This study investigated the differences in the differences in the characteristics of social interaction behaviors between general and isolated young children in kindergarten classes. The subjects were 20 isolated kindergarteners(11 boys, 9 girls) fro...
This study investigated the differences in the differences in the characteristics of social interaction behaviors between general and isolated young children in kindergarten classes. The subjects were 20 isolated kindergarteners(11 boys, 9 girls) from 14 classes for 5 year olds and their 420 classmates. The isolated preschool children who were not selected by their peers at all on four items of sociometric test. The Social Interaction Behaviors Record was used for observing children`s social interaction behaviors. It had 18 items which indicated 15 positive and 3 negative social interaction behaviors. The range of inter-observer reliabilities of 18 items was .75∼1.00 and the average reliability was .96 between 3 observers. Frequencies and percentages of initiation behaviors and response behaviors showed notable characteristics of social interaction behaviors between general and isolated young children. The study found the social interaction behaviors among young children were mainly initiated by the isolated children. There were lots of inappropriate verbal interaction behaviors of the isolated children. The isolated children showed other-and ego-centric interaction behaviors simultaneously. It assumed that the peers already had biased perception on the isolated children. The results were discussed on the point of developing intervention programs for isolated children.