Graduation Term

2017

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of Psychology: School Psychology

Committee Chair

Alycia M. Hund

Abstract

School readiness is important for children, families, teachers, and schools. School readiness is defined as children’s preparedness to be successful in the kindergarten setting. It can encompass academic, social-emotional, and behavioral skills, all of which predict future outcomes (Duncan et al., 2007). School readiness can be particularly important for children at risk for school failure due to poverty (Ryan, Fauth, & Brooks-Gunn, 2013). Considering which risk and resilience factors may be present for these children is important. Another important variable is self-regulation, which includes voluntary control approach and withdrawal behavior tendencies including the ability to inhibit a dominant response and resist interference or distractions (Liew, 2012; Rothbart & Bates, 2006; Ursache, 2012). An additional variable relevant to school readiness is the teacher-child relationship, which is far less studied than the parent-child relationship, but can have important implications for children’s school functioning. The teacher-child relationship is linked to both academic and social-emotional components of school readiness (Peisner-Feinberg et al., 2001; Pianta & Stuhlman, 1994). The goal of this study was to test the moderating role of teacher-child relationship qualities on the mediating role of self-regulation on the relation of socioeconomic risk and school readiness. As such, this study was the first to examine school readiness in light of socioeconomic risk, self-regulation, and teacher-child relationships. Three mediated moderator models were tested. These examined the moderating relation of the teacher-child relationship at various points in the mediated relations of self-regulation on socioeconomic risk on school readiness. Results indicated that self-regulation mediated the relation between socioeconomic risk and school readiness. Additionally, the teacher-child relationship moderated self-regulation within this mediated model. These findings suggest that the teacher-child relationship can affect the relation between self-regulation and school readiness and that the teacher-child relationship has the potential to change the level of self-regulation’s direct impact on school readiness. These findings contribute to the literature on the factors that predict school readiness and have important implications for schools, children, and families.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2017.Marks.L

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS