European Journal of Education Studies
ISSN: 2501 - 1111
ISSN-L: 2501 - 1111
Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu
Volume 3 │ Issue 4 │ 2017
doi: 10.5281/zenodo.293188
A STUDY ON THE RELATION BETWEEN
THE VALUE BEHAVIOUR AND PROBLEM SOLVING
SKILLS OF THE PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN
Saide Özbeyi
Gazi University, Faculty of Gazi Education,
Basic Education Department – Preschool Education,
Teknikokullar Ankara, Turkey
Abstract:
The study was designed to examine the value behaviour and interpersonal problem
solving skills of the preschool children according to variables like their age, sex and the
type of the schools they attend and to determine the relation between their value
behaviour and their problem solving skills. The sample of the study consists of 321
children who were selected by random sampling method among the children of 48-72
months who attend to public and private kindergartens in the districts of Keçiören and
Yenimahalle in “nkara. Relational survey method was used in the study. Personal
Information Form , Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal Problem Solving
Scale were used in the study as data collection instrument. The study found significant
difference in value behaviour and problem solving skills in favour of children of 60-72
months according to age and in favour of girls according to sex (p<0.01).
Keywords: preschool, value in behaviour, problem solving, child
1. Introduction
Values are defined as the total of material and moral elements covering the social, cultural,
economic and scientific values of a nation” (TDK, 2016). The values are found within the
social, cultural, art, economic and political fields. The said values can be differentiated
as universal and local. Universal values have importance as a piece of globalization and
people unite with universal values to understand each other. Local values are useful to
become one’s self against globalization, to protect one’s self and cultural properties
Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved.
© 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group
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İnan,
. The value concept is closely related with morals and reflected in the
human aspects of feeling, thought and behaviour. Values are the beliefs of individuals
towards the purpose of life and the ways of behaviours they prefer individually and
socially G(lay Ogelman and Erten Sarıkaya,
.
The studies on value behaviours date back to the philosophers of the first age.
Aristoteles and Plato concentrated on the basics of development of healthy personality.
Plato suggested that there are virtuous and unvirtuous pleasures that made people
happy and that the spirit had four virtues including justice, wisdom, tolerance and
courage. An individual can recognize the said virtues and convert them into behaviour
only through values education. The fact that the individuals are ignored regarding the
emotional and behavioural aspect caused different problems in modern societies.
Various studies determined that the decrease in moral values underlay the social
divisions and conflicts taking place in countries. It was revealed that people may lack
the values that would guide them before the difficulties of life, or in other words may
be weak in character development even if they are equipped with information and
skills. This condition may contribute to the growth of bigger problems in the society
and to the growth of individuals who are insufficient to solve problems Sırrı and
Mehmedoğlu,
.
Indigenizing value behaviours makes people gain the knowledge, skill and
insight to become happy in life. Socrates states that human happiness is possible with
the proper use of reason and conscience. He adds that happiness contains the value
concepts including courage, virtue and justice (Özbey, 2014b). Socrates argues that
human is present in a world dominated by social values and shared by others and that
he would have an unhappy and value less life if he doesn’t think about the question of
how he should live (Cevizci, 2011).
Values are the most important factors that constitute the attitudes and
acknowledgements of individuals and they develop through being fed from various
sources. Therefore, there are important roles for the school, family and environment to
acquire value behaviours since early ages G(lay Ogelman and Erten Sarıkaya,
.
There are several lists of the values that the preschool children should acquire,
however, the generally accepted values are responsibility, affection, respect,
cooperation, courage, communication, integrity, patience, tolerance, brotherhood and
self-control İnan,
.
Early childhood is an important period of development when the foundations of
value behaviours are laid. Although value behaviours are learned throughout life, the
enhanced acquisitions of good behaviours started to be gained during the early
childhood periods. Providing values systematically in the preschool period provide
important contributions to the development of personality. Acquiring value behaviours
in early ages bring special qualities including self-confidence, high self-respect, respect
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to the rights of others and success in solving interpersonal problems. Having the values
not acquired may cause disharmony within society (Neslitürk and Çeliköz, 2015).
