[Dr. James Griffin]

Please state your name.
I’m Dr. James Griffin, the Science Officer for the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD).

Why did you undertake the study?
As more children were cared for outside the home at earlier ages, a concern was raised that child care might interfere with normal developmental processes such as an infant forming a secure attachment with its mother. In 1991, the NICHD launched the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) at 10 research universities sites across the country and a Data Coordinating Center. The study followed more than 1,000 children from the time they were 1 month old, investigating the short-and long-term relationships between child care and children’s development. Study investigators examined how differences among families, children and child care arrangements might be correlated with the intellectual, social and emotional development as well as the health of children. The children taking part in the study were evaluated periodically, most recently at age 15.

How did you conduct the study?
Using a variety of measures, the study investigators evaluated the academic achievement of youth taking part in the study. The students also were asked to evaluate their own behaviors. These evaluations included measures of behavioral problems (such as acting out in class); impulsive behavior (like acting without thinking through the consequences); and risk taking behavior—such as behaviors that might harm themselves or others. The study investigators then compared these responses to data collected earlier in the study, to determine if there was any association between their child care experiences before age 5 and their evaluation results at age 15.

What did your studies find?
Teens who were in high-quality child care settings before age 5 scored higher on measures of academic and cognitive achievement and reported fewer acting-out behaviors than peers who were in lower-quality child care arrangements during their early years. Moreover, teens who logged more hours in child care in their first 4½ years of life reported a greater tendency toward impulsiveness and risk-taking behaviors at age 15 than did peers who spent less time in child care. These patterns were consistent with correlations observed throughout the study history. However, it is important to point out that the differences in these measures among the youth in the study were very small and that the behaviors observed were well within what is considered normal.

What is the take away message of your study?
It is important to keep in mind that the overall finding of this study is that parents have far more influence on their child’s growth and development than the type of child care they receive. That said, at age 15 high quality child care experience before age 5 appears to provide a small boost to academic performance and reduction in problem behaviors, perhaps by fostering the early acquisition of school readiness skills. "Likewise, more time spent in child care before age 5 may provide a different socialization experience, resulting in slightly more impulsive and risk-taking behaviors in adolescence. These findings underscore the importance of studying the linkages between early care and later development.