유아의 마음이론 발달과 유아교육기관 적응간의 관계

The Relationship between Young Children's Development of Theory of Mind and Their Adjustment in Early Childhood Education Institutions

본 연구는 만 3～5세 유아의 마음이론 발달과 유아교육기관 적응간의 관계를 연령과 성에 따라 분석해 보고자 하였다. J시 6개 어린이집에 재원중인 유아 183명(만 3세 60명, 만 4세 60명, 만 5세 63명)을 대상으로 개별면접에 의한 마음이론 발달 검사와 교사가 평정하는 유아교육기관 적응 검사를 실시 하였으며 상관관계분석과 단순회귀분석을 통해 그 결과를 도출하였다. 연구결과, 첫째, 유아의 마음이론 발달과 유아교육기관 적응은 의미 있는 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 연령별로는 만 4 세와 만 5세 유아의 마음이론 발달과 유아교육기관 적응 간에 의미 있는 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나타났으나 만 3세 유아의 경우에 상관관계가 나타나지 않았다. 셋째, 성별로는 남아는 마음이론 발달과 유아교육기관 적응 하위영역 중 사회정서적응 및 일과적응에서 의의 있는 상관관계가 있는 것으로 나 타났으며, 여아의 경우에 마음이론 발달과 유아교육기관 적응 간에 통계적으로 의의가 없는 것으로 나타났다.

This study investigated the relationship between young children's development of theory of mind and their adjustment in early childhood education institutions according to age and gender. The subjects included 183 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children at six child-care centers in J city. Data were obtained by interviews asking about the young children's development of theory of mind and through teachers recording their adjustment in early childhood education institutions using a rating scale. The collected data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation analysis and regression analysis. The results of this study were as follows. First, there was a significant positive relationship between young children's development of theory of mind and their adjustment in early childhood education institutions. Second, concerning age, young children's development of theory of mind was a factor in predicting their adjustment in early childhood education institutions for 4- and 5-year-old children. However, the development of theory of mind was not factor in predicting the adjustment of 3-year-old children. Third, in terms of gender, the boys' development of theory of mind was factor in predicting adjustment in early childhood education institutions including social-emotional adjustment and routine adjustment while girls' development of theory of mind was not factor in predicting adjustment.