Poster #38 - Pretend play: A systematic review of definitions, components, and measurement

• In Event: 2-055 - Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Section - Cognitive Processes

Integrative Statement

Pretend play research uses a large number of measurement tools, many of which are unconnected and assess different aspects of pretend play. Developmental theory suggests that object substitution, the attribution of pretend properties (Piaget, 1962), social interaction, role play (Vygotsky & Cole, 1978), and metacommunication (Fein, 1981) are each and all important components of pretend play. In a single 5-minute free-play session a child can engage in a multitude of activities (e.g., role playing, interacting with another child, substituting objects) that may differentially relate to developmental outcomes. Yet despite a strong theoretical foundation and more than 50 years of research, there is little agreement about necessary and sufficient variables within pretend play and how each uniquely explains development. Defining and measuring these observed variables is the first step in establishing construct validity, currently lacking in pretend play research.

To begin to resolve this issue, we present a systematic review of 199 empirical articles which measured children engaging in pretend play. We examine definitions of pretend play, which components of pretend play were measured, how they were measured, and any consensus on measurement tools and strategies. First, we reviewed the 109 empirical articles measuring pretend play cited in Lillard and colleagues’ (2013) meta-review. Then, we conducted a literature search across multiple databases (e.g., PSYCInfo, Education Research Complete) yielding 70 additional studies. Lastly, we contacted current researchers via multiple developmental psychology organizational listserves with a request for additional research (20 studies).

We found that a full third of studies (67 studies; 33.7%) simply categorized play as pretend or not without discussing components, behaviors, or activities within the play. This is problematic given the range of individual behaviors and activities involved in even a short play session. Two-thirds of studies examined pretend play with slightly to moderately more granularity than binary measurement. Sixty-three articles (31.7%) included object substitution, 14 (7%) included the attribution of pretend properties, 41 (20.6%) included social aspects of play, 50 (25.1%) included role play, and 12 (6%) included metacommunication. Within even these categories, there were a number of different ways each behavior was measured. This distribution highlights the lack of clarity on which components of pretend play to include in definitions and measurement systems.

Pretend play is linked to positive developmental outcomes for young children, such as social skills, creativity, and problem-solving (see Lillard et al., 2013 for a full review), but studies demonstrating these relationships are predominantly correlational and measurement is inconsistent and difficult to compare across studies. This review is the first attempt that we know of to integrate more than 50 years of pretend play measurement and historical and current pretend play theory into a hierarchical, cohesive understanding of how pretend play progresses through early childhood. Future research must measure all components of pretend play to fully capture the observed variables underlying it. Through this approach, the construct validity of pretend play will be strengthened and the field can move towards causal explanations of exactly which aspects of pretend play are beneficial for children.

Authors

• Brittany Thompson, George Mason University
  Presenting Author

• Thalia R. Goldstein, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author