The Relationship among Mother-Infant Attachment Security, Peer Play Interactions and School Readiness in Korea

In light of evidence suggesting child attachment and peer interactions are related to school readiness skills, the present study examined the associations among mother-infant attachment security, peer play interactions, and school readiness in the ages of 17 months to 7 years. We analyzed the data from years 2–7 (2009–2014) of the Panel Study on Korean Children. Data from 175 participants who completed the in-depth evaluation conducted in 2009, general survey in 2011, and general survey in 2014 were used for analysis using structural equation modeling. The results were as follows. First, attachment security at 17 months had a direct effect on social and emotional development, a domain of school readiness, at age 7. Second, positive peer play interaction at age 4 had direct effects on all domains of school readiness at age 7, that is social and emotional development, approaches to learning, communication, and cognitive development and general knowledge. Third, positive peer play interactions at age 4, influenced by stronger infant attachment security at 17 months led to positive effects on all domains of school readiness at age 7. The findings highlight the central role of the quality of early attachment relationships and the type of peer interactions on the development of school readiness from infancy into the school years.