Prediction of social skills in 6-year-old children with and without developmental delays: contributions of early regulation and maternal scaffolding.
Children's emotion dysregulation and maternal scaffolding at age 4 were examined as predictors of social skills at age 6, for 66 children with and 106 without early developmental delays. Observed scaffolding and regulation during frustrating laboratory tasks related to later mother, father, and teacher social-skill ratings for children with delays and were stronger predictors of social skills within this group than were developmental level and early behavior problems. In contrast, fewer associations were found for typically developing children, with early behavior problems providing the only unique prediction to social skills. Data support a model in which dysregulation partially mediates the association between developmental status and social-skill outcomes. Implications for research, prevention, and early intervention are discussed.
The Pennsylvania State University, Psychology, Child Study Center, University Park 16802, USA. jkb169@psu.edu
Jason K
JK
Baker
Rachel M
RM
Fenning
Keith A
KA
Crnic
Bruce L
BL
Baker
Jan
J
Blacher
D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis