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An early parenting intervention focused on enriched parent–child interactions improves effortful control in the early years of school

journal contribution
posted on 2024-10-14, 05:10 authored by C Bennett, Elizabeth WestruppElizabeth Westrupp, SK Bennetts, J Love, NJ Hackworth, D Berthelsen, JM Nicholson
AbstractThis study examined long‐term mediating effects of the smalltalk parenting intervention on children's effortful control at school age (7.5 years; 2016–2018). In 2010–2012, parents (96% female) of toddlers (N = 1201; aged 12–36 months; 52% female) were randomly assigned to either: standard playgroup, smalltalk playgroup (group‐only), or smalltalk playgroup with additional home coaching (smalltalk plus). Multi‐informant data indicated that smalltalk plus had unique indirect effects on children's effortful control, through parents' capacity to ‘maintain and extend’ children's focus during joint interactions. Possible mediating pathways via parent verbal responsivity, home learning activities, and descriptive language use were not supported. When parents received a structured playgroup program with additional home coaching, sustainable benefits were evident in children's self‐regulation, assessed in the early school years.

History

Journal

Child Development

Pagination

1-20

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

0009-3920

eISSN

1467-8624

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Publisher

Wiley

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