Nimachia Howe
Biographic Data
| ID | 222216 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Nimachia Howe |
| GIVEN NAMES | Nimachia |
| FAMILY NAME | Howe |
| SIGNATURE | HOWE N |
| AFFILIATIONS | Concordia University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7507-1888 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 33 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 101 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 33 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1990 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
When you’re helping a person with a problem and they’re having the problem, you kind of feel the same way”
Self-disclosure, sharing personal and often affective information with others, is foundational for relationship development and well-being. Internal state language (ISL), or references to thoughts, emotions and desires, is one mechanism that may support these processes by helping adolescents communicate their experiences and signal their understanding of others. We examined ISL references during a hypothetical picture task in which early adolesce…
Associations between sibling relationship quality and daily interactions in early adolescence
Relationship theorists posit that children's daily interactions with others are the foundation of their overall relationship quality (Hinde, 1979); however, few studies have tested this proposition. Warm sibling relationships have a positive impact on social-emotional adjustment, making it important to consider how the features of daily sibling interactions may be linked to positive sibling bonds. This study investigated the connection between gl…
“You Have to Do It Like the Duckies Hatch Their Egg”
This study investigated parents’ and siblings’ knowledge use during naturalistic teaching episodes in the home. Thirty-seven middle-class families were observed for six 90-minute sessions (siblings aged 4 and 6 years). Parent and sibling teaching sequences were coded for knowledge type (conceptual, procedural), conceptual subcategories (social conventional behavior; game discussions; academic concepts; problem solving) and procedural knowledge su…
Executive Function and Spatial Skills in Children’s Block Play
Research Findings: There are sparse data on children’s use of executive function (EF) and spatial skills in block play. However, there are important implications for studying EF and spatial skills with blocks across cultures, especially regarding best practices for supporting social-cognitive development in under-resourced populations and consideration of culturally unique customs and practices. Therefore, the current study compared EF-based skil…
Change over time in interactions between unfamiliar toddlers
The frequency and length of games, conflicts, and contingency sequences that took place between toddlers as they got to know one another were studied using archival data. The sample consisted of 28 unfamiliar 20- and 30-month-old toddlers (predominantly White, 16 males) who met separately with each of two other toddlers for 18 play dates. The frequency of games increased over time, while the frequency of conflict and contingency sequences decreas…
The chug is coming through!” “There's two chuggas!”
Imitation is argued to have an important affiliative function in social relationships. However, children's tendency to imitate different play partners during naturalistic play and associations with social understanding have been overlooked. We investigated the frequency and context of imitation in a longitudinal study of 65 focal children (T1: M age = 56.4 months, SD = 5.71) during play with their older or younger sibling and a friend in two sepa…
Children’s Connectedness with Siblings and Friends from Early to Middle Childhood during Play
The purpose of the present study was to investigate children’s connected communication during play with a sibling and friend from early to middle childhood. Participants included 65 4-year-old focal children at time 1 (T1) and 46 7-year-old focal children at time 2 (T2) who were videotaped at home in separate semi-structured free play sessions with an older or younger sibling and a same-aged friend at both time points. Data were coded for connect…
A pirate goes nee-nor-nee-nor!” humor with siblings in middle childhood
Humor is a central feature of close and intimate relationships in childhood. However, fundamental questions regarding the relationship between humor production, pretend play, and social understanding have been overlooked. In a selected subsample from a prospective longitudinal study of first-born children ( N = 110, M age = 6.91 years, 46.4% female, 98.1% parents identified as English, Welsh, Scottish, or Irish), we conducted detailed observation…
Scotland Embarks on a National Outdoor Play Initiative
Research Findings. The Scottish government is in the process of transforming their early childhood learning and care landscape by doubling the number of free hours of childcare for families and by requiring that all children in care spend a significant portion of each day outdoors. Thus, the government is promoting outdoor play programs. We surveyed 45 educators working in 16 outdoor programs and 16 nursery programs in Scotland as this transition…
Engineering Play, Mathematics, and Spatial Skills in Children with and without Disabilities
Research Findings: Engineering play is a new framework for understanding constructive block building as a design process. The current study examined associations between engineering play with wooden unit blocks and mathematics and spatial skills of children with and without disabilities. Participants included 110 preschoolers (44% female; 25% children with disabilities), ages 49–72 months (M = 58.47, SD = 4.46), from the Midwest United States. A …
This is a mailbox, right?”
