Work Demands and Resources, Stress Regulation and Quality of Pedagogical Work Among Professionals in Finnish Early Childhood Education Settings

Title
Work Demands and Resources, Stress Regulation and Quality of Pedagogical Work Among Professionals in Finnish Early Childhood Education Settings
Publication Date
2015
Author(s)
Nislin, Mari A
Sajaniemi, Nina
Suhonen, Eira
Sims, Margaret
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4686-4245
Email: msims7@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:msims7
Hotulainen, Risto
Hyttinen, Sirpa
Hirvonen, Ari
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Early Childhood Education Association Finland
Place of publication
Finland
UNE publication id
une:18180
Abstract
This study examined early childhood professionals' (ECPs) stress regulation and the demands and resources they encounter at work, and considered how these factors are associated with the quality of pedagogical work in daycare. The participants were 117 ECPs from 24 daycare centers in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, with data collected using surveys, cortisol measurements, and observational assessments. The results indicated that the professionals generally found their work resources to be adequate and, on average, their stress regulation measured through cortisol activity showed a typical diurnal pattern. Highly important resources at work proved to be support from supervisors, which was associated with stress regulation and the quality of pedagogical work in teams. Although we found only minor associations between cortisol activity and job demands and resources, cortisol activity did relate to pedagogical work, particularly to teamwork; the higher the quality of the teamwork, the lower the ECPs morning cortisol values. Our multidisciplinary study highlights important findings regarding the resources and demands ECPs experience at work, and supports existing literature. In addition, the results demonstrate the importance of social support, especially the role of the supervisor, which proved to be one of the key factors positively enhancing well-being at work. These findings are applicable in planning interventions regarding work-related well-being among ECPs.
Link
Citation
Journal of Early Childhood Education Research, 4(1), p. 42-66
ISSN
2323-7414
Start page
42
End page
66

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