The Relationship among Toddler's Symbolic Play Level, Mother's Responsiveness and Verbal Interaction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship among toddler's symbolic play level, mother's responsiveness and verbal interaction. The subjects were 56 pairs of 24-29 months old toddlers and their mothers. The toddler's symbolic play level was classified using categories by Gowen(1995). The mother's verbal interaction was coded during a 10-minute-free play session with her toddler using Caldera, Huston, and O'Brien's(1989) (2009) was used to investigate the mother's responsiveness. While the mothers played with their toddlers during a 10-minute-free play session, their interaction were videotaped. The data were analyzed by means, t-test, and correlations. The results of the study were as follows: First, the mean levels of the toddler's symbolic play were in level 3, 'the pretending others'. Also girls spent more symbolic play time with mothers than boys. Second, mothers' responsiveness was generally high in free play with their toddlers. Mothers frequently used 'questions' 'comments' and 'fantasy statements'. Mothers with girls used more 'questions' than mothers with boys. Third, there was a significant relationship among toddler's symbolic play level, mother's responsiveness and verbal interaction. Maternal responsiveness and 'fantasy statements' were positively related with the mean level, and the frequency of play. The 'questions' and 'answers' were also related with symbolic play level and frequency. But 'praise' was negatively related with symbolic play frequency.In conclusion, this study suggested that toddler's symbolic play level was related with mother's responsiveness and verbal interaction during free play.--