primary inputs. There are particularly large pre-primary inequities in structural quality (physical environment) and less inequity in process quality (pedagogy). These results suggest that targeted investments in pre-primary education in Egypt are necessary to reduce inequality in school readiness but are likely insufficient to close the socioeconomic status gap in children's development. Investing in interventions to improve vulnerable children's home learning environments, as well as investing in quality pre-primary, is critical to address disparities in children's development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Caregiver's language richness plays a supporting role on early child development. • Caregiver's language richness works better for boys and poverty households. • Caregiver language suitability has moderated effects. • Parent-child interaction videos were coded for language richness and suitability. There is rich literature on the predictive role of the caregiver's language richness in child development outcomes during caregiver-child interaction. However, it is unclear whether this is true in rural China, where many young children are still not developing to their fullest potential. Our study supplements the current evidence in rural China by answering three questions. First, is the rural caregiver's language richness associated with child development outcomes? Second, do different child characteristics, caregiver characteristics, and household poverty status affect the relationship between caregiver language richness and early child development outcomes? Third, does the caregiver's language suitability moderate the association between language richness and child development outcomes? We observed and recorded 10-minute-long videos of 591 rural children aged 6–30 months and their primary caregiver dyads in a free toy play session and collected their social-demographic information. Trained coders coded videotaped interactions to obtain measurements of the caregiver's language richness and suitability. Children were assessed for cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional development. A multivariate linear regression model adjusted for covariates was used to estimate the association between the caregiver's language richness and child development outcomes. Interaction terms were then added to the adjusted model to explore the moderating role of caregivers' language suitability, child characteristics, caregiver characteristics, and household poverty status. The caregiver's language richness is positively associated with the child's cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional development. The association is more pronounced for children who are boys, in later toddlerhood, or from registered poverty households. In addition, we found that the caregiver's language suitability could enhance the association between language richness and child development outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quality Rating and Improvement Systems use indicators to define early care and education quality. • Indicators often offer evidence-informed guidance to support and monitor development and foster mental health. • Development and mental health promotion often applies to center-based and family child care. • Opportunities exist to offer more specific guidance in quality indicators. • Future research can assess equity of child development and mental health promotion indicators. In the United States (U.S.), quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) are used by many states to incentivize quality in ECE and may be a viable lever for promoting early childhood development and mental health on a population level. We conducted a qualitative review of publicly available data on state QRIS indicators to better understand how states incorporate evidence-informed early childhood development and mental health promotion standards in QRIS. We systematically compared QRIS indicators for 41 U.S. states with child development and mental health promotion quality standards from Caring for Our Children National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd Edition , as of March/April 2020. Of those, 39 states included at least one indicator consistent with child development or mental health promotion standards, including practices that can lead to early detection of developmental delays such as developmental monitoring, activities or curriculum addressing developmental domains, and regular communication and resource-sharing with parents/guardians. Opportunities exist within states for incorporating more specific guidance within indicators, such as use of childcare health consultants and advocates, validated screening tools, parent/guardian participation or input in developmental monitoring and screening, and staff training on family engagement. We found that in most states QRIS indicators offer guidance for ECE systems to support and monitor early development and foster mental health, with opportunities to enhance guidance. Findings point to QRIS as a viable opportunity for promotion of early childhood development and mental health standards in ECE systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We used a multilevel model to study levels of influence on early childhood development (ECD) outcomes. • We defined ECD outcomes based on select domains of the early childhood development index (ECDI): literacy, cognitive and socioemotional. • Individual and household factors trump macro-factors in their association with child outcomes. • Maternal education remains a most significant factor in child outcomes. This study used multilevel modeling to examine the dynamics between the layers of influence associated with literacy, cognitive, and socioemotional outcomes of 3- to 4-year-old children in Nigeria. The study used data from the fifth round of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), and adapted the social-ecological model of child development and the social determinants of health framework to investigate the interaction between a child's microsystem, engagement with the mesosystem, the politico-cultural climate, and how they are associated with selected Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) domains. The final sample of 11,207 mother-child dyads (n=22,414; state mean = 303; ethnicities – Hausa 48%, Yoruba 10%, Igbo 11%, and others combined 31%) comprised three-year-old children (51%), females (49%). Results indicated a 29% variation in child outcomes accounted for by the grouping structure of the states, that diminished with the addition of household-level predictors. On average, a child not attending early education (-1.93), not having books (-1.32), being in the poorer wealth quintiles (-.91), mother having informal or no education (.82), and ethnicity, specifically being Hausa (-.21) were associated with predicted lower child development outcome score. At the state level, low maternal education was the most significant predictor of child development outcomes. Findings will add value to policy interventions as states reconsider their strategy and funding obligations to ECD, addressing poverty at the family level, and promotion of girl/maternal education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to essential infrastructure services such as water, sanitation, and garbage collection can considerably affect children's environment and may play a significant role in shaping early childhood developmental and health outcomes. Using data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for 18 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), we show a significant positive association between access to water and sanitation and early childhood development, as well as reduced instances of stunting. In addition, we identify a negative association between access to improved garbage collection services and the rates of stunting among children under five. Our findings are robust after using alternative measures for access and controlling for individual, maternal, and household factors, alongside considerations of household wealth, caregiver's stimulation activities and behaviors, and local community spillovers. Similarly, the economic relevance of the relationship is highlighted by the substantial gap relative to the size of the vulnerable groups, persisting even after adjusting for confounding variables. Our results also suggest that households may be able to lessen the potential impact of pollutants through mitigation measures such as treating water to make it safe for consumption, using handwashing cleansers, and storing household trash in lidded containers. The current findings underscore the importance of investing in basic infrastructure services as a critical component of comprehensive strategies to enhance early childhood development and health in low- and middle-income countries. We emphasize the importance of considering the quality and type of infrastructure services alongside their availability. Future research should incorporate more complete and detailed data to improve understanding of the causal relationship between water, sanitation, and garbage collection and early childhood development, as well as the mechanisms underlying the observed associations. • We examined the links between infrastructure services and child