Comparing social skills between children of single-child and multiple-children families

Considering the increasing rate of single-child families, this study aimed to compare social skills between children of single-child families with multiple-children families.

This descriptive-analytical study conducted in 2016 among primary schools in Gorgan. The participants included 336 children aged 9-12 years. They were selected through cluster sampling method. Gersham and Elliott's social skills questionnaire was completed by parents and teachers. The data analyzed by SPSS software, t-test, and ANOVA statistics.

In this study, 366 children aged 9 to 12 years (150 girls and 216 boys) were entered. Among these children, 163 were single-child, and 203 of them had at least one sibling. Social skills in the teacher's special form showed a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.01). The mean score of behavioral problems and academic adequacy in both parent and teacher forms did not differ significantly between the two groups. Children who had parents with higher educational degrees and employed mothers received higher scores in educational adequacy.

Based on the findings, that scores of social skills are higher in children of multi-children families than single children. Children who had high-educated parents have higher educational adequacy and less behavioral problems than their peers with low-educated parents.