만 4, 5세 유아의 놀이성과 의사소통 능력 및 창의적 행동특성 간의 구조적 관계

Abstract

This study examined the structural relationships among 4- and 5-year-old children’s playfulness, communication skills, and creative characteristics. This research analyzed the direct and indirect influence of child’s playfulness on communication skills and creative characteristics. The study subjects were 249 children who attend kindergartens located in the Seoul and Gyeonggi-do area. A survey questionnaire was distributed to the children’s mothers and teachers. The sample was analyzed using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 program. The parameters were estimated by maximum likelihood method. The significance of indirect effect was tested by bootstrapping at .05 level. The results of this study were: (1) in both ages 4 and 5, playfulness had a direct and positive influence on communication skills, (2) in both ages, communication skills had a direct and positive effect on creative characteristics, and (3) the 5-year-old children’s playfulness had a direct effect on creative characteristics, the 4-year-old children’s playfulness did not exert direct influence onto creative characteristics. Communication skills 5-year-old children were seen to precipitate a partial mediation effect between playfulness and creative characteristics. At age 4, communication skills played a full mediation variable role between playfulness and creative characteristics. Discussions include suggestions to prosper creative characteristics through enhancing a child’s playfulness and communication skills.