Developmental Losses of Preschool Children Three Years into the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting mitigation measures have led to increased vulnerabilities in early child development. However, research is scarce and there are no studies on the persistence of these losses three years into the pandemic among young children. To fill in this gap, we examined census-like evaluations of school readiness carried out among preschoolers in Uruguay. The assessments were carried out among 5 cohorts of 5-year-olds: who were assessed prior to the pandemic (2018, 2019); during the pandemic (2020, 2021); and after the health emergency declaration ended in Uruguay (2022). A total of 180,984 teacher evaluations were included covering cognitive, motor and socio-emotional development, as well as attitudes toward learning. Overall, we found that scores in most spheres of child development decreased from before to during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, scores returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our findings suggest the recovery of developmental losses among cohorts of children in kindergarten took more than two years in a country that experienced a mild-to-moderate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Disrupting times in the wake of the pandemic: Dispositional time attitudes, time perception and temporal focus.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has majorly disrupted many aspects of people's lives, provoking psychosocial distress among students. People's positive and negative attitudes towards the past, present and future were a dispositional pre-COVID-19 reality. Faced with a pandemic, people have reported disruptions in the speed of passing time. People can shift their attention more towards the past, present or future when major changes in society occur. These aspects of psychological time would be key to understanding the quality of psychosocial adjustment to the pandemic. We hypothesized that dispositional time attitudes impact psychosocial distress because they would trigger situational changes in our time perception and temporal focus. Methods: One hundred and forty-four university students in Uruguay responded to self-report questionnaires online while in-person classes were cancelled. Students reported on shifts in temporal focus, changes in time awareness and dispositional time attitudes. Reactive psychological, social and learning environment distress were reported. Results: Students reported substantial changes in time perception and temporal focus. A correlation matrix showed significant relationships between time attitudes, focus and awareness. For example, psychological distress was correlated with negative time attitudes, slower passage of time, boredom, blurred sense of time and shifting focus to the past. Mediation models were derived. The indirect effect of time attitudes on psychological distress was significant through past focus. Discussion: Dispositional time attitudes would impact students' capacity to cope with the pandemic. Situational shifts in temporal focus and perception were prevalent and can be viewed as temporal coping mechanisms in the wake of powerful societal change. Our mediation models showed that those with negative time attitudes experienced more psychological distress because they shifted their attention to the past. Future directions for research and practical implications are discussed.

School readiness losses during the COVID-19 outbreak. A comparison of two cohorts of young children.

The COVID-19 context has created the most severe disruption to education systems in recent history. Its impact on child development was estimated comparing two cohorts of 4- to 6-year-old Uruguayan children: control (n = 34,355, 48.87% girls) and COVID cohort (n = 30,158, 48.95% girls) assessed between 2018 and 2020 in three waves, by a routinely administered school readiness instrument in public preschools. Ethnicity information is not available. For the COVID cohort, losses were observed in Motor and Cognitive development, Attitudes towards learning, and Internalizing behavior (range 0.13 - 0.27 SD). Losses were less pronounced among children from higher socioeconomic schools. These results extend the literature on the consequences of the pandemic on learning and early child development.

Development and validation of the environment characterization inventory for early education / Desenvolvimento e validação do inventário de caracterização de ambientes para a educação inicial / Desarrollo y validación del inventario de caracterización de ambientes para educación inicial

In this study, the Environment Characterization Inventory for Early Education (INCA-EI) psychometric properties and the effect of socioeconomic context and type of institution on the quality of environments were assessed. One hundred forty-two early education classrooms were evaluated. The analysis of Unidimensionality for the Structure Dimension and the CFA for the Process Dimension showed a good fit of the items to the Structure sub-dimensions (p > .05; CFI > .90; RMSEA < .08) and validated the organization of three correlated factors in the Process sub-dimensions (χ2=323.82; RMSEA=.06; CFI=.96; TLI=.96). The instrument presents good internal consistency values (α=.88; ω=.93) and moderate to considerable agreements in most scores in the inter-rater reliability analysis (ICC=.80). Differences are presented between the quality of the environment of schools and kindergartens and Institutions of different socioeconomic contexts. The results show that INCA-EI is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating environments in early education, which can be used for research purposes and monitoring of public policies.

