• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.437-448
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of individual and interpersonal variables on early childhood teachers' efficacy of problem behavior guidance. Individual variables consisted of teachers' socio-demographic characteristics, experience of training course on problem behavior guidance and warm-hearted attitude. Interpersonal variables consisted of intimacy with colleagues, support from the principal of a kindergarten, parental partnerships. Subjects were 122 early childhood teachers in Busan. Major findings were as follows. There were significant differences in teachers' efficacy of problem behavior guidance with respect to teachers' age, teaching experience, position, marriage status, experience of training course on problem behavior guidance, warm-hearted attitude, intimacy with colleagues, and support from the principal of a kindergarten. In other words, a higher level of teachers' efficacy of problem behavior guidance was shown in the teachers who were older, highly experienced, or in higher positions. In addition, teachers who were married, had completed a training course on problem behavior guidance, had a higher warm-hearted attitude, had a intimacy with colleagues, or had a support from the principal of a kindergarten were found to have higher efficacy of problem behavior guidance. As results of examining relative effects of individual and interpersonal variables on efficacy of problem behavior guidance, the influential variables are teaching experience, warm-hearted attitude, support from the principal of a kindergarten, and position in that order.