Young Children's Social Development: A Checklist
by Diane McClellan & Lilian G. Katz
Early childhood educators have traditionally given high priority to enhancing young
children's social development. During the last two decades a convincing body of
evidence has accumulated to indicate that unless children achieve minimal social
competence by about the age of six years, they have a high probability of being at risk
throughout life. Hartup suggests that peer relationships contribute a great deal to both
social and cognitive development and to the effectiveness with which we function as
adults (1992). He states that:
Indeed, the single best childhood predictor of adult adaptation is not IQ, not school
grades, and not classroom behavior but, rather the adequacy with which the child gets along with other
children. Children who are generally disliked, who are aggressive and disruptive,
who are unable to sustain close relationships with other children, and who cannot establish a place for
themselves in the peer culture are seriously "at risk" (Hartup, 1992).
The risks are many: poor mental health, dropping out of school, low achievement
and other school difficulties, poor employment history, and so forth (see Katz
and McClellan, 1991). Given the life-long consequences, relationships should be
counted as the first of the four R's of education.
Because social development begins in the early years, it is appropriate that all early
childhood programs include regular periodic formal and informal assessment of
children's progress in the acquisition of social competence. The set of items
presented below is based largely on research identifying elements of social competence in young
children, and on studies in which the behavior of well-liked children has been compared to
that of less well-liked children (Katz and McClellan, 1991).
The Social Attributes Checklist
The checklist provided in this digest includes attributes of a child's social
behavior and preschool experience which teachers should examine every three or four months.
Consultations with parents and other caregivers help make the attributes and
assessments realistic and reliable.
In using the checklist, teachers should pay attention to whether the attributes are
typical. This requires sampling the child's functioning over a period of about three or
four weeks. Any child can have one or two really bad days, for a variety of reasons;
if assessments are to be reasonably reliable, judgments of the overall pattern of
functioning over a period of about a month is required.
Healthy social development does not require that a child be a "social butterfly."
The quality rather than quantity of a child's friendships is the important index to note.
Keep in mind also that there is evidence that some children are simply shyer than
others, and it may be counter-productive to push such children into social relations
which make them uncomfortable (Katz and McClellan, 1991). Furthermore, unless that
shyness is severe enough to prevent a child from enjoying most of the "good things
of life," like birthday parties, picnics, and family outings, it is reasonable to assume
that, when handled sensitively, the shyness will be spontaneously outgrown.
Many of the attributes listed in the checklist in this digest indicate adequate social
growth if they usually characterize the child. This qualifier is included to ensure that
occasional fluctuations do not lead to over-interpretation of children's temporary
difficulties. On the basis of frequent direct contact with the child, observation in a
variety of situations, and information obtained from parents and other caregivers, a
teacher or caregiver can assess each child according to the checklist.
Teachers can observe and monitor interactions among the children and let children who rarely have difficulties attempt
to solve conflicts by themselves before intervening. If a child appears to be doing well on most
of the attributes and characteristics in the checklist, then it is reasonable to assume
that occasional social difficulties will be outgrown without intervention.
However, if a child seems to be doing poorly on many of the items on the list, the
adults responsible for his or her care can implement strategies that will help the
child to overcome and outgrow social difficulties. We suggest that this checklist
be used as a guide among teachers and parents. The intent is not to supply a prescription for
"correct social behavior," but rather to help teachers observe, understand, and support
children as they grow in social skillfulness. If a child seems to be doing poorly on
many of the items on the list, the adults responsible for his or her care can
implement strategies that will help the child to establish more satisfying relationships with
other children (Katz and McClellan, 1991).
Finally, it is also important to keep in mind that children vary in social behavior for a
variety of reasons. Research indicates that children have distinct personalities and
temperaments from birth. In addition, nuclear and extended family relationships
obviously affect social behavior. What is appropriate or effective social behavior in
one culture may be less effective in another culture. Children from diverse cultural and
family backgrounds thus may need help in bridging their differences and in finding
ways to learn from and enjoy the company of one another. Teachers have a responsibility to be proactive rather than
laissez faire in creating a classroom community that is open, honest, and accepting.
THE SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES CHECKLIST
I Individual Attributes
The child:
1. Is usually in a positive mood
2. Is not excessively dependent on the teacher, assistant or other
adults
3. Usually comes to the program or setting willingly
4. Usually copes with rebuffs and reverses adequately
5. Shows the capacity to empathize
6. Has positive relationship with one or two peers; shows capacity
to really care about them, miss them if absent, etc.
7. Displays the capacity for humor
8. Does not seem to be acutely or chronically lonely
II Social Skill Attributes
The child usually:
1. Approaches others positively
2. Expresses wishes and preferences clearly; gives reasons
for actions and positions
3. Asserts own rights and needs appropriately
4. Is not easily intimated by bullies
5. Expresses frustrations and anger effectively and without
harming others or property
6. Gains access to ongoing groups at play and work
7. Enters ongoing discussion on the subject; makes relevant
contributions to ongoing activities
8. Takes turns fairly easily
9. Shows interest in others; exchanges information with and
requests information from others appropriately
10. Negotiates and compromises with others appropriately
11. Does not draw inappropriate attention to self
12. Accepts and enjoys peers and adults of ethnic groups other
than his or her own.
13. Gains access to ongoing groups at play and work
14. Interacts non-verbally with other children with smiles, waves,
nods, etc.
III Peer Relationship Attributes
The child is:
1. Usually accepted versus neglected or rejected by other
children
2. Sometimes invited by other children to join them in play,
friendship, and work
This digest is adapted from the article, "Assessing the Social Development of
Young Children. A Checklist of Social Attributes," which appeared in the Fall 1992
issue of Dimensions of Early Childhood (pp. 9-10).
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For more information
Asher, S., and Coie, J. (1990). Peer Rejection and Childhood
Education. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Cassidy, J. and Asher, S. R. (1992). Loneliness and Peer Relations in Young
Children. Child Development, 63, 350-365.
Hartup, W. W. (1992). Having Friends, Making Friends, and Keeping Friends:
Relationships as Educational Contexts. Urbana, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on
Elementary and Early Childhood Education. ED 345 854.
Katz, L. G. and McClellan, D. (1991). The Teacher's Role in the Social Development
of Young Children. Urbana, IL: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early
Childhood Education. ED 331 642
Newcomb, A. F., Bukowski, W. M., and Tattee, L. (1993). Children's Peer
Relations: A Meta-analytic Review of Popular, Rejected, Neglected, Controversial, and Average
Sociometric Status. Psychological Bulletin 113, 1, 99-128.
Paley, G. (1992). You Can't Say You Can't Play. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University
Press.
Rizzo, Thomas (1989). Friendship Development among Children in School.
Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
NOTE: References identified with an ED (ERIC document) number are cited in the
ERIC database. Documents can also be ordered through EDRS: (800) 443-ERIC.
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© 1992, ERIC
Clearinghouse
on Elementary and Early Childhood Education
The Educational Resources
Information Center (ERIC) is a national information system designed to
provide users with ready access to an extensive body of education-related
literature. The ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood
Education (ERIC/EECE) contributes to the database in the areas of
child development, the education and care of children from birth through
early adolescence, the teaching of young children, and parenting and
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