ABSTRACT

In this study, we explored how free play and scaffolding practices in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) related to children’s externalising problems both in ECEC and later in school. Furthermore, we aimed to reduce the knowledge gap of whether these relations depended on children’s differences in emotional temperament. We used structural equation modelling to analyse data from 7421 children from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study. Results indicated that more free play associated with less externalising problems in ECEC for children in general. For children with higher emotionality, more free play related to increased externalising problems in school. Scaffolding in ECEC was not associated with externalising problems, but moderated the longitudinal association of free play for children with higher emotionality. All children benefited from free play in ECEC for their concurrent mental health. However, for children with higher emotionality, more free play in ECEC might be a risk factor for reduced mental health in school, where there is less free play than in ECEC. More scaffolding in combination with free play in ECEC can reduce this risk. Further research should address the content of play and scaffolding practices in more detail.

摘要

在这项研究中，我们探讨了幼儿教育和照顾（ECEC）中的免费游戏和脚手架实践如何与ECEC和以后学校中的儿童外部化问题相关。此外，我们的目标是缩小关于这些关系是否取决于孩子的情绪气质差异的知识鸿沟。我们使用结构方程模型来分析来自挪威母亲，父亲和儿童队列研究的7421名儿童的数据。结果表明，一般来说，更多的自由活动与较少的ECEC外在化问题相关。对于情绪较高的孩子，更多的自由活动与学校增加的外部化问题有关。ECEC中的脚手架与外部性问题无关，但可以缓解情绪较高的儿童自由游戏的纵向联系。所有儿童的并发心理健康都受益于ECEC的免费游戏。但是，对于情绪较高的孩子，ECEC中更多的自由活动可能是导致学校心理健康降低的危险因素，因为学校的自由活动少于ECEC。ECEC中更多的脚手架与自由活动相结合可以减少这种风险。进一步的研究应更详细地讨论游戏和脚手架实践的内容。