Parental scaffolding and problem-solving skills in early childhood: a systematic literature review

Parental scaffolding in socio-cultural contexts was found to promote the development of children’s problem-solving skills. However, there’s been a lack of systematic reviews exploring how parental scaffolding influences problem-solving skills among children during their early years. The current arti...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ismail, Nellie, Dahamat Azam, Mohamad Naqiuddin, Daud, Mohd Najmi, Arshat, Zarinah, Juhari, Rumaya, Madon, Zainal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: ACS Publisher 2024
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118784/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/118784/1/118784.pdf
Description
Summary:Parental scaffolding in socio-cultural contexts was found to promote the development of children’s problem-solving skills. However, there’s been a lack of systematic reviews exploring how parental scaffolding influences problem-solving skills among children during their early years. The current article seeks to examine the existing research on the influence of parental scaffolding on problem-solving skills in early childhood. Following the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) review method, a systematic review of the Scopus and Google Scholar databases identified five relevant studies. A comprehensive analysis of these articles resulted in the identification of two primary themes-verbal instructions and contingent scaffolding. The reviewed studies revealed that early childhood problem-solving skills are much improved when parents use verbal explanations. It seems that employing verbal instructions offers a multimodal approach that is effective for young children, facilitating a better grasp and applying problem-solving techniques. Understanding the influence of parental scaffolding on early childhood problem-solving skills has implications for parenting education programs, early childhood interventions, and the design of family-oriented interventions aimed at optimizing cognitive development during this critical developmental stage.