| The Role of Parental Participation in the Bentengan Game on the Social Development of Elementary School Children |
| Paper ID : 1758-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Mehdi Pourshadlou1, Razieh Khanmohammadi *2, Leily Alizadeh3 1Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Events Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran 2Department of Motor Behavior and Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran 3Assistant Professor of Motor Behavior, Department of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Background: Group play is a crucial context for developing children’s social skills. The traditional game Bentengan, which involves teamwork, coordination, and strategy, can foster cooperation, communication, and understanding of social norms. Parental participation in such games may further enhance these benefits by providing emotional support and modeling positive social behaviors. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of parental participation in the Bentengan game on the social development of 7-year-old elementary school children. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group was used. Thirty 7-year-old children were randomly assigned to two groups: an experimental group (with parental participation) and a control group (without parental participation), each consisting of 15 participants. The Vineland Social Maturity Scale was used to assess social development. The experimental group played the Bentengan game for 12 sessions (three times per week) with parents actively participating, while the control group performed the same activity without parents. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Both groups showed improvement in social development after the intervention; however, the group with parental participation demonstrated significantly greater gains. Parental involvement provided opportunities for children to enhance cooperation, empathy, and communication skills through direct interaction and guided feedback. Conclusion: Parental participation in traditional group games such as Bentengan effectively promotes the social development of elementary school children. These findings emphasize the importance of involving parents in play-based educational programs to support children’s holistic growth. |
| Keywords |
| Parental participation; Bentengan game; Social development; Elementary school children; Traditional play; Cooperative learning |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
