Participation, besides a fundamental right of all children, is described as an indicator of early childhood education (ECE) settings’ quality (Sheridan, 2007, United Nations, 1989). The promotion of child participation is recommended since the earliest years, and it is recognized that teacher practices and the interactions taking place within ECE shape participatory processes (Sinclair, 2004). Importantly, participation is considered an investment in children’s development and well-being (Council of Europe, 2017; Sandseter & Seland, 2016). However, little is known on how, and under which mechanisms, teacher practices and teacher-child interactions are associated with children’s socio-emotional development (Correia et al., 2023). Aiming to fill in these gaps, two studies were conducted. The first study aimed to investigate associations between self-reported (Teacher Perceived Participation Practices Scale, 16 items; Correia et al., 2020) and observed ECE teachers’ participation practices (Observed Teachers Participation Practices Scale, 13 items; Correia et al., 2020), observed teacher-child interactions (CLASS Pre-K, 10 items; Pianta et al., 2008), and children’s reported self-concept (Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children, 24 items; Harter & Pike, 1984; Mata et al., 2008) and children’s social skills, reported by teachers (Social Skills Rating System, 30 items; Gresham & Elliott, 1990), mediated by children’s perceptions of their own participation (Choosing classrooms: A structured interview on children’s right to participate, 2 items; Correia & Aguiar, 2017). The second study aimed to investigate associations between ECE teachers’ observed participation practices (Observed Teachers Participation Practices Scale, 13 items; Correia et al., 2020), observed teacher-child interactions (CLASS Pre-K, 10 items; Pianta et al., 2008), and children’s self-reported friendships (Sociometric Proceedings, nomination and evaluation tasks; e.g., Peceguina et al., 2022; Santos, Vaughn, Peceguina, & Daniel, 2015), and the quality of friendships, reported by teachers (Friendships Quality Scale, 8 items; adapted from T-SNQ, Guralnick et al., 2011, and DFQ, Simpkins & Parke, 2001), moderated by dosage (i.e., time spent with the ECE teacher, reported by teachers). In these studies, which received approval from the National Data Protection Commission and the Institutional Review Board, participants were 336 children (163 boys), aged between 42 and 76 months (M = 60.14, SD = 7.86), from 58 ECE classrooms in the Lisbon area, Portugal, and their lead teachers. Data was collected during two school years (half of the sample in each year), and multilevel mediation and moderation analysis were performed (in the first and second study, respectively). Taken together, these studies main findings suggest (i) positive associations between observed participation practices and children’s self-concept, mediated by children’s perceptions of participation, and (ii) positive associations between the instructional support domain of teacher-child interactions and the quality of children’s friendships, moderated by dosage. These studies, accounting for different informants and levels of analysis, represent initial attempts to investigate the associations between participation practices and teacher-child interactions, and children’s developmental outcomes. Important implications will be discussed, for research (e.g., investigating other development outcomes, in other geographical areas and contexts), practice (e.g., promoting professional development initiatives) and policymaking (e.g., ensuring initiatives and programs that include children as informants).

--

Children's rights,child participation right,participation practices,teacher-child interactions,early childhood education,socio-emotional development