Al-Fattal, Magdalena (2021). Special Playgroups and Peer Relationships. Thesis II (master's degree) in Special Education. Faculty of Learning and Society. Malmö University. Special playgroups which correspond to IPG (Integrated play groups), is a method based on guided participation to support children with autism through inclusion and play. This qualitative study examines the effect of the special playgroup on children’s social interaction and on peer relationships. The aim of the study is that the educators gain an increased understanding of the special playgroup's significance for peer relationships. The study can contribute to research-based working methods permeating the preschool's activities. The study also contributes to previous studies with more understanding of how peer relationships change during the special playgroup. The specified questions of this study are: • What effect does the special playgroup have on children’s social interaction? • How do peer relationships change during the special playgroup? The results revealed that in the special playgroup, the participants have created a common culture with an approach that is based on inviting everyone to play and to support everyone's play initiatives. With the support of each other and of the adult present, the children develop the peer-play and their relationships in the special playgroup. In other words, by the adult participating in the children's play and making it a tool for learning and forming a reciprocal relationship-friendship with peers, an awareness and a level of reflection is created in children. The development of forming a reciprocal relationship-friendship extends also beyond the special playgroup and is noticeable in the preschool's other contexts. The implication is that this study consistent with previous studies that participation in a special playgroup has a great influence on supporting children both with and without autism to form relationships-friendships with each other. It helps the children to be truly included because children without difficulties learn to be responsive to other peer's play initiatives and learn to put deviant behaviors of their friends in a context. What distinguish this study is that it provides in-depth knowledge and understanding for how peer relationships change during the special playgroup.

<p dir="ltr">Loneliness is a perceived discrepancy between desired and experienced social relationships, which may arise from perceived lack of intimate attachment to another person (e.g., friend) or lack of involvement in larger networks (e.g., peer groups). The current study examined and compared how different aspects of friendship and peer group involvement predicted loneliness of Indonesian adolescents. Participants were 754 twelfth-grade Indonesian students (413 girls, mean age = 16.5 years). Loneliness was self-reported. Reciprocated friendships were calculated from within-grade nominations and friendship quality was obtained from ratings pertaining to each nominated friend. Peer groups were generated from Social Cognitive Mapping (SCM) and status indices were calculated from SCM and peer nominations. A concurrent SEM model was tested where quantity and self- and friend-perceived quality of friendship, group membership (i.e., within-group centrality), and status of the group in the larger network (i.e., group centrality status and group popularity status) predicted loneliness. All predictors had unique negative effects on loneliness with generally similar effect sizes except for friend-perceived friendship quality. An interaction between within-group centrality and group popularity status was found for boys. The results revealed that quantity and quality of friendship as well as position in the peer group and the status of the peer group were associated with loneliness. Being central in a group may be more important for those in low-status groups than high-status groups. Group-related indices were comparable to friendship indices as predictors of loneliness, which may be shaped by Indonesian culture where group involvement is valued more than intimate friendships.</p>

This study examined the emotion recognition of children (ages 7-9 years) with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children completed two emotion recognition measures, the Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy 2 (DANVA2) and the Child and Adolescent Social Perception measure (CASP). Children and their parents also completed an assessment of children’s social skills, the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS). Children with ADHD reported a significantly greater level of depressive symptoms and had significantly lower full scale IQ scores than children without ADHD. When these differences were accounted for, children with ADHD continued to show a handful of deficits in emotion recognition. They demonstrated difficulties in emotion recognition on the DANVA2 regarding specific emotions, fear and sadness. On the CASP, children with ADHD made significantly more errors than children without ADHD due to a tendency to make up information to explain how they were able to identify feelings. Children’s performance on the emotion recognition measures did not significantly mediate the relation between their diagnostic status and social skills (as rated by parents). In summary, additional evidence was found regarding the deficits in emotion recognition experienced by children with ADHD, however, further work needs to be done to determine if these deficits relate to the peer difficulties experienced by these children.

