Abstract
Objective: This study attempted to clarify the types of developmental problems that predict low social competence among children. Method: Subjects were 3-5-year-old children recruited from all authorized child-night-care centers and attached child-day-care facilities across Japan. Caregivers filled out questionnaires regarding the child's sex and number of siblings, and childcare professionals completed the Checklist of Children with Difficulties and Social Skill Scale (SSS). The Checklist of Children with Difficulties contains 33 subscales, and the SSS consists of 3 factors: "cooperation," "self-control," and "assertion." The sample included 519 children (245 girls) evaluated by both the Checklist of Children with Difficulties at 3 years old and the SSS after 2 years. We examined the relationships between developmental problems and difficult behaviors and social competence by using multiple logistic regression analysis, controlling for sex and number of siblings. Results: Significant relationships were found between low social competence and the following subscales: "Hypersensitivity for the sound" (odds ratio = 38.86; 95% confidence interval = 4.21-358.85), "Hypersensitivity for the light" (odds ratio =14.21; 95% confidence interval =2.69-75.10), "Unnatural relationship" (odds ratio = 14.10; 95% confidence interval = 3.99-49.78), "Indifference" (OR = 4.06; CI = 1.64-10.03), "Stickler for anything" (OR= 5.53; CI = 2.33-13.12), " The rage is so strong" (OR= 2.44; CI = 1.10-5.40), "Hyperkinesis" (OR= 3.46; CI = 1.75-6.86), "Rowdy" (OR= 2.47; CI = 1.02-5.98), "Defiant attitude" (OR= 6.00; CI = 2.13-16.95), "The problem of language" (OR= 6.34; CI = 2.97-13.53), "Break a rule" (OR= 9.10; CI = 3.73-22.22), and "Delay in acquiring age-appropriate habits" (OR= 4.93; CI 2.11-11.51). Conclusion: In light of the current findings, it is necessary to provide special attention and support to individual children at a very early age.
