Enhancing social competence and child-teacher relationship using child-centred play training model in Hong Kong preschools

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a child-centred play training model, filial play therapy, enhances child–teacher relationship and thereby reduces children’s internalising problems (such as anxiety/depression and withdrawal) and externalising problems (such as aggressive and destructive behaviour). Sixty teachers (n = 60) and 60 children (n = 60) in six kindergartens were invited to participate in the study. In Phase One, 30 of these teachers (n = 30) were randomly assigned a child with either internalising problems or externalising problems. A 10-week Child-Centred play training model was used to reduce the children’s problems and promote the quality of the child–teacher relationship. The other 30 teachers and 30 children with either internalising problems or externalising problems were placed in the control group. In Phase Two, the teachers and children in the control group received the same 10-week play training. It was found that child–teacher relationship was enhanced through an increase in communication of acceptance, that is, allowing the child to lead and becoming involved in play with the child. Children’s internalising and externalising problems—especially aggressive behaviour—were reduced after ten sessions of child-centred play. Copyright © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.