Neste estudo, foram avaliadas as propriedades psicométricas do Inventário de Caracterização de Ambientes para a Educação Inicial (INCA-EI) e o efeito do contexto socioeconômico e do tipo de instituição na qualidade dos ambientes. Foram avaliadas 142 salas de aula de educação inicial. A análise da Unidimensionalidade para a Dimensão Estrutura e a AFC para a Dimensão Processo mostraram um bom ajuste dos itens às subdimensões da Estrutura (p>.05; CFI >.90; RMSEA<.08), validando a organização de três fatores correlacionados nas subdimensões do Processo (χ2=323.82; RMSEA=.06; CFI=.96; TLI=.96). O instrumento apresenta bons valores de consistência interna (α =.88; ω =.93) e acordos moderados e consideráveis na maioria das pontuações no acordo entre juízes (ICC=.80). São apresentadas diferenças entre a qualidade do ambiente de escolas entre jardins e instituições de diferentes contextos socioeconômicos. Os resultados mostram que o INCA-EI constitui um instrumento válido e confiável para avaliação de ambientes na educação inicial, que pode ser utilizado para fins de pesquisa e monitoramento de políticas públicas.

En este estudio se evaluaron las propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Caracterización de Ambientes para Educación Inicial (INCA-EI), y el efecto del contexto socioeconómico y tipo de institución en la calidad de ambientes. Fueron evaluadas 142 aulas de educación inicial. El análisis de Unidimensionalidad para la Dimensión Estructura y el AFC para Dimensión Proceso mostró buen ajuste de los ítems a las subdimensiones de Estructura (p>.05; CFI >.90; RMSEA<.08), validando la organización de tres factores correlacionados en las subdimensiones de Proceso (χ2=323.82; RMSEA=.06; CFI=.96; TLI=.96). El instrumento presenta buenos valores de consistencia interna (α =.88; ω =.93), y acuerdos moderados y considerables en la mayoría de puntuaciones en el acuerdo interjueces (CCI=.80). Se presentan diferencias entre la calidad de ambiente de Escuelas y Jardines e Instituciones de diferentes contextos socioeconómicos. Los resultados muestran que el INCA-EI constituye un instrumento válido y confiable para la evaluación de ambientes en educación inicial, que puede ser utilizado con fines investigativos y monitoreo de políticas públicas.

Psychometric properties of the ASQ-3 in a nationally representative sample of Uruguay.

BACKGROUND: The Ages & Stages Questionnaires Third Version (ASQ-3) identifies the risk of developmental delay in children aged 2 to 66 months. The ASQ-3 is available in many languages. However, there is little evidence of the psychometric properties of the Spanish version and using nationally-representative samples. AIMS: This study evaluates the reliability and factor solution of the Spanish version of the ASQ-3 (18- to 54-month questionnaires) in a large, representative sample of Uruguayan children. Besides, it explores the association of ASQ-3 scores with sociodemographic characteristics. METHOD: Participants were 4016 main caregivers selected randomly across the country who completed the ASQ-3 for their children. All participants responded to the ASQ-3 and a sociodemographic questionnaire within the context of a government-run survey of child development. RESULTS: Most versions of the ASQ-3 in Spanish have acceptable-to-good psychometric properties, supporting the 5-factor-solution. Personal-Social and, to a lesser extent, Problem-solving scores were the subscales that showed more suboptimal internal consistency coefficients. Scores showed higher ceiling effects than the original US sample but varied across domains, with Gross Motor showing the highest pattern. Sex and socioeconomic status are associated with scores of most age-versions and subscales of the ASQ-3. CONCLUSIONS: In general, results support the reliability and dimensionality of ASQ-3 scores, but psychometric properties varied across age-version and domains. Overall, earlier versions presented less precision, while the Personal-social domain showed reduced reliability in most age-versions.

Time Attitude Profiles and Health-Related Behaviors: Validation of a Spanish Version of the Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory-Time Attitudes (AATI-TA).