Individuals who can use reason, heart and conscience in the best manner and who can
lead in social advances are those who indigenised value behaviours since their
childhood. The values education given from early ages is important to grow individuals
who have a happier and more successful life, with a healthy personality feeling stronger
in problem solving (Neslitürk, Özkal and Dal, 2015).
A child maintains life in a cultural environment and by developing healthy social
relations. In the process of a healthy social development, a child attempts to gain
harmony with the environment by gaining behaviours related to both universal and
cultural values. The problem solving skill of a child for the problems he may face in
social environments will develop in parallel to his healthy development with the
possibilities offered. Problem solving skill is considered to be a significant skill to
minimize the stress situations. Individuals with improved problem solving skills can
anticipate problems without they emerge yet and prevent their emergence. On the other
hand, they can minimize the effect of the psychological pressure to the individual that
may be caused by the problems. It is essential that the social problem solving skills are
acquired from early ages (Özmen, 2013).
Problem is the conflict condition of individuals they face when obstructed in
their path to their goals. It is the difficulty felt related to a condition or incident and an
undesired condition that needs to be solved by concentrating on it (Özen, 2015). During
pre-school period, children may experience conflicts even in social environments where
they get along the best. The said condition presents important opportunities to improve
the social problem solving skills of children Kesicioğlu,
Tozduman Yaralı and
Özkan, 2016). The social problem solving skill is defined as the ability of children to
produce solutions to overcome the problems they may face anytime in their lives and to discover
effective coping methods Yılmaz and Tepeli,
. On the other hand, problem solving is
also defined as the cognitive, sensory and behavioural processes that are sources for selecting
one of the methods which an individual believe to be the most effective one to cope problematic
conditions in daily life. Problem solving skill is generally considered to be a psychological
therapy under the cognitive and behavioural umbrella. The said therapy develops the
coping ability of an individual against the big and small problems and traumas and
protects the individual from both the physical and psychological effects of the problem
faced (Nezu, Nezu and D'Zurilla, 2013).
The studies indicate that the acquisition of value behaviours is important in
developing the problem solving skills of individuals. Individuals with low problem
skills can exhibit anti-social behaviours. The ability of an individual to develop social
relations compliant with the universal values and the values of his society and to solve
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problems in his adulthood is closely related with the value behaviours acquired in the
preschool period (Naylor and Diem 1987; Hong, 2005).
The acquisition of value behaviours provide contribution to the development of
responsibility, affection, respect, observation of the rights of others, integrity, empathy
etc. Empathy and anger, however, have significant consequences on pro-social
behaviours and aggressive behaviours in children. It was found in studies through
observations in natural environments towards aggressive behaviours that children with
prosocial behaviours exhibit less aggressive behaviours and that there are strong
relations between empathy and aggressive behaviours (Strayer, Robert, 2004). An
individual may resort to antisocial solutions in problem solving if he doesn’t have the
personal qualities that may assist to the sufficient development of problem solving
skills (Dereli-İman,
. The lack of acquisition of values including self-control,
respect to the rights of others, affection may cause children to use aggression as a
method to solve a problem.
Values are important to ensure that children gain different points of views that
contribute to the distinction of what behaviours are right and wrong. When we look at
the qualities of the individuals with improved problem solving skills, it is possible to
see individuals who can see situations from different points of views. Therefore, values
contribute to the problem solving skill bringing points of views to individuals
(Koutsoukis, 2006; Özbey, 2014). Values shape the personality of individuals. Arnold
(1992) states that, in addition to several factors, the own personalities of children also
play role in the unnoticed development of problem solving skills cited by Kesicioğlu,
2015).
