Prediction of Children's Social Acceptance Following Transition from Kindergarten to Elementary School

유치원 시기의 또래관계 및 사회적 경험과 국민학교 초기의 사회적 수용도와의 관계에 관한 연구

The purposes of this study were (1) to explore the stability of social acceptance when childen transferred from kindergarten to elementary school, and (2) to identify factors that predict children's social acceptance in new school environments. Twenty two children of 'J' kindergarten who were transfering to 'S' elementary school were sampled at the end of their kindergarten year. They were administered social acceptance tests, a school readiness test, and the simplified version of the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire. A sample of 135 children including the 22 children of 'J' kindergarten were administered social acceptance tests in the middle of the first grade of elementary school and questionnaires on their children's social experiences were completed by their parents. Social acceptance scores were found to be stable from kindergarten to elementary school. School readiness test scores and distractibility ratings by preschool teachers were moderately correlated with post-transition social acceptance. Among the social experiences variables, duration and number of preschool experiences were significantly correlated with social acceptance in the first grade of elementary school. There were no significant differences of social acceptance score according to the type of kindergarten.