From Childhood Experience to Professional Response: Sequential Mediation of Well-Being and Cognitive Flexibility Among South Korean Early Childhood Educators

This study investigated the influence of early childhood educators’ childhood experiences of maternal unsupportive responses on their current reactions to children’s negative emotional expressions, focusing on the sequential mediating roles of subjective well-being and cognitive flexibility. A sample of 302 early childhood educators in South Korea completed an online survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro (Version 4.2, Model 6). The findings indicated that maternal unsupportive responses in childhood significantly and positively predicted educators’ current unsupportive responses to children (β = 0.37, 95% CI [0.21, 0.37]). While the simple mediating effect of subjective well-being was not significant (β = −0.01, 95% CI [−0.06, 0.03]), cognitive flexibility significantly mediated this relationship (β = 0.04, 95% CI [0.00, 0.07]). Furthermore, a significant sequential mediating effect was identified (β = 0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.07]): educators who reported more maternal unsupportive responses in childhood showed lower subjective well-being and, in turn, lower cognitive flexibility, which was associated with more frequent unsupportive reactions toward children’s negative emotions. These results are consistent with an intergenerational pattern of emotional socialization, suggesting the potential role of an affective–cognitive mechanism. The study suggests that teacher education and support policies should integrate reflective practices on childhood experiences with programs that enhance emotional well-being and cognitive flexibility, thereby improving the quality of teacher–child interactions.