Early Behavioral Self-Regulation, Academic Achievement, and Gender: Longitudinal Findings From France, Germany, and Iceland

A growing body of research suggests that behavioral self-regulation skills are critical for early school success. However, few studies have explored the links between self-regulation and academic achievement among young children in Europe. This study examined the contribution of behavioral self-regulation to academic achievement gains among young children in France, Germany, and Iceland. Gender differences in behavioral self-regulation skills were also explored. A total of 260 children were followed longitudinally over one to two years (average age at Wave 1 was 74.5 months). Behavioral self-regulation was assessed using a structured direct observation (Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task) and teachers assessed how well children could apply behavioral self-regulation in the classroom. Multilevel analyses revealed that higher levels of directly assessed and teacher ratings of behavioral self-regulation predicted higher academic skills after controlling for gender, age, maternal education, and previous achievement, but the relations depended on the cultural context. Also, teacher ratings of behavioral self-regulation were more consistently related to achievement gains than directly assessed behavioral selfregulation. Girls outperformed boys only in the Icelandic sample, which may explain the noticeably large gender differences in later academic achievement in this country. We discuss universal and culture-specific findings as well as implications for educational practices.