Children’s behavioural problems in Chinese kindergartens: dual perspectives from teacher reports and classroom observations

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ABSTRACT Preschool children’s behavioural problems significantly affect their development and the effectiveness of teachers’ teaching. It is crucial to understand how teachers perceive and manage these behavioural problems. This study analyzed questionnaire data from 517 teachers across Beijing, Henan, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hainan, supplemented by event-sampling observations from 29 teachers in Chinese kindergartens. It uncovered several high-frequency behavioural problems, including fussiness about food, breaking rules, aggressive behaviour, and non-participation in activities. Notably, the study identified an unstable pattern in behavioural problems over three kindergarten years, pinpointing the second year as a critical shifting period of these problems. Additionally, significant discrepancies were found between teacher reports and classroom observations regarding the prevalence and developmental patterns of behavioural problems. These findings highlight the need to provide teachers with targeted and grade-specific training to manage behavioural problems effectively and to develop joint assessment models involving teachers and trained observers to create effective intervention programmes.