Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Mar. 3, 2008). Directed by Linda L. Hestenes; submitted to the School of Human Environmental Sciences. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-123).

Research paper (M.A.) -- Cardinal Stritch College -- Milwaukee, 1970. / A research paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education (Education of Mentally Handicapped). Includes bibliographical references (p. [35-38]).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Massachusetts Amherst, 2009. / Open access. Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-159). Print copy also available.

Thesis (M.Psych.Ed.) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

The preschool years are a critical time for the development of emotion regulation, which is vital for children’s intellectual and social growth. Children with behavior problems are at particular risk of developing poor regulatory skills. Understanding factors underlying emotion dysregulation in children with behavior problems is therefore important for fostering children’s emotional development. Although theory and research suggest executive function may be important in this regard, its role among children at-risk for emotion dysregulation remains unclear. The goal of the current study was to examine whether executive function predicted trajectories of emotion dysregulation from age 3 to age 5 among children with behavior problems. This study focused on 199 3-year-old children with behavior problems who took part in a larger longitudinal study. Results revealed that response inhibition and working memory were not predictive of later emotion dysregulation. However, children who exhibited worse delay of gratification at ages 3 and 4 had greater symptoms of externalizing emotion dysregulation at age 5. In addition, children who made more omission errors on a test of attentional control at ages 3 and 4 exhibited greater externalizing emotion dysregulation at age 5. Gender differences emerged on two measures of delay of gratification and one measure of attentional control. Results suggest that specific facets of executive function may play an important role in difficulties with emotion dysregulation across the preschool years and that this pattern may differ across boys and girls.

To acquire language, children must learn how to categorize objects on the basis of the meanings that cultures have assigned to the objects. A series of six experiments tested how preschool-aged children categorize familiar objects. Each experiment used a matching-to-sample format in which children matched pictures of familiar objects (comparisons) to a sample stimulus picture. The sample and one comparison related taxonomically (on the basis of function) from which the children were to find another stimulus that was the same as the sample. Each experiment was a systematic replication of published research and of the prior experiment. In all six experiments, these pre-school-aged children demonstrated a statistically significant preference for the taxonomic stimulus. No statistically significant differences were found between genders. The results of these six experiments did not support the development trend described in the majority of the extant literature. These findings are also contrary to the research literature, with one noted exception.

To determine the effects of a targeted curriculum and dual program involvement on childhood overweight status among low-income preschool children, a nutrition curriculum was developed. Three Special Supplemental Food Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) clinics participated in the study: the control clinic, a clinic which received the targeted curriculum, and a third clinic which received the targeted curriculum and referred participant families to the Expanded Food and Nutrition lll Education Program (EFNEP). Participants were followed for six months. Data collected included anthropometrics, dietary intake, and parental behaviors. Results showed a decrease in body-mass index percentile, slight improvements in dietary intakes, and increased prevalence of healthy parental behaviors for all three clinics. Overall no significant differences between clinics were noted. Surveys indicated a positive impact of the curriculum in meeting desired objectives and a positive change on parents' self-efficacy.

Structured physical activity (SPA) is one type of physical activity in which preschool aged children participate (e.g., soccer programs). Given that SPA often occurs at community-based locations, such as at a field or hockey rink, primary caregivers, who are often times mothers, must transport their preschool aged children to the scheduled SPA. Although studies have examined social cognitions important to individuals participation in their own scheduled physical activity, no study to date has focused on the social cognitions of mothers that may be related to the transportation of their preschool aged children to SPA. The purpose of this two-study dissertation was to use self-efficacy theory to develop and examine the reliability and validity evidence of measures to assess mothers social cognitions (i.e., self-regulatory efficacy to overcome barriers and to schedule/plan; outcome expectations including likelihood and value) that may be related to transporting their children to SPA. A literature review, focus group elicitation with nine participants (Mean age = 35.25 years; SD = 3.57), and feedback from three expert judges and 10 participants were used to develop items for each of the measures in Study 1. The reliability of the measures was then investigated in Study 1 using data from 31 participants (Mean age= 33.50 years; SD = 5.79) to examine initial internal consistency and then 64 participants (Mean age= 32.87 years; SD = 4.48) to further examine internal consistency and temporal stability. Findings revealed some evidence for the content and construct validity, internal consistency, and temporal stability of the measures. To continue the construct validation of the measures, it was important to continue to examine the reliability evidence of the measures and other aspects of validity, including concurrent and predictive validity. In Study 2, data from 93 participants (Mean age= 34.88 years; SD = 5.04) were used to examine evidence of the criterion-related validity (i.e., concurrent and predictive) of the developed measures. Results revealed convergence of the measures that assessed similar constructs (i.e., self-regulatory efficacy to schedule/plan and to overcome barriers; outcome expectations: likelihood and value). However, evidence of the divergence of the self-regulatory efficacy measures from the outcome expectation measures was less consistent. Results also revealed that the self-regulatory efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations measures were not significant, independent predictors of transportation to SPA. These predictive validity findings as well as the divergence findings may have been due to the type of mothers who participated in the study (i.e., highly experienced in transporting children to SPA). Findings from the present series of studies suggest a need for continued exploration of the measures, including research with a more diverse sample. Collecting further reliability and validity evidence of these measures to compare it with the evidence from the present studies would contribute to the ongoing construct validation of these measures.

