Child Care Proviers' Beliefs About and Reactions to Children's Negative Emotions

Abstract

This study pilot-tested the Teachers' Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale (TCCNES) using an online format with 54 child care providers. Participants also completed the Teachers' Emotions Beliefs Scale. This study reports on the psychometric properties of the TCCNES as well as findings on the relations between teachers' beliefs and behaviors regarding children's negative emotions. The TCCNES was found to demonstrate satisfactory reliability and validity. Additionally, Child Care providers' beliefs about children's emotions were found to correlate with their reactions to children's displays of negative emotion, with those holding more developmentally appropriate beliefs found to respond less harshly and more positively than those with less appropriate beliefs. A model suggesting that the accessibility of the beliefs moderate the relation between beliefs and behaviors was tested, but no moderated effects were found. Implications for professional development initiatives and future research are discussed.