The Mediating Effect of the Practice of Respecting Young Children’s Rights on the Relationship between Kindergarten Teachers’ Commitment to Teaching and Teacher-Child Interactions

This study examined the mediating effect of the practice of respecting young children’s rights on the relationship between kindergarten teachers’ commitment to teaching and teacher-chid interactions. Subjects included 325 kindergarten teachers from Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 26.0. The study results can be summarized as follows: First, kindergarten teachers’ commitment to teaching positively affected the practice of respecting young children’s rights, which, in turn, positively affected teacher-child interactions. However, kindergarten teachers’ commitment to teaching did not directly affect teacher-child interactions. Second, the practice of respecting young children’s rights was a significant mediating variable in the relationship between kindergarten teachers’ commitment to teaching and teacher-child interactions. Thus, kindergarten teachers’ commitment to teaching indirectly affected teacher-child interactions through the practice of respecting young children’s rights. These results highlight the importance of the practice of respecting young children’s rights. The findings suggest that kindergarten teachers should be committed to teaching and actively practice respecting young children’s rights to enhance teacher-child interactions.