Components of Effortful Control and Their Relations to Children’s Ego-Resiliency

Öz

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between components of effortful control (inhibitory control, attentional focusing, perceptual sensitivity, and low intensive pleasure) and ego-resiliency during early childhood. A total of 182 children (93 girls and 89 boys), who were ranging from 48 to 72-month-old (M: 61.20, SD: 7.81) and attending early childhood institutions, participated in the study. Teachers reported on children's effortful control and ego-resiliency. Initially, independent samples t-test was conducted to investigate the effect of gender and age on children’s ego-resiliency. Afterward, regression analyses were conducted to examine the role of independent variables on children’s ego-resiliency. Findings showed that children’s age had an effect on their ego-resiliency while their gender did not. Moreover, children’s effortful control was positively associated with their ego-resiliency. Children’s attentional focusing and perceptual sensitivity were also positively associated with their ego-resiliency. On the other hand, components of effortful control accounted for more variance than effortful control composite in regression models. Findings are discussed within the frame of possible implications for researchers and teachers.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ego-resiliency,effortful control,components of ego-resiliency,early childhood

Çaba Gerektiren Kontrolün Bileşenleri ve Çocukların Ego-sağlamlığı ile İlişkisi

Öz

Bu çalışmanın amacı, çaba gerektiren kontrolün bileşenleri (ketleyici kontrol, dikkatini odaklama, algısal hassasiyet ve düşük yoğunluklu etkinliklerden memnuniyet) ile ego-sağlamlık arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Yaşları 48 ile 72 ay (M: 61.20, SS: 7.81) arasındaki erken çocukluk kurumlarına devam eden toplam 182 çocuk çalışmaya katılmıştır. Çocukların çaba gerektiren kontrol ve ego-sağlamlık düzeyleri öğretmenler tarafından doldurulan formlar aracılığı ile belirlenmiştir. Öncelikle, bağımsız gruplar t-testi uygulanarak çocukların yaşlarının ve cinsiyetlerinin onların ego-sağlamlığına etkisi incelenmiştir. Sonrasında, regresyon analizleri yapılarak bağımsız değişkenlerin çocukların ego-sağlamlığı üzerindeki rolü araştırılmıştır. Bulgular yaşın çocukların ego-sağlamlığı üzerinde etkisi olduğunu, fakat cinsiyetin etkisinin olmadığını göstermiştir. Ayrıca, çocukların çaba gerektiren kontrolleri onların ego-sağlamlığı ile pozitif ilişkilidir. Çocukların dikkatini odaklamaları ve algısal hassasiyetleri de onların ego-sağlamlığı ile pozitif ilişkilidir. Bununla birlikte çaba gerektiren kontrolün bileşenlerinin regresyon modellerindeki varyansı, çaba gerektiren kontrolden daha fazla açıkladığı görülmüştür. Bulgular araştırmacılara ve öğretmenlere yönelik öneriler çerçevesinde tartışılmıştır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ego-sağlamlık,çaba gerektiren kontrol,çaba gerektiren kontrolün bileşenleri,erken çocukluk

Kaynakça

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