The Importance of Structural Characteristics for Interaction Quality in Austrian Preschools

Autor/inn/en	Smidt, Wilfried; Embacher, Eva-Maria
Titel	The Importance of Structural Characteristics for Interaction Quality in Austrian Preschools
Quelle	In: European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31 (2023) 5, S.752-771 (20 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Smidt, Wilfried) ORCID (Embacher, Eva-Maria)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1350-293X
DOI	10.1080/1350293X.2023.2195675
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Preschool Education; Preschool Children; Educational Environment; Preschool Teachers; Interaction; Student Characteristics; Interpersonal Relationship; Conflict; Student Behavior; Austria + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Pre-school education; Vorschulerziehung; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschule; Lernumgebung; Pädagogische Umwelt; Schulumwelt; Erzieher; Erzieherin; Kindergärtnerin; Interaktion; Interpersonal relation; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonelle Beziehung; Zwischenmenschliche Beziehung; Konflikt; Student behaviour; Schülerverhalten; Österreich
Abstract	Many studies have found associations between structural characteristics and interaction quality of children in ECEC settings. However, findings are inconsistent and since previous research has been conducted outside Austria, transferability to the Austrian country context is limited. By addressing this gap, the study aims to identify relations between structural characteristics and interaction quality (measured with the Individualized Classroom Assessment Scoring System, inCLASS) of 161 three- and four-year-old children from 55 preschools in Austria. After including control variables, main findings revealed positive relations between adequate equipment and teacher interactions and negative relations between child-staff ratio, proportion of children with immigration background per preschool class, preschool teachers' work experience and peer interactions. Preschool teachers' job security was positively related to task orientation and poorer child-staff ratio corresponded with more conflict interactions. Higher work experience led to fewer conflict interactions. The results indicate that specific structural characteristics are associated with a higher interaction quality in preschools in Austria. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01