The Mediating Effect of Play Teaching Efficacy on the Relationship Between Early Childhood Teachers’ Social Support Within the Workplace and Teacher-Child Interactions

Objectives This study examined the mediating effect of play teaching efficacy in the relationship between early childhood teachers’ social support within the workplace and teacher-child interactions. Methods The data were collected from 123 teachers in preschooler classes at daycare centers and 119 homeroom teachers in kindergartens in the Seoul metropolitan area to find out social support in the workplace, play teaching efficacy, and teacher-infant interaction. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 18.0 programs. Results Firstly, there were significant positive correlations among early childhood teachers’ social support within the workplace, play teaching efficacy, and teacher-child interactions. Secondly, play teaching efficacy partially mediated the relationship between early childhood teachers’ social support and teacher-child interactions. Conclusions These results demand that the efforts of the educational settings to enhance positive support for the teachers’ social support. Moreover, the results stressed the need to develop education programs for teachers to encourage play teaching efficacy in order to enhance teacher-child interactions.