In a successful social problem solving process, the following steps should be
followed: Recognizing and defining the social problem, finding solution to social
problem, producing alternative solutions for social problems, evaluating the results of
the solutions, selecting the best solution, considering the practicality of the selected
solution and evaluating whether the solution is useful (Adams and Wittmer, 2001; Crick
and Dodge, 1994; Erwin, 1994; Shure, 2001; WebsterStratton and Reid, 2003). Any
deficiency in any step of social problem solution causes an antisocial solution (Ireland,
2001).
When we consider the literature information on problem solving skills, one can
consider that the values including affection, respect, responsibility, empathy, justice and
integrity play important role in the development of constructive problem solving skill.
Therefore, this study was designed to examine the value behaviour and interpersonal
problem solving skills of the preschool children according to variables like their age, sex
and the type of the schools they attend and to determine the relation between their
value behaviour and their problem solving skills. The study is significant for being the
first study conducted with the preschool children on this matter.
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2. Method
2.1 The Model of the Study
The study was planned in the relational survey model and as a quantitative survey
model. General survey models are conducted in a population consisting of several
elements and on one group of sample of population or on all of population to reach a
general judgement on the population. General survey models can be conducted in a
single manner or in a relational manner. The relational survey models intend to
determine the existence and/or level of change among two or numerous variables
(Karasar, 2014).
2.2 Population and Sample
The population of the study consists of the children in the age group of 48-72 months
attending to the kindergartens of the public primary schools, public independent
preschools and private independent preschools of the Ministry of National Education in
the districts of Yenimahalle and Keçiören in the education year of 2015-2016.
The sample of the study consists of 321 children who were determined by using the
simple random sampling method from the population. 36.1% of the children in the
sample (N=116) are in the age group of 48-72 months, 63.9 % (N=205) are in the age
group of 60-72 months. 50.5% (N=162) are girls, 49.5 % (N=159) are boys. 53 % (N=170)
attend to the kindergartens of public primary schools, 11.5% (N=37) attend to public
independent preschools, 35.5% (N=114) attend to private independent preschools.
2.3 Data Collection Tools
Personal Information Form , Scale for Value in ”ehaviour and Scale for Solving
Interpersonal Problems were used in the study as data collection tool. The Personal
Information Form includes demographic qualities on children.
2.3.1 Scale of values in behaviour
The Scale of Values in Behaviour is a Likert type scale with 5 grades and consisting of
42 articles developed by Gür (2013) to determine value behaviours of the children in the
age group of 5-6 years. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were done
for the scale. The load values of the items in the exploratory factor analyses are
intended to be more than .30. The load values of the items vary between .862 and .448.
As a result of factor analysis, the scale was found to have single factor. The variance
explained by the factor is 51.83%. The fact that the scale has single factor in the
confirmatory factor analysis was confirmed. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient
of the scale is . . The Cronbach “lpha reliability coefficient of the Scale of Values in
”ehaviour is . for this study.
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The scoring of the scale: 1: Never, 2: Rarely, 3: Sometimes, 4: Frequent, 5: Always. The
total score to be obtained from the scale varies between 42 and 210. The high score is
considered to be positive and low value is considered to be negative for the value
behaviours (Gür, 2013).
2.3.2 Scale for solving interpersonal problems
The Scale for Solving Interpersonal Problems was developed by Özdil (2008) to measure
the interpersonal problem solving behaviours of preschool children. The scale consists
of two sub dimensions: destructive problem solving and constructive problem solving.
As a result of the factor analysis carried out for the validity study of the scale, it was
found that the Constructive Problem Solving subdimension consists of
items. The
load values of items vary between 0.902 and 0.556 and this sub dimension explains 42%
of the total variance. The Constructive Problem Solving dimension of the scale consists
of 8 items and the load values of the items vary between 0.749 and 0.584 and explains
15% of total variance.
The score of the scale is 1: Never, 2: Sometimes, 3: Usually, 4: Never. The scale is
filled separately for each child by observing the children behaviour in the classroom by
the teacher. The high scores in the subdimension of Destructive Problem Solving
indicate that the child solves the problems by a destructive, i.e. negative method. The
high scores in the subdimension of Constructive Problem Solving indicate that the child
solves the problems by a constructive, i.e. positive method.