Temporal psychology constructs are an individual difference variable related to behavioral outcomes. Recent research has shown that there are different time attitude profiles based on different configurations of the six Adolescent and Adult Time Inventory-Time Attitude (AATI-TA) subscales. The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of AATI-TA scores in Uruguay and determine the existence of temporal profiles in this context. Participants were a convenience sample of 446 (36.5% males) adults in Uruguay with a mean age of 34.53 years (SD = 13.17, range 18-75 years). Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the AATI-TA, and questionnaires on intentions, behaviors, and attitudes towards healthy food consumption and physical activity. AATI-TA scores had good reliabilities (> .70). The six-factor solution was supported and invariance by gender and age group was established. We identified five profiles - Resilients, High Positives, Negatives, Present Negatives, and Moderate Positives - which were associated differently with healthy food consumption patterns. Negative profiles were related to higher levels of unhealthy food consumption.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional in a nationally representative sample.

The Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE) is a developmental screening test used around the world. However, research assessing the psychometric properties of the Spanish version or in nationally representative samples is scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of ASQ-SE in Spanish, and to characterize the socio-emotional scores by sex and socioeconomic status. We administered the ASQ-SE, the Child Behavior Checklist 1 ½ - 5 and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (3rd version) to a nationally representative sample of children in Uruguay aged 0-3 years old. A floor effect was observed in most of the age ranges for ASQ-SE, specifically in the questionnaires for younger infants. Internal consistency was acceptable. The sensitivity and specificity of the instrument was good when using cut-off scores based on the sample of this study rather than on the original United States sample. Boys and children of lower socioeconomic status had more socio-emotional problems. ASQ-SE in Spanish presents a uni-factorial structure with adequate internal consistency, sensitivity, specificity, and criterion validity. ASQ-SE has adequate psychometric properties to detect children whose social and emotional development requires further evaluation or continuous monitoring.

Behavioural Problems in a Nationally Representative Sample of Uruguay. Characterisation of Latent Profiles by Socioeconomic Status, Maternal Depression and Family Violence.

CBCL 1½-5 is one of the most widely used behavioural problem screening instruments internationally. However, few studies have explored its psychometric properties in national representative samples. Additionally, there is limited evidence on the existence of latent profiles of behavioural problems in preschool samples. This study aimed to analyse the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the CBCL in a representative sample of children from Uruguay (n = 4210), identify latent profiles and characterise profiles according to sociodemographic and family environment variables (maternal depression and violence practices). Our results suggest that the CBCL 1½-5 is reliable. We replicate the seven-correlated-factor solution, which is invariant by sex and age. Three large profiles of behavioural problems were identified (high, medium and low risk) where membership in groups of higher risk was explained by the socioeconomic context, child's sex, maternal depression and, to a lesser extent, violent parental practices.

Autocontrol y desempeño escolar en lengua y matemática / Self-control and school achievement in language and mathematics

Se ha destacado que uno de los aspectos más relevantes para el desempeño académico (DA) de los niños es el AC (autocontrol), definido como la capacidad para modular la cognición, la emoción y el comportamiento. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar las relaciones entre el AC en el dominio escolar e interpersonal informado por el/la niño/a, sus familiares y docentes; las calificaciones escolares en matemática y prácticas del lenguaje y el desempeño en tareas estandarizadas de comprensión lectora y cálculo aritmético, en 69 niños/as de entre 8 y 12 años de edad. Sólo se encontraron asociaciones entre el AC escolar reportado por el/la docente y el desempeño en la prueba estandarizada de cálculo aritmético. El AC se asoció a las calificaciones académicas en prácticas del lenguaje sólo en 5° grado. Se discuten posibles explicaciones de los resultados y direcciones futuras

It has been highlighted that one of the most relevant aspects related to children's performance in school is self-control, defined as the ability to modulate cognition, emotion and behavior. In this article we analyzed the relationships between self-control in the interpersonal and schoolwork domain reported by the child, their parents and teachers and academic achievement in terms of report card grades in mathematics and language and performance in standardized tasks of reading comprehension and arithmetic calculation, in 69 children between 8 and 12 years of age. We found associations between the self-control in schoolwork domain reported by the teacher and performance in the standardized arithmetic calculation task. Self-control was associated with report card grades in language learning. Possible explanations for this pattern of results and future directions are discussed

The development of episodic foresight in preschoolers: the role of socioeconomic status, parental future orientation, and family context.

