| Abstract | Having a caregiver home in the first year of life has been associated with many positive benefits for child development. However, no studies in the United States have examined the long-term effects of having a caregiver home past age 15. The current study sought to determine whether the duration of caregiver time at home in the first year of life was associated with the cognitive abilities and emotion regulation of college students. A total of 1,000 participants completed a series of online surveys, an IQ examination, and a frustration-inducing task. Results did not indicate a significant effect of caregiver leave on college student cognition, but there were significant associations between longer time at home and less difficulty regulating emotions. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between student gender, caregiver time at home, and student emotional regulation, where men experienced less difficulty regulating emotions in college when caregivers were home for more than six months during the first year of life. The results indicate a need for better parental leave policies in the United States to support healthy child development. |
