보육교사의 정신화가 놀이민감성에 미치는 영향에서 자기효능감의 매개효과

The Impact of Childcare Teachers' Mentalization on Play Sensitivity: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy

Objective: This study aims to explore the relationships among mentalization, self-efficacy, and play sensitivity in childcare teachers, and to examine whether self-efficacy mediates the effect of teacher mentalization on play sensitivity. Methods: A survey was conducted with 200 childcare teachers working in childcare centers in Jeollabuk-do, and data form 180 respondents were included in the final analysis. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis were performed using SPSS(version.23.0), and the mediating effect was tested using the PROCESS macro(version.4.0). Results: First, a significant positive correlation was found among childcare teachers’ mentalization, self-efficacy, and play sensitivity. Second, self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between mentalization and play sensitivity. In other words, higher mentalization ability in childcare teachers was associated with greater self-efficacy, which in turn was linked to higher play sensitivity. Conclusion/Implications: These results contribute to the development of intervention strategies aimed at enhancing the play sensitivity of childcare teachers, emphasizing the critical roles of teacher mentalization and self-efficacy. This study offers practical implications for designing educational intervention and informing policy development within childcare settings.