Episodic foresight (EF) refers to the ability to anticipate future states of the self. Despite almost two decades of research, no studies explored how family context variables relate to the development of this ability. The objectives of this study were to explore the association of socioeconomic status (SES), parental consideration of future consequences (CFC), and family environment quality on the development of episodic foresight and to compare the magnitude of the effects of these same variables on delay of gratification and planning.Sixty-four dyads composed by 4-year-old Uruguayan children and their main caregiver participated in the study. Children were administered experiments on episodic foresight, delay of gratification, planning, and receptive language. Parents reported socioeconomic status, family environment, and their consideration of future consequences. Even though parents' limit setting was associated to higher EF in children and parental CFC-I was a predictor in multiple regression analysis, these effects ceased to be significant when controlled by child's receptive language and caregiver education, being these the main predictors of EF. Results also indicate that SES significantly distinguishes the performance in future-oriented skills and language, being the magnitude of the effect higher for EF in comparison with planning and delay of gratification. This study supports that EF is related to SES to a greater extent than other variables traditionally assessed in studies of poverty and child development. We discuss implications of low SES and language skills in the light of EF development and immediate-oriented behavior in contexts of deprivation.

The development of episodic foresight in preschoolers: the role of socioeconomic status, parental future orientation, and family context

Abstract Episodic foresight (EF) refers to the ability to anticipate future states of the self. Despite almost two decades of research, no studies explored how family context variables relate to the development of this ability. The objectives of this study were to explore the association of socioeconomic status (SES), parental consideration of future consequences (CFC), and family environment quality on the development of episodic foresight and to compare the magnitude of the effects of these same variables on delay of gratification and planning. Sixty-four dyads composed by 4-year-old Uruguayan children and their main caregiver participated in the study. Children were administered experiments on episodic foresight, delay of gratification, planning, and receptive language. Parents reported socioeconomic status, family environment, and their consideration of future consequences. Even though parents' limit setting was associated to higher EF in children and parental CFC-I was a predictor in multiple regression analysis, these effects ceased to be significant when controlled by child's receptive language and caregiver education, being these the main predictors of EF. Results also indicate that SES significantly distinguishes the performance in future-oriented skills and language, being the magnitude of the effect higher for EF in comparison with planning and delay of gratification. This study supports that EF is related to SES to a greater extent than other variables traditionally assessed in studies of poverty and child development. We discuss implications of low SES and language skills in the light of EF development and immediate-oriented behavior in contexts of deprivation. (AU)

Portuguese validation of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale (SCBE-30)

Abstract Aim The Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale (SCBE-30) is a 30-item questionnaire designed to assess preschoolers' behavioral problems (externalizing and internalizing) and social competence. It is widely used in the developmental research. This study aims to contribute to the adaptation and validation of the Portuguese version of the teachers' short form of the SCBE-30 (Psychol. Assess. 8:369­777, 1996). Method Participants were 361 children from 3 to 6 years old whose preschool teachers completed the SCBE-30. For external validation purposes children completed arithmetic and theory of mind tasks, and parents completed a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results Confirmatory factor analysis did not confirm the 10-item-subscale solution of the original SCBE-30 version. Instead, a five-item-subscale was found as a better solution. Discussion The reduced 15-item version replicates the three-factor structure, shows good psychometric properties and meets external validation criteria. Further research should focus on the invariance of the factor structure of the SCBE-30 between cultures. (AU)

Experiencia subjetiva del tiempo y su influencia en el comportamiento: revisión y modelos / Experiência subjetiva do tempo e sua influência no comportamento: revisão e modelos / Subjective experience of time and its influence on behavior: review and models