The Cronbach Alpha internal consistency of the scale was found to be .95 in the
subdimension of Destructive Problem Solving and to be .83 in the Constructive Problem
Solving method. The Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficients of the Problem Solving
Scale is .93 for the Destructive Problem Solving and .88 for the Constructive Problem
Solving method Koruklu and Yılmaz,
.
The data was analysed in the SPSS22 program. As the data distribution is normal,
T Test, One Way Variance Analysis and Pearson Correlation test were used.
3. Findings
This chapter of this study includes the findings on whether the scores of the children
from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
vary by the variables like age, sex and the school type they attend. On the other hand,
the correlation tests between the scores of the children from the Scale of Values in
”ehaviour and Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale were given.
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3.1. Age
Table 1 includes the results of the Independent Sample t Test regarding the distribution
of the scores of the children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal
Problem Solving Scale by their age.
Table 1: Independent Sample t Test regarding the distribution of the scores of the children from
the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale by their age
Scales
Scale of Values in Behaviour
Age
N
X
S
sd
t
p
48-60 Months 116 165.50 31.81320 319 -3.125 , 002*
60-72 Months 205 175.80 26.21947
Total
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
Subdimension for Destructive Problem Solving
321
48-60 Months 116 24, 36 10, 21028 319
-.073
942
60-72 Months 205 24, 44 9, 69919
Total
321
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
48-60 Months 116 20, 84 6, 25645 319 -3..237 , 001*
Subdimension for Constructive Problem Solving
60-72 Months 205 23, 15 6, 07401
Total
321
*p<0,05
When we looked at the Table 1, we found a significant difference in the scores of
children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour in favour of children in the age group
of 60-72 months (p<0.05). The average of the children in age group of 48-60 months in
the Scale of Values in Behaviour is =165.50; while the average of the children in the age
group of 60-72 months is=175.80.
There was no significant difference between the scores of children from the
Destructive Problem Solving subdimension of the Interpersonal Problem Solving
Scale by their age (p>0.05). A significant difference was found in the scores of children
from the Constructive Problem Solving subdimension of the Interpersonal Problem
Solving Scale in favour of the children in the age group of -72 months (p<0.05). In
this subdimension, the average of the children in the age group of 48-60 months is
=20,8460 while the average of the children in the age group of 60-72 months is =23,3016.
3.2 Sex
Table 2 includes the results of the Independent Sample t Test regarding the distribution
of the scores of the children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal
Problem Solving Scale by their sex.
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Table 2: Independent Sample t Test regarding the distribution of the scores of the children from
the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale by their sex
Scales
sd
t
p
Sex
N
X
S
Scale of Values in Behaviour
Girls
Boys
162
159
179.02
164.84
22.66
32.45
318
4.541
.000*
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
Subdimension for Destructive Problem Solving
Girls
Boys
162
159
22.44
26.43
8, 35
10, 90
318
-3, 675
.000*
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
Subdimension for Constructive Problem Solving
Girls
162
23.26
6.94
318
2.840
.005*
Boys
159
21.30
6.36
*p<0,05
When we looked at the Table 2, we found a significant difference in the scores of
children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour in favour of the girls p< . . The
average of the girls in the Scale of Values in Behaviour is =179.02; and the average of the
boys is=164.84.
There was a significant difference in favour of the girls between the scores of
children from the Destructive Problem Solving subdimension of the Interpersonal
Problem Solving Scale by their sex p< . . In the subdimension of the Destructive
Problem Solving, the average of girls is =22.56, and the average of boys is=26.55. There
was a significant difference in favour of the girls between the scores of children from
the Constructive Problem Solving subdimension of the Interpersonal Problem Solving
Scale by their sex (p<0.05). In this subdimension, the average of girls is =23.44; and the
average of boys is=21.36.
3.3 School Type
Table 3 includes the results of the One Way Variance Analysis regarding the
distribution of the scores of the children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale by the type of school they attend.
