STRUCTURE OF LEADERSHIP AMONG PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN

The purpose of the present study was to examine the structure of leade rship among preschool children. Leadership behaviors of 18 five-year-o ld Japanese children were observed during free play and scored on the basis of a 15-item leadership scale. A factor analysis of the items in dicated two factors: facilitation of play and consideration-evaluation of playmates. Children who had a central role in group play showed mo re leadership behaviors on the consideration-evaluation of playmates d imension than those on the periphery. For the dimension of facilitatio n of play, however, no significant difference was seen between the two groups.