Investigates whether the Piagetian forms of sensorimotor, symbolic, and constructional play--together with controlled demographics such as socioeconomic status, age, and sex--predict social-emotional variables on the Devereux Child Behavior Rating Scale. (RH)

Using naturalistic observation, investigates the social behavior, levels of social participation, and sex differences of kindergarten children as they played with blocks. Uses both unit blocks and large, hollow blocks to gain a more complete understanding of the relationship between block play and social development. (DST)

Examines mother-child and father-child play and the relationship between parents' fantasy play initiations and their children's receptive vocabulary skills. The sex of parent effects during play initiations and the influence on children's cooperativeness toward the parent behaviors were tested in a laboratory playroom setting. (DT)

Studied the effect of short-term exposure to neutral, prosocial, and antisocial toys on the prosocial and antisocial behavior of preschool children. Found that prosocial toys elicited prosocial behavior and antisocial toys stimulated antisocial behavior. In response to both prosocial and antisocial toys, boys displayed more physical than verbal…

Examined relationships among child-mother attachment when children were age 3; family stress when children were 3, 4, and 5; and social-emotional outcomes in kindergarten. Found that less secure kindergartners were more aggressive and less socially competent than secure peers, and kindergartners who had experienced more family stress in preschool…