Anne Lillvist The applicability of a functional approach to social competence in preschool children in need of special support issn 1651-1328 isbn 978-91-7668-710-9 Anne Lillvist works as a lecturer and researcher at the School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, Psychology Division at Mälardalen Univer- sity. She is affiliated with the multidisciplinary research group CHILD (Children-Health-Intervention-Learning- Development) situated at Mälardalen University and Jönköping University and the Early Childhood Educa- tion Collegium at Mälardalen University. Her main inter- ests are social competence and peer interactions of young children in general, and children in need of special support in particular. Her research interest also expands to systems theory and early childhood intervention. Recently, researchers have questioned diagnostic categories as eligibility criteria for special support as these categories may reveal little of the actual functioning of individual children in preschool environment. This thesis is built on four empirical studies where the aims were to test the applicability of a functional approach to social competence of preschool children in need of special support. According to functional approach, children’s functioning is viewed in children’s natural con- texts and everyday activity settings. Therefore, preschool teachers’ definitions of children in need of special support and social competence were explored in this thesis. The main findings were that according to preschool teachers’ perceptions 17.3 % of children in the study had difficulties in functioning in the preschool environment. However, only 3.7 % of these children had an established diagnose. Further, children identified to be in need of special support due to traditional diagnostic categories and undiagnosed children perceived by teachers to be in need of special support, showed similar type of difficulties, mainly related to speech- and language and interaction with peers. Thus, the amount of children in need of special support may be larger than the amount of children identified as in need of special support by traditional eligibility criteria. Focusing on the functional profiles of children may facilitate identifying children in need of special support and providing effective interventions. Örebro Studies in Psychology 18 örebro 2010 Doctoral Dissertation The applicability of a functional approach to social competence in preschool children in need of special support Anne Lillvist Psychology Anne Lillvist The applicability of a functional approach to social competence in preschool children in need of special support

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Page 1: The applicability of a functional approach to social ...oru.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:284220/COVER01.pdf · functional approach, children’s functioning is viewed in children’s

ne L

illvist The applicability of a functional approach to social com

petence in preschool children in need of special supportissn 1651-1328 isbn 978-91-7668-710-9

Anne Lillvist works as a lecturer and researcher at the School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology, Psychology Division at Mälardalen Univer-sity. She is affiliated with the multidisciplinary research group CHILD (Children-Health-Intervention-Learning-Development) situated at Mälardalen University and Jönköping University and the Early Childhood Educa-tion Collegium at Mälardalen University. Her main inter-ests are social competence and peer interactions of young

children in general, and children in need of special support in particular. Her research interest also expands to systems theory and early childhood intervention.

Recently, researchers have questioned diagnostic categories as eligibility criteria for special support as these categories may reveal little of the actual functioning of individual children in preschool environment. This thesis is built on four empirical studies where the aims were to test the applicability of a functional approach to social competence of preschool children in need of special support. According to functional approach, children’s functioning is viewed in children’s natural con-texts and everyday activity settings. Therefore, preschool teachers’ definitions of children in need of special support and social competence were explored in this thesis. The main findings were that according to preschool teachers’ perceptions 17.3 % of children in the study had difficulties in functioning in the preschool environment. However, only 3.7 % of these children had an established diagnose. Further, children identified to be in need of special support due to traditional diagnostic categories and undiagnosed children perceived by teachers to be in need of special support, showed similar type of difficulties, mainly related to speech- and language and interaction with peers. Thus, the amount of children in need of special support may be larger than the amount of children identified as in need of special support by traditional eligibility criteria. Focusing on the functional profiles of children may facilitate identifying children in need of special support and providing effective interventions.

Örebro Studies in Psychology 18örebro 2010

Doctoral Dissertation

The applicability of a functional approach to social competence in preschool children in need of special support

Anne LillvistPsychology

ne L

illvist T

he applicability of a functional approach to social competence in

preschool children in need of special support