Investigation of preschool teachers’ beliefs related to developmentally appropriate practice and self-regulation skills of children in their classrooms

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the beliefs held by preschool teachers about Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) and the self-regulation skills of children in their classrooms. In this quantitative study, sample comprised 276 preschool teachers and 276 preschoolers. It was found that preschool teachers exhibited elevated levels of beliefs pertaining to DAP. These beliefs displayed substantial variations based on gender across all sub-dimensions as well as the overall scale. Significant variations in some sub-dimensions can be seen based on factors, such as age, age group of children under their care, professional experience, and the type of educational institution that they are affiliated with. There was a significant difference in the self-regulation skills of preschool children based on the educational level of their mothers and fathers. Furthermore, a noteworthy and statistically significant correlation was seen between preschool teachers’ beliefs related to DAP and the level of self-regulation skills of preschoolers.