Citation

Curci SG, Gallegos JV. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsad091

PMID

38031475

Abstract

Unintentional injuries are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality among children under the age of 5 years in the U.S., accounting for thousands of deaths and more than 1 million nonfatal emergency department visits annually [Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), 2023]. Population data highlight the need for empirical studies investigating factors that contribute to unintentional injury during this developmental period. The preschool years are marked by exponential development across cognitive, physical, socioemotional, and language domains, that increases children's independent exploration of their surrounding world (Jechura et al., 2016). As preschoolers advance in motor control, coordination, and mobility, they begin to explore their environments more independently, often testing the boundaries of their physical limitations through play (Brussoni et al., 2012). Increased physical risk-taking behavior in play (e.g., jumping off furniture or walking on high surfaces) is hypothesized to contribute to risk for unintentional injury during preschool (Di Norcia et al., 2018), reflected in the leading causes of nonfatal emergency department visits in this age group [Center for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), 2023]. Empirical understanding of risky play among preschool-aged children has important implications for unintentional injury prevention efforts.

Language: en