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Research article
Proximal and distal predictors of self-regulatory change in children aged 4 to 7 years
Kate E Williams
Queensland University of Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-5503
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background Growth in early self-regulation skills has been linked to positive health, wellbeing, and achievement trajectories across the lifespan. While individual studies have documented specific influences on self-regulation competencies in early childhood, few have modelled a comprehensive range of predictors of self-regulation change across health, development, and environment simultaneously. This study aimed to examine the concurrent associations among a range of proximal and distal influences on change in children’s self-regulation skills over 2 years from age 4-5 years.
Methods Data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (N= 4983) were used in a structural equation model, predicting a multi-source composite measure of self-regulation at each of 4-5 years and 6-7 years. By controlling for earlier self-regulation and covariates, the model examined the relative contributions of a comprehensive range of variables to self-regulation change including health, development, educational, home environment, time-use, and neighbourhood characteristics.
Results The significant predictors of children’s self-regulation growth across 4 to 7 years were fewer behavioural sleep problems, higher gross motor and pre-academic skills, lower levels of maternal and paternal angry parenting, and lower levels of financial hardship. There were also marginal effects for high-quality home learning environments and child-educator relationships.
Conclusion Findings suggest that if we are to successfully foster children’s self-regulation skills, interventionists would do well to operate not only on children’s current capacities but also key aspects of their surrounding context.
Keywords
early childhood, self-regulation, self-control, predictive model
Figure 1
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 3
Posted 15 May, 2020
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 30 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 10 Mar, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 29 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 17 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 17 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 13 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 12 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 11 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 11 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 04 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 17 Mar, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 17 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Mar, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 12 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 10 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Mar, 2020
First submitted
On 05 Mar, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Pediatrics. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Proximal and distal predictors of self-regulatory change in children aged 4 to 7 years
Kate E Williams
Queensland University of Technology
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-5503
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 3
Posted 15 May, 2020
No community comments so far
Editor assigned
On 30 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 29 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 10 Mar, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 29 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 17 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 17 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 13 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 12 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 11 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 11 Apr, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 04 Apr, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 30 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 17 Mar, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 17 Mar, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 12 Mar, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 12 Mar, 2020
Editor assigned
On 10 Mar, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 09 Mar, 2020
Editor invited
On 09 Mar, 2020
First submitted
On 05 Mar, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background Growth in early self-regulation skills has been linked to positive health, wellbeing, and achievement trajectories across the lifespan. While individual studies have documented specific influences on self-regulation competencies in early childhood, few have modelled a comprehensive range of predictors of self-regulation change across health, development, and environment simultaneously. This study aimed to examine the concurrent associations among a range of proximal and distal influences on change in children’s self-regulation skills over 2 years from age 4-5 years.
Methods Data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (N= 4983) were used in a structural equation model, predicting a multi-source composite measure of self-regulation at each of 4-5 years and 6-7 years. By controlling for earlier self-regulation and covariates, the model examined the relative contributions of a comprehensive range of variables to self-regulation change including health, development, educational, home environment, time-use, and neighbourhood characteristics.
Results The significant predictors of children’s self-regulation growth across 4 to 7 years were fewer behavioural sleep problems, higher gross motor and pre-academic skills, lower levels of maternal and paternal angry parenting, and lower levels of financial hardship. There were also marginal effects for high-quality home learning environments and child-educator relationships.
Conclusion Findings suggest that if we are to successfully foster children’s self-regulation skills, interventionists would do well to operate not only on children’s current capacities but also key aspects of their surrounding context.
Figure 1