The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among the temperament, daycare-center early adjustment and playfulness of two- year-olds in Western age.
The research questions were posed as below:
1. What is the relationship of temperament...
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among the temperament, daycare-center early adjustment and playfulness of two- year-olds in Western age.
The research questions were posed as below:
1. What is the relationship of temperament to early adjustment in infants who are at the Western age of 2?
2. What is the relationship of temperament to playfulness in infants who are at the Western age of 2?
3. What is the relationship of early adjustment to playfulness in infants who are at the Western age of 2?
The subjects in this study were 46 infants who were two years old in Western age and attended A daycare center in Seoul. This study was conducted from March to May 2006.
One instrument used in the study was questionnaires for mothers that covered infant temperament, and the other was questionnaires for teachers that assessed the early adjustment and playfulness of infants. For data handling, statistical data on frequency and percentage were obtained to grasp the general background of the infants, and correlational analysis was implemented to address the research questions.
The findings of the study about the research questions were as below:
First, regarding connections between the subfactors of the infants' temperament and those of their early adjustment, activity level that was one of temperament subfactors had a positive correlation to ego strength that was one of early adjustment subfactors, and approach-avoidance tendency that was part of temperament was negatively correlated to peer relationship, part of early adjustment. Reaction strength that was part of temperament was negatively correlated to prosocial behavior but positively to ego strength, which belonged both to the early adjustment category.
Second, as for the relations between the subvariables of their temperament and those of their playfulness, activity level that belonged to temperament had a positive correlation to physical spontaneity and a sense of humor that belonged to playfulness. Threshold of responsive- ness that was part of temperament was positively correlated to social spontaneity and a sense of humor, and that had a positive correlation to overall playfulness as well.
Third, in terms of the relationship of their early adjustment to playfulness, early adjustment was positively correlated to overall playfulness. As to the relationship of the subfactors of the two, prosocial behavior that belonged to early adjustment had a positive correlation to social spontaneity that was part of playfulness, and positive feelings had a positive correlation to physical spontaneity, social spontaneity, cognitive spontaneity and expression of delight. Peer relationship that was part of early adjustment was positively correlated to social spontaneity, and ego strength that was one of early adjustment subfactors had a positive correlation to physical spontaneity, cognitive spontaneity, expression of delight and a sense of humor. Daily-schedule adjustment that was part of early adjustment was positively correlated to physical spontaneity, cognitive spontaneity, social spontaneity and expression of delight that belonged to playfulness. And positive feelings, ego strength and daily-schedule adjustment that were all part of early adjustment had a positive correlation to overall playfulness.