Diversos investigadores han intentado explicar desde inicios de la psicología, la experiencia temporal y su influencia en las cogniciones, emociones y comportamientos. Tratándose de una de las dimensiones más complejas e influyentes de la psique, ha sido abordado desde diferentes concepciones y sin contar con referentes comunes. Este artículo intenta contribuir a la sistematización de la psicología del tiempo ampliando un modelo de cuatro niveles, profundizando en la percepción del tiempo vital o tiempo III. Se han seleccionado trabajos relevantes en la historia de la psicología o con cierto índice de citación. Se ofrece un modelo explicativo del Tiempo III, que incorpora discusión y debate y pretende integrar diversos modelos existentes en la literatura.(AU)

Pesquisadores têm tentado explicar, desde o início da psicologia, a experiência temporal das pessoas e sua influência nas cognições, emoções e comportamentos. Trata-se de uma das dimensões mais complexas e influentes da psique, que tem sido abordada a partir de concepções diferentes e sem uma estrutura consensual. Este artigo tem o objetivo de contribuir na sistematização da psicologia do tempo, ampliando um modelo de quatro níveis, aprofundando na percepção do tempo vital ou tempo III. Trabalhos incluídos foram selecionados segundo a sua importância na historia da psicologia ou índice de citação. Sugere-se um modelo explicativo do Tempo III, que inclui discussão e debate e visa integrar os diferentes modelos existentes na literatura.(AU)

Since the beginning of psychology researchers have tried to explain the subjective experience of time on cognitions, emotions and behavior. As it is one of the most complex and influential dimensions of the mind, it has been approached from different conceptions without a common consensual framework. This article attempts to contribute to the systematization of the psychology of time expanding a fourfold model, which emphasizes life-time perception or Time III. Publications were selected that were either relevant in the history of psychology or had a good citation index. An explanatory model of Time III is proposed that incorporates discussion and debate and which intends to integrate various existing models encountered in the literature.(AU)

Experiencia subjetiva del tiempo y su influencia en el comportamiento: revisión y modelos / Experiência subjetiva do tempo e sua influência no comportamento: revisão e modelos / Subjective experience of time and its influence on behavior: review and models

Diversos investigadores han intentado explicar desde inicios de la psicología, la experiencia temporal y su influencia en las cogniciones, emociones y comportamientos. Tratándose de una de las dimensiones más complejas e influyentes de la psique, ha sido abordado desde diferentes concepciones y sin contar con referentes comunes. Este artículo intenta contribuir a la sistematización de la psicología del tiempo ampliando un modelo de cuatro niveles, profundizando en la percepción del tiempo vital o tiempo III. Se han seleccionado trabajos relevantes en la historia de la psicología o con cierto índice de citación. Se ofrece un modelo explicativo del Tiempo III, que incorpora discusión y debate y pretende integrar diversos modelos existentes en la literatura.

Pesquisadores têm tentado explicar, desde o início da psicologia, a experiência temporal das pessoas e sua influência nas cognições, emoções e comportamentos. Trata-se de uma das dimensões mais complexas e influentes da psique, que tem sido abordada a partir de concepções diferentes e sem uma estrutura consensual. Este artigo tem o objetivo de contribuir na sistematização da psicologia do tempo, ampliando um modelo de quatro níveis, aprofundando na percepção do tempo vital ou tempo III. Trabalhos incluídos foram selecionados segundo a sua importância na historia da psicologia ou índice de citação. Sugere-se um modelo explicativo do Tempo III, que inclui discussão e debate e visa integrar os diferentes modelos existentes na literatura.

Since the beginning of psychology researchers have tried to explain the subjective experience of time on cognitions, emotions and behavior. As it is one of the most complex and influential dimensions of the mind, it has been approached from different conceptions without a common consensual framework. This article attempts to contribute to the systematization of the psychology of time expanding a fourfold model, which emphasizes life-time perception or Time III. Publications were selected that were either relevant in the history of psychology or had a good citation index. An explanatory model of Time III is proposed that incorporates discussion and debate and which intends to integrate various existing models encountered in the literature.