The Effect of Cooperative Play to Emotional Intelligence of Pre School Children in Rumah Bintang Islamic
1Nunung Nurjanah*, 2Siti Dewi Rahmayanti
1,2 Nursing Study Programme, Stikes Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi email: shafwatunnisa@yahoo.co.id
Abstract
Number of emotional disturbance in Indonesia reached 259 of 1000 pre school children. Emotional disturbance will give a bad impact in social and emotional development. Emotional disturbance could be intervere with cooperative play. The purpose of this research is to apply the cooperative play to increase the emotional intelligence in pre school children. This was a quasi eksperimental pilot research. Sample to this research were pre school children (3-5 years). Number of samples were 30 pre school children by using purposive sampling technique. Data collecting was done by emotional intelligence examination, by using Emotional Intelligence Questionair which is develop by institution of early pre school eduaction. Data analysis used paired t test to compare the children emotional intelligence, before and after intervention. Statistical test result showed p value 0,001, so it can be concluded there was the influence of cooperative play to pre school children emotional intelligence.
Suggestion for the pediatric nurse are to make the collaboration with the pre school institution to detect and stimulate the pre school children emotional inteligence.
Keywords: Cooperative play, emotional intelligence , pre school children
Introduction
Children are unique individuals, because each child has their own characteristics. Pre-school age children begin to interact with other people. In this case children should have competencies in language and social relationships, because children begin to learn the role, self-control, and concept (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2009).. Differences in treatment within and outside the home, can result the children experiencing unpleasant situations, so it can cause negative emotional reactions. This could be happens because the emotions in pre-school children are very unstable, temporary, spontaneous, and can not be hidden (Santrock, 2011). These emotions can make the child difficult to deal with, even temper tantrums, the emotional outbursts of uncontrolled children (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2009).
Data analysis of Household Health Survey (HHS) in Indonesian children emotional disturbance shows a high number of 259/1000 children. Studies of HHS morbidity in Java and Bali found an emotional disturbance rate of 99/1000 inhabitants (Annisa, 2014). Emotional disorders in children, could be a problem in the daily life of the child's, if did not addressed properly and appropriately.
Emotions must be managed intelligently, so it is necessary to identify the child’s ability in control and manage their emotions. The ability of a child to manage emotions can be identified through the examination of emotional intelligence that is now widely developed by institutions of Early Childhood Education. Emotional intelligence is the ability of children to recognize emotions themselves, manage emotions, motivate yourself, recognize the emotions of others, and foster relationships with others (Goleman, 2009). At this time the development of physical and personality took place very rapidly (Ball & Bindler, 2007). Therefore, in this pre-school period, children should begin to trained to develop their personality through the development of emotional intelligence, in order to be able to foster good social relations (Mulyadi, 2011).
Emotional intelligence is influenced by environmental factors (Hurlock, 2006). Child’s environment relate to various human characters. Therefore, children should be able to adapt with the environment. To get that aim, it is necessary to stimulated by introduce children to learn social development through playing methode. Playing is the right of every child (Hockenberry &
Wilson, 2009). With playing, children can learn to know objects, time, space, structure, and relationship with others (Ball & Bindler, 2007).
The method of playing that can be done to improve the ability in interact and work together is a cooperative play. Cooperative play are organized, which is the children play in groups. The cooperative play aims to enable children to work together , so they can create and achieve something that has been agreed upon (Goldstein, 2012). Cooperative play is very appropriate done by children at the age of pre-school, because in this situation children learn to communicate and interact socially, especially with peers. Cooperative play involve children playing in groups. Types of cooperative play include dragon snake, stage puppet, floor puzzle, ball throwing games, role playing and many other types of games that initiate children to learn to work together.
In Ricki’s research (2014) note that the puzzle affect the emotional intelligence.
Similarly, other studies show the dragon's snake has an effect on emotional intelligence. In some studies the type of play that is performed only one game, so that children will be bored if the game does not vary. Therefore in this study conducted several types of cooperative play such as floor puzzles, mini basket ball, puppet stage, story telling, and playing cards. All of these games belong
to a kind of cooperative play.
Based on interviews, there are 4 kindergartens from Sekejati Sub-district, from the four kindergartens, one of which is a kindergarten that has been established for around 8 years and has the largest number of children. The Kindergarten named Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School. This kindergarten never done an emotional intelligence examination routinely and rarely performed cooperative play on a regular learning. Based on the examination of emotional intelligence performed on 10 children, it is known 8 children have low emotional intelligence.
Therefore it is necessary to identify the children's emotional intelligence and give the right stimulation to develop the emotional intelligence. The aim of this research is to apply the cooperative play to increase the emotional intelligence in pre school children.
