Effects of Playfulness of Early Childhood Teachers on Their Interaction with Young Children: Mediating Effects of Positive Play Beliefs

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effects of playfulness of early childhood teachers on their interaction with children in the early childhood stage, and to verify the mediating effects of teachers' positive play beliefs on the relationship between them. Methods: Using the questionnaire survey method targeting 269 early childhood teachers, this study aimed to measure the playfulness and positive play beliefs of early childhood teachers, and examine their effects on the interaction between the teacher and young children. The mediating effects were analyzed by applying the structural equation model using SPSS 21.0 and SPSS Amos 21.0, as well as the bootstrapping method. Results: With the mediation of positive play beliefs, playfulness of early childhood teachers was shown to have significant indirect effects on the emotional, linguistic, and behavioral interaction between teacher and young children. Conclusion: The playfulness of early childhood teachers not only has direct effects on the interaction between teacher and children in the early childhood stage, but also has indirect effects on it with the mediation of positive play belief. It is therefore important for early childhood teachers to possess positive play beliefs by internalizing the value and importance of play based on their own playfulness.