There is near consensus that early childhood education and care (ECEC) is essential to children's early development. A common corollary is that early learning will be pivotal to helping redress inequities in educational outcomes. We examine whether this is true among rural communities in the Indian states of Assam, Rajasthan, and Telangana.…

Stunting has been negatively associated with children's development. We examined the range of height by testing hypotheses: (a) height is positively associated with children's development, with associations moderated by inflammation and (b) home environments characterized by nurturance and early learning opportunities is positively associated with…

The present study compared 6- to 9-year-old children's reports of their decisions to express anger, sadness, and physical pain; methods of controlling and communicating felt emotion; and reasons for doing so in response to hypothetical situations across three groups: old-city India (n = 60), suburban India (n = 60), and suburban United States (n =…

Background: Previous research has indicated positive effects of early developmental intervention (EDI) on the development of children in developing countries. Few studies, however, have examined longitudinally when differential treatment effects may be observed and whether differential outcomes are associated with exposure to different risk…

Quality preschool education enhances the social, cognitive and language development of children. Children in an enriched environment are more likely to be emotionally secure, self-confident and proficient in language use. Preschool settings where staff have higher qualifications demonstrate higher-quality education and provide children with better…

Background: Postpartum period is associated with higher rates for depression, blues and psychosis. Anxiety is also significant. These disorders may have serious implications in the cognitive development of the infant. There is relative lack of data in this area. So we tried to estimate postpartum anxiety and depression in a group of women and…

Compared maternal expectations of child development in India (n=50), Japan (n=50), and England (n=70) by asking mothers to indicate at which age they expected a child to achieve competency in 45 tasks. Results show that competence was expected at a slightly earlier age in Japan than in England, and altogether later in India. Differences between…

Social-emotional competence (SEC) is considered a measure of an individual's total effectiveness in dealing with the environment. To verify empirically whether SEC depends on the intelligence and social maturity of young children, a study of 40 preschool children was undertaken in India. A standardized intelligence test was administered to the…

This study, completed in two stages, was undertaken to empirically determine whether home variables make a significant difference in the learning difficulties and school performance of children in an Indian setting. Participants in Phase I were 30 second-grade children between 6 and 9 years of age who were of normal intelligence and showed…

This study examined children's perceptions of child-rearing norms and values of the culture where the child is raised and provides a cross-cultural comparison of child development in India, Kenya, and Sweden. Children ages 8 through 13 in Kenya were asked questions regarding good and bad behavior and parents' sanctions, the results of which were…

There has, in recent years, been a reemergence of interest in the early years and a renewed emphasis on the importance of early education programs to ensure that all children start school ready to learn. At the same time, the move toward evidence-based policy development has led to the need to demonstrate the effectiveness of early education…

This paper presents a cultural and historical analysis of the continuously increasing number of children and childhoods at risk, using a population perspective framework. Two major claims are presented. First the conditions of children and childhoods in the West, compared to the patterns of child-care in India, Japan and many other non-Western…

Noting that patterns of childrearing are highly variable across the human species, this book explores the developmental processes of infancy over a wide range of cultural and social environments. By presenting multiple alternative examples of the context of infant development, the book attempts to stimulate continued discussion on the ways in…

Using a comparative-cultural perspective, this collection of essays examines the co-constructivist nature of human development in culturally organized environments. The contributions also cover a large age span--infancy to adulthood. Chapters in part 1 cover two different directions in the study of early adult-infant interaction from a comparative…