A preschool student pushing peers off playground equipment may exhibit what type of social skills deficit?

The correct answer is that a preschool student pushing peers off playground equipment may exhibit an acquisition social skills deficit. This type of deficit refers to difficulties in learning or gaining new social skills necessary for appropriate interactions. In the context of a preschool setting, acquisition deficits could indicate that the child has not yet learned how to appropriately share space and engage with peers in a positive manner, which often involves taking turns or waiting for one’s turn on playground equipment.

In contrast, performance deficits would indicate that the student knows the skills but fails to demonstrate them appropriately, while application deficits would suggest that the student can demonstrate the skills but struggles to apply them in various situations. Generalization deficits would indicate a problem with transferring learned skills to different contexts. Therefore, the acquisition deficit distinctly focuses on the initial learning process of those essential social interactions that are critical at the preschool age.