Using PlayWorld to Promote Narrative Development: Evidence from a Double-blind Control Experiment.

Background: Recent data indicate an increase in speech difficulties and a decline in narrative competence among today's preschool children. Therefore, identifying effective methods to support the development of narrative competence is a pressing and relevant challenge. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using PlayWorld1 interventions in fostering narrative competence in preschool children. Design: The study involved 90 children aged 5-6 years and compared: (1) Play-World- a form of joint child-adult pretend play based on a fairy tale plot, (2) free pretend play, and (3) a control group. The research employed a randomised controlled trial design. Children's narratives were assessed using the "MAIN: Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives", focusing on word count, speech rate, and both macrostructure (semantic level) and microstructure (lexical-grammatical level) of narrative production. Results: The results revealed that children receiving PlayWorld interventions significantly improved their macro- and microstructure of narratives, whereas in free pretend play children improved only the macrostructure of narratives. Children in the control group showed significant decline of scores for the macrostructure of narratives. Conclusion: The findings revealed that PlayWorld interventios are an effective approach for developing narrative competence. The use of cultural texts and adult involvement in pretend play are important complementary factors that enhance the developmental impact of pretend play. The findings contribute to a more precise understanding of how pretend play supports narrative development and may have both theoretical and practical implications for future research and educational practice.