ABSTRACT

This study investigated whether two educational strategies, providing material and active adult support during play, promote pretend play quality in a group of preschoolers. The sample consisted of 101 preschoolers (50% females; mean age at t1= 43.02 months, SD= 5.94) from 14 Swiss educational play groups. These were randomly allocated to the experimental conditions: material (n=4 groups, n=35 children), play tutoring (n=5 groups, n=32 children), and treatment as usual (control; n=5 groups, n=34 children). Children’s and adults’ behavior during six play sessions, each lasting 30 minutes, was videotaped. Children’s play activities, social pretend play quality (SPPQ) and adults’ level of active pretend play support, were assessed using standardized observation tools. Research Findings: Material and play tutoring groups showed significantly higher frequency of pretend play than the control group. Regarding SPPQ, the material group scored significantly lower than the play tutoring group, but significantly higher than the control group. Additional analyses showed that differences in SPPQ between the control and material condition can be fully explained by adults’ active play support. Practice or Policy: The results suggest that providing roleplay material stimulates children to engage in social pretend play, but adults’ play support increases the quality of social pretend play.

摘要

本研究调查了两种教育策略，在游戏过程中提供物质和积极的成人支持，是否可以提高一组学龄前儿童的假装游戏质量。样本包括来自 14 个瑞士教育游戏小组的 101 名学龄前儿童（50% 为女性；t1 时的平均年龄 = 43.02 个月，SD = 5.94）。这些被随机分配到实验条件：材料（n = 4 组，n = 35 名儿童）、游戏辅导（n = 5 组，n = 32 名儿童）和照常治疗（对照组；n = 5 组，n =34 个孩子）。儿童和成人在六场游戏中的行为被录像，每场持续 30 分钟。使用标准化观察工具评估儿童的游戏活动、社交假装游戏质量 (SPPQ) 和成人积极假装游戏支持的水平。研究结果：材料和游戏辅导组的假装游戏频率明显高于对照组。在SPPQ方面，材料组得分明显低于游戏辅导组，但明显高于对照组。其他分析表明，成年人的积极游戏支持可以完全解释对照和物质条件之间 SPPQ 的差异。实践或政策：结果表明，提供角色扮演材料会刺激儿童参与社交假装游戏，但成年人的游戏支持会提高社交假装游戏的质量。