While socioeconomic status (SES), time in preschool (TiP) and their interaction are related to reading ability, the results have been mixed. This study assessed whether the shared environment mediated these associations using a longitudinal behavior genetic design. Further, this study contrasted the source of variance in reading accounted for by (a) SES and TiP, against that of (b) genes, the shared environment, and the unique environment. Participants were 511 monozygotic twin pairs, and 515 dizygotic same-sex twin pairs from Australia, the United States and Scandinavia. They were assessed at preschool, kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2. The interaction between TiP and SES did not explain variance in reading at any stage. At preschool, SES and TiP combined accounted for 9% of the total variance in reading, or 17.6% of the shared environment variance. Of that 9%, SES explained 8.1% independent of TiP. By Grade 2, SES and TiP explained 4% of the total variance, or 57% of the shared environment variance. Of that 4%, SES accounted for 3% with TiP accounting for just 1%. It was found that SES, but not TiP, had a small but significant influence on reading over time, and is a substantial mediator of the shared environment influence of reading by Grade 2.

Bilingualism changes language and literacy development, with morphological awareness and vocabulary as fundamental skills. This study tested whether experience with Chinese, which primarily uses compounds and lacks affixes, creates distinct pathways for acquiring English compound and affix awareness, thereby shaping their associations with English vocabulary. We tested Chinese-English-bilingual and English-monolingual preschoolers (N = 202, 3-to-5-year-olds) and built two path models. Model 1 included bilinguals and revealed that English affix awareness was primarily explained by cumulative English exposure (% English-input) and associated with vocabulary, while English compound awareness was predicted by Chinese compound proficiency and unrelated to vocabulary. Model 2 compared between groups, revealing significant associations between English vocabulary and both types of morphological awareness for monolinguals, whereas bilinguals only showed significance for affix awareness. Findings suggest that Chinese-English-bilingual and English-monolingual children show distinct morphological development patterns. Importantly, awareness of affixes, a rare feature in Chinese, is crucial for Chinese-English-bilinguals’ English vocabulary.

Research suggests that well-developed parent engagement programs can boost early learning and reduce socioeconomic disparities in subsequent school adjustment. Yet few follow-up studies exist. To address this gap, we followed participants in the Research-based, Developmentally Informed-Parent [REDI-P] intervention study for 8 years to evaluate adolescent outcomes. Participants included 200 4-year-old children (55% White, 26% Black, 19% Latinx; 56% male, 44% female; Mage at study entry = 4.45 years) attending Head Start. Families were randomly assigned to REDI-P home learning materials and coaching or an attention control group. Multi-method measures tracked child literacy skills, learning behaviors, social competence, and conduct problems through grade 7. GLM analyses revealed significant preschool intervention effects on grade 7 working memory, β = 0.35, 95% CI 0.08, 0.62, p = .01; perceived social competence, β = 0.30, 95% CI 0.02, .58, p = .04; deviant peer affiliation, β = −0.33, 95% CI −0.60, −0.06, p = .02; and teacher-rated conduct problems, β = −0.30, 95% CI −0.58, −0.01, p = .04. Serial path models identified developmental progressions linking initial intervention effects to adolescent outcomes. Results highlight the long-term value of empowering parents to support the early social-emotional and pre-academic learning of their preschool children.

Temperament has been linked to the development of externalizing symptoms, but the nature of these associations remains unclear. Traditional approaches often treat early reactive temperament as static, overlooking developmental variation. This study applied a longitudinal latent change score model to examine how levels and changes in Negative Affect (NA) and Surgency from age 3 to 5 predict Conduct Problems (CP) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in early childhood. Data from the National Educational Panel Study (N = 2,477) were analyzed. Temperament was assessed at ages 3, 4, and 5 using the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire, and CP and ADHD symptoms were measured at ages 5, 6, and 8 with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Measurement invariance was established. Significant individual differences in developmental change emerged. Change in NA and Surgency, but not baseline levels, predicted higher latent CP and ADHD symptom levels at age 5 and further increases through age 8. These findings indicate that intraindividual change in reactive temperament can be a relevant marker of developmental risk. Temperamental risk for externalizing symptoms in early childhood is not fixed but may be shaped by both stable dispositions and developmental change, highlighting the importance of assessing temperament development to identify early emerging risk.

