THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INFANT DAY-CARE AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH FRENCH CHILDREN AGED 3-4 YEARS

Early day care has been implicated as a risk factor for socio-emotiona l development. Research findings are not clear. Day care is extensivel y used in France from infancy onwards and the diverse range of care pr ovides an opportunity for research addressing this issue. 125 children who had diverse day care experience in the first 3 years of life were studied at 3-4 years of age when they were at nursery school. Materna l interviews provided data on day care histories, and family character istics. Maternal and teacher questionnaires provided data on child tem perament and social behaviour. An observation of children's behaviour during stranger approach/ mother separation/ reunion sequence provided data on attachment-related behaviours. The child's socio-emotional de velopment was considered as a function of sex, day care characteristic s and family characteristics.