Play materials designed to enhance children’s pretense were investigated; namely, how the specific characteristics of the play sets (thematically open-ended village set vs thematically closed-ended train set) influenced children’s play communication regarding their co-construction of shared meanings. Participants included 44 7-year-old focal children playing with both play sets with an older or younger sibling and a same-age friend. Play set diff…
Young children's differential use of power during family conflict
This study identified longitudinal and birth order differences in young children's use of power over a 2‐year period; the sample included 2‐ and 4‐year‐old (T1) and 4‐ and 6‐year‐old (T2) siblings ( n = 39). Power was investigated via its use (i.e., actions) and effectiveness (i.e., successful actions) during naturally occurring polyadic family conflicts at home involving three or more family members (two children and at least one parent or two p…
Where’s your bum brain?” Humor, social understanding, and sibling relationship quality in early childhood
We investigated humor production in relation to social understanding and relationship quality in early childhood, by coding N = 72 5‐year‐olds’ ( M = 5.78, SD = .41) spontaneous humor production during play with an older ( n = 34; M age = 7.84 years, SD = .84) or younger sibling ( M age = 3.72 years, SD = .54). Children who demonstrated better understanding of minds also produced more humor (preposterous statements and humorous anecdotes, and sou…
Moving Beyond the Dyad
The family represents a set of interconnected relationships, characterized by high levels of intimacy and closeness, which also provide opportunities for family conflict. In the literature, there appears to be a shift in understanding of what family conflict is and its subsequent consequences. Previous research focuses on dyadic family conflicts and often views it as a negative experience, resulting in the study of various maladaptive outcomes in…
A longitudinal examination of power in sibling and friend conflict
This study examined use of power resources and power effectiveness during the process and outcome of focal children's disputes with their sibling and friend across early and middle childhood. Participants included 35/46 families; focal children (15 males, 20 females) were observed at the age of four (T1) and 3 years later at the age of seven (T2) at home. Sibling and friend conflict sequences were coded for power resources (coercive physical, coe…
I'll Show You How to Write My Name
Research on the home literacy environment has typically involved parents as teachers with little attention given to siblings' roles in teaching each other. This study examines naturalistic language and literacy teaching by 39 sibling dyads, at two timepoints, when children were ages 2 and 4 (time 1; T1) and again at ages 4 and 6 (time 2; T2). Each family was observed for a total of six 90-minute sessions at both timepoints. First, all sibling-dir…
Because if you don’t put the top on, it will spill”
Naturalistic dyadic sequences of teaching and learning involving older and younger siblings were investigated in 39 middle-class dyads over a 2-year period in early childhood. Siblings were observed during ongoing interactions in the home setting for 6 90-min sessions at both Time 1 (older sibling M age = 4.4 years; younger sibling M age = 2.4 years) and Time 2 (older sibling M age = 6.3 years; younger sibling M age = 4.4 years). Sequences of sib…
Sibling relationships as sources of risk and resilience in the development and maintenance of internalizing and externalizing problems during childhood and adolescence
Relationships Between Indigenous American Peoples and Wolves 1
We examine the historical relationship between humans and wolves as illustrated through stories of North American Indigenous Peoples, especially the Great Plains and Intermountain West, exemplified by Cheyenne, Lakota, Blackfoot, Pawnee, and Shoshone peoples. Indigenous stories have not been employed in scholarly examinations of the origins of ‘dogs’. These tribal peoples were tough and resilient and wanted companion animals as tough and resilien…
An Earthquake Shocked Up the Land!’ Children's Communication During Play With Siblings and Friends
The construction of shared meanings strategies (e.g., introductions, extensions) and use of internal state language (e.g., references to mental states) during play were examined across two relationship contexts (siblings and friends) in 65 focal kindergarten‐aged children ( M age = 56.4 months; SD = 5.71 months). Strategies to construct shared meanings were associated with play session; specifically focal children employed introductions more ofte…
Mentors’ Perceptions of Factors Associated with Change in Early Childhood Classrooms
