2023, Jaggy, Ann-Kathrin, Kalkusch, Isabelle, Burkhardt Bossi, Carine, Weiss, Barbara, Sticca, Fabio, Perren, Sonja

This controlled intervention study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design investigated whether promoting children's social pretend play quality fosters their social development. Twenty-seven Swiss playgroups (N = 211 children, age: M = 43.3 months, SD= 6.5, with a median of 7 children per group) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: Play tutoring, provision of role play material, or control. Standardized tests and educator questionnaires were used to assess children's social pretend play competence and social-cognitive, emotional and social skills as well as their peer relationship quality. Latent change models indicated that children's social pretend play competence, behavioral skills, and positive peer relationships as reported by their educators increased most strongly for children in the play tutoring condition. No significant intervention effects emerged regarding children's social-cognitive or emotional skills. The results show that actively promoting children's social pretend play quality also fosters their social behavior and peer relationships.

2021-11-17, Kalkusch, Isabelle, Jaggy, Ann-Kathrin, Burkhardt Bossi, Carine, Weiss, Barbara, Sticca, Fabio, Perren, Sonja

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.

2022-09, Kalkusch, Isabelle, Jaggy, Ann-Kathrin, Burkhardt Bossi, Carine, Weiss, Barbara, Sticca, Fabio, Perren, Sonja

Training studies have shown the positive effects of play tutoring on children’s social skills. This study investigates whether the theoretically suggested mechanism of change—social pretend play quality—explains the effect of play tutoring on social pretend play competence and social skills. Twenty-seven Swiss playgroups (N = 214 three- to four-year-olds) participated in a randomized intervention study with three conditions: the intervention group (play tutoring), the material group (half-dose), and the control group (treatment as usual). Weekly treatment sessions took place for six consecutive weeks. Pre-tests, post-tests, and a follow-up were made. Playgroup educators reported on children’s pretend play competence and social skills using a questionnaire. Children’s pretend play quality during treatment sessions was assessed by standardized behavioral observations. Using latent change models with indirect effects, we investigated whether the intervention effects of play tutoring on children’s pretend play competence and social skills are mediated by their social pretend play quality shown during the intervention sessions. The results indicate mediating effects of social pretend play quality on children’s change in social pretend play competence and self-oriented social skills (sociability and setting limits). The study supports social pretend play as a beneficial ground to promote social development but also indicates a more complex interplay of different change mechanisms.

2021, Perren, Sonja, Kalkusch, Isabelle, Jaggy, Ann-Kathrin, Burkhardt Bossi, Carine, Weiss, Barbara, Sticca, Fabio

Kinder mit einem eingeschränkten Sprachverständnis haben ein erhöhtes Risiko für negative Peerbeziehungen. Die- Förderung der Qualität von Fantasiespiel hat sich als wirksame Förderstrategie für die Peerbeziehungsqualität erwiesen. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde untersucht, ob die Förderung der Fantasiespielqualität auch bei Kindern mit eingeschränktem Sprachverständnis eine wirksame Förderstrategie ist. Insgesamt 207 drei- bis vierjährige Kinder (Alter: M = 43.3 Monate, SD = 6.5; 48 % weiblich) aus 27 Schweizer Spielgruppen nahmen an der Studie teil; 29 % der Kinder hatten einen mehrsprachigen (inkl. deutsch) und 19 % einen nicht-deutschsprachigen Familienhin- tergrund. Die Spielgruppen wurden randomisiert einer von drei Aktivitätsgruppen zugeordnet: Spieltutoring, Materialgruppe und Spielgruppen- alltag. Die soziale Fantasiespielqualität während der Spielsessionen wurde beobachtet. Das Sprachverständnis wurde mit einem Untertest- eines standardisieren Sprachtest (SETK 3 – 5) getestet. Die Spielgruppenleiterinnen berichteten über die Peerbeziehungsqualität (Akzeptanz und Peer Viktimisierung) zum Pre-test, Post-test und Follow-up. Die Analysen zeigten, dass die Kinder – unabhängig von ihrem Sprachver- ständnis – durch aktive Spielbegleitung in ihrer Fantasiespielqualität gefördert werden können. Je höher die soziale Fantasiespielqualität (experimentell manipuliert), desto grösser die Verbesserungen in der Peerbeziehungsqualität (d. h. verbesserte Akzeptanz und verringerte Peer Viktimisierung). Je eingeschränkter das Sprachverständnis der Kinder, umso stärker waren die Effekte der sozialen Fantasiespielqualität auf die Peerbeziehungsqualität. Die Studie zeigt, dass die Förderung der sozialen Fantasiespielqualität eine wirksame pädagogische Strategie zur Förderung der sozialen Integration Kindern mit eingeschränktem Sprachverständnis ist.

2022, Kalkusch, Isabelle

2021, Perren, Sonja, Kalkusch, Isabelle, Burkhardt Bossi, Carine