The Effect of Group Games on Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction: 5-6 Year-old Sample

Abstract

Play is a vital tool in strengthening peer interactions and developing effective social interaction skills in early childhood. Group games, in particular, offer children an effective social communication environment. The present study aimed to determine whether group games effectively reduce social dissatisfaction in 5-6-yearold children. As a research design, a pre-test post-test control group experimental design was used. The research was carried out on 40 preschool children in the 2018-2019 academic year. The experimental group (n=20) had game education programs with enrichment peer interaction for 11 sessions; whereas the control group (n=20) had a traditional education program during the same period. "Loneliness and Social Dissatisfaction Scale" was used as a data collection tool. It was concluded that there were no significant differences in pre-test scores regarding children's loneliness and social dissatisfaction. However, it was seen that there was a significant difference between the post-test mean scores of the experimental and control groups in terms of loneliness and social dissatisfaction. As a result, the group play education program was effective in increasing children's social satisfaction.