DOCUMENT RESUME ED 476 914 PS 031 300 AUTHOR Reio, Thomas G., Jr.; Maciolek, C. Lynn; Weiss, Erin M. TITLE The Prevalence of Anxiety and Pro-Social Behaviors in Child- Centered and Basic Skills Preschool Classrooms. PUB DATE 2002-12-17 NOTE 8p.; Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Conference (New Orleans, LA, April 1-5, 2002). PUB TYPE Reports Research (143) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Anxiety; Basic Skills; *Classroom Environment; Comparative Analysis ; Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Early Experience; *Educational Practices; Outcomes of Education; *Preschool Children; Preschool Education; *Prosocial Behavior; *Student Centered Curriculum IDENTIFIERS *Direct Instruction ABSTRACT Although there is considerable evidence that kindergartners in child-centered programs have more opportunities to increase prosocial behavior and are more internally motivated than children in basic skills programs, the efficacy of child-centered versus basic skills programs with regard to prosocial behavior has not been examined among preschool children. This study sought to determine whether children enrolled in child-centered preschools would demonstrate fewer anxiety behaviors and more prosocial behaviors compared to children in basic skills preschool programs. Participating in the study were 20 children from a child-centered program and 20 children from a basic skills program. Observations of anxiety, disruption, and prosocial behavior frequency took place during free play and during a structured academic activity. Anxiety behaviors were operationally defined as nail biting, crying, frowning, avoiding new situations, and flat/negative affect. Prosocial behaviors were defined as stopping a quarrel, inviting another child to join the group, praising, comforting, or helping others. Results from t-test analyses revealed significantly less frowning in the child-centered program. Also, children invited others to join the group more and praised each other more in the child-centered program than in the basic skills program. There were no other significant differences between the two types of schools. (Contains 14 references.) (KB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.