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Table 3: One Way Variance Analysis regarding the distribution of the scores of the children
from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale by
the type of school they attend
Scales
Scale of Values in Behaviour
Source of
the
Variance
Between
Groups
Sum of
Squares
2417, 558
Among
Groups
262067, 556
Total
264485, 114
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale Between
Subdimension for Destructive
Groups
Problem Solving
Among
Groups
Total
Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale Between
Subdimension for Constructive
Groups
Problem Solving
Among
Groups
Total
1474, 750
29705, 654
31180, 403
140, 448
12282, 435
12422, 882
df
Average
of
Squares
2
318
1208, 779
F
1, 467
p
Source of
Difference
(Scheffe)
, 232
824, 112
320
2
318
737, 375
7, 894
, 000*
93, 414
2>1
2>3
320
2
318
70, 224
1, 818
, 164
38, 624
320
*p<0, 05
1. Primary School Kindergarten 2. Independent Preschool 3. Private Preschool
When we looked at the Table 3, no significant difference was found in the scores of
children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and from the subdimension of
Constructive Problem Solving of the Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale (p>0.05).
There was a significant difference in favour of the children in the kindergartens of the
primary schools among the children in the kindergartens of primary schools and the
children in the independent preschools in the Destructive Problem Solving
subdimension of the Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale. And there was significant
difference in favour of the children in the private preschools among the children in
independent preschools and private preschools (p<0,05). The average of the children in
the kindergartens of the primary schools in the subdimension of Destructive Problem
Solving is =23,34; the average of the children in the independent preschools is =31.66;
the average of the children in the private preschools is =24,60. In another words, the
children in the independent preschools try to solve their problems by more destructive
methods compared to the children in the primary school kindergartens and private
preschools.
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3.4 Value in Behaviour/Destructive Problem Solving
Table 4 includes the results of the Pearson Correlation test related to the scores of the
children in the sample from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and the Destructive
Problem Solving subdimension of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale .
Table 4: Pearson Correlation test related to the relation of the scores of the children from the
Scale of Values in Behaviour and the scores from the Destructive Problem Solving
subdimension of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale.
Scale of Values in
Behaviour
Scale of Values in Behaviour
r
Destructive Problem
Solving
1
p
n
Destructive Problem Solving subdimension
of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
r
-, 511**
, 000
321
321
-, 511**
1
p
, 000
n
321
321
** p<0.01
When we look at the Table 4, we found a medium significant negative relation between
the scores of the children from the Scale of Values in Behaviour and the scores from the
Destructive Problem Solving subdimension of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
(p<0.05). In other words, the higher are the scores of children from the Scale of Values
in ”ehaviour , the lesser the scores of destructive problem solving and the ratio of
applying negative methods in problem solving.
3.5 Value in Behaviour / Constructive Problem Solving
Table 5 includes the results of the Pearson Correlation test related to the scores of the
children in the sample from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and the Constructive
Problem Solving subdimension of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale .
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Table 5: Pearson Correlation test related to the relation of the scores of the children from the
Scale of Values in Behaviour and the scores from the Constructive Problem Solving
subdimension of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
Scale of Values in
Behaviour
Scale of Values in Behaviour
r
1
p
n
Constructive Problem Solving subdimension
of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
r
Constructive Problem
Solving
, 508**
, 000
321
321
-, 508**
1
p
, 000
n
321
321
** p<0.01
When we look at the Table 5, we found a medium significant positive relation between
the scores of the children from the Scale of Values in Behaviour and the scores from the
Constructive Problem Solving subdimension of Interpersonal Problem Solving Scale
(p<0.05). In other words, the higher are the scores of children from the Scale of Values
in ”ehaviour , the higher are the constructive problem solving skills.
