The purpose of this Research is to examine the emotional labor and happiness of childcare teachers, examine the effect of the difference of individual variables on happiness and emotional labor, and understand the correlation between happiness and emo...
The purpose of this Research is to examine the emotional labor and happiness of childcare teachers, examine the effect of the difference of individual variables on happiness and emotional labor, and understand the correlation between happiness and emotional labor of childcare teachers, in order to find implications to allow childcare teachers in an emotional labor situation to become happy teachers.
The following research issues were set pursuant to the above purpose.
1. What is the happiness for childcare teachers and is there a difference depending on individual variables?
2. What is the emotional labor of childcare teachers, and is there a difference depending on individual variables?
3. What is the relationship between the happiness and emotional labor of childcare teachers?
This Research was conducted over childcare teachers working at nurseries located at Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, and the surveys were analyzed by selecting 380 childcare teachers as samples. To measure the happiness of childcare teachers, the criterion suggested by Choi Yoon-jeong(2009) was used by combining the composition elements of life meaning classification by Emmons(1999), satisfaction with life scale of Myers(1992), and Authentic Happiness Inventory(AHI) of Seligman(2002). In addition, in order to measure the emotional labor of childcare teachers, the criterion suggested by Lee Jin-hwa(2007), who modified Emotional Labor Scale(ELS) used by the research of Gilstrap(2005), was used. The 334 research data collected was used to calculate the technology statistics to understand the individual variables of the samples by using the SPSS Win 17.0 program, the t test and One-Way ANOVA was conducted to understand the difference between the happiness and emotional labor level of childcare teachers, and a correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the happiness and emotional labor of childcare teachers.
The results of this Research can be summarized as follows.
First, the happiness level of childcare teachers appeared to be slightly higher than average, and regarding the sub-categories of happiness, the research result showed that childcare teachers acknowledged happiness in the order of family relationship, interpersonal relationship, achievement, spirituality, overall happiness in life, health, finance, and happiness in life as a teacher. The happiness of childcare teachers appeared to differ depending on age, existence of religion, type of nursery, job experience, and marriage status.
Second, the emotional labor level of childcare teachers appeared to be high, and when examining per sub-category, the natural behavior appeared to be in the highest level, and internal behavior and apparent behavior followed. The emotional labor of childcare teachers appeared to differ depending on age, existence of religion, job experience, education level, marriage status, and age of class in charge.
Third, as a result of examining the relationship between happiness and emotional labor of childcare teachers, happiness appeared to have a positive correlation with emotional labor, and the result showed that the sub-categories of happiness of childcare teachers, which were overall happiness of life, happiness in life as a teacher, health, family relationship, interpersonal relationship(sociality), achievement, spirituality, and finance, and the sub-categories of emotional labor, which were inner behavior, natural behavior, and apparent behavior, have a positive correlation.
The result of this Research showed that the happiness and emotional labor of childcare teachers have a close relationship. In order to alleviate the emotional labor of childcare teachers, the happiness of the teachers should increase, and since this has a close relationship with the happiness of young children, the support method and interest to improve the quality of life of childcare teachers should be sought and an efficient method to develop and disseminate programs to enhance happiness should be established during teachers’ training or continuing education.