Language/Cognitive and Social/Self-care Development of Preschool Children Under the Care of Social Services

Abstract

Lack of stimulation and absence of one-to-one interaction with an adult constitute risks for children's development under the care of social services. According to differential susceptibility theory, children can be differently affected by their environments due to their individual characteristics. The current study compared the developmental difference/delay of children living in different care types (institution, care village, group home, foster care) and never-institutionalized children from low-SES families regarding language-cognitive and social/self-care skills. Also, children's temperament was investigated as a moderator in the relationship between care types and children's developmental levels. Therefore, 357 children aged between 2-5 years and their caregivers/mothers participated in the study. Developmental levels of children were assessed via Ankara Developmental Screening Inventory. The results revealed that children in institutions had higher developmental difference scores than those in foster care and low-SES family in language-cognitive skills. Children in care villages and group homes had higher developmental difference scores than those in low-SES families. In social/self-care skills, children in institutions, care villages, and group homes had higher developmental difference scores than those in foster care and low-SES families. Besides, the moderator role of children's temperament was significant in several associations. The results were interpreted considering future intervention programs and social policies.