Impact of interpersonal problem-solving training on preschoolers' social competency

Abstract

In order to test Shure and Spivack's theoretical position that a child's ability to verbally generate solutions to interpersonal problems and think about their consequences is directly related to the child's behavioral adjustment, preschoolers were tested on verbal problem-solving skills and their classroom behavior was rated by their teachers. Further, their behavior was observed by independent observers. No significant relationship between problem-solving skills and behavior was found. Following assessment, 54 of these children completed an 11-week training program, designed by Shure and Spivack, to improve their ability to think through and verbally generate solutions to interpersonal problems and to examine the possibility of mediation of such training to behavioral improvement. Preschoolers' ability to verbally generate alternative solutions to problems significantly increased due to training, however, this increase did not have an ameliorative effect on behavioral adjustment.