Social interactions of young, withdrawn children in day nurseries

Abstract

Observations of children ranging from 24 to 59 months in day nurseries serving a ‘high risk’ population in London suggest that children who are isolated may not gain socially or emotionally from their placement. A group identified on the basis of observed behaviour to be withdrawn from both peers and adults were approached infrequently by other children, and spent more time unoccupied than sociable children. They experienced as much verbal and physical aggression as children who were themselves aggressive. There was no evidence that staff were able to give additional attention to withdrawn, unoccupied children.