Parental play attitude and kindergartners’ peer problems: Children’s playfulness as a potential mediator

Fung, Wing Kai and Chung, Kevin Kien Hoa (2022) Parental play attitude and kindergartners’ peer problems: Children’s playfulness as a potential mediator. Social Development. ISSN 0961-205X

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Abstract

This study examined the mediating role of children’s playfulness in the relationship between parental play supportiveness and children’s prospective peer problems in a sample of Hong Kong Chinese kindergarten children. Participants were parents and teachers of 108 local children (56% boys, mean age = 60.0 months). At time 1, parents reported their supportiveness towards household play and their child’s playfulness through a questionnaire. Six months later at time 2, teachers reported children’s peer problems as exhibited in the kindergarten. A path analytic model revealed that, controlling for child age, gender, and birth order, parental play supportiveness and children’s playfulness at time 1 were positively associated, and that playfulness at time 1 negatively predicted peer problems at time 2. The indirect relationship between parental play supportiveness and peer problems as mediated through playfulness was significant, whereas the direct relationship between parental play supportiveness and peer problems was non-significant. These findings suggest that parents who support children’s household play may promote children’s capacity to establish positive peer relationships by improving their level of playfulness. Practically, the results highlight the utility of fostering parental play supportiveness and children’s playfulness to support kindergarten children’s social development.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information and Comments:	This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Fung, W. K., & Chung, K. K. H. (2022). Parental play supportiveness and kindergartners’ peer problems: Children's playfulness as a potential mediator. Social Development. The article has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12603 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Education and Social Sciences > School of Education
Depositing User:	Wing Kai Fung
Date Deposited:	21 Sep 2022 09:24
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2024 13:17
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/3612

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