Cumulative effect of instruction on psyc

ICPHSP2004

“Cumulative effect of instruction on psychomotor development” Click here to download Pdf file.

Author: Aurela Saliaj MD,PhD, Afërdita Nikaj MD,PhD, Sonila Nikaj RN,MSc, Evis Alushi RN,MSc

Affiliation: Department of Mother&Child Care, Faculty of Public Health, University ‘Ismail Qemali’ Vlora, Albania

Abstract:

Background: Early childhood years are critical to human development. This is a fundamental period for development of physical abilities, emotional and language that are essential for life.

Children have the right to grow up in an environment that allows them to reach their full potential in life. Negative experiences in early childhood years can hamper development and could have a negative impact throughout the lifespan as adult. As many authors have noted, there is not usually only a certain factor which determines the low level of development of the child, but the cumulative effect of many risky factors that produces adverse effects on children.

Aim of the study: Assessing the impact that the instructive environment has on psychomotor development of children.

Material and methods: This study was conducted in a sample of preschool children in Vlora, Albania. After measuring their psychometric parameters with Age and Stage Questionnaires-3, we evaluated crucial elements of institutions (kindergartens) and home learning environment. In the end of the study we evaluated the associations within these variables.

Results: Very high percentage of children is in the monitoring area or has only one psychometric delay (respectively 40% and 32.5%). Both these aspects do not come from a lack of internal potential of the child (such as children in under cut-off areas or multiple delays), but from the inappropriate instruction. In the studied population these high indicators of atypical development were found associated with high indicators of inadequate environmental stimulation: high percentage of children without rooms well-designed (69%); 34% of parents who do not read books children, low kindergarten’s scores in domains of Language/Reasoning (3.7) and Activities (3.4). Children with the highest level of development and the best psychomotor scoring are in the age groups before the primary school, a result that can be explained only with the intensification of instructive work (by mothers and educators) in preparing them for entry into school. Increasing the quality of the educational environment in the gardens, as measured by the ECERS-R, was found associated with an increased level of psychomotor development of children (r = 0.8, p <0.05 level). Duration of attendance of the kindergarten (where the educational environment is generally rich and stimulating that at home) has a very strong correlation with the average child development (r = 0.9, p = 0.001).

Only 31% of children in this study have a separate well-designed room and 66% of them have shared book-reading with their parents. The odds rate of relationship between room design quality and the level of child psychomotor development is OR=5.2 (P<0.05). The odds rate of relationship between book-reading and the level of child psychomotor development is OR=3 (P<0.05).

Key words:

instructive environment, psychomotor development, ASQ-3 Questionnaires.

References:

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http://www.effectivephilanthropy.com.au/images/docs/Why Early Childhood Development Matters.pdf
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