The Influence of Parent-Child Playtime on the Parent-Child Relationship Among Malaysian Families

Behavioral problems including mental health issues among young children have become increasingly alarming in recent years. According to the data, a poor parent-child relationship has been a significant contributing factor to its prevalence. This study aims to examine the influence of parent-child playtime on the parent-child relationship among Malaysian families. The targeted sample is parents with children aged 2-8 years old working in Klang Valley. The sample size is two hundred and forty (n= 240). Items from the Parent Play Questionnaire (PPQ) were used to access parent-child playtime. Items from the Child-Parents Relationship Scale – Short Form (CPRS - SF) were adapted to measure the level of parent-child relationship. This set of questionnaires was distributed randomly among working parents in Klang Valley. All data was entered into SPSS and analyzed for correlation using Pearson’s r and regression analysis to analyze the effect relationship between variables. The result of this study shows that the parents have a high level of parent-child playtime and parent-child relationship. Findings revealed positive correlations between parent-child playtime and parent-child relationship. In addition, the regression analysis showed that parent enjoyment during playtime contributed to higher parent-child relationship. This study has implications for parents, counsellors and the community to emphasis more in play with younger children in promoting positive parent-child relationships.