The Effects of Early Childhood Teachers' Psychological Burnout and Emotional Intelligence on Problem Behavior Guidance Strategies

This study investigated early childhood teachers’ psychological burnout, emotional intelligence, and problem behavior guidance strategies, and examine the relationship between them, and thereby, analyzed the effects of teachers’ psychological burnout and emotional intelligence on problem behavior guidance strategies. The subjects of this study were 238 teachers who worked at daycare centers and kindergartens, resonsible for classes with children aged three to five. This study was conducted through a paper-and-pencil poll, and the data collected were analyzed using the SPSS 27.0 program. The results of this study are summarized as follows. First, the degree of psychological burnout of early childhood teachers surveyed in this study was 2.18 points, which was lower than the middle; emotional intelligence was 3.86 points, and problem behavior guidance strategy was 3.95 points, which was higher than the middle. Second, there was a correlation between early childhood teachers' psychological burnout, emotional intelligence, and problem behavior guidance strategies. Third, among the sub-factors of psychological burnout, only a decrease in personal sense of accomplishment had a negative effect on the problem behavior guidance strategy, and emotional intelligence showed that all sub-factors except emotional regulation had a positive effect on the problem behavior guidance strategy. This study aims to provide a foundation for preparing a program that ultimately improves the quality of problem behavior guidance strategies by easing the degree of psychological burnout of early childhood teachers and strengthening emotional intelligence.