SOCIAL-ISOLATION IN 4-YEAR-OLDS

This paper is concerned with the heterogeneity and home correlates of social isolation in school. Three data sets, each involving 40-42 4-ye ar-olds, were studied at home and preschool. Three observational measu res of social isolation were used-time alone, time unoccupied and freq uency of interaction. These social isolation variables showed few line ar relations to measures of temperamental characteristics, other child characteristics or measures of mother-child interaction. However, cat egorizing the children into four groups on their status of alone and u noccupied, or into eight groups on all three social isolation variable s, yielded categories showing meaningful patterns of interactions in s chool and meaningful relations to home variables. The dangers of consi dering any categorization system as absolute are emphasized.