• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.311-329
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• 2015

This study examined the influences of children's playfulness and teacher-child interactions on their peer interactions, and investigated whether teacher-child interactions had any moderating effects upon the relation between child playfulness and peer interactions. The participants of this study were 240 children in fourth year classes in child care centers in Seoul and Gyoung-gi province and 24 of their teachers. In order to measure the research variables, the Korean version of PIPPS(Pen Interaction Peer Play Scale) by Choi and Shin(2008), the Children's Playfulness Scale(Barnett, 1991), and the modified version of the Caregiver Interaction Scale(Arnett, 1989) were used. The data were analyzed by means of descriptive statics, Pearson's correlations, and hierarchical regression analysis. The results indicated that children's playfulness and teacher-child interactions had significant effects on their peer interactions. Especially, the teacher-child interactions were related to the play disruption and the play disconnection of peer interactions. In addition, teacher-child interactions moderated the effect of children's social spontaneity(children's playfulness) on their play disconnection(peer interactions). The results have some implications for the role of teacher-child interactions in peer play interactions and a range of prevention efforts.