Mentors’ perceptions of factors associated with educational change were identified following an individualized mentoring program about constructivist curriculum for early childhood educators. A qualitative case study analysis of the mentors’ journals of six classrooms was conducted to review their perceptions of change. Classroom environment quality was assessed with the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) before and afte…
Canadian parents’ knowledge and satisfaction regarding their child’s day-care experience
The purpose of this study was to examine parental selection criteria and satisfaction with day care, knowledge about centre philosophy, teacher education and quality of the day-care environment. Parents ( n = 261) and educators ( n = 94) in 44 non-profit centres in three Canadian cities participated. Parent knowledge was assessed by phone interview, and day-care quality was rated. Many parents reported knowledge of the centre’s philosophy and wer…
Power in Sibling Conflict during Early and Middle Childhood
Sources of power children use in sibling conflict during early and middle childhood were examined according to F rench and R aven's typology of power. Participants included 66 dyads with an older ( M = 81.8 months, SD = 14.48 months) and younger ( M = 56.2 months, SD = 13.03 months) sibling. Data based upon naturalistic observations were coded for conflict issues (object, procedure, and information), power types (coercive, information, and legiti…
In-service Professional Development and Constructivist Curriculum
The purpose of this study was to assess three methods of delivering in-service professional development regarding constructivist curriculum for early childhood educators. Educators in 44 not-for-profit child care centres in three Canadian cities were studied; 94 educators with formal preservice training participated. The three methods were (a) a consultant model, (b) workshops, and (c) a readings group. Global classroom quality was assessed with …
Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles and associations with toddlers’ externalizing, internalizing, and adaptive behaviors
Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles and associations with toddlers’ externalizing, internalizing, and adaptive behaviors
Siblings as Confidants
Associations among (a) self‐disclosures between early adolescent siblings, (b) emotional understanding, and (c) relationship warmth were investigated. Grade 5–6 children (M age = 11.5 years) were interviewed concerning the incidence of disclosures to closest‐in‐age siblings (20 = older, 20 = younger), feelings regarding disclosing (or not), and sibling relationship quality. Warmth was measured with the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Furman &…
Socialization, perspective-taking, and the sibling relationship
Examined the relations among (a) the quality of the sibling relationship (b) maternal socialization techniques about infant's emotions and skills, (c) first-born's perspective-taking skills, and (d) first-born's caretaking behavior in 32 sibling pairs (14 months; 3-5 years) and their mothers, observed both at home and a modified lab, strange situation
Solitary play and convergent and divergent thinking skills in preschool children
Because if you don’t put the top on, it will spill”
Naturalistic dyadic sequences of teaching and learning involving older and younger siblings were investigated in 39 middle-class dyads over a 2-year period in early childhood. Siblings were observed during ongoing interactions in the home setting for 6 90-min sessions at both Time 1 (older sibling M age = 4.4 years; younger sibling M age = 2.4 years) and Time 2 (older sibling M age = 6.3 years; younger sibling M age = 4.4 years). Sequences of sib…
An Earthquake Shocked Up the Land!’ Children's Communication During Play With Siblings and Friends
The construction of shared meanings strategies (e.g., introductions, extensions) and use of internal state language (e.g., references to mental states) during play were examined across two relationship contexts (siblings and friends) in 65 focal kindergarten‐aged children ( M age = 56.4 months; SD = 5.71 months). Strategies to construct shared meanings were associated with play session; specifically focal children employed introductions more ofte…
Power in Sibling Conflict during Early and Middle Childhood
Sources of power children use in sibling conflict during early and middle childhood were examined according to F rench and R aven's typology of power. Participants included 66 dyads with an older ( M = 81.8 months, SD = 14.48 months) and younger ( M = 56.2 months, SD = 13.03 months) sibling. Data based upon naturalistic observations were coded for conflict issues (object, procedure, and information), power types (coercive, information, and legiti…
I'll Show You How to Write My Name
