The effect of developed social skills training program on preschool children's social skills, problem behaviors and school adaptation

In this study, the effect of the Social Skills Training Program, which was developed to increase the social skills of 5-6 year old children attending preschool education, on children's social skills, school adaptation and problem behavior levels was examined. The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group, and experimental and control groups were formed. A total of 57 students were included in the study, 29 students in the experimental group and 28 students in the control group. In addition to the existing preschool education program, the Social Skills Training Program developed by the researcher was applied to the children in the experimental group three days a week for four weeks. In the control group, the educational activities of the National Education were continued by preschool teachers. "Preschool Social Skills Assessment Scale", "School Adaptation Teacher Rating Scale" and "Kindergarten and Preschool Behavior Scale" were used for data collection. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the data. As a result of the study, it was found that the post-test social skills mean scores of the children in the experimental group who participated in the Social Skills Training Program were significantly higher than the post-test social skills mean scores of the children in the control group; the post-test problem behavior mean scores were significantly lower than the post-test problem behavior mean scores of the children in the control group, and the training had a positive effect on the social skills and problem behaviors of 5-6 year old children attending preschool education. However, it was found that there was no significant difference between children's school adaptation scores. In other words, while the applied program affected the social skills and problem behaviors of the children in the experimental group, it did not affect their school adjustment levels.