ABSTRACT

Objective: The purposes of this study were to understand behavior problems of preschoolers and to investigate the relationship between behavior problems and the sensory processing skills.Participants: Parents of preschoolers between ages of 4 and 6 who attended D kindergarten or S nursery school in the national capital region.Method: Parents filled out the questionnaire at home from 12th to 14th of August in 2002.We used SSP (short sensory profile) which was used by Kim, Mi-Sun in 2001 to understand the sensory processing skills. We also used CBCL (child behavior checklist) which was reconstructed by Jung, Yeon-Woo in 2001 to understand behavior problems. The results were analyzed with SAS 6.12.Results: 1. The total incidents in behavior problems were 87 out of 200. And the total incidents in sensory processing were 164 out of 190. Among low-ranking patterns, the mark of overactivity was highest with 21.56 point and the mark of flinching activity was lowest with 13.97 point.2. There was no significant difference in the gender comparison of sensory processing, but there were significant differences in gender comparison of aggressive behavior and flinching behavior in behavior problems.3. There was no significant finding in age difference.4. In correlation between behavior problems and sensory processing skills, as the incidents ofhyperactivity rose the incidents of underresponsive/seeks sensation and auditory filtering decreased significantly. In relations, as the incidents of anxiety behavior rose the incidents ofunderresponsive/seeks sensation and auditory filtering decreased significantly. In relations, as the incidents of flinching behavior rose, incidents of movement sensitiveness, low energy andweakness decreased. In relations, as the children acted aggressively the incidents of sensitiveness, low energy, weakness and auditory filtering decreased. In relations, as childrenacted immaturely the incidents of sensitiveness, underresponsive/seeks sensation, auditoryfiltering, low energy and weakness decreased significantly.Conclusions: We hope that the children who have behavior problems with difficulties in sensory processing skills can be distinguished on the basis of this study. And we also hope the development of a study which can present the effectiveness of sensory integrative treatment forthe children with behavior problems.