This study examines the quality of infant center care in Portugal through a multi-measure approach and investigates the associations among process quality dimensions and structural quality indicators. Ninety infant child care classrooms were observed during two full mornings with the Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R), the Classroom Assessment Scoring System-Infant (CLASS-Infant) and the Caregiver Interaction Scale (CIS). Results revealed that a two-factor structure of process quality with the domains (a) Relationships and (b) Use of Space and Materials provided the best fit to the data. Of the structural indicators that were examined, teacher training showed the most robust relation to both process quality domains. In addition, classrooms with smaller groups and in centers located in non-urban areas were likely to show more sensitive relationships between teachers and infants. These findings have implications for public policy and professional development efforts on infant center care.

Preschool process quality and activity setting are considered important aspects influencing child engagement. As such, it is important to understand how educational settings can promote engagement, particularly for children with disabilities and/or at risk. This observational study describes process quality and activity setting in inclusive preschools, analyzing its predictive role for child engagement. Participants were 184 children attending 39 preschools. Three groups of children, nested within classrooms, were considered: with disabilities (n = 45), at risk (n= 59), typically developing (n= 80). Child Observation in Preschool assessed engagement and activity setting; Classroom Assessment Scoring System assessed quality of teacher–child interactions. Research Findings:Results from multilevel regressions show that classroom emotional support and organization and more time in free play were positively predicting child engagement, whereas more time in whole group was a negative predictor of engagement. Besides these main effects, an interaction effect between child developmental functioning and activity settings was found. For at-risk children, more time in whole-group activities had greater negative effects on child engagement. For children with disabilities, more time in free-play had greater positive effects on child engagement. Practice or Policy:Results contribute to inform teachers regarding the importance of individualizing interactions and planning activity settings to promote engagement and participation in inclusive preschools.

Adolescents are experiencing increasing levels of anxiety and academic stress, with schools being privileged contexts to foster mental health literacy and hinder stress and anxiety. Social support and self-management skills have been described as protective factors for these phenomena. Therefore, this cross-sectional study examines the relations between social support, self-management skills, academic stress, and anxiety among adolescents, analyzing the mediational role of self-management in the relation between social support, academic stress, and anxiety. Participants included 137 adolescents, with an average age of 12.56 years (SD = 0.68), who completed the Perception of Academic Stress Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Self-Control and Self-Management Scale, Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Results showed that students generally perceive moderate levels of social support from parents, teachers, and peers; moderate levels of academic stress and mild anxiety; and have self-management skills. Findings showed that self-management is related to social support, academic stress, and anxiety, with gender influencing academic stress and anxiety. Self-management was found to mediate the link between social support, academic stress, and anxiety. The results underscore the importance of fostering social support and self-management skills to mitigate academic stress and anxiety.

Self-regulation can be relevant for engagement, as children need to be able to modulate behaviors and control attention to be engaged. Although previous studies focus on the relation between self-regulation and engagement, little is known about this subject in children with disabilities or at risk. This study analyzes relations between self-regulation and engagement in inclusive preschool settings, considering children’s developmental functioning (DF). The main goal is to examine whether DF moderates the relation between self-regulation and engagement. Participants include three groups of children: with disabilities (n = 54), at risk (n = 78), and typically developing (n = 115). DF was assessed with a short version of the Matrix for Assessment of Activities and Participation; self-regulation with Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders; and engagement with Child Observation in Preschool. Results indicated that higher levels of self-regulation were related to higher levels of engagement. A moderation effect between self-regulation and DF was also found: in the group of children with disabilities, the influence of self-regulation on engagement was larger. This highlights the relevance of promoting self-regulation, particularly in children with lower DF.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the role of three specific factors within the child–environment interaction process – engagement, independence and social interactions – in influencing development and learning of children with disabilities in inclusive preschool settings. The main question is whether children can be categorised in homogenous groups based on engagement, independence and social interactions (proximal variables within a biopsychosocial framework of human development). The study also examined whether children with the same diagnosis would group together or separately, when trying to identify clusters of engagement, independence and social interactions, and additionally whether such clusters vary as a function of individual child characteristics, and/or as a function of structural and process characteristics of preschool environment. Methods: Data was taken from an intervention study conducted in mainstream preschools in Portugal. A person-centered cluster analysis was conducted to explore group membership of children with various diagnoses, based on their engagement, independence and social interaction profiles. Results: Results show that children clustered based on similarity of engagement, independence and social interaction patterns, rather than on diagnosis. Besides, it was found that quality of peer interaction was the only predictor of cluster membership. Conclusion: These findings support the argument that participation profiles may be more informative for intervention purposes than diagnostic categories, and that preschool process quality, namely peer interaction, is crucial for children’s participation.

Introduction: It is widely recognized that socio-emotional learning (SEL) interventions can contribute to supporting students’ positive development of socio-emotional skills (SES) and positive relationships with peers and teachers. Thus, interest in promoting students’ SES through universal evidence-based programs is spreading around the world, including in Portuguese schools.Methods: This quasi-experimental study examines the efficacy of a SEL classroom-based program, infused into the curriculum, on students’ communication, self-regulation, and classroom peer relationships. Participants included 208 third- to fourth-grade students from three Portuguese public elementary schools: 143 in the intervention group (54.5% boys; M_age = 8.72; SD = 0.61); 65 in the comparison group (52.3% boys; M_age = 8.66; SD = 0.59). Measures included: Study on Social and Emotional Skills, parent, child, and teacher versions; and Classroom Peer Context Questionnaire, completed by students. The study followed a pre- and post-test design, with a 16-week intervention.Results: For the overall participants, results show a positive effect of the program on students’ assertiveness (family report), peer conflict and peer cooperation. Effects were analyzed separately by school grade. A statistically significant positive effect of the program on third-grade students’ assertiveness and sociability was found. For fourth-grade students, a positive effect was found on - emotional control). classroom conflicts, isolation, cooperation and cohesion behaviors.Discussion: These positive effects support the expansion of universal interventions when aiming at strengthening SEL in Portuguese school settings, underlining the relevance of embedding SEL into the curricula and daily practices at schools.