Research on the home literacy environment has typically involved parents as teachers with little attention given to siblings' roles in teaching each other. This study examines naturalistic language and literacy teaching by 39 sibling dyads, at two timepoints, when children were ages 2 and 4 (time 1; T1) and again at ages 4 and 6 (time 2; T2). Each family was observed for a total of six 90-minute sessions at both timepoints. First, all sibling-dir…
Associations between sibling relationship quality and daily interactions in early adolescence
Relationship theorists posit that children's daily interactions with others are the foundation of their overall relationship quality (Hinde, 1979); however, few studies have tested this proposition. Warm sibling relationships have a positive impact on social-emotional adjustment, making it important to consider how the features of daily sibling interactions may be linked to positive sibling bonds. This study investigated the connection between gl…
Canadian parents’ knowledge and satisfaction regarding their child’s day-care experience
The purpose of this study was to examine parental selection criteria and satisfaction with day care, knowledge about centre philosophy, teacher education and quality of the day-care environment. Parents ( n = 261) and educators ( n = 94) in 44 non-profit centres in three Canadian cities participated. Parent knowledge was assessed by phone interview, and day-care quality was rated. Many parents reported knowledge of the centre’s philosophy and wer…
The influence of the physical design of the dramatic play center on children's play
The ecology of dramatic play centers and children's social and cognitive play
A pirate goes nee-nor-nee-nor!” humor with siblings in middle childhood
Humor is a central feature of close and intimate relationships in childhood. However, fundamental questions regarding the relationship between humor production, pretend play, and social understanding have been overlooked. In a selected subsample from a prospective longitudinal study of first-born children ( N = 110, M age = 6.91 years, 46.4% female, 98.1% parents identified as English, Welsh, Scottish, or Irish), we conducted detailed observation…
A longitudinal examination of power in sibling and friend conflict
This study examined use of power resources and power effectiveness during the process and outcome of focal children's disputes with their sibling and friend across early and middle childhood. Participants included 35/46 families; focal children (15 males, 20 females) were observed at the age of four (T1) and 3 years later at the age of seven (T2) at home. Sibling and friend conflict sequences were coded for power resources (coercive physical, coe…
When Do Siblings Compromise? Associations with Children's Descriptions of Conflict Issues, Culpability, and Emotions
This study examined associations between children's descriptions of sibling conflicts and their resolutions during a structured negotiation task. A sample of 58 sibling dyads (older sibling M age = 8.39 years, younger sibling M = 6.06 years) were privately interviewed about an actual conflict. Each child provided a narrative that was coded for conflict issues, identified who was at fault, and described each sibling's conflict emotions. Children's…
Family Talk about Internal States and Children's Relative Appraisals of Self and Sibling
This study investigated associations between preschoolers' conversations about internal states and their spontaneous appraisals of self and sibling. Thirty‐two preschoolers (M age = 3.9 years) were observed during naturalistic home interactions with mothers and younger siblings. Various features of mothers' and children's internal state language were coded. Children who talked about internal states to the baby and who talked more about the baby's…
Socialization, perspective-taking, and the sibling relationship
Examined the relations among (a) the quality of the sibling relationship (b) maternal socialization techniques about infant's emotions and skills, (c) first-born's perspective-taking skills, and (d) first-born's caretaking behavior in 32 sibling pairs (14 months; 3-5 years) and their mothers, observed both at home and a modified lab, strange situation
The ecology of dramatic play centers and children's social and cognitive play
The influence of the physical design of the dramatic play center on children's play
Siblings' Perceptions of Their Parents' Divorce
Children' s perceptions of their parents' divorce and the quality of their sibling relationship were assessed with two questionnaires and an interview. The negative aspects of children' s divorce experiences were interrelated. Also, children placed most blame for the divorce on the father, who was the noncustodial parent in most of the families. Qualitative analyses focused on children' s understanding of the divorce, their perceptions of their p…
Siblings as Confidants