development • Improved water and sanitation are linked to better child development and less stunting • Improved garbage collection services are linked to lower rates of stunting • Households can adopt mitigating behaviors to protect and support child development • Improved water, sanitation, and waste management could benefit child development [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids associated with better cognition in older adults. Recent evidence suggest that their dietary intake may also have cognitive implications in childhood.Objectives: To examine associations of early childhood lutein and zeaxanthin (L/Z) intake with cognition in early and mid-childhood.Methods: Among 1378 children in Project Viva, a prospective cohort, mothers reported their child's dietary intake in early childhood (median 3.2 years) using a food frequency questionnaire. Child cognition and behavior were assessed at the same timepoint using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III) and the Wide Range Assessment of Visual Motor Abilities (WRAVMA); and at mid-childhood (median 7.7 years) using the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, the WRAVMA drawing subtest, the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning, the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.Results: Children consumed a daily mean (SD) of 1.0 (0.4) mg of L/Z in early childhood. Children in the third quartile category of L/Z intake had a mean PPVT-III score 2.40 (95%CI: 0.27, 4.53) points higher than children in the lowest quartile category in early childhood, suggesting better receptive vocabulary. Children in the highest quartile category of L/Z intake had a parent-reported mean BRIEF Global Executive Composite score 1.65 (95%CI: -3.27, -0.03) points lower than children in the lowest quartile category in mid-childhood, indicating better executive function. We did not observe associations between L/Z intake and any of the other cognitive or behavioral outcomes assessed.Conclusion: The overall findings do not provide strong evidence of an association between child L/Z intake and cognition and behavior. However, the positive associations found between early childhood L/Z intake and early childhood receptive vocabulary and mid-childhood executive function, in addition to previous evidence of neurodevelopmental benefit of L/Z intake, suggest that this relationship deserves further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teil 2 des Artikels greift den Aspekt der Sensibilisierung im Rahmen der Entwicklung einer lagerungsbedingten Plagiozephalie (LP) erneut auf und leitet zur Diskussion um die osteopathische Relevanz des Themas. Das vorgestellte Modell zeigt, dass eine periphere und zentrale Sensibilisierung die Ursache für eine gestörte Muskelfunktion und verstärkte Haltungsreflexe sein kann. Eine osteopathische Behandlung von Hals und Schädelbasis kann diese Sensibilisierung verringern und dadurch das Auftreten einer lagerungsbedingten Plagiozephalie verhindern. Part 2 of the article revisits the aspect of sensitization in the development of positional plagiocephaly (LP) and leads to the discussion of the osteopathic relevance of the topic. The model presented shows that peripheral and central sensitization can be the cause of impaired muscle function and increased postural reflexes. Osteopathic treatment of the neck and skull base can reduce this sensitization and thereby prevent the occurrence of positional plagiocephaly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper evaluates the impact of a home visiting program aimed at training mothers in aspects of stimulation of their 0–3-year-old children in contexts of social vulnerability in the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. This program was carried out by the Asociación Civil Haciendo Camino (ACHC) with mothers participating in the program who were trained and supervised by health professionals within the framework of a comprehensive intervention. The evaluation was conducted through a difference-in-differences (DiD) method between a treatment group and a control group and two measurements over time with a six-month lapse of intervention. The measurements were made with the tool Ages & Stages Questionnaires, Third Edition (ASQ-3), which assesses five areas of child development. In addition, sociodemographic, socioeconomic and parenting aspects were surveyed to estimate heterogeneous effects. The results of the present study indicate that the program achieved positive and significant effects in three areas of child development (communication, fine motor skills and problem solving), and positive but not significant effects in two other areas (gross motor skills and personal-social development). Among the positive heterogeneous effects, the increase in the child's age and the mother's age in different dimensions of development under the effects of the reference program stand out. These results add evidence on the relevance of early childhood stimulation programs in contexts of social vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die lagerungsbedingte Plagiozephalie (LP) ist ein häufiges klinisches Erscheinungsbild. Es besteht kein Konsens über die Ätiologie, und es gibt keinen anerkannten dominanten Risikofaktor. Über die pathogenetischen Faktoren hingegen besteht weitgehend Konsens. In der Regel liegt bei der Geburt keine Schädeldeformität vor, die meisten Probleme scheinen im Alter von 2 Monaten aufzutreten. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass postnatale Faktoren das Auftreten einer LP beeinflussen. Eine lange Rückenlage in Kombination mit einer Bewegungseinschränkung im oberen Halsbereich gilt als wichtiger Faktor. Die Bewegungseinschränkung kann muskuläre und neurologische Ursachen haben. Ziel des vorliegenden Artikels ist es, ein Ätiologiemodell zu den neurologischen Aspekten vorzustellen, die eine Plagiozephalie verursachen können. Zudem soll im 2. Teil des Artikels im folgenden Heft gezeigt werden, wie eine osteopathische Behandlung die Plagiozephalie beeinflussen kann. Die intrauterine Lage, ein traumatischer Geburtsprozess oder anhaltender Druck auf bestimmte Bereiche des Schädels können eine Sensibilisierung des oberen Halses und des Hirnstamms verursachen. Diese Sensibilisierung erhöht die Empfindlichkeit der Berührung, Druck und Schmerz vermittelnden Nervenfasern sowie den Muskeltonus. Sie beeinträchtigt die Muskelfunktion und verstärkt die Haltungs- und frühkindlichen Überlebensreflexe. Die Haltungsreflexe spielen in Kombination mit der beeinträchtigten Muskelfunktion und der ausgedehnten Rückenlage des Säuglings eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Entwicklung der lagerungsbedingten Plagiozephalie (LP). Diese neurologischen Überlegungen sollten Osteopath*innen in die Analyse und Behandlung einer Plagiozephalie einbeziehen. Deformational Plagiocephaly (DP) is a common clinical presentation. There is no consensus as to the aetiology of DP, and there is no risk factor that is uniformly considered as dominant. The consensus about the pathogenetic factors that are important in the onset of DP is more robust. Most cases are presented with no skull deformity at birth and most problems seem to appear at the age of two months. This implies that postnatal factors have an influence on the onset of DP. Prolonged back-laying position in combination with a restriction in motion of the upper neck area are generally considered as important factors in the onset of DP. The restriction in motion can be caused by muscular and neurological reasons. The purpose of this article is to present an aetiology model as to the neurological aspects that may be causing plagiocephaly and how osteopathy may potentially influence the amelioration of plagiocephaly. Sensitization of the upper neck and brainstem may be caused by intrauterine positioning, traumatic birth processes or prolonged pressure on specific areas of the skull. This sensitization will increase sensitivity of touch-, pressure- and pain-fibers, muscle tone, impair muscle function and enhance postural and birth survival reflexes. The postural reflexes, in combination with impaired muscle function and the prolonged supine positioning of the infant, play a crucial role in the progress of some types of deformational plagiocephaly. These neurological considerations should be analyzed and treated by osteopaths and allied professions when faced with DP – an aspect which ist focused on in part 2 of the article in the next issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report vigilance attention outcomes from a cluster randomized controlled trial of early childhood development caregiver training for perinatally HIV-exposed/uninfected preschool-age children in rural Uganda. The Early Childhood Vigilance Test (ECVT) provides a webcam recording of proportion of time a child views an animation periodically moving across a computer screen.Study Design: Sixty mothers/caregivers received biweekly year-long training sessions of the Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers (MISC), and 59 mothers received biweekly training about nutrition, hygiene, and health care. Children were tested for attention at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months with the ECVT, in terms of proportion of time spent viewing a 6-minute animation of animals greeting the child and moving across the computer monitor screen. Time viewing the animation were scored by trained observers using ProCoder program for webcam scoring of proportion of time the child faced the animation. Mixed-effects modeling was used to compare ECVT outcomes for the 2 intervention groups.Results: Unadjusted and adjusted (for age, sex, height, and ECVT at baseline) group differences on ECVT significantly favored the MISC arm at 6 months (P = .03; 95% CI (0.01, 0.11), effect size = 0.46) but not at 12 months. Both groups made significant gains in sustained attention across the year-long intervention (P = .021) with no significant interaction effects between time and treatment arms or sex.Conclusions: Caregiver early childhood development training enhanced attention in at-risk Ugandan children, which can be foundational to improved working memory and learning, and perhaps related to previous language benefits reported for this cohort.Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00889395. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Preschool quality was modestly but significantly associated with child outcomes • Urban children showed better developmental competencies than rural children • The relation between preschool quality and child outcomes was stronger for rural children This study investigated the association between observed preschool quality (assessed by the Measure of Early Learning Environments) and children's holistic development (measured by the East Asia-Pacific Early Child Development Scales) and explored whether area of residence moderated this association. Participants were 681 4- and 5-year-olds from 52 classrooms in Shanghai and in Guizhou province of China. Results indicated that preschool quality was higher in Shanghai than in Guizhou and lowest in rural Guizhou. Preschool quality was positively associated with child outcomes, after adjusting for child, family, and program characteristics and area of residence. Moderation analyses showed a weaker association between preschool quality and child development in urban Guizhou and urban Shanghai than in rural Guizhou, suggesting that preschool quality may be particularly beneficial for children living in poor, rural areas. Reasons for and implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Early life homelessness is associated with persistent developmental delays. • Higher socioeconomic status predicts better development when facing homelessness. • Early schooling is associated with better development when facing homelessness. The experience of homelessness early in life can potentially disrupt childhood development. Enrollment in early education has been identified as a buffer to promote adequate development. Nevertheless, there has not yet been a quantitative assessment of the developmental trajectories of children experiencing homelessness receiving early education. We compared the development of children from birth to 6 years old enrolled at a high-quality early education center, against a US representative sample and the acceptable ranges of developmental indicators. Further, we studied predictors of developmental trajectories in children exposed to homelessness. A total of 459 children enrolled at an early education center, Horizons for Homeless Children (HHC), between 2017 and 2022, between birth to 6 years old, were included in the analysis, with an average follow-up time of 22 months. We assessed the development in six domains, including Socio-emotional, Motor, Language, Literacy, Cognitive, and Mathematics, using the scaled scores from the Teaching Strategies GOLD system. The scores of children at HHC were compared with the norm scores from a US representative sample and the expected scores for different ages. We assessed developmental trajectories and included child and family covariates in a linear mixed model to examine developmental differences over time. The scores of HHC students on Teaching Strategies GOLD assessments were lower than those of a US representative sample and frequently did not meet age group expectations. Within the HHC cohort, boys scored lower than girls. Socioeconomic characteristics remained a factor associated with development; specifically, having older primary caregivers and having parental education below High School were associated with worse developmental trajectories. Earlier enrollment into HHC was associated with higher scores for all domains and faster developmental progress for the Literacy domain over time. Even in the context of a high-quality early education program, the developmental delays of children who experienced homelessness did not attenuate in the first six years of life compared with a normative sample. Furthermore, within a population experiencing homelessness, there are developmental differences associated with socioeconomic status, including parental education. Early enrollment in education centers may reduce the developmental delays of children experiencing homelessness. This actionable determinant of development supports enrollment into schooling as early as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metacognition and executive function (EF) are positively related to outcomes. • Limited empirical evidence exits combining metacognition and EF in early childhood. • Relations between and interventions involving early metacognition and EF reviewed. • Integrating metacognition and EF may enhance perceptions of learning and agency. • This integrated meta-model contributes to early childhood theory and practice. Metacognition and executive function have evolved largely in parallel across disparate disciplines. Additionally, limited empirical evidence—particularly in early childhood—exists integrating the two constructs. However, theories of both implicate regulation of lower-order processes providing greater flexibility to cognition and behavior by increasing focus on perceptions and understanding of one's learning and self-regulatory agency over habitual reactions to the environment and automaticity. Furthermore, considerable research identifies both metacognition and executive function as important processes that predict positive outcomes including academic achievement and learning. In the current paper, we review extant associations between early metacognition and executive function and theorize about their integration with the purpose of informing young children's ability to be active agents of their own learning and development. In addition, we argue that metacognition and executive function interventions can provide pertinent and important evidence regarding the development of enhanced perceptions of one's learning and agency. Specifically, we propose that by integrating metacognition and executive function in developmental theory, research, instruction, and interventions, children's awareness and control, or agency, in relation to their own learning can be enhanced. To this end, ways to study and integrate these skills are suggested, with an emphasis on how researchers and practitioners can bring metacognition and executive function together—in early childhood—to enhance perceptions of learning and agency and contribute to theory and practice across disciplinary boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the effectiveness of center-based high quality educational programs for infants and toddlers, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This paper reports effects from a randomized trial of a high-quality center-based early intervention on infants and toddlers in two communities in northern Colombia. Just eight months into the program results indicate large positive effects on language, cognitive development and overall development, with girls benefitting the most. No effects were found on nutritional outcomes, socio-emotional development or the home environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Home-visiting in at-risk families improves child outcomes at age three. • Age-appropriate adaptive behavior and language skills are enhanced. • Problem behavior is reduced in high-risk families. • Motor development is unaffected. This randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of the Parents as Teachers (PAT) program in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. During the first three years after birth, 132 at-risk families with new-born children were supported by PAT with regular home visits and group connections. The 116 families in the control group had access to the normal community services, but were not supported by PAT. Baseline data and annual outcome data on health, adaptive behavior, developmental status, cognitive skills, language skills, motor skills, problem behavior, and effortful control were collected. As shown by Generalized Estimating Equations, PAT improved children's adaptive behavior, developmental status, and language skills at the age of 3 years. Problem behavior was reduced in families with the highest risk. The results are discussed in the light of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• One in four children delay school entry in New South Wales, Australia. • Boys, younger children, and advantaged children are more likely to delay. • The tendency to start school when first eligible clusters in disadvantaged urban areas. • Older starters are more likely