The Perceptions of Pre-School Children and Their Families' Social Climate in Relation to Household Crowding

Abstract

This investigation was designed to examine the effects of crowding on preschool children and their families. One hundred families were studied (Georgia N=50 and Indiana N=50) using the Family Environment Scale (FES) and the Preschool Survey of House Shapes and Houses. The families were divided into four groups according to household size and number of rooms to designate crowding levels. Five out of ten subscales of the FES, cohesiveness, achievement, intellectual'cultural, active'recreational and organization showed a relationship with crowding. When the preschool children were asked questions about specific places within the house, those from crowded familiesaid their bedroom was their favorite room. They also reported it was the room to which they were sent for punishment. Place of perceived most frequent family interaction and place children go when upset were significantly different at the p< .05. Furthermore, as the level of household crowding increased the perceived feeling of crowding by preschool children also increased (p < .003).