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CHILD CARE QUALITY: PROCEDURAL QUALITY
HEAD START FAMILY AND CHILD EXPERIENCES SURVEY
Measure: Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale
Source
The Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) evaluation is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. The project team for FACES 1997 included Westat (prime contractor), Abt Associates, Ellsworth Associates, and the CDM group. The project team for FACES 2000 included Westat (prime contractor), Xtria (formerly Ellsworth Associates), and the CDM group. The project team for FACES 2003 included Westat (prime contractor), Xtria, and the CDM group.
Arnett developed the Arnett Caregiver Interaction Scale [originally named “Arnett Scale of Lead Teacher Behavior”; see Arnett, J. (1989)]. Caregivers in day-care centers: Does training matter? Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 10, 541–552).
In addition to FACES, this measure was also used by the following EDCP evaluations and surveys: National Head Start Impact Study (Spring 2003 Family Child Care Observation Booklet, Spring 2003 Classroom Observation), Early Head Start Evaluation and Tracking Pre-K, National Child Care Staffing Study.
Population Assessed
Each cohort of FACES employs a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs, centers, classrooms, children, and parents. Each sample is stratified by three variables: region of the country (northeast, Midwest, south, or west); urbanicity (urban versus rural); and percentage of minority families in the program (50 percent or more versus less than 50 percent). Data collection methods included child assessments, parent interviews, teacher reports, staff interviews, and classroom observations. Since its inception, FACES has involved an initial field-test sample and three nationally representative cohorts: FACES 1997, FACES 2000, and FACES 2003.
FACES 1997 field test. FACES was field tested in spring 1997 with 2,400 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds and their parents in a nationally stratified random sample of 40 Head Start programs. These children were followed up in spring 1998 when the children were in kindergarten.
FACES 1997. Data from the initial cohort for the main study of FACES 1997 was first collected in fall 1997 on 3,200 children and families from the same 40 Head Start programs employed in the field test. Data were collected on 1,200 3-year-olds new to Head Start; 1,280 4- and 5-year-olds new to Head Start; and 720 4- and 5-year-olds who were in the field-test study and returning for another year of Head Start. Data on these children were also collected in spring 1998 (spring of the Head Start year), spring 1999 (spring of the kindergarten year or spring of the Head Start year for those who were 3 years old in fall 1997), spring 2000 (spring of the first-grade year or spring of kindergarten for those who were 3 years old in fall 1997), and spring 2001 (spring of the first-grade year for those who were 3 years old in fall 1997).
FACES 1997 also included a validation substudy or embedded case study of 120 randomly selected families from the larger FACES sample. (NB. The embedded case study was not a part of FACES 2000 or FACES 2003). Data collection included in-person parent interviews, home and neighborhood observations, monthly telephone contacts for demographic updates, and community agency interviews regarding the amount and overall nature of collaboration between the agency and the Head Start program.
FACES 2000. A new national cohort of FACES was launched in fall 2000 (FACES 2000). Beginning in fall 2000, data from 2,800 children and families in a new nationally stratified random sample of 43 Head Start programs were collected to ascertain what progress was made in improving program performance. Data were collected in fall 2000, spring 2001, spring 2002 (when children were in kindergarten or in a second year of Head Start), and spring 2003 (when the children who were 3 years old in fall 2000 were in kindergarten).
FACES 2003. Data on a third national cohort (FACES 2003) were collected in fall 2003. Data from 2,700 children and families in a new nationally stratified random sample of 66 programs were collected in fall 2003 and will be collected in spring 2004, spring 2005 (when children are in kindergarten or in a second year of Head Start), and spring 2006 (when the children who were 3 years old in fall 2000 are in kindergarten).
