Olga L. Walker|Heather A. Henderson
Temperament and Social Problem Solving Competence in Preschool: Influences on Academic Skills in Early Elementary School
University of Miami|University of Miami
abstract goals current study examine whether childrens social problem solving sps skills mechanism temperament influences later academic achievement whether sex moderates associations participants included 1117 children enrolled national institute child health human development study early child care preschool mothers childcare providers rated childrens temperamental shyness inhibitory control sps assessed using hypotheticalreflective measure laboratory visit kindergarten first grade teacherreport math language skills collected results indicated high ratings inhibitory control preschool shyness predicted better kindergarten firstgrade academic skills furthermore childrens sps competence mediated relations shyness inhibitory control later academic skills childs sex moderate associations results suggest preventative efforts targeting early sps skills may buffer later academic adjustment problems among temperamentally extreme children