Predicting process quality from structural quality in preschool programs: a cross-country comparison

In this cross-national study, the relations between structural and process quality in preschool classrooms are examined and compared across four countries—Germany (n = 82), Portugal (n = 80), Spain (n = 55), and the United States (n = 288). Process quality was assessed using the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale and the Caregiver Interaction Scale. Structural quality variables include classroom, center, wage, and regional characteristics. A MANOVA found differences in levels of structural variables used in the different countries. Hierarchical regression, in which blocks of structural variables were entered according to their relative proximity to process quality, indicated that despite the diversity of the national systems, many of the same structural features have an impact on process quality. However, no one consistently powerful predictor of process quality was found, and there was no single block of variables with an overwhelming influence. The findings are viewed in terms of possibilities for improving process quality through manipulation of structural characteristics.