Campus Access Only

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of University of the Pacific. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

The role of teacher-child relationships in characterizing early mother-child attachment influences on behavior problems in preschool

Author

Yuehui Fu, University of the Pacific

Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Linda Webster

First Committee Member

Lynn Beck

Second Committee Member

Rachelle Hackett

Abstract

The study integrated attachment theory and developmental systems theory to examine the mediating and moderating role of teacher-child relationships in characterizing early mother-child attachment influences on behavior problems in preschool. The study used the data from National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's (NICHD) Early child Care Research Network Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCEY). The results indicated that early mother-child attachment did not predict teacher-child closeness after controlling for the demographic variables and prior internalizing problems. Mother-child attachment had a statistically significant effect on teacher-child conflict; specifically, those with insecure-controlling/insecure-other attachments had higher levels of conflict than those with secure attachments. Early mother-child attachment did not have a statistically significant effect on later behavior problems after controlling for demographic variables and prior behavior problems. Teacher-child closeness did not have a statistically significant effect on either internalizing or externalizing problems after controlling for the demographic variables, early mother-child attachment behavior and prior behavior problems. Teacher-child conflict had a statistically significant effect on later behavior problems (both internalizing and externalizing problems) after controlling for the demographic variables, early mother-child attachment behavior and prior behavior problems. However, moderation analyses did not indicate that early mother-child attachment and teacher-child relationship quality interact together to significantly affect the later behavior problems. Mediation analyses also did not indicate that the relationship between early mother-child attachment and later behavior problem was mediated by teacher-child relationships either. However, an indirect effect was found such that those with insecure-controlling/insecure-other attachments had higher levels of conflict (than those with secure attachments) and such conflict was associated with higher levels of externalizing problems.

Pages

190

ISBN

9781303996634

Recommended Citation

Fu, Yuehui. (2014). The role of teacher-child relationships in characterizing early mother-child attachment influences on behavior problems in preschool. University of the Pacific, Dissertation - Pacific Access Restricted. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/13

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.