Teachers' Relationships with Children in the Finnish Early Childhood Education Context: A Validation Study. (October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Wenwen; Laakkonen, Eero; Silvén, Maarit
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychoeducational assessment. Volume 39:Number 7(2021)
• Page Start: 848
• Page End: 860
• Publication Date: 2021-10
• Subjects: Student–Teacher Relationship Scale -- measurement invariance -- confirmatory factor analysis -- early childhood education; Ability -- Testing -- Periodicals; Educational tests and measurements -- Periodicals; 371.713
• DOI: 10.1177/07342829211019150
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0734-2829

Abstract

This study examined the factorial validity and measurement invariance of the Student–Teacher Relationship Scale–Short Form (STRS-SF), modified byWhitaker et al. (2015), in the Finnish Early Childhood Education (ECE) context. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the two-factor model of Closeness and Conflict after some item modifications and partial strong measurement invariance across ECE student teachers and two qualified ECE teacher groups. In general, the participants perceived high levels of closeness and low levels of conflicts with children. The qualified teachers who voluntarily enrolled in training to improve their professional competence perceived their relationships with children as more conflictual, reported less working experience, and had younger children in their classrooms, compared to the other qualified teachers. The student teachers perceived less closeness than the teachers but reported fewerconflicts than the teachers enrolled in training. This study extended the application of the STRS-SF in teacher education and research to a Nordic cultural context.