The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among maternal upbringing behavior, young children's playfulness and their peer competency. In addition, by looking into how young children's playfulness moderates the relationship between mate...
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among maternal upbringing behavior, young children's playfulness and their peer competency. In addition, by looking into how young children's playfulness moderates the relationship between maternal upbringing behavior and young children's peer competency, the investigator examined the moderating effect of sub-factors of young children's playfulness upon the relationship between maternal upbringing behavior and young children's peer competency.
Study subjects were 132 4 or 5-year-old young children and 132 mothers at nursery schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do. In order to measure maternal upbringing behavior, the tool worked out by Park Ju-hi (2001) was used. To measure young children's peer competency, the tool developed by Park Ju-hi & Lee Eun-hae (2001) was used. To measure young children's playfulness, the tool worked out by Barnett (1990, 1991) and modified by Yu Ae-yeol (1994) was used.
In order to test the reliability of data, Cronbach's α was used. In order to examine descriptive statistical methods of every variable and look into the difference among maternal upbringing behavior, young children's playfulness and their peer competency, t-test and one-way ANOVA were used. As for post hoc test, Scheffe method was used. The relationship between variables was analyzed with Pearson's correlation analysis. In addition, in order to examine the influences of maternal upbringing behavior upon young children's playfulness, of maternal upbringing behavior upon young children's peer competency, and of young children's playfulness upon their peer competency, regression analysis was carried out. And in order to look into the moderating effect of young children's playfulness for the influence of maternal upbringing behavior upon young children's peer competency, interrelation analysis was carried out.
Study findings are as follows:
First, maternal upbringing behavior had to do with young children's playfulness. When maternal upbringing behavior was warmhearted and encouraging, the expression of joy in young children's playfulness was high. On the other hand, when maternal upbringing behavior was rejective and negligent, such sub factors of young children's playfulness as social voluntariness, perceptive voluntariness and expression of joy were low and children's playfulness on the whole was also low.
Second, maternal upbringing behavior had to do with young children's peer competency. When maternal upbringing behavior was warmhearted and encouraging, young children's peer competency was high. And when maternal upbringing behavior was restrictive, the sociality factor of young children's peer competency was high and young children's peer competency on the whole was also high. On the other hand, when maternal upbringing behavior was high in overprotection/permission and rejection/negligent, young children's peer competency was low.
Third, young children's playfulness had to do with young children's peer competency. When young children's playfulness was high, their peer competency was also high.
Fourth, when maternal upbringing behavior was overprotective and permissive, young children's leadership in young children's peer competency was negatively influenced. However, perceptive voluntariness in young children's playfulness increased and thus if intervened with it, young children's leadership was positively moderated.
Fifth, when maternal upbringing behavior was rejective and negligent, young children's sociality in young children's peer competency was negatively influenced. However, physical voluntariness in young children's playfulness increased and thus if intervened with it, young children's sociality was positively moderated.