Abstract:

Mastery motivation and social skills are crucial for children’s developmental process. Mastery motivation refers to a complex psychological drive that encourages children to tackle tasks that are challenging for them (Morgan et al., 2017). It encompasses instrumental behaviors like persistent task-oriented behavior, as well as affective behaviors such as pleasure or negative emotions in responses to challenges (Barrett & Morgan, 2018). Social skills are a specific set of skills to achieve success in social situations (Gresham, 2015). While extensive research has examined the impact of mastery motivation on children’s overall and cognitive development (Gilmore et al., 2017; Huang et al., 2022; Józsa et al., 2019), limited attention has been given to its relationship with social skills. Consequently, this study aimed to fill this research gap by investigating the connection between preschool children’s mastery motivation and their social skills. The study involved a convenience sample of 450 preschool children from Hungary. The Dimensions of Mastery Questionnaire (DMQ17, Morgan et al., 2020) was used to assess mastery motivation, with ratings provided by parents (P) and teachers (T). A year later, social skills were measured using the DIFER (Diagnostic System for Assessing Development) (Józsa et al., 2022; Nagy et al., 2004). The collected longitudinal data were analyzed employing correlation and regression analyses. The construct validity of both instruments was determined to be acceptable based on convergent and discriminant validity. Additionally, the data met the requirements of normal distribution for accurate analysis and interpretation of the data. Both sets of ratings showed a positive correlation between the dimensions of mastery motivation and social skills: cognitive persistence (Teachers’ ratings (T) .55, Parents’ ratings (P) .19), gross motor persistence (T: .34, P: .13), social persistence with adults (T: .54, P: .25), social persistence with children (T: .44, P: .18), and mastery pleasure (T: .43, P: .22). The teachers’ ratings of mastery motivation dimensions correlated significantly stronger than the parents’ ratings with the social skills. The regression analysis revealed that both teachers’ and parents’ rating of mastery motivation predicted social skills, although parents’ rating explained a smaller percentage of variance. When considering teachers’ ratings, the combination of the five domains of mastery motivation accounted for 43% of the variance in social skills (R² = .43, F (434) = 64.89, p < .001). Among these domains, cognitive persistence and social persistence with adults were the most significant predictors of social skills. These findings suggest that mastery motivation plays a crucial role in the development of social skills. Nevertheless, further research is needed to explore how different raters might influence the results. The practical implications of this study emphasize the importance of nurturing and supporting children’s mastery motivation to facilitate the acquisition of social skills. Teachers and parents play vital roles in promoting children’s mastery motivation. Recognizing and fostering children’s mastery motivation is crucial for overall growth and success in social interactions.

Keywords:

Mastery motivation, DMQ, social skills, DIFER, prediction, preschool.