First Advisor

Andrew Mashburn

Term of Graduation

Spring 2026

Date of Publication

6-5-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Applied Psychology

Department

Psychology

Language

English

Subjects

family engagement, Head Start, kindergarten transition, latent profiles, person-centered analysis

Physical Description

1 online resource (viii, 180 pages)

Abstract

Families of young children are active participants in their child's transition to kindergarten. Head Start is designed to facilitate families' engagement in their child's learning experiences (Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework, 2018). This study explores family engagement in Head Start, its changes across the transition into kindergarten, and its relation to children's development of social-emotional and executive function skills.

The current study addresses limitations of previous research by relying on family perspectives of family engagement, approaching family engagement as a developmental concept, and taking a person-centered analytic approach that accounts for the multi-dimensionality of family engagement. This study uses latent profile analysis to identify profiles of family engagement in Head Start based on families' relationships with Head Start teachers and staff, their involvement at home, and their involvement in Head Start. It finds that children's development of social-emotional and executive function skills in Head Start and kindergarten are influenced by families' Head Start engagement profiles, particularly families' relationships with Head Start teachers and staff. There is evidence of consistency and resilience in the development of families' engagement and children's development across Head Start and kindergarten.

Future directions of this study include formalizing qualitative validation of person-centered profiles with practitioners as a recommended methodological step in person-centered analysis; applying qualitative methods to understand the mechanisms of family engagement development in Head Start; and informing the design, implementation, and evaluation of family engagement policies and practices.

Rights

© 2026 Elizabeth Jane Tremaine

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44988

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