The purpose of this study was to explore the significant differences on elementary school students¡¦ attitude toward gender and their sex role identity among different background. Four hundred eighty participants from 7 different elementary schools were selected by stratified random sampling for completing ¡§Gender Attitude Scale¡¨ and ¡§Sex Role Identity Scale¡¨. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, analysis of variance, correlation, and multiple stepwise regression analysis were conducted on the quantitative data. The major findings were as follows: 1. Girls had significantly higher score on femininity than their boy counterparts. 2. Girls had significantly higher means on gender attitude scale than these boys. 3. The 6th grade students had significantly higher means on gender attitude scale than the 5th grade students. 4. Children with different birth order and parental marital conditions had similar mean scores on gender attitude and sex role identity. 5. Children come from families with girl only had significantly higher means on the femininity and gender attitude than these boy family children. 6. Children come from authoritative and permissive father practices families had significantly higher scores on sex role identity than these children come from uninvolved father practice families. 7. Children come from authoritative mother practice had significantly higher scores on gender attitude than these children come from uninvolved mother practice families. 8. Children with good peer relationships had significantly higher scores on gender attitude and sex role identity than other group counterparts. 9. There was significant positive correlation between students¡¦ gender attitude and sex role identity. 10. The three highest significantly predictors for elementary school children¡¦s attitudes toward gender and sex role identity were good peer relationship, gender, and grades. The conclusions of this study were to provide several suggestions for family educators, school educators, education administrators, and academic institute for future research.

The purpose of the present study was twofold: (a) to design and determine the effect of Father Involvement Training (FIT), which is based on social-cognitive theory principals, on family functioning in father-adolescent relationships, and (b) to examine the effect of Father Involvement Training (FIT) on the quality of the peer relationships of 9th grade high school students, whose fathers participated in the study. The sample composed of twenty- six 9th grade students&rsquo / fathers. The 2x3 experimental design examined pre-training, post-training and six-month follow-up measurements of an experimental group and control group. Experimental group received a ten-week father involvement training which was developed by the researcher while the control group did not receive any training. Parent Success Indicator (PSI) was used to assess family functioning of fathers and Parent Adolescent Relationship Scale (PARS) was used to assess family functioning of children whose fathers participated in the study. In order to assess peer relationships of children, Peer Relationship Scale (PRS) was used. Data were analyzed by employing Mann Whitney U Test, Friedman Test, and Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test. The results revealed that the Father Involvement Training had significant effects on the father-child relationship and family functioning of experimental group&rsquo / s fathers. The experimental group&rsquo / s fathers had gained higher total scores both at the end of the study and at the follow-up measures in PSI. The adolescents, whose fathers participated in the experimental group, improved in close-relationship and sensitivity dimensions at the end of the study. However, the improvements were not maintained after the six months follow-up measurements. In addition, ratings of the children, whose fathers participated in the experimental group, decreased from pretest to follow-up measures on meeting expectations dimension of the PARS. Lastly, there was a significant improvement in trust and identification dimension of peer relationship levels of children whose fathers received the training compared to children whose fathers did not receive the training. The experimental group fathers&rsquo / evaluation reports indicated that fathers perceived improvement in different dimensions such as father child communication, behavioral changes in relationship with their children.

The ability to participate in adequate relationships with peers and with adults is highlighted in research as important for all children’s development and learning. Research also shows that children who have difficulties with social interactions may be excluded from the peer group social context, if observant adults do not take an active and supportive role to facilitate peer interactions. To ensure that all children regardless of needs nor disability are given the opportunity to develop and learn, the preschool systematically and continuously needs to evaluate how they operate with the task of supporting children’s social relationships and participation. Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) is a structured observation rating scale developed recently in the UK and used in several contexts (i.e. United States) to measure quality in inclusive preschool settings based on twelve areas that are particularly important to consider for children with special educational needs.The aim of this study is to analyse and discuss two of the twelve contents of the ICP program, and to investigate its usefulness in the Swedish preschool. These contents are adult relationships with children and adult support in child interactions with peers. This study is a part of a project called Play and interaction for all children in inclusive preschool environments, initiated by the Department of Special Education, Stockholm University. The study is based on a qualitative research approach and is based on interviews with five preschool teachers and four observations in preschool learning environments.The result shows that the ICP can be a tool for development of an inclusive early childhood program in a Swedish context, both as a self-assessment tool and as a quality improvement tool. The two areas that have been estimated in the ICP have been perceived as relevant to the studies participants because of its importance for children`s development and its correlation with the Swedish preschool curriculum. However, there are certain concepts and formulations in the ICP that has brought objections during the interviews, for example, adults consistently ignore children´s efforts to interact with peers and adults consistently ignore children´s effort to interact with peers. Based on these reports, it seems that some formulations should be adapted or explained in the comments. The assessments made through the ICP make it possible to capture shifts in the quality of interactions that take place in the various inclusive activities. The quality differences have been made visible and evident by the ICP tool. This indicates that the ICP may be useful to estimate and evaluate operations, both in order to make improvements and also to reduce shortcomings in the learning environments. This is an important goal to achieve, especially considering that an equitable preschool with good quality may have a great impact for children in vulnerable situations.

