Early childhood education and cognitive development at age 7 years

Abstract

Internationally, one area of interest to developmental psychologists has been the impact of early educational experience on later developmental outcomes for children, particularly those considered at risk of later school failure. The study reported is part of an international, longitudinal, crosscultural study of the impact of early childhood experiences on later development. This paper presents data about early educational settings and the observed experiences of a sample of 396 Irish 4-year-olds. It details the cognitive development level of the sample of children at age 4 and age 7. Results indicate that 4-year-olds attending national school experience a more formal early education than their counterparts in preschools. Children who attended designated disadvantaged (DD) preschools at age 4, and were attending DD schools at age 7, achieved a significantly lower mean cognitive score at age 7 when compared to all other groups. A gender difference in cognitive development was also found at age 7. Boys attending designated disadvantaged settings achieved a significantly lower score than all other groups.