Each cohort of FACES has approximately equal numbers of girls and boys and representative samples of white, African American, Hispanic, and children of other races (see exhibits 1 and 2).
| Weighted Percentages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| All (n=3, 120) | Age 3 (n=1, 129) | Age 4 (n=1, 991) | |
Gender |
|||
| Male | 50.4 | 48.7 | 51.2 |
| Female | 49.6 | 51.4 | 48.8 |
Race/Ethnicity |
|||
| African American | 28.8 | 34.7 | 26.1 |
| White | 30.7 | 29.0 | 31.4 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 27.6 | 22.5 | 30.0 |
| Native American | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| Other | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| African American | White | Hispanic | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| Male | 343 | 13.8 | 471 | 19.0 | 363 | 14.6 | 65 | 2.6 | 1242 | 50.1 |
| Female | 383 | 15.4 | 415 | 16.7 | 371 | 14.9 | 68 | 2.7 | 1237 | 49.9 |
| Total | 726 | 29.3 | 886 | 35.7 | 734 | 29.6 | 133 | 5.4 | 2479 | 100 |
Periodicity
In the initial field test for FACES, classroom observation data were collected in spring 1997.
Classroom observation data from the initial cohort for the main study of FACES 1997 were first collected in fall 1997 and spring 1998 (spring of the Head Start year). Classroom observation data were also collected in spring 1999 for children who were still in Head Start (i.e., those who were 3 years old in fall 1997).
For FACES 2000, classroom observation data were collected in fall 2000 and spring 2001. Classroom observation data were also collected in spring 2002 for children who were still in Head Start (i.e., those who were 3 years old in fall 2000).
For the FACES 2003 cohort, classroom observation data were collected in fall 2003 and will be collected in spring 2004. Classroom observation data will also be collected in spring 2005 for children who were still in Head Start (i.e., those who were 3 years old in fall 2003).
Subscales/Components
The Arnett scale is a rating scale of teacher behavior toward children in the class. The 26-item scale deals with four factors: positive interaction, punitiveness, permissiveness, and detachment, and with the teachers’ encouragement of child self-help. For FACES, the Arnett scale consisted of 30 items and five subscales (sensitivity, harshness, detachment, permissiveness, and independence).
Procedures for Administration
The Arnett scale is completed at the conclusion of an observational period. The observer completes the scale for an individual teacher (typically the lead teacher). For each item, the observer rates on a four-point scale (1 = not at all, 2 = somewhat, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much) the extent to which each statement is characteristic of the caregiver. Higher scores indicate a more sensitive, responsive teacher who encourages children’s independent and self-help skills, and avoids punishment and detachment.
Psychometrics/Data Quality
For the FACES 2000 cohort, Cronbach’s alpha for all items was 0.94 in fall 2000 and 0.69 in spring 2001. Cronbach’s alpha for the five subscales in fall 2000 and spring 2001 was as follows:
| Fall 2000 | Spring 2001 | |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | .94 |
.93 |
| Harshness | .83 |
.66 |
| Detachment | .71 |
.72 |
| Permissiveness | .52 |
.20 |
| Independence | .58 |
.24 |
Languages Available
The scale developer does not expressly state availability of the Arnett scale in languages other than English.
Items Included
The Arnett scale is copyrighted and was reprinted for FACES by permission of the scale developer. The measure is not reproduced in full in this document, but samples of items are given. To access the scale in full, please contact the scale developer (see references and source documents section below for reference to original article).
Examples of items from the Arnett Scale of Lead Teacher Behavior:
Rate the extent to which each of the following statements is characteristic of this lead teacher.
| Not at all | Somewhat | Quite a bit | Very much | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Speaks warmly to the children (e.g., positive tone of voice, body language) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2. Spends considerable time in activity not involving interaction with the children (e.g., does adult tasks during child activity periods) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
References and Source Documents
Arnett, J. (1989). Caregivers in day-care centers: Does training matter? Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 10, 541–552.
A number of FACES reports are available on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html
The reports include the following:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003, June). Head Start FACES (2000): A whole child perspective on program performance, fourth progress report. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2002, January). A descriptive study of Head Start families: FACES technical report I. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001, January). Head Start FACES: Reaching out to families: Head Start recruitment and enrollment practices. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001, January). Head Start FACES (1997): Longitudinal findings on program performance, third progress report. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000, June). FACES findings: New research on Head Start program quality and outcomes. Washington, DC: Author.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1998, June). Head Start FACES (Pilot): Program performance measures, second progress report. Washington, DC: Author.
Information about FACES presentations and papers is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/index.html.
More information about the FACES validation substudy is available in the following paper: Vaden-Kiernan, M., D’Elio, M. A., & Sprague, K. (n.d.). The FACES embedded case study: Documenting the methodology and early findings. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/pres_papers/embedded_casestdy/embedded.pdf
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