Factors Related to Behaviors Promoting Preschooler Development among Child Care Providers, Songkhla Province

Abstract

This descriptive research aimed to determine the relationship between perceived benefits, perceived barriers of preschooler development promotion, interpersonal influence, and behaviors promoting preschooler development of child care providers. Multistage sampling method was used to recruit the participants, the sample size was calculated by G*Power and total 96 child care providers were recruited. Research instrument was a set of questionnaires including 1) general information of child care providers, 2) perceived benefits of preschooler development promotion. 3) perceived barriers of preschooler development promotion. 4) interpersonal influence. And 5) behaviors promoting preschooler development of child care providers. All questionnaires were reliability with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient valued of .926, .885, .773, and .825 respectively. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Person’s Product-Moment Correlation.

The results revealed the mean score of perceived benefits of preschooler development promotion was at high level. (= 4.20, S.D.= .47), followed by interpersonal influence (=2.70, S.D.=.39). Whereas the perceived barriers of preschooler development promotion was at the lowest mean score (= 1.55, S.D. = .57). The mean score of behaviors promoting preschooler development of child care providers was at a moderate level (= 3.97, S.D. = .47). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between perceived benefits of preschooler development promotion, interpersonal influence and behaviors promoting preschooler development of child care providers at .01 level. (r =.357, .298 respectively). While, perceived barriers of preschooler development promotion was negatively related to behaviors promoting preschooler development of child care providers (r=-.437). According to the study results should be emphasized in order to provide understanding and management guideline for dealing with the preschooler development promotion barriers of child care providers.