The Impact of Early Childhood Teachers' Emotional Intelligence on Teacher-Child Interaction: The Multiple Parallel Mediating Effects of Grit and Teacher Efficacy

Objectives This study aims to examine the relationships among early childhood teachers' emotional intelligence, teacher-child interaction, grit, and teacher efficacy, focusing on the multiple parallel mediating effects of grit and teacher efficacy in the process by which teachers' emotional intelligence influences teacher-child interaction. Methods The research analyzed survey data from 362 homeroom teachers working in daycare centers and kindergartens. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and SPSS Macro Process 4.3 for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple parallel mediation analysis with Process Macro(Model 4). A bootstrap test was conducted to verify the significance of the multiple parallel mediating effects of grit and teacher efficacy. Results The results of the study are as follows: First, emotional intelligence, teacher-child interaction, grit, and teacher efficacy of early childhood teachers were found to be positively correlated. Second, both grit and teacher efficacy partially mediated the effect of emotional intelligence on teacher-child interaction. Conclusions The findings suggest that to promote positive interactions between early childhood teachers and children, it is necessary to seek and provide various programs that can enhance teachers' emotional intelligence, grit, and teacher efficacy.