Investigation of the relationship between epistemic curiosity levels of preschool children and their temperament traits and learning behaviors

This study has two main aim. The first aim is to adapt the 'Epistemic Curiosity Scale for Young Children' into Turkish. andto provide a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be applied to children aged 3-6 years to measure epistemic curiosity within the domestic literature. The second objective is to examine the relationship between the levels of epistemic curiosity, temperament characteristics, and learning behaviors of children aged 3-6 years attending preschool education. In this quantitative study, a correlational research design was employed. The sample of the study consisted of children aged 36-72 months attending 17 different preschool education institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MEB) in central districts of a province located in the southwest region of Turkey. Data on children were collected based on the views of 978 parents and 53 teachers. The data of the study were obtained using four different data collection tools: the Epistemic Curiosity Scale for Young Children adapted into Turkish within the scope, the Temperament Scale for Children, the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale, and the Personal Information Form used to determine children's socio-demographic characteristics. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were conducted to reveal the factor structure of the Turkish version of the Epistemic Curiosity Scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated to determine the reliability of the scale. Data analysis included Independent Samples t-test, One-Way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H Test, Mann-Whitney U Test, and Stepwise Regression Analysis techniques. The EFA revealed that the Turkish version of the 10-item scale had a two-factor structure consistent with the original scale. The CFA conducted with data from a different sample indicated that the calculated fit indices showed excellent fit (χ2/df=2.58; GFI=.95; CFI=.96; NNFI=.95; IFI=.96;) and good fit (RMSEA=.07; AGFI=.91; NFI=.94; RFI=.92; SRMR=.05; PNFI=.71; PGFI= .58). Cronbach's alpha coefficients were found to be .81 for the total scale, .75 for the interest curiosity type dimension (I-type), and .71 for the deprivation type dimension of curiosity (D-type). Taken together, all findings indicated that the measurement tool was valid and reliable for measuring the epistemic curiosity of children aged 3-6 years. Regarding the research results, it was found that the levels of epistemic curiosity did not significantly differ according to children's age, gender, duration of preschool education, parents' ages, parents' educational statuses, or monthly incomes. When temperament characteristics were examined, it was determined that only the temperament characteristic of shyness significantly differed according to fathers' educational statuses. Post-hoc LSD test results indicated significant differences between the groups with high school education and bachelor's and postgraduate education. Similarly, it was found that the average scores obtained from the Preschool Learning Behaviors Scale significantly differed according to fathers' educational statuses. The significant difference between the groups with bachelor's and postgraduate education and high school education is in favor of children of fathers with bachelor's and postgraduate education. In the stepwise regression analysis, the variables predicting the epistemic curiosity of children aged 3-6 years were positivity, shyness, attention, and learning-oriented attitude. Together, these variables explained 28% of the variance in children's levels of epistemic curiosity. The variables predicting the interest curiosity type (I-type) of children were found to be, respectively, positivity, motivation, learning-oriented attitude, and shyness, and these variables explained 24% of the variance in children's curiosity types. Finally, the variables predicting the deprivation type (D-type) of children's curiosity were found to be positivity, shyness, attention, and learning-oriented attitude, and these variables together explained 22% of the variance in children's deprivation types of curiosity. In conclusion, the study's findings indicate that temperament characteristics and learning behaviors are effective in children's levels of epistemic curiosity.