Adjustment Patterns of Newly Admitted Children in Laboratory Day Care Centre

The investigation aimed at studying the time differentials, non-adjustment reactions and strategies adopted by parents and care providers to facilitate the adjustment of children in the Laboratory Day Care Centre. The study was based upon a sample of 32 (15 male and 17 female) children admitted in April,2009&April,2010 sessions in Laboratory Day Care Centre, Department of Human Development, PAU, Ludhiana as well as Care Providers (n=3) and Parents of the sample children (n=32). Observationcum- Interview method was used for data collection for the study. Based on their non-adjustment reactions, the children were divided into two categories, viz., 'Early adjusting children' and 'Late adjusting children'. The subjects displayed non-adjustment reactions in varying frequencies and intensities. The three children who took longest to adjust were the subjects of the case studies taken up in the Laboratory Day Care Centre. These case studies presented in detail the dynamics of parent-child attachment and the adjustment reactions of newly admitted children in Laboratory Day Care Centre. The analysis indicated that overprotective or over- possessive behaviour of parents or other family members, parental over-indulgence, lack of socialization experiences and irregular attendance at Centre contributed to poor adjustment of the child to the Laboratory Day care centre.