Best friend nominations and peer status amongst preschoolers: a South African study

Date
2017-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Friendships are important to preschoolers’ mental, emotional and physical well-being, and contribute to their social and cognitive development (Denham & Brown, 2010; Gifford-Smith & Brownell, 2003; Halle & Darling-Churchill, 2016; Louw & Louw, 2014). Despite this, studies on friendships amongst preschoolers in South Africa are scarce. Moreover, South African studies regarding best friendships amongst preschoolers are largely non-existent. In light of the importance of friendship to development, and to address the gap in literature, this study aims to provide a better understanding of best friendships amongst preschoolers within a South African context. The study explored two research questions based on archival data obtained by means of semi structured interviews with 58 preschoolers, 34 girls and 24 boys (aged 4 to 6 years), who comprised two class groups, namely Pre-Grade R (N = 32) and Grade R (N = 26). Content analysis was used to analyse the archival data. The first research question looked at which factors influenced preschoolers’ nominations as a best friend. Five best friend nomination themes were found in light of this, namely Personal characteristics and psychological attributes (37.44%); Play and shared activities (32.51%); Geographical associations (11.33%); Similarity amongst preschoolers (11.33%), and General fondness (7.39%). Of the 14 best friend nomination sub-themes identified, the most prominent was Socially positive traits and behaviour (27.09%). Significant differences in the frequency of responses for the themes and sub-themes according to gender and class group were also addressed. While there were no differences between the class groups, significant differences were found for gender, particularly for the Geographical associations (p = .003) theme and Propinquity (p = .001) sub-theme, where boys nominated peers as best friends according to these significantly more than girls, and for the Socially positive traits and behaviour (p = .003) sub-theme, where girls nominated peers as best friends according to this sub-theme significantly more than boys. The second research question asked whether there were any distinguishing characteristics between preschoolers who received more peer nominations (high peer status preschoolers) and those who received fewer peer nominations (low peer status preschoolers). No significant differences between the peer status groups were found in terms of the frequency of responses for the themes. There was, however, a significant difference in the frequency of responses for the sub-theme General play (p = .041) where low peer status preschoolers were nominated as best friends according to General play significantly more than high peer status preschoolers. Notable differences in the content of the best friend nomination sub-theme Socially positive traits and behaviour were found between the peer status groups. High peer status preschoolers were found to display a wider repertoire of prosocial traits and behaviour than low peer status preschoolers. This study therefore provides a better understanding of best friendships and peer status amongst preschoolers within the South African context.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Vriendskappe is belangrik vir die geestelike, emosionele en fisieke welsyn van voorskoolse kinders en dra by tot hul sosiale en kognitiewe ontwikkeling (Gifford-Smith & Brownell, 2003). Desnieteenstaande is studies oor vriendskappe tussen voorskoolse kinders in Suid Afrika skaars. Feitlik geen Suid-Afrikaanse studies oor beste vriendskappe tussen voorskoolse kinders is nog gedoen nie. Inaggenome die belangrikheid van vriendskap vir ontwikkeling en om die leemte in die literatuur aan te vul, het hierdie studie ten doel om ʼn beter begrip te skep van beste vriendskappe tussen voorskoolse kinders in die Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Die studie het op grond van argiefdata twee navorsingsvrae ondersoek. Die data is verkry deur middel van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude met 58 voorskoolse kinders – 34 meisies en 24 seuns tussen 4 en 6 jaar oud – in twee klasgroepe, voorgraad R (N = 32) en graad R (N = 26). Inhoudanalise is gebruik om die argiefdata te ontleed. Die eerste navorsingsvraag het die faktore wat voorskoolse kinders se benoemings as beste vriend beïnvloed het, ondersoek. Vyf temas vir die benoeming van ʼn beste vriend het na vore gekom. Persoonlike eienskappe en sielkundige kenmerke (37.44%); Spel en gedeelde aktiwiteite (32.51%); Geografiese assosiasies (11.33%); Ooreenkomste tussen voorskoolse kinders (11.33%) en Algemene toegeneentheid (7.39%). Van die 14 subtemas vir die benoeming van beste vriend wat geïdentifiseer is, was Sosiaal positiewe trekke en gedrag (27.09%) die belangrikste. Beduidende verskille in die frekwensie van response vir die temas en subtemas volgens geslag en klasgroep is ook ondersoek. Geen verskille tussen klasgroepe het na vore gekom nie. Beduidende verskille vir geslag is wel gevind. Seuns het beduidend meer as meisies portuurs as beste vriende benoem volgens die tema Geografiese assosiasies (p = .003) en die subtema Naburigheid (p =.001). Meisies het weer beduidend meer as seuns portuurs as beste vriende benoem volgens die subtema Sosiaal positiewe trekke en gedrag (p = .001). Die tweede navorsingsvraag het gehandel oor of daar enige onderskeidende eienskappe was tussen voorskoolse kinders wat meer portuurbenoemings gekry het (hoë portuurstatus) en dié wat minder portuurbenoemings gekry het (lae portuurstatus). Die frekwensie van response volgens die temas het geen beduidende verskille tussen die portuurstatusgroepe ontbloot nie. ʼn Beduidende verskil in die frekwensie van response volgens die subtema Algemene spel (p = .041) het egter na vore gekom. Op grond van Algemene spel is voorskoolse kinders met ʼn lae portuurstatus beduidend meer as dié met ʼn hoë portuurstatus as beste vriende benoem. Merkbare verskille in die inhoud van die subtema Sosiaal positiewe trekke en gedrag is tussen die twee portuurstatusgroepe gevind. Voorskoolse kinders met ʼn hoë portuurstatus het ʼn wyer spektrum van prososiale trekke en gedrag getoon. Hierdie studie verskaf dus ʼn beter begrip van beste vriendskappe en portuurstatus onder voorskoolse kinders in die Suid Afrikaanse konteks.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
Keywords
Friendship in children, Preschool children -- Psychology, Child psychology, Peer pressure, UCTD
Citation