to be ready for the first year of school. In Australia's most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), children born between January and July have the choice to start school in the year they turn five, or delay entry until the year they turn six. We used linked administrative data for children who started school in NSW in 2009 or 2012 (N = 162,878) to identify child, family and area characteristics associated with delayed entry, and to explore the relationship between school starting age and five domains of child development, measured using the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) in the first year of school. Among both the 2009 and 2012 cohorts, 26% of children delayed starting school until the year they turned six. Area-level rates of delay ranged from 8% to 54% across 198 areas in NSW, with lower levels in disadvantaged urban areas. Factors associated with delayed entry included male sex, a birth date close to the enrolment cut-off date, socioeconomic advantage, and having a mother born in Australia. There was a strong, significant relationship between school starting age and early childhood development: each month of maturity corresponded to an increase of approximately 3% in the probability of scoring above the 25th percentile in all five AEDC domains. Independent of school starting age, children who were older in relation to their classroom peers had better development outcomes. The potential for initial age-related differences to impact later school outcomes warrants further longitudinal research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We study a large-scale expansion of integrated center-based care in Colombia. • We find large positive effects on receptive vocabulary that persist after 5 years. • The impact implies a reduction of 35% in the cognitive socioeconomic gap. • We report positive but less robust effects on children's nutritional status. • Integrated early childhood care can be effective and sustainable at large-scale. Abstract The focus in developing countries is shifting from increasing access to early childhood care services to improving its quality. In light of the inclusion of early childhood development in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, there has emerged a global call for early childhood programs that integrate nutrition, health and development components. However, large-scale studies of integrated early childhood interventions are scarce in developing countries, and thus, little is known about its effectiveness and sustainability. In this paper we study the immediate and medium-run effects of a large-scale expansion of an integrated package of services including care, education, health and nutrition on child growth and development, by analyzing the expansion of the Colombian national early childhood strategy known as " From Zero to Forever " between 2011 and 2013. The results indicate that the increased access to integrated center-based care had a large immediate effect on vocabulary that persists five years into the intervention, and less robust effects on nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Low parenting quality at any point in early childhood negatively affects development. • Parental warmth and responsiveness drove parenting quality in infancy. • Stimulating and supportive parenting behaviors drove quality in prekindergarten. Abstract Parenting quality—a child's milieu of warmth, responsiveness, and stimulation—promotes a young child's cognitive, social, and emotional development. An unanswered question, however, is about the relative contributions of parenting quality in infancy and in early childhood to disparities in child cognitive and socioemotional development by age five, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Understanding these relationships could inform better targeting of parenting programs in LMICs to yield greater effect size and consistency in improvements in early childhood development. This longitudinal study examines parenting quality and early childhood development among 603 children from poor, rural communities in Mexico who were assessed during infancy (4–18 months) and prekindergarten (3–5 years). Parenting quality (low, moderate, or high) was measured using the HOME Inventory in infancy and the Family Care Indicators (FCI) during prekindergarten. Child development was assessed in infancy using the Extended Ages and Stages Questionnaire (EASQ) and the ASQ Socioemotional scale, and during prekindergarten with the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities. We found that parenting quality measures above the 25th percentile during infancy and prekindergarten were independently and significantly associated with a 0.26–0.30 SD increase in McCarthy scores at ages 3–5 years in adjusted analyses. Parental warmth and responsiveness in infancy were significant predictors of child development at ages 3–5 years, but parental stimulating practices and availability of learning materials in the home were not. Conversely, during the prekindergarten period, parental stimulating practices were significant predictors of concurrent child development. Our findings support the importance parenting quality throughout early childhood, and that the effect of aspects of parenting may vary from infancy to prekindergarten. Programs targeting parents of young children should tailor their curriculum to the specific ages of the targeted children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Participation in ECE is positively associated with cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development. • The development gap between ECE attenders and non-attenders widens as children mature. • Intensity of ECE is associated with better language development in Mongolia and Cambodia but lower socio-emotional scores in Cambodia and China. • Cumulative dosage of ECE predicts child development in China and Mongolia. Abstract This study examined associations between participation, intensity (hours per week), duration (months attended), and total dosage (total hours attended) in early childhood education (ECE) and children's cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development in Cambodia, China, Mongolia, and Vanuatu using data from the validation sample of the East Asia-Pacific Early Child Development Scales (EAP-ECDS). The total sample analyzed included 4712 ethnic majority children (2336 girls), ranging in age from 36 to 71 months. Controlling for age, gender, parental education and occupation, household wealth, and urbanicity: (i) children who received ECE had significantly better cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development than those who did not; (ii) among children who did not attend ECE, age-adjusted scores were significantly lower for older children than they were for younger children; (iii) increased ECE intensity was associated with higher scores in all developmental domains in Mongolia, higher language scores in Cambodia, and lower socio-emotional scores in Cambodia and China; and (iv) ECE dosage was positively associated with cognitive and socio-emotional scores in China, and language scores in Mongolia. Overall, results indicate that ECE is beneficial for children's early development, though many children in the region are not able to reap these rewards due to barriers to access. Results suggest efforts to ensure all children have access to quality ECE be exerted so that these benefits can be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Mothers' mean length of utterance and wh - questions were associated with vocabulary and math outcomes. • Fathers' mean length of utterance was associated with vocabulary outcomes. • Fathers' wh - questions was associated with vocabulary and math outcomes. • Parent language input mattered beyond strict demographic controls. • Father language input mattered beyond mother language input. Abstract Research has highlighted the role of parental language input during early childhood as a way to facilitate children's early vocabulary skills. However, few studies have examined the relationship between the specific features of both mothers' and fathers' early language input during a shared book experience and children's kindergarten achievement (i.e., vocabulary, literacy, and math). Using an economically and culturally diverse sample of 567 children from the Family Life Project, this study examined whether mothers' and fathers' number of different words, mean length of utterance, and wh- questions from 6 to 36 months predicted children's kindergarten achievement. Multiple regression models, examining mothers' and fathers' language separately and in combined models, indicated that both mothers' and fathers' language input was related with children's kindergarten achievement, beyond a host of demographic controls. In the combined models, mothers' mean length of utterance and wh - questions were significantly associated with vocabulary and their mean length of utterance was significantly associated with math outcomes in kindergarten. Fathers' mean length of utterance and wh - questions were significantly associated with vocabulary, and their wh - questions were significantly associated with math outcomes in kindergarten. Implications for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Disaster risk reduction (DRR) education can improve the quality of preschools, children's DRR-related knowledge, and areas of early learning. • Findings suggest that preschool children can effectively participate in DRR activities in ways that would likely minimize some disaster risks. • Future studies using randomized, control trials and longitudinal designs are needed. Abstract Research on disaster risk reduction (DDR) initiatives for preschool-aged children is lacking and the potential contribution of young children (e.g. under 6 years old) to reducing the risks and impacts of natural disasters has been largely overlooked in DRR programming. Using a quasi-experimental evaluation design, this study examines the short-term effects of a preschool-based DRR program in rural Indonesia on children's early learning and the quality of preschool settings. The randomly selected sample comprised of 102 children who had attended preschools with the DRR program (intervention group) and 101 children who had attended neighboring preschools without DRR programming (comparison group). Overall, the results provide preliminary support for the integration of DRR into the early childhood education sector. The DRR intervention improved the quality of the preschool environment and young children's DRR-related knowledge. Results on children's early learning outcomes (e.g. reading, writing, mathematics) were mixed. Recommendations for further research are outlined and considerations for future programming in this emerging area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the literature suggests a negative association between early childhood development (ECD) and violent disciplinary measures, little is known about the gradient of this relationship. This study examined the gradient of the relationship between the number and types of child discipline practices at home and the ECD of children aged from 36-to-59 months. The study used nationally representative data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Bangladesh 2019. We analysed secondary data using multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship between child discipline practices and ECD. The gradients were measured using three sets of summative indexes of disciplinary practices and psychometric approach to the physical, literacy-numeracy, learning and social-emotional domains of ECD. About 94 % of children had at least one of the eight violent disciplinary measures during the month preceding the survey. Approximately three-quarters of the children were on track in their ECD. The probability that children were on track in ECD significantly increased with non-violent disciplinary practices and decreased with violent disciplinary practices used. For one unit increase in the overall violent disciplinary index, the odds of children being on track in their ECD was reduced by 12 %, and the reduction was significant (adjusted odds ratio = 0.88; 95%CI: 0.86–0.91). Children who had experienced several forms of violent disciplinary measures were more likely than those who did not to be delayed in their ECD. Banning violent punishments in all settings and positive parenting programs are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives This study investigated whether an integrated, community-based and nurturing care intervention led to a reduction in the prevalence of suspected neurodevelopmental delay in children. The study also considered how the programme could be sustained to promote early development in children aged under 3 years in the poorest areas of rural China. Study design A quasi-experimental design was applied, with data collection before and after a 2-year programme implementation, in both intervention and comparison (control) areas. Methods From July 2014, the Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) programme was implemented in poverty-stricken areas in four counties of China. Nurturing care intervention focusing on five components (child health, nutrition, responsive care, protection and early learning support) was delivered mainly by the village early childhood development centre and township/village clinic. Another two counties of similar per capita gross domestic product, geographical characteristics, under-five mortality rate, under-five underweight prevalence and ethnicity to the four programme counties were selected as the comparison and received no IECD programme intervention. The Ages & Stages Questionnaire was used to evaluate the neurodevelopmental outcome of children; the overall suspected developmental delay (SDD) referred to any developmental delay in the communication, gross-motor, fine-motor or problem-solving or personal-social domains of the questionnaire. Children underwent anthropometric measurements and haemoglobin concentration testing through peripheral blood. Face-to-face interviews of caregivers were conducted to collect intervention use, cognitive stimulation and child-protection behaviours. A difference-in-differences regression approach, adjusting for confounding factors, was applied to estimate intervention impact on the neurodevelopmental outcomes in the children. Path analysis was employed to examine the mediating effects of growth, nutrition status, cognitive stimulation and child-protection behaviours through which the IECD intervention predicted children's developmental health. Results In total, 2953 children aged under 3 years and their caregivers were enrolled at baseline, and 2745 child-caregiver pairs completed the postintervention assessment. Prevalence of overall SDD was reduced by 18% (from 37% at baseline to 19% at postintervention) in intervention counties, which is a significant difference compared with the 10% reduction in control counties (from 30% to 20%), with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.69 (95% confidence interval: 0.54–0.89). Consistent findings were found across domains. Path analysis indicated that the effect of the intervention on promoting developmental health was mediated by multiple nurturing care-associated factors, including cognitive stimulation frequency, positive discipline, length-for-age growth and haemoglobin concentration. Conclusions The community-based integrated intervention could significantly prevent developmental delay in children aged under 3 years in rural China. Highlights • A community-based, integrated and nurturing care-supporting intervention was established in rural areas. • Intervention reduced the prevalence of developmental delay in disadvantaged children. • Family processes mediated the link between intervention and early development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study examined mothers' and fathers' developmentally stimulating parenting practices (i.e., engagement in play and communication activities) as mediators through which an early parenting intervention improved later cognitive and socioemotional development of 1302 4-year-old children in rural Pakistan. Maternal and paternal stimulation were both reported by the child's mother at 12, 24, and 48 months. Preschoolers' cognitive skills were directly assessed using standardized tests and socioemotional development was based on maternal ratings. Controlling for sociodemographic factors and children's prior levels of development, results revealed that both maternal and paternal stimulation significantly mediated intervention effects on children's longer-term cognitive and socioemotional development. Greater indirect effects were found through maternal than paternal stimulation. Additionally, more stimulation by one parent positively predicted later changes in his or her partner's stimulation. Implications for targeting both mothers' and fathers' parenting behaviors in early childhood interventions and further unpacking these family processes are discussed. Highlights • An early parenting intervention improved maternal and paternal stimulation. • Reciprocal relations found between maternal and paternal stimulation over time. • Maternal and paternal stimulation mediated effects on child cognitive development. • Maternal and paternal stimulation mediated effects on socioemotional development. • Findings support engaging mothers and fathers in early parenting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new global caregiver-reported measure of early childhood development is proposed. • Analyses from 17 countries show adequate acceptability, reliability, and validity. • The new tool correlates positively with direct assessments of early development. • Scores vary by country, maternal education, child nutrition, and home stimulation. • The measure allows for population monitoring of early developmental wellbeing. Abstract Despite global interest in supporting and monitoring early childhood development (ECD), few valid and reliable tools exist for capturing ECD at scale across cultural contexts. This study describes the development and validation of the Caregiver Reported Early Development Instruments (CREDI) short form, a new tool for measuring the motor, cognitive, language, social–emotional, and mental health skills of children under age three in culturally diverse settings. Results from 8022 children living in 17 low-, middle-, and high-income countries suggest that the CREDI short form is valid, reliable, and acceptable for measuring population-level ECD. Data highlight differences