Date Approved

5-2-2007

Embargo Period

3-29-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School Psychology

Department

Educational Services and Leadership

College

College of Education

Advisor

Dihoff, Roberta

Committee Member 1

Epifanio, Frank

Subject(s)

Early childhood education; Preschool enrollment

Disciplines

Educational Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare full-day and half-day preschool programs by analyzing behavioral and social development of three-year-old and four-year-old children. Data was collected from 31 participants enrolled in a preschool in Wilmington, Delaware that offered both full-day and half-day programs. Measures of social cooperation, social interaction, social independence, externalizing behavior, and internalizing behavior were obtained from the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales- Second Edition. Between-subjects analysis of variance tests revealed that the children in the half-day program displayed higher social skills. In addition, one half-day classroom displayed more problem behaviors. Implications for future research on comparing full-day and half-day preschool programs were also discussed.

Share

COinS