Date of Award

6-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Child Development

Department

Psychology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Ricco, Robert

Abstract

This study examined correlations between four dimensions of maternal scaffolding, maternal beliefs and values, children’s temperament, and children’s performance and use of self‑regulation strategies on problem‑solving tasks. There are two foci of this study: examining factors that predict the quality of maternal scaffolding, and assessing the relationship between quality of maternal scaffolding and children’s problem solving. Participants consisted of 10 mother‑child dyads in the experimental group and 10 children in the control group. Using a pre- and post‑test design, children were given near and far transfer independent problem‑solving tasks. The experimental group also worked with their mothers on one task during a scaffolded interaction. Maternal beliefs predicted quality of maternal scaffolding, and quality of maternal scaffolding predicted children’s monitoring during the post‑test. Mothers’ scaffolding techniques appear to be related to their beliefs about parenting and educating children, and children appear to learn certain self‑regulation strategies during optimal scaffolded interactions.

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