To determine the effects of a child and parent program on developing social skills for preventing violent behaviors in children aged 60~72 months through a specially developed pre and posttest, control group, quasi-experimental study.

A social skills development program based on Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory was used. The data were collected using the Social Skills Assessment Scale (SSAS), a Chart to Monitor Verbal and Behavioral Violence in Children, the Parental Attitude Scale and the Parent Interview Form. This quasi-experimental study that included a pretest, posttest, and control group had a sample comprising 67 children and parents, with 36 in the experimental group, and 31 in the control group.

Over a six-month period, while the social skill scores of the children in the experimental and control groups increased, their violent behaviors decreased (p<.050). Increase in social skill scores and decrease in violent behaviors were higher in the experimental than in the control group children (p<.050). The parents in the experimental group stated that they had started to empathize with their children, using “I” language, and applied rules more consistently after the program.

This program was successful in preventing violent behaviors in children through the development of social skills. Hence, it can be effectively implemented through a teacher/nurse collaboration.

There is evidence that parent-child cohesion is a potentially influential factor in children's self-esteem and acculturation. However, no research to date has examined cohesion with parents as a potential pathway between Korean proficiency and self-esteem or acculturation among children from multicultural families. This study was done to address these limitations by examining whether and to what extent cohesion with parents mediated the effect of Korean proficiency on self-esteem and acculturation among children from multicultural families.

Data were collected from a sample of 138 mothers and their children living in Seoul, Daegu, Kyungi province, and Kyungpook province. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between the variables of interest. Mediation effects of cohesion with parents were tested by following the procedure recommended by Baron and Kenny (1986).

Cohesion with parents partially mediated the relationship between Korean proficiency and self-esteem. For children's acculturation, the effect of Korean proficiency was partially mediated through father-child cohesion. Mother-child cohesion completely mediated the relationship between Korean proficiency and acculturation.

These findings suggest that to help children from multicultural families experiencing difficulties with self-esteem or acculturation, it might be useful to develop programs that are aimed at strengthen cohesion with parents.