The objective of this study was to develop and validate an educational comic book designed to promote healthy eating among caregivers of young children. The study was conducted in four phases: (1) literature review and script development; (2) creation of the initial version of the comic book, including illustrations, layout and design, and calculation of the Flesch Readability Index (FI); (3) expert validation of the initial version and calculation of the Content Validity Index (CVI); and (4) adaptation of the comic book based on expert suggestions, recalculation of the FI, and pilot testing (CVI) with a lay population. A total of 64 volunteers participated in the validation process, including 14 expert judges and 50 caregivers responsible for feeding children aged 0 to 5 years. Statistical analysis included descriptive measures and inferential testing using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The FI score for the initial version was 85.0%, indicating a reading level classified as “easy to understand.” After expert evaluation, the CVI reached 94%, reflecting high agreement among participants. In the revised version, the FI remained high at 84.7%, reinforcing the “easy to understand” reading level, while the CVI increased to 98% following the pilot test, demonstrating strong consensus among participants. A significant improvement in knowledge regarding healthy eating was observed after reading the comic book (p < 0.05). The comic book was validated for appearance, content and readability, showing a positive impact on caregivers’ knowledge about healthy eating practices. It represents an accessible and effective resource that can be integrated into community-based nutrition education programmes.

This study utilized a novel, observational paradigm to identify functional patterns of father responsiveness to child distress. In particular, we sought to identify a pattern of caregiving deactivation characterized by parenting behavior that functioned to minimize activation of the caregiving behavioral system. We also sought to identify a pattern of caregiving hyperactivation characterized by parenting behavior that functioned to maintain or heighten caregiving system activation. In turn, we examined whether caregiving deactivation and hyperactivation were differentially associated with children’s socioemotional development over a two-year period. Participants included 235 fathers (55% White) and children (Mage = 2.97; 55% female) who visited the laboratory at two measurement occasions spaced approximately two years apart. A path model analysis revealed that caregiving deactivation was uniquely associated with decreases in children’s oppositional defiance and hostility over a two-year period. In contrast, caregiving hyperactivation was uniquely associated with increases in children’s anxiety and social disengagement two years later. The findings highlight the importance of considering both form and function in parenting behavior and provide evidence on the importance of considering fathers’ caregiving behavior.

The study aims to identify family child care home (FCCH) setting- and environment-level predictors related to providers’ perceived difficulty in implementing the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) recommendations for serving vegetables to children. This was a cross-sectional study, which used a validated paper-based survey with a multi-method data analysis approach. Participants were licenced FCCH providers (N = 943) in Nebraska, who were predominantly White (94%), non-Hispanic (97%), CACFP-participants (89%), and in urban areas (64%). Reflective latent variable modelling was conducted in Mplus to explore associations between dependent variable and predictors. Dependent variable was providers’ perceived difficulty to implement CACFP recommendations for serving vegetables. Predictors were providers’ mealtime practices, perceived barriers to serve healthy foods, CACFP participation, geographic location, food access, food insecurity, and child poverty. Qualitative comments (n=122) from the survey were analysed using direct content analysis approach. Providers’ perceived lack of time to prepare foods and perceived children’s taste preferences increased their perceived difficulty; and CACFP-participation decreased their perceived difficulty to implement CACFP recommendations for serving vegetables. Qualitative comments highlighted that providers felt discouraged to serve vegetables knowing that vegetables would likely be wasted because of children’s preferences. More tailored professional development is required to address FCCH providers’ perceived difficulty and build providers’ skills on preparing time saving, CACFP-reimbursable and appealing vegetable recipes, and on strategies to promote vegetable consumption in children.

