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[Mental representation, psychic structure, and behaviour problems in preschool children].
Florian Juen1, Cord Benecke, Agnes von Wyl
1Institut für Psychologie, Universität Innsbruck. florian.juen@uibk.ac.at
Praxis Der Kinderpsychologie Und Kinderpsychiatrie
|April 27, 2005
Summary
This study links preschool children's play narratives to behavioral issues. Findings reveal significant correlations between narrative elements and behavior ratings, offering insights into child mental health indicators.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Context:
- Limited empirical research exists on the internal psychic structure of preschool children's mental health problems.
- Behavioral and emotional issues in children are often linked to their internal mental representations.
- Understanding these links is crucial for early identification and intervention.
Purpose:
- To investigate the relationship between mental representations in preschool children and their behavioral and emotional problems.
- To explore content-themes, structural indicators, and process criteria within children's play narratives.
- To correlate these narrative elements with parent and teacher behavior ratings.
Summary:
- Data from 73 preschool children's play narratives (MacArthur Story Stem Battery) were analyzed for content, structure, and process.
- These narrative indicators were statistically correlated with behavioral ratings from parents and kindergarten teachers.
- Significant correlations were found, particularly between structural narrative indicators, process criteria, and observed behaviors.
Impact:
- Provides empirical evidence on the mental representations underlying preschool children's behavioral and emotional difficulties.
- Highlights the utility of play narratives as a tool for assessing child mental health.
- Informs clinical practice and future research directions in child psychology and psychiatry.