A Study of the Effects of Picture Book Reading on Young Children’s Sibling Jealousy

Abstract

Jiayi Luo

The study focuses on the role of picture book reading in sibling envy in young children. With the implementation of the multiple- child policy, the relationship between siblings has become intricate and complicated, and the problem of sibling envy has gradually emerged, which negatively affects young children’s physical and mental health and family relationships. In this study, 60 children in the first class of Huiyuan Road Kindergarten in Jiading District, Shanghai, were selected as the research subjects, and “You are all my favourite” (emotion cultivation category) and “The Caterpillar” (knowledge enlightenment category) were selected as the experimental materials by using experimental research and interview methods. The results of the study showed that the emotion- cultivating picture books had a significant effect on reducing the frequency of jealousy, regulating emotional responses, improving behavioural performance and promoting cognitive development, e.g., the children in the class reading such picture books had less frequency of jealousy, less anger and less aggressive behaviour, and more correctly understood the love of their parents; however, the intervention effect of the knowledge-enlightening picture books was weaker. On this basis, it is proposed that kindergartens should set up additional picture book courses for emotional development and teachers should adopt diversified teaching methods; families should pay attention to relevant picture books for parent-child co-reading as well as parental teaching; and home and family should strengthen the collaboration in picture book reading to promote children’s physical and mental healthy growth and dissolution of compatriot relations.