Effects of early childhood education attendance on achievement, social skills, behaviour, and stress

Abstract

There is evidence that Early Childhood Education positively contributes to optimal performance in Elementary School, but there are few studies about its infl uence on socio-behavioral variables. This study aimed to explore the association between duration of Early Childhood Education attendance (one or two years) and developmental outcomes in the 3rd grade. A total of 151 students from public schools participated in the study and their academic performance, social skills, externalizing behavior and stress symptoms were assessed. Data analysis comprised group comparison and regression with control of socioeconomic background. The results showed that children who had attended Early Childhood Education for one more year showed better achievement and less stress symptoms. Duration of Early Childhood Education attendance was a significant positive predictor for achievement and a negative one for stress in the 3rd grade. We discuss the quality of Early Childhood Education and its influence on the variables assessed and point to the need for a systematic replication study to assess the generalization of the results.