Method
The research design used was quasi experiment "Pre Test Post Test One Group Design". The research done to one group twice before and after experiment which commonly called pre test and
post test (Pollit & Hungler, 2005).
The sampling technique used in this research is purposive sampling which is one of non-probability or non random sampling technique, which is a technique of determining the sample by selecting the sample among the population according to the desired of the researcher so that the sample can represent the characteristics of the population has been known before (Sabri &
Hastono, 2008). Sampling technique used is purposive sampling. This research with degree of significance 5% and strength of test (power) 90%, then big sample 30 respondents. Sample size was obtained from sampling formula with paired variable (Dahlan, 2008).
The data collection was done at Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School from June to August 2017. The instrument used was an instrument of measuring emotional intelligence developed by Early Childhood Education Institution, this instrument measured the ability of children to understand themselves, manage themselves, understand the feelings of people other, and social skills of children to their environment (Malahayati, 2009). This instrument consists of 20 items, with good interpretation if the score is 13-20, and less if the score is 1-12, but the data analysis using the number of the score. The data were collected by the research team performing an emotional intelligence examination on pre-school age children, then the researcher gave cooperative play intervention to the children in groups every day for 10 days, with the duration of
each play in each group about 30 minutes.
The cooperative play that was performed on every monday is a big floor puzzle, on tuesday is mini basketball, on wednesday is an expression card game, in this game, each child must express through gestures and movements to his group's friends, then his group's friends should guess the gesture performed. Then on thursday is a story telling, which is every child reading the book in turn, then discuss together from the story that has been read. The last, on friday performs a stage doll game by each group. The same game is done in the first week and second week of research.
After intervention, the researcher measured an emotional intelligence again to the child using the same instrument.
Independent variable in this research is cooperative play and dependent variable is emotional
intelligence of pre school children with score 0-20.
The data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analysis to know the difference of child development before and after intervention by using different test of two dependent mean. In the normality data test results that show normal distributed data then bivariate analysis used is a parametric test with the type of test different two mean dependent (paired t test).
Results and Discussion
.
Table 1. The Average Score of Emotional Intelligence of Children Before Intervention at Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School
Variable Mean Standard Deviation Min - Max 95% CI
Pre Intervention 13,46 1,106 10-18 13,06 – 13,86
The results of the analysis in the above table obtained the average score of emotional intelligence of children in Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School is 13,46. The lowest score is 10 and the highest score is 18. In the measurement of emotional intelligence before the cooperative play it is found that 11 out of 30 children or about 36,7% get the score less than 13, it indicates that the child have unfavorable emotional intelligence. This is in line with research conducted Achmad and Husdayanti (2010) that children who has low emotional intelligence as much as 17,6% and Novita (2015) note 42,2% emotional intelligence of pre-school age children is still low.
Based on the examination of each item in emotional intelligence, the deficiency of each child is largely on the lack of ability to understand the feelings of others and social skills to the environment. The ability to understand the feelings or emotions of others is the ability to feel what others feel, be able to understand others perspectives, cultivate relationships of trust and harmony with people or society (Goleman, 2009). The social skill of the environment is the ability to foster relationships with others. The ability to control emotions when dealing with others, carefully reading the situation and social networks, interact smoothly, understand and act wisely in human relationships (Goldstein, 2012).
A child who has poor emotional intelligence, can be caused by lack of stimulation on emotional intelligence. According to Goleman (2009), parents can stimulate children's emotional intelligence, among others, parents need to re-examine how the parenting pattern that has been done, if necessary willing to act in ways that contrary to the habits of parenting, such as too protective, let the children get experience disappointment, not being too quick to help, supporting children to overcome problems, showing empathy, establishing firm and consistent rules. In parenting aspect, parents also need to pay attention to the stages of development of emotional intelligence, need to train children to recognize emotions and manage it well. Parents play an important role in providing stimulation of emotional intelligence, however, before developing children's emotional intelligence, parents should first have emotional intelligence in him.
The lack of intelligence in pre-school children can still be intervere through structured stimulation (Santrock, 2011). If the child has low emotional intelligence, then the quality of life of children will decrease. Therefore it is very important to stimulate, especially structurally in pre-school children to be optimized emotional intelligence through cooperative play (Soetjiningsih & Ranuh, 2013).
Table 2. The Average Score of Emotional Intelligence of Children After Intervention at Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School
Variable Mean Standard Deviation Min - Max 95% CI
Post Intervention 17,56 0,621 12-20 17,33 – 17,78
The results of the analysis in the above table obtained the average assessment of emotional intelligence of children in Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School after the intervention was 17,56. The lowest score is 12 and the highest score is 20. From the interval estimation result it can be concluded that 95% is believed that the average score of children's emotional intelligence after intervention is between 17,33 – 17,78. This range of scores indicates that child's emotional intelligence is in good category.