Associations among (a) self‐disclosures between early adolescent siblings, (b) emotional understanding, and (c) relationship warmth were investigated. Grade 5–6 children (M age = 11.5 years) were interviewed concerning the incidence of disclosures to closest‐in‐age siblings (20 = older, 20 = younger), feelings regarding disclosing (or not), and sibling relationship quality. Warmth was measured with the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (Furman &…
Solitary play and convergent and divergent thinking skills in preschool children
Family Talk about Internal States and Children's Relative Appraisals of Self and Sibling
This study investigated associations between preschoolers' conversations about internal states and their spontaneous appraisals of self and sibling. Thirty‐two preschoolers (M age = 3.9 years) were observed during naturalistic home interactions with mothers and younger siblings. Various features of mothers' and children's internal state language were coded. Children who talked about internal states to the baby and who talked more about the baby's…
When Do Siblings Compromise? Associations with Children's Descriptions of Conflict Issues, Culpability, and Emotions
This study examined associations between children's descriptions of sibling conflicts and their resolutions during a structured negotiation task. A sample of 58 sibling dyads (older sibling M age = 8.39 years, younger sibling M = 6.06 years) were privately interviewed about an actual conflict. Each child provided a narrative that was coded for conflict issues, identified who was at fault, and described each sibling's conflict emotions. Children's…
Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles and associations with toddlers’ externalizing, internalizing, and adaptive behaviors
In-service Professional Development and Constructivist Curriculum
The purpose of this study was to assess three methods of delivering in-service professional development regarding constructivist curriculum for early childhood educators. Educators in 44 not-for-profit child care centres in three Canadian cities were studied; 94 educators with formal preservice training participated. The three methods were (a) a consultant model, (b) workshops, and (c) a readings group. Global classroom quality was assessed with …
Canadian parents’ knowledge and satisfaction regarding their child’s day-care experience
The purpose of this study was to examine parental selection criteria and satisfaction with day care, knowledge about centre philosophy, teacher education and quality of the day-care environment. Parents ( n = 261) and educators ( n = 94) in 44 non-profit centres in three Canadian cities participated. Parent knowledge was assessed by phone interview, and day-care quality was rated. Many parents reported knowledge of the centre’s philosophy and wer…
Power in Sibling Conflict during Early and Middle Childhood
Sources of power children use in sibling conflict during early and middle childhood were examined according to F rench and R aven's typology of power. Participants included 66 dyads with an older ( M = 81.8 months, SD = 14.48 months) and younger ( M = 56.2 months, SD = 13.03 months) sibling. Data based upon naturalistic observations were coded for conflict issues (object, procedure, and information), power types (coercive, information, and legiti…
An Earthquake Shocked Up the Land!’ Children's Communication During Play With Siblings and Friends
The construction of shared meanings strategies (e.g., introductions, extensions) and use of internal state language (e.g., references to mental states) during play were examined across two relationship contexts (siblings and friends) in 65 focal kindergarten‐aged children ( M age = 56.4 months; SD = 5.71 months). Strategies to construct shared meanings were associated with play session; specifically focal children employed introductions more ofte…
Mentors’ Perceptions of Factors Associated with Change in Early Childhood Classrooms
Mentors’ perceptions of factors associated with educational change were identified following an individualized mentoring program about constructivist curriculum for early childhood educators. A qualitative case study analysis of the mentors’ journals of six classrooms was conducted to review their perceptions of change. Classroom environment quality was assessed with the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) before and afte…
Sibling relationships as sources of risk and resilience in the development and maintenance of internalizing and externalizing problems during childhood and adolescence
Relationships Between Indigenous American Peoples and Wolves 1
We examine the historical relationship between humans and wolves as illustrated through stories of North American Indigenous Peoples, especially the Great Plains and Intermountain West, exemplified by Cheyenne, Lakota, Blackfoot, Pawnee, and Shoshone peoples. Indigenous stories have not been employed in scholarly examinations of the origins of ‘dogs’. These tribal peoples were tough and resilient and wanted companion animals as tough and resilien…
Because if you don’t put the top on, it will spill”
