The purpose of this study was to examine the mediated effect of teacher’s efficacy on the relationship between childcare teacher’s emotional labor and burnouts. For this, the emotional labor of childcare teachers, who could not but environmentally...
The purpose of this study was to examine the mediated effect of teacher’s efficacy on the relationship between childcare teacher’s emotional labor and burnouts. For this, the emotional labor of childcare teachers, who could not but environmentally carry out emotional labor, was classified into its types, and then looked into the relationship between burnouts and the teacher’s efficacy. In addition, this study was initiated to clarify the effect of a teacher’s efficacy as a intervening variable that could prevent or reduce a childcare teacher’s burnout, which could degrade the quality of childcare, and then provide basic data on the prevention and reduction of burnouts. For this, study questions were worked out as follows:
1) ‘What is the correlation among childcare teacher’s emotional labor, burnouts and the teacher’s efficacy?’
2) ‘What effect does the teacher’s efficacy have on the relationship between childcare teacher’s emotional labor and burnouts as a intervening variable?’
2)-1 ‘What effect does the teacher’s efficacy have on the relationship between childcare teacher’s inartificial behavior and burnouts as a intervening variable?’
2)-2 ‘What effect does the teacher’s efficacy have on the relationship between childcare teacher’s superficial behavior and burnouts as a intervening variable?’
2)-3 ‘What effect does the teacher’s efficacy have on the relationship between childcare teacher’s inner behavior and burnouts as a intervening variable?’
Study subjects were 317 childcare teachers in Seoul and the capital area. In order to test the childcare teachers’ emotional labor, the author used ELS (Emotional Labor Scale) developed by Gilstrap (2005) and modified by Lee Jin-hwa (2007). In order to test the childcare teachers’ burnouts, the author used MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory) developed by Maslach & Jackson (1981) and modified/supplemented by Gang Hak-gu (1996), after changing the term ‘student’ to ‘young child.’ In order to test the childcare teachers’ efficacy, the author used the test tool of teacher’s efficacy for elementary school teachers developed by Lee Hyeon-jeong (1998) and modified/supplemented by Yu Jae-ryeong (2014).
In relation to study questions, collected data were analyzed with Pearson’s correlation analysis, Baron & Kenny’s mediated effect test, and Sobel test for the statistical significance of data.
Study findings are as follows:
First, when such sub-variables of childcare teacher’s emotional labor as inartificial behavior and inner behavior were higher, the teacher’s efficacy was higher as well. However, superficial behavior had no statistically significant effect on the teacher’s efficacy. And when superficial behavior was higher, the childcare teacher’s confidence was lower. In addition, when such sub-variables of childcare teacher’s emotional labor as inartificial behavior and inner behavior were higher, the teacher’s burnouts were lower. On the other hand, when superficial behavior was higher, burnouts were higher as well.
Second, on the relationship between such sub-variables of childcare teacher’s emotional labor as inartificial behavior & inner behavior and burnouts, the mediated effect of the teacher’s efficacy was partially verified. This finding seems to imply the fact that inartificial behavior and inner behavior in their negative relationship with burnouts could reduce burnouts more through a intervening variable of the teacher’s efficacy.
In conclusion, such sub-variables of childcare teacher’s emotional labor as inartificial behavior and inner behavior increased the teacher’s efficacy. In addition, inartificial behavior and inner behavior decreased burnouts, whereas superficial behavior increased burnouts. Since the teacher’s efficacy had partial mediated effect on the relationship between childcare teacher’s inartificial behavior, inner behavior and burnouts, if the childcare teacher’s efficacy is improved, their burnouts could be prevented or reduced. In this vein, in order to improve the quality of childcare service at childcare centers, it is necessary to find out a variety of methods to enhance a childcare teacher’s efficacy. The author hopes future follow-up studies will be carried out based on study findings.