Preschool quality and the development of children from economically disadvantaged families in India

Abstract

Research Findings: The influence of preschool quality on the development of 67 4-year-old children from poor and rural families in South India was examined. Children's developmental status was assessed using a modified version of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities and through physician ratings. Preschool quality was assessed through repeated systematic observations and using the Tamil Nadu Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale. Results indicated that higher preschool quality was associated with better overall development. Three variables (i.e., age, preschool quality, and sex significantly contributed to the prediction of developmental functioning. Age accounted for 35% of the variance, whereas preschool quality and sex contributed another 31% and 5% of the variance, respectively. Practice and Policy: Findings from this small-scale study suggest that programs that would be deemed to be of poor quality by Western standards appear to have benefits for the development of children from disadvantaged families in India. However, consistent with findings from studies conducted in other parts of the world, children in these contexts who attend higher quality preschools have better developmental outcomes than comparable children who attend similar but lower quality programs. © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.