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Peer preferences of at-risk and normally developing children in a preschool mainstream classroom
Insights
Normally developing and at-risk preschoolers in mainstream classrooms showed in-group social play. However, only typically developing children demonstrated clear peer preferences for game partners and seating, impacting social adaptation insights.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Social Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Mainstreaming at-risk preschoolers necessitates understanding their social dynamics.
- Peer interactions in diverse preschool settings require nuanced investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine social interactions and peer preferences among normally developing and at-risk children in a mainstream preschool.
- To compare findings from direct observation with traditional sociometric methods.
Main Methods:
- Employed the ethological method of direct observation.
- Collected data on social play, gaze orientation, game partner selection, and seat neighbor preference.
Main Results:
- Both normally developing and at-risk children primarily interacted within their own groups.
- Normally developing children exclusively showed preferences for game partners and seat neighbors.
- Direct observation revealed group-specific interactions, while preference data highlighted differences.
Conclusions:
- Direct observation offers valuable insights into social adaptation in mainstream classrooms, complementing traditional methods.
- Findings suggest distinct social preferences between normally developing and at-risk preschoolers, informing mainstreaming strategies.
Abstract:
Social interactions and peer preferences in a preschool mainstream classroom containing normally developing and at-risk children were studied using the ethological method of direct observation. Data on social play and on gaze orientation indicated that normally developing children and at-risk children interacted primarily with children from the same group (other normally developing and at-risk children, respectively). Data on selection on game partner and on preference of seat neighbor, however, revealed peer preference by normally developing children only. The findings were discussed as having theoretical implications for using direct observation vs. the more traditional sociometric methods for studying social adaptation in the mainstream classroom and as having practical implications for mainstreaming at risk-preschoolers.