Early childhood teachers' perceptions of the importance and feasibility of universal positive behavior support practices
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The purpose of this mixed-methods dissertation was to examine early childhood educators' perceptions of the importance and feasibility of universal positive behavior support (PBIS) practices across diverse childcare settings. Quantitative data were collected through a Likert-scale survey administered to 97 early childhood teachers working in public, private center-based, and home-based programs. Two subscales -- Importance and Feasibility -- were developed to measure participants' perceptions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to validate the measurement model, and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine group differences based on work setting, education level, and prior PBIS training. One-on-one semi-structured interviews served as the primary method of qualitative data collection. Eight early childhood teachers employed in private settings shared their perspectives on the importance of and barriers to implementing universal PBS practices. Thematic analysis was used to explore their lived experiences and the contextual factors shaping their behavior management practices. Findings from both qualitative and quantitative data revealed that early childhood educators generally recognize the importance of PBS practices for promoting young children's social-emotional well-being. However, a paired-samples t-test indicated that the mean rating for the Importance subscale (M = 99.49, SD = 10.83) was significantly higher than that for the Feasibility subscale (M = 94.32, SD = 11.08), t(92) = 7.34, p < .001. Classroom-based strategies were rated as the most feasible, whereas data collection and analysis, along with obtaining resources on behavior management, were perceived as least feasible. The qualitative analysis supported and expanded these findings. The interview participants reported few barriers in implementing classroom-based strategies (e.g., setting and maintaining classroom rules), but mentioned challenges in building relationships with families, collecting and analyzing data, and accessing behavioral resources. Finally, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed that setting was a significant contributor to participants' ratings of the importance of praise, data collection, and resource access. In-home providers rated these practices as less important (p < .01) than their peers in public and private center-based programs.
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Ph. D.