The ability to participate in adequate relationships with peers and with adults is highlighted in research as important for all children’s development and learning. Research also shows that children who have difficulties with social interactions may be excluded from the peer group social context, if observant adults do not take an active and supportive role to facilitate peer interactions. To ensure that all children regardless of needs nor disability are given the opportunity to develop and learn, the preschool systematically and continuously needs to evaluate how they operate with the task of supporting children’s social relationships and participation. Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP) is a structured observation rating scale developed recently in the UK and used in several contexts (i.e. United States) to measure quality in inclusive preschool settings based on twelve areas that are particularly important to consider for children with special educational needs.The aim of this study is to analyse and discuss two of the twelve contents of the ICP program, and to investigate its usefulness in the Swedish preschool. These contents are adult relationships with children and adult support in child interactions with peers. This study is a part of a project called Play and interaction for all children in inclusive preschool environments, initiated by the Department of Special Education, Stockholm University. The study is based on a qualitative research approach and is based on interviews with five preschool teachers and four observations in preschool learning environments. The result shows that the ICP can be a tool for development of an inclusive early childhood program in a Swedish context, both as a self-assessment tool and as a quality improvement tool. The two areas that have been estimated in the ICP have been perceived as relevant to the studies participants because of its importance for children`s development and its correlation with the Swedish preschool curriculum. However, there are certain concepts and formulations in the ICP that has brought objections during the interviews, for example, adults consistently ignore children´s efforts to interact with peers and adults consistently ignore children´s effort to interact with peers. Based on these reports, it seems that some formulations should be adapted or explained in the comments. The assessments made through the ICP make it possible to capture shifts in the quality of interactions that take place in the various inclusive activities. The quality differences have been made visible and evident by the ICP tool. This indicates that the ICP may be useful to estimate and evaluate operations, both in order to make improvements and also to reduce shortcomings in the learning environments. This is an important goal to achieve, especially considering that an equitable preschool with good quality may have a great impact for children in vulnerable situations. / Inkluderande Lärandemiljöer och Tidiga Insatser

