Development and Validation of Preschool Teachers’ Caring Behaviour Questionnaire and Its Internal Mechanism with Work Performance

Abstract

Purpose: Firstly, the Caring Behaviour Questionnaire for Preschool Teachers was developed to facilitate formal assessment of preschool teachers’ caring quality. Caring behavior, as an important performance of preschool teachers’ caring quality, can reflect the real state of preschool teachers’ caring. The research on the structure and present situation of preschool teachers’ caring behavior is not only the exploration of caring theory, but also conducive to the professional development of preschool teachers. Here we report the development and initial validation. Secondly, the relationship model of the four variables of preschool teachers’ caring behavior, competence, occupational happiness and job performance is established to explore the internal mechanism of the effect of preschool teachers’ caring behavior on job performance. Methods: Firstly, the initial item pool was developed based on a theoretical framework, empirical literature, existing scales and expert review. The Caring Behavior Questionnaire for Preschool Teachers (CBQPT) was developed from the thematic analysis of open questionnaire surveys with preschool teachers. The questionnaire was conveniently distributed to 80 front-line preschool teachers from 8 kindergartens in Xinzhou city. Exploratory factor analysis was utilized to explore domains in the questionnaire. Construct and convergent validity data, internal consistency and composite reliability of the domains were analyzed. Demographic data and preschool teachers’ characteristics were collected. Secondly, participants were 500 Chinese preschool teachers who reported measures of the current situation of kindergarten teachers’ caring behaviors, self-assessment questionnaire for teachers’ competence, work performance and occupational happiness. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap mediation tests were used. Results: Firstly, four-hundred and fifty-four preschool teachers completed the questionnaire of preschool teachers’ caring behavior. The final questionnaire of preschool teachers’ caring behavior has 19 items under five internally-consistent and reliable domains: understanding and support, class management, communication, respect and trust, reflection and promotion. The full scale demonstrated good internal consistency (∝ = 0.94), composite reliability of the domains, acceptable convergent, divergent validity, good construct and convergent validity. The internal consistency coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.940, class management 0.741, understanding and support 0.855, communication 0.820, respect and trust 0.825, reflection and promotion 0.814 respectively. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire meet the requirements of measurement. This questionnaire was used to measure 484 kindergarten teachers. Secondly, the results showed that teachers’ caring behavior significantly positively predicted work performance in preschool teachers. Competence and occupational happiness were found to play a mediating role between teachers’ caring behavior and work performance in preschool teachers. Conclusions: Firstly, initial evaluation shows the CBQPT has good validity and reliability and is a promising tool for the measure of current situation of preschool teachers’ caring behavior towards children. The results showed that the overall caring behavior level of kindergarten teachers was high, and the average score from the highest to the lowest was understanding and support, respect and trust, class management, reflection and promotion, communication. In educational background, there is no significant difference in preschool teachers’ caring behavior. There are significant differences in preschool teachers’ caring behavior in teaching age, marital status, school location and school nature. Preschool teachers’ caring behavior in public schools is significantly higher than that in private schools. Married preschool teachers’ caring behavior is significantly higher than unmarried preschool teachers’ caring behavior. Urban preschool teachers’ caring behavior is significantly higher than rural preschool teachers’ caring behavior. Public schools’ caring behavior is significantly higher than private kindergarten teachers’ caring behavior. Secondly, the study expands the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effect of teachers’ caring on work performance by the mediating roles of competence and occupational happiness, and its findings are novel and insightful, both theoretically and practically. This study not only clarifies that preschool teachers’ caring behavior positively predicts work performance but also supports the roles of their competence and occupational happiness as mediators in this relationship.