One Candy or Two at the Age of Six: Does it Matter for Later School Life and Why? / Jedan bombon ili dva u dobi od šest godina: ima li važnosti za kasniji školski život i zašto?

Abstract

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.

Key words: delay of gratification; emotional intelligence; life satisfaction; quality of school life

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U ovom istraživanju ispitivala se ulogu rane odgode zadovoljenja i njezine pozitivne ishode u kasnijem djetetovom životu. Više specifično, nastojalo se utvrditi je li izmjerena odgoda zadovoljstva šestogodišnjaka predviđa njihovu kasniju emocionalnu inteligenciju, kvalitetu školskoga života i zadovoljstva životom u višim razredima osnovne škole. Osim toga, nastojala se istražiti posrednička uloga emocionalne inteligencije u odnosu između odgode zadovoljenja u predškolskoj dobi i kasnije kvalitete školskoga života i životnoga zadovoljstva životom.

Uzorak je uključivao 141 učenika (48,2 % djevojčica). Odgoda zadovoljenja izmjerena je u populaciji šestogodišnjaka; drugo mjerenje za jedan dio uzorka učinjeno je u sedmom, a za drugi dio uzorka u osmom razredu. Odgoda zadovoljenja izmjerena je zadatkom odgode zadovoljenja: djeca su imala priliku pojesti jedan primamljiv slatkiš odmah ili su mogla odabrati više slatkiša ako čekaju određeno vrijeme, dok rade zadatke procjene. Ostali mjerni instrumenti bili su Skala emocionalne inteligencije (Wong i Low, 2002), Upitnik o kvaliteti školskog života (Leonard, 2002; Raboteg Šarić i sur., 2009) i Skala učeničkog zadovoljstva životom (Huebner, 1991).

Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da su učenici koji su uspjeli odgoditi zadovoljenje u predškolskoj dobi kasnije bili zadovoljniji životom, imali veći osjećaj akademskoga postignuća i višu emocionalnu inteligenciju (upotreba emocija za olakšavanje izvedbe i unutarnje regulacije emocija). Analize medijacije polučile su rezultate koji govore u prilog tome da je cjelokupna emocionalna inteligencija posrednik u odnosu između odgode zadovoljenja i životnoga zadovoljstva. Osim toga, sastavnica emocionalne inteligencije koja olakšava izvedbu smatra se značajnim posrednikom između odgode zadovoljenja i percepcije važnosti školskoga postignuća.

Može se zaključiti da jačanje regulatornih mehanizama u predškolskoj dobi može biti korisno za oboje - zadovoljstvo životom i doživljaj smisla postignuća u višim razredima osnovne škole.

Ključne riječi: emocionalna inteligencija; kvaliteta školskog života; odgođeno zadovoljenje; zadovoljstvo životom