Spending time with teacher: characteristics of preschoolers who frequently elicit versus initiate interactions with teachers

The goal of the present study was to explore the interface between young children's socio-emotional characteristics and the nature of their interactions with teachers. The participants in this study were 135 preschool children (62 males and 73 females, M-age = 48.68 months, SD = 8.30 months). Children's interaction with teachers and play behaviors were observed during teacher-supervised free play with peers. Teachers also rated child behavior problems and social competence. Three groups of children (representing n = 76 children) were identified based on the frequency and the nature of their interactions with teachers. Children who most frequently initiated interactions with teachers behaved and were rated by teachers as being more aggressive than their comparison peers. In contrast, children who most frequently received initiations from teachers were more shy and anxious than their peers. Finally, children who spent less time with teachers were more sociable, less solitary, and evidenced fewer behavior problems than peers who interacted more frequently with teachers. Implications for early-childhood educators are discussed in terms of outcomes that may be associated with overly dependent teacher-child relationships. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.