아버지의 위험감수놀이 허용태도와 유아의 사회적 능력 간의 관계에서 아버지 놀이참여 태도의 매개효과

The Mediating Effect of Fathers’ Attitudes Toward Play Participation on the Relationship Between Fathers’ Risk-Taking Play Permissiveness and Young Children’s Social Competence

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether fathers’ attitudes toward play participation mediate the relationship between fathers’ tolerance for risk-taking play and young children’s social competence. Methods: A survey was conducted with 300 fathers of children aged 3 to 5. Correlation analyses were performed, and mediation analysis was conducted using PROCESS Macro Model 4. Results: Significant correlations were found among fathers’ tolerance for risk-taking play, fathers’ attitudes toward play participation, and children’s social competence. Fathers’ tolerance for risk-taking play was not directly associated with children’s social competence but showed an indirect relationship through fathers’ attitudes toward play participation. Conclusion/Implications: Excessive tolerance for risk-taking play in young children may negatively affect their social competence. These findings highlight the importance of appropriate guidance, boundary setting, and emotional support from fathers during early childhood. This study contributes to understanding the mechanisms underlying the relationship between fathers’ tolerance for risk-taking play and young children’s social competence—an area with limited empirical research—and proposes a theoretical model for this pathway.