Taiwanese Parental Values toward an American Evaluation of Playfulness

Abstract

A questionnaire comprised primarily of items from the Children's Playfulness Scale (CPS) were distributed to teachers and parents in the metropolitan Taipei area to explore three questions: Do Taiwanese adults acknowledge and value play and playfulness in children? If they do value play in children, do they view the items of the CPS as describing a single unidimensional construct? Further, what are the relative levels of importance of the 23 items of the CPS in their minds?

Eighty-one of 140 questionnaires were returned. The responses were analyzed by Rasch analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. In addition, the researcher interviewed five parents to further explore their values toward the concept of play and playfulness.

The results suggested that play was highly valued for Taiwanese children and most parents recognized the existence of it. Two items of the CPS failed to fit the Rasch model, suggesting that they were outside the construct of playfulness. Also, the items related to social spontaneity were especially highly valued by Taiwanese respondents.

Keywords

playfulness Taiwan children parental attitude

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