4. Discussion and Result
When we looked at the literature, we didn’t find a research directly on the relation
between the value behaviour and problem solving skills in children. On the other hand,
there are studies on the said relation in adults and on the relation between the problem
solving skills of children and their each value behaviour including empathy and
emotion understanding skills. The results of the study were discussed by considering
these researches and those conducted with similar behaviour skills.
According to Table 1, there as significant difference in the value behaviours and
constructive problem solving skills of children in favour of the children in the age
group of 60-72 months (p<0.05). In other words, the children in the age group of 60-72
months have more value behaviours and constructive problem solving skills than the
children in the age group of 48-60 months. The study by Yılmaz and Tepeli
supports this finding. In their study on the problem solving skills of the children in the
age group of 60-66 months and 67-72 months, Yılmaz and Tepeli
found
significant difference in the problem solving skills of the children in the age group of
60-72 months. The reason for the elder age group to be better with respect to both value
behaviours and problem solving skills can be attributed to the fact that with the
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growing age they indigenize the skills like empathy, responsibility, sharing, solidarity,
cooperation, respect etc. and that they can use these skills in social environments.
According to Table 2, there is significant difference in the value behaviours and
problem solving skills of children according to sex in favour of girls (p<0.05). Girls
exhibit more value behaviours and solve the problems more constructive than boys.
Studies on the values and problem solving skills of children according to sex found
different solutions. Walker, Irving and Berthelsen (2002) studied the problem solving
skills of boys and girls and found that the problem solving skills of girls are better than
boys. “kbaş
, Yılmaz and Tepeli
, ”egde and 5zy(rek
found no
significant difference between the boys and girls with respect to problem solving skills.
Tozduman Yaralı and 5zkan
found that girls have more positive social
behaviours and problem solving skills than boys. Özbey (2014b) found that there was
no difference by sex in the moral and social rule perceptions of the preschool children.
Bierhoff (2002) stated that girls exhibit more value behaviours including assistance,
sharing, cooperation and empathy than boys. Özbey (2009) found that girls exhibit
more social skill behaviours than boys. Studies on social development frequently find
difference in favour of girls regarding the social behaviours. The result of this study
also supports the said studies and it is possible to conclude that sex is an important
variable for the more positive behaviours of girls.
According to Table 3, the value behaviours and problem solving skills of
children by according to the type of school they attend have a significant difference in
favour of the children attending to the kindergartens of primary schools and private
preschools (p<0.05). In other words, the children attending to independent preschools
solve their problems more destructively than the children attending to the schools
mentioned earlier. In a study on the perceptions of preschool children on moral and
social rules, 5zbey
found that the school type didn’t have a significant difference
in the moral and social rule perceptions of the children.
“ccording to Table , the scores of children from the Scale of Values in
”ehaviour and their scores from the subdimension of Constructive Problem Solving of
the Problem Solving Scale have a medium, positive and significant relation (p<0.01).
According to Table 5, there is a medium, negative and significant relation
between the scores of children from the Scale of Values in ”ehaviour and their scores
from the subdimension of Destructive Problem Solving of the Problem Solving
Scale(p<0.01). The higher the value behaviours of children the lesser their destructive
problem solving skills. This result is supported by the studies in the literature on the
relation of different value behaviours and problem solving skills covering different age
groups.
Bee and Denise, (2003) and Kail (1998), state that the value behaviours including
sharing, comforting, helping, forgiving, cooperation are effective for the preschool
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children to find constructive solutions to problems with prosocial behaviours. On the
other hand, children who try to solve the problems with antisocial behaviours exhibit
destructive problem solving behaviours including aggression, taking objects forcefully,
not postponing desires, respecting the rights of friends (cited by Dereli-İman,
.
Dereli-İman
found a negative significant relation between the problem solving
skills and behaviour problems of children. Bear and Rys (1994) had a finding in their
study with the primary school children that the moral maturity reduced aggression.
Kenndy et al. (1988) found in their study on the adolescent from low socio economic
levels that there was a medium positive relation between the moral judgement levels
and problem solving skills of the adolescents.
