Citation

Rusher AS, Cross DR, Ware AM. Early Child Res. Q. 1995; 10(3): 297-315.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0885-2006(95)90009-8

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate development and individual differences in exploration and play during infancy and toddlerhood. Using an assessment that integrated measures from Power, Chapieski, and McGrath (1985) and Bretherton, O'Connell, Shore, and Bates (1984), 34 children were videotaped during individual play at 19 and 30 months. Both measures of developmental level (pretend play level and meaningful sequence) showed a significant increase from 19 to 30 months, but a pattern of change for exploratory style measures (diversity and sustained attention) was inconsistent. In a cluster analysis at 19 months, a three-cluster solution yielded focused, delayed, and scattered subgroups, whereas at 30 months, the cluster analysis yielded competent and delayed subgroups. Nineteen-month cluster membership is predictive of 30-month cluster membership, with children in the scattered subgroup at 19 months being more likely to belong to the delayed subgroup at 30 months. Although the exploration/play system appears to coalesce during infancy and toddlerhood, the exploration and play measures contribute unique information to the developing profile of toddler competence.