The NICHD Study

(The National Institute of Child Development)

Started a longitudinal study in 1991 to study the aspects of child development

Over 1,000 children from diverse families from 10 different locations are involved.

They were assessed at different intervals to establish the effects of day care in a childs development

When the cohort of children were studied at the age of five, data showed that the more time children spent in daycare, the more aggresive, assertive and disobedient their behaviour came.

Children in full time day care are three times more likely to show behaviour problems than those cared for by their mothers at home.

Behaviour problems included: frequent arguing, temper tantrums, lying, hitting & unpredictable conduct

Looked at the same children at the end of their primary education and still found a link between day-care experience and aggressiveness