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Running head: ARTICLE REVIEW

Article Review:
Multiple Child-Care Arrangements and Young Childrens Behavioural Outcomes



Shelina Hassanali
University of Calgary
EDPS 650
June 6
th
, 2013













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ARTICLE REVIEW
Article Review: Multiple Child-Care Arrangements and Young Childrens Behavioural
Outcomes
The socialization of children is based on the interaction of many different personal,
familial, environmental and other variables. One factor which can play a role in this socialization
is that of child care, including the nature of the relationships between children and caregivers,
amount of time spent there, and quality of programming provided. The focus of the article to be
reviewed in this paper is the role of exposure to multiple child care arrangements on the
behavioural outcomes of young children.
Research Question & Hypothesis
The main research question posed in this study by Morrissey (2009) explored what
associations exist between the number of child care arrangements a child is put in and their
behavioural outcomes at ages 2-3. The study was exploratory in nature as it looked at the
relationship between two variables. This is a relevant study because the majority of children are
exposed to child care at some point, and the effect of multiple settings on child behaviour is
important to study in order to provide the best possible early child care experiences and
subsequently, best possible behavioural outcomes. The literature review provided by the author
is comprehensive, includes lots of prior research and includes recent research which was focused
on the same age group. The author also includes not only important findings but also gaps in
current research and important considerations in this area. The major concepts were clearly
defined as being multidimensional and complex, convincing the reader that examining the
relationship between consistency and number of childcare arrangements in early childhood is an
important area of study.
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The author hypothesized that increased arrangements would be associated with increased
behavioural problems and decreased pro-social behaviour. She also hypothesised that boys,
young children, children with a difficult temperament and those whose childcare was of lower
quality would be more negatively affected. Opposite hypotheses could have included a
suggestion that multiple arrangements may lead to more relationships with adults, which may
lead to positive attachment and behaviour outcomes. However, upon further examination of
studies cited in the article, the authors hypotheses are sound and rooted in existing research in
the area.
Methods
Variables in this study were clearly defined, including the predictor variable (number of
concurrent, non-parental childcare arrangements) and the outcome variable (ratings of childrens
behaviour). Other moderating variables discussed included gender, age, temperament and child
care type and quantity. The sample was obtained from the National Institute for Child Health and
Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD).
The study had a good sample size (n=850 children), with almost equal gender representation
(51% boys). Children were only included in the study if they attended non-parental childcare for
at least one hour per week. As indicated by the author, the sample is not nationally representative
in terms of ethnicity, with 77% Caucasian, 12% Black, 6% Hispanic, 5% other. In addition to the
lower proportion of minorities, the sample also included individuals with higher education levels
and higher incomes. The author states that despite these differences, the sample still is generally
comparable to those individuals living in the same area at the start of the study. Results of this
study should still be generalized carefully as differences in income, education, and ethnicity can
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all play quite a large role in mediating the behavioural effects of multiple childcare settings on
children.
There were many different types of instruments/measures used in this study, including
interviews, surveys, and various scales and inventories. The author provides a description of each
measure, including sample items, which are helpful for the reader. Reliability of most measures
is discussed, and the measures used are described as being psychometrically sound. Reliability
for the Adaptive Social Behavioural Inventory (ASBI) scores in this study was between 0.71-
0.85 on all three scales and test-retest reliability for the Child Behavioural Checklist (CBCL) was
between 0.71-0.93, indicating strong reliability. Other measures used include the Home
Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) and the Observational Record of the
Caregiving Environment (ORCE). Psychometric information is provided for most measures,
except for the HOME, for which the author provides no information on validity. Overall, the
measures used appear to be psychometrically sound an appropriate for the type of data being
examined. This study was longitudinal as the researcher followed children and families for 54
months, checking in with them at 1, 15, 24, 36, and 54 months. A cross-sectional design would
not have been appropriate as it would not have provided information regarding changes in
childcare arrangements over time nor would it have provided information related to the effects of
long-term involvement in multiple childcare arrangements on behaviour. Overall, the research
design appears to be sound, with the author using a large pre-existing database from which to
select the sample. As the researcher didnt manipulate any of the variables, the research was
conducted using a survey design by which the effect of varying degrees of childcare
arrangements was examined as it related to later child behaviour. The methods in this study
appear to be clear and easily replicable.
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Social Context & Causation
The main ecologies discussed in this study are those of childcare and family. Social
context is described throughout the article, including the fact that one of the reasons for increased
non-parental childcare arrangements is increased maternal participation in the workforce. The
effect of shift-work and parental work schedules which dont allow for parents to care for their
children was discussed. The author also discussed the ecology of childcare and impacts of
various aspects such as duration and frequency of care, quality of care, and multiple transitions
within one childcare setting. While biological processes are not discussed in this article, it would
be interesting to study these. For example, one area of study could be biological processes
related to anxiety (i.e. rise in cortisol levels) caused by the stress of multiple childcare
arrangements and the impact of this on childrens behaviour and other areas of development.
While the importance of childcare is discussed, the author states that the home and family
environment accounts for the largest variance in child development.
In this article, a paragraph on causation is provided, including the direction of causality.
It is suggested that the relationship between multiple childcare arrangements and childrens
behaviour could be bidirectional, with multiple arrangements leading to increased behaviour
problems or increased behaviour problems leading to multiple childcare arrangements. For
example, a child with behaviour concerns might be placed in multiple childcare settings so as to
provide some respite for caregivers. Overall, the direction of causation is unclear however the
author adequately discusses the potential bi-directionality of the relationship.
Findings, Discussion, and Social Policy
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The findings of this study are presented in a clear and concise manner. At the age of two,
children with two childcare arrangements exhibited increased mother-reported disruptive
behavior (modest effect size) and marginally more caregiver-reported internalizing behaviours
than those in single arrangements. Also, according to mother reports, higher numbers of
arrangements were associated with increased behaviour problems in girls, but there was no
reported association with boys. A higher number of childcare arrangements were also related to
increased externalizing behaviours and a marginal increase in internalizing problems. Finally,
younger children were more affected by multiple caregiver arrangements than older children. A
contradictory finding of this study was that while mother reports indicated increased behaviour
issues in children who were placed in two child care arrangements instead of one, caregiver
reports indicate that children in three childcare arrangements had less disruptive behavior than
those who had one or two arrangements. One potential reason for this discrepancy could be
differences in mother/caregiver perceptions what is considered appropriate/inappropriate
behaviour for children of this age. Alternatively, children may show different behaviours in
different settings depending on the demands of the environment (home vs. childcare setting).
The author appropriately links the findings of this study to practice and policy, indicating
that associations between the number of childcare arrangements and child development have
important implications for families childcare decisions and early childcare policies. Implications
for future social adjustment, school readiness, and parent/teacher stress are also discussed. The
impact of multiple yet brief interactions with caregivers is discussed in terms of
interrupted/inconsistent attachment patterns is also considered. Policy implications related to
promoting more seamless transitions for children as well as availability and cost of childcare are
discussed.
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While the effect size was modest, the findings of this study suggest that multiple
childcare arrangements can affect child behaviour and therefore further research in this area is
important. Overall, this appears to be an ethically and scientifically sound study. The article
communicates and discusses the relevance, hypotheses, methods, and social context clearly, and
provides directions for future research.

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References
Morrissey, T.W. (2009). Multiple Child-Care Arrangements and Young Childrens
Behavioural Outcomes. Child Development, 80(1), pp. 59-76.