A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Do you want to play with me today? Friendship stability among preschool children
Authors: Yili Wang, Tuire Palonen, Tarja-Riitta Hurme, Jarmo Kinos
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Publication year: 2019
Journal: European Early Childhood Education Research Journal
Journal name in source: EUROPEAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESEARCH JOURNAL
Journal acronym: EUR EARLY CHILD EDUC
Volume: 27
Issue: 2
First page : 170
Last page: 184
Number of pages: 15
ISSN: 1350-293X
eISSN: 1752-1807
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2019.1579545
Abstract
Children's ability to establish peer relationships is an important issue in early childhood education. Making and maintaining friendships fosters children's social skills development. This longitudinal study examines the transitivity, mutuality, and stability of five- and six-year-old children's peer relationships over one preschool academic year. Participants included 16 children in a southwestern Finnish preschool. The data consist of interviews with the children (80 total) conducted at five separate time points using sociometric nomination techniques. Social network analysis methods were used to investigate the nature and change in the children's peer relationships. The study contributes to the extant literature by describing how the children's friendship ties stabilized over one year. It finds that, instead of extending their peer networks, the children sought stable and mutual relationships, exhibiting a stronger preference for gender segregation than age similarity. Daily pedagogical arrangements in the seating order had some influence on peer relationships.
Children's ability to establish peer relationships is an important issue in early childhood education. Making and maintaining friendships fosters children's social skills development. This longitudinal study examines the transitivity, mutuality, and stability of five- and six-year-old children's peer relationships over one preschool academic year. Participants included 16 children in a southwestern Finnish preschool. The data consist of interviews with the children (80 total) conducted at five separate time points using sociometric nomination techniques. Social network analysis methods were used to investigate the nature and change in the children's peer relationships. The study contributes to the extant literature by describing how the children's friendship ties stabilized over one year. It finds that, instead of extending their peer networks, the children sought stable and mutual relationships, exhibiting a stronger preference for gender segregation than age similarity. Daily pedagogical arrangements in the seating order had some influence on peer relationships.
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