Preschoolers' Social Problem Solving in Sexually Abusive and Non-Sexual Situations [microform] / Jacqueline S. Grober.
This study investigated the possibility that certain contextual factors and subject variables influence children's deployment of self-protective skills in unsafe social situations. Contextual factors included characteristics of the antagonist in the situation and the nature of the social dilemm...
Saved in:
| Online Access: |
Request ERIC Document |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Microfilm Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse,
1991.
|
| Subjects: |
| Summary: | This study investigated the possibility that certain contextual factors and subject variables influence children's deployment of self-protective skills in unsafe social situations. Contextual factors included characteristics of the antagonist in the situation and the nature of the social dilemma. Subject variables included characteristics of the child. The sample consisted of 62 three- to six-year-old preschoolers. Each child was individually administered a measure of problem solving developed for the study. Four stories that systematically varied the two contextual factors were used. The antagonist was either an adult or a preschool-age peer, and the social dilemma was either sexual or nonsexual. For each dilemma, children were asked what the target child could do or say if he or she did not want to go along with the suggested activity. Responses were coded and analyzed. Results suggest that the nature of the dilemma and the child's age influence self-protective ability. In regard to the influence of the dilemma, children were capable of generating effective solutions to nonsexual situations, but were unable to do so in sexual encounters. Younger preschoolers generated significantly more ineffective strategies than did older preschoolers. Implications for child sexual abuse prevention programs are discussed. Appended are 16 references and related materials. (GLR) |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | ERIC Note: Paper presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (99th, San Francisco, CA, August 16-20, 1991). ERIC Document Number: ED341518. |
| Physical Description: | 15 pages. |