Peer Effects as a Compensatory Support for Preschoolers’ Language Development

Research Findings: The present study examined whether the strength of the relation between peer expressive language skills and preschool children’s expressive language gains depended on children’s initial expressive language skills. The sample included 148 children in 21 classrooms who were 52.35 months old on average. Approximately 56% of the children were male and 44% were female, 8% were Black, 92% were White, and 3% were Hispanic or Latinx. No strong evidence of a main effect of peer expressive language skills was found. However, an interaction effect between peer expressive language skills and child initial expressive language skills was significant. As compared to children with higher initial expressive language skills, children with lower initial expressive language skills benefited the most from exposure to more highly skilled peers in their classroom, demonstrating a compensatory peer effect. Practice or Policy: The present findings demonstrate the importance of reaching a better understanding of the role peers play in supporting child development in preschool settings. In particular, children who enter classrooms with below average language skills may benefit from classroom practices and policies that encourage and support exposure to more highly skilled peers.