Associations between preschool children’s perspective-taking skills and their perceived abilities and behavioral intentions toward peers with special educational needs

The aim of this study was to examine the associations between preschool children’s perceived capabilities, perspective-taking skills, and behavioral intentions toward peers with special educational needs. The sample consisted of 193 preschool children aged 4 to 6 years, selected through convenience sampling from early childhood education centres in Bayburt, Türkiye. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed. Data were collected using the Child Information Form, the Perceived Capabilities Scale, the Behavioral Intentions Scale, and the Child Perspective-Taking Test. Data collection was conducted in one-on-one sessions over two meetings per child, with an average duration of 18 min. Small but statistically significant positive associations were observed between children’s perceived capabilities and their behavioral intentions across the three peer conditions (r =.283-0.289, p <.01). Small associations were also observed between selected perspective-taking components and behavioral intentions in the bivariate analyses; however, none of the perspective-taking components remained significantly associated with behavioral intentions after the other variables were taken into account. Across the three regression models, perceived capabilities were the only variable that remained significantly associated with behavioral intentions (β = 0.268-0.289, p <.001). The regression models explained a modest proportion of the variance in behavioral intentions (R² = 0.093-0.106; adjusted R² = 0.074-0.087). Exploratory group comparisons indicated selective differences in perspective-taking according to reported experience with peers with SEN; however, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because experience was measured dichotomously and the direct-experience groups were highly unequal. Girls reported slightly higher behavioral intentions toward peers with physical disabilities than boys (t = 2.318, p =.022), whereas no significant age-related differences were observed.