Play beliefs and responsive parenting among low-income mothers of preschoolers in the United States

ABSTRACT

This study examined associations between parents’ developmentally appropriate beliefs about young children’s play and responsive parenting. Low-income parents and their children enrolled in Head Start programmes (n = 231) in the United States participated in the study. Responsive parenting skills (characterized by high levels of warmth and responsiveness, and lower levels of hostility) were related to parents’ beliefs endorsing play as valuable (Play Support) for promoting preschool children’s social skills and school readiness. Additionally, higher levels of parent depression were negatively associated with Play Support beliefs while higher levels of parent efficacy were positively associated. Parent education showed a positive relation with Play Support beliefs and a negative relationship with beliefs regarding focusing on academic readiness of children without playful learning (Academic Focus). Implications for understanding play-based approaches for promoting children’s developmental outcomes within early childhood programmes and family interventions are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Play
• parent beliefs
• parenting
• low-income
• Head Start

Acknowledgement

Portions of this work were completed at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributors

Doré LaForett is an Investigator at UNC, Chapel Hill whose research on young children’s school readiness and mental health spans the promotion, prevention, and treatment continuum. She is also interested in how family context shapes children’s development and mental health. Dr. LaForett’s work has focused on low-income and ethnic/language minority populations, and she has been involved in several research projects and initiatives focused on young dual language learners and their families. Her research activities are informed by her experiences providing clinical services to children and families targeting externalizing and internalizing behaviours and developmental disabilities across school, community, and health-care settings.

Julia Mendez is an Associate Professor at UNC, Greensboro, who has research and teaching interests related to the impact of poverty on the development of young children, parent involvement in children’s education, risk and resilience, and clinical interventions for ethnic minority children and families. She is presently an investigator with the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families, examining factors that contribute to access and utilization of early care and education by Latino children and families.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under grant [90YD0177].