Prosocial Behavior among Children With and Without Disabilities: Centering on Teacherâ•Žs Perception on the Teacher - Child Relationship

This study examined the predictors of prosocial behavior among children with and without disabilities attending an inclusive preschool program and those attending a university laboratory preschool program. Data were gathered from 81 preschool children and their teachers, all of whom were participating in an ongoing longitudinal research project in the Midwest, US. The results showed that there were mean differences in prosocial behaviors and teacher-child close relationships by disability type and program type. However, when analyzing children without disabilities, there were no mean differences in prosocial behaviors and teacher-child close relationship by program type. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that a child’s disability status and the teacher-child relationship were significant predictors of children’s prosocial behavior. Specifically, a close teacher-child relationship was a positive predictor of children’s prosocial behavior among children with and without disabilities. The educational implications were discussed with regard to the future directions in this area of the study.