The value behaviours including responsibility, integrity, sharing, respecting the
rights of others, cooperation and empathy make children successful in their peer
relations. The children with successful peer relations have high problem solving skills
among their peers. Likewise, Özmen (2013) stated that children with high problem
solving skills share more with their friends, have value behaviours including sharing,
use of courtesy words, taking the views and suggestions of friends into consideration,
not exhibiting aggressive behaviours against their friends. Miller, Eisenberg, Fabes and
Shell (1996) found a high positive relation between the moral judgement levels of
children and their prosocial behaviours. Tozduman Yaralı and 5zkan
found a
positive relation between the social competence behaviours of the children and their
problem solving skills.
Warden and MacKinnon (2003) found the children with high prosocial
behaviours, empathy and skill use more positive methods in their interpersonal
problem solving skills than the children who exhibit bullying behaviours. Pakaslahti
and Keltikangas-Järvinen (1996) found a medium relation between the aggressive
behaviours of children and the aggressive problem solving methods. In other words,
children exhibiting aggressive behaviours solve their problems with destructive and
aggressive methods.
Kazdin et al. (1987) found that the children with antisocial behaviours developed
positive social behaviours and had less negative behaviours after the training of
problem solving skills. Bal and Temel (2014) found a medium positive and significant
relation between the skills of preschool children to have a point of view and to solve
problems. Fawcet and Garton (2005) conducted an empirical study and concluded that
the learning approach based on cooperation with peers had a positive effect on problem
solving skills.
Özbey (2014a) found a medium positive significant relation between the value
behaviours and problem solving skills of the teacher candidates in a study on the
relation of the individual values and problem solving skills of the preschool teacher
candidates. Işık and Yıldız
studied the relation between the value perceptions
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and problem solving skills of the primary school teachers. As a result of the study, they
found a positive relation between the value perceptions of the teachers and their
constructive problem solving skills; and a negative relation with the destructive
problem solving skills.
Values are gained at three levels, i.e. knowledge, feeling and behaviour. For the
value behaviours to emerge, a child has significant progresses in his mind and develops
judgement skills by conducting analyses on the negative or positive aspects of the
behaviour. The result after mental analyses on why a behaviour right or wrong is not
associated only with the behaviour but also helps a child find reasonable justifications
when using decision making skills in problem skills and to have a different point of
views to events. Values become apparent with behaviours after being analysed in the
mind and emotionally indigenized. Therefore, this process provide the children with
necessary experiences to solve a problem including the ability to analyse a problem, to
find different methods in solution, to decide suitable solution ways or to prevent the
occurrence a problem with anticipation before the problem emerges yet. When we
evaluate the results of this study with the findings of other studies, it is possible to
conclude that the children with values including empathy, cooperation, solidarity,
sharing, forgiving, courtesy etc. try to solve their problems more constructively and that
their value behaviours have a positive effect on their problem solving skills.
5. Suggestions
The children in the elder age group in the study have more value behaviours and solve
their problems more constructively. Taking into account the scientific studies
emphasizing that the skills including empathy, sharing etc. can be acquired from early
ages, it can be suggested to start giving the value behaviours at early ages to the age
group with proper activities.
In the study, girls have more value behaviours and solve problems more
constructively than boys. Boys use physical and verbal aggression in problem solving
than girls. Considering that the value education starts in the family, attention should be
paid to value education in family participation events by the cooperation of teachers
and families to make particularly boys gain value behaviours.
The researchers in the field may be recommended to plan a family participation
values education and to observe and measure the results of education on girls and boys.
As a result of the study, it was determined that values in behaviours significantly
reduced the problem solving skills by physical and verbal aggression. Therefore, it can
be recommended that the contribution of preschool values education to the other
development areas of the children should be taken into consideration and to enhance
their education programs through values.
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The development of preschool problem solving skills has been supported by
education programs for years. The content of the said education programs can be
enhanced by supporting with the value behaviour themes.
Values education programs can be designed and an empirical study can be used
to measure the contribution of the program to the problem solving skills of the children.
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