Associations between types of early care and parenting practices and cognitive outcomes among Asian American young children

Abstract

Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study K-cohort (n = 1,344), this study examined how childcare and parenting practices shape Asian American children’s cognitive outcomes. Childcare type (parental, informal, public school–based, private center–based, and Head Start) and parenting practices (expectations, investment, teaching behaviors) predicted reading and math scores among children. Children in private center–based care scored higher, while parental expectations and investments, but not teaching behaviors, predicted stronger outcomes. Policies should expand access to center-based care through childcare subsidies and Head Start, strengthen culturally responsive parenting education, and target social services to socioeconomically disadvantaged Asian American families with young children.