An examination of social cognitions in young children with differing behavioral characteristics

To date, research on social withdrawal in young children has been minimal. Studies on behavioral difficulties in children tend to focus on externalizing behaviors. Internalizing behaviors, specifically shyness and social withdrawal are often considered less severe and children who elicit these characteristics are thought of as not requiring intervention. Research done with school age children and adults indicates stability of social withdrawal over time. Social withdrawal has also been linked to social competence deficits and long-term deficits in social transitions. Only a small number of researchers have investigated how withdrawn children's thought processes impact their social behavior. An important step in developing interventions to reduce the long-term effects of social withdrawal is to gain an understanding of withdrawn children's social cognitions at an early age.;The major objective of this research was to investigate how social cognitions differ in young children with dissimilar behavioral characteristics. Specifically this research focused on whether children described as withdrawn would exhibit a difference in their social problem solving ability and emotion knowledge as compared to children described as outgoing. It was hypothesized that a difference would exist for the social cognitive process of problem solving, with socially withdrawn children identifying fewer solutions to social problems than outgoing children. With regards to emotion knowledge, it was hypothesized that a difference would not exist and socially withdrawn preschool children would recognize similar amounts of emotions as outgoing preschool children.;This project used general linear models to assess social skills and cognitions of 42 withdrawn and outgoing children enrolled in early childhood programs in Alachua County Florida. Results indicated that the two groups of children were significantly different from each other on all variables assessed, lending support for the first hypothesis only. Expected outcomes of this research include increasing the literature base on social withdrawal in young children, furthering an understanding of social withdrawal, and utilizing information regarding the social cognitions of socially withdrawn young children in order to develop effective intervention and prevention programs. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html)...