Social Interactions of Preschoolers With and Without Impaired Hearing in Integrated Kindergarten

This study investigated the social competence of children with normal hearing (n = 10) and children with impaired hearing (n = 10) who attended an integrated preschool program for 4 to 5 year olds. The study compared the social interactions of the two groups of participants both in sociodramatic play and nonplay activities, their entry behaviors and relative success rates. Entry behaviors were associated both with the hearing status of participants and with the type of activity. The children with normal hearing were more likely initially to survey the group (particularly in sociodramatic play) and then to use behaviors that either oriented themselves to the group's activity or referenced the group to themselves. The children with normal hearing were more successful in gaining entry, particularly to nonplay activities.