Aberrant behavior and cognitive ability in preschool children Cover Image

Aberantno ponašanje i kognitivna sposobnost predškolske dece
Aberrant behavior and cognitive ability in preschool children

Author(s): Gustav Bala, Ankica Hošek-Momirović, Špela Golubović
Subject(s): Preschool education, Cognitive Psychology, Neuropsychology, Sports Studies
Published by: Društvo psihologa Srbije
Keywords: aggression; anxiousness; dissociation; hysteria; general cognitive functioning of children; preschool children;

Summary/Abstract: The sample included 712 preschool boys and girls at the age of 4 to 7 years (mean 5.96 decimal years and standard deviation .96) from preschool institutions in Novi Sad, Sombor, Sremska Mitrovica and Bačka Palanka. Information concerning 36 indicators of aberrant behavior of the children were supplied by their parents, whereas their cognitive ability was tested by Raven’s progressive colored matrices. Based on factor analysis (promax method), four factors i.e. generators of aberrant behavior in children were singled out: aggression, anxiousness, dissociation, and hysteria, whose relations with cognitive functioning and age were also analyzed by factor analysis. Aberrant behavior and cognitive abilities show significant interrelatedness. Owing to orderly developed cognitive abilities, a child understands essence and reality of problems, realizes possibilities and manners of solving them, and succeeds in realizing successful psycho-social functioning. Developed cognitive abilities enable a child to recognize and understand her/his own reactions in different situations and develop manners of reacting, which leads to strengthening psycho-social safety and adapting behavior in accordance with her/his age and abilities.

  • Issue Year: 40/2007
  • Issue No: 4
  • Page Range: 509-529
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: Serbian