During vocabulary instruction, it is important to teach words until their representations are robust enough to be retained. For adults, the number of training sessions a target item is successfully retrieved during training predicts the likelihood of post-training retention. To assess this relationship in children, we reanalyzed data from Gordon et al. (2021b, 2022). Four- to six-year-old children completed six training days with word form-object pairs and were tested one month later. Results indicate that the number of training sessions that a word form was retrieved was positively related to post-training retention. We discuss implications for vocabulary instruction and interventions.

The aim of this review is to highlight the key issues in relation to food insecurity among children and young people living in Scotland. It provides an overview of the current context of food insecurity more generally within the UK and specifically in Scotland. Food insecurity has risen in Scotland evidenced through responses to national surveys and the dramatic increase in households relying on emergency food provision. Food insecurity is highest among young people, single parent families and single men. The key drivers of food insecurity include insufficient income, welfare reform, food inflation and geo-political events. Evidence suggests that food insecurity is negatively related to sufficient nutritional intake, and the implications for physical and mental health are profound. Policy actions implemented to mitigate the impact of food insecurity on children and young people include the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment, food voucher schemes, free school meals, and holiday food provision. Further evidence is required to evaluate the success of these policies in reducing or mitigating food insecurity. The review concludes by considering the ways in which a rights-based approach to food might benefit children and young people living in Scotland, and argues that wider systemic change is required.

This pilot study provides preliminary insights into whether Latino preschool children living in an emerging Latino community (ELC) are meeting recommendations for healthy diet and activity behaviours and whether those behaviours are associated with sociodemographic or home environment variables. Secondary data analysis was conducted utilising cross-sectional baseline survey data from ANDALE Pittsburgh, a home-based intervention study. Measures included parent-reported information on child dietary intake, screen time and the home environment, and objectively measured physical activity and anthropometry. χ2 and Fischer's exact tests were used to determine associations. The study was conducted in an ELC in western Pennsylvania in the US. Fifty-one Latina mothers (age: 33⋅5 ± 6⋅1 years; 63 % Mexican origin; 86 % low acculturation) and their children (age: 3⋅9 ± 1⋅3 years; 55 % male) 2–5 years of age. On average, children consumed 2⋅25 ± 1⋅44 cups of fruits/vegetables, viewed 98⋅7 ± 74⋅2 min of screen time, accumulated 12⋅9 ± 2⋅9 min/h of total physical activity and consumed 15⋅5 ± 26⋅0 kcals of sugar-sweetened beverages per day. Forty-one percent met the fruit/vegetable recommendation, 54 % met the screen time recommendation, 27 % met the physical activity recommendation and 58 % met the sugary drink recommendation. Country of origin (P = 0⋅032) and acculturation (P = 0⋅048) were significantly associated with children meeting sugary drink recommendations. No other relationships were significant. The proportion of children in this sample meeting diet and activity recommendations was mixed. More research with larger sample sizes is needed in ELCs to identify effective intervention strategies for improving health behaviours.

This paper presents new benefit–cost estimates for the Tulsa universal pre-K program. These calculations are based on estimated effects, from two recent papers, of Tulsa pre-K on high-school graduation rates and college attendance rates of students who were in kindergarten in the fall of 2006. In the current paper, educational effects from these prior papers are used to infer lifetime earnings effects. Our conservative estimates suggest that per pre-K participant, the present value of earnings effects in 2021 dollars is $25,533, compared with program costs of $9,628, for a benefit–cost ratio of 2.65. Compared to prior benefit–cost studies of Tulsa pre-K, this benefit–cost ratio is below what was predicted from Tulsa pre-K’s effects on kindergarten test scores, but above what was predicted from Tulsa pre-K’s effects on grade retention by ninth grade. This fading and recovery of predicted pre-K effects as children go through K-12 and then enter adulthood is consistent with prior research. It suggests that pre-K may have important effects on “soft skills,” such as persisting in school, and reminds us that short-term studies of pre-K provide useful information for public policy.