Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v23i0.4081
One Candy or Two at the Age of Six: Does it Matter for Later School Life and Why?
Majda Rijavec
orcid.org/0000-0001-6361-9968
; Faculty of Teacher Education University of Zagreb Department of Psychology Savska cesta 77, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Tajana Ljubin-Golub
orcid.org/0000-0002-6396-0389
; Faculty of Teacher Education University of Zagreb Department of Psychology Savska cesta 77, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Zdenka Brebrić
orcid.org/0000-0002-2152-1329
; I. osnovna škola Bjelovar Ul. Željka Sabola 14, 43000 Bjelovar, Croatia
Sažetak
This study explored the role of early delay of gratification (DoG) and its positive
outcomes in the child’s later school life. More specifically, it investigated whether
DoG measured in six-year-old preschool children predicts their subsequent
emotional intelligence, quality of school life and life satisfaction in higher grades
of elementary school. Also, the mediating role of emotional intelligence in the
relationship between delay of gratification at preschool age and subsequent quality
of school life and life satisfaction was also examined.
The sample comprised 141 students (48.2 % girls). Delay of gratification (DoG)
was measured among six-year-old children; other measurement for one part of the
sample was done at the seventh, and for the other part at the eighth grade. DoG
was measured by the DoG task: children may eat one tempting treat immediately
or they may earn a larger serving by waiting for an unspecified amount of time,
doing assessment tasks. Other measurements included the Emotional Intelligence
Scale (Wong & Low, 2002), the Quality of School Life Questionnaire (Leonard, 2002;
Raboteg Šarić et al., 2009) and the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale (Huebner, 1991).
It was found that students who succeeded in delaying gratification at preschool
age had subsequently higher life satisfaction, higher sense of school achievement,
and higher emotional intelligence (the use of emotions to facilitate performance
and regulation of emotions in the self). Mediation analyses found that the overall
emotional intelligence mediates the relationship between DoG and life satisfaction.
Also, the component of emotional intelligence called the Use of emotions to facilitate
performance was deemed a significant mediator between DoG and a sense of
scholarly achievement. It can be concluded that the strengthening of regulatory mechanisms in preschool age
may be beneficial for both life satisfaction and the sense of academic achievement
in higher grades of elementary school.
Ključne riječi
delay of gratification; emotional intelligence; life satisfaction; quality of school life
Hrčak ID:
256987
URI
Datum izdavanja:
3.5.2021.
Posjeta: 1.019 *