Structured physical activity (SPA) is one type of physical activity in which preschool aged children participate (e.g., soccer programs). Given that SPA often occurs at community-based locations, such as at a field or hockey rink, primary caregivers, who are often times mothers, must transport their preschool aged children to the scheduled SPA. Although studies have examined social cognitions important to individuals participation in their own scheduled physical activity, no study to date has focused on the social cognitions of mothers that may be related to the transportation of their preschool aged children to SPA. The purpose of this two-study dissertation was to use self-efficacy theory to develop and examine the reliability and validity evidence of measures to assess mothers social cognitions (i.e., self-regulatory efficacy to overcome barriers and to schedule/plan; outcome expectations including likelihood and value) that may be related to transporting their children to SPA. A literature review, focus group elicitation with nine participants (Mean age = 35.25 years; SD = 3.57), and feedback from three expert judges and 10 participants were used to develop items for each of the measures in Study 1. The reliability of the measures was then investigated in Study 1 using data from 31 participants (Mean age= 33.50 years; SD = 5.79) to examine initial internal consistency and then 64 participants (Mean age= 32.87 years; SD = 4.48) to further examine internal consistency and temporal stability. Findings revealed some evidence for the content and construct validity, internal consistency, and temporal stability of the measures. To continue the construct validation of the measures, it was important to continue to examine the reliability evidence of the measures and other aspects of validity, including concurrent and predictive validity. In Study 2, data from 93 participants (Mean age= 34.88 years; SD = 5.04) were used to examine evidence of the criterion-related validity (i.e., concurrent and predictive) of the developed measures. Results revealed convergence of the measures that assessed similar constructs (i.e., self-regulatory efficacy to schedule/plan and to overcome barriers; outcome expectations: likelihood and value). However, evidence of the divergence of the self-regulatory efficacy measures from the outcome expectation measures was less consistent. Results also revealed that the self-regulatory efficacy beliefs and outcome expectations measures were not significant, independent predictors of transportation to SPA. These predictive validity findings as well as the divergence findings may have been due to the type of mothers who participated in the study (i.e., highly experienced in transporting children to SPA). Findings from the present series of studies suggest a need for continued exploration of the measures, including research with a more diverse sample. Collecting further reliability and validity evidence of these measures to compare it with the evidence from the present studies would contribute to the ongoing construct validation of these measures.

Denna studie har som syfte att undersöka pedagogers syn på matematik i förskolan medfokus på barns lärande. Studien innehåller intervjuer med pedagoger i förskolan samtobservationer av barn i förskolan. Dessa metodval har använts för att kunna svara påstudiens syfte samt frågeställningar. Barnen blev observerade för att undersöka hurderas matematiska kunskaper kom till uttryck. Intervjuerna syftade till att synliggöravad pedagogerna anser om matematiken i förskolan. Denna studie visar att det finns tvåskilda förhållningssätt bland pedagoger om hur barn tillägnar sig matematiskakunskaper i förskolan. Ett av förhållningssätten innebär att pedagogerna anser att barnenlär sig matematik i vardagliga situationer. Ingen undervisning behövs eftersom lärandetsker per automatik i naturliga sammanhang. Det andra förhållningssättet som framkom idenna studie innebär att pedagoger kan genom att observera och lyssna på barnenuppfatta vad deras matematiska förkunskaper är. Pedagogerna utgår sedan från dessa föratt få barnen att utveckla sin matematiska begreppsförståelse. Pedagogerna i förskolankan pendla mellan dessa förhållningssätt i olika situationer. Vi har även kommit framtill att pedagoger kan tydligt se i leken vilka matematiska kunskaper barnen har tillägnatsig. I studien diskuteras och betonar även att pedagogerna i förskolan bör tala om förbarnen när de ägnar sig åt matematik i olika former. / The purpose of this study is to find out how teachers view mathematics in preschool inSweden and how they focus on children’s learning. This study contains interviews withteachers who work in preschools and observations of children in preschools. Thesechoices of methods helpful when the authors was described the purpose and answeredquestions. We observed the children because we wanted to find out how they expressedtheir mathematical knowledge. The educators were interviewed about their view onmathematics in preschool. The result of this study is that there are two separateapproaches among the educators on how the children can learn about mathematics inpreschool. One of these approaches was that the educators thought that the childrenlearned about mathematic in everyday situations. There is no education needed becausethe learning is done automatically. The other approaches this study revealed suggeststhat educators can learn about the children’s previous mathematical knowledge byobserving and listening to the children. The educators can use these approaches to helpthe children develop their mathematical conceptual understanding. The educators canhold both of these approaches if they are in different situations. The educators canobserve the children when they play, then they can see which mathematical knowledgethe children have acquired. In the study it is discussed and emphasised that theeducators should tell the children when they are engaged in mathematics in differentforms.