Emotional and Disciplinary Responses of Preservice Teachers to Young Children's Misbehavior

This study assessed 133 preservice teachers' emotional and disciplinary responses to kindergarten children's misbehavior. Subjects were presented with hypothetical scenarios of two types: those warranting direct adult management and those warranting indirect adult management. Subjects rated levels of their own negative affect and the perceived negative affect of the misbehaving child. They also described the disciplinary actions they would take. Responses were coded for level of adult power. Findings indicated that in direct management situations, the preservice teachers rated their own level of negative affect higher than that of the misbehaving child. In indirect situations, the teachers rated the child's level of negative affect as higher than their own. Preservice teachers indicated they would use more adult power in direct management situations than in indirect management situations. The findings pose implications for teacher preparation programs. (Scenarios from the Kindergarten Misbehavior Response Questionnaire are appended. Contains 16 references.) (Author/JPB)