Early childhood teachers’ experiences regarding teacher-parent relationships examined through qualitative meta-analysis

Objectives This study aims to identify factors that influence the formation of teacher-parent relationships as early childhood educators experience interactions with parents, and to explore how these variables affect changes in early childhood educators. Methods To achieve this, a qualitative meta-analysis was conducted on qualitative research materials regarding early childhood teacher-parent relationship experiences. The analysis included 18 qualitative research papers published in domestic journals (KCI listed) from 2000 to 2023. Through processes of data coding between in-dividual studies, case categorization and classification across studies, comparative analysis between studies, and deriving and interpreting results, the changes in teachers during the early childhood teacher-parent relationship process were identified. Results First, the factors of negative experience in the teacher-parent relationship were parental disposition, ex-cessive demands of parents, imbalance in the relationship, teachers' own factors, problems in the teacher training process, and emotional dissonance. Second, the teacher-parent relationship was shown to be a change stage in three stages: teacher-parent relationship experience, coping, and growth into a professional early childhood teacher. Conclusions This study attempted to clarify in depth by comprehensively comparing and interpreting individual qualitative studies on the experience of teacher-parent relationships. We identified relevant factors linked to the teacher-parent relationship and derived comprehensive results.