The Effects of Preschool Infants' Self-elasticity on Emotional Control, Empathy, and Teacher Efficacy

This study examined the effect of self-esteem of pre-infant teachers on self-elasticity, emotional regulation, and empathy. The subjects of this study were 230 university students from W University's Early Childhood Education Department in location I. The data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0. In addition, in each sub-variable, self-elasticity was found to have the greatest positive correlation with positivity, emotional regulation ability with self-emotional regulation ability, and empathy ability with cognitive empathy ability. Second, self-esteem had a significant positive effect on self-elasticity, and among the sub-variables, this study found that general self-concept, self-responsibility, and personal integrity in order were important determinants. Third, self-esteem has an influence on personal integrity in emotional regulation ability. Fourth, as for the effect of self-esteem on empathy ability, it was found that self-assertion had a significant and positive effect on empathy ability. These research results have led to re-awareness of the importance of pre-service early childhood teachers' self-esteem, suggesting that research on various educational activities that can improve self-esteem in the curriculum is needed.