The purpose of this study was to provide an overall review of how mothers' parental roles, preschoolers' self-regulation, and preschooler's peer-conflict resolving strategies are executed and to see how they are related. In order to achieve these goal...
The purpose of this study was to provide an overall review of how mothers' parental roles, preschoolers' self-regulation, and preschooler's peer-conflict resolving strategies are executed and to see how they are related. In order to achieve these goals, following questions have been set:
1. How are mothers' parental roles, preschoolers' self-regulation and preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies executed?
1-1. What roles do mothers serve as parents?
1-2. What is shown about preschoolers' self-regulation?
1-3. What kind of strategies do preschoolers use in order to resolve conflicts?
2. What is the relationship among mothers' parental roles, preschoolers' self-regulation, and preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies?
2-1. How are mothers' parental roles and preschoolers' self-regulation linked?
2-2. How are mothers' parental roles and preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies linked?
Ninety preschoolers at age 4 from four different kindergartens in Seoul, and their mothers and teachers participated in this study. Mothers' parental roles were assessed using "Parent Education Program-Level of Mothers' Role Indicator" developed by Korea Institute of Childcare and Education in 2012. Preschoolers' self-regulation was evaluated with "Self-Control Rating Scale: SCRS" which was designed by Wilcox(1979), translated by Yoo(1998), and modified and supplemented by Lee(2001). Preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies were measured with a modified and supplemented version of "Children's Conflict Resolution Measure" developed by Chung and Asher(1996). Song(2001) has made such modifications to the instrument in order to tailor it to the disposition of Korean children. The data collected was analyzed to compute the frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, minimum and maximum value, and Pearson correlation coefficient.
Results of this study are as follow: First, scores for mothers' parental roles were generally high. The subcategory that scored the highest was role of meeting the child's basic needs, followed by developmental stimulus and role of education, and community connection.
Average score for preschoolers' self-regulation was relatively high as well. Out of all the subcategories, impulse suppression had the highest score, followed by self-control and attention-concentration.
In the case of preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies, self-assertive strategy was the most frequently used, followed by passive strategy and pro-social strategy. On the other hand, hostile strategy and adult-seeking strategy were used the least.
Second, findings suggest that mothers' parental roles and preschoolers' self-regulation have a direct correlation. To take a closer look, self-control and attention-concentration, subcategories of mothers' parental roles and preschoolers' self-regulation showed a direct correlation. Role of meeting the child's basic needs, a subcategory of mothers' parental roles and self-control showed a direct correlation as well. Relationships between subcategories are as follows: Role of meeting the child's basic needs, a subcategory of mothers' parental roles, and self-control and attention-concentration, subcategories of preschoolers' self-regulation had significant direct correlation. Also, developmental stimulus and role of education showed direct correlation with all the subcategories of preschoolers' self-regulation. In a word, developmental stimulus and role of education were more significantly related with impulse suppression, a subcategory of preschoolers' self-regulation, than with role of meeting the child's basic needs. However, mothers' parental roles and preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies showed no correlation.
To sum up, mothers in this study had the most significant role in meeting the child's basic needs, 4-year-olds displayed relatively high self-regulation, and the preschoolers used self-assertive strategy most frequently in order to resolve peer-conflict. Mothers' parental role and preschoolers' self-regulation showed direct correlation, but mothers' parental role and preschoolers' peer-conflict resolving strategies had no relationship.