Pre-school play with friends lowers risk of mental health problems later

(Image: Pixabay CC0) Children who learn to play well with others at pre-school age tend to enjoy better mental health as they get older, new research shows. The findings provide the first clear evidence that -peer play ability-, the capacity to play successfully with other children, has a protective effect on mental health. Games with peers that encourage children to collaborate, for example, or activities that promote sharing, will have positive knock-on benefits Vicky Yiran Zhao Researchers at the University of Cambridge analysed data from almost 1,700 children, collected when they were aged three and seven. Those with better peer play ability at age three consistently showed fewer signs of poor mental health four years later. They tended to have lower hyperactivity, parents and teachers reported fewer conduct and emotional problems, and they were less likely to get into fights or disagreements with other children. Importantly, this connection generally held true even when the researchers focused on sub-groups of children who were particularly at risk of mental health problems. It also applied when they considered other risk factors for mental health - such as poverty levels, or cases in which the mother had experienced serious psychological distress during or immediately after pregnancy.