Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31299/ksi.32.2.1
Preschool teachers’ self-efficacy about a child’s emotional and behavioral problems: early indicators for assistance for teachers
Nataša Vlah
orcid.org/0000-0003-3965-0927
; University of Rijeka, Croatia
*
Kathleen Beaudoin
; University of Washington, USA
Martina Župančić
orcid.org/0000-0002-1027-1344
; PhD Student at the University of Osijek, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Preschool teachers in the Republic of Croatia are likely to encounter children with challenging behavior but may be less likely to receive support given the low numbers of preschool children identified as having emotional and behavioral disabilities. This study aimed to examine the perceptions of 254 Croatian preschool teachers regarding their self-efficacy in their ability to managing, instructing, and engaging a specific child whom they found to be behaviorally challenging. The results showed that teachers' self-efficacy was negatively associated with children's ratings of internalizing and externalizing problems and positively associated with children's ratings of social competence. The number of years children attended preschool, and the amount of time spent with their preschool teacher were associated with higher ratings of children’s social competence and lower ratings of children’s anxiety/withdrawal. Evidence is also suggested for the potential feasibility of a brief 3-item screening instrument for early detection of significantly challenging behavior: Children’s Brief Sociopedagogical Scanner. The results may contribute to preventing social exclusion, but further research is needed.
Keywords
Children’s Brief Sociopedagogical Scanner; preschool teachers; prevention of social exclusion; self-efficacy; emotional and behavioral problems
Hrčak ID:
324232
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2024.
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