Die hoofdoelstelling van die navorsing was om die ontwikkelende sosialisering van adolessente met ernstige gehoorverlies met hul normaalhorende portuur te begryp en te beskryf. Die navorsingsvraag was, Hoe ontwikkel die adolessent met ernstige gehoorverlies sosiale verhoudings met sy/haar normaal horende portuurgroep? ‘n Ondersoek na vier adolessente met ernstige gehoorverlies is gedoen, om hul interaksiesituasie met hul horende portuurgroep beter te begryp. Die studie het ‘n meervoudige gevallestudie-ontwerp gevolg vanuit die postmoderne interpretiwistiese perspektief. Bronfenbrenner se bio-ekologiese sisteemteorie is benut as die teoretiese basis vir die studie, ten einde die totale konteks van die adolessent met gehoorverlies te begryp. Die deelnemers is volgens die maksimum variasiebeginsel gekies en die data is met behulp van kwalitatiewe metodes, naamlik observasies en onderhoude, ingesamel. Die analiseproses het uit gerigte tematiese analise en analitiese vergelyking bestaan. Die resultate het getoon dat interaksie tussen adolessente met gehoorverlies en hul normaal horende portuur suksesvol kan geskied, maar dat dit met bepaalde hindernisse (soos oningeligtheid en onsekerheid omtrent die gehoorverlies) gepaard gaan en van beide partye word aanpassings geverg. Individuele bates van die adolessent met gehoorverlies moet ook benut word en uitgebou word om die minder sterk punte te ondersteun. Die adolessent met gehoorverlies se spraak (artikulasie) en spraakleesvermoë is van kernbelang ten einde deur die horende gemeenskap verstaan te word, asook om hulle te verstaan. Gereelde deurlopende blootstelling aan die horende gemeenskap wat deur die ouers gefasiliteer word, blyk die sleutel te wees tot suksesvolle interaksie en integrasie in die breë gemeenskap. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main purpose of the study was to understand and describe the developing socialization of adolescents with severe hearing loss with their normally hearing peers. The central research question was, How does the adolescent with severe hearing loss develop social relationships with his/her normally hearing peers? The research was conducted with four adolescents with severe hearing loss, better to understand their interactive situation with their normally hearing peers. The research took the form of a multiple case study design, conducted from the postmodern interpretive perspective. Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological systems theory formed the theoretical basis of the study, to understand the full context of the adolescent with hearing loss. Participants were selected in accordance with the maximum variation sampling principle. Data were collected by qualitative methods, namely observations and interviews. The data analysis consisted of focussed thematic analysis and analytical comparison. The results showed that interaction between adolescents with hearing loss and their normally hearing peers can be successful, but it is accompanied by certain challenges such as a lack of information and uncertainty about the hearing loss and adaptations are required from both parties. The individual assets of die adolescent with hearing loss should be utilised and developed to support the weaker characteristics. The speech- and speech reading skills of the adolescent with hearing loss are of the utmost importance to be understood by the hearing community as well as to understand them. Continual exposure to the hearing community, facilitated by the parents, appears to be key to the successful interaction and integration into the broader community. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Behavior problems are quite common in preschool.  Without effective intervention, children with behavior problems are at risk for rejection by teachers, peers and academic failure. But many children in preschool are not diagnosed and are not getting the support they need. At the age of two, children can show both prosocial and aggressive behavior with peers. Researchers stress the importance of positive peer relationships in childhood, because early childhood is the time children learn how to interact with each other. Through peer interactions children develop social, cognitive and language skills. The aim of this systematic literature review is to identify, and critically analyze, special support in preschool which promote peer interaction of children with behavior problems (age of 2-5 years). Five studies, with different interventions have been found through the search procedure. The results show that all the implemented interventions had positive effect on peer interactions and did reduce behavior problems in the classrooms. The results show that the studies focused on different behavior problems, but aggression was found in all the articles.  The studies were focused on different participants in order to influence behavior problems and peer interactions. Four major groups of special support orientations were found: Teacher oriented support, Team-based oriented support, Peer oriented support and Support oriented toward target children. This review presents a good overview on available special support in preschool settings, however more research still needs to be done.

Social acceptance and peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy were examined as salient factors related to social development among emerging adult (ages 18 to 25) survivors of pediatric cancers. Using a cross-sectional, within-groups methodology, relationships between cancer treatment intensity and peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and social acceptance were assessed. Perceived health vulnerability, situational coping style, parent and peer attachment, and perceived physical attractiveness were explored as moderators of peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and social acceptance. Additionally, social acceptance was examined within a cancer stereotyping framework. Fifty-two emerging adult survivors of pediatric cancers (54% male; mean (M) age = 21.38 years, standard deviation (SD) age = 3.11 years) completed self-report questionnaires. Participants were diagnosed between ages 5 and 19 (Mage = 12.59 years, SDage = 4.57 years) and were at least six months post-active treatment (Mtime = 7.32 years, SDtime = 4.46 years). Simultaneous regression analyses indicated that health vulnerability, coping style, parent and peer attachment, and physical attractiveness together accounted for a significant amount of variance in peer and romantic relationship self-efficacy and self-perceived social acceptance. There were significant main effects of perceptions of physical attractiveness and peer attachment on peer relationship self-efficacy and self-perceived social acceptance. There was also a main effect of perceived physical attractiveness on romantic relationship self-efficacy. However, treatment intensity was not significantly related to peer or romantic relationship self-efficacy or social acceptance. Furthermore, there were no significant moderating effects of health vulnerability, coping, parent or peer attachment, or physical attractiveness on the relationship between treatment intensity and peer or romantic relationship self-efficacy or social acceptance. In terms of social acceptance, participants believed that others’ viewed them as more socially accepted than they viewed themselves. Participants also rated a hypothetical peer with cancer as less socially accepted than healthy peers. Results suggest greater perceived physical attractiveness and stronger attachment to peers may be strongly related to greater relationship confidence and feelings of being socially accepted. Survivors may also hold stereotyped views of their own level of social acceptance and the social acceptability of peers diagnosed with cancer. Future research and interventions implications are considered.