ERIC Number: EJ821621
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Mar
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-1325
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Social Problem Solving and Strategy Use in Young Children
Green, Vanessa A.; Cillessen, Antonius H. N.; Rechis, Ruth; Patterson, Meagan M.; Hughes, Julie Milligan
Journal of Genetic Psychology, v169 n1 p92-112 Mar 2008
In the present study, the authors investigated what prosocial-assertive, passive, and coercive strategies 6-year-olds (N = 257) would propose in response to stories about 2 socially challenging situations: displacing another child in a game and obtaining a toy from another child. The scenarios also varied the gender composition of the characters. Participants' verbalizations while acting out their responses using toy props fell into 13 categories of strategies. Teachers reported antisocial behavior and social competence of the participants. Girls and boys responded similarly in their general suggestions of prosocial or assertive strategies, but girls were more likely to offer prosocial strategies with other girls than with boys. Teacher-rated competence and antisocial behavior interacted in predicting coercive responses by girls but not by boys. The results demonstrate that prosocial and antisocial behaviors need to be considered in interaction to fully understand the nature of social competence.
Descriptors: Social Problems, Antisocial Behavior, Females, Males, Interpersonal Competence, Problem Solving, Young Children, Play, Childhood Attitudes, Gender Differences, Predictor Variables, Student Behavior, Prosocial Behavior, Research Methodology, Interaction
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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