Social interaction and gender as factors affecting the trajectories of children's engagement and hyperactive behaviour in preschool.

The aim of the study is to investigate how gender, interaction between children and kindergarten teacher responses affect the relationship between children's engagement and hyperactive behaviour over time (measured at three time points: T1, T2 and T3). The researchers want to understand how these factors affect children's ability to be focused and engaged in activities, as well as their tendency to be hyperactive.

The study's four hypotheses are:

1. High levels of focus and engagement in children will be linked to low levels of hyperactive behaviour, both at T1 and over time.
2. High levels of teacher responsiveness and peer-to-child interaction will be associated with high levels of focus and engagement, and low levels of hyperactive behaviour, both at T1 and over time.
3. Girls will show higher levels of focus and engagement at T1 and less of a steep increase in focus and engagement over time than boys.
4. Girls will show lower levels of hyperactive behaviour at T1 and a steeper decline in hyperactive behaviour over time than boys.

The results showed that children with a lot of hyperactivity had lower focus and engagement in activities at T1. Positive interaction with peers and response from kindergarten teachers were important factors that predicted increased engagement and reduced hyperactive behaviour, especially for boys. The researchers behind the study conclude that there is a need to improve social interaction, especially interactions with peers, to increase engagement and focus in children with hyperactive behaviour, especially boys.

Employees in Swedish kindergartens completed questionnaires about children aged one to five years (a total of 203 children). Data were collected three times over a period of two years. Using statistical models, the researchers investigated whether teacher response, peer interaction, or gender could predict how children's engagement and hyperactivity developed over time.

Sjöman, M., Granlund, M., Axelsson, A. K., Almqvist, L. & Danielsson, H. (2021). "Social interaction and gender as factors affecting the trajectories of children's engagement and hyperactive behaviour in preschool". British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(2):617-637.