Role of Temperament Traits and Empathy Skills of Preschool Children in Predicting Emotional Adjustment

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the role of temperament traits and empathy skills of preschool children in predicting social emotional adjustment. Designed in accordance with the relational screening method, the study was completed with 284 children attending preschool educational institutions in Canakkale provincial center in the 2017-2018 educational year, their teachers, and parents. Research data were collected using the Short Temperament Scale (Yagmurlu & Sanson, 2009), Preschool Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (Balat Uyanik & Ozdemir Beceren, 2014) and Empathy Questionnaire (Adak Ozdemir & Uysal, 2017). The research results show that there are significant correlations between temperament traits, empathy skills and social emotional adjustment of children. The subdimensions of temperament and empathy significantly predicted the social emotional adjustment subdimensions of family involvement, social confidence, readiness for school and emotional adjustment.