in CREDI scores within and across countries based on maternal education, child nutritional status, and household stimulation practices. Implications for ECD policy and practice are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • IDELA is a rigorous instrument for measuring early learning and development. • Psychometric properties of IDELA are equal to or exceeding other available tools. • IDELA can be administered with high levels of fidelity in low resource settings. • IDELA is sensitive to changes in development for children aged 3.5–6 years. Abstract Evidence about the importance of stimulation and learning in childhood has been mounting in recent years, culminating with the inclusion of early childhood development in the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals. In following, there is a need for reliable measurement of early learning and development at local, national, and global levels. None of the existing tools designed to measure learning and development at the pre-primary level have been proven to be appropriate and feasible in diverse national contexts, as well as psychometrically rigorous. Therefore, Save the Children developed the International Development and Early Learning Assessment (IDELA) from 2011–2015. This paper presents evidence from the IDELA validation process including internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability and concurrent validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methadone and buprenorphine are recommended to treat opioid use disorders during pregnancy. However, the literature on the relationship between longer-term effects of prenatal exposure to these medications and childhood development is both spare and inconsistent. Methods Participants were 96 children and their mothers who participated in MOTHER, a randomized controlled trial of opioid-agonist pharmacotherapy during pregnancy. The present study examined child growth parameters, cognition, language abilities, sensory processing, and temperament from 0 to 36 months of the child’s life. Maternal perceptions of parenting stress, home environment, and addiction severity were also examined. Results Tests of mean differences between children prenatally exposed to methadone vs. buprenorphine over the three-year period yielded 2/37 significant findings for children. Similarly, tests of mean differences between children treated for NAS relative to those not treated for NAS yielded 1/37 significant finding. Changes over time occurred for 27/37 child outcomes including expected child increases in weight, head and height, and overall gains in cognitive development, language abilities, sensory processing, and temperament. For mothers, significant changes over time in parenting stress (9/17 scales) suggested increasing difficulties with their children, notably seen in increasing parenting stress, but also an increasingly enriched home environment (4/7 scales) Conclusions Findings strongly suggest no deleterious effects of buprenorphine relative to methadone or of treatment for NAS severity relative to not-treated for NAS on growth, cognitive development, language abilities, sensory processing, and temperament. Moreover, findings suggest that prenatal opioid agonist exposure is not deleterious to normal physical and mental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group well-child care (GWCC) may promote interactive caregiving and prevent developmental delay. Method: This cross-sectional study explored the association between GWCC attendance and odds for suspected developmental delay among low-income Asian immigrants as measured by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ)-III at age 18 months. Results: Odds for suspected developmental delay (OR=0.81, 95 % CI 0.40–1.62) were not significantly lower for GWCC infants. However, odds for developmental risk were significantly lower for GWCC infants in the ASQ's problem-solving domain (OR= 0.40, 95 % CI 0.17–0.92). Conclusion: Among low-income Asian immigrants, GWCC participation may be associated with lower odds for cognitive developmental delay. • Promoting interactive caregiving can prevent developmental delay. • Group well-child care may support parents in interactive caregiving. • Association between participation in group well-child care and odds for developmental delay in Asian-American toddlers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting school readiness is a vital strategy to close the learning gaps and reach children's full potential. This systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of early childhood interventions delivered in educational settings for children with autism and other developmental disabilities aged 3–6 years in improving six developmental outcome domains. Sensitive searches were conducted in seven international databases and three Chinese regional databases, as well as seven grey literature repositories, for all available studies published in English or Chinese language. All records were double screened. Two bilingual reviewers were involved in extraction and quality appraisal. Effect sizes were synthesised using robust variance estimation. Twenty-eight studies were included in the statistical analyses. Findings provided tentative evidence of social and communication trainings in improving social and communication skills (d = 1.22, 95% CI [0.68, 1.76]) and language interventions in increasing language abilities (d = 0.55, 95% CI [0.33, 0.76]). Treatment effects varied by diagnosis and context. There was substantial heterogeneity across studies. We call for intersectional partnerships to promote the inclusion of children with autism and other developmental disabilities in early childhood service and education, as well as more robust research, especially in low- and middle-income countries and involving more types of developmental disabilities. • Early interventions may improve socio-communicational skills for pre-schoolers. • Early interventions may improve language skills for pre-schoolers. • The inconclusive evidence is largely due to heterogeneity and publication bias. • Social and language interventions might improve respective domains in follow-up. • Cross-sectoral partnerships and more research in low-resource settings are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides evidence about how cognitive and non-cognitive skills are acquired during childhood in four developing countries (Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam), highlighting the role of early nutrition as a determinant in this process. An increase of one standard deviation in height-for-age at the age of 1 is found to have a total effect on cognitive skills at age 8 by 5.4 percent in Ethiopia, 9.0 percent in India, 7.6 percent in Peru and 8.4 percent in Vietnam. The corresponding total effect on non-cognitive skills is 1.1 percent in Ethiopia, 3.4 percent in India, 2.6 percent in Peru and 1.7 percent in Vietnam. The evidence suggests the effect of early nutrition on non-cognitive skills is indirect, mediated by cognitive skills. The effect is also relatively small in magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how neighborhood and family poverty predict children's academic skills and classroom behavior at school entry, and whether associations have changed over a period of twelve years spanning the Great Recession. Utilizing the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten 1998 and 2010 cohorts and combined with data from the U.S. Census and American Community Survey, we find that the proportion of kindergarten children living in moderate and high poverty neighborhoods increased from 1998 to 2010, and that these increases were most pronounced for non-poor and white children. Using OLS and fixed effects regression analyses and holding family poverty constant, we find that children in neighborhoods with higher levels of poverty start school less ready to learn than their peers. Specifically, children from the highest poverty neighborhoods start school almost a year behind children from the lowest poverty neighborhoods in terms of their academic skills. In addition, we find that the academic skills gap between poor- and non-poor children within neighborhood poverty categories grew from 1998 to 2010, particularly in high poverty neighborhoods. These findings appear to be explained both by changes in the composition of families within neighborhood poverty categories and income increases among non-poor families. The findings indicate that neighborhood poverty may be a useful proxy to identify children and families in need of additional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper quantitatively examines the intergenerational effects of girl child marriage, or the developmental and health outcomes of children born to women who marry before age 18. The overall objective is to understand the mechanisms through which girl child marriage affects the health and well-being of children in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the relative magnitude and impact of these mechanisms. We used data from 37,558 mother-child pairs identified through 16 national and sub-national cross-sectional surveys across sub-Saharan Africa conducted between 2010 and 2014 by the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Clusters Survey program. The Early Childhood