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Education Sciences
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Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education
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Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102). This special issue belongs to the section "Early Childhood Education".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 28507

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Mirjam Kalland

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Education, University of Helsinki, Yliopistonkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Interests: family studies; child development; early childhood education.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Social and emotional development is key for the healthy development and wellbeing of children. Social and emotional development involves the acquisition of skills related to understanding feelings and intentions in self and others, and to learn to regulate behavior by managing strong emotions. Social and emotional development is also related to the ability to feel empathy and to develop prosocial behaviors. In addition, social and emotional development is important for the development of skills related to school readiness and later academic achievement. These include, among others, the ability to cooperate with other kids and to pay attention to and relate to adults as a reliable source of information—i.e., epistemic trust. Creating epistemic trust is especially important in classrooms with children from diverse cultural backgrounds, children with challenging behavior, and children with learning difficulties. In short, social and emotional development is the key to self-regulation, social interaction, and learning. A related concept is Theory of Mind, i.e., the ability to understand mental states (intentions, desires, thoughts, and beliefs), and to predict one’s own and others’ behavior on the basis of these understandings. Finally, a child’s positive relationship with trusting and caring adults is the key to successful social and emotional development. Thus, mentalizing, i.e., the ability to keep the child’s mind in mind, is of vital importance for teachers, and can be enhanced in both children and teachers in the classroom.

Prof. Dr. Mirjam Kalland
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • social and emotional learning
  • early education
  • intervention studies
  • theory of mind development
  • promoting mentalizing
  • assessments of social and emotional development
  • school readiness