This is in line with Ismail's (2017) study, which is get the social ability of children as much as 80% has good ability. The group who had been given structured stimulation through cooperative play is known that the scores of children’s emotional intelligence is at the range between 12-20. Of the 30 children, only 2 children had scored 12 with less interpretation of emotional intelligence. The aspects that make the child has low emotional intelligence is child still shows less understanding of feelings each others, for example still feel no need to congratulate his friend who became champion or not yet want to help his friends who are in trouble. In addition, children also lack the social skills to the environment, such as children can
not yet split their friends who quarreled.
The other 28 children on the basis of the examination score of 15-20 with a good interpretation of emotional intelligence. Various studies in child psychology have proven that children with high emotional intelligence are happy, confident, popular, and more successful children in school.
They are be able to control the emotion, establish a sweet relationship with others, can manage stress, and have good mental health (Mashar, 2011).
After intervention with cooperative play, the child’s emotional intelligence are changes.
Changes experienced are the increase in the ability to set himself, for example the child was brave to perfomed in the front of the class, then understand the feelings of others for example willing to lend to their friends, and in social skills to the environment, the child would invite friends who often play alone. But the stimulation effort that has been given for 2 weeks did not give the optimal results because only 4 children are able to achieve the highest score (20). Therefore something that has become a habit will be more difficult to change and takes a longer time. This is in accordance with the explanation according to Soebadi (2008), that the habit will settle in the child's unconscious brain, so that the negative habits should be changed with consistent and sustained intervention. Therefore, to change the habit will not be optimal if only intervened in 2 weeks, so it needs to intervene longer and consistent.
Table 3. Difference Average Score of Emotional Intelligence of Children Before and After Intervention at Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School
Variable Mean SD Min – Max 95% CI P Value
Pre Intervention 13,46 1,106 10-18 13,06 – 13,86
0,001
Post Intervention 17,56 0,621 12-20 17,33 – 17,78
The child's emotional intelligence score before the intervention is in the range 10-18 whereas after intervention is in the range of 12-20. Meanwhile, when viewed from the average score identified before the intervention got an average value of 13,46 and after intervention changed to 17,56. So there is a difference of 4,1 points, the difference in points is very meaningful because it shows the child's inability to manage certain emotions changed to be able to manage emotions well. Result of statistic test got p value 0,001 hence can be concluded there is influence of game cooperative to child emotional intelligence. This is in line with the research of Lilard et al (2013), Arini (2016), and Utami (2017) on the influence of cooperative learning on children's social skills, which shows the influence of learning with the game on the social skills of children.
Children who have not been able to manage themselves, are less able to understand the feelings of others, and have less social skills to the environment, but after intervention there are changes. Changes in the ability of children is obtained through the stimulation with cooperative play, each child is given stimulation for 30 minutes each day for 2 weeks. The stimulation provided in cooperative play, that capable to improve emotional intelligence. In mini puzzles floor and mini basketball, children are required to be able to organize strategies by communicating in groups, keeping in mind the ability of each group member, and to be able to appreciate the friends of other groups who win the game. Then in the game of expression cards and story telling techniques, every child should be able to express their feeling, recognize the expression of others, and empathize with the feelings of others. Furthermore, in stage dolls, children are trained to play a role in the family and school environment, so that they are expected to have social skills on the environment.
In pre-school period, speech and language development, creativity, social awareness, emotional, and intelligence are running very fast (Ministry of Health, 2016). Moral development and the basics of the child's personality are also formed at this time, so that when encountered any
slight deviation, can be intervened immediately.
Development is an expansion of ability through growth, maturation, and learning that occurs gradually, having a level of complexity from lower to higher (Ball & Bindler, 2007).
The development is the increase of the body's ability in coarse motion, smooth motion, speech and language, as well as socialization and independence (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2009). The development will be optimally if given stimulation. Stimulation is an activity to stimulate the basic ability of children to grow and develop optimally (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2009). Each child needs to get regular stimulation as early as possible and continuously at every opportunity.
Stimulation of child growth can be done by parents who are the closest to the child, substitute or caregiver, other family members, or community groups in their respective home environment in daily life (Ministry of Health, 2016). Stimulation is not something difficult and expensive.
Stimulation is something that is easy and cheap, but provides tremendous benefits for the achievement of development. Stimulation can be done by using a simple, safe, and aids tool or game around the child (Goldstein, 2012). At the time of stimulation should provide the same opportunities in boys and girls, so that both boys and girls are able to achieve optimal levels of development.
