The Relationships Among Teacher’s Self-Efficacy, Teacher–Child Interaction, and Peer Interaction Based on Young Children’s Emotional Intelligence

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among preschool teacher’s self-efficacy, teacher–child interaction, and peer interaction, and tried to find out any differences occurred based on young children’s emotional intelligence. The research participants of the study were 68 preschool teachers and 210 preschool-aged children. Teacher’s self-efficacy test was conducted using measurement tools, and young children’s emotional intelligence, teacher–child interaction and peer interaction were analysed through correlation analysis and regression analysis by collecting data using survey questions from teachers. As a result, first, it was found that teacher’s self-efficacy had a positive effect on teacher–child interaction, and teacher–child interaction had a positive effect on peer interaction. Second, teacher’s self-efficacy did not directly affect young children’s peer interaction but influenced peer interaction through the mediating effect of teacher–child interaction. Third, as a result of verifying whether the influence of teacher’s self-efficacy on peer interaction through teacher–child interaction appears differently depending on young children’s emotional intelligence, there was no significant difference found. These results show that the higher the teacher’s self-efficacy regardless of young children’s emotional intelligence, the higher the positive interaction between teacher and children, the more positive interaction with young children’s peers.