Influence of casual conversation in nursery schools on nursery teachers’ stress reactions

This study focused on casual conversation as a component of companionship at nursery schools with the aim of assessing its influence on nursery teachers’ stress reactions. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 312 nursery teachers. Factor analysis of the content of casual conversation identified the following four factors: light small talk, state and development of children, complaining about interpersonal relationships, and thoughts and beliefs about childcare. Similarly, factor analysis of the effect of casual conversation identified the following four factors: pleasure derived from sharing and empathy, smooth communication and awareness, reconfirming one’s specialty as a nursery teacher, and exhaustion from providing sympathy unwillingly. Covariance structure analysis indicated that light small talk reduced nursery teachers’ stress reactions. In addition, casual conversation about the state and development of children as well as thoughts and beliefs about childcare promoted pleasure derived from sharing and empathy, thereby reducing stress reactions. Meanwhile, complaining about interpersonal relationships at the nursery school increased stress reactions. The findings suggest that the effect of casual conversation depend on the content.