Conclusion
Before the implementation of cooperative play, the average score of emotional intelligence in children at Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School is 13,46. If based on the interpretation of the instrument examination, the score between the ranges 1-12 indicates that the child unfavourable emotional intelligence, meaning there are some emotional management capabilities that have not been optimal. After the intervention was obtained the average assessment of emotional intelligence of children in Rumah Bintang Islamic Pre School after the cooperative play is 17,56. In the assessment of emotional intelligence before and after the intervention, the difference average between the first and second measurements are 4,01. Result of statistic test got p value 0,001 hence can be concluded there is influence of cooperative play to child emotional intelligence.
Based on the results of the research it is known that through cooperative play given, there are changes in the ability of child emotional intelligence, that increase the ability to manage emotions include the ability to understand their self, self-regulate, understand the feelings of others, and social skills to the environment. Therefore, for nurses who take part in the nursing of children, is expected to cooperate with the public health services in mother and child health programs, the services in public health should not only detect nutritional status and health status, but also detect psychological development such as emotional intelligence. In addition, pediatric nurses can also work together with the school to conduct screening activities of child development, so that the child's development can be known and given stimulation according to
the competence of children in every developmental tasks. So it can be increase the quality of life.
Further research could identify the relationship between the child emotional intelligence with the health status, to improve the relationship between physical health and psychologycal health.
Acknowledgment
We would like to thank to Ministry of High Education and Research and Technology for the funds that have been given in the research grant of novice lecturer and also for School of Health Sciences of Jenderal Achmad Yani Cimahi for the supported given.
References
Achmad, L., Husadayanti. 2010. Relationship parenting type: Parenting with emotional
question in pre schoolers. Journal of Nursing Soedirman. Vol.47, No.4
Arini, D.N. 2016. The influence of cooperative learning on social skills of elementary school students NP 4 Wates. Journal of Primary School Teacher Education, Vol.5, No. 14.
Annisa., 2014. Emotional intelligence disorders. Grow Up Clinique, Jakarta
Ball, J.W., Bindler, R.C., 2003. Pediatric nursing: Caring for children, 3rd ed. Prentice
Hall, New Jersey
Dahlan, M.S., 2008. Statistics for medicine. Salemba Medika, Jakarta
Goleman, D., 2009. Emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence is why EI is more
important than IQ. PT. Gramedia Pustaka, Jakarta
Goldstein, J., 2012. Play in children's, development, health, and well being. TIE, Brussels Hockenberry, M.J.,Wilson, D., 2009. Essential of pediatric nursing. Mosby Year Book,
Saint Louis
Hurlock, E., 2006. Growth and development. Erlangga, Jakarta
Ismail, R., 2016. Increasing students social skill through playing method. Journal of Early Childhood Education, vol.10, no.2.
Ministry of Health RI., 2016. Guidelines for the implementation of stimulation, detection and early intervention of child development at the primary health care level.
Ministry of Health RI, Jakarta
Lillard, A.S., Lerner, M.D., Hopkins, E.J., Dore, R.A., Smith, E.D., Palmquist, C.M.,
2013. The impact of pretend play on children's development. Psychological bulletin, vol.139, No.1.
Polit, D.F., Hungler, B.P., 2005. Nursing research: Principles and methods. Lippincott, Philadelphia
Mahsar, R., 2011. Emotions of early childhood and development strategies. Kencana, Jakarta
Malahayati., 2009. Ready to be a genius from an early age IQ, EQ, SQ for children aged 3-7 years. Kendi Mas Media, Jakarta
Mulyadi, S., 2011. Helping children manage anger. Erlangga, Jakarta
Novita,, 2015. Relationship parenting parents with emotional intelligence of pre-school
children in kindergarten Gandasoli Purwakarta. Stikes Jenderal Achmad Yani Digital Theses Project (www.stikesayani.ac.id)
Ricki, Y., 2014. The influence of puzzles on the child's emotional intelligence. Stikes
Jenderal Achmad Yani Digital Theses Project (www.stikesayani.ac.id) Sabri, L., Hastono, S.P., 2008. Health statistics. Raja Grafindo Persada, Jakarta
Soebadi, A., 2012. Developmental delays. Dep.IKA FKUI RSCM, Jakarta Soetjiningsih., Ranuh, G., 2013. Child growth. EGC, Jakarta
Santrock, J.W., 2011. Child developmental period. Salemba medika, Jakarta Utami, T., 2017. The influence of cooperative learning on children's social skills in kindergarten Fatahilah Sukoharjo. UMS Digital Theses Project (www.UMS.ac.id)
