Young Children's Social Interactions With Same-Ethnic and Cross-Ethnic Peers

• In Event: Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: Young Children's Peer Interactions and Social Behaviors

Abstract

The present study examines preschool-age children’s social integration and interaction with peers as a function of language proficiency and peer group ethnicity. Participants were 160 children (43% boys; averaged 41.9 months of age) drawn from a larger longitudinal study of school readiness among low-income children in different early childhood education programs. Children’s level of social integration and prosocial/negative peer interactions were observed using time sampling and language proficiency was assessed. Results show that social integration was higher when there was an ethnic match between the child and the peer group suggesting that peer dynamics are influenced by ethnic makeup of the peer group. Children’s level of language proficiency was not significantly related to social integration or prosocial/negative interactions with peers.

Authors

• Linda Lee, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

• Carollee Howes, University of California - Los Angeles