Classroom (in) discipline: behaviour management practices of Greek early childhood educators

ABSTRACT

This study explored which restrictive and/or punitive behaviour management practices are most frequently used by Greek early childhood educators in an attempt to control children’s inappropriate behaviours and the personal or professional characteristics that could affect Greek educators’ use of such practices. The sample consisted of 105 early childhood educators working in day-care centres (paidikos stathmos) for children from 2-and-a-half to 4–5 years old. Participants completed a demographics questionnaire and a questionnaire regarding children’s behaviour management practices. This study’s results showed that working experience was the only significant predictor of participants’ overall use of restrictive and/or punitive practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Young children
• early childhood educators
• indiscipline
• behaviour management practices

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).