Individualized Peer-Mediated Interventions to Increase Young Children’s Social Competence

Social competence is the ability to achieve interpersonal goals by engaging in social behaviors that are appropriate and context-specific. It develops early in childhood as children interact with others and it is a significant contributor to children's social development. The purpose of this article is to describe a practical method for how early childhood practitioners can address the social competence needs of young children by implementing peer-mediated interventions (PMIs). First, the article discusses the importance of social competence in early childhood, specific to teaching children how to initiate and respond to their peers. Next, it offers an overview of PMIs. Finally, it describes a practical application of PMIs in early childhood settings.