Identifying the Social Development Needs of Preschool Children: A Teacher-Informed Needs Analysis

Abstract

Social development during early childhood is critical for building the foundations of emotional regulation, peer interaction, and school readiness. This study examined preschool children’s social development needs through a teacher-informed needs analysis conducted with 50 preschool teachers. Data were collected using the Preschool Children’s Needs for Social Development Questionnaire, a 25-item instrument measuring five domains of social competence: Social Emotion and Behavior, Conflict Resolution, Language Expression, Cooperation and Sharing, and Play Together. Descriptive statistical results revealed moderate levels across all five domains (M ? 3.00 on a 5-point scale), indicating that while children are willing to participate in social interactions, their prosocial skills are inconsistent. The lowest mean score was found in Cooperation and Sharing (M = 2.99, SD = .99), followed by difficulties in empathy-related behavior and verbal conflict resolution. These findings suggest that preschoolers require structured, guided opportunities to practice prosocial behavior rather than relying solely on free play. Implications highlight the need for intentional social-emotional learning and guided play experiences, and the study recommends implementing structured play-based interventions such as the GATHER Play Module to enhance children’s cooperative and empathetic behaviors in natural classroom settings.