ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF DAYCARE QUALITY ON EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS

• Grant number: 24/21252-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Rogerio Lerner
• Grantee: Caroline Martins Dias
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psicologia (IP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Executive functions (EF) are a set of attention-regulating skills involved in problem-solving and action management, making them essential for individuals' lives. They consist of cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory, whose proper development depends on genetic factors, adequate environmental stimulation, and healthy social interactions. The multicenter international Germina project, funded by Wellcome Leap, assesses infants from birth to age three to better understand the environmental and genetic variables that influence healthy EF development. Given the number of daily hours children spend in daycare centers and the variety of activities and interactions in these spaces, studying and assessing environmental and relational conditions to provide better guidelines that support children's developmental goals is of utmost importance. This study will evaluate 200 daycare centers attended by children participating in Germina using the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale - ITERS-3, which assesses the quality of early childhood education environments to understand whether daycare quality serves as a mediator or moderator between early childhood predispositions and EF at age three. Among the 560 children being followed, the daycare centers of the 100 children with the highest economic conditions and the 100 with the lowest will be evaluated. Assessing the quality of these spaces and producing scientific material to support public policies is of great importance for improving services. (AU)