Skip to main content
Log in

Early childhood staff attitudes toward their parent clientele

  • Articles
  • Published:
Child care quarterly Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The attitudes of 236 early childhood staff toward the childrearing practices of their parent clientele were assessed. A 30-item questionnaire with three response formats was used. The data confirmed the hypothesis that there is a significant difference between staff ratings of good parenting practices and ratings of their own center parents' childrearing practices. However, staff members indicated that they thought their center parents were doing a better job at childrearing than most American parents today.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. Attitude-behavior relations: A theoretical analysis and review of empirical research.Psychological Bulletin, 1977,84, 888–918.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M.Understanding attitudes and predicting behavior. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anastasi, A.Psychological Testing (4th ed.). New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bronfenbrenner, U. Contexts of childrearing: Problems and prospects.American Psychologist, 1979,34, 844–850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. Attitudes and opinions.Annual Review of Psychology, 1972,23, 487–544.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I.Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Honig, A.Parent involvement in early childhood education. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joffe, C.Friendly intruders: Childcare professionals and family life. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz, L. Ethical issues in working with young children. ERIC publication (Cat. No 169), 1977.

  • Katz, L. Mothering and teaching: Some significant distinction. April, 1980. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 190 204).

  • Keniston, K. & The Carnegie Council on Children.All our children: The family under pressure. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lane, M.Education for parenting. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lightfoot, S.L. Family-school interactions: The cultural image of mothers and teachers.Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 1977,3, 395–408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunnally, J.C.Psychometric theory. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell, D. Creating and sustaining parent groups: Critical program process dimensions. Paper presented at the Society for Research in Child Development, Boston, April, 1981.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This research was supported by the Home Economics Research Institute, the Child Development Training Program, and the Child Development Department at Iowa State University. Portions of this article were presented at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting, Boston, 1980, and the Southwestern Society for Research in Human Development, Lawrence, Kansas, 1980. The statistical consultant for this study was Richard Warren. Appreciation is expressed to Kyle Carter, Robert Fuqua, and James Greenman for critical reading of the manuscript. Special thanks go to Willa Pettygrove for discussions and suggestions that have improved the design and interpretation of the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kontos, S., Raikes, H. & Woods, A. Early childhood staff attitudes toward their parent clientele. Child Youth Care Forum 12, 45–58 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01258079

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01258079

Keywords

Navigation