Naturalistic dyadic sequences of teaching and learning involving older and younger siblings were investigated in 39 middle-class dyads over a 2-year period in early childhood. Siblings were observed during ongoing interactions in the home setting for 6 90-min sessions at both Time 1 (older sibling M age = 4.4 years; younger sibling M age = 2.4 years) and Time 2 (older sibling M age = 6.3 years; younger sibling M age = 4.4 years). Sequences of sib…
I'll Show You How to Write My Name
Research on the home literacy environment has typically involved parents as teachers with little attention given to siblings' roles in teaching each other. This study examines naturalistic language and literacy teaching by 39 sibling dyads, at two timepoints, when children were ages 2 and 4 (time 1; T1) and again at ages 4 and 6 (time 2; T2). Each family was observed for a total of six 90-minute sessions at both timepoints. First, all sibling-dir…
Moving Beyond the Dyad
The family represents a set of interconnected relationships, characterized by high levels of intimacy and closeness, which also provide opportunities for family conflict. In the literature, there appears to be a shift in understanding of what family conflict is and its subsequent consequences. Previous research focuses on dyadic family conflicts and often views it as a negative experience, resulting in the study of various maladaptive outcomes in…
A longitudinal examination of power in sibling and friend conflict
This study examined use of power resources and power effectiveness during the process and outcome of focal children's disputes with their sibling and friend across early and middle childhood. Participants included 35/46 families; focal children (15 males, 20 females) were observed at the age of four (T1) and 3 years later at the age of seven (T2) at home. Sibling and friend conflict sequences were coded for power resources (coercive physical, coe…
Where’s your bum brain?” Humor, social understanding, and sibling relationship quality in early childhood
We investigated humor production in relation to social understanding and relationship quality in early childhood, by coding N = 72 5‐year‐olds’ ( M = 5.78, SD = .41) spontaneous humor production during play with an older ( n = 34; M age = 7.84 years, SD = .84) or younger sibling ( M age = 3.72 years, SD = .54). Children who demonstrated better understanding of minds also produced more humor (preposterous statements and humorous anecdotes, and sou…
Scotland Embarks on a National Outdoor Play Initiative
Research Findings. The Scottish government is in the process of transforming their early childhood learning and care landscape by doubling the number of free hours of childcare for families and by requiring that all children in care spend a significant portion of each day outdoors. Thus, the government is promoting outdoor play programs. We surveyed 45 educators working in 16 outdoor programs and 16 nursery programs in Scotland as this transition…
Engineering Play, Mathematics, and Spatial Skills in Children with and without Disabilities
Research Findings: Engineering play is a new framework for understanding constructive block building as a design process. The current study examined associations between engineering play with wooden unit blocks and mathematics and spatial skills of children with and without disabilities. Participants included 110 preschoolers (44% female; 25% children with disabilities), ages 49–72 months (M = 58.47, SD = 4.46), from the Midwest United States. A …
This is a mailbox, right?”
Play materials designed to enhance children’s pretense were investigated; namely, how the specific characteristics of the play sets (thematically open-ended village set vs thematically closed-ended train set) influenced children’s play communication regarding their co-construction of shared meanings. Participants included 44 7-year-old focal children playing with both play sets with an older or younger sibling and a same-age friend. Play set diff…
Young children's differential use of power during family conflict
This study identified longitudinal and birth order differences in young children's use of power over a 2‐year period; the sample included 2‐ and 4‐year‐old (T1) and 4‐ and 6‐year‐old (T2) siblings ( n = 39). Power was investigated via its use (i.e., actions) and effectiveness (i.e., successful actions) during naturally occurring polyadic family conflicts at home involving three or more family members (two children and at least one parent or two p…
Psychology (30 works) · Developmental psychology (27 works) · Social Psychology (21 works) · Sibling (17 works) · Sibling relationship (14 works) · Social Psychology (14 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (13 works) · Child and Animal Learning Development (11 works) · Child Development and Digital Technology (9 works) · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics (8 works)