Development and Validation of a Questionnaire to Measure Chinese Preschool Teachers' Implementation of Social-Emotional Practices.

Patricia Snyder,Yuxi Qiu,Anne Corinne Huggins-Manley,Li Luo,Xiumin Hong

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.699334

Abstract

We describe the development and validation of the Social-Emotional Teaching Practices Questionnaire-Chinese (SETP-C), a self-report instrument designed to gather information about Chinese preschool teachers’ implementation of social-emotional practices. Initially (study 1), 262 items for the SETP-C were generated. Content validation of these items was conducted separately with Chinese practice experts, research experts, and preschool teachers. Significant revisions were made to items based on theoretical evidence and empirical findings from initial content validation activities, which led to a 70-item version of the SETP-C. In study 2, preliminary psychometric integrity evidence and item characteristics of the SETP-C were gathered based on the data from a sample of 1,599 Chinese preschool teacher respondents. Results from confirmatory factor analyses suggested a seven-factor measurement model, and high internal consistency score reliability was documented for each dimension of the SETP-C. Results of item response theory graded response models further indicated adequate psychometric properties at the item level.

Highlights

Social-emotional competence (SEC) refers to a child’s ability to form close and secure relationships with others; experience, regulate, and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate ways; and explore the environment in appropriate ways to learn (Yates et al, 2008)
All five Chinese research experts considered the Social-Emotional Teaching Practices Questionnaire-Chinese (SETP-C) as a culturally appropriate instrument to measure preschool social-emotional practices, and expressed that they were impressed with the comprehensive processes used to develop the SETP-C. They strongly supported the conceptualization of social-emotional practices reflected on the SETP-C, which was based on the Pyramid Model and two Chinese early childhood learning standards documents for the target population (i.e., Chinese preschool teachers)
These recommended revisions included (a) improving the wording of some SETP-C items and their translation into Chinese; (b) dividing the dimension of explicit instruction on social or emotional skills into two dimensions, social-emotional instructional content (e.g., “I explicitly teach children friendship skills) and socialemotional instructional strategies (e.g., “I use role-playing to teach children positive social or emotional skills”); and (c) distinguishing teaching practices related to using effective strategies to respond to low-intensity challenging behavior from those focused on practices for children with persistent challenging behavior

Summary

Introduction

Social-emotional competence (SEC) refers to a child’s ability to form close and secure relationships with others; experience, regulate, and express emotions in socially and culturally appropriate ways; and explore the environment in appropriate ways to learn (Yates et al, 2008). A body of correlational and longitudinal research indicates that SEC of young children is positively related to their readiness for school and early school adjustment, whereas negatively related to a variety of later academic and behavioral problems (e.g., McClelland and Morrison, 2003; Trentacosta and Izard, 2007). Recent years have witnessed increased attention to the promotion of young children’s SEC, including in preschool programs. A multitude of preschool curricula or programs have been designed and implemented to teach and foster SEC (e.g., Domitrovich et al, 2004; Hemmeter et al, 2016). To support young children to acquire SEC, teachers often use intentional and systematic teaching practices (Epstein, 2009). The value of instruction in SEC in early childhood educational settings has been documented both theoretically and empirically

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Discussion

Conclusion