This study aimed at examining whether a play-based social skill intervention program improves peer relationship of children in low income grandparent- grandchildren families. The subjects of the study were 3 fourth-and fifth-grade elementary school ch...
This study aimed at examining whether a play-based social skill intervention program improves peer relationship of children in low income grandparent- grandchildren families. The subjects of the study were 3 fourth-and fifth-grade elementary school children from low income grandparent-grandchildren families who attended 'after school program' for children in low income families managed by a welfare center.
In the study, the following research questions were addressed.
First, is the play-based social skill intervention program effective in improving the peer relationship of children in low income grandparent-grandchildren families?
Second, is the play-based social skill intervention program effective in improving the social skills of children from low income grandparent-grandchildren families?
Third, does the play-based social skill intervention program affect the children's peer relationship behaviors, playing alone and playing with peers?
The program emphasize on social skill training and relaxation, motivation, positive sentiments, and re-experience among therapeutic elements of play. With regard to the implementation of the program, a total of 12 sessions were conducted twice in a week. A session was composed of relaxation(15minutes), brief discussion(5minutes), structured activity(30minutes), and discussion(10minutes). The changes in the peer relationship of the children from low income grandparent- grandchildren families were detected by comparing pre, post and follow up self report scores and teacher's report scores in peer relationship test. In addition, the changes in the children's social skills were discovered by comparing pre, post and follow up self report scores and teacher's report scores measured in social skills test. As for the changes in the children's peer relationship behaviors, free play situation between 'after school program' and the program of this study was videotaped. Then, the researcher observed the children's behaviors on the videotaped and recorded them in play behavior observation sheets. After that, the results of baseline, post and follow up observations were compared.
The results of this study were as follows:
First, the play-based social skill intervention program improved peer relationship of children in low income grandparent-grandchildren families.
Second, the play-based social skill intervention program improved the social skills of children in low income grandparent-grandchildren families.
Third, the play-based social skill intervention program made the children play alone less than before, leading them to play with peers more frequently.
This study has limitations of generalizing the results, as it involved a few cases. However the results showed the play-based social skill intervention program improves the peer relationship and social skills of children in low income grandparent-grandchildren families.