Emotional and physical well-being of early childhood educators and their professional performance

Abstract

Early childhood educators are recognized as key figures in the early childhood education process. However, their daily work can generate high levels of stress and burnout, with a negative impact on the quality of their professional performance. Although there are studies on the health of educators in general, there is little specific information available on the health of female educators. This article presents the results of a mixed, cross-sectional, and descriptive research study focused on the possible influence of physical and emotional well-being on their job performance. Two ad hoc instruments were designed for data collection: a 24-question questionnaire and a 10-question interview script, validated by expert judgment and focused on four dimensions. The questionnaire was answered by 72 educators from the Maule Region, Chile, and six of them participated in interviews. The results of the questionnaire reveal that the participating educators consider their physical and emotional well-being to be good, but the majority stated that their daily work activities impact their physical and emotional well-being. This perception was corroborated by the interviewees, who provided details about their physical ailments and emotional state. They also indicated that physical and emotional discomfort interfere with their motivation and work performance. Consequently, the evidence suggests that, in this group of educators, emotional and physical well-being directly influences their professional performance, motivation, and quality of work life.