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 318 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Children’s Trait Emotional Intelligence and the Big Five, Big Two and Big One Personality Traits
by Èlia López-Cassà, Núria Pérez-Escoda and Alberto Alegre
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 491; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12070491 - 16 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1852
Abstract
The irrefutable repercussions of personality and socio-emotional development on children’s learning and psychological well-being justify the relevance for the educational context of delving into the relationship between those two constructs. Therefore, the research presented in this article investigates the link between trait EI [...] Read more.
The irrefutable repercussions of personality and socio-emotional development on children’s learning and psychological well-being justify the relevance for the educational context of delving into the relationship between those two constructs. Therefore, the research presented in this article investigates the link between trait EI and the B5, B2, and B1 (or GFP) personality traits in children between 9 and 13 years of age. We used the Spanish adaptation of the BFQ-NA (Big Five Personality Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents) and the CDE_9-13 (Emotional Development Questionnaire for primary education) with a sample of 259 primary school students. The results showed correlations between the two Big personality factors (B2) and the Big One personality factor (B1) with trait EI. However, the relationship between trait emotional intelligence and the Big Five personality model (B5) was not very high; only two of the five personality traits significantly predicted trait EI. Thus, our results differ from studies conducted with adults, but instead, it is similar to studies conducted with children. Finally, this study reinforces the thesis that trait EI can be considered a synonym of the GFP (General Factor Personality). Consequently, it implies designing and implementing learning and socioemotional development programs during the school years to promote adaptability and social efficacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)
10 pages, 275 KiB  
Article
Attitudes, Behavior and Relations in the Early School Years
by Geert Driessen
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12040283 - 15 Apr 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1877
Abstract
In the early school years, the emphasis is more and more on cognitive output factors. Non-cognitive development is receiving less attention than before, though such factors are important determinants of academic success. This study aims at answering two questions: (1) How do young [...] Read more.
In the early school years, the emphasis is more and more on cognitive output factors. Non-cognitive development is receiving less attention than before, though such factors are important determinants of academic success. This study aims at answering two questions: (1) How do young children perform on a number of non-cognitive characteristics, more specifically, attitudes, behavior, and relationships? (2) Are there any differences with regard to those characteristics according to the pupils’ social and ethnic/immigrant background? To answer the questions, data from the Dutch large-scale cohort study COOL5-18 were analyzed. The main sample included nearly 6500 grade 2 pupils (6-year-olds). Teachers answered questions about their pupils’ attitudes, behavior, and relationships. One- and two-way analyses of variance were employed, and effect sizes were computed. The results showed that the teachers rated their pupil’s work attitude as lower than their behavior and popularity. They were more positive regarding their relationship with the pupils. More important was that there were differences according to the pupils’ social and ethnic/immigrant backgrounds: ethnic minority/immigrant pupils scored less positive on all non-cognitive characteristics than native Dutch pupils, and the higher the parental educational level, the more favorable their children performed on the non-cognitive characteristics. These findings are discussed and possible solutions are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)
12 pages, 260 KiB  
Article
What Do Preschool Teachers and Parents Think about the Influence of Screen-Time Exposure on Children’s Development? Challenges and Opportunities
by Rita Monteiro, Sandra Fernandes and Nuno Rocha
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010052 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6084
Abstract
Children’s exposure to screens has been increasing in recent years and so has the concern about its impact on children’s development. This study aims to analyze preschool teachers’ and parents’ views on the influence of screen-time exposure on children’s development. Semi-structured interviews with [...] Read more.
Children’s exposure to screens has been increasing in recent years and so has the concern about its impact on children’s development. This study aims to analyze preschool teachers’ and parents’ views on the influence of screen-time exposure on children’s development. Semi-structured interviews with preschool teachers (n = 9), as well as data from a previous quantitative study, based on an online questionnaire applied to parents of children in preschool (n = 266) were used for data collection. For this study, eminently of qualitative nature, the following dimensions were analyzed: children’s habits of exposure to screens at home, changes in children’s play habits at school, strategies/methodologies used by preschool teachers, use of technologies at school and children’s language development. The results from the study with parents show that screen-time exposure of children is between 1 h to 2 h of television per day, mostly to watch cartoons. Parents also report that most of the children use vocabulary in other languages at home. Most preschool teachers agreed that children are changing their play habits and mainly their behaviors and attitudes, influenced by screen-time exposure. They believe that language development is also changing, mentioning more language problems in children. Changes in pedagogic strategies and specialized training on educational technology are needed to get closer to children’s interests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)
13 pages, 239 KiB  
Article
Educator Perceptions of Early Learning Environments as Places for Privileging Social Justice in Rural and Remote Communities
by Vicki Christopher, Michelle Turner and Nicole C. Green
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010040 - 10 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2014
Abstract
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia has long been associated with the concept of social justice, however, a clear understanding of what it looks like across diverse services and communities is not available. This article reports the process of inquiry, as [...] Read more.
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) in Australia has long been associated with the concept of social justice, however, a clear understanding of what it looks like across diverse services and communities is not available. This article reports the process of inquiry, as well as the outcomes, of a small-scale study designed to uncover the perceptions of ECEC educators working in rural and remote communities in the state of Queensland. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews with five educators from rural and remote settings identified as areas experiencing significant growth in population diversity. An initial thematic analysis of the data revealed three key themes. A secondary analysis using a place and space conceptual framework uncovered deeper, more sophisticated meanings of the educator experience of social justice. The research is important in bringing pedagogical conversations to the forefront regarding ECEC educator perceptions of their role in creating a socially just learning environment. In addition to identifying future research possibilities, implications from the findings indicate opportunities for re-examining and rethinking initial teacher education and ongoing professional learning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)
17 pages, 335 KiB  
Article
Emotional Development Questionnaire for Primary Education (CDE_9–13)
by Núria Pérez-Escoda, Èlia López-Cassà and Alberto Alegre
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11110704 - 02 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3405
Abstract
This study presents the construction of the Emotional Development Questionnaire (CDE_9–13) and examines its psychometric properties. This questionnaire measures the emotional competence and its five dimensions—emotional awareness, emotional regulation, emotional autonomy, social competence, and life and well-being competence—of boys and girls from 9 [...] Read more.
This study presents the construction of the Emotional Development Questionnaire (CDE_9–13) and examines its psychometric properties. This questionnaire measures the emotional competence and its five dimensions—emotional awareness, emotional regulation, emotional autonomy, social competence, and life and well-being competence—of boys and girls from 9 to 13 years of age. Its construction followed the guidelines of the International Test Commission. The final version consists of 41 items. The total sample is 1905 boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 13, although partial samples have been used for specific analyses. Various studies have been carried out to demonstrate the reliability and validity of the instrument: the calculation of the reliability coefficient, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and the correlational comparison of the CDE_9–13 with recognized measures of emotional intelligence, personality, adjustment difficulties, and self-esteem. Likewise, a regression study has been carried out to confirm the incremental validity. The CDE_9–13 is a theoretically well-founded questionnaire with appropriate psychometric characteristics. Therefore, it is considered an optimal tool to assess emotional competence in interventions aimed at promoting mental health and well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)
12 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on the Social-Emotional Wellbeing of Preschool Children and Their Families
by Tanja Linnavalli and Mirjam Kalland
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080435 - 17 Aug 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7911
Abstract
In the spring of 2020, as a result of the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many children dropped out of daycare and early education in Finland, and parents had to balance work and childcare for months. The wellbeing of families during the [...] Read more.
In the spring of 2020, as a result of the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many children dropped out of daycare and early education in Finland, and parents had to balance work and childcare for months. The wellbeing of families during the lockdown has been studied to some extent, but few studies have focused on children under school age. In May 2020, we sent a survey to the 82 families originally recruited in our study on supporting social-emotional development in early childhood education units, which had been interrupted by the pandemic. Twenty families responded to questionnaires about the impacts of the lockdown on the wellbeing of the children and their parents. Parents reported a decline in children’s prosocial behavior compared to the time before the pandemic and assessed that the children who stayed at home were lonelier than children who remained in daycare. Otherwise, being at home or in care was not associated with children’s physical or mental wellbeing. Parents had experienced increased mental strain and increased problems in marital relationships and the disruption of children’s participation in daycare was associated with deterioration in the parent–child relationship. Due to the small sample size, these results should be interpreted with caution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)

Other

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16 pages, 877 KiB  
Study Protocol
SAGA-Supporting Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education: The Development of a Mentalizing-Based Intervention
by Mirjam Kalland, Tanja Linnavalli and Malin von Koskull
Educ. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12060409 - 16 Jun 2022
Viewed by 3950
Abstract
The aim of the SAGA project is to support children’s social-emotional development and teacher mentalizing by promoting regular shared story-book reading with mentalizing dialogs in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers. The theoretical phase, the modeling phase (Phase I), and the exploratory [...] Read more.
The aim of the SAGA project is to support children’s social-emotional development and teacher mentalizing by promoting regular shared story-book reading with mentalizing dialogs in early childhood education and care (ECEC) centers. The theoretical phase, the modeling phase (Phase I), and the exploratory phase (Phase II) of the SAGA intervention, as well as the research protocol for the final trial (Phase III), are described in the present article. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social and Emotional Development in Early Childhood Education)
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