OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Theory of Mind and physical bullying behavior in 4-6 years old children in kindergarten and the mediating role of peer rejection and gender in this relationship.
METHODS: Data on perpetration of physical bullying and peer rejection were obtained from 310 preschool children (age range = 52-79 months, M = 66.85, SD = 7.04) by the peer nomination method, and their Theory of Mind was measured by the Theory of Mind Development Scale.
RESULTS: The results showed that Theory of Mind negatively predicted perpetration of physical bullying in preschool children and that Theory of Mind was related to perpetration of physical bullying in preschool children only through peer rejection. Boys were also found to have a stronger association between peer rejection and perpetration of physical bullying in preschool children than girls.
CONCLUSIONS: Peer rejection may play a mediating role between Theory of Mind and perpetration of physical bullying in preschool children. In addition, the relationship between peer rejection and perpetration of physical bullying appears to be stronger for boys than for girls. This contributes to our understanding of the relationship between Theory of Mind and perpetration of physical bullying in preschool children and has implications for how bullying prevention and intervention can be tailored to the gender of young children.
目的:本研究旨在探讨4-6岁幼儿园儿童心理理论与身体欺凌行为的关系以及同伴排斥和性别在这一关系中的中介作用。
方法:从310名学龄前儿童(年龄范围=52-79个月,M=66.85,SD=7.04)按同行提名法计算,他们的心理理论是用心理发展理论量表来衡量的。
结果:结果表明,心理理论对学龄前儿童的身体欺凌行为有负面预测,而心理理论仅通过同伴拒绝与学龄前儿童的身体欺凌行为有关。还发现,与女孩相比,男孩在学龄前儿童中的同伴排斥与身体欺凌行为之间的联系更强。
结论:同伴排斥可能在心理理论和学龄前儿童的身体欺凌行为之间起中介作用。此外,男孩的同伴排斥和身体欺凌行为之间的关系似乎比女孩更强。这有助于我们理解心理理论与学龄前儿童身体欺凌行为之间的关系,并对如何针对幼儿的性别进行欺凌预防和干预具有启示意义。