Bridging the Gap: Parent-Child Play Interaction and Peer Interactive Competence

Abstract

A multimeasure, multicontext study of the relationship between father-child and mother-child play and children''s competence with preschool peers was conducted. Boys (13) and girls (14), ages 3-4 yr and their parents participated. Children were videotaped while playing with each parent separately for 20 min in their homes. Children''s social competence with their peers was independently evaluated by 3 measures: ranking of preschool teachers of popularity with peers; Q-sort rating of children''s competence by their teachers; and assessments of social interaction with 3 different preschoold peers on separate occasions. Differential patterns of maternal and paternal behavior were associated with the social competence of boys and girls. Paternal physical play, engagement and maternal verbal behavior were positively related to children''s peer relations, especially for boys. Paternal directiveness was negatively related to popularity for boys and girls, while maternal directiveness was positively linked with popularity for girls. Opportunities for learning to regulate affect were hypothesized to contribute to these relationships. The linkages between family and peer social systems were illustrated.