An examination of the relationship between parental permission for risky play and children's behavioral self-regulation skills

This study aimed to examine the relationship between parents' permission for children aged 48–72 months in the preschool period to engage in risky play and children's behavioral self-regulation skills. A correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods, was employed. The sample consisted of 271 children attending public preschools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in central Tunceli, Turkey, and their parents. Data were collected using a "Personal Information Form" developed to gather demographic information about the parents, the "Permission for Risky Play Scale (Parent Form)" to measure parents' allowance for risky play, and the "Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders-Revised (HTKS-R)" scale to evaluate children's behavioral self-regulation skills. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software; relationships among the variables were determined via Spearman Correlation Analysis and Regression methods. To examine intergroup differences based on demographic variables, independent samples t-tests, One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and multiple regression analyses were conducted. The findings indicated that parental age, parental education level, age at becoming a parent, and the location in which the parents spent their childhood significantly influenced their permission for risky play. However, neither the child's birth order nor whether the parents were living together led to a statistically significant difference in this regard. Additionally, parents' demographic characteristics were generally not found to significantly affect children's behavioral self-regulation skills. Correlation and regression analyses revealed moderate to strong positive relationships between parents' permission for risky play and children's behavioral self-regulation skills. Notably, the father's attitudes in the subdimensions of "play at very risky heights" and "play with dangerous tools" were strong predictors of children's behavioral self-regulation skills. In conclusion, risky play experiences play an important role in supporting children's behavioral self-regulation skills, with parental permission and guidance being critical in this process. The findings suggest that promoting parental awareness programs and providing safe yet not entirely risk-free play environments can foster children's behavioral self-regulation skills. It is believed that these results may contribute to the design of new strategies and practices that support child development in the preschool period. Keywords: Child Development, Preschool Education, Self-Regulation Skills, Risky Play, Adult Attitudes.