The Construct of Playfulness: Relationships with Adaptive Behaviors, Humor, and Early Play Ability
Year: 2011
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to develop a betterunderstanding of the construct of playfulness in school aged
children by examining associations between playfulness and adaptive
behaviors, humor, and temperament. A secondary aim of this study
was to explore the predictive role of early pretend play ability on
current playfulness. It was hypothesized that playfulness would
positively relate to the capacity to problem solve, regulate
affect, and effectively communicate emotions. In addition,
playfulness was expected to positively relate to humor and adaptive
temperament styles. Pretend play processes were expected to predict
playfulness four years later. Forty three children in fourth
through sixth grades were administered validated measures of
coping, emotion regulation, emotion expression, sense of humor, and
temperament. Playfulness was assessed using both parent and teacher
report forms of the Child Behaviors Inventory of Playfulness (CBI;
Rogers, et al., 1998). Pretend play was assessed with the Affect in
Play Scale (APS; Russ, 2004) four and five years prior to data
collection. As hypothesized parent reported playfulness
significantly related to active coping, emotion regulation, a
willingness to express emotions, and the affiliation category of
temperament. Inconsistent with hypotheses, teachers’ perceptions of
playfulness related to low use of coping strategies and were not
associated with adaptive behaviors. The CBI teacher report form was
not considered an adequate measure of playfulness for school aged
children. It remains unclear how the construct of playfulness
relates to early pretend play abilities. As expected, imagination
and organization in early pretend play predicted current emotion
regulation abilities. The best predictors of parent reported
playfulness were affiliation and verbal intelligence. For teachers,
the best predictors of playfulness were grade level and lack of
using avoidant coping strategies. Parent and teacher ratings of
playfulness were not related to one another. Teachers were not
adequate reporters of playfulness among school aged children.
Results support early pretend play as a predictor of later emotion
regulation abilities and variables of humor. Recommendations are
made to develop a self-report measure of playfulness for school
aged children.
Author: Kelly M. Christian
Institution: Case Western Reserve University
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1958450232