Descriptive Analysis of Preschool Social Interactions

Supporting social competence in early childhood is associated with the development of friendships, positive outcomes across developmental domains, and preventing challenges in later life. However, within social skills interventions to improve social competence, identifying and selecting target social skills that are likely to be functional within a child’s environment represent a complex challenge. In the current research, descriptive analysis was employed within the preschool context, to identify the common, functional social skills that typically developing children engage in, within naturally occurring social exchanges. Environmental variables possibly correlated with social behavior within the preschool context were analyzed. An analysis of the social antecedents and consequences for social behavior was also conducted. Specific social behaviors that are likely to be functional and developmentally appropriate within the preschool context were identified. Analyses of factors are discussed in terms of recommendations for developing social skills interventions for early educational settings.