Influence of quality home environment on social and emotional development of childrenattending early childhood care and education [ECCE] centers

Abstract

A study was conducted in University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka state during the year2017-20 to know the influence of quality home environment on social and emotional development. Study included208 children of age between 3-6 years, attending ECCE centers such as anganwadis and private nursery school in rural andurban areas.Transdisciplinary Play Based Assessment-2 tool was used to assess the social and emotional development ofchildren. Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment scale was used to assess quality of home environment ofthe selected children. Observation was made during children involved in free play through video recording which wascomplemented with participant observation. Results revealed that majority of the children in both rural and urban anganwadisbelonged to ‘watch’ (below average) and ‘concern’(poor) category of social and emotional development. The significantassociation was found between quality home environment and social and emotional development of children. Children withhigh quality home environment found to be significantly higher on social and emotional development and its domains suchas emotional expression, emotional style/ adaptability, regulation of emotions and arousal states, behavioral regulation,sense of self, emotional themes in play and social interaction in both rural and urban anganwadis and preschools. As morethan half of the children in both rural and urban anganwadis belonged to ‘watch’ (below average) category of social andemotional development hence there is need to improve social and emotional development of the children by improving thequality home environment and ECCE center environment through play-based learning activities in their classroom and homeby the teachers and parents in both rural and urban areas