Review Article

Examination of Preschool Children's Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills

Volume: 12 Number: 4 July 1, 2025
EN

Examination of Preschool Children's Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the predictive effect of children's attention and emotion regulation skills, along with the examined demographic variables, on their social information processing abilities. Furthermore, it seeks to explore social information processing, emotion regulation, and attention skills in relation to children's age, gender, and duration of preschool education. The study group comprised 201 children aged between 60 and 72 months enrolled in preschools located in the city centre of Karaman, Türkiye. The study was designed using the relational survey model. Data collection instruments included the Personal Information Form, the Social Information Processing Process Test for Preschool Children, the Emotion Regulation Scale, and the FTF-K Attention Collection Test. Findings indicated that attention skills emerged as a significant predictor of social information processing skills, followed by the child's age range and emotion regulation skills. Additionally, while no substantial gender differences were observed in terms of social information processing and attention skills, a notable distinction was identified in favour of girls in emotion regulation skills. Furthermore, a significant disparity was identified in the social information processing and attention skills of children between the ages of 66 and 72 months, with a tendency towards higher performance in girls. The study concluded that social information processing, emotion and attention skills varied significantly based on the duration of preschool education, with children who attended preschool for a year or more demonstrating higher mean scores.

Keywords

Social information processing, emotion regulation, attention

Ethical Statement

Prior to the commencement of data collection, approval was obtained from the Selçuk University Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee on 12/07/2023 (decision number 2023-663).

References

  1. Acar, I. H., Veziroğlu-Çelik, M., Çelebi, Ş., İngeç, D., & Kuzgun, S. (2021). Parenting styles and Turkish children’s emotion regulation: The mediating role of parent-teacher relationships. Current Psychology, 40(9), 4427-4437. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00390-y
  2. Ahmetoğlu, E., Ilhan Ildiz, G., Acar, I. H., &Encinger, A. (2018). Children's emotion regulation and attachment to parents: parental emotion socialization as a moderator. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 46(6), 969-984. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.6795
  3. Aktaş, G. D. (2021). The effect of the length of screen time on visual perceptions and attention skills of pre-school children, age between 60-72 months (Unpublished master's thesis). Üsküdar University, Istanbul, Türkiye.
  4. Anderson, A. K. (2005). Affective influences on the attentional dynamics supporting awareness. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 134(2), 258–281. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.134.2.258
  5. Apaydın Demirci, Z., Arslan, E., & Temel, M. (2020). Analyzing of emotional regulation and interpersonal problem solving skills of preschool children. Turkish Journal of Educational Sciences, 18(2), 910–925. https://doi.org/10.37217/tebd.714803
  6. Aslan, H., Aksoy, Y., & İmamoğlu, O. (2020). Comparison of attention levels according to sport status and age category in students. Electronic Turkish Studies, 15(2), 729–738. https://doi.org/10.29228/TurkishStudies.41719
  7. Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191
  8. Bascoe, S. M., Davies, P. T., Sturge-Apple, M. L., & Cummings, E. M. (2009). Children’s representations of family relationships, peer information processing, and school adjustment. Developmental Psychology, 45(6), 1740–1751. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016688
  9. Batum, P., & Yagmurlu, B. (2007). What counts in externalizing behaviors? The contributions of emotion and behavior regulation. Current Psychology, 25, 272-294. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02915236
  10. Bauminger, N., & Kimhi-Kind, I. (2008). Social information processing, security of attachment, and emotion regulation in children with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41(4), 315-332. doi: 10.1177/0022219408316095
APA
Doğan Marsak, E., & Alakoç, D. (2025). Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills. Participatory Educational Research, 12(4), 82-99. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.25.50.12.4
AMA
1.Doğan Marsak E, Alakoç D. Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills. PER. 2025;12(4):82-99. doi:10.17275/per.25.50.12.4
Chicago
Doğan Marsak, Ebru, and Devlet Alakoç. 2025. “Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills”. Participatory Educational Research 12 (4): 82-99. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.25.50.12.4.
EndNote
Doğan Marsak E, Alakoç D (July 1, 2025) Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills. Participatory Educational Research 12 4 82–99.
IEEE
[1]E. Doğan Marsak and D. Alakoç, “Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills”, PER, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 82–99, July 2025, doi: 10.17275/per.25.50.12.4.
ISNAD
Doğan Marsak, Ebru - Alakoç, Devlet. “Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills”. Participatory Educational Research 12/4 (July 1, 2025): 82-99. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.25.50.12.4.
JAMA
1.Doğan Marsak E, Alakoç D. Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills. PER. 2025;12:82–99.
MLA
Doğan Marsak, Ebru, and Devlet Alakoç. “Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills”. Participatory Educational Research, vol. 12, no. 4, July 2025, pp. 82-99, doi:10.17275/per.25.50.12.4.
Vancouver
1.Ebru Doğan Marsak, Devlet Alakoç. Examination of Preschool Children’s Social Information Processing Skills in Terms of Attention and Emotion Regulation Skills. PER. 2025 Jul. 1;12(4):82-99. doi:10.17275/per.25.50.12.4