Development Index was used to measure child development, and stunting was used to measure health. Using logistic regression, we found that the odds of being off-track for development and being stunted were 25% and 29% higher, respectively, for children born to women who married before age 18 compared to those whose mothers married later (p < 0.001). Geographic location and primary education, which were conceptualized as contextual factors, explained most of this relationship, controlling for country fixed-effects. In adjusted models, we found that early childbearing was not the sole pathway through which girl child marriage affected child development and health. Our final models revealed that disparities in advanced maternal education and wealth explained child development and stunting. We conclude that there are intergenerational consequences of girl child marriage on her child's well-being, and that through association with other contextual, socioeconomic, and biological factors, marrying early does matter for child development and health. Our findings resonate with existing literature and point toward important policy considerations for improving early childhood outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally agreed that motor performance and executive functioning (EF) are intertwined. As the literature on this issue concerning preschool children is scarce, we examined the relationship between motor performance and parent-rated EF in a sample of 3- to 5-year-old children with different levels of motor skill proficiency, while controlling for age, gender, socio-economic status (SES), and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology. EF was reported by parents of 153 children (mean age 4years 1months, SD 8months; 75 male) by means of the Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool version (BRIEF-P). Parent-reported ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Hyperactivity-Inattention subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire3-4. In addition, the children performed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2). Several weak to moderate relationships were found between the MABC-2 Total Score and the EF subscales. Once other variables such as age, gender, SES, and ADHD symptomatology were taken into account, the only BRIEF-P subscale that was associated with the MABC-2 Total Score was the Working Memory subscale. Compared to their typically developing peers, children who are at risk for motor coordination difficulties (⩽the 16th percentile on the MABC-2) performed poorly on the Working Memory subscale, which confirms the results of the regression analyses. The at risk group also performed significantly worse on the Planning/Organize subscale, however. This is one of the first studies investigating the relationship between motor performance and parent-rated EF in such a young age group. It shows that the relationship between motor performance and EF in young children is complex and may be influenced by the presence of confounding variables such as ADHD symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of developmentally vulnerable children living with parental mental illness has been well documented, however due to stigmatised attitudes and prejudice these children may be ‘hidden’ and not identified as requiring additional assistance in early childhood settings. The aim of the present study was to explore the experiences and workforce needs of centre-based child care staff working with families living with parental mental illness. Eight staff (four child care workers and four child care directors) who worked in centre-based child care were interviewed using a semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using an Interpretative Phenomenology Analysis framework. The findings of the present study highlighted four central themes: child development issues, tension around referral and worker anxiety, inadequate knowledge and training about parental mental illness and sensitivity when working with families. While these participants knowingly prioritized the importance of working with families in their daily work, they described feeling stressed and anxious about discussing referral options with these parents, and often worried about ‘making things worse’ for the child and the parent. The present study has contributed knowledge in regard to an important segment of the early childhood workforce; such information can inform the development of tailored professional training and resources that provide information about referral procedures and support programs for these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We test whether high-quality digital apps and analog math materials could increase child skills and whether the impact is enhanced with text messages aimed at managing parents' behavioral biases. • We find that providing 1) a digital tablet with math apps, and 2) analog math materials with weekly text messages to manage parents' present bias increased children's math skill by around 20% of the control group's standard deviation. • We explore a potential mechanism where the increase in parent engagement leads to an increase in child math skills. Math skill in early childhood is a key predictor of future academic achievement. Parental engagement in math learning contributes to the growth of children's math skills during this period. To help boost parent-child engagement in math activities and children's math skills, we conducted an RCT lasting 12 weeks with 758 low-income preschoolers (3-5 years old) and their primary caregivers. Parents were randomized into five groups: 1) a control group, and groups that received 2) a digital tablet with math apps for children; 3) analog math materials for parents to use with children, 4) analog math materials with weekly text messages to manage parents' present bias; and 5) analog math materials with weekly text messages to increase parents' growth mindset. Relative to the control group, neither the analog math materials alone nor the analog materials with growth mindset messages increased child math skills during the intervention period. However, the analog math materials combined with messaging to manage present bias and the digital tablet with math apps increased child math skills by about 0.20 standard deviations (p=.10) measured six months after the intervention. These two treatments also significantly increased parents' self-reported time engaged in math activities with their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Despite a high proportion of children enrolled in childcare in Vietnam, a childcare program has never been formally evaluated. • We evaluated the impact of a training program, on quality, provider stress and job satisfaction, and knowledge of milestones. • We found that training improved quality, pride and job satisfaction of providers, and provider knowledge about milestones. • Higher quality childcare centers were associated with improvements in children's early development. Access to high-quality childcare is essential to promote childrens' development; however, little is known about the quality of childcare they receive. The current study addresses this knowledge gap by evaluating a childcare training program, delivered by a non-government organization, OneSky, in Vietnam. OneSky trains providers who run Home Based Cares (HBCs), which are private, low-cost childcares. A controlled quasi-experimental evaluation design was employed in order to compare short- and medium-term outcomes of the training program on the quality of the HBCs and the competencies of the HBC providers. In addition, the association between childcare quality and the development of the children attending the HBCs was examined. Three cohorts of HBCs were enrolled, (1) HBCs who had completed training 12–15 months prior to evaluation (medium-term); (2) HBCs who had completed training 1–3 months prior to evaluation (short-term); and (3) HBCs who were waiting to be trained (the control arm). The study sample comprised 418 HBCs and 1646 children. Regression analyses showed that childcare training was associated with improvements in childcare quality (β = 0.97 , p < 0.001), and the impact of the training was maintained over time (β = 0.89 , p=<0.001). Childcare training was associated with provider knowledge about infant developmental milestones in the short-term (β = 0.42 , p = 0.001), and childcare provider job satisfaction in the short-term (β = 0.38 , p = 0.003) and medium-term (β = 0.43 , p = 0.013), but had no impact on childcare provider stress. Childcare quality was independently associated with benefits to young childrens' development (β = 0.11 , p=<0.001). