Caregivers' Behaviour and Preschoolers' Delinquency in Public Early Childhood Education Centres Rivers State

Preschoolers often exhibit behaviour that can be classified as delinquent, including self-injury, aggression, disruptive actions, noncompliance with classroom rules, finger or tongue sucking, crying, and nail biting. Given that a child’s environment significantly influences their behaviour, it is plausible that caregivers’ treatment may contribute to these delinquencies. To explore this, the study examined the relationship between caregivers’ behaviour and preschoolers’ delinquency in public early childhood education centres in Rivers State. The study was guided by six objectives, six research questions, and six null hypotheses, and anchored on two theoretical frameworks: Protection Motivation Theory (R. W. Rogers, 1975) and Rational Emotive Theory (Albert Ellis, 1962). Employing a correlational research design, the population consisted of 16,021 preschoolers across 682 centres, with a sample of 1,602 respondents (approximately 10%) selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a 30-item Caregivers’ Behaviour Questionnaire (CUBQ) and a 30-item Preschoolers’ Delinquency Observation Inventory (PDOI). Reliability indices determined via test-retest were 0.64 and 0.71, respectively. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to analyse data at a 0.05 significance level. Findings indicated a significant positive relationship between caregivers’ fairness and preschoolers’ delinquency. Consequently, it was recommended that caregivers apply a balanced approach of fairness and firmness in managing preschoolers to foster appropriate discipline.