| Abstract: | ‘A Discussion of the Effects of Day Care Upon the Cognitive Development of the Advantaged Child’ reviews recent research findings reporting the effect that day care has upon the intellectual development of advantaged children. An overwhelming amount of research indicates that for the disadvantaged child, day care is both cognitively enriching and advantageous. The findings as they relate to the advantaged child are not so conclusive, however. Some researchers report beneficial effects, while others report day care as having a negative effect on cognitive functions. Several problems exist in this area of study that complicate the issue. First, researchers differ on their definition of ‘day care’. Second, most studies on cognitive development within the day care setting have been limited to university‐based centers. Thus, the quality of the care must be a major consideration in these studies. Finally, some researchers view the currently used cognitive testing instruments as a hinderance in and of themselves. Additional research is indeed needed in this area of growing concern. More longitudinal studies and long term observational studies may prove useful in the future. |