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first formal evaluation of a childcare training program in Vietnam. Further research is needed to identify features of childcare implementation associated with high quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about how the experience of an earthquake affects young children's cognitive outcomes. On February 27, 2010, a severe earthquake shook southern Chile. The earthquake occurred during the course of a large-scale evaluation of an early childhood education intervention (child average age = 53 months) in Santiago, such that one cohort of children (n = 698) experienced baseline data collection 3-12 weeks after the earthquake occurred, while a different cohort of children (n = 720) did not. In this paper, we used these available evaluation data to conduct two sets of analyses that explore the relationship between preschool children's exposure to the 2010 Chilean earthquake and their early language, pre-literacy, mathematics and executive function outcomes. In the first set of analyses, we employed a propensity score analysis to estimate the short-term effect of the earthquake on preschool-aged children's early learning and executive function outcomes. Results suggest that children who experienced the earthquake had lower scores on some early language and pre-literacy assessments than those who did not, with effect sizes of approximately 20% of a standard deviation. Results from the second set of analyses suggest that among the families who experienced the earthquake, children whose parents reported more earthquake-related stressors performed significantly lower on some early language and pre-literacy outcomes. Implications of these findings for disaster relief efforts and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zusammenfassung Frühkindliche Entwicklung, ihre Varianzen und insbesondere krankhafte Abweichungen sind zentraler Fokus der Frühdiagnostik, denn nur daraus lässt sich eine effektive individuelle Frühtherapie ableiten. Die etablierten Entwicklungstests verfolgen aus ihrer jeweiligen Historie heraus unterschiedliche Ansätze und führen entsprechend den untersuchten Testinhalten zu jeweils spezifischen Ergebnissen. Die Eigenschaften der Entwicklungstests sollten auch dem Therapeuten bekannt sein, ebenso auch der strukturierte Untersuchungsgang und die Interpretation der Ergebnisse. Early childhood development, its variances and especially the pathological deviations are focal point of early clinical diagnostics in infants and are prerequisite for an effective individual early therapy. A number of developmental tests are well-established. Because of their different history they have varying approaches and lead to different results. The specific characteristics of the developmental tests as well as the structured clinical examination and its exact interpretation should be well known by therapists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the first representative sample survey of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program quality to be conducted in South Africa ( n = 242 ECCE centers). The Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale—Revised (ECERS-R) and Infant–Toddler Environmental Rating Scale—Revised (ITERS-R) were used to assess ECCE quality. A Center Management Quality measure based on South African center licensing requirements was constructed and administered to center supervisors. We found that classes for both younger and older children fall just above the ‘minimal’ quality level on both measures. Regression analyses were conducted to establish determinants of center quality. Predictors included: licensing and subsidy status, teacher information (age, highest qualification and years in ECCE), presence of a Reception Year class in the center, teacher–child ratio, weekly fees, management quality, center support and parent involvement. Outcome measures were ITERS-R and ECERS-R total scale scores. Fees charged and center management capacity were predicted the quality of the care and learning environment. The relationship between level of child deprivation in the community (as an indicator of child poverty) and ITERS-R and ECERS-R total scores was examined separately. A significant negative relationship was observed between program quality and the level of child deprivation in the area served by the center. Implications for improving center quality for disadvantaged children in South Africa are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Readiness for school learning is an important predictor of subsequent educational achievement, which in turn predicts health and social outcomes into adulthood. This longitudinal study used population-based administrative data from multiple sectors to follow a cohort of children ( n = 8983) from the prenatal period to kindergarten to examine early childhood development factors associated with academic school readiness as measured on the language and cognitive development domain of the Early Development Instrument (EDI). Structural equation modelling was used to study the complex inter-relationships among the EDI scores and the explanatory variables, which included maternal prenatal health behaviors, child health at birth, family risk factors, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. Our findings suggest that when multiple influences on early childhood development are considered together, family risk factors are the key driver of academic school readiness, and family risk, in turn, is strongly influenced by neighborhood socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This opening paper presents the background to this Special Issue devoted to new international research using Early Development Instrument (EDI). The Canadian EDI and its adaptations to the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC), as well as the Chinese version used in Hong Kong, are examples of an assessment tool that brings data on child development at 4–6 years to a population level, in an accessible, feasible, and psychometrically valid manner. EDI measures are increasingly being used by governments, at all levels of jurisdiction, as a means of monitoring the status of early childhood development and then tracking progress over time. Recent innovations linking administrative datasets with EDI data have enabled research into the predictors, correlates, and sequelae of developmental status in early childhood. The eleven papers included in this Special Issue represent thoughtful, systematic, theory-based programs of research, informed by the broad scope of the EDI and supported by the availability of data for large, normative populations and especially often under-reported sub-populations of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family-level factors that characterize the home environment are critical inputs to early language and cognitive development, and potential mechanisms for improving developmental outcomes in vulnerable populations. Many studies conducted in high-income and Western settings highlight stimulating parenting, the home language environment, and parental self-efficacy as possible mechanisms of early development, though less is known about how these family-level factors impact child development in low- or middle-income settings. Even less is known about these family-level factors and early childhood development in rural China, where rates of cognitive and language delay in children aged 0-3 years are as high as 45% and 46%, respectively. Using data collected from 77 rural households with children aged 18-24 months in Southwestern China, this study examines the associations between stimulating parenting, the home language environment, and parental self-efficacy, and early cognitive and language development. The results indicate that stimulating parenting was significantly associated with cognitive, language, and overall development; the home language environment was only significantly associated with language development; and parental self-efficacy was not significantly associated with any developmental outcomes. The implications of such findings reveal mechanisms for supporting healthy child development in rural China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Poverty and its associated factors put children at risk for developmental delay. The aim of this study was to describe the neurodevelopment of children under three years of age in poverty-stricken areas of China and explore possible associated factors. Study design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2837 children aged 1-35 months in poverty-stricken areas of China. Methods: Characteristics of the child, caregiver, and family were collected through face-to-face caregiver interviews. Developmental delay was explored with the five-domain, structured, parent-completed Ages and Stages Questionnaire. The Zung Self-rating Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms of the caregivers. The Chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore associated factors. Results: Of the children, 39.7% (95% confidence interval, 37.9-41.5) had developmental delay in at least one of the five domains. For the domains of communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social skills, the prevalence was 11.5%, 18.5%, 21.4%, 18.4%, and 17.9%, respectively. Significant predictors of increased odds of developmental delay included the child having no toys (odds ratio [OR] = 2.31), the caregiver having depression (OR = 2.24), insufficient learning activities (OR = 1.65), and more children in the family (OR =1.16). Conclusions: The high prevalence of developmental delay in children younger than three years in poverty-stricken areas of China and the presence of risk factors for developmental delay such as inadequate learning resources and activities in the home, caregiver depression, and low family income highlight the need for early identification and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]