Determinants of toddlers' experience in day care: Age of entry and quality of setting

Abstract

Seventy-eight toddlers (mean age=19.2 mo.) enrolled in center or family day care or at home with their mothers were observed in order to examine determinants of individual experiences of caregiving. Three clusters of caregiver-child interaction were identified: talk and play, restrict and cry, and touch and laugh. Children at home and in day-care settings with more adults per child had higher talk and play scores than children in day-care settings with fewer adults per child. Children at home and in day-care centers with fewer adults per child had higher restrict and cry scores. Children in day-care centers with more adults per child had the highest touch and laugh scores.