An Exploratory Study of Child Care Center Directors' Response to Young Children's Challenging Behaviors and the Impact on Preschool Expulsion

• Other Authors: Bee, Dawn Noelle (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Teachers > Training of
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-5320

During the first five years of life, many young children engage in behaviors that can be considered challenging by the adults who care for them. Child care, or out of home care, is an important resource that can have a tremendous effect on a family (Buck & Ambrosino, 2004). Child care can also cause turmoil and stress for a family whose child has exhibited challenging behavior and is no longer welcome in the program (Buck & Ambrosino, 2004). The consequences of young children's behavioral problems are reflected in the high rates of preschool expulsions across the United States (Whitted, 2011). Preschool expulsion is related to a variety of factors within the child care center such as program characteristics, characteristics of children in the class, and factors associated with the family (Gilliam & Shahar, 2006). Only a few empirical studies focus on expulsion or suspension at any grade level and researchers have largely ignored expulsion and suspension during the preschool years (Gilliam and Shahar, 2006). The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine challenging behavior and the role it plays in child care center directors' decision making process regarding whether or not to expel a child from their center. === A Dissertation submitted to the School of Teacher Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Fall Semester, 2012. === August 22, 2012. === challenging behavior, disruptive behavior, preschool expulsion === Includes bibliographical references. === Ithel Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Stacey Rutledge, University Representative; Mary Frances Hanline, Committee Member; Thomas Ratliffe, Committee Member.