Association between Receptive Language Skill and Social Communication Skill among Preschool Children: Path Analysis Evidence from Surakarta, Central Java

Abstract

Background: Children with social commu­ni­ca­tion problems run the risk of academic failure, difficulty forming friendships, social exclu­sion, and withdrawal. The ability of social commu­ni­cation is influenced by several factors including receptive language skills, parenting pat­­terns, child birth order, and gender. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between receptive language skills and social communication skills using Path Analysis . Subjects and Method: This study used a cross sec­tional study design, which was conduc­t­ed in Su­rakarta City, Central Java in January 2020. A sample of 200 people was selected using a ran­dom sampling technique. The de­pen­dent variable is the ability of social commu­nication. The inde­pe­ndent variable is receptive language ability, pa­ren­ting, birth order, and gender. Data collection was performed using a questionnaire and ana­ly­zed by path analysis using Stata 13. Results: Good receptive language skills direct­ly increase social communication skills (b = 3.21; 95% CI = 0.50 to 2.07; p = 0.001). The birth or­der of the first child directly increased the ability of social communication (b = 3.11; 95% CI = 0.45 to 1.99; p = 0.002). Democratic parenting direct­ly increases the ability of social communication (b = 4.94; 95% CI = 1.40 to 3.24; p <0.001). Fe­male sex directly increased social communication skills (b = 5.49; 95% CI = 1.41 to 2.98; p <0.001). Conclusion: Good social communication skills in pre-school age children increase direct­ly with good receptive language skills, birth order of the first child, parenting patterns of democratic parents and female gender. Keywords: Social communication skills, recep­tive language skills, birth order, parent­ing, gender Correspondence: Nadya Susanti. Masters Program in Public Health. Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A, Surakarta, Central Java, Indo­nesia, 57126. Email: nadya­susanti3@gmail­.­com. Mo­bile­:­ 081568222014 Journal of Maternal and Child Health (2020), 5(3): 226-234 https